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Friday, February 26, 2016

He's So Lucky

She's like a second mommy.


But also a best friend.


He has no idea how lucky he is.

Best Birthday Find

For Christian's birthday when people asked what he wanted he said Target gift cards.  
He had his sight set on an outdoor riding toy.
On Presidents' Day we finally gather his gift cards and headed over to Target with the sole intention of making his big purchase.
We finally found the thing he wanted and then he wasn't so sure.
So he started looking around.
We never let him spend birthday money.
Never, not one dollar.
It all, always goes into his bank account, so although I was ok with him buying something I didn't want him to buy a bunch of little things that he really doesn't care about.
And then he found a full size ping pong table on clearance.
When I said, "Yes," he yelled "This is the best day of my life!"
It took a man and me to get it in the cart.
Another employee approached us and asked to take the cart to the front of the store until we were done shopping.
Then it took two men and myself to finally get it into the minivan.
Christian said, "When Daddy gets home he's going to be SO EXCITED!"
Daddy did happily get it from the car to the kitchen.
He put it together and I said, "It fits perfectly!"
Then Mark said, "This is half of it."
Oh my!  It's way bigger than I expected!



Here he is, in all his glory!
He's uses it constantly.
He's gotten really good at it and it's a ton of fun.
Exactly what a birthday gift should be!

The Breakfast That (S)Teamed

A few weeks ago we casually taught Brecken how to use the microwave.
Each morning he eats waffles or pancakes microwaved.
If it's really a lucky day, he might find a Toaster Strudel.
He likes his breakfast borderline frozen so we taught him how to warm things up for 20 seconds.
Several mornings he did the entire thing himself.
Until last week……
He took out a paper plate, took a Toaster Strudel out of the freezer and put it in the microwave….
for 20 MINUTES.
After two minutes luckily Brecken came to me in the bathroom while I was blow drying my hair and he said, "My breakfast is (s)teaming!"
As soon as I stepped out of the bathroom I RAN to the kitchen.  
It was filled with horrible smelling black smoke.
The paper plate had just started on fire.


It was a really close call.
And Brecken's breakfast independence has come to an end.

Friends Are Valuable

No truer words have ever been stuffed in a fortune cookie.  


This was my fortune last Sunday at our favorite family Chinese buffet next to Minnehaha Falls.  
It couldn't be any more perfect.


Algebra for Fun

Not only is reading my only daughter's very favorite thing to do in the whole world…
But now she's reading about algebra for fun.


At her conference we discussed what we're going to do with her next year….
shipping her to middle school a year early is a real possibility…..

Polar Plunge

A few weeks ago our Union Rep. told us they'd like to see a group from each school to the Polar Plunge to raise money for college scholarships for WBL students.
I said I would jump without hesitation. 
I figured once one person said yes, many would follow.
I was wrong.
Luckily, Victoria wanted to take the plunge with me.
We had to raise $75 in order to do it.
By posting our links on Facebook we were over our minimum in just over an hour.

As the days drew nearer and nearer people were asking weird questions such as:
"Are you scared?"
and they'd follow it up with:
"I never do that!"

I wasn't scared and I have no idea why a grown adult would say they'd never do it.
What is the big deal?
Plus, it's fun to be involved in something.

Finally, Feb 20th arrived.
Victoria had basketball in the morning and then we headed home to pack up.
The most difficult thing was to find shoes I didn't mind wearing in a lake.

We were dressed (Scholarly was the theme) and packed and we headed to Forest Lake.
We arrived about an hour before our plunge time to Vanelli's and met Jeff and Laura.
Jeff was plunging with his kids. 

Christian was too young to plunge, but he's counting down the years and he was a huge supporter!



Victoria thought her Summer Academy shirt was the most scholarly thing she owned.
Jenna was seriously decked out!


Pre-Plunge Warm Up
(Note to self - Pre-Plunge Warm Up is key!  Arrive much earlier next year!)


You drop of your bags in a heated tent then carefully walk across the soaked carpet on the ice.



There are professional photographers and videographers, a couple hundred people watching and EMT divers waiting for you.
It's quite the crowd!


Caleigh, our amazing babysitter happened to be in town so she came out!
Victoria's BFF Julia, her mom and sister also came just to watch!




Post Plunge Fun!







Side note: While in the warming tent changing clothes a former parent approached me and starter talking about her child - while completely naked, waste down!  It was so shocking and disturbing.  If I could go back in time I would have handled the entire situation so much differently.  Besides the changing situation the entire plunge was nothing but fun.  
It was very safe and Victoria loved it.

Here are the professional pics:









We will add Polar Plunge to our family traditions!