First Day of School 2019

We have an 8th grader and a 5th grader! Both kids seemed to have a really great first day.

Laura was so relaxed and chill. Math teacher might be a challenge. English will finally be interesting hopefully. She's really good at everything literary and her English classes have been laughable so far. Looks like this year will be more fun. Not many friends in her classes, but her best friend is in her lunch hour, so thank goodness for that!

Adam likes his teacher! Good friends in his class, sharing his locker and sitting near him. He happily finished a bit of homework this evening and told us all why the new playground isn't near as good as the old (he's not into change and he'll figure out something cool about it soon, I'm sure).

Success!!

Black Belt - 2nd Star

This is from a few months ago. Laura was the only black belt testing, which automatically means you're extra cool and get to show off. She did great.

I really loved seeing these girls together. It was just chance that no boys at these levels were testing (its mostly boys in class), and these ladies were awesome together. 

Spray painting

Adam's been playing around with spray painting lately. It's pretty cool!!

In the pic below, he made a "blood moon" scene ala Legends of Zelda, and Laura sketched in a bokoblin, gaurdian, and bat. I love that they successfully and happily collaborated!

Camping...again

The kids and I took a quick trip back to Aspen for a one night backpacking trip last week.

The St. Croix river is still high, but lower than our Mother's Day trip

Ava got to come this time! 

We actually needed my rain tarp this time!!

Site #3 this time - our new fav. It's right on a steep ravine with trees perfectly placed for a hammock hanging over the drop. 

Yelling at the rain to stop until she goes back in the tent.

Laura drools when she sleeps :)

Sillies

Kids went exploring down the ravine.

Ava worried about her little people getting eaten by the wild turkeys. 

We also saw deer. At night, I heard a raccoon (in the vestibule of the tent possibly), owls, and coyotes.

Cozy ones

Creek exploring 

Good fire, Adam!

Pillow fights and wrestling during a rain break

Brrrr...creek is cold

Hi goofball

Waking up is so hard

That blue dot is us

"Come back little people!"

The pictures make her look so happy, but she actually spent most of time unsettled. Either wanting to explore too far, whining on the leash, or whining asking to go home. She might not be coming next time. :(

A Minnesota river beach

More bday pics

More birthday pictures...

We went to this super cool driving range called Top Golf to celebrate Jim's birthday. It's set up like a bowling alley so you have your own area with a table, clubs, touch screen computer, and waiter for food and drinks.  You wave your club over a light and poof! you have a ball with a chip in it. After you hit it, it automatically adds your score if you made it into on of the targets. Super fun and yummy.

Summer has begun!

The kids filled a little pool on our deck today. The inflating, filling, playing, warming up, and waiting for the sun to warm the water keep them busy outside together for several hours. Not sure if they ever actually swam? Love it when these two have fun together!