Our recent family trip to Colorado was everything we needed—fresh mountain air, cozy downtime, and so many little moments that made the week feel like magic. We split our time between Glenwood Springs/New Castle, and by the end of the trip, none of us were ready to head home. We packed in a surprising amount…

Having Halloween fall on a Friday this year made Noah’s 14th birthday weekend even more fun. His friends walked home with him after school, and the house was instantly filled with laughter, snacks, and the kind of energy only a group of teenage boys can bring. They stayed up late, and the next morning we…

All Hallow’s Eve was full of costume changes, candy, and chaos—just the way we like it! Leo started the day dressed as Pope Leo for school, feeling pretty holy and proud of himself. By evening, though, he’d swapped his robes for a badge and cowboy hat, ready to patrol the neighborhood as a Wild West…

Today marked the end of Willow’s competitive dance season, and what a season it’s been! After months of early morning practices, long bus rides, and countless hours of rehearsing choreography until it was second nature, the girls took the floor one last time at the State competition in Watertown. Just last week, the team danced…

One of our favorite fall traditions is hiking the trails out by Richmond Lake. It always make it such a peaceful way to spend a Sunday morning. This time, it took a little convincing to get Leo to come along—he wasn’t quite sold on the idea of a “long walk.” But once we hit the…

We made our annual trip to the corn maze today with Bodhi, Nicholas, Leo, and Theo. Leo’s been counting down to this day all fall, and it didn’t disappoint. His favorite part this year was the huge slides—but honestly, all the boys were determined to get lost in the corn maze. There was even a…

Cold, windy, and downright miserable—Mitchell delivered classic South Dakota fall weather for ESD Cross Country this weekend. The wind picked up just in time for Bodhi’s middle school race, making a PR nearly impossible, but he pushed through like a champ. Noah and the JV team, on the other hand, took advantage of their earlier…

Dance season is tough. The girls practice a lot and those mornings get really early. The exhaustion and burnout is real. One thing our little team of dancers has is grit. Many of the other teams that we compete against are year-round teams of dancers that compete even after the high school season is over.…

It’s been another whirlwind week in the Heinz house! Homecoming meant dress-up days and nightly activities on top of everything else, and we put plenty of miles on the road, too. Leo and I went to Brookings to watch Bodhi run (another PR!), then split the weekend—Hudson, Leo, and I headed to Harrisburg to cheer…

I’m a little overdue, but Willow turned 16 last weekend and we hustled home from a soccer tournament in Mitchell to help her celebrate. Grandma and Grandpa woke her up with maple donuts and once we got back to town, we celebrated with chips and queso at Santo Tequila. I spent my entire drive home…