Heinz Family Part 2!

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 of adventure. One of the highlights was hiking Hanging Lake—a bucket-list stop that was just as stunning in person as it looks in the photos. Leo even made the entire hike to the top and he loved this adventure. We balanced that with some relaxed exploring, including shopping in downtown Glenwood and spending time at the Glenwood Hot Springs, soaking in the warm mineral water with mountain views all around.

And of course, we made sure to eat well. Chris’s restaurants—Grind and Zheng’s—did not disappoint and we even ate at Grind a few times just to enjoy our favorites again and again.

For the more active moments, we squeezed in some biking at the mountain biking park which Noah and Bodhi were so brave at, and even visited an alpaca farm, where we fed fluffy alpacas and Highland cows. Being spit on by an Alpaca was one of my most memorable parts of the trips. It was one of those experiences that feels equal parts peaceful and hilarious.

Poor Willow spent part of the trip pretty under the weather with the flu, so we balanced adventure days with plenty of quieter ones. Honestly, those ended up being some of the most memorable. We hung around the house, played card games and puzzles, soaked in the hot tub, and even made a stop at a brand-new Barnes & Noble—the perfect spot for a little early Christmas shopping (and a lot of book browsing).

On the way home, we broke up the drive with a stop in Boulder for a visit with Uncle Chris and Aunt Erin. True to form, we were spoiled with great food and good company. We walked through Chautauqua Park, taking in the unbeatable views, and even drove up to the Boulder overlook, where we snapped some beautiful family photos.

We made a quick driving tour of the CU Boulder campus, and after taking in the mountains, the sunshine, and the whole vibe… let’s just say no one was eager to leave Colorado behind.

Leo made the most of his time, especially getting to play with Uncle Chris’s model trains—an absolute highlight. And we’ll all miss Chris and Sara’s sweet pets, Tigger, Cooper, and Clyde!.

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 celebrated with birthday donuts—because that’s the best kind of breakfast when you’re 14!

Noah had one big birthday wish this year: an electric guitar. We decided to let him open his gifts in the morning so he could spend the whole day playing. The look on his face when he unwrapped it was pure joy—and the sound of him strumming away all day was pretty great, too.

After church, we took him out for his favorite meal: cheeseburgers at Buffalo Wild Wings. Then it was off to Rachael’s house for card games and some friendly competition between him and Sam and the Nintendo.

It was such a simple, happy day—full of friends, food, music, and laughter. Watching Noah surrounded by people who love him, guitar in hand and grin on his face, was the best gift of all for us. We just love that boy so much and couldn’t be prouder of the young man he’s becoming.

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 sheriff.

Halloween itself was chilly and a little drizzly, but that didn’t slow anyone down. After handing out candy to what felt like thousands of trick-or-treaters downtown, I made it home to a house full of kids and commotion. Willow and her boyfriend, Will, were carving pumpkins at the kitchen table. Noah had a pack of friends over celebrating his birthday with a sleepover, and Bodhi and Sully were hanging out before heading to the Wings hockey game.

Leo helped me answer the door for a while before we all gathered for pizza and headed out with the Oliver family for a few blocks of trick-or-treating. Once our buckets were full (and fingers frozen), we loaded up the car and made our usual rounds to visit all the grandparents, including Grandma Ket who wouldn’t let Leo leave without teasing him and even biting his finger!

It was just another perfectly chaotic Halloween in our home!

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 their hearts out at ESD in Brookings and had their best showing yet—placing 5th overall, with an incredible 3rd place in Hip Hop and 4th place in Poms! The first few meets this year were strong, but there was a stretch in the middle where they had to dig deep. Exhaustion, school demands, and late nights on the road can take their toll on both athletes and coaches.

Then came State this weekend—one final chance to give it everything they had. The girls were fierce and focused, leaving it all out on the floor. Competing against some of the best teams in South Dakota, many of whom train together year-round, our young team held their own—earning 9th in Poms and 8th in Hip Hop out of 16 teams. That’s something to be proud of.

For Willow, this season was full of growth. She worked hard, gained confidence, and already has her sights set on new skills and tricks she wants to master for next year. Saying goodbye to the seniors is always tough, especially knowing that some of her closest friends will be moving on next season.

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 trail, he was all in. Noah usually likes to run ahead (and is pretty speedy when he does), but I managed to convince him to slow down and walk with Leo and me instead.

The three of us took our time along the two-mile loop, pointing out interesting trees, spotting weird mushrooms, and making up stories about a mysterious Sasquatch who might live somewhere deep in the woods. By the time we finished, Leo surprised us all by saying he wanted to do it again!

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 saddle setup, which gave Leo the perfect chance to practice his “around the worlds” on a hay bale. He and Theo also spent plenty of time in the corn pit, happily burying the older boys until it was time to dig them back out. It was the perfect way to spend a fall day!

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 start and all came away with PRs. Noah missed his season goal by just two seconds—which, for an 8th grader running JV, is pretty dang impressive.

Holly came to cheer, and between her, Blake, and me, we covered the course and made sure the boys heard us loud and clear every lap.

Here are some amazing photos from another race dad who just happens to be a sports photography.

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. Our girls put in the work and show up, day after day, even though many times they know the luck isn’t in their favor. They work hard and dance hard and keep showing up. I’m so proud of our little sophomore, the lone sophomore on the team, who continues to be a leader for the younger girls. Willow has been so responsible, packing her bag each night, getting herself ready each day, and then sitting through classes and getting straight A’s and a B here or there in her class schedule. She’s rocking both her academics and doing so well on the dance team.

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 on Willow’s dance team while Blake went north to Grand Forks for Noah’s cross country meet (yep, another PR!).

Busy? Definitely. But we’re so lucky to get to watch the kids do what they love.

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 from Mitchell sending her pictures of every birthday she celebrated, and the memories we made at birthday parties from when she was little.

The fall is always a little touch and go with early morning dance and lack of sleep, but I’m so proud of how hard she has been working between dance, her job, riding lessons, and homework. She’s crushed the year and overcome so much in 2025. I’m so proud of my 16 year old and so thankful for my little best friend!