Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 2022 was another memorable year for our family. Matt, Katie and I kicked the new year off in Aruba. While we were gone, Jack broke his scaphoid during basketball and was in a cast for a month. We escaped to SW Florida a few times in the spring and early summer this year. It’s such a nice break from the cold Minnesota weather! We didn’t use the camper at all in 2022 and weren’t at the cabin as much as we would’ve liked. We did get to host my family at the cabin for a 4th of July celebration. We dropped Jack off at school in August and Matt and I also celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary that month. The autumn flew by and here we are at the end of the year already. Where does the time go?

Matt has been busy with the office. He worked as the only dentist at Pike Lake Dental until June, when he hired a new and wonderful associate. He and a friend went to Texas this spring to hunt wild boars from a helicopter. It sounds crazy, but he had so much fun! He got in a couple trips to Isle Royale to fish, once with me and once with his buddies. He and Jack went to British Columbia with some friends to fish in July. The scenery was spectacular! The fishing, not so much. Even so, it was a wonderful memory for all the guys. Matt and I did a little grouse hunting this fall. Ollie, our British lab, learned to ride in the Ranger this summer, so he could join us hunting too. Pheasant hunting in South Dakota opened in October and the guys went on their annual pheasant hunt with a bunch of buddies again this fall. They came home with so many birds! Jack and Matt have also gone to a few Vikings games this year. All in all, Matt had a pretty spectacular 2022.

I’m still splitting my time between the dental office, home and working on our other little business ventures. I took Campbell, Brett and Katie to Yellowstone this summer for a couple weeks while Matt and Jack were gone on their trip to BC. We had a fantastic time, took thousands of pictures and videos, and made so many wonderful memories together. I absolutely love road trips! I still try to read 100 books each year. I’m part of a fun, monthly book club that has been meeting for about 10 years and I get together with some of Jack’s classmates’ moms every so often. I attend as many of the kids’ sporting events as possible. I’m also trying to be more conscious about staying in touch with my friends, even if it’s just a quick text to say hello, now that school and sports don’t bring us together as often. Life sure changes as the kids get older, especially socially for us parents.

Campbell is a senior at the College of St. Scholastica here in Duluth. She has worked exceptionally hard at maintaining her grades and often sets the grading curve on her tests. We appreciate her drive and ambition for excellence with her studies. She and her boyfriend, Brett, will both graduate from CSS this spring with a BS in biochemistry and elementary education degrees, respectively. They just celebrated their 4th anniversary together this fall. That time sure has flown! Campbell spent a lot of time this spring and summer at a local non profit organization called Seeds of Hope Youth Ranch where she reignited her love of horses. She did everything from scooping manure to teaching underprivileged kids how to ride horses at the ranch. She also spent many, many hours knitting hats to donate to our local homeless shelters. She definitely has a huge and  giving heart. Campbell has also discovered a love for house plants this year. Her apartment may be more jungle than living space at the moment.

Jack graduated from Marshall in June and started at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul this fall. He had a fun end to his high school career, enjoyed his last real summer with his friends and transitioned well to life in college. He and his girlfriend, Annika, live only a few minutes apart in St. Paul and have enjoyed their freedom and freshman classes at St. Thomas and Hamline, respectively. Their one year anniversary will fall in January. Jack still has an easy, laid back personality and maintains his friendships as much as possible via the internet and in person as schedules allow. He lucked out and has 3 good friends from high school also attending St. Thomas, one of them is his roommate. We gave him a pass on not getting a job this past summer, but you’ll definitely see him working somewhere in 2023. He also picked up golfing with his buddies this summer and looks forward to improving his game in the coming years. 

Katie is a junior at Marshall and loves having her drivers license and a job. Oh, the sweet feeling of freedom and a little money in her bank account! She’s still at Gordy’s Gift and Garden Center and has way too many house plants because of it. It’s been really fun to watch her blossom at Gordy’s. She often says she can’t wait to go to work and refers to her coworkers as her work family. She found the perfect job! Katie and her boyfriend, Ty, have been dating over a year and they couldn’t be better matched. They are both bookworms and exceptional kids. Katie played volleyball for Marshall again this fall. It was so much fun to be at her games! In her spare time, Katie’s favorite activities are hanging out with Ty, reading and sleeping. She is an excellent student and is VP of the Hilltopper Council, the school’s student council. 

That pretty much sums up our 2022 and gives you a quick glimpse into our lives. I never thought I’d be happy with the kids growing up and leaving home, but it’s actually been pretty fun. We especially appreciate the times we are all able to be together. I’m so thankful the kids are happy and healthy and with significant others who also make them happy. It warms my heart to know they are all moving in positive directions and growing into amazing adults. We are extremely proud of each of them! This time also gives both Matt and me a new perspective of life after kids and has us coming up with fun ideas for this next phase of our lives. I’m seeing more fishing, camping and fun in our future. Let us know if you want to get together sometime soon!

We wish you and your loved ones many blessings during this happy Christmas season and hope your 2023 will be filled with health and happiness. Cheers!

Our love this year and always,

Stephanie, Matt, Campbell, Jack and Katie Jugovich

Merry Christmas! What a whirlwind of a year 2019 has been! I feel as though we’ve hardly been home this year, but we’ve sure had a lot of fun! In January, I took the kids to Aruba without Matt, who stayed home to man the fort. It was a great trip, even though we missed Matt, and we came home with a lot of fun family memories. Campbell got her driver’s license in January. Jack played school basketball last winter and Katie played Junior Olympic volleyball for 6 months this last winter and into the summer. We fished a lot. Jack got his permit. Matt and Jack went to Canada and Alaska over the summer to fish with friends. Katie and I went to Florida for volleyball in June. Our family camped, fished some more and enjoyed the cabin this summer. Fall brought back to school and even more volleyball. Now, as winter settles in again, we are ready for a break in the craziness and some big changes at the office. One thing I’ve learned about life as a Jugovich: It’s never dull! 

Matt has had both a challenging and an amazing year. Although he was the only dentist at the office the majority of this past year, he’s had his best year yet. 2019 has brought him back to the basics and renewed his passion for his profession. We are very excited that another dentist joined our team in November. With an associate at Pike Lake Dental Center, Matt may be able to take a little more time off in 2020. Matt works extremely hard, but he also plays extremely hard. He spent as much time as possible fishing this year, hitting Lake Superior, Isle Royale, Lake of the Woods, Red Lake, Canada and even Alaska this summer. He enjoyed taking the ATVs out at the cabin and driving the pontoon around our lake. Through it all, Matt has always had a great, can-do attitude and a smile on his face. He’s a trooper and makes our lives so amazing. 

Campbell will turn 17 in early January. She loves the freedom a driver’s license and a vehicle provide her. Technically a Junior in high school this year, she chose to go to Lake Superior College here in Duluth as a full-time Postsecondary Enrollment Option student, which means she will graduate in 2021 with both an AA degree in May and her high school diploma in June. She worked over the summer at Fleet Farm, but took a hiatus from working this fall to focus on her schooling and to help ferry her brother and sister around. We share custody of Campbell with her boyfriend, Brett, or get them as a package deal most evenings. Campbell discovered her love for baseball, Brett’s sport of choice, and attended about 100 of his games this spring and summer, including the MN 2A HS baseball championship game, in which Brett threw the winning pitch! She is extremely happy about every aspect of her life right now, which makes us extremely happy. As one of her favorite past teachers likes to say, “Life is good!”

Jack is 15 and has been chauffeuring us around since he got his permit in May. He’s growing taller every time I look at him and is a solid 5’ 10.5” now.  He played basketball last winter, but has chosen to take a break from sports this year. His schoolwork has made a fantastic turnaround this Sophomore year and I think he’s secretly pretty proud of it. I know I am! Jack had a bunch of amazing opportunities to hunt and fish with Matt this year, including a couple father-son fishing trips with friends to Alaska and Canada. I’d best describe Jack as an easy going, X Box playing, all around awesome kid. He has a dry, witty sense of humor, which never fails to make us laugh.

Katie will be 14 at the end of December. She’s already taller than both her sister and me. Volleyball is her favorite sport and she plays it year-round between school ball and her JO team. She and I took a fun trip to Orlando this summer to round out her 13s volleyball season at the AAU National tournament. She loves to read and sleep. She’s a fun, feisty, passionate kid who’s fun to hang out with. She’s consistently a stellar student and enjoys her friends and school equally. Katie is still a champion of the underdog and firmly believes in her values. She makes us pull out our hair one minute, then squeeze her because she’s so sweet the next. She makes us laugh a lot and has a quick, dry sense of humor.

I am never lacking for things to keep me busy. I went back to work full time at the office last December. It’s been a fun and challenging year and I’m thankful the gals at work have been so gracious and welcoming to me. There was a learning curve in every aspect of my life (from juggling my new schedule to making our family life run smoothly), but we managed it together – as a team and a family. I’m forever grateful to Campbell for jumping in and never complaining about driving her siblings around. And then there are my friends who have also jumped in and supported us along the way. It truly takes a village! To fill my creative niche, I subscribed to a monthly watercolor painting kit this year and have really enjoyed learning something new. I listened to a lot of audiobooks again this year and also read a few traditional books along the way. Summer remains my most favorite season and I eagerly await its return. Sunshine, sandals, boats, water, camping and campfires are still my favorite things, along with craft beer, good wine and books. What can I say? I’m pretty easy to please! Wink. Wink.

The dogs are happy and (fairly) well behaved. Ollie is nearing 4 years old and Alvin is 5. They continue to be best buddies and Ollie is happy to let Alvin take the lead in all things dog related. Ollie jumped off the dock at the cabin at least a million times this year, swimming out for his tennis ball and dropping it at our feet to throw again. He is laid back and happy all the time, if not a little over-the-top affectionate. Alvin still barks a lot and is on high alert for passing vehicles and any chipmunk, squirrel or bird that dares come near our yard. All their quirks aside, they bring us joy and are great companions.

We hope 2019 has delivered you health, happiness and many fond memories. We wish you a blessed 2020! If you are ever up near Biwabik, look us up! The cabin is always ready for company. 

Our love this happy holiday season and always,

Stephanie, Matt, Campbell, Jack and Katie Jugovich

What a year 2020 has been!

We started out the year with a family trip to Aruba in January, never suspecting it would be one of the best, most unrestricted and carefree weeks of our entire year. Our state locked down in the middle of March and stayed closed until the middle of May. During the stay at home order, Matt and the kids painted the kids’ bedrooms, we purged a dumpster full of old papers and junk from the basement, donated loads of stuff, cooked some delicious meals and were able to fish quite a bit. We used our bigger boat more in April and May than we do most summers! We watched the Netflix series Tiger King (waste of time) and enjoyed a bunch of  movies at home as a family. Matt and I were also busy during the shutdown with paperwork and planning for our office expansion, which began in May and finished up in November. We got back to work in May with a bunch of increased safety precautions and have had a fantastic second half of the year. We fished, camped, played at the cabin, and tried to enjoy life as much as we could, even with the COVID outbreak this summer. We had most of our trips cancelled this year, including a volleyball tournament for Katie in Florida and fishing in both Ontario and British Columbia for Matt and Jack. The fall brought renewed excitement at the office when we moved into the fresh, new addition. We doubled our square footage and are so excited about it! The whole office looks absolutely beautiful! We hope to spend more time at the cabin this winter and get outdoors to snowmobile and ice fish. 

Campbell is a Senior in high school this year and is also in her second year of PSEO, a program that allows kids to attend college for free their Junior and/or Senior years of high school. She will graduate this spring with her AA degree from Lake Superior College and her high school diploma. She worked for us at the dental office over the summer and has worked at the Tutoring Center at LSC this 2020/2021 school year, tutoring fellow students in both chemistry and calculus. She really enjoys college and it’s a good thing she does because she most likely will be in school for another 6-10 years for a career in either the medical or dental field. Campbell and her long-time boyfriend, Brett, have enjoyed being carefree kids this year and spent a lot of time hiking, hammocking, hanging out with friends and binging on TV shows. All in all, it’s been a great year for Campbell. We are looking forward to her turning 18 in January and enjoying a further taste of freedom as she enters adulthood.

Jack is a Junior at Duluth Marshall. He turned 16 in May and got his driver’s license in July, thanks to the COVID shutdown. He’s thoroughly enjoying all the freedom a driver’s license allows and is always willing to help drive his little sister to school and get her to and from her commitments. Jack is still an extremely social kid, enjoying many of the fun activities of the typical high school kids – attending sporting events, hosting sleepovers at the cabin, hanging out and grabbing food with friends, and lots and lots of XBox. He met his dad’s height and stands at a solid 6’ tall. Jack continues to make us laugh with his antics and has proven to be a fantastic sous vide chef. His flame-finished ribeye is to die for. Jack also spent a few weekends hunting birds this fall with Matt. We all enjoy the pheasants, ducks and geese.

Katie started high school this year and is a happy Freshman at Duluth Marshall. She stayed active and connected with friends with a lot of volleyball this year. COVID cancelled the last 4 months of her regular JO volleyball season, but she was able to play her favorite sport with new, fun, alternative volleyball options over the summer and into the fall. She is still very helpful around the house and has a special affection for all creatures great and small – dogs, fish and even geckos. She took driver’s ed in the fall, so she’ll be ready to get her permit to drive when she turns 15 at the end of the month. Katie is almost always fun to hang out with (she is a teenager, don’t forget) and is still game to camp, fish or watch a movie with us almost anytime.

The dogs are happy and healthy, although Alvin, at 7 years old, is starting to slow down. Ollie still wants to jump off the dock every chance he gets and he’ll hold your hand all day long if you’ll let him. 

Jack and Katie switched to online learning in November and Campbell continues to be about half online and half in-person classes. COVID struck our house in November, too. Campbell has fully recovered and we are thankful it was a very mild case. Although we were close together before we knew she was sick, she was the only one to get the virus. How does that work?

We continue to be thankful for amazing coworkers and patients, steady jobs we enjoy, a healthy family, true friends, and lots of opportunities to indulge in our favorite pastimes. The invitation still stands – there’s always a comfortable floatie and a cold beer available during the summer at our cabin on Bass Lake near Biwabik. 

Here’s hoping 2021 is a year filled with health and happiness for you and yours! 

Our love always,

Stephanie, Matt, Campbell, Jack and Katie Jugovich

Here are a few of our favorite pictures from 2020:

Livin’ it up on the beach in Aruba in January.

Signing our lives away at the closing of the loan for the office expansion in June.

Campbell and Brett celebrating the 4th of July at our cabin.

Mid-construction of the office addition in July.

Alvin cuddling on Katie’s bed.

The kids standing for their obligatory photo in Grand Marais in August.

Our 18th wedding anniversary in August.

Ollie ready to roll t0 SD to hunt this fall.

Matt and Jack pheasant hunting in South Dakota in October.

Christmas greetings! What a wonderful year 2021 has been! 

Matt has had a fantastic year keeping busy with some fishing, hunting (ducks, grouse and pheasant), relaxing and, of course, projects around the house, office and cabin. Matt got a new toy this summer, a mini excavator, and is excited to get some projects done in the coming year. The extra bonus for Matt this summer was his schedule. He worked Monday-Wednesday, which gave him plenty of time for work and some much-needed play. Ever the “idea guy”, you may see some new tricks Matt has up his sleeve come out in our Christmas letter next year. Life is always an adventure with Matt!

I still work at the office and help take care of the back end of our businesses. It’s a good mix of people and numbers for me. My schedule also gives me a little more time to be “Mom” while the kids are still home. I finished reading/listening to my annual 100 book goal again this year. I also mastered using chopsticks in 2021! My interests continue to lean toward the arts. Writing, painting and photography are the activities that fuel my soul. I had a nice, little container garden on our deck again this summer. We had a bounty of fresh herbs, onions, potatoes and more this year that we’ll be able to enjoy throughout the winter.

2021 was a big year for Campbell! She officially became an adult in January. She graduated from Lake Superior College with honors and a 4.0 GPA and earned her AA degree in May. She also earned her high school diploma in June, with an additional 350+ hours of community service logged. She took a few classes over the summer and began pursuing a BS in biochemistry degree at the College of St. Scholastica in September. Campbell and her long-time boyfriend, Brett, will both graduate from CSS in 2023. She plans to apply to dental schools in the near future. Campbell also spread her wings in July and moved into her first apartment, a cute 1 bedroom unit, in Duluth. She is only a few minutes from home, but she is thoroughly enjoying her independence. She worked as a tutor for calculus and chemistry courses at LSC for most of last school year and also worked at our office on Fridays. She’s taking most of this semester off from work as she navigates a heavy credit load at CSS. Life has been busy, fun and exciting for Campbell.

Jack is a senior at Marshall and is enjoying every minute of it. He missed so much of his high school experience the past couple years, so he is making up for it at every opportunity. At 17, he is as tall as his dad, a solid 6 feet, and growing. Jack loves to drive! The kid has put a ton of miles on his car. Ever the social butterfly, he loves hanging out with his friends and playing sports. He joined basketball again this year and has learned he also enjoys golf. Jack got a few bird hunting trips in with Matt this fall too. He is finally seeing a direction in school that he enjoys and may pursue a degree in the sciences, as he is really loving his AP biology class this year. He’s applying to colleges now and is looking forward to graduation and new adventures away from home in 2022.

Katie is a sophomore at Marshall and is eagerly awaiting her 16th birthday later in December. She can’t wait to get her drivers license and gain her next level of independence. She got her first job this summer at Gordy’s Gift and Garden Center here in Hermantown. She blossomed (excuse the pun) at Gordy’s! She experienced the many rewards of having a job by making great friends, learning a lot of people and customer service skills and earning a paycheck. She was on the Nordic ski team this past winter, played volleyball for school this fall, joined a bunch of school activities and clubs, student council, and is also a student ambassador for Marshall. She bakes for the office every once in a while too! Katie is a stellar student and keeps a close eye on her grades. She enjoys challenging herself and is taking mostly honors classes at school this year. 

The dogs are aging well. Ollie, at 5 years old, especially loved the summer months being up at the cabin and in the lake, along with the couple hunting trips he made to the Dakotas with Matt. He’s a hunter through and through! He’s also the most loving and gentle dog you could find. Alvin, 7 years old, still sometimes acts like a puppy, chasing his favorite ball and leaping into the car for a “CR.” We have to use a code for “car ride” because he gets so excited. Alvie will still bark at the wind, a stranger or any noise he hears. It’s great. Really.

Our other baby, Pike Lake Dental, continues to grow, especially with the addition to the building in 2020. We have added staff, patients and potential with the extra 2,500 square feet. Matt and I are thankful for the truly awesome people we have the privilege of working with and calling our friends. We often joke that we have our “family” family and also our “work family.” The counting of our blessings wouldn’t be complete without mentioning our amazing patients and the relationships we continue to grow with them. It takes a village and we are forever thankful for ours.

We snuck down to Florida a couple times this spring, once just the two of us to Marco Island and once as a family to the Keys. Matt and I also took a couple weekend trips to Dallas for some financial planning and business strategizing. It feels so good to travel again! 

Our trip to South Dakota’s beautiful Black Hills was a highlight of the 2021 summer. The guys’ fishing trip to Canada was postponed again this year, so we switched gears and loaded up the family and the ATVs and headed out to Lead, SD for a week. The whole family could be together, all 6 of us (Campbell and Brett too!) which is getting harder and harder to accomplish. We visited a bunch of tourist spots and also put many miles on our ATVs. It was an awesome trip! 

We fished only a handful of times this year, certainly not as often as in years past. After much contemplation, we gave up our seasonal site at the campground in Baudette. We mainly focused on being at the cabin and relaxing. There was A LOT of time spent floating on Bass Lake, quite a few campfires and many, many pontoon rides! We also hosted some fun events up there, the top few being a cousin reunion for Matt’s side of the family, an office gathering, Matt’s high school and college buddies for a golfing weekend, and Steph’s 26th high school class reunion. We love to be able to share our happy place with so many people.

All in all, it was a year of happiness and focusing on being present with our little family. We hope 2021 treated you and yours well and that 2022 will do the same. Cheers to a healthy and happy Christmas and New Year!

Our love,

Stephanie, Matt, Campbell, Jack and Katie Jugovich

Merry Christmas! Another incredible year is nearly at a close! As always, I’d like to slow the clock and have more time to enjoy the summer or lazy Saturdays at home with the kids. We do try to enjoy each moment, or day, or season as they pass and not wish this time away. After all, time is precious and these kids are only with us for so long.

In February, we traveled to Aruba and were able to enjoy a week of fun and sun as a family. That trip is always a favorite for me because our toughest decisions are what time to hit the beach or the pool and where to eat supper that evening. Each of us takes what they want from the trip: Katie and I read and lay in the sun, Matt catches up on his sleep and tv shows in the sunshine, Campbell and Jack keep in contact with their friends and sleep the days away.

Eagle Beach, Aruba.

We took a trip to Utah in April. We visited all of Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks in a whirlwind 7 days and 2,000 miles. Although there is always a heated discussion as to our personal favorite of the five parks, we all agree there was something breathtaking and unique about each one. We also visited Antelope Canyon in Arizona and had an incredible tour there. If you are looking for a great family trip, we’d highly recommend both Utah and Antelope Canyon and would be happy to share our itinerary and tips with you.

The Mighty 5 National Parks in Utah, April, 2018.

We spent a lot of time this summer on or near water. We bought a cabin on Bass Lake, near where Matt grew up, in June and spent many relaxing days at the lake. The pontoon continues to be a favorite hangout spot, with the boat and jet ski coming in as close seconds. We were able to entertain family and friends often and can’t wait for next summer to roll around. As always, Lake of the Woods is another one of our favorite places to be. We camp, fish, relax and enjoy time with family and friends, both old and new. Our annual trips to Bayfield and Grand Marais weren’t in the cards for us this year. I always joke that we enjoy too many activities and there aren’t enough summer weekends to enjoy them all.

Our happy place on Bass Lake, south of Gilbert, MN.

Matt and I snuck away to Scottsdale in March and August for a couple long-weekend, continuing education classes. Jack came along with us in August to visit a friend. If I could peer into a glass ball, I believe we’d see Arizona in our retirement future. Between the sunshine, blue skies and beautiful scenery, Arizona is hard to beat.

Outside Sedona, Arizona.

Matt never seems to slow down unless he’s at the cabin or camping, and even then he is rarely idle. He used his summer weekends to pack in as much fun as possible. He caught a lot of walleyes this year. I enjoy watching him play on the boat or on the four wheelers like a teenager. There is always a new project simmering in his head, so it’s best for us to always be ready for anything. He is a patient teacher and encourages the kids and me to try new things, from driving heavy machinery to docking the boat. Although, if you lose a fish off your line, you’ll probably hear about it for the foreseeable future.

Matt and Steph with a Lake of the Woods walleye, May, 2018.

I continue to enjoy photography, reading and writing. I amped up my involvement at work some more this year and work almost equally in the office and from home. Books are still my favorite “splurge” items and I always seem to have at least a couple paper books and audiobooks going at once. My favorite books this year were Us Against You by Fredrik Backman and Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. I drive an average of 300-400 miles a week, playing taxi driver for the family. I went from the second tallest in our little family (when the kids were younger) to the shortest this year; Katie passed me up in height this summer. While I love to watch the kids play sports, I realized I enjoy just hanging out with them a lot more. I still adore, in no particular order, hot weather, sunshine, traveling (especially road trips), camping and beaches.

Campbell is ready to drive and is eager to take her road test when she turns 16 in January. To be honest, we are all excited for her to get her license! She is excelling academically her sophomore year at Marshall and always strives for excellence. She played both golf and volleyball for school. She managed the boys’ basketball team last season and is excited to manage again this year. While she still thinks she’ll go into dentistry, we can’t help but wonder if she will choose to venture into sports management as a profession. She loves spending time with her friends, listening to loud music, driving the four wheelers and boats anywhere and everywhere and attending sporting events, whether she is participating in them or not. She is a country girl at heart.

Jack is 14, a freshman, and growing like a weed. He has a hilarious personality and is fun to hang out with… when he isn’t sleeping. He reminds me a lot of my dad and brother – extremely laid back and easy going, almost to a fault. He is married equally to his XBox and phone. He keeps friends from both Hermantown and Marshall and hangs out with them often. He and Matt went to Canada fishing in June, and Kansas in September for a deer hunt. Jack also fished with us at Lake of the Woods this summer and enjoyed pheasant hunting this fall too. He plays basketball for school and is a contentedly lazy teenager.

Katie is practically 13 and continues to keep us on our toes. She is playing Junior Olympic volleyball again this year and also played volleyball for school this fall. Her heart is huge and she will champion anyone in need. She’s also the girl that will attack her brother or sister for looking at her wrong. She is very proud of her sleeping record: 17 straight hours at the cabin. She is a good student and plays both the flute and piano. She loves to hang out with her friends, read and drive the four wheelers and snowmobiles.

Jack, Katie and Campbell, November, 2018.

The dogs are annoying, oops! I mean sweet, as ever. They immediately take care of any food that hits the floor and remind me when their food and water dishes run low. They whine to go outside, then whine to come inside most of the day. It’s a fun game! Ollie is almost 3 and loves riding in the car, hunting, dock jumping, playing fetch and holding hands with his humans. Alvin is 5 and diligently protects our yard from squirrels, chipmunks and deer. His chihuahua/terrier blood keeps him barking and anxious, but he still loves snuggling with the kids.

Ollie and Alvin.

The office continues to be successful and we are thankful every day for all the wonderful people we work with and patients we see. This year, especially, we are reminded of what a true and dedicated team we are there. Even though I feel the business is like another member of the family, constantly needing love and attention, I can’t imagine life any other way. There is much to be thankful for!

Pike Lake Dental Center, 5651 Miller Trunk Highway, Duluth, MN.

A friend of mine always says, “Life is good!” and I cannot disagree. Life is good and we hope you feel the same. Wishing you and yours a joyous Christmas and a healthy and happy 2019! Cheers!

Our love,

Matt, Stephanie, Campbell, Jack and Katie Jugovich

Happy Holidays from the Jugovich family!

Happy Holidays! What a year 2017 has been for our family! We hope this joyous season finds you and yours happy and healthy. I’ll give you a quick rundown on each of us…

Campbell and Ollie relaxing on the pontoon.

Campbell is a Freshman already. She is finishing up drivers ed and is ready for her permit as soon as she turns 15 in January. She plays golf and volleyball, and is also involved in a few clubs at school. Campbell is co-managing the JV and Varsity boys basketball team this season and is loving the role. Upper School has been especially awesome for her so far. She has developed many new friendships this school year and is constantly Snapping, texting or Instagramming friends. As the oldest, she’s our overachiever and perfectionist. She’s also one of the coolest people I know.

Jack with a nice bass off our dock.

Jack is 13 and in 8th grade. He is our basketball and soccer player. Jack has blossomed in the past year and a half from a kid who wanted to be invisible at school into a kid who has tons of friends and brims with self confidence. He is a textbook middle child and is a much more relaxed kid than his sisters, which is both a blessing and a curse. Jack is also crazy funny. Sometimes I laugh until I cry over his stories and jokes. He is constantly jumping, throwing a ball and “breaking our ankles” (faking like he’s going one way, then cuts the opposite way and makes us alter our course). He spent many, many hours fishing off the dock this summer, catching and releasing sunnies and bass. Jack’s two greatest loves remain his phone and candy. We are so excited to see how Jack will continue to develop in both personality and height in the coming years. He’s shot up many inches already this past year.

Katie is a fantastic captain!

Katie is about to turn 12 and is rocking 6th grade. She’s still a little spit-fire and keeps us on our toes with her passionate personality. That said, she’s also the kid who will fiercely defend her friends and is so compassionate she’s brought me to tears on more than one occasion. She’s a fantastic reader and always has a handful of books she’s reading at once. She completed her ATV safety class and can’t wait to drive the 4 wheeler a lot this coming summer. Kate played Junior Olympic volleyball last winter and is excited for the season to start up again soon. She just told me today she plans to play volleyball, basketball, golf, tennis and maybe run cross country for school next year. If anyone is going to conquer it all, it’ll be Katie The Legend (yes, she has created that catchy name for her future 6’2” self).

Matt and a beautiful Lake of the Woods walleye.

Matt seems to always have something up his sleeve. If there isn’t a project or idea already in the works, he’s cooking a new one up. There’s no rest for the weary and he oftentimes reminds me of the Energizer Bunny. He captains our boat and fishes like a pro. He works hard and plays hard. In October, he and a buddy headed to New Mexico for an elk hunt. He came back without an elk this time, which is just fine – we have a lot of other meat in the freezer. Matt remains busy at the office. He’s constantly looking to make the practice better, more productive and more efficient. Thankfully, he has a great team and everyone works well together. I am so proud of everything he’s created there!

My annual birthday selfie – 29 again!

I went back to work part-time in February. I really enjoy what I do and love to be back at the office again. I’m still trying to find that elusive, perfect balance of home and work. If you’ve got any pointers, I’m all ears. I keep busy running the kids to and from school, and to their never-ending activities. It’s common for me to put 400+ miles on the family vehicle in a week and not travel farther than a 20 mile radius from home. I’m happy to play the role of #1 fan at all the kids’ sports. I still read as much as I can – over 150 books in 2017 already. I will always love camping and boating; the fishing we do is just an added bonus. I treasure family time and warm weather – I can never get enough of either one!

Alvin.

Ollie.

The dogs, Alvin and Ollie, are happy and healthy and finally get along. Ollie was trained in Northfield for a couple months this year and has the skills to be a fantastic hunter. He also went to South Dakota with Matt for a short pheasant hunt in October and did a great job. He loves the water! Alvin enjoys riding in the car and fearlessly protecting our yard from squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, deer and birds. Ollie is Alvin’s faithful sidekick, but is not nearly as diligent in his patrol.

Soaking up the sun and practicing our Spanish in Mexico.

We have many highlights from the past 12 months. Aruba has turned into our go-to place for a winter escape in February the past few years. All five of us enjoy a week of warm weather, relaxation, sun and sand. I took the kids to Mexico in March. It was an amazing trip! The Baudette  area on Lake of the Woods continues to be our favorite camping and fishing spot. We spent many weekends up there last summer and are already looking forward to more memories there in 2018. We took a quick trip to Nebraska to see the solar eclipse in August. The total eclipse was one of the coolest things we’ve ever experienced. Matt and I also celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in August.

A little slice of heaven on Bass Lake.

We are very excited about our cabin lot on Bass Lake, just outside Biwabik. We spent many hours playing and working there this past spring and summer. The campfires and pontoon rides around the lake are some of our favorite memories. We hope to build a cabin of our own on the property next summer. There is still an overwhelming amount of work to do, but we have a vision. If you’re ever in the area, please stop by!

We wish you peace, health and happiness in 2018. Enjoy every moment you spend with the ones you love. Soak up the memories. Share your love and talents with others. Count your blessings. There are so many things to be thankful for!

With warmest thoughts this Holiday Season and always,

~Stephanie, Matt, Campbell, Jack and Katie Jugovich

Just after viewing the total solar eclipse in Nebraska.