Heinz Family Part 2!

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.

This past weekend was one for the memory books!

While most families were soaking in a typical June weekend, ours was splitting up across North Dakota—each headed in a different direction!

Willow and Noah joined the Aberdeen Aqua Addicts at the NDAD Escape to the Lake event in Bismarck. It’s one of the ski team’s favorite events of the summer—a day centered around adaptive skiing, connection, and pure fun. They spent their time volunteering and helping the adaptive skiers get out on the water and experience the thrill of skiing—many for the very first time. From lending a hand in the water to sharing smiles on the ski rope, they were part of something truly meaningful. The team even squeezed in a mini ski show to cap off the day!

At the same time, Bodhi was turning heads on the soccer field in Fargo. He was asked to play up with the 13/14-year-old team—and he rose to the challenge. Bodhi’s team took second place in the tournament, and he even scored a goal! To say we’re proud is an understatement.

And then there’s Leo, our littlest adventurer. While his siblings were skiing and soccering, he was living his best life—eating ice cream and playing with cousin Hudson.

Here’s to a summer of sports, service, and sweet treats. 🍦💙⚽️🌊

And to think this all happened in one day! After taking a few weeks for mental health and tonsillectomy recovery (oof) Leo has been back in action, starting tennis lessons, summer horse riding lessons, and even venturing out to sky practice a few times! He’s been a little more fearless than normal and has been enjoying his time off of school!

This past weekend, we hit the road for Bodhi’s soccer tournament in Brookings—and what a weekend it was. Blake and I loaded up the car with not only Bodhi, but three of his teammates as well.

As I sat on the sidelines watching the games, I couldn’t help but reflect on how far Bodhi has come. Just two short years ago, soccer was something new to him. Now, it feels like it’s become a huge part of our family’s way of life and its so fun to watch!

The first game kicked off with a bang—a 9-1 win that set the tone and gave us a solid lead. The second and third games were closer: both ended in 3-3 ties, the second against BASA, a team we knew we’d see again. But that early blowout win kept us in the running, and sure enough—we earned our place in the championship game.

Facing BASA once more, the boys played with heart and hustle. Final score: 3-1. Tournament champs.

Bodhi scored two goals over the weekend and had the chance to play in a position outside of goalie, which he loved. Watching him scan the field, make smart passes, and set his teammates up—he looked like such a confident, thoughtful player. I’m just so proud of how far he’s come, both in skill and in maturity.

One of my favorite parts of youth sports is watching these kids form friendships with teammates from all walks of life. Bodhi’s best friend’s mom is from Ukraine. He has another close teammate from Thailand. One of the boys he plays alongside is Native American. These boys may come from different backgrounds, but out there on the field, they are simply teammates—equal, united, and bonded by the game they love.

Blake even got the chance to step in and substitute coach during the weekend, which always makes it more special. He’s great with the boys and it’s fun to watch him take on that role when needed.

The boys were so well-behaved, respectful, and clearly having a blast being on the road together.

Well, Noah is officially home from his big 7th-grade adventure—a class trip to Washington, D.C. and New York City!

The excitement started early when the group was scheduled to head out… but thanks to a mix-up on the tour company’s end, they missed their first flight. What should have been a smooth departure turned into a day-long layover in the Minneapolis airport. The kids made the best of it (as kids do), even as they were split across three different flights just to get to Washington, D.C. Eventually, everyone landed, reunited, and hit the ground running.

Once in D.C., the crew made up for lost time. They visited the White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Capitol Building, Pentagon, Mount Vernon, and the Museum of Natural History. Noah soaked up the history, and was in awe of the landmarks he’s only ever seen in textbooks until now.

From D.C., they headed to New York City, where things got even more surreal. The group took in the sweeping views from the top of The Edge skyscraper, stood at the base of the Statue of Liberty during a harbor boat tour, walked through the solemn grounds of the World Trade Center Memorial, and explored the magic of Central Park. They were also able to take in a broadway play at Times Square and saw Aladdin!

And while we were craving updates on Noah himself, most of what we received were… food photos. More specifically, cheeseburger photos, complete with rankings.

Luckily, Aunt Rachael was one of the chaperones. She came in clutch, sending actual photos of Noah and his two best buddies, Sam and Bennett!

It’s hard to put into words what a trip like this means for a middle schooler—new cities, big history, and inside jokes. We’re so proud of how Noah rolled with the bumps, soaked up the sights, and made the most of the adventure.

At age 8, an Australian Shepherd is typically past the teenager phase and is more settled and easier to manage. Quincy is definitely easier to manage and settled, and is extremely territorial, his job is to protect his family! He still thinks all the neighbor kids need herding, but in his older years his listening skills have gotten much better and even though his behavior isn’t perfect around other dogs, he is doing better on walks and with the neighborhood dog crew.

He enjoys cooler temps and the warmer weather gets pretty brutal for his shaggy hair. He spends lots of time in the shade under the Cramonds deck and still loves to play with his best friend, their dog, Sadie. We like to take him for walks in the morning and he reminds us when we haven’t gotten out in a while.

I know life with Quincy was really hard in the beginning but I am so thankful for him. With Blake working long hours and overnights, its been nice having a protector to keep me safe (even thought the most he has had to protect us from is the UPS man!)

Happy 8th birthday, Buddy! You are so loved.

This has been our family’s year of surgeries, and this time it was Leo’s turn. He had his tonsils and adenoids removed, and was so brave at the hospital. It helps when your dad is CMO and can take you back to surgery. Recovery has been a slow dance of highs and lows. He’s been quiet—understandably so—but his bravery shows in the small things. Yesterday, he stepped outside for a few minutes to sit in the sun with the neighbor kids. Not many words, but a strong spirit. We’re proud of our little trooper. 💛

The first week of summer finallygave us sunshine—and we didn’t mind one bit. It was the kind of week that didn’t ask much from us except to slow down, soak it in, and enjoy time together.

The kids were outside constantly, making the most of every minute. The older ones stayed up way later than Blake and I, playing outside and sneaking in as many late-night snacks as possible. Leo was right behind them—determined not to miss out. He finally mastered riding his big bike without training wheels and loved tagging along for fishing adventures with the big kids. He and Theo even snuck in some indoor pool fun.

There were s’mores. There was fishing. There were slow mornings and late-night giggles. It wasn’t a wild start to summer—but it was full of heart.