School Days

Our kids actually started school this year like many others in late August.  I’m just now getting around to posting the photos though.

Zach headed to middle school this year for 6th grade  and loves the independence of walking to and from school.  He swears he is the only student without a cell phone but that seems to be his only middle school complaint. 

Zach wasn’t about to let me take a photo of him in front of his new school so I guess this shot of the building will have to do.  Chute Middle School…

Gunnar and Hazel headed back to Dawes for 4th and 1st grades.  Their classmates are still the same (no switching it up since they are in the TWI program) and Gunnar even has his same teachers from last year.  

We are actually at a point of the school year where we have school picture day and it’s been interesting to say the least. Zach received his photos and promptly lost them in the boys locker room so they never made it home.  Gunnar was very close to wearing the exact same shirt from last year but changed at the last minute.  And Hazel….she got pink eye and missed picture day.  Hopefully they have a retake day!

Hazel is 6!!

Well if you know us well (and who here doesn’t?  I think I only have a half a dozen readers) you know that Hazel’s birthday is not today.  As I was prepping tonight for the kids to go back to school I realized I never posted for Hazel’s birthday.  Last year I missed Gunnar and this year Hazel.  Yikes!  I hope that just means we are having fun living life and not sitting down to write about it.  

Anyway, Hazel deserves a blog post so here goes!  

Hazel is 6!!!  Woot!!  All this lovely little girl wanted for her birthday, aside from a million little toys, was to have her ears pierced and to spend her birthday at Nana and Boppa’s.  Hard to argue with those requests so away we went to NC!  

We spent out week playing and having fun and on her actual birthday we had a scavenger hunt for presents and had her ears pierced.  Rich had to travel for work on her birthday so we kept the celebration going the day after with a trip to the Lazy 5 Ranch to see all the animals.  Hazel loved it!  

Hazel is full of spunk, has a LOT to say, still likes to cuddle, holds her own with her brothers but also has a very caring heart, is quick witted and quite smart and loves gymnastics and any sort of craft or art.  She surprises us daily with her humor and oddly enough loves having long hair but hates to have it brushed.    This is SIX!

The only thing this birthday was missing was the lizard Hazel had claimed she wanted to catch.  Oh well, maybe next year!  We love you Hazel!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  

(Even if this post is a bit late)

Toothless

This isn’t her first tooth to go but it’s a pretty cute one.  And she lost it at school just like she had hoped (they get a tiny treasure chest to put the tooth in when lost at school)!

Fingers crossed the tooth fairy stops at our house tonight!

Gunnar is Nine!!

Gunnar’s nine and he’s feeling…….FINE!  That’s not just a rhyme but the truth.  Gunnar has been out of school and quarantined this week because he had Covid.  Actually both of us did.  Unfortunately there was an outbreak amongst the 3rd graders at school which turned into us getting it.  We even hosted a Mother’s Day brunch (before realizing we had Covid of course) which turned out to be a super spreader!  Now we have passed it to Rich, Nana and our friend, Ted so far.  Yikes!

Wait, let’s get back on track.  Gunnar is 9 today!!  For his birthday he simply wanted to stay home (even before he had Covid) so that’s what we did for the most part.  We did take a mid day break to go hit some balls at the driving range but otherwise we stayed home, played video games, shot some hoops, had a birthday steak dinner, a mint chocolate birthday dessert and watched his movie of choice.  Gunnar seems pretty happy to be 9 and we are still in a little bit of disbelief that he is this old already.  

Gunnar loves to laugh and be a complete goofball.  He is a great Cub Scout!  He still really likes playing baseball and has added golf to his list of sports he loves.  A Lego set will keep him happily occupied and a graphic novel is his reading material of choice.   Video games and movies, well the boy loves some screen time!

I don’t know what it like to be a middle child but I think it’s probably a challenge.  Gunnar handles it pretty well most days but sometimes it’s obvious that he can’t quite decide if he wants to be big or little and he meshes well with both age groups of his siblings.  I hear him play pretend games with Hazel and the girls next door but then I’ll turn around and find him skateboarding down the street or playing ball with Zach and the neighbors.  Gunnar is still sweet, tender, loving, loves to help and actually is quite thoughtful which always surprises me but shouldn’t at this point.   We can’t wait to see what life has planned for this boy but I know he makes this world a better place.

Happy birthday Gunnar!  You have our hearts!

This is from his 3rd birthday.  It’s one of my favorite pictures.

His birthday with friends last week (which led to Covid 😩)

And today….










Another year of fun, learning and adventure awaits!

Wild Wild West!

I finally took my family west to Colorado!  We took the kids out of school and spent a long Easter weekend visiting Boulder, Breckenridge and the Denver area.   I drug them all over to see places I had lived, experience different adventures and see a few great friends.  They were all great sports and had as much fun as I did!

Check out our rental car!  Gunnar was pretty excited.

Boulder was our first stop.












Next we headed up to Breckenridge where we had fun with friends and got everyone on skis for a day.  First time skiing for all three kiddos!


















Easter Sunday we headed to Denver to spend the sunny day with friends.










We capped off our trip with a couple of nights at a resort.  I wasn’t sure how the tour de Colorado would go so I made sure to end the trip with a great pool!








And of course a milkshake for breakfast before we headed back home.

I’m excited to report that everyone had so much fun that we will have to plan to return.  Annual ski trip?!  Maybe!!