Star in the making,,,,,

As many of you know...my wife owns a marketing agency. As many of you also know... I have no idea really what this means. She talks in a code that only other marketing professionals would understand with phrases like: "I talked to creative last week and they are running the blah blah blah..."

Creative is not a person. You cannot talk to "creative". Unless of course...you own a marketing agency.

I was excited though as a few weeks ago...my wife was "talking to creative" and they needed a small child to model for a photo shoot. Katelyn's new career was born.

You may think the fact that my daughter got to star in this photo shoot was because my wife's company was paying for it. I like to think that the start to her illustrious modeling career was due to her unsurpassed beauty that was unmistakeably given to her through her father's genes.

Either way, Katelyn got to participate in a photo shoot for Land O Lakes. Once she is granted the rights as the official spokesperson for Land O Lakes Cheese...I will retire and pursue my dream of living in a tricked out RV while touring the world for her other photo shoots.

Because both are beautiful...and at least one will soon be famous....I love my girls.

1944 - 2010

I know I have been away for sometime....and unfortunately it is a sad event that brings me back. My father-in-law passed away yesterday...and I don't know where else to write my thoughts of him...so my hope is that he will read my blog.

Denny Wold was my father-in-law. He has been battling Parkinson's for ten years. I met my wife about 8 years ago, and thus her family as well. Therefore, I have never known Denny without Parkinson's...and this is something I will always regret.

Denny was a man that all who met would speak highly of. With a quiet, introverted manner....Denny made friends where some would have enemies. He was an electrical engineer, with a passion for what he did. Beyond his intellectual capacity I knew a man who loved his family, and had a wit that would rival many professional comedians. I can only speak of the few conversations I had with him...but I enjoyed talking with him as he had knowledge of so many capacities including current events and especially sports.

He had a dry humor, one that you would have to listen closely to in order to understand the joke. But if you did that, if you gave that extra effort...you would find yourself chuckling days later about an off the cuff comment that he made during thanksgiving dinner.

He raised my wife....or had a hand in it...and therefore I can't help but love him. She is the kindest, hardest working, most dedicated person I have ever met. That does not happen without the love of a devoted father.

Denny Wold lived 65 years....but many could take note in that he LIVED those 65 years. He worked hard to give back to is family...he traveled, he showed his family a world that so many do not see. He gave his heart, and he gave his soul to raising his family.

As many of you know who have read my blog....my dad is my hero. But....if and when I pass on....to be remembered as Denny will be remembered would be an honor as well.

Because they told me today that "Grandpa Wold is living with Jesus"....I love my girls....

Real Life

Swimming lessons were canceled last week because a kid pooped in the pool.

Seriously.

I didn't know that happened in real life.

Because they had not jumped in yet....I love my girls.....

Only because....

I sat in my bed this morning....realizing that I did not need to get up early to help take care of the kids...

Thanks mom.

Kelly and I had a date night last night. I will tell you about it in a second.

I have been sick for the past three days. I hate being sick, and I wish H1N1 on no one. I don't think I had it...but man whatever I had...if the R2D2 is worse then that....no thanks.

Mom watched the kids for the night...so Kel and I went to Wildfire. We were supposed to go on Friday...but i couldn't move...so we went Saturday instead. We did not have reservations, as we were not sure if I would be feeling well enough to go.

We waited 1.5 hours for a table. After waiting one hour, the manager came up to us and told us that he would be buying our dinner. Our entire dinner.

I can eat.

So, we started with a fondue, moved to an appetizer...my beautiful bride enjoyed a flute of wine, and we had salads and entrees followed by a "trio" of desserts.

One hundred and ten dollars later, the manager came up to us and thanked us for being so nice about the wait.

???????????

We had terrible service at Lola's and a horrible meal...and the manager saif he would buy us some cheesecake.....

Yet at Wildfire, we waited 30 minutes more then we were "supposed" to and we ate like royalty..... for free.

I know my readership is 19 people....but trust me you 19...go to Wildfire. Even if you do not get a free meal....you are eating somewhere that is thankful you are there.

Because my hope is they will always eat like royalty, whether it is a happy meal now.....or escargot in the future, I love my girls....

I'm Baaaacccckkkk.....

After a week in Brazil and Argentina, I am back. I have been back for almost a week actually, but I have been trying to catch up with life and work, etc.. so just getting to catching you up.

I have some pictures, but mostly memories, following are some things I learned on my trip:

I learned that as much as the travel clinic tries to scare you, there are not mosquitoes that have the capability of sucking all of your blood in one bite and then spitting it back into you infused with Dengue Fever and/or Malaria.

I learned that over 60% of the population of Sao Paulo is poor. I learned that a lot of these poor people are honest hard workers.

I learned that the phrase “Thank You” is highly underused in The United States.

I learned that Sao Paulo is a city and a state.

I learned that driving lanes are simply "guidelines" in Sao Paulo.

I learned that for some reason there is one motorcycle death a day in this city.

I learned that unless you live in Sao Paulo, you should not have the right to complain about traffic. The following is not an exaggeration. It is a fact that on a bad day, it can take 1 hour to drive 3 kilometers in Sao Paulo. It is also a fact that 3 kilometers is 1.8 miles.

I learned the number one reason people work in Brazil for Mosaic is the people that they work with.

I learned that in Brazil, to work until 7PM is not uncommon. I also learned that nobody complains about this.

I learned that in Argentina, taxes are high... and the current President is the wife of the last President.

I learned that in Argentina, the posted speed limit is merely a suggestion.

I learned it is not uncommon to eat dinner at 9 PM or later in Argentina.

I learned that I don't like eating dinner at 9PM or later.

I learned there is good food in Latin America

I learned that it is hard to find talented people in both countries.

I learned that cleanliness is next to godliness in our plants in Latin America.

I learned that what we refer to as “Coffee” is the states is really just dark water.

I learned that you can miss your family quite a bit in just 7 days.

I learned that Portuguese is not Spanish, and that I know very little of both.

I learned that when you receive an email while you are in a country 5200 miles away that says "last night Katelyn prayed for daddy to have a safe trip and make a lot of friends"...you so badly wish you could hug that 4 year old.

Because they missed me as much as I missed them.....I love my girls.

They are worth a thousand words...

As I am running out of time before I head to Brazil tomorrow, instead of writing...I thought I would go with:

A Picturesque Blogue Entry

I mowed my lawn. Mowing in one continuous circle saves 9 minutes.

Ashley got her first checking account a month ago. She already has more money than I.

One of the few highlights at the fair. The VERY FEW highlights at the fair.

Two people having fun on the boat

One Not.

Can you tell where the tent was for a week? Sadly.....didn't sleep in it once.

Because when they get hold of the camera, they take pictures like this:

I love my girls....

Weekend to Remember

My hope is to remember all of them...but I will use this blog as a way to remember this one.

The weekend started with leaving work a little early on Friday...always nice to get out a touch early. This night was special as I was going to the Viking's game. I know, 4th preseason game...but these were 50 yard line tickets, and my neighbors company was footing the bill, so pretty good time.

Side note here: This capped a week where I was not home 4 out of 5 nights with fantasy football, real football, and hanging out with friends. Thanks my love.

Back to this weekend. We went horseback riding on Saturday. Went to a place called River Valley Ranch. I am not a fan of horses, or riding on them for an hour down a trail.

Side note here: My wife said we could do anything I wanted to as it was our date day. I knew she liked horseback riding, so I set it all up. You're welcome my love :)

Horseback riding, a little shopping, and we test drove a mini-van. Let me just put it this way: with the 4 million automakers out there, can't they invent something that is not a mini-van? Or can't they market it as a SMV (Suburban Mobility Vehicle)? Just give me something so I don't have to drive one of those around...and I don't want one of those cars that looks like it is confused as to whether or not it should be a station wagon or an SUV....those vehicles look dumber than a mini-van and people would make fun of them if they knew what they were called...

So, Saturday night was a bonfire night, kids had smores, etc... it was great.

Sunday we spent the majority of the day at my folks place...out on the boat and eating lasagna. The boat was great, the lasagna was better...and mom makes this bread that I think I could eat 9 or 10 loaves of. Good to see the family, all siblings and their families looked tot be doing well, although Riley didn't want any part of dinner...we assumed she was just avoiding carbs.

Today was the best though as I got a lot of things done around the house.

Side note here: Wife took the kids to Target for a couple hours. Out of my hair = things accomplished. Thank you my love.

Then we got to hang out with the kids, had dinner, went for a walk and even learned a few things....Katelyn gave me an education today on animals:

I tried to explain to her that bats were nocturnal. They slept in the day and woke up at night, so that meant they were nocturnal. She didn't believe me, but did ask why they called it "Knock Knock Turtle"....

Then she told me that you should never touch a "Poke U Pine" (porcupine) because they just poke poke poke unless you have gloves on...

So the great weekend ended with Poke U Pines and Knock Knock Turtle animals. Couldn't think of a better conclusion.

Because the littlest is talking a mile a minute, and the oldest spends time teaching me a myriad of things, and I can't understand either of them.....I love my girls.