Benziger babes

Lawrence M. Rocheford Dear Studly Uncle Larry,  I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye. We are really going to miss you! You left us too soon and for that we are very sad. You were a pretty great guy. You loved spending time with your family - Beth, Lauren, David - and the Rocheford clan. I know I can speak for all of us and say we are going to miss your laugh, your great big hugs, your (sometimes inappropriate) jokes, your short texts and emails, your long thoughtful conversations, and most of all your endless love. We know that a part of you will live on in all of us. We promise to keep your memory alive and remember the good times we had with you.  While your death becomes another COVID statistic (101 COVID deaths recorded in MN on 11/26/2020), we know that you were so much more than that. Despite taking precautions with wearing masks and avoiding crowds, you couldn't escape the virus due to rising community spread. You had been in the hospital earlier in the week but tex

As COVID rages on, I found a little joy today in this little video. #wearamask

"A return to civility," said an NPR reported today in response to what foreign leaders are saying about the announcement that Joe Biden beat Trump. "Trump was thorn in their side," he added. After spending over a year abroad in Peru and traveling in Australia and Europe, I opened my eyes to the impact that America has overseas. While living in our bubbles it can be easy to forget about the immense impact that our foreign policies and leadership have on the health and well-being of millions of people living outside our borders. The biggest election of a century (well at least in my lifetime) happened this week.  On Tuesday Nov. 3rd, 2020, the current 45th President, Donald Trump, amidst a global pandemic of coronavirus, was running against former Vice President under Barak Obama, Joe Biden. Sadly, election night was anticlimatic. Due to the pandemic, many people, including myself, chose to vote by mail. There were so many absentee votes that it took days and days

My First Days of School, by Theo  My first day of homeschool was the day after Labor Day. It was good. We did some math. We did some reading. We did some Prodigy. We watched Wild Kratts. I liked it. Daddy was my teacher and Mommy was my teacher, too. We had noodle bowls, hot dogs or sandwiches for lunches. We went for walks to Tischer Creek and Hartley. It was good.  My first day of real school (2nd grade) at Congdon Park was September 24. We got up. We ate breakfast. We went to the bus. I forgot my jacket. I got to school. My teacher's name is Miss Cuneo. My class is next to the computer lab. I have a blue locker. There are 12 kids in my class, 5 boys and 7 girls. We had to do some math and reading. Then we had recess. Daddy brought my jacket just in time. Then we played tag in zone 2.  We had lunch in the cafeteria. I sat by my friend, Harrison. Everyone knows COVID is going on and we have to wear masks. We have to sit 6 feet apart for social distancing.  Then we had snack and mo

Sunset at the cabin Up North It's the pace people go to escape, A place made up of cabins, pine trees and lakes But no matter how far you drive There's no sign to say "you've arrived" So just follow your heart til you find That special place that bring your piece of mind As you breathe in the air and unwind Your cares are all left behind It's no mystery where the northwoods start When you arrive Up North you'll know In your heart. -Suzanne Kindler Most people growing up in Minnesota have an idea of what it means to be "Up North" but we all have slightly different definitions. To some it is a direction; to others it is a special place in the woods; and to some it is a feeling you get. "Up North" to me used to refer to driving nearly three hours north on highway 169 past the giant walleye statue near Lake Mille Lacs and then the leaping deer statue in Deerwood on our way to my grandparents cabin on Velvet Lake in Crosslake, MN. "Up N

There was no doubt that Duluth would have a white Christmas 2019 as Duluth's first snowfall is often in October. With over 33 inches of white fluffy snow since then, a white Christmas was practically a guarantee. However, spending Christmas week in Chicago was quite different. We flew down on Dec. 20th to spend time with the Benziger family and immediately noticed the grass was green, lakes and rivers were not frozen, and the daily highs were in the 50s! This refreshing "heat wave" was a welcome change from the sub-freezing temps in Duluth. We went to see the sold-out Chicago Botanic Garden's new holiday light display, Lightscape . The one-mile trail wound through various parts of the park and had innovative displays that were beautifully choreographed to holiday music. The next day, we enjoyed a day in downtown where the kids saw Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" at the Goodman Theater for the first time. Theo was quite scared of the ghosts and Mar

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! We LOVE the North Shore! I'm sure we aren't the only ones who had the COVID-19 pandemic change their plans. As of today, we are approaching 25 million cases worldwide with nearly 840,000 deaths in less than 1 year. The U.S. sadly takes home the gold medal for both the total case count and deaths with over 182,000 and counting. Masks are mandated in nearly every state due to continued spread of the virus yet most businesses have reopened, including bars and restaurants. Most schools are online this fall and chromebook laptops are this year's Tickle Me Elmo and are sold out and impossible to find. Most local colleges and the Duluth middle and high schools are online with elementary schools attempting a "hybrid" model.  Theo's school was canceled starting March 18 (Seth homeschooled him and Marit for over 70 days). All of Theo's summer camps that we meticulous planned and registered for were canceled (Great Lakes Aqu