Kristi's Friends and Family
Christmas Page 2015
Greetings All, As the end of 2015 is upon us, I
am so deeply grateful for a year of so many personal
blessings and valued time spent with those most
loved. I too am mindful of the reason for Christmas
and the importance of conveying love and sharing to one
another throughout the world. May we all contribute
to a positive walk in our own lives, with those held most
close, and in working towards global peace. Blessings and
Merry Christmas... I hope you enjoy this year's family
page and some pictorial memories of the past year!
A
Haertl’y Christmas Greeting- 2015
Festive Christmas Trip to
Cragun's- Brainerd area
Warm greetings to you and your loved ones! We pray the year has
treated you well! 2015 offered a couple personal/ work and family
trips to Washington DC/ MD, along with several other travels in
the US and abroad. We also ventured up North a couple of times,
Mikaela, dad, Aunt Sandy, Jodi and I attended our annual Christian
Family Camp (18th time), Mikaela and I had a mother-daughter
"Adventure trip" to AZ, and Dan and I had an amazing time in
Negril Jamaica exploring many areas of the beautiful country. We
were also blessed to visit my 50th state (Alaska) and see the many
incredible sites--we highly recommend a visit there! Mikaela and
Sarah live in St. Paul on Grand Avenue and are doing well. Dad and
mom have been married 52 years and at age 82, dad went on our 20th
MS 150 Purple pumpers bike trip, he was the oldest of the 3500
riders and our team has now raised over $110,000 for such a great
cause! Dad also qualified and played in the National Senior
Olympics (singles and doubles).
Mikaela, Sarah, Yours Truly
and Dan on a Birthday Outing
Left- Rare photo of Mom (Mom and Dad in front of their
home)
Right- Dad again rode
the MS 150 with the Purple Pumpers 20- the oldest of all 3500
riders!!
Dan- continues his love of coaching and teaching tennis
and is the Maple Grove Girls and Centennial Boys High School
Coach. He also teaches tennis classes at the University of
Minnesota and is a Tennis Pro at the Baseline Tennis Center. On
the side he continues many musical endeavors with his band Sticks
and Tones and has more guitars than more professional singers...
if you ask him how many guitars he needs, his patent response...
"one more" :) ... Highlights of Dan's year include the trip to
Alaska & Jamaica with me, our trips with Mikaela and Sarah,
his tennis teams were 30 wins/ 6 losses, and 11 amazing gigs
throughout the cities with Sticks and Tones. We look for more
performances this summer! If you are interested in attending one
of their performances, let us know! They are at many summer family
events throughout the city/ state.
Left- One of Dan's many tennis classes at
the University
Right-
Sticks and Tones at Centennial Lakes
Kristi- Every day I thank the
good Lord for family and friends I love and two amazing
careers. I just started my 33rd year of teaching early morning
aerobics and am in my 19th year as a Professor at St. Kates.
On the side I have a private practice with clients who have
psychiatric and developmental conditions. Given that the book
is done, life is a little more laid back. I completed my 12
item 0-50 bucket list with the last item being getting to my
50th state within a year of turning 50, and at Mikaela's
urging have written a post 50 bucket list and checked off a
few more items :). While my earlier list was heavily
experience based (e.g., sky diving, finish a book, marathon,
bungee jumping, kayaking in bio bays, mission trips, and others),
I have found my new one is more legacy based. Highlights of
the year are the amazing travels, times with dearly loved
friends and family, and being honored to be inducted into the
first ever American Occupational Therapy Foundation Leaders
and Legacy Society <at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville>
and being awarded the Communication Award from MOTA.
Thanks to all for sharing, God's Blessings!
Induction of the first AOTF Leaders and Legacy Society- Nashville:
Country Music Hall of Fame
Alaska- My 50th State :)
Botanical Gardens- Juneau
Alaska (upside down tree behind us)
Mikaela- I'm now a 25 year-old, tending to the social,
emotional, mental, academic, and physical well-being of 26, 6 year
olds, 9 hours a day (oofta that's a lot of numbers!). My position
as a 1st grade teacher in a charter school on the West side of St.
Paul is one of the most challenging, exhausting, and rewarding of
occupations and I wouldn't trade it for any other job in the
world. More importantly though, I live in St. Paul with the love
of my life, Sarah. We also live with our adorable cat Dragon, who
loves tuna and hates tin foil. My favorite parts of the year were
the epic adventures and travels with family, teaching, getting a
giant Swedish tattoo on my forearm, being in the sun, dancing, and
eating pumpkin pie. I am eternally grateful for my beautiful
amazing, intelligent girlfriend, mhy wonderful parents, my best
friend Jodi, my resilient kids, and our pet cat and rat, Ellie. If
I could have anything for Christmas it would be for everyone
reading this to start having courageous conversations about race,k
ethnicity, Islamophobia, religious freedom and gender. For in the
words of MLK: "Now is the time to make justice a reality, for all
God's children".
Left- getting ready to walk in Cinco de Mayo parade with
Mikaela's school
The great
West Side Summit School ready to walk in the parade!
Photos taken on 4th of July at the National Botanical Gardens
Additional Friends and Family Photos... Thanks for
Sharing 2015 with me!!!
Biking & Fitness Events
2015 marked a year of many fitness events as I participated
in 20 straight months of fitness events (e.g., running
races, biking etc.)-- I had a decent year of competition and
more importantly, loads of fun!
Above- Ran the Sweetheart Run in 30 below windchill.. got
3rd place and the photo on the left was in the White Bear
paper :)
Left- Mikaela and I had a blast in the "inflatable run" ....
Right- Taken at the Minnesota Half Marathon/ 5K combo
race--had a great race and a blast running!
Biking- Training
rides
Purple Pumpers 20th-
Congratulations
to the Purple Pumpers 20th!!!! We had a very
successful 20th event and have now earned through the
years over $110,000 in donations! As you may
know, our team has a couple who have MS themselves,
one fighting cancer, and too, my father at 82 was the
oldest rider on the entire event this year. ... I am
proud of everyone and thank you for your participation
and for the many people who donated!!! We too had the
highest number of Golden Gear Riders (those who earn
over $1,000) than we have ever had in our 20
years!! Here are a couple of fine photos
of the team:
LEFT- Our Annual Team Dinner at the
Timberlodge
Right- Thanks to Scott and Bruce-
Our Support Team :)
Fun at the Rest Stops... We get to Eat
every 12-15 miles!!!
Our Annual Playground Team Photo!!
Aerobics-- Just Started my 33rd Year of Teaching!
Congratulations to our Blue "Athletic" Team as we won the
Battle of the Instructors Contest. ... Thanks to all who
supported the event, we raised $1700 for the Lifetime Fitness
Foundation! Here are a couple of fun photos:
Mikaela came to support our event!
Right- Yours Truly up On
Stage As The Blue Team Teaches and Enthusiastic Crowd!
The blue team is having a great time teaching the class of 150
enthusiastic participants!
What a grand time was had by
all!
Some of the instructors who participated in the event
(Left)- Sara and I wishing everyone
a very Merry Christmas
Travels... (Here are Just a Few of the Many Wonderful
Shared Travels From Personal to Family to Work:
Jamaica:
The water and pools were amazing-- This was taken at
YS Falls.. As you can see on the right, you can swing
out and jump into 20 feet of water!
Washington DC/ Maryland- Personal
Trip in the Spring and Family Trip July 4th
Summer :)
Left- The capitol is covered in scaffolding
amidst restoration
Washington Monument
Circle Cafe in the Union Station--- A Favorite Place Through the
Years
The Beauty of the National Gardens
Arizona:- Mother/
Daughter Adventure Trip!
Left- Mikaela and I took big tire segways on an off road
tour.. very
cool!
Right- We ran the Scottsdale runway race and both placed
and won medals-- What a blast!
Nashville- American Occupational Therapy
Association National Conference
Left- Korean War Memorial
Right- The original Grand Ole Opry-- it
started out as a Methodist Tabernacle!
Left- Ceiling of the Union Depot
Right- Ceiling of the Country Music
Hall of Fame (I was humbled to be honored in to the 1st
group ever of the AOTF Leaders and Legacy Society)
Humbled
and Honored to be inducted into the first group ever of the
American Occupational Therapy Foundation's Leaders and Legacy
Society
To the far left, Diana
Ramsay, President of the Board, to my right, friend and CEO of
the Foundation, Charles Christiansen (also a Purple Pumper)
Alaska!!!
These two lovely photos were taken in Denali, just
outside our cabin
Alyeska... the beautiful downhill ski resort where
we stayed in Girdwood Alaska
Wildlife can be found everywhere in Alaska!
Northern Pines Family Camp- This
marked the 18th year for Northern Pines Family Camp (a
Christian camp in Park Rapids)... This year again
Mikaela, her best friend Jodi, dad, my Aunt Sandy, and I
ventured there :)!
Left- Our crew gets ready to go
biking!
Right- Mikaela's group of friends has been coming for
years!
the beauty of the sunsets at our
annual destination- Northern Pines Family Camp!
Fort Lauderdale Florida: Society
for the Study of Occupation Research Conference (I
presented with my student Adrienne on our research- the
Healing Properties of Writing:
Additional
Miscellaneous
Photos....
Girl's
night out!
A
group of close friends
from High School gets
together every 2-3
months; we always have a
blast! :)
Having a blast!!!
Christmas
Beauty
Snow fallen splendor
breathes holiday cheer
as folks busy bustle
signs Christmas near
The fervent, the feverish
rush to the store
As the season unfolds
and knocks at our door
The trees all need trimming
The stockings must be hung
The cards must be written
The bells must be rung
Yet in all the magic
In all the cheer
Take time to pause
for time with those dear
For God's love came down
and graced our Earth's Sky
In giving his gift, for you and I
Let's pause in our thanks
to the dear Lord above
and share with each other
our kindness and love
I thank each of you
for your presence you see
and how you grace
my life journey
I wish for you
both far and near
A Very Merry Christmas
and Blessed New Year!!!
Kristi
Blessed Christmas wishes to
each of you!!!
Kristi
