The Big Catch up---Summer 2015

This summer flew by at warp speed!  We joined a country club, so the kids were little fish all summer!  Both kids took swimming lessons and Elsa is now fairly independent in the water.  She loves to go off the diving board and go down the slide.

 Elsa also took golf lessons and we were told she has a lot of natural talent.

They also had 3 year old tennis and we were surprised how much Chet took to it!  He LOVES tennis and we also have him enrolled in the fall at a local tennis club.

One of our goals is to introduce our kids to a variety of activities and let them figure out what they want to do.  So, we added soccer (Elsa) and gymnastics (Chet and Elsa).  The problem with the soccer league we had Elsa in was that it did not teach the fundamentals/rules of soccer so I think she was pretty confused.  She also declared that she doesn't want to kick the ball but dribble, so I guess we will be trying basketball pretty soon.

This is at their final gymnastics session, they each got to go onto the podium for their medal.

Elsa and I had a mommy daughter weekend with my friend Melanie and her daughter.  We met in Minneapolis and stayed at the MOA waterpark hote.  Melanie and I decided we need to do this every year!!!

After spending a week on a lake each of the last two summers, we decided to start looking for a cabin up in North woods of Wisconsin.  There are LOTS of lakes, but after a lot of thought, we narrowed it down to the Eagle River area and looked around that area (15 mile radius).  We went up there 4 weekends and looked at over 35 properties. It was exhausting.  It seemed we would find the perfect lake lot (level frontage, sand beach) but the house would be awful.  Or, we would find a great cottage, but the lake lot would not be great.  But, we find one on the Three Lakes chain (20+ lakes)!  It is one hour away from skiing, across the street from a 13 mile bike/run train that runs between Three Lakes and Eagle River, in Three Lakes with great shopping, restaurants, etc.  We are excited!!

We also started a garden this summer!!!  I have NEVER gardened in my entire life and can kill a plant faster than anything.  So, I did a lot of research and learned A LOT!  There will definitely be things I do differently last year.  We rented a plot in a community garden by our YMCA.  That had pros and cons, but since we don't have the room/sun on our house lot, that is all we could do.  The kids had fun. Most of the time it was more work having them help, but they were proud of the harvest.

I also planted some cherry tomoatoe plants and pepper plants to have more readily available.

Chet helping till the garden.

Showing some of the green beens from our harvest.  And, going through photos, I realized I never took one of the garden in full swing.  We had LOTS of zucchini, kale, beets, kohlrabi.  My cucumber plants never took off and I planted carrots too late.  I think next year I will start some seedlings and then plant.

Labor Day weekend we traveled to Dayton, OH to visit our friends The Sattlers.  We met them in 2008 at a marriage retreat when we were stationed in England and have been friends ever since.  Elsa and Linnea are the same age and Chet and Nolan are the same age.  We are also Godparents to Linnea.  It was fun to watch the kids play and to catch up with our friends.

Here wer are the start of our road trip!

 Love having kids with some independence!!!  They love pulling their luggage!!

 Elsa holding their new baby, Caleb!  I think she asked for a new brother at least a dozen times!

 Here is a picture from when they were about 9 months old.

This picture of miniature golf cracks me up!  Elsa said she was too tired, so she just laid down on the green and chilled!

The Big Catch Up--May 2015

I have failed miserably in maintaining this blog for the past 10 months!!!  We have been in survival mode here.  One of my partners retired rather abruptly due to health issues in January and the three of us have maintained our practice (more call, less vacation/time off...BOOO!)  But, there is an end in sight!  We have a new associate joining us in July.  Maybe then I can tackle my ever expanding to-do list!  I think that will be wishful thinking!

May is always a crazy month!  Either Aaron or I (or both) of us participate in the Cellcom Race in Green Bay.  This year I ran the full relay with 4 friends.  I ran the first leg and it was so muggy!!

I handed off the baton and then had to speed home because the half marathon was running right in front of our house and if I had any chance in watching that, I had to beat the lead runners to our street.

May is also dance recital weekend (same weekend as the race).  This year Elsa did combo ballet/tap and hippy hop.  She LOVES dance and she LOVES dad's dance.  This year was Blues Brothers.  But, man alive, it is an exhausting weekend!!!  There are five recitals and she had 8 dances (three for her and five with dad for Dad's dance).  She was a tropper though and she loved to sneak up to the balcony to watch the older girls dance.

Both grandmas came into town to watch her recital!

May is also Elsa's birthday.  I can't believe she is 6!!!  We had my cousin's wedding on her birthday.  So, we took her to Chicago Memorial weekend.  Her friend Sydney and her parents joined us for the fun weekend!!

 Kiddie cocktails on the top of the Hancock tower.

Birthday dinner at Rainforest cafe

Visit to the Shedd aquarium.  They were studying spiders in school and she had to take a picture with a tarantula.

Aaron took Chet back to the hotel because he was in desperate need of a nap.  We did the 4D show.

 

On a water taxi back to Navy Pier

And, a trip to Chicago wouldn't be complete without a visit to American Girl

We had so much fun at Meredith and Jon's wedding.  It was fun to celebrate and see my mom's extended family.

My In-laws watched the kids while we were at the wedding.  Then, on Sunday we celebrated her birthday with cousins.  

We had Elsa's party the following weekend.  She wanted a princess party so all of her friends came dressed as their favorite princess.