Lekander Family Blog

Lekander January 2007 News

2007-01-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

The kids are back in school and we are all on a detox diet to recover from the Holidays. It's going really well. We're even eating a hot breakfast before the boys go to school everyday. And you can't beat that.

Christmas was awesome. We started decorating the day after Thanksgiving and got extra outside lights up, wish I had a photo of that, but I didn't get one. We went up to MN for the Lekander Family Christmas Party and went bowling with the Peter and Krisanthy afterward. When we got home from MN we put up the tree and finished the inside decorating:

Christmas Eve we made Glogg and invited the neighbors over for a toast. Funny enough, that's a tradition that comes from my childhood Christmas' when we visited the Hales in Illinios, but it fits the Lekander side too since its Swedish. It was gooood, but very poootent. :) After that it was dinner and present opening with Grandma Ada and Grandpa Mike:

Grandma and Grandsons

Eric and Grandpa Mike. See, too much Glogg LOL!

Mom and Sam

Mom and Alex

Alex

Sam

Then Christmas morning it was just Mom, Dad, and the boys to open the big Santa presents:

Oooh, we know what this is, but opening a present this big is soooo fun.

Cool, the Base drum came with pic of Mike Mangini to hang on the wall.

Dad relaxes and looks at his Guitar Book.

Sam actually wants help with this. ;)

Sam starts to put the drums together.

While Alex gets started using his NEW COMPUTER!
(Notice his room and the paint patch on the wall at the top middle of the pic. This is a before picture)

And Sam's new drums lead to.....

Another room remodel to accomodate his bigger drum set. You might remember he just got a TV last year that also prompted a post Christmas remodel. This one would have waited except that the room needed to double for a spot for Grandma Shirley and Grandpa John to stay for our second Christmas celebration and New Years:

Remember that "before shot" above with Alex? Well, here's what that same spot looks like now!

Sam inherits Alex's room including the bed and wall hanging, but with a brand new paint job and carpet cleaning.

Now Sam's Drums are not in the way, at least not spacially. ;)

Next Alex will get a room update. But that had to wait for the holidays to be completed and some recovery.

Grandma and Grandpa Lekander spent a few days with us until New Years day and then headed for Minnesota via Texas.

That's all for now folks.

About Us

2007-01-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

Top: Mom & Dad - Chris & Eric

Bottom: The Kids - Alex & Sam

We're ecclectic and we like it that way. Variety is the Spice of Life.

Lekander Family Interests:

Movies, Movies, Movies

Some of our Favorites:

Little Miss Sunshine

Royal Tennenbaums

Sideways

The Graduate

The Departed

The Godfather Series

Goodfellas

O Brother Where Art Thou

50 First Dates

Tommy Boy

About a Boy

School of Rock

Life of Brian

Dodge Ball

Meet the Fockers

Zoolander

Hero

Kung-Fu Hustle

and the list could go on a long - long time.

Music - We play and we listen.

Eric plays guitar and piano, Alex plays piano, Sam Drums, and Mom listens (sometimes LOL) or plays the one song she knows on piano - Moonlight Sonata, and once in a blue moon we go Partridge Family and Mom Plays the Bass. Ha!

We listen to anything from Beethoven to the Beatles and whatever fits inbetween or on the fringe.

Writing

Mom writes the Self Help Junkies Book Reviews and Articles.

Dad writes Appraisal Reports and occassionally gets online to write a review.

Alex is master of stories about his personal experiences.

Sam is a master too, but from a different perspective.

Reading

Mom is The Self Help Junkie, but she also likes some fiction when she can fit it in.

Dad is into books about philosophy, music, and politics.

Alex really likes Frank McCourt ('Tis, Angela's Ashes)

And Sam reads here and there but would rather play drums, hockey, or football.

Miscellaneous Stuff We Like:

Hanging out at our land in MN
Road Trips and other Travel
Fires (bonfires, fireplaces, candles, incense, fireworks!)
Collecting Agates
Wittling
Art
Cars
Running
Kung Fu
Tai Chi
Feng Shui
World Records

For my Sister-In-Law Kristine: The Lekander Family Christmas Party 2006

2007-01-11T00:20:00.000-07:00

A Blast from the Past

2006-11-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

Sam's NEWS

2006-10-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

Sam made it into the Alltel Ice Den's Hockey Initiation Program. He starts this Friday. Go Sam!

Appraisers working hard, Boys Checkin out crazy pitbull videos online

2006-10-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

Eric and Brett

Eric, Sam, and Alex

Minnesota Late September/October Trip

2006-10-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

We had a great time up north this fall, especially pickin' apples at the orchard. No pics of apple pickin' but there are a couple of wild turkeys. We see them every time we go to that orchard.

The Turkeys :)

Fall Colors on our land in Two Harbors, MN

Labor Day Picnic

2006-10-23T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos of Goldwater Lake, Chris, Eric, Sam, Alex, Mike and Ada and friends.

Chris and Eric

Sam and Eric

Ada, Mike, Chris

Eric and Alex

Michela, Maria Louisa, Nadia

Twilight on Goldwater Lake, Prescott, AZ

More Summer 2006

2006-08-13T09:54:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting to posting the rest of the pics we took and a few that have been sent to us by friends. Up next, maybe a few words about the summer too, but for sure some pics and words from Alex about his trip to Costa Rica with Grandpa Mike and Grandma Ada.

Eric takes a turn and shows off his speed.

Sam rode the Articat, but prefers the Polaris Phoenix.

The Duluth Airshow was fun. We got to meet up with Peter, Krisanthy and kids (Eric's cousins) there too.

One of the planes landing, best pics we could get with Sam's phone. :)

Sam strolls down the drive on our land in Two Harbors. He's whittling a stick with his new knife from Tom's Logging Camp.

Alex and Bryce are headed for tree cutting with saw and axe in hand.

The kids taking a tree cutting break to find a strawberry or two.

Proof of the prolific rasberries. We picked at least 6 or 7 pints over the weeks.

The Summer View from my favorite spot. I can't get the pics to reveal what I want yet.

Another one.

Eric fells a tree while Bryce looks on in fascination.

Another favorite spot pic. Still not good enough.

Eric thinking God knows what, but probably surveying the tree situation.

Mimi, she was the best little trooper on the whole car trip.

Mimi relaxing in a motel room after a long day's ride.

Sam takes a shot of our old house on Lyndale. Still looking good.

This was along the path of our daily walks along Lake Superior. Sam's phone did this one justice, no?

Alex (Paul Bunyan?). :)

Me and Zelia on the ATV. I love this pic. Thanks Ellie.

Sam and Cedar on the ATV. So cute. :)

Eric, Tony, and Cedar. An irony pointed out to me bikers pictured with helmets; ATVers sans helmets. Not to worry, after our experience this summer with William's ATV accident (helmet on and he was bruised but A-okay!), any littler kids got slow rides approximating lawn mower speed with an experienced rider driving. Helmets were used for single riding speedsters who were constantly reminded to keep the speed down or no ATV.

Summer 2006

2006-07-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

It's about time for an update, no? We've been on vacation and it's been so busy we're going to need recovery.

I've got some pics loaded on to my computer that I've uploaded here. More to come.

Monument Vallet Utah - Road Runner if he catches you you're through.

Canyon Lands Utah - North of Moab

Eric takes Ollie for his first green walk. Black Hills South Dakota

Goat on the side of the road on the way up to Mt Rushmore.

"Hey kids, you got your picture taken with the Presidents"

"That's orignal Mom."

Mom and the Boys at Mt Rushmore

Ollie says, "Look how good I am after a couple of days in the car."

Alex on the Articat at the farm in MN.

Eric in the grainery at the farm.

Eric and Sam in the Grainery at the farm

Plugboards

2006-05-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

Who likes these? I'm playing around with them and curious if people like them.

I built this little "self help junkies" graphic above at for free and fast.

Introducing - Mimi the Cat

2006-03-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago Ollie our Aussie found a new family member in the back yard - a kitten, scared and hungry. Of all houses around here she shows up in our back yard, the back yard of a family half of whose members are allergic to cats. Well, we had to take the cutest little thing in and guess what, those of us who are allergic are not having a problem with this little kitty. So we took her to the vet to get her checked out. She's healthy except for a kitty cold. She's also got a big hernia that needs fixing and she was probably the runt according to the vet since she is so small. We all fell completely in love with her - guess it was meant to be. Here are some pics from this morning.

Mimi taking a break from grooming to see what that noise is coming from the camera

Mimi guards Eric's head

Ollie - Oh please let me in to play with the kitty!

Eric looks at the paper, Mimi looks at Eric, Ollie looks at Mimi.

A morning bath

Mimi stands watch over Eric

Ollie and Mimi regard each other

Too cute!

biking with jumps-by sam

2006-03-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

me and my friends made jumps in the desert for bikes, and it was hard work. but then one of my friends decided to tell other kids about it and then everybody started to go there and say its theirs after they ruined it and rebuilt it when it was our idea to put it there! so me and my TRUSTWORTHY friend are going to build a jump that is more than 1/2 a mile away. hopefully even if it is told were it is, people won't want to go that far and the younger kids aren't allowed to go that far.

san diego- by sam

2006-03-05T12:05:00.000-07:00

san diego is great and the water has perfect size waves,you can even surf them as long as you have a wet suit on because otherwise you will get your self covered in ice. I went to the san diego art museum and saw many famous paintings and sculuptures, it was cool. At a fish market there, I had to order fish because they didnt have anything else and i dont like fish but i actually liked the fresh fish from the market. if you havent been to san diego than i suggest you go there because its a fun and exciting place to be!

Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" By Eric

2006-02-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading "In Cold Blood", by Truman Capote, "A True Account of Multiple Murder and its Consequences."

My interest was piqued by the current movie, "Capote." "Capote" is an account of the author's experience in covering the 11/15/59 murder of four members of the Clutter family in rural Holcombe, Kansas, and his subseqent production of a novel covering the events. The role of Capote was played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman; I cannot think of a better choice in casting.

It was Capote's idea to produce a "non-fiction" novel, which was a rather grounbreaking idea at the time. Capote was an effete, gay New York author working for the New York Times. His placement in rural Kansas was an interesting juxtaposition; flouting his scarf, "From Bergdorfs," for example. Interestingly, he was accompanied by Harper Lee, childhood friend and neighbor, and author of "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Capote spent a considerable amount of time interviewing family members, friends, neighbors, locals, as well as investigators and others involved in the case. The primary relationship explored in the movie was between Capote and Perry Smith, one of the two accused murderers. (The other was Dick Hickock). Caopote negotiated nearly unrestricted access to Perry Smith, and the movie explores this relationship; was Capote pretending to be Smith's friend to gather information, or was it some of both? Was he simply using him? Since the executions were ultimately delayed until 1965, was Capote wishing for their executions so he could finish his book? Do perpetrators of crimes of this magnitude deserve as much honesty or sincerity as others?

Several factors led me to the book. The book and the author have a large reputation in American culture and literature. In one scene of the movie, Capote reads some excerpts from his yet un-finished book to a New York literary crowd. I was simply intrigued by the writing style and quality, with vivid description, smooth writing style, and a penchant for drawing the reader into the characters.

The book explores in vivid detail the lives and histories of the Clutter family, surrounding friends, neighbors, and family neighbors. On the flip side, it also explores the lives of the accused murderers, Hickock and Smith.

While Hickock and Smith could be dismissed as monsters, the book forces the reader to get to know them as well - their individual personalities, their sense of humor, their sporadic sense of morality as well as compassion.

It also explores the criminal mind; how do you explain a murder such as this where there is no over-arching rational motive? They did not have high motive, neither were they insane. This does not necessarily mean that they were not criminally insane, however.

The book explores in some detail issues such as the death penalty, the attempt to analyze the characteristics or psychological underpinnings of the criminal mind, and the volatile combination of Hickock and Smith working together.

Ultimately, the book does not moralize, but tends to report, leaving the idea that there is no ultimate satisfaction in a tragedy such as this. As quoted in the book; "At the time not a soul in sleeping Holcomb heard them - four shotgun blasts that, all told, ended six human lives."

I am also interested in seeing the 1966 movie "In Cold Blood," starring Robert Blake (Perry Smith) and Scott Wilson ( Dick Hickock). As it is hard to imagine anyone other than Phillip Seymour Hoffman playing the role of Truman Caopote, it is hard to imagine anyone more suited to the role of Perry Smith than Robert Blake. Smith was short, half Indian/half Irish, with a powerful upper body, and a paranoid personality prone to anger and offense out of proportion to the situation at hand.

Qigong Wisdom Healing - An Amazing Practice

2006-01-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends and Family, The weekend before last I went on a trip to L.A. and San Diego to visit friends and to go to a Qigong workshop. The trip was all the way around great!! One of it's highlights of course, was the Qigong workshop. I've practiced some forms of Qigong (definition: a type of ancient Chinese system of postures, exercises, breathing techniques, and meditations to improve one's chi/qi (energy field); also called chi kung, chi gong, chi gung, daoyin) before this seminar that I enjoy still, but this form was really amazing. What was amazing about it? Well, I found it really enhanced my ability to feel the energy around me right away and to feel it more strongly. The movements of the form are easy to do and to learn.

Master Mingtong Gu

Master Mintong Gu led the workshop and he is a totally delightful man. During the two days, his smile was a constant, his voice resonated deeply enhancing the energy of the meditation, and his ability to inspire was tremendous. He inspired me to continue the practice at home and he has set up his students well with support in the form of CD's and Videos of the practice so that it is totally accessable from student's living rooms!

Master Gu's message was clear, if you like this form and you wish for self healing or to help heal others, practice this form consistently. He told us to consider two questions before we commit to any new practice. The first is "Why do I practice?" And, the second question is "How do I bring those qualities into my practice each day?" Simple questions? Yes, they are, but very powerful. Sometimes we start things and we don't even know why we do them. That makes it difficult to sustain new practices. I practice this form of Qigong everyday because it makes me feel more connected with life and because I feel healthier and more energetic when I do!

Find out more about this form of Qigong at www.chicenter.com.

TTFN,
Chris

January 7th - Epiphany and last day to have an excuse to have the Christmas decor up

2006-01-07T15:59:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a quick and quiet Christmas this year. The lights are down and it seems like it was yesterday that I put them up. Maybe next year I'll get to them earlier so that it extends the season for us. We nearly packed up the van and headed north over the break to get a little snow cover in for the season, but it just was a little too much driving for the short amount of time we'd have been there. That was good for Sam as his vacation was one social excursion after the next. We also redid Sam's room over the break. He now has the coolest room west of the Missippi. It's painted, rearranged, and totally organized. Now, even though his room is really quite small, he can fit four friends in it to watch a movie on his surround sound home theater system (he paid for himself) and the new TV he got for Christmas. It's so organized that even with all of that and his drum set there's planty of room. Here are a few pics:

Christmas Decorating - It's Done!

2005-12-18T22:51:00.000-07:00

Well, it's late, but it's done. The tree is up and the house has lights outside! Here are a few pics from this evening:

Sam's IPod

2005-12-08T20:53:00.000-07:00

i have had the new ipod video now for about two weeks. it has some exiting features such as being able to store and play all of your favorite songs,music videos,tv shows and much more than that. i bought the 30 gb black addition. but you must,must! go out and get a case for it, before it gets scratched. incuding my cd's that i have stored on the ipod i have only 2 tv shows (both connan obrien), but i already have 382 songs and 12 music videos which come out in very nice picture about as nice as plasma. if you're in to ipods or mp3 players this is the one to get. i wouldn't get the ipod nano because I would fill up it's 500 songs in less than a month. but the capacity of the video ipod holds about 7,500 songs, 2,000 music videos and can store either 25,000 pictures or 75 hours of home video. (it can not take pictures only store them!). this ipod goes for $299 and you can buy it at target,best buy circuit city and more!

Sam

Our Land in MN just off Lake Superior

2005-12-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Here's a picture of our vacation dream land. We're looking to build something on it as soon as we can so that we can beat the heat of the Arizona summers in Two Harbors MN. Everytime I set foot on the property I feel so content. There's nothing like the deep blue sky, set against and even deeper big blue lake and the treeline that can make you breath deeply and feel the most ultimately alive you've ever felt.

Christmas Decorating

2005-12-03T14:53:00.000-07:00

That's what we WERE going to do today. Instead, it's been a computer day for me (Mom) as I figure out how to blog. For the boys it's been a day of bike riding, running, hanging out with friends, and playing music. There isn't a better way to spend the day than anyway you feel like it. Saturdays were made just for that. Perhaps tomorrow we'll buy a tree and break out the Christmas lights. For today, it's chillin' all of the way.

2005-12-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

"Hero" by Alex

2005-12-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

What is it that I believe is a hero? Someone who spreads peace. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and many others. Spreading peace is a simple as doing what you love to do. If what you do is damaging in any way to harm someone, then it is not spreading peace. Doing what you love to do, what ever keeps you healthy, physically and emotionally, is the best way to spread peace. You have to love yourself, because if you don’t, you will always envy and feel intimidated by others, putting you on a path of self-destruction. I am pretty sure that Gandhi, Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy and anyone else who made accomplishments like they did cared for themselves.

Imagine a world in which there was no violence, but still troubles. Without troubles we never learn. A true utopia would need to have its troubles, whether that be from people or nature, preferably nature. Why is it that people fear a world where nothing displeasing happens, where everything is perfect? Because we naturally need problems to learn. If everything was perfect, humanity might topple over itself…

What would the world be like if everyone helped each other? You could only imagine. There is so much that is to be known about what a person can do. Free yourself from such emotions as fear, despair, anger, most importantly shame. Shame can keep you from moving on. Also, what I think is the most mal-adaptive trait of a person is anxiety. Anxiety can prevent you from doing something. Everyone has and will again be anxious about something, but ask yourself, has anxiety ever done anything for you?

I have noticed that there are some people who protest with signs that say things like “peace”, but that is actually passively violent. Going around in huge groups with signs that say peace shows that they are usually angry, maybe not even realize it, about a certain decision. Spreading peace is not marching down a street with a group of people yelling and scorning people for what they have decided is not any way to spread peace.

Do what ever you do that is yourself. True heroes do whatever it is that they do best. They take advantage of anything that they are good at. They then use their abilities to help others. One thing is true of all heroes: They love and appreciate who they truly are.

An Essay by Alex "I Am a . . . "

2005-12-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

I am a…

I am a small bit of a hypochondriac, meaning I don't have any psychological disorder, or anything close to that, but I am more sensitive to things. I am not very afraid of germs or sickness. I do sometimes (and when I do its sort of funny) fear that I have some sort of disease. I don't ever eat the bruised part of fruits, and end up wasting much of whatever I am eating.

I always end up checking the milk to see if it is spoiled. I am uncomfortable drinking milk once it reaches near the bottom of the bottle. I usually force myself to take it, and taste if it is bad or not. There was an event that may be responsible for this fear of sour milk. I have tasted it; it is one of the most disgusting things I have tasted. I couldn’t even describe to you how horrible it was.

Another funny thing is how bruised fruit bothers me. I have come across apples with nasty bruises. It isn’t one of the prettiest sites I have seen. I don't like finding things wrong with my fruit! A brown hollow bruise, being eaten away by I don't know what isn’t a thought that I enjoy.

One time I was afraid that I had lymes disease. It was funny. My fear was that we were leaving the Midwest while the symptoms of lymes disease were pre-mature. I was afraid that we’d get to Arizona and find that I had lymes disease and that there wouldn’t be treatment. Lymes disease is a disease transmitted by deer ticks. Lymes disease is known to cause paralysis for a long-term affect. When you have the disease you’d be immobilized while vomiting, and starving. Doesn’t sound like much fun does it…

You can see above how I am a hypochondriac, but something that I am less of a hypochondriac about is that I let in disease. I know that my body gains immunities after being sick. I know that once I get some diseases I will never have them again, so I let myself be sick, so I will be less likely to be sick again.

--- The Lekander Family Blogger Debut ---

2005-12-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Blogosphere! The Arizona Lekander Family is here. The four of us, Eric (Dad and Commerical Real Estate Appraiser), Chris (Mom and Life Coach/family techie), Alex (Oldest Son and writer/scientist), and Sam (Youngest Son and winner of the popularity contest and young business man of the year) are here to spout off our opinions and keep the world up on the events of our lives.