Cheering section
Shecklet #3 played 4 games of basketball this weekend. Saturday, her great grandma, one of her great aunts and future wife of Jake’s cousins came to watch her play. Then on Sunday, Grandma and Grandpa cheered her on. 🏀
Tag: weekend
Game day times three plus a birthday
Basketball is in full swing in our house. And the games must go on (even when it’s mom’s birthday!)
Jake is took Shecklet #2 to Duluth for a tournament and we called in reinforcements (my amazing in-laws) to help shuttle the girls. My friend, Michelle came with me and my FIL to Shecklet #4’s game while my MIL and Shecklet #1 went to #3’s game. Then afterwards, my MIL gave me the amazing gift of time to spend with Michelle going out to lunch – while she and my FIL hung out with the kids. It was the best birthday gift a mom could receive during this stage of life!
Shecklet #2 had a cheering section of family while in Duluth – Jake’s cousin and her family for one game and my aunt and uncle for another. It was so nice of them to take time to support Shecklet #2!
BTW- since Jake & #2 had to leave Saturday morning, we celebrated my birthday on Friday night. Chinese take-out and cake.
Carving pumpkins 🎃
Friends of ours invited us for dinner and pumpkin carving on Saturday night. The kids all had a blast and ended up with some creative finished products. Can you guess who carved each pumpkin?
Ren Fest 2019 and a train ride
Today’s trip to the Renaissance Festival was a first for three of us. We saw knives, royalty, and acrobatics, ate Scotch eggs, beef sticks and cheesecake, two Shecklets tried sword fighting, and the girls had face paint and henna done. We enjoyed spending the day with cousin Jess, who was a gracious guide.
Meanwhile, Shecklet #1 spend the day with Grandpa Dave. He started out at Grandma Lois’ house and had breakfast with her before Grandpa came to pick him up. They went on a train ride across the St. Croix, stopped by a candy shop in Stillwater and then headed back to Grandma Lois’ house to watch the Gophers beat Purdue! He spent the night at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, went to mass and then met Jake and Shecklet #2 at Aunt Kari’s new house. Jake worked on her getting her internet working while the boys helped with unpacking and putting things away. I’d say Shecklet #1 had a pretty packed weekend.
📷: Grandpa Dave
Color Splash Fun Run 2019
The weather for this year’s fun run was absolutely perfect! Shecklet #2 and a classmate finished the run in first place 🏆 At the end, we threw a rainbow of powder into the air for a colorful finish. 🌈
Cake baker
Since discovering that cakes made with applesauce instead of oil are pretty tasty (and the opposite of dry,) Shecklet #2 asked if he could bake a cake today. He chose strawberry, made two rounds, put a layer of strawberry rhubarb jam between and frosted it with marshmallow vanilla frosting. Pretty tasty, I have to say! He made his godmother, Michelle, proud! 🍓🍰
Last hurrah of summer
I took three of the Shecklets things Nissedalen today while Jake stayed home and worked on the truck with the help of Shecklet #2. Between spotting tubing kids and listening to giggles as they swung in hammocks, I did get to do a little reading – not much, but a little. This place is so relaxing. I’m grateful we got to spend so many Saturdays up here during our brief summer break from school and schedules.
Summer vestibular therapy
I took the Shecklets on a bike ride (a.k.a. vestibular therapy) on this beautiful summer Saturday. (Next time we will take Jake with us. He went to his parents’ cabin to help with cleaning up from last week’s storm.)
Baby shower
My SIL, (Jake’s youngest sister,) is having her first baby. She is due in September with a little boy. The Shecklets are excited to have a new cousin 💙
I found a photo from the baby shower that Jake’s sisters threw me a little over 13 years ago…amazing how much happens in a little over a decade.
Cousins’ Day 2019 @ Nissedalen
We spent the day at Nissedalen with over 40 family members. The weather was fantastic, the food was tasty, and the memories we made were plentiful. I love that my kids get to experience the gift of having a large extended family. There’s always someone to talk to, play with, or laugh alongside. And to think – this is just a portion of the family!
One thing that I enjoyed watching (this year especially,) was the way that Jake’s younger cousins (who are now all adults) have taken an interest in showing my kids how to do certain things – helping them ski, how to safely use a gun at the shooting range, as well as taking the time to talk with them and ask about their interests.
Here are the rest of the photos from Cousins’ Day and the shooting range the day before.
Jake’s cousin, Jess, let the guys ride up north with her on Friday AM. I followed the next day with the girls.