on the minds of moms

www.onthemindsofmoms.com

PUBLISHER DS Communication, LLC

EDITOR Dani Parkos Fluge

COPY EDITOR Deb Uglem

ADVERTISING Karan Burley Ambuehl p: 701.367.5647 e: karan@onthemindsofmoms.com

Sheri Kleinsasser Stockmoe p: 701.306.1624 e: sheri@onthemindsofmoms.com

PHOTOGRAPHY Ria Czichotzki – rialee photography

Lindsey Johnson – rialee photography

Jaci Kulish–rialee photography

Andrea Burner–rialee photography

Scott Thuen – thuen design

DESIGN AND LAYOUT Scott Thuen – thuen design www.thuendesign.com

AD DESIGN Casie Beldo

Scott Thuen

Tara Kessler

Lindsay Arneson

Stephanie Drietz

EDITORIAL CONTACT e: info@onthemindsofmoms.com

INFORMATION mail: PO Box 190, Fargo, ND 58107

SUBSCRIPTION www.onthemindsofmoms.com/subscribe

COVER PHOTO BY Ria Czichotzki–rialee photography www.rialeephotography.com

Otmom Mission Statement

On The Minds Of Moms Magazine is dedicated to providing parents of all ages a bi-monthly resource they can trust. A fresh approach to traditional parenting publications, we are modern and inspiring while offering a community of local support and real-life advice for today’s family.

On The Minds Of Moms contains views from across the parenting spectrum. These views do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. All activities listed in these pages are at your own risk and require appropriate supervision.

Ryan Keel

A Registered Investment Advisor and Certified College Planning Specialist [CCPS], Ryan has been helping families and small business with retirement and investment planning since 1996. When he’s not running Keel & Associates Investment Services, an independent financial planning business, he enjoys biking, watching movies and spending time with his niece.

Deb Uglem

moorhead | mn

Raised in Finely, ND Deb has called Moorhead, MN her home for the last 10 years. Deb has been a stay-at-home mom since returning to the Fargo-Moorhead area. She graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She is excited about her newfound time to write and finds it a welcome distraction to her daily activities. Most daily to-do’s center around her four children’s sport and school activities. Jake [17], Tony [16], Nick [16] and Emily [14] keep both her and husband Tim running in several directions. During her free time you can find her putting in some road miles, spending time with friends, or on the golf course.

Angela Smith

This former OTMOM feature [Spring 2009] was raised as an Army brat, with little stickers on the back of everything she owns to prove it. Angela is married to Superman, who goes by the name Jared and works hard to maintain the title of "Mean Mom" to her 4 children ages 9–16. She can stretch a dollar like nobody's business, create a meal out of nothing, but cannot on her best day, make Jell-O or a descent pie crust. A former Mrs. ND America and Mrs. ND International she works to bring attention to Go Red for Women and raise awareness about relationship abuse. She is a voracious reader and writes children's books to maintain her sanity, otherwise a number of fictional characters take up residence in her brain, keeping her awake at night.

laura raymond, PhD

east grand forks | mn

A research manager at the Energy and Environmental Research Center in Grand Forks, ND, Laura holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from UND with an emphasis in Nutritional Metabolism. For the past 9 years her research emphasis has been studying the mechanisms of mercury toxicity. Laurie and husband Rob resides in rural East Grand Forks with their 24-year-old son, Alex, mother Jeanette, three dogs and a cat.

Patricia Carlson is an award-winning journalist whose work spans magazines, television, radio, newspapers and the internet. She's produced, written, edited and directed programs for ESPN Radio, History Channel and Hallmark Channel. Patricia has worked as a television news reporter and currently is the Sunday morning news anchor at KFGO AM 790. She also is a regular contributor to several magazines based in the Midwest. When she's not writing, Patricia loves spending time with her baby girl and husband. You can view her work at www. patriciacarlsonfreelance.com the year the first American shoe classic “the sneaker” was born and called Keds With a soft rubber sole, so comfortable & quiet you could "sneak" up on your boyfriend!

Raised in the small, southwestern North Dakota town of Elgin, Colleen Lanners compares her childhood to Beaver Cleaver’s A close-knit family, her mom cared for her and sister Janell while her dad owned and operated his own service/gas station The station brings back memories of taking naps with her blanket in the middle of a tire as well as being the place she would learn her work ethic during her high school years

Two weeks into her freshman year at UND [and her first time away from home] Colleen’s father died suddenly of a heart attack Her loss was great and upon returning to school she pursued a degree in social work because she knew a profession focused on helping others was right for her Colleen worked a short time in Fargo as a licensed social worker with pediatrics before making her way to the University of Minnesota and entering the mortuary science program After graduation Colleen returned to Fargo to marry her true love, Kevin, and began working at Korsmo Funeral Service in Moorhead as a licensed funeral director where she still works today The couple have two children, Grace [7] and James [5], and when not on call Colleen tries to spend time gardening, taking long walks, camping and attending RedHawks games with her family my favorite time of the day is… morning as it is a fresh new day with no mistakes and no stress. if i could say one thing to myself 20 years ago it would be… to spend more time with my dad who died 19 years ago. I’d ask him more questions about himself and take more video of him. I would do anything just for the opportunity to give him one last hug. no one knows i… can weld. I took Vocational Ag classes instead of Home Economics. I unwind by… cleaning. Having a clean home makes me feel like the rest of my life is in order.