Calvin Christian School Fellowship Dinner and Southwest Christian Gala

It was a packed weekend of fundraisers for our friends and family.  The first event was to support Southwest Christian Highschool.  It was a wonderful night and clearly an amazing school.

Dan, Mike, and Craig

Michelle, Laura, Allison

Allison and Laura

The next evening we were off to celebrate Calvin Christian School.  The kids all participated in the event and Grandma Miedema joined us.

Hailey played her flute

Can we ever have a nice photo with Grandma?

Orlando Conference

Mike and I were able to have a quick get-away to Orlando, Fl for the annual American Heart Association 2015 session.  Mike got to attend several sessions and meet up with research colleagues from around the US while I enjoyed the sun!

 The pool was my home away from home

Three date nights in a row!

 On Friday before we left Taylor got to have fort day at school and then attended the Toby Mac concert at the Target Center

 Hailey and her volleyball friends watched their first University of Minnesota volleyball game

 Grandpa and Grandma were in charge of the kids while we were away and the kids loved having them!  Grandpa took Carter to hockey, Grandma baked with the girls, and they filled boxes for operation Christmas Child.

Trick or Treat 2015

 The Zobels joined us the Halloween and we took on pumpkin carving.  It actually went quite well and I was pretty impressed with our results!

Taylor, Harper, Hailey, and Kensie

 Our large yellow M&M dominates the picture covering up the ballerina and the two Minnie Mouse girls

Kensie and Harper very excited and adorable!!!

 The Newton Ave tradition of large bon fires, soup, and group trick or treating had attracted lots of guests over the years.  I believe that it keeps getting bigger every year.  This year we even had the Wrase family put of a live projection of the Wild game onto the house outside!

Jaclyn and Taylor

Carter, my storm trouper getting his pre-trick or  treat snack

Hailey and Julia

The group got even bigger after the first group photo!!

Fall Volleyball at CCS

Here is the Calvin 4th grade volleyball team coached by me!

The girls had a great year and finished the season 5-5.  Taylor is an excellent player and her favorite thing to do on the court is to serve.

Some of these girls had never played before and the improvement was amazing!

 One of our favorite opponent was childhood friend Kylie who is also coached by her mom!

Kensie and Harper came to cheer on Hailey in the tournament

 Hailey's 7th grade team had a rough season finishing 1-11.  They however, pulled everything together on tournament day and made it to the semi-finals by playing fantastic volleyball!!

Sisters….

Heartbeat Gala 2015

 The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation Gala was last weekend and oh what a wonderful time was had by all!  This year we hosted a table and invited dear friends which made for a relaxing night of fun and great laughs.

 I am so very blessed by these women in my life.  Truly saints.

Dan and Laura

Michelle and Jack

Steve and Tara

Scott and Cheryl

Lifelong friends (pretty sure we have a high school prom pic to match)

A beautiful night

MEA in SE MN

Road trip Selfie!

 Sometimes you can live somewhere most of your life and never know how close you are to some beautiful places right here in MN!  This year's MEA weekend was spent in SE MN by Lanesboro and Preston MN.  We completed our annual Miederjamaki Superbowl at the local football field where the Miedemas' cam out on top for the second year in a row!

We enjoyed the hotel pool and game night back at the rooms.

 We enjoyed hours of biking of the trails between Preston and Lanesboro.

Hailey and Olivia

Group biking photo!

 On day two, we went and explored Niagara Cave by harmony MN

Carter by the "ribbon stalagmites".