Jody Kerzman jkerzman@kfyrtv.com

Reunion Time
6-26-08

I love class reunions. No kidding. I really do. Last weekend I traveled to my hometown of Bison, South Dakota for the town`s centennial celebration and all-school reunion.

Bison High School grads gather every five years. I always feel obligated to go because my dad is the chairman of the reunion committee. But, I also go because the all-school reunions always land on significant years for me. This year`s coincided with my 15 year class reunion. I`m amazed at how different it was from my ten year reunion.

I spent months, probably close to a year, before that reunion dieting and exercising. I had my hair cut and colored the day before I went home, and I made sure my kids and husband had haircuts and new clothes too. I didn`t realize it at the time, but the ten year is all about showing off.

I`ve known about this year`s reunion for five years, but as much as I wanted to, I just couldn`t get motivated to go on another diet, even though I`ve gained a few pounds in the past five years. About a week before I was supposed to leave, I realized I hadn`t lost any weight yet. Oh well. "Too late now," I thought. Turns out, I wasn`t the only one with that attitude.

While visiting with some classmates on Saturday night, the conversation turned to how skinny we all were five years ago, and how crazy we were to think we were overweight in high school. What we wouldn`t give to look like that again. But then we all agreed, we`re fine with how we look now. We`re in our 30s now, we`re all married, we all have kids, and we`re all at peace with how we look. We took turns complimenting each other on how great we all looked, then moved on to more important topics, like our kids, our jobs, and high school memories. This time it wasn`t about showing off. It was about reconnecting, and catching up with old friends whom we don`t see often enough. That includes my all-time favorite basketball coach, the kid a few years younger than me who was home on two week leave from his second tour in Iraq, the friend who made it home late Saturday night, after spending the day in the hospital, waiting for his little girl who`s been fighting cancer to get out of surgery, and the girl a few years ahead of me who was my idol on the basketball court. For a few days, it was just like high school again. Only better. This time, no one judged anyone. There were no cliques. It was just BHS grads, enjoying each other`s company. And that is what a school reunion should be.



Why I Need My Husband
6-13-08

I`ve been married for a long time - going on 12 years. It`s been 14 years since Brad and I started dating. It`s easy to take each other for granted when you`ve been together for so long. I am guilty of that, something I realized last night.

Brad is a handy guy. I have always known this, and I appreciate all the "fix-it" skills he has. I am often amazed at all the things he knows how to do - from fixing a leaky toilet, to installing a sump pump, to drywalling and texturing a wall... there isn`t much the man can`t do.

But, I consider myself pretty handy too. I have saved us hundreds of dollars over the years by sewing our curtains, cooking meals instead of eating out. I am the world`s best stain remover and I make up a great bedtime story off the top of my head. But apparently, I am not so blessed when it comes to building stuff. That became very apparent last night.

I have been looking for a shelf for the master bathroom for over a year. I don`t want anything fancy.. Just something to hold washrags and towels. I finally spent $20 on what I thought was the perfect shelf last night. I also thought it would be a breeze to assemble. The big kids were gone, Brad was at work, so Lizzy and I tackled it together. I smiled as I opened the box. I expected it to take only a few minutes, even with a one year old "helper".

My smile quickly disappeared. Lizzy started eating important pieces and hiding others. I was getting frustrated. Besides searching for pieces, I could not understand the directions. They really could have been written in a different language for as much sense as they made to me. I finally tossed them aside and used the picture on the box as a guide. Then things went much better, until I took the shelf into the bathroom. It was a free-standing shelf to go over the toilet. Here`s where my next problem occurred.. There was a support bar on the bottom of the shelf... But my toilet was too close to the wall..there was no room to slide the shelf between the toilet and the wall. So I unscrewed the bar, placed the shelf where I wanted it, then attempted to put the bar back. But... Get this... The support bar hit right where the toilet hook up is, which means the shelf didn`t fit. By this time I wanted to cry. I`d just spent an hour putting this stupid shelf together, and now I couldn`t even get it to fit in my bathroom. I took the support bar out... How much support do bath towels really need? An hour later, I disassembled the entire shelf and put it back in the box. I will return it to the store tonight. I haven`t decided if I`ll buy a different one. I do know, however, that I will never attempt to assemble anything ever again. That`s what my husband is for.



Rummage Sale
6-3-08

I did something this weekend I promised myself I would never do again. Against my better judgement, I had a rummage sale. A friend and I had been trying to find a weekend that would work to have a sale together. At the last minute, we realized this was the only weekend that would work. Luckily, we had both slowly been weeding through our homes, setting aside kids clothes that no longer fit, toys they no longer play with, the skinny pants we finally admitted we will never fit into again, and those must-have gadgets our husbands never use. My loot was all piled in a corner in the basement, and I was happy to haul it to the garage because I was getting tired of looking at it.

If you`ve ever had a rummage sale, you know how much work it is. The garage must be cleaned, all the stuff in the garage that isn`t for sale needs to be hidden or else people will try to buy a hammer or a broom. Then everything that is for sale has to be priced. I am lazy and I buy the stickers that already have prices on them (it might kill me to actually write "25-cents"). But, it never fails, I run out of the 25-cent stickers, and I buy the stickers that don`t stick very well so by the time someone looks at a shirt, the price sticker is gone, and I have to make up a price off the top of my head. I`m sure I had some nice clothes marked at least a dollar that I gave away for 25-cents, because the sticker had fallen off. Someday I will learn, and not take the lazy way out.

We decided our sale would be a one-day sale, Saturday only. I took Friday afternoon off of work to get ready for the sale. My friend brought her stuff over then too. It was so hot on Friday, and the garage was so stuffy, we had to open both garage doors, just so we could breathe. That was a mistake. My neighbors down the street were also having a sale, Friday and Saturday. They had signs up advertising their sale, so there was lots of traffic on our block. The problem was, people saw my house before they saw theirs, so they thought we were open. We didn`t even have a fourth of our stuff out of boxes or priced and we had people snooping through our stuff. We told them we weren`t open (or even organized...we didn`t even have cash yet!), but they didn`t care. They just kept looking through our piles. One lady even tried to talk me down on an item. I said no, I think I`ll wait to make deals until I`m actually open. Another woman argued with my friend about whether we were open or not. She was convinced the sign on the corner was advertising our sale. My friend very politely took her to the end of my driveway and pointed her to the advertised sale.

We did manage to have a successful sale on Saturday. We both made a little money, and even better, got rid of some things we no longer use, including some of Lizzy`s baby stuff. She`s one now, and there`s no need to hang onto those zero to three month sleepers anymore. But I told myself when she was born, I would never get rid of her baby stuff. The last time I had a rummage sale, I sold EVERY baby item I owned... and a month later got pregnant with Lizzy. I later learned about the "fertility sale"... apparently you need to hang onto at least one baby item forever. And the bigger the item, the better. The more space it takes up, the less likely you are to have another baby. I guess if you sell everything, you end up with another baby. I`m happy to report, that even though I sold a lot of baby stuff, I did keep some big items, including the crib. Maybe I`ll sell that at my next rummage sale. But that may never happen, because I am once again vowing to never have another rummage sale.



Summer Vacation
5-22-08

Tomorrow is the last day of school. My kids are so excited; they`ve been counting down the days for the past three weeks, but it wasn`t until this morning that I realized next week, they won`t have school!

That means a bigger daycare bill, but it also means I don`t have to be so strict about bedtime, eating breakfast, and doing homework. It also means warmer weather, evenings at the park, and trips to the swimming pool, all things I love.

But there is one thing I don`t like about summer.

You see, summer is also road construction season. My husband works for the Department of Transportation, and works long hours during the construction season. Those long hours started last week. He is working on a project near Beulah and Hazen this summer, so on top of his already long work hours, he`s got over an hour drive each night.

That means there will likely be days this summer he doesn`t see the kids. It`s already happened once. It`s hard on him, and on me too. But we get through it, because we don`t have a choice. This is the way our lives are, and we accept it.

But, as I look at the calendar and plan fun stuff to do with my kids this summer, I can`t help but be a little sad that road construction can`t be done during the winter months, so we could enjoy the summer together as a family.



Picture Perfect
5-12-08

I don`t have expensive art hanging on the walls of my house. But what I do have is worth more than any expensive painting. The walls in my home are filled with pictures of my kids. Some have said I`m a bit obsessive about getting professional pictures taken of my kids. I made sure I got professional pictures of them at six weeks, three moths, six months, nine months, a year and 18 months. After that, I cut back to just once a year. I have each kid`s baby pictures (six weeks through nine months) grouped together, and I look at them often. It is amazing how much they change in those first few months!

For the past two weekends, I have been trying to get Lizzy`s one year pictures done. She and I went to the studio last Sunday afternoon, and left without spending a dime. Lizzy could not sit, stand or lay in one spot for more than one second, which made getting a picture of her extremely difficult. I felt frustrated, helpless, and sorry for the girl trying to take the pictures. I knew her, which made it even more frustrating for both of us. Finally, we decided to quit for the day, with promises to try again soon.

So on Sunday, I took all three kids back to the studio.. I told them the best Mother`s day gift they could give me was helping get Lizzy to cooperate. They tried, bless their hearts, but Lizzy is stubborn, curious, and independent...all things I love about her, but all things that make taking pictures impossible! After about a half hour of trying, I finally gave up.

But, as I looked through the pictures she did manage to get, I was pleasantly surprised at what I saw. I don`t know how she did it, but the photographer managed to capture Lizzy at her finest. In one picture you can see the twinkle in her eye, which I know means she`s about to get into mischief (that might be my favorite picture). In another, you see her sweet, innocent side. In another picture you plainly see the huge scratch on her nose, a battle wound from playing with the dogs last week.

The pictures are not perfect, but they are beautiful. I ended up spending a hundred dollars on those less than perfect pictures. And I can`t wait to hang them on the walls, next to the rest of my priceless, not-so-perfect, but beautiful works of art.



Birthday Madness
5-7-8

It`s been a crazy (and expensive!) three weeks at the Kerzman home. Lizzy turned one on April 15th, Lexi turned 9 on the 19th, and today, May 6th, Jake turned seven. In the past three weeks we`ve had three cakes, too many presents to count, a huge family birthday party for all three kids, and one slumber party.

It`s also been three weeks of milestones. For Lizzy, it was turning her carseat forward facing..she is now a much happier traveler! For Lexi, it was getting to have her first slumber party with friends.. not sure mom and dad are ready to do that again anytime soon! And for Jake, it was finally ditching his booster seat...he says he misses it, but I`m sure he`ll get used to being a big kid soon.

I never intended to have all my babies birthdays within three weeks of each other. It would have been nice to space them out a little, but I am also a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Perhaps the reason my kids` birthdays are so close together, is so I can get all the shopping, cake baking, and birthday party planning done for the year, in just three weeks. Now, life will start to slow down, and I can relax and enjoy my kids again. However, even the smoke hasn`t even cleared from this year`s birthday candles, but the kids are planning next year`s parties! I, on the other hand, don`t plan on thinking about birthdays for at least 11 months.



Lessons in Friends and Family
4-21-08

I learned two very important lessons last weekend. The first, is that you can never have too many friends. The second is absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Let me explain.

I have a lot of good friends, but I have three that I consider my best friends. But, until last weekend, my three best friends didn`t really know each other. All that changed when I dragged them to a scrapbooking retreat in the middle of nowhere. All three knew each other`s names and some basic information about them, like where they work and how many kids they have. But only I knew all the details of their lives. I jokingly called myself the "link" that would bring us together over a weekend of scrapbooking.

We were four of a total of 12 ladies who gathered at Lake Washington Lodge near Warwick, North Dakota last Friday evening. We were grouped together in a room and at a table. Our group was appropriately named the "energetic" group. We were like a bunch of junior high school girls.. giggling and being silly the whole weekend. We even managed to get a little scrapbooking done! I didn`t get as far on my albums as I`d hoped to, but that`s ok. What I did get was a relaxing, fun weekend away. I made new friends, got to reconnect with my three dear friends, and watched them get to know each other, and develop friendships. Lesson number one.

There was no cell phone service and no Internet connection at the lodge. There also weren`t any kids, husbands, laundry to fold, or dishes to wash. We were free! Now, don`t get me wrong... I love my family. But with three kids, I rarely get time to myself. In fact, last weekend was the first time I`d been away from baby Lizzy since she was born (she turned one this week). That brings me to lesson number two: absence makes the heart grow fonder. It was hard to leave Lizzy (and Brad and the big kids), but I knew I had to. Just as I suspected, they survived the weekend just fine without me, and I without them.

Now that a week has passed, I still find myself thinking of funny things that happened at the lodge, and laughing out loud. My friends and I have been e-mailing more, and talking on the phone more. I feel much more connected to them, and to my husband and kids, too. It`s a relief knowing that my family can survive without me. But the best part is... my friends are now all friends!



Inspirational Encounters
4-4-08

Autism is a puzzling disorder. No one knows exactly what causes it, and there is no cure. Recent statistics say one out of every 150 children will have autism. In fact, more children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined. Scary statistics. Yesterday was the first ever World Autism Awareness Day. I was honored to be asked to read a special book about autism to kids at Barnes and Noble last night in honor of the special day. It was a wonderful event, and there was a great crowd on hand. And, over the past week I`ve had the opportunity to do some stories with two great kids who have autism, and their amazing families. Rogan Isbell is six years old, loves dinosaurs, always wears a hat, and has autism. His mom, Tricia Kiefer, has a blog about the daily struggles, and the joys of raising a son with autism.

Then there`s Faith Richards. This sweet little girl is one of the most beautiful girls I`ve ever met. She has dark brown eyes that you could easily get lost in. She doesn`t talk much, but I can tell she loves her daddy more than just about anything else. The whole time we were at her home, she never left his side. Her parents talked candidly about the challenges that Faith brings to their lives. They also told me they can`t imagine life without her, and they have "faith" that Faith was put on this earth for a very specific reason. Perhaps to teach her parents,and everyone who meets her, to slow down and enjoy every day.

Rogan`s and Faith`s stories brought tears to my eyes. I have lived with autism for the past 26 years. My younger brother, John, was diagnosed when he was in second grade. That was almost 20 years ago. Back then, no one knew much about autism. We lived in a very small town, with limited resources. John went to special education classes, was mainstreamed into regular classrooms, and even went away to a couple different schools. Last year, he got his GED. He lives pretty independently, in his own house, a few miles down the road from our parents. He has a job, a checking account, and hobbies. He is a success story. I still worry about him. What will happen when our parents are gone? Who will take care of him? Who will call him every morning to make sure he gets to work on time? Who will double check his checkbook register? Those are questions I am sure one day I`ll find answers to. For now, I will be thankful that John is able to do all he can. And I will pray that others, like Rogan and Faith, will one day enjoy the same success as my brother.



For the love of the game
3-27-08

It`s no secret that I love the game of basketball. I started playing the game "seriously" in fifth grade. I played through high school and two years of college, and enjoyed many honors and much success. Now, I get my "fix" by playing city league ball. But for the first time in my life, I`m considering hanging it up.

I tore my ACL a few years ago, during the state amateur tournament. I was determined to rehab my knee and get back on the court, which I did within six months. Then I took last year off to have a baby, and couldn`t wait to start playing again this fall.

But the season was a bit disappointing. Don`t get me wrong, I love my teammates. I met them through basketball and over the years they have become some of my closest friends, and I welcome any excuse to see them and also to get some exercise. So when I say the season was disappointing, I mean I was disappointed in myself. It hit me about halfway through the city league season... I am getting old.

I can`t run as fast as I once could, I miss a lot more lay-ups than I did five years ago, and somedays, even catching the ball proved to be challenging. And, many weeks we played without any subs -- playing an entire game left my knees throbbing for about four days. So, when the regular city league season ended nearly two weeks ago, I told myself I was done.

Our team opted not to play in the state amateur tournament. I was ok with that, and with the fact that my playing career was over. Instead, I said, I will shift my focus and maybe coach my kids` teams. But when I watched LT`s story about the state am`s this weekend, I changed my mind. I remembered how much I truly love the game of basketball, and, for today anyway, I have decided I`m not too old to play just one more season.

So come November, there`s a very good chance I`ll be back on the court. In the meantime, I will take in a few games at this weekend`s state tournament. I will also play many games of PIG with my kids, and try to instill that same love of the game in them that I just can`t seem to get over.



Birthday Tradition
3-20-08

Today is my husband`s birthday. So, like we do on everyone`s birthday in our house, we had cake for breakfast. It`s a tradition we started a few years ago, and when I suggested it, my husband thought I`d lost my mind. But now, it`s a tradition he looks forward to. In fact, he actually had to remind me to get the cake out this morning.

The idea is not entirely mine. My parents should get the credit. When I was a kid, we had cake and ice cream for breakfast on a birthdays. We opened our presents then too. I never thought it was a big deal, it was just how we did things.

So a few years ago, I decided it was time to start the same tradition in my own family. Now my kids brag about this tradition to their friends. Lexi couldn`t wait to get to school this morning to tell her friends about her ice cream cake breakfast. She even took the Sponge Bob cake top for her show and tell, and practiced what she would say about it. Jake joked about going to school all sugared up.

This is the beginning of a stretch of cake-for-breakfast mornings at my house. In the next month, all three kids will celebrate birthdays. And you can bet I`ll make sure there is cake on the table, as well as a few presents for the birthday kid. Afterall, it`s their day, and the one day a year I won`t nag them to eat a healthy breakfast.



Sick of Being Sick
3-13-08

Never in my life have I wanted to be at work more than I do right at this moment. I am writing this from home, where I am not enjoying yet another day off. You see, for the past week my family and I have been battling the bug, or should I say "bugs." It seems we`ve had just about every illness that`s going around.

It started with Brad. The biggest, and I thought, strongest of us all, was the first to fall victim. He stayed home from work last Wednesday, suffering from a nasty head cold and cough. That night, I came down with a bad case of the stomach flu. A few hours later, baby Lizzy spiked a fever. The next morning, Jake had a tummy ache. Afraid he might have what I had, we kept him home from school, but sent big sister Lexi, who at the time, felt just fine. By the time school was out for the day, Jake was fully recovered, but Lexi came home from school and crashed on the couch, where she stayed until Saturday morning. I`m not kidding...she didn`t move that whole time!

Friday Jake went to school, and the rest of us stayed home. Lizzy had an appointment with our family doctor to get her ears rechecked (she`s been fighting ear infections for several months) so Brad took her, hoping to get some medicine for himself at the same visit. He did get an antibiotic, and so did Lizzy. Turns out she has a double ear infection!

By Saturday morning the big kids and I felt fine. Cabin fever was setting in and I had to get out of the house. I spent the day running errands and getting lots accomplished. But that afternoon, it caught up with me... I had the chills, body aches and overall "yuck" feeling. In a moment of desperation, I called my mom, mostly for sympathy, but like any good mom, she offered to come and help. So Sunday morning, she made a three-hour drive from her house to mine, to spend the day watching my kids so I could sleep. By this time Brad was feeling better, so he did laundry while my mom took care of the kids. After a day of doing nothing I finally felt better, just in time for Jake to feel worse. At the same time, my aunt/daycare provider called to tell us she was too sick to watch Lizzy the next day. So Brad stayed home with Lizzy and Jake Monday and Tuesday.

Tuesday night we thought things were getting back to normal. Daycare was going to be open again on Wednesday, both big kids would go to school, we would both go to work. I knew it was too good to be true. Jake spiked a fever of 104. I almost took him to the emergency room. Instead, I kept him home from school yet again and took him to the doctor this morning. Poor kid has Influenza A, which means no school for the rest of the week. It also means no work for me.

I can definitely think of better ways to spend my days off. Instead of spending my vacation time camping this summer, I`ll spend it at my house this week, taking care of my sick kids. Maybe while they`re napping, I`ll fold the laundry, wash the dishes, and sanitize my house so no one else gets sick!



Downs But Not Out
2-15-08

There are a few things in life I am really passionate about. They include eating supper together as a family, playing basketball, and being a good friend. In the past six months, I`ve learned how important it is to be a good friend.

You see, six months ago, my best friend had a baby. He is the cutest little thing I`ve ever seen..platinum blond hair and lots of it! I fell in love with him the second I saw him, and that love grew when I got to hold him. But, little Grady has Down syndrome and spent the first ten days of his life in the NICU.

The doctors were worried about infections, his heart, and more. But Grady is tough. He was able to go home on day ten. Since then, I`ve struggled to know what to say to my friend. We`ve been through so much together: marriage, babies, career changes, new houses. Now this. I worried that I wouldn`t say the right thing, that I would make her feel bad by telling her about my own perfectly healthy baby, or that I would offend her by not telling her those things.

In the end, I approached our friendship as I always have: with total honesty. I have listened to her triumphs and defeats, cried and laughed alongside her, and kept her and Grady in my prayers. I didn`t really do anything differently. I like to think I was just being a good friend.

But, the true lesson here is what we can learn about ourselves by being kind to others. Since Grady`s birth, I`ve learned how lucky I am to be the mother of three healthy children. I`ve also learned how someone who seems a little different is really not that different after all. I`ve known kids with Down syndrome before. Three years ago, my aunt started babysitting a little boy with Down syndrome. Kyle stole our hearts immediately. It`s been so fun to watch him grow and thrive. Now there`s Grady. When we went to the NICU to see him, my six year old said, "He looks like Kyle. Does he have Down syndrome?". We told him yes, and Jake replied "Cool. I like Kyle". End of conversation. Jake accepted him, and I pray everyone who meets Grady will do the same.

Since Grady`s birth, I`ve vowed to learn more about Down syndrome and to be an advocate for people like him. That`s why I`m doing a special series of reports on Down Syndrome. The series is called "Downs, But Not Out" and will educate viewers about Down syndrome. You`ll also get to meet Grady and his amazing parents, as well as other wonderful parents who have embraced the challenges, and the joys, of raising a child with Down syndrome. You can catch their inspiring stories starting Monday on First News at Five.



G.N.O.
2-6-08

G.N.O. That`s short for "Girls Night Out." It`s a Hannah Montana song, and a phrase I just learned last night, when I surprised my eight-year-old daughter with a "G.N.O."

Lexi is a huge Hannah Montana fan, so when I heard that the Hannah Montana 3-D movie was playing in town, I decided to take her. Lexi has been a huge help around the house, especially with her baby sister. She does it without complaining, so I thought she deserved a night away. I didn`t tell her where we were going, I just said she and I had plans. Once we were in the van, she finally asked for a hint. I told her we had to stop at the bank, and we were going to north Bismarck. She didn`t figure it out until we pulled into the mall parking lot, but even then she still wasn`t sure what movie we were going to. She commented on the Hannah Montana movie poster when we walked by, but it wasn`t until I bought the tickets that she realized what we were doing. The look on her face made it all worthwhile. I dropped nearly $50 at the theater... tickets were $18 a piece, and then we splurged on popcorn and licorice.

But spending the evening with my oldest daughter was worth $50. There weren`t many people in the theater, which made it even better. We sat in the back and Lexi gave me the play-by-play throughout the movie... I now know a lot about the Jonas Brothers, as well as the titles of every Hannah Montana song.

But even more important, I now know a lot more about my oldest daughter. Before, during and after the movie, Lexi talked my ear off. She talked about her friends, school, the movie, and her favorite songs. It was so fun to spend time with her, and only her. I have missed spending time with Lexi.

Since Lizzy was born, my attention has been focused on her and not so much on Lexi and Jake... It`s not that I`ve forgotten about them, it`s just that I don`t spend much time with them as individuals. But I`ve vowed to change that. No, we won`t spend $50 on a movie every week, but I will make it a point to spend one on one time with each of my three kids on a weekly basis. Because, as Hannah Montana says, "Life`s what you make it." I intend to make it great, for me and each one of my children.



Bridal Memories
2-01-08

It`s been a long time since I got married. Brad and I just celebrated 11 years of marriage. To be honest with you, I haven`t really thought about our wedding day since. I haven`t even watched the video.

I wasn`t a high maintenance bride. In fact, I was a pretty hands-off bride, because I was in my last semester of college in Moorhead, Minnesota, and my wedding was in Bison, South Dakota.

I let my mom do most of the work. I picked out my dress, my bridesmaids dresses and invitations. The rest was up to Mom. We ended up having a beautiful wedding, despite my lack of involvement.

I`ve never regretted not being more into the whole wedding planning thing. But every year about this time I get a little sad. For the past four years I`ve been hosting the Grand Style Show at the KFYR-TV Bridal Show. It`s so fun to see all the dresses and what`s popular from year to year. I even enjoy getting dressed up myself. It takes me back to my childhood, when my sister and I used to play dress up and pretend we were princesses going to the ball.

This year is no different, except for the fact that the excitement started a bit earlier than usual. This morning I got to do live shots from White Lace Bridal. We talked about trends in wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, and tuxedos. My, how things have changed since I got married 11 years ago! We also talked about our annual bridal show, which I am looking forward to again being a part of. If wedding bells are in your future, be sure to join me.

For all the details, check out the bridal show link on this website. One lucky bride will walk away with a $10,000 wedding prize package. And even if you don`t win, you are guaranteed to leave with lots of great ideas for your wedding. And, if you still need help planning for the big day, give me a call. I`m finally ready to plan a wedding!




Hero For A Day
1-25-08

My husband was a hero yesterday. If you ask him about it, he`ll deny doing anything extraordinary, but I beg to differ.

Brad was at work yesterday morning and when a co-worker hadn`t shown up for work by 10:30, he and another co-worker offered to swing by her house and check on her. Thank goodnes they did. Brad walked up to look in the kitchen window and found Mary and her son Bill passed out on the kitchen floor. He motioned for Travis to get out of the truck and help. The two of them managed to get in through the garage and call 911. Mary and Bill were suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. I`m not sure about all the details, because Brad is still kind of shook up about the whole thing, but I think I`ve determined they were lying on the floor for at least four hours before Brad and Travis found them. They were flown to Minneapolis for some treatments, and last I heard both are doing ok and should fully recover.

When Brad called to tell me what had happened, I got goosebumps all over. Everytime I think about it, they return. I can`t help but think of all the "what-ifs"... what if they hadn`t gone to check on them? What if he hadn`t seen them through the window? What if they had waited just one more hour to go check? What if the same thing happened at our house? Of course, these are the kinds of thoughts that could drive a person crazy, but they are impossible thoughts to avoid. Thankfully, this situation has a happy ending, and I can`t help but think that maybe it was a good eye-opener for us all. Because of what happened to Mary, I think everyone of her co-workers now has at least one carbon monoxide detector and we`ll all be a little more careful this winter. But even deeper than that, I think we`ve all realized how fragile human life is, and how important it is we look out for each other. Without caring co-workers, this story could have had a much sadder ending.

So, after reading this blog, I ask that you do three things: First, please get a working carbon monoxide detector in your home, Second, be a good friend..by that I mean, look out for each other and treat others how you would like to be treated. And third, give those you love an extra squeeze, and make sure they know how much you love them. Because if there`s one thing I`ve learned this week, it is the true value of human life.



Another Year Older
1-21-08

Yesterday was my birthday. As I get older, my birthday has become less of a special day, and more of an ordinary day. That was my plan for this year too. I had hoped to just ignore it, but my family would have none of that. My parents were in town on Saturday and took us out for lunch. I thought that was plenty of celebrating, but my kids had other ideas.

At 3:45 Saturday afternoon, my eight-year-old daughter started begging me to take her to the Bead Chicks. I wasn`t sure how late they were open, so I made her call to make sure they were open. Once she found out they were open, she begged me to take her there. She had a gift certificate from Christmas, and I figured it was burning a hole in her pocket. So I loaded all three kids into the van and off we went. Once we got there, Lexi disappeared with her favorite Bead Chick and got right to work. I was busy helping Jake with his project, and didn`t realize what she was making, until she was done. My daughter spent her Christmas money to make a bracelet for me! I almost cried.

Later that night, the boys went to the Wizards game. Halfway through the game, my husband said Jake panicked... he remembered he didn`t get me a birthday present yet. So, the boys brought home a half bag of almonds for me. That was my gift from Jake. I ate every single one...they were delicious!

Yes, they are little things, and really, a half eaten bag of almonds? Nice gift. But it really is the little things that matter. As I turn a year older, I am reminded of what great kids I have. And that is the best birthday gift ever.



It`s a Small World
1-18-08

My eight-year-old daughter has been "collecting" money for several months. She had about $30 saved up, plus Christmas money from when we went to Fargo a few weekends ago. She carefully spent her gift cards, then after much thought, decided to spend her money on a Webkin.

Remember when I said she`d been "collecting" money? That means Lexi`s purse was full of coins. She had a couple of bills, but the majority of her money was quarters, dimes, nickels and lots and lots of pennies.

The nice lady at the store let her pay for her Webkin with all change, and very patiently helped her count it out. That took quite awhile, and I couldn`t help but notice the line starting to form behind us. After the change was finally all counted and the sale was final, I thanked the clerk and apologized to the woman in line behind us for taking so long. The woman in line smiled and said that was fine...then asked me if I was from Bismarck.

I said yes, just as she remembered my name and how she knew me. As we walked out of the store, I ran into two other people I knew.

We met up with my sister a few minutes later, who lives in Crookston, Minnesota. I told her about the funny things that had just happened, which led to a story about a friend of hers who has family in Bismarck, and how she was sure I knew them. She seems to think I know everyone. She may be right.

Bismarck isn`t really that big of a town, and between the people I`ve met through my job, my kids, the people I`m related to, and the people I know from high school and college, I often do feel like I know everyone. But it isn`t just me. My husband is just as bad. No matter where we go, one of us will run into at least one person we know. It`s become a joke between us, and recently it`s also become a joke here in the newsroom. Whenever a reporter is having trouble getting a hold of someone, or needs someone for a story, they come to me... Knowing that I`ll know someone. Most of the time I do, or at least know someone who knows someone else.

Maybe that`s why I love this city, and this state, so much. It`s nice to see familiar faces, even on that late-night trip to the grocery store. I honestly do enjoy running into the most random people in the most unusual places, and most of the time, I love to stop a chat for a few minutes. And in those few minutes, I bet we`ll find at least one person we both know... and I`ll have even more proof of what a small world it really is.



A New Pair of Sweats
12-27-07

I bought a new pair of sweats the other day. They were on sale, they were long enough, and I just really love sweat pants. Really. I could wear some variation of sweats every single day. Honest. I dress up for work, but the first thing I do when I get home at night, is put on a comfy pair of sweats (that`s followed closely with taking my contacts out!)

I blame baby Lizzy. She`s eight months old, and I haven`t lost all my baby weight yet (why does it get harder with each baby? Maybe that`s a topic for another time!) So while I wait for those last few pounds to disappear, I`ve fallen in love with my sweatpants all over again. I`d forgotten how much I loved them!

Apparently my obsession with sweats is no secret to those who know me best. The other day a friend told me she described me to someone as a "sweatpants and no make up" kind of gal. I took that as a compliment.

I`m sure my "style", or lack of it outside of work, says something about my personality. Maybe that I`m comfortable with my life, or maybe that I`m down to earth. Maybe it means I`m a slob that should take more pride in my appearance. Whatever the case, I don`t really care. What I do care about it making sure those comfy new sweats are washed and dried so I can change into them after work tonight!


Learning to Gamble...and to walk
12-19-07

These are exciting times in the Kerzman home. Baby Lizzy is learning to walk! She just turned eight months old and is on the verge of her first steps. She`s actually been on the verge for a couple of months, but just hasn`t taken those first steps.

We`ve been predicting what day she`ll take off, and last week I decided to teach the big kids how to gamble. So we`ve now got a pool going... my husband, me and the two big kids divided up the next 43 days on the calendar and paid five cents for each day we picked. Winner takes all...all $2.15.

We`ve had to set some rules as the days have passed. Rule number one, no coaching, especially not on a "your" day. That wouldn`t be fair. Every night before he goes to bed, my six-year-old son crosses off the day on the pool sheet, looks ahead to the next day, and glances at the jar that holds the prize money.

I don`t really care who wins. In fact, I`d be ok if Lizzy didn`t walk until she turns one. You see, she is my last baby (hopefully!). I don`t want her to grow up too fast.

I love the baby stuff and as soon as she walks, I know those baby days are over. But, if I were a betting woman, I`d put my money on New Year`s Day.


The Santa Secret
12-12-07

Christmas is almost here! My six year old son, Jake, reminds me of that every morning. This morning it was `Hey Mom..only 8 days until Christmas!` His excitement has rubbed off on me. I`ve always loved the holiday season, but I usually get a little stressed out this time of year. Not this year though.

My cookies aren`t baked, I`ve barely started my shopping, and my cards haven`t been sent, but I`m fine with that. I`ve decided this year I`m going to relax and enjoy this wonderful time of year.

It hit me last week as I sat at Jake`s Christmas program. Listening to all those first graders sing Christmas carols made me smile and also made me realize that life goes by too quickly. Seems like just yesterday we were watching our daughter`s first grade program..she`s now a third grader and has a different take on Christmas this year. I say that because Lexi no longer believes in Santa Claus.

I learned this last summer when the Tooth Fairy forgot to come. Lexi had carefully put the tooth in her tooth pillow, and set it beside her bed for the Tooth Fairy to easily find. The next morning Lexi came upstairs, carrying her tooth pillow and asking me what had happened. "I don`t get it mom.. I put my tooth in my pillow, but it`s still there..and there`s no money". That`s when I knew it was time to tell her the truth. I didn`t even have to tell her, she already knew.

She was just worried she wouldn`t get her money.

I promised her as long as she keeps the secret from her brother and sister, she`ll still get money for her teeth. Lexi left the room, only to return a few minutes later to ask me about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Again, I told her as long as she doesn`t tell Jake and Lizzy, she will still get gifts from them. That was the last time I thought about that day...until Jake got into the Christmas spirit and started asking about Santa.

Lexi is doing her best not to ruin it for him, but I can tell it`s hard for her. The other day as they were getting their coats and boots on I heard him ask her at least a dozen times if she believes in Santa. She didn`t say no, and didn`t tell him the truth, but I think she wanted to. At the same time though I think she felt pretty smart, because she knows something Jake doesn`t.

Listening to the two of them brought a smile to my face and made me realize I really do have great kids. And they`ve been good all year, which means Santa`s got some shopping to do. After all, Christmas is only 8 days away!



Giving Thanks
11-26-07

Every year around Thanksgiving I try to take a few moments and think about what I`m thankful for. My list usually consists of my family, my health, my friends, and so on. But this year, my list has changed a little.

Sure, I`m still thankful for my family, my health and my friends. I realize I`m very lucky and not everyone is blessed with good health or great family and friends. But this year, I am thankful for something else.

I am thankful for the milkman and the grocery store delivery guy.

We bought a new house last December, and that`s when I decided to try online grocery shopping. Talk about a dream come true! I write my menu for the week, then make a grocery list from that menu. I enter that into the computer, along with the items my husband and kids have requested. Then I pick the time I want my groceries delivered, and just like that, there they are.

It costs five dollars to have them delivered, but I figure I spend more than five dollars on items I don`t need when I actually go to the store. Same with the milkman. I started getting milk delivered when we moved. Twice a week, we have four cartons of milk and a loaf of bread waiting for us when we wake up. I`ve even ordered things like eggs, cheese and apple juice from the milkman. Again, I figure it saves money, because we`re not stopping at the store all the time.

So I`ll admit it, this Thanksgiving I`ll be thinking of the milkman and the grocery store delivery man when I sit down to my turkey dinner. Heck, without them, we wouldn`t have anything to eat on Thanksgiving!



Thanks Mom
11-12-07

I need to call my mom. I need to tell her how much I appreciate everything she did for me, and still does. I need to thank her for sitting through hundreds of basketball games, driving me across the state for some "important" event, and footing the bill for everything I wanted to do.

But even though I`ve been on my own for almost 15 years, she still takes care of me, and now she also takes care of my kids. This weekend she took my big kids to Crookston, Minnesota. She had promised my sister she`d watch her three kids so my sister and her husband could go out of town for the weekend. She asked my kids to go along, claiming she wanted the company on the drive.

I don`t believe that. I`ve driven with my children. They are not good travelers. If they`re not whining for a bathroom break, they`re fighting. But, I suppose as a grandma, you don`t let stuff like that bother you. Or maybe my kids behave better for grandma than they do for mom. Whatever the case, I need to call her and say thanks. You see, now that I`m a mom, I realize the sacrifices my own mom made for me. Yet, a few weeks ago, my mom told me I remind her of herself when she was my age. She too was raising three kids, working and trying to keep the house somewhat in order. I realize now why she taught us to do laundry at the age of 10!

My mom has helped me realize that motherhood has never been easy, and that some things never change. Moms will always put their children first. Moms will always stay up late to make birthday cupcakes. Moms will always love their children unconditionally.

While my mom has taught me a lot about motherhood, over the past several months I`ve also learned valuable mom lessons from all of you. Last summer I read an article that said of one thousand moms surveyed nationwide, 47 percent are the least happy person in their home. That nugget of information stuck with me, and sparked a massive project that I`m happy to say is now finished. I asked moms to complete a survey about motherhood.

The survey asked about happiness, stress, marriage, sex and even faith. I received over 200 surveys. From there, I assembled a panel of five moms to talk about the survey and about issues moms today face. I interviewed many more moms and medical professionals. So what did I learn? I learned that moms are stressed out, tired, busy, and sometimes we`re grumpy. But despite the Mommy Madness, most of the time we`re pretty happy.

Want to know more? The survey results are posted here on our website. And starting Monday on First News at 5:00, you can see my series of reports. Then, on Saturday at noon, tune in for my one-hour special, "Mommy Madness". This project has given me a new respect for all moms, and made me even more proud to be a mom. I hope it does the same for you.

Maybe after watching, you`ll want to call your mom too.



The Best Years of My Life
11-03-07

I dreaded turning 30. I had nightmares about the big 3-0 for months. The day before my 30th birthday, I had a new driver`s license picture taken. I figured that way, I`d be 29 for at least the next four years. I even trained my kids to tell people I was 29.

When the big day finally came, I had a huge party. It was one of the best nights of my life! I didn`t know I had so many friends! Still, I was sad about turning 30. For some reason, it felt like the end of my 20s was also the end of my youth.

Nearly three years later, I realize that wasn`t it at all. In fact, my 30s have turned out to be the best years of my life. I was reminded of this over the weekend, when I helped one of my dearest friends celebrate her 30th birthday. She was sad, and as we sat with her parents, brothers, husband and another friend, she asked when she got so old. We laughed, and told her if she`s old, we`re ancient, and assured her the 30s are great. I meant it.

Never in my life have I felt better about myself and more content with my life. Sure, I`ve gained a few pounds since my 20s, I find myself getting my hair colored more often to cover the grays, and my knees are pretty much shot, but I`ve learned to accept all that. The good things in my life far outweigh the bad: I`ve got three healthy children, a wonderful husband, a house, food on the table, a career I love, and friends to help me through whatever life throws my way. In my 20s I would have been looking for more. In my 30s I`ve learned to slow down and enjoy life. And I can honestly say, 40 doesn`t scare me.



The Rule of Threes
10-22-07

They say everything is better in threes. It`s a rule we follow in writing, decorating and in raising children. See, I just did it.

Now let me explain. One of the first lessons I learned in my career as a journalist was that good writers follow the rule of three. For some reason, things just sound better when there are three. Here`s an example: "In just one year, the couple celebrated ten years of marriage, took a vacation, and had a baby." Sounds good, doesn`t it? I have no idea why, but it does.

The same goes for decorating. Two pictures hanging on a wall look all right, but add a third, and suddenly you`re an interior designer. It just looks better.

Now, you`re probably wondering about the third thing I mentioned. What does raising children possibly have to do with the rule of threes? Everything.

I have three children, although I never thought I wanted three. I`m a middle child. My sister is two years older than me, and my brother is six years younger. I thought it was awful growing up one of three kids, especially with that age gap. I vowed I`d never put my own children in the same situation. Yet here I am.

I am mom to eight-year-old Lexi, six-year-old Jake and six-month-old Lizzy. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this! Minutes after Jake was born, I told my husband we were done having kids. We had a girl and a boy, a dog and a mini-van. What else did we need?

My husband (who has nine brothers and sisters) continued to try to change my mind. I finally compromised and agreed to a second dog. Two kids, two dogs, and a mini-van. The perfect family, right?

Nope. Less than a month after getting our second dog, we found out we were pregnant. Now don`t get me wrong, I love babies, and being a mom is the best thing that`s ever happened to me. I just really didn`t think we needed another child. Our house wasn`t big enough and I wasn`t sure we could afford it, not to mention, we`d been done with diapers and sleepless nights for so long. What were we thinking?

But, I quickly changed my attitude in April, when Elizabeth Marie was born. What was I thinking when I said I didn`t want another baby? I had no idea how incomplete our family was without her. She is the sweetest, happiest, most content baby ever. If she would have been my first baby, I would have had ten. But that of course, would have broken the rule of three.

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