An early birthday celebration

Just two days before we left for our trip, we met up with the Kuchs for dinner and they surprised with Wyatt with a little birthday celebration. Since I was just 24 yrs old when I had Wyatt, he is much older than many of our friends' kids. But he embraces it so well! Yet again, was such a great big kid and let all the younger kids eat just about all of his dessert. 

(Cooper Kuch especially loved the dessert:)

And if this isn't classic---Blake making faces at himself in the mirror while we all went about finishing dinner!

Beginning of a new year...

The first Saturday of the New Year is always a big event at the gym I teach at. It's called Super Saturday Launch and all the Les Mills formats present their new releases--the studio is packed and we start at 8:30am and finish around 11:30am and the members love it, we instructors love it, and it's a sweaty mess!! So on Friday night, Sadie joined me at the gym to help set up for Saturday morning. And she loved being up on that stage!! Maybe she has a future as a Les Mills instructor!! I also got a picture with my good friend/book club partner/les mills mentor Amber at my very first launch!!

We also spent some time preparing for our big family vacation out west--the kids' first ski trip!! And since our trip was going to be over Wyatt's birthday, we gave him one of his gifts early--new ski boots (which he desperately needed---gotta love when you take your kids to get their feet measured and they've been wearing shoes two sizes too small!) So we went skiing at Afton any chance we could get--but I also snagged this pic of Wyatt in the kitchen eating cookie dough one night. He loved his new boots and wore them everywhere in the house! How did my baby boy get so big?!?

The kids had off school for presidents day, so Amber and I took our kids skiing after we taught our classes at the gym that morning. Sadie and Teagan, Amber's daughter, are in the same grade at New Life and get along so well!! Skiing together was no different!

And one last picture---while skiing with Amber and her girls and another friend Nikki, whose son is on Wyatt's hockey team, we all met up and decided to take a back route to get to another ski lift. So I told my kids to go on ahead while I waited to make sure Amber saw where we were going. I specifically told the kids, especially Blake, to be careful because the hill is steep. 

By the time I met up with them at the bottom of the lift, Blake was laying on the ground crying and I couldn't figure out what had happened. Sadie told me he fell and the other adults standing around said he was crying because he had gotten snow in his goggles. So as I stood there hugging him against the side of my leg, the lift attendant said, "His goggles are cracked". Sure enough, I looked down and he had completely busted his goggles and gotten snow all inside! As soon as I said, "Blake, your goggles are broken!" mostly out of amazement that he could take a spill that would crack his goggles and still be relatively fine and ready to go again, Blake lost it and cried, "Daddy is going to be so mad! I just broke my new goggles!" 

Daddy was not mad--more like amazed! And we proceeded to be very specific with Blake about the dangers of going too fast! (He, however, did not listen and continued to 'fly' as he calls it, down every run)

Once in a lifetime....

All the males in our household are big Minnesota Wild fans--Wyatt's favorite player is Ryan Suter and Blake's is Zach Parise. So when Wyatt's hockey team got an opportunity to hold practice at the Xcel Energy Center, where the MN Wild play, these kids were beyond excited!!!!

Walking onto the rink via the same path the Wild players take

And the dads had just as much fun out there, if not more!

It's amazing how little the kids looked even though the rink is the same size we usually play on in Woodbury!

A few action shots of Wyatt....

And although the kids didn't get to use the locker room, just being able to see it and be that close was a treat as well!!

Proud moment

I have said many times how much I love the kids' school--and this is just another reason. Each month they give out Christian Character Awards to recognize students who exemplify a specific character trait  and we got an email saying that Wyatt had been chosen by his teacher to receive this award. It was so much fun because Wyatt didn't know that we knew, so we were able to be there (hiding out in the back of the auditorium) while he received his award.

Mr. Goodbar, the elementary school principal, announcing the awards 

Wyatt received an award for 'attentiveness'--his teacher Mrs. Kroohn, said "Wyatt, you are an excellent listener and you care about others' needs and feelings. Keep up the good work."

SUCH a blessing to have teachers that see my kids' weaknesses AND strengths and encourages them!!

So excited!

And I had to take this picture---Blake stood up on the stage, so proud of his big brother! (All the rest of the parents and siblings were down on the ground, but Blake just hopped right up there!)

Way to go Wyatt! We are so proud of you and all you are accomplishing in school, but more than your academics, we are so proud of your decision to follow Christ! You are a great kid and we are blessed to be your parents. We pray that you'll continue to grow into a man of God and serve Him in whatever you do. Mrs. Kroohn hit the nail on the head when she mentioned how much you care about others' needs and feelings. You are so considerate and we couldn't be more proud! We love you!

Kuchs and Lutzs--Part II

When the weather gets unfriendly at Stormy Lake, we head into town. And the kids didn't need too much convincing to have lunch at Soda Pops.

Blake and Coby both chose 'Bug Barf' as their drink of choice.

Wyatt and Danny Lutz

And the dads---no words for this picture.

Or these faces on Matt and Erik (check out Erik's face in the mirror)

Conner Kuch won the award for cutest kid

And apparently there was also a winter ice celebration of sorts in town---we wanted to try and get a few pics of the kids but we weren't too picky as the temps were in the -20s plus a strong wind!

Then the Lutz's headed home a day early to try and get some good rest for their crew while the Kuchs and our family hit up Eagle Lanes for some good old fashioned family bowling.

Wyatt, once again, being a great helper for all the kids

Do you think these Kuch boys are related? Their contemplation every time the bowl rolled down the lane cracked us all up!

One of the best things about Stormy in the winter is seeing the deer come out in the early morning hours and then right again around dusk…this was right by our place and we initially saw these three deer….

And then these five---before we drove away we counted about 12!

We got home and introduced the Kuchs to a little "Just Dance" on the Wii.

And then it was on to the 2nd annual New Year's Eve talent show. (And the second year in which Wyatt chose not to participate--which was just fine. The stage is just not his thing.)

Blake did a few different performances….

And Coby wowed us again with his rendition of 'Pontoon'

And Blake ended the night with his current favorite--"God's Not Dead" by the Newsboys

And when this boy sings it, it would be hard for anyone to not believe it's true!

Thanks again to the Kuchs and Lutzs for making the trip up and suffering through the cold temperatures with us! Here's to a great 2014!