Heinz Family Part 2!

After a weekend of watching Bodhi play soccer for SDU in Bismarck (they came in 2nd and lost the championship game, we headed west to follow the snow in Red Lodge, MT.

We set out for a winter getaway expecting a little bit of everything: hiking, exploring, shopping downtown, and relaxing in the hot tub. And we did all of that—we hiked, skipped rocks, wandered through downtown shops, and soaked up plenty of hot tub time. But what we didn’t expect was to spend three full days skiing.

Then the snow came. And kept coming!

This year’s trip was extra special because we had a new addition to the crew—Will joined us. Having him there made the whole dynamic even more fun. Willow was in a much better mood with him by her side, and Noah and Bodhi loved having their sister’s boyfriend along for the ride.

Meanwhile, Leo was convinced the entire trip was in celebration of his birthday. And honestly, from his perspective, it made perfect sense—unlimited screen time, endless hours on the mountain, frequent stops at the candy store, and as much hot tub time as he could want. Not a bad way to celebrate, whether it was actually his birthday or not.

Each of the kids found their own version of adventure throughout the week. Noah split his time between the slopes and the local music store, where he spent plenty of time admiring a twelve-string guitar. When he wasn’t doing that, he was outside building the tallest rock cairn he could manage or absolutely shredding on the mountain—highlighted by accidentally landing a 180.

Bodhi made the terrain park his home base, fully embracing every jump and feature he could find. He didn’t seem to mind being the third wheel alongside Willow and Will, happily doing his own thing while still being part of the group.

As for Blake and me, we spent most of the trip trying (and failing) to keep up. It’s hard not to feel a mix of pride and disbelief watching how much the kids have improved. One of the standout moments for us was getting everyone to the top of the mountain and successfully skiing down Lazy M together. It felt like a milestone—one of those moments you don’t realize is a big deal until you’re in it.

By the end of the trip, we were exhausted in the best way possible. The kind of tired that comes from full days, fresh air, and nonstop activity. My knees still hurt.

The drive home, however, was a different story. A blizzard made for a long, difficult trip back, testing our patience and endurance one last time. A 9 hour drive turned into almost 14!

Nevertheless, it wasn’t the trip we planned—but it was exactly the one we needed.