Barnebirkie 2010

It was one of the best days ever! Spending the day surrounded by amazing family and friends, watching kids ski their hearts out! I can't tell you how proud I am of you Grace!!! Such a determined spirit! We literally couldn't get her to take off her skis after her race! She skied for such a long time after the race practicing and playing on the ski obstacle course! What a great way to start the Berkie Festivities...

Mea Grace and Luke getting pumped! I was so proud of how brave they were with all the chaos! This was their first ski race ever! I am so proud of you kiddos!

Cool Hand Luke and the crew getting ready to race...

Mea and Grace were so excited to get started!

Getting their bibs and getting pumped up~

Getting medal at the finish.

She was so excited for this moment.

I just love the Ternes Family!!!

Grace and Adeline

Ski buddies for life!!

Grace taking everything in after the race!

What a fan club! Joseph was so proud of Grace and he even got try out Graces skis! He will be racing next year!

I am soooooooo proud of you Mea!!! You are becoming such a great little skier! :)

I am so proud of you too Adeline! What a thrilling day!

Obstacle course

Ava was Loving her Grandma and Nana time!
There is just something about being down here taking it all in! I am so ready to ski!

Silly Sisters In a Toy Box.

She sure has come a long way, falling less, and gliding more... I am so proud of you Grace!

Barnebirkie or Bust

I had to bring my skis in to get waxed for the race this weekend. This is one of the things I don't care much for in skiing~ maybe I will like it more when I learn how to do it myself, next year!! Grace was adamant she also needed hers waxed for her race on Thursday. So Riverbrook bike and ski pretended to wax hers too. Too cute!

The Barnebirkie starts at 12:30 in Hayward where the little tykes will ski their little hearts out all the way to main street where the snow is hauled in already for the Birkie. Every kid is a winner getting medals, hot coco, and cookies at the end!

http://www.birkie.com/page/show/110357-barnebirkie

Imagine the energy of 1,300 kids, ages 3 to 13, standing on skis awaiting the sound of the starting gun for the Barnebirkie, sponsored by Salomon & Swiss Miss. The excitement – and noise – is exhilarating as each participant anticipates his or her 1-, 3- or 5-kilometer event.

Weekend Family Fun

G-Force

Ava thinks Grace is CRAZY!

Getting ready to slide and Glide!


Jeff made a hill for Grace to practice downhill skiing this weekend! This is her first time~ She loved it! I can't wait to hit the ski hills with her!

Va~Va~Vonn!

She inspires me so much! To be in such pain, and have such a heavy weight of expectations on her shoulders, yet still having such intense focus and determination! She totally ROCKED her ski race yesterday earning her first gold medal. What a crazy scary race that was for many of the women. The course was incredibly fast and bumpy. Watching the skiers get launched in the air at the last jump was so intense and fearful to say the least! My heart broke for the athletes that wiped out moments before the finish! What amazing courage and strength this sport takes! I just love the Olympics!!!

10,000 Skiers Registered~ Largest Field of Skiers Ever!

American Birkebeiner Ready to Welcome Largest Field of Skiers Ever - Birkie.com
02/17/10 08:02 AM (CST)

By Cherie Morgan

HAYWARD, Wis., Feb. 17, 2010 – With just 10 days til the American Birkebeiner in Cable and Hayward, Wis., Executive Director Ned Zuelsdorff announced it’s full steam ahead for the largest field of skiers ever in the 37th anniversary event. “The trail is in excellent condition with a 10 to 15 inch base,” Zuelsdorff said. “The grooming crew is working very hard preparing for a full race course.” That’s good news to the 10,000 skiers, 2,000 volunteers, 15,000 spectators and organizers of the 37th anniversary events that begins Thursday, Feb. 25 and culminates with the 50K Birkie Skate sponsored by Becker Law, 54K Subaru Birkie Classic, 23K Kortelopet sponsored by Marshfield Clinic-Hayward Center and State Bank of Drummond Prince Haakon 12K on Saturday, Feb. 27.“We have more than 8,300 skiers registered for the 50K Birkie Skate, 54K Birkie Classic, 23K Kortelopet and Prince Haakon 12K,” Zuelsdorff said. “In addition, we expect another 1,000 kids, ages 3-13, to participate in the Salomon/Swiss Miss Barnebirkie, nearly 300 teens to race the CenturyTel Junior Birkie, and around 400 for the Cheqtel 5/10K events. In all, we are expecting over 10,000 participants in our 2010 American Birkebeiner races and events.”Birkie staff are in high gear with last minute preparations for all of the events. Volunteers and staff are busy organizing awards, finish lines and food and staffing for the 11 aid stations along the Birkie course.On race day, Honorary Race Starter, Governor Jim Doyle, will welcome the diverse gathering of cultures from around the world, count down to the starting gun, and send over 8,000 Birkie and Kortelopet skiers on their way.
Skiers from 20 countries and 47 U.S. states will participate in the American Birkebeiner. Aside from the United States, the top three countries represented are Canada, Norway and Finland. The top five U.S. states include Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan and Colorado.Skiers and spectators can stay informed about trail conditions and up to the minute event information by logging onto http://www.birkie.com/.

Character.

I have been soaking up this years winter Olympics even more this year than most. I seriously can't get enough!

What a great example of sportsmanship Anna Carin Olofsson-Zidek was on Tuesday. I wonder if I would be as forgiving and positive as Anna?

Mistake in starting gate costs Swedish biathlete 14 seconds
By Chris Chase

Swedish biathlete Anna Carin Olofsson-Zidek was supposed to start Tuesday's 10-kilometer pursuit seven seconds behind the racer directly in front of her. (The event used a staggered start.) But seven seconds passed and nothing. Seven more seconds passed and nobody told Olofsoon-Zidek to start. It wasn't until 14 full seconds had elapsed that the biathlete began her race.
Those 14 seconds caused Olofsson-Zidek to finish in sixth place, but when race officials realized the error they shaved that time off her result, a move which catapulted the Swede into fourth place. With her adjusted time, Olofsson-Zidek was 11.1 seconds away from a bronze medal.
Considering the error, Olofsson-Zidek was remarkably upbeat after the race. She acknowledged that the late start bothered her on the first lap but then said she settled down and ran a "very good race" with which she was "satisfied." When asked whether she could have snuck in for the bronze without the slip-up, Olofsson-Zidek said, "I don't know. I doubt it."
There's so much talk in sports about what defines sportsmanship. We think of post-game handshakes and not playing dirty as the hallmarks of a sportsman, but it's really little things like this that should define athletic integrity. Olofsson-Zidek has every right to be angry. She could have complained that the error affected her so much that it ruined her race. She could have applied pressure on the Swedish team to keep up its protest (which was dropped after her time was retroactively lowered). She could have gone on TV and demanded a bronze medal.
But she didn't. She realized that, in all likelihood, she was the fourth best biathlete in the race, so she took it in stride and didn't point fingers. And for that, she's a champion.

Book It!!!

Don't forget this Saturday is the 14th annual Book Across the Bay! It looks like it should be a great temps and conditions this year for skiing, snowshoing, or walking across the lake!!! Hope to see you all there! :)

Book Across the Bay is the upper Midwest's most unique winter event, open to skiers and snowshoers of all ages and ability levels. The 10-kilometer course, which is groomed for both classic-style and skate skiing, starts in Ashland and ends in Washburn, and follows a route not on land, but over the frozen surface of Lake Superior, the world's largest lake. The event is held at night, and the course is lit by the stars above and up to 1,000 candles in ice luminaries that line the entire route.

http://www.batb.org/

Celebrating Ava Turning 2!!!

Ava sure enjoyed being surrounded by family and friends today!!! Thank you to all of you for making her birthday celebration so special! Ava loves you all!!!

Pre Birkie 2010

This was a grueling 42k marathon skate ski race that I can't believe I actually finished!!! It was 3 hours and 26 mins of work and this isn't even the Birkie! I raced the Pre Birkie on Saturday to see if I could get a higher wave for the American Birkebeiner 50K in 13 days!

The Pre Birkie is a incredibly difficult course that has many challenging hills. http://itiming.com/searchable/index.php?results=prebirkie10

I am so proud of Shawn and Mary! It was so exciting to have friends to ski with. Mary you truly inspire me!

I am so thankful to my cheering crew! I don't think I could have finished without you guys keeping me fired up along the course~I love you all so much!!! I am sooooo blessed!!!

The Beauty of Winter Continues...

It doesn't look real when you wake up and see everything sparkling like diamonds!

Thank you Lord Jesus for the gift you have given in the ever changing beauty of the seasons!

Celebrating Henry Turning 2!!!

We enjoyed Tuesday morning celebrating Henry's 2nd birthday! What a great day with friends!

Another year flies by way too fast! Henry looked so cute in his conductor overalls

E is on the move!

Happy 2nd Birthday Ava Marie!!!

I remember looking at you thinking what a little peanut you are! You are still my little peanut! I have enjoyed these last two years so much! Watching you play and love your big sister has been so amazing! You have a personality that lights up a room! We are so blessed to have you in our lives! Thank you God for our Ava!!! I love you my little peanut Ava!

Grace never wanted to put you down!

You have always been and will be daddy's girl!

Ava is Turning 2!!!

The many faces of noodles!!!

Happy Birthday Frank

Happy Birthday Uncle Frank. You are so much fun to be around! We sure enjoy every minute we share with you! Hope you have a great day!