Easter 2021

It was wonderful to be back in our church to celebrate Easter Sunday this year.

My MIL had her second knee replaced a week and a half ago, but she and my FIL were willing to let us bring food and gather at her house on Easter Sunday. Two of Jake’s sisters, a BIL, and the kids’ cousin, as well as our family friends, all joined us for the afternoon. The weather was amazing!

The kids hunted for eggs. Aunt Kari made things challenging for the older kids!

Chainsaw

For some reason, this kid finds chainsaws extremely interesting. (The way she says the word itself is hilarious.) Grandpa Dave let her rev his up today. I wonder if she has a future in tree care or firewood sales.

Chicken Wing Beat

The Shecklets have been repeatedly playing song this on the Echo Dot and I can’t get it out of my head.

Waddles

Shecklet #3 completed this Perler bead project with her Aunt Larissa. (It’s Waddles from Gravity Falls.)

On her own

Not a kid quote per se, but a quote from an aunt about a kid. Jake’s sister sent this to him via text earlier today:

“Before we left for Mom’s that night, [Shecklet #4] slept over. She went back inside right before we left. I didn’t know what she did, she didn’t say anything. She perfectly made the bed and folded up the extra blankets that were out on her bed :)”

Shecklet #2 is teenager #2

Back when when they were born 22 months apart, it was hard to imagine my boys would one day both be teenagers.

And yet, today is the day the second Shecklet makes that a reality for me.

Shecklet #2 had a very specific list of things he wanted for his birthday dinner: homemade mac-n-cheese, jellied cranberries, Lay’s BBQ chips, garlic knots, and San Pellegrino Blood Orange sparkling water. (He shared this list with us via a Google Keep note that he started weeks ago. 😆)

And for dessert, he requested a strawberry rhubarb pie. This flavor isn’t easy to find in March, but I found a local baker, Heather’s Pies, who makes them fresh and picked it up this afternoon while it was still warm. Heather did not disappoint – it was delicious!

Even though he was part of the new ski gear selection, he didn’t know the items had arrived last weekend. So we were able to surprise him a little bit. The 8 cans of jellied cranberries were also appreciated.

This kid has been a source of wit, humor, and love from day one. I can’t wait to see what the coming year has in store for him.

You’re becoming an amazing young man, Shecklet #2! Bring on the teen years!

Love you so much! XOXO

The many faces of Shecklet #2 the throughout the past 13 years.

Last day of the ski season 2021

It’s the first day of spring!

Trollhaugen’s 2020-2021 season ends tomorrow, but Jake and Shecklet #2 are calling today their final time out. We definitely used our family pass this winter!

Shecklet #2 spent countless hours at the terrain park and his ski jump skills continue to develop. (He can tell you all of the correct terminology for skiing off jumps.) I’m just grateful he hasn’t landed in a way that requires (another) trip to the ER.

There was a pond skip at 2pm and Shecklet #2 planned to give it a try.

Here’s the approach.

And his first attempt.

The third attempt resulted in him losing his skis at the end of the pond, but reports from his dad said he was just fine.

Cricket pie

There are some things I just don’t have the heart to correct when my kids say them. When we celebrate my MIL’s birthday each year, we have grasshopper pie for dessert. (Growing up, there were numerous March birthdays in her family, so they got caked-out by the middle of the month, which is when her birthday is.) Shecklet #4 calls is “cricket pie,” which I think is really cute – even at 8 years old.