Jan. 19th 2010  /  Gavin is 4 months today!!  He has an appointment to get his pictures taken again.  We've been having them done once a month.  He changes so much every month.  He now has blue eyes and redish-blonde hair.

 

 

Jan. 10th 2010 /  Nathan & Vern are back on the trail to Effie.  The dogs are looking great & are off like a bullet again.  (Nathan was the second team to leave Northome)  Ryan is leading the race by 3 minutes!

 

 

Jan. 9th 2010 /  RACE DAY!!  I can't wait, the dogs look great.  They are screaming to run!  Nathan is ready and waiting for his class to start.  My mother is taking Gavin along in her car to follow the race.  We couldn't ask for more dedicated Grandparents!!  Nathan's dad is also racing today.

        The boys are off on the trail.  The dogs left like bullets.  We are off to Squaw Lake checkpoint to watch them run through on the way to Northome. 

The dogs looked great coming through Squaw Lake.  Nathan was the first 10 dogs team through.  His dogs are really on the move!

Northhome:  Nathan was the first 10 dog team to arrive!  The dogs don't even look tired.  They will be resting here for almost 7 hours.  Then off the Effie checkpoint and then the finishline in Marcel.

 

 

Jan. 8th 2010 /  Busy day scheduled today White Oak Vet checks start at noon, in Deer River.  We are drop'in Gavin off with Nathan's sister in Rapids so she can watch him till we are done.  Then back home to drop off the dogs, pack and back to Deer River for the mushers meeting at 7pm. 

 

Jan. 3rd 2010 / With the race season here, the packing... begins!  Even though this morning it was -30 degrees the packing & training dogs continues.  Nathan is working on the generator with hopes of being warm at the races!  With Gavin in arms I've decided I better do some website updates!  Let me tell you I can't type worth beans with one hand!  Nathan took out two, 10-dog teams for a quick stretch.  I've managed to take down the Christmas tree today & wash some laundry!  If your a parent you understand this once easy task, is not so easy!

 

 

Dec. 28th 2009 /  I finally broke down & had Satallite Internet installed.  I had a wireless card before but... it was painfully slow.  Almost as bad as dial up!!

 

Sept. 19th 2009 / Gavin was born today at 10:58pm.  He's 6lbs 3oz, 19 1/4 inches long.  He's perfect!  I couldn't have hand picked a better baby.  He looks to have blonde hair and is adorable.  I'm sure that's what ever mother says though!

 

 

So far June has been filled with shopping for the baby, work, trying to stay cool... 

I'm bored stiff, I have not even sat on my horses.  It's quite a change for me.  Normally my summer schedule is filled with traveling and training horses. 

 

May 20th 2009 / We found out we are having a baby boy today!  Nathan and my mother went with me to the appt!  After we went out for dinner to celebrate.  Our cellphones never stopped ringing from calls and text messages from family and friends. 

 

April 25th 2009 /  My mother, Aunt and I went to the Horse Expo in the Cities.  I finally got to buy some decent Maturnity cloths.  Looked at ponies for the baby!  Found nothing, good thing we have a couple of years to look. 

 

March ? We went to watch the Wolf Track Classic.  We tried to enter but, we thought of it to late this year.

 

Feb. 26th 2009 / Our first Dr.'s appt.  We got to hear the baby's heartbeat.  YES, YES we are going to be parents! 

 

Feb. 23rd  Awards banquet.

                  Nathan placed 14th.

 

Feb 22nd   Way to early in the am, we arrived in Wetmore.  Tried to sleep sum after finding Nathan's resting spot and cooking up food for the dogs.  Nathan and the dogs look good and health.  After they rested we got Nathan and his team ready to depart.  The dogs looked excellent!  We could bearly hold the dogs back for the count down to leave! 

 

The drive to Deerton was horrible!  The snow came in like a wall.  So thick you could barely so the hood of the truck!  We missed the check point and ended back in Marquette!  We dropped of the truck and trailer.  Vern and I took his truck and ran back to Deerton leaving my mother and his wife at the hotel.  We once again could barely see the road.  I had my passanger window open trying to find the snowbank and edge of the hwy!  We made it just in time.  They closed the hwy not to long after.  We watched Nathan run through and headed for the hotel.  With the hwy closed we had to find back roads to get to Marquette.  Our detour was a white knuckled ride.  A dirt road with one truck tire and no clue where we were going.  The snow was almost tire deep!  However by the grace of god we made it and got to the finishline in time to see Nathan finish!  Even with the snow conditions the dogs looked great. 

 

Feb. 21st  We got up at the break of dawn to drive to Grand Marias, MI.  The roads are good but it was a long drive.  Nathan arrived around dusk?  Dogs look good.  After Nathan left we cleaned up and headed for Wetmore.  Looks like snow!

 

Feb. 20th  Race start on Main Street!  Nathan and the dogs are ready to go!  I love this race out here.  Starting at night with all the lights tons of people lining the streets.  It's what I imagine the Iditarod start would be like.  One of these years we will find out!!

 

Feb. 19th 2009  Nathan, Vern and I are leaving for Marquette, MI.  Nathan is racing the UP 200.  Our Mom's have to work friday so they will catch up Friday night.  They are going to miss the race start but we are happy they can make it!

 

 

Jan. 27th (Tue)  Nathan was in no hurry to leave Trail Center but, after about 9 hours we sent him on his way.  The dogs looked happy and ready to continue on.  After getting rid of Nathan again we went in for breakfast, slowly cleaned up our mess by the truck.  Our drive to Devils Track was painfully slow, due to road conditions.   We were happy to find Devils Track sunny and not so windy.  We once again unpacked the truck to ready ourselves for Nathan's arrival.  Made food for the dogs and played with the dogs on the truck.  Vern tried for some zzz's in a lawn chair but...  couldn't find sleep.  We are enjoying ourselves until we got the bad news.  Your musher and team are waiting for you back at Trail Center.  The three of us packed like mad and rushed of to Trail Center.  It took us 1 1/2 hours to make it back.  With our thoughts on Nathan and the dogs we prayed they were all ok.  We arrived to find the dogs bedded down and resting and Nathan waiting for us. The dogs looked ok and Nathan was in one piece.  Nathan informed us of his scratching and why.  The start of frostbite.  We packed up and headed back to Devils Track.