Sub-5 Century

Last weekend my Dad and a few of his friends put together a century bike ride (100 miles), with the goal of finishing under 5 hours. They put a lot of time into preparation (as did my Mom and other family members), and it turned out to be a huge success. There were 40 participants, and in all they raised over $12,000 for the Paul Ruby Foundation for Parkinson's disease. Also, many of the riders finished the century under the 5-hour goal. Way to go riders! Here are a few of the pics from the ride...

Here are a group of riders at their first rest stop, looking good.

Me and another rider from my group taking a break.

My Dad (blue jersey) coming in for a rest stop.

The kiddos came along for the fun. Here are the two inseparable ones... Sadie and Elin.

"What are those riders thinking? Let's just stay here and eat some goodies."

The Gang.

There was, of course, a huge food tent for the rest stops and lunch after the ride.

We had many helpers with the food prep and tent... thanks to all of you!

My Mom and Aunt Nancy.

My little sis Shawnta was a huge help as well...

...as was Mike my brother-in-law. We tried to pull him out on the bike, maybe next year.

Our helpers taking a break. My Aunt Nancy and Annette brought a whole crew of helpers to the event... thanks a ton!

It looks like Lexi really needed a break. This was a nice treat after 100 miles of riding.

Me riding into the finish line... too tired to smile.

My Dad, Grandpa, and the girls after the finish. Way to go, Dad!

My Dad seems to be a little-person magnet- here they are helping him bring in the machine.

My Dad and I at the finish. Can't wait for the next one, Dad!

And last but not least, I couldn't have done this without my lovely bride April. I don't have any pics because April was the one taking them. Two months of training with long hours on the bike doesn't come for free. She also helped out a ton the day of the ride, and that while our kids were running rampant. Thanks babe, I owe you!

Happy 40th Anniversary!

Last week we threw a surprise party for my parent's 40th wedding anniversary. Actually, my sister and her family threw the party, and we pretty much showed up for the fun. Because they were married in 1970, we made it a '70s bash and everyone was decked out in their best '70s dig. The surprise turned out great, and the party was a lot of fun. Thanks to my sister Shawnta and her family for such a groovy time!

SURPRISE!

You have to pull in the cool '70s pics for a '70s party.

Check out these hippies...

Kari and Mel... feelin' groovy.

Of course we had to get in on the fun, too. I think I like that shirt, I'm going to wear it more often.

So how do I whistle on a blog?

Peace, baby.

Deadhead?

Here are the inseparable two again.

Elin's first experience with face make-up. I guess we have some work to do.

My Grandpa and Great Uncle Tony, with my Uncle Tony in the middle.

Shawnta and Mike.

The gang.

Lexi is full of dancing and cheers, and does a great job!

My cousin Kristin and husband Andy.

Me and my little sis'

Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Mike.

Lots of good food, including this dessert table. Chocolate, of course, makes every dessert table better.

And, of course, the couple of 40 years.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. We all love you!

Summer Camping!

I'm a bit behind on my blogging, so I'll be catching up in the next few days... several events to share. First, summer camping with the family! This is the first time we've been camping with my parents and my sister's family- great time! We went to Kettle Moraine State Park and spent a few days camping, swimming, fishing, and of course eating. No pictures of the "hurricane" that came through one afternoon, only to say that I was glad our camp site was still standing.

Loaded up and ready to go...

...and I really mean loaded up!

This was our stomping ground for the weekend.

"Roger that... we're ready for the next tent, back it up a bit... easy does it..."

Cousin Sadie and Elin were inseparable.

My Dad and I brought our bikes along... how could we miss the opportunity?

And, of course, a little pickin' and grinnin'

Two beautiful cranes wandered by our path.

Mmmmm... nothing beats old-fashion dutch oven cooking. I'm still an amatuer, but I'm learing.

Just enjoying the shade on a hot afternoon.

This game was a hit with the kids, and we only had to get the balls out of a tree once!

We visited a nearby swimming lake twice... it was a popular spot since it was so hot out. April found a comfy seat.

Papa and Sadie.

Mama and Lexi

Ha! I beat my sister to the picture.

Lunchtime! The kids always come running for lunchtime. It seems like a much busier time as an adult now.

Like I said earlier... inseparable.

Papa and Dylan.

Nate and Dylan fishing... we didn't have much luck that day.

Mike and Dylan... not much luck here, either.

Dylan on the monster truck.

Breakfast time- pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Why does breakfast always taste so good when you're camping?

The troops (minus Dylan).

And here's the gang just before we left. It turned out to be a great weekend, especially for our first family camping trip. I can't wait to do it again next year!