The backpacks are officially emptied, the lunchboxes are tossed aside for summer, and somehow another school year has come to an end for all four kids. This week felt like a nonstop rotation of last days of school. Willow finished up on Monday, Bodhi and Noah wrapped things up on Tuesday, and Leo officially closed…

It’s hard to believe I have another one leaving Holgate Middle School and heading off to Central High School. On Monday, Noah officially “graduated” from 8th grade, and somehow I’m still trying to process how we got here so fast. We celebrated with a huge assembly, lots of pictures with friends, proud smiles, and all…

So proud of Noah for qualifying for the ESD Middle School Track Meet this season. Watching him compete at that level and represent his team was such a proud moment. He ran in three relay events: the 4×100, the medley relay as the 200 meter leg, and the 4×400. His teams worked hard all day…

There’s something special about a weekend away when it’s centered around the people you love most. Especially when I don’t have to cook or clean! This past weekend, we headed to Sioux Falls for the boys’ soccer tournament, and somehow it turned into the kind of family trip that leaves you feeling full in every…

Noah’s track season is off to an incredible start! All the hard work he put in during the offseason is really paying off. He’s gotten noticeably faster and stronger, and it’s showing in every meet. He’s been dominating his events and consistently pushing himself to improve. His relay team has been especially fun to watch,…

This Easter looked a little different—but it turned out just right. With too much snow still on the ground, we moved the Easter basket hunt into Jodi’s garage. The kids didn’t mind at all and had fun searching for their Easter bags in a warmer spot! We spent the day playing games, including a family…

This weekend, Rachael, Marge, Willow, Hudson, and I had the absolute joy of helping Sara find her wedding dress locally at Moda Lane Boutique here in Aberdeen. She came in with a clear vision—but sometimes, the perfect dress has a way of surprising you! With a little guidance (and some fun opinions from the rest…

Willow and I recently spent two days in Nashville with Blake at his Society of Hospitalist Medicine Conference. Our first day was travel, but after checking in, we walked to a late-night Italian spot that Willow called some of the best Italian food she’s ever had! Day one’s full adventure continued with a morning walk…

We may have waited a little while to celebrate Leo turning seven with his friends, but it ended up being worth every second. When the day finally came, all of his friends were able to make it—and you could just feel how loved he was from the moment everyone arrived. We leaned all the way…

The night before his birthday, Leo lost his second front tooth—so not only did the birthday fairy show up (with balloons filling his room when he woke up), but the tooth fairy made a visit too. Safe to say, it was a pretty magical start to turning seven. It’s hard to believe our baby is…