Our last Top Gun Ski Academy show is in the books, and I couldn’t be prouder of my kids.
At the start of summer, we didn’t even know if Willow would be able to ski. Not only did she get back on the water, but she competed at Regionals and joined the ballet line. Noah stepped up too—basing acts and even jumping into a show with so much courage.
Bodhi squeezed in a few practices between his busy soccer schedule, and Leo bravely skied in the pre-show after practicing on the skimmer.
The last show was beautiful but definitely had its fair share of wipeouts and falls, which adds to the fun!
It will be fun to ski next summer to a new skit, in new costumes, and challenging the team to push ourselves to qualify for nationals!
Well… we made it through the first week of school (barely). And let me tell you, if the rest of the year is anything like this week, I’m going to need a calendar taped to every wall in the house just to keep track of where everyone is supposed to be.
The middle schoolers officially started Monday, and I’m so thankful Bodhi gets to go with Noah.m to Holgate. That has helped the transition for him Willow only had a half day on Monday, then Leo had his half day on Wednesday. On top of that, we had Back-to-School Night for Leo on Monday, Cross Country Ice Cream Social for Bodhi and Noah on Tuesday, plus Bodhi’s competitive soccer practices Tuesday and Thursday. Meanwhile, Noah has been running two-a-day cross country practices like a machine, and Willow has been dragging herself to early morning dance practices. Add in our last ski show of the season on Thursday and Dance Team parent showcase and yikes! What a week!
And Willow’s “back to school” photos with her dance team:
We decided we needed to squeeze in at least one Twins game this season, and figured why not double it up with a Minnesota United Loons match while we were at it? Add in some back-to-school shopping, and we had ourselves the perfect little weekend getaway to the Cities.
The Twins game was fun, but honestly, the soccer game stole the show. The energy at Allianz Field was incredible, and even I have to admit—I’d take an MLS game over any other pro sport any day. It was so fast-paced and exciting. Bodhi loved it, and the Loons’ win bumped them up to #2 in the league, which made it even sweeter!
After the sports excitement, we shifted gears and made a stop at the Minnesota Transportation Museum. Leo was completely in his element. He must have asked a dozen times, “Is this real life?”—that’s how much fun he was having. We got to ride in a real caboose, see a real turntable, and check out the model trains. His favorite part, though, was the dining car.
All in all, it was one of those weekends that just felt easy and fun and was really nice to be back in Minnesota.
We made it a goal to really get out of our comfort zone and enjoy a bit more that the BCF had to offer this year. Brown County Fair is such a huge event for our community, and so many of our friends and their kids have become such staples a the week long event that I finally felt like we had to give it more of a try. I’m not a huge fair lover and am more of a home body, but Blake and I went out the rodeo on Monday night with several other CMO’s and CNO’s of the Avera network, and even ran into Willow and her friends multiple times.
Tuesday was the first day for carnival rides and the place was packed! The boys met their friends and tried all of the rides, and even Leo hit up a few different rides while Blake and I wandered. We ended the night with our yearly tractor tire pick and tested out different side by sides and toured some semi trucks.
Wednesday was Leo and Theo day at the fair and like their yearly tradition, Kevin and Dani took Leo along with their kids to watch a magic show and ride rides. Wednesday night was the first concert night and instead of going to the concert, Blake and I just went out to the Honey Hole, our friend’s Scott and Sarah’s campsite. Scott feeds anyone and everyone every night of the fair and we had an impromptu Book Club night that evening.
Thursday night was another ski show but the kids still spent their day at the BCF before they had Aqua Addicts commitments! Willow enjoyed the nightly concerts but didn’t do much for rides this year whereas thats all Noah and Bodhi did! It’s definitely a great way for everyone to see their friends before the back to school craziness starts.
This Thursday, three out of the four Heinz kids skied in the show! It was amazing to watch the team step up and convince Leo that he could do it, and with the help of Noah and Tucker, he did an amazing job!
Noah jumped in the pre show and had a successful conventionals run, and Willow completed the ballet line, tons of strap doubles passes and the final pyramid!
The team is visibly relaxed after regionals and it was so fun having cooperative water, weather, and an overall great night at the site!
I know a lot of parents are so excited for summer to be over and school to start again, but I really am enjoying our time at the ski site and all the other slow moments at home and fun times outdoors that we have been having this summer. This was a rare weekend where we didn’t have anything going on and after a morning of picking up and playing at the house, Blake and I took Bodhi and Leo to ride some go-karts and play mini golf. It was a great afternoon.
This year’s MRSSA Regionals will go down in our team’s memory as one of the most unpredictable, exhausting and rewarding!
We were originally headed to Albert Lea, MN, but Mother Nature had other plans. Due to heavy rains and significant flooding, the host team made the tough call to move the entire competition to a nearby lake in Waseca, MN. That meant early mornings, late nights, and an extra hour of travel each way from our hotel in Austin.
But, like always, our team rallied. Between early morning departures and long, hot days on the water, the kids still managed to sneak in plenty of fun at the hotel. Those are the moments they’ll talk about for years to come.
Friday brought individual acts to the water. Willow and Shawn performed a truly beautiful act, one we were incredibly proud of. Unfortunately, the water didn’t cooperate. It was rough—really rough—and despite their best effort, they placed 8th overall. It stung a bit, especially because their routine was so strong with one fall at the end. But we’re walking away from that moment incredibly proud—particularly of Willow, who was competing just three months post-surgery.
Then came Sunday. Team competition day. The water? Even worse. Choppy doesn’t begin to describe it. There were whitecaps. We’re pretty sure we had the worst water conditions of any team out there.
But here’s the thing: the kids showed up. They smiled and waved. We did what Aqua Addicts do best: we put on a show. I’m so proud of Noah and Willow for making it off the dock and having a good time.
Our efforts didn’t go unnoticed.
We were honored to receive Best Showmanship—and on top of that, we took home 2nd place for sound and boat driving!
Monday Bodhi had his tonsils out—and while we’ve known this was coming for a while, it still felt like one of those big milestones that catches you a little off guard. He was so brave, so calm, and handled it all like a champ…
Despite being tired and a little nervous, Bodhi was all heart. We checked in, met the team, and got ready to roll. Everything was going smoothly—until it came time for the IV. It was more poking and prodding than any kid should have to endure. That was the moment that rattled him. Up until then, he was holding steady with courage and curiosity, but that little snafu definitely tested his patience (and ours).
The actual procedure was quick. Dr. Cihak came out afterwards and gave us the report—turns out Bodhi’s tonsils were, and I quote, “monsters.” We’re hopeful this will be a game changer for him—better rest, fewer sick days, and more energy to be his adventurous self.
Now comes the hard part: recovery.
Even though it’s tough seeing him uncomfortable, I know we made the right call.
The past two weeks of June and the beginning of July have been such a blur—in the best way possible. It’s like we packed a whole summer of memories into just a few days.
It all started with our much-anticipated girls trip to Minnesota. Adam, being a good sport, dropped us off for our carpool at Shirley’s house. Before we left, he snapped a selfie and was probably a little relieved he wasn’t going along. The getaway was exactly what we needed: time to laugh, shop, sip coffee slowly, take long walks, and spend hours in the pool.
We got back into South Dakota just in time to roll into the 4th of July festivities. Fireworks, giant slip and slides, and the ski show—it all blended into a haze of, family, fun, and food. As if that weren’t enough, we headed straight into the next big celebration: Grandma Ket’s 100th birthday party.
One hundred years. What an honor to celebrate such a milestone with her, and at none other than Storybook Land. It was the perfect spot for a celebration that spanned generations.
When we aren’t working at the ski site or juggling lessons of one sort or another, I’ve been trying to fill our days with as much fun as possible. It’s been such a nice shift to slow down a bit, but also really refreshing to get out and explore new things with the kids.
One highlight this week was another fun exhibit at the museum—Leo, Theo, and Eddie were silly and had fun.
This week we had the best low-key evening at Storybook Land with Bodhi, Justin, and Leo. The weather was perfect, and we couldn’t stop feeding the animals. The goats were hands down everyone’s favorites.
Heinz Family Part 2! 