last day of classes

Another gorgeous, hot, sunny, humid day... here are a couple of shots from our last day of classes. There were others taken of the entire group -

but won't be up for another day or two.

This group was so outgoing and fun! I will sadly miss these folks!

Hong Kong

Thanks for making such an effort to keep in touch through the moves, the new jobs, and the various countries ... you are a special friend and I'll miss seeing that beautiful smile of yours! Maybe I can catch that on webcam ...?

sEE you SluGGer

It's "Critter" Time

BuBye DaYnA & RuSty!

Thank you so much for the wonderful Italian treat!

We enjoyed seeing you and will miss you guys next year.

(Or until we meet up in the Phillippines! :)

adios ~ farewell ~ anyeong hi kaseyo!

Thanks to everyone for stopping by for one last hangout...it was a random group of friends all inter-connected one way or another, but we sincerely enjoyed spending one last nite with you!
Paff- we're sorry we couldn't make it up to Spicer, but thanks for being flexible and making the trek down to Cloudtown. You will be surely missed!

Big squeezes to you two...and good luck with the move! We can't wait to come and visit your new palace someday soon! :)

Anothony rocks the house... please put out another CD soon!

So many goodbyes - really takes it outta ya!

Hope Dayna and Rusty can join us somewhere in Asia next year!!!???

Pretty snazzy looking group of gals!

xooOXXOoXoXOoXoxoxoOXox

Some special goodbyes...

....this picture makes me smile and yet I feel a couple of tears coming on.

you guys are great friends, but our busy schedules didn't permit

many hangouts this last year.

we'll miss you all and look forward to hearing your stories of new jobs, new homes and new babies?!?!? gosh...we'll miss out on a lot back home!

Eric & Amanda -- we just couldn't get in enough rounds of golf with these two!

Mitch - below - one of my favorite people from kindergarten! Distance has never been tricky for us! Keep in touch babe and best wishes finishing your MA this semester! :)

Bill and Laura - PLEASE please PleAsE visit my parents while we're away. They would love having some young blood around the house! :) And we know you guys won't be complaining about the free beer and wine ;)

Squeezes to all of you! Time flies when you're having a blast - so we'll be back in no time!

Sayonara Masami!

Masami -- Thank you for the nice lunch! We enjoyed seeing you both! I hope we meet again soon...best of luck finishing up the program this year! Ganbate! And send me an email about the language village up north...that sounded like a great opportunity for you! Take care and keep in touch! :)

dusTin'S bIRthDaY DiNNer

...birthday boy's choice for his birthday dinner...

of course it had to be The Outback.

delicious dinner w/ his family - although I just realized that

I'm missing pics of his mom and nieces!!??

Sayonara Tomoko, Aki and Ken!

Heeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeee's AKI!
This is Tomoko's beautiful daughter. Apparently she's usually pretty shy around strangers, but she was a total fireball all day! We enjoyed playing with her many toys that sing, dance, jump, shake and flash....but the one toy she really wanted to play with was my camera....of all things!

Shinobu and I enjoyed a delicious yakisoba meal...complete with kimchi (hey, I gotta start liking that now!) and kabobs. Thank you for cooking for us! It was a treat!

Hope to see you soon!....or maybe if/when you guys fly home next year!

another goodbye...

Dear Sam, Brittany and Shinobu,

Thanks for making grad school memorable...and dare I say, ... fun :)

Hope to keep in touch with you all as we head in new directions and careers.

I'll miss you girlies.... Cheers to us!

Crosby mine pits

Dustin's bday weekend was spent camping with good pals in the teeny town of Crosby.

Our main mission was to get in some canoeing and kayaking on the former mine pits,

and the 30 MPH winds

didn't stop us from hitting the waves!
Well,...actually it did almost stop us. We battled and slaved away sloshing through the white caps that pelted the waters all day long. It was exhausting, involved a lot of cussing and thankfully Dustin and I were able to remain cordial with one another after beaching the boats. The picture above shows us ...nearing the end of our mission... pissed and pooped!
Megan and I needed more than a few beers to relax from the day's stresses...

Dustin and his buddies: Poser & Milly

Crosby, MN July 2008

hot sun in the summertime

The picture above was taken on July 4th...my dad and dustin and I went out trolling for northern when we caught 4 walleye within 15 minutes. Since this species is somewhat rare on our lake, my dad was thrilled and to catch them while watching the fireworks surround us from all sides of the lake made it even more celebratory! After the fireworks show ended, and the walleyes quit biting, we noticed a second light show - a major thunderstorm brewing in the west... after several scary lightning strikes - we called it a night and began the wet, windy, stormy boatride home...

Aside from one small thunderstorm, we had another beautiful hot, summer weekend spent at the cabin with our family this July 4th holiday weekend. We had 3 gorgeous beach days as well as golf (in which I actually shot a legitimate 46 on a "big kid course'), and fabulous dinners made by each couple. Couple of bike rides, bonfires, some boardgames and beverages...many beverages.... and a visit from a couple of friends...and I'd say the weekend was one of our better ones this summer :)

It's hard to believe that we have less than one month to prepare, pack and plan for our travels! Unfortunately, I am so busy w/ school and work this summer, I probably wont' have any time to actually "plan or prepare" until August 1st....yep, that's one week away from departure!

I have to thank my incredible family for their support in our decision to leave the States for awhile...I believe Korea will be one of the greatest experiences of our lives! So much to see and do and experience each day...I am anxious to get outside of my comfort zone and daily grind :) In 26 days, we will be in South Korea!!! I hope it is as beautiful as being up at the lake :)

28 BIG ones

haPPy bIRtHDaY swEEtHearT!!!

XoXoXOoxoxOxXOXOOX