Heinz Family Part 2!

January is a funny month. The holidays are over, the days are short, the cold is relentless, and it feels like everything slows down just a bit. Around here, January doesn’t offer many options—but one thing it does give us is indoor soccer, and honestly, that’s been more than enough to keep things fun and full.

Between a tournament in Aberdeen and a weekend trip to Fargo, the boys have basically been living at the dome—practicing, playing, and just genuinely having fun with the game. There’s something about indoor soccer in January that feels extra special. Maybe it’s because it’s the only thing breaking up the winter monotony, or maybe it’s because you can feel how much joy the kids get from simply being able to move, compete, and laugh with their teammates when it’s freezing outside.

Watching Noah jump into something new at 14 has been especially fun. Trying a new sport at that age takes courage, and he’s handled it with such a great attitude. He’s learning, growing, and most importantly, enjoying himself. Along the way, he’s also picking up some important lessons—like not letting players on the other team get under your skin and staying focused on your own game. Those moments matter just as much as goals or wins.

Bodhi, on the other hand, has been quietly putting in the work. Whether it’s practice at the dome or footwork drills in his room with his rebounder, he’s constantly working to improve. That effort is paying off. His ability to step into any position and contribute wherever he’s needed has become such a strength, and it showed in Fargo when his team battled hard and came away with the tournament win.

The Fargo weekend ended up being one of those unexpectedly perfect winter memories. Snowed in and unable to head home right away, we made the most of it—celebrating with a trip to Slick City for the boys (while Willow and I took advantage of a little bonus shopping time). The majority of Bodhi’s teammates are around Noah’s age, so the weekend felt less like a tournament trip and more like a long hangout with friends. Noah got to spend time with his own teammates and Bodhi’s teammates.

As soon as the weekend wrapped up, we turned right around and hurried back to Aberdeen for another big moment—Bodhi’s first jazz band concert. He played percussion, and it was such a proud moment watching him on stage. Even more impressive, he was the only 6th grader who tried out and made the Holgate Middle School jazz band.