Werth Family Online
It’s been a great winter for snow, as Elise and I – well maybe just me – have been enjoying being back in the land of snow. As a result, we’ve had some good time outdoors (when it’s not too cold) cross-country skiing, tromping around, and last but not least, building snow tunnels/forts. Technically, the fort was built by ‘papa’ while everyone else was napping, but Jacob sure enjoyed it!
It’s been an exciting month! The holidays have come and gone, giving us the chance to visit with family. I’m now a month in to my new position at MnSCU and am enjoying the colleagues and new challenges. On the weekends, we’ve had the opportunity to spend time with the boys, enjoy the outdoors, watch some curling (go TT!), and test out my new cross-country skis. In addition, we had the chance to catch a show at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater (Fiddler on the Roof) with Mary, Larry, Fred and Cathy, as well as celebrate Jacob’s third birthday!
Needless to say, it’s been an exciting month.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We are excited to be celebrating Christmas and reflecting upon an exciting year. There has been many changes for our family, and to share the events we’ve decided to try something a little different this year.
We hope you are well and wish you all the best!
–Jon, Elise, Jacob, & Henry
Today, the family decided to head to a nearby tree farm and find a Christmas tree. The thermometer read 5° and there was a 10 mph wind with a small amount of snow falling. Needless to say, we bundled everyone up!
After a recommendation from Wendy, our daycare provider, we headed to a place about 5 miles north of Howard Lake: Crow River Nursery. The farm primarily grew Frasier and Balsam firs. With the recent snow, we placed the boys in the sled and marched out in search of a tree. There were plenty of options and we had our tree selected and cut in less than 5 minutes!
Overall, it was a great place where the workers were very helpful and friendly. We even got free cookies 🙂
Today was Delano’s Old Fashioned Christmas, a day to walk around the town, visiting local shops, artists, and performances. Overall it was a good opportunity for us to visit with people and get to know the community. Unfortunately, it just so happened to be one of the coldest days of the year sitting at -1°F.
Nevertheless, we bundled up the family and visited City Hall, the fire station, the library, and a local shop that was offering pictures with Santa. The fire station held a recently restored fire engine as well as a brand new one, offering a unique look at how the trucks have changed over history. Jacob particularly enjoyed the fire trucks, but the same cannot be said for Santa. Jacob was quite shy and apprehensive around the big guy.
Today, the boys had the opportunity to spend some time with Laura making cookies. It was a good time for all and the boys enjoyed using their new chef hats and aprons.
Now that I’ve signed the official offer letter, I’m willing to announce the good news: I will be starting in a new position at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) on December 16th! Since moving to Minnesota, I have been working for the University of Iowa remotely as a temporary, contract employee. This was a convenient mutual agreement for both parties that allowed me to get settled in Minnesota while still working in my current role (Instructional Technologist) for the university.
In the meantime, I noticed a job posting for a Desire2Learn (D2L) administrator position at MnSCU and couldn’t pass up the good opportunity. Having met several of the individuals at the MnSCU office and talked with them on a few occasions, I was familiar with the role as it is nearly identical to my current position. After an interview, I was offered the position and gladly accepted.
Needless to say, I am sad to be officially leaving the University of Iowa as it has been a great community over the past several years and home to many firsts (house, kids, job, etc). Thankfully, I will still get to touch base every once in a while, and I’m looking forward to the coming opportunities. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers during this time of transition, it has truly helped!
After several months apart, Jacob is happily getting reacquainted with his books. It has been a rather slow move as we unpack little by little. However, it’s a little like Christmas, rediscovering some of our stuff. Discovering the box of the boys’ books made for a great Sunday afternoon!