Noah’s track season is off to an incredible start!
All the hard work he put in during the offseason is really paying off. He’s gotten noticeably faster and stronger, and it’s showing in every meet. He’s been dominating his events and consistently pushing himself to improve.
His relay team has been especially fun to watch, with Noah and his teammates placing in the top 6 in the 55 and 100 meter dashes. His open 400 time keeps improving too, and he’s earned a solid spot on that relay as well.
More than anything, I love seeing his confidence grow. Heading into his 8th grade season, he’s believing in himself—and that’s just as exciting as any finish line result.
This Easter looked a little different—but it turned out just right.
With too much snow still on the ground, we moved the Easter basket hunt into Jodi’s garage. The kids didn’t mind at all and had fun searching for their Easter bags in a warmer spot!
We spent the day playing games, including a family version of Kahoot, and just enjoying time together. It was simple, but full of laughter.
This year was especially meaningful as we celebrated Gabi and Willow’s confirmation. They were confirmed at Mass this past Sunday with Bishop DeGrood, marking an important step in their faith journey. It was extra special to see Willow go through this with her sponsor, Grandma Margie, by her side, along with Gabi.
And even more to be grateful for—after a heart attack and a brief hospital stay, Grandma Ket made it to Easter. Having her there made the day feel even more complete.
Snow or not, it was a day filled with family, faith, and memories.
This weekend, Rachael, Marge, Willow, Hudson, and I had the absolute joy of helping Sara find her wedding dress locally at Moda Lane Boutique here in Aberdeen. She came in with a clear vision—but sometimes, the perfect dress has a way of surprising you! With a little guidance (and some fun opinions from the rest of us), Sara ended up choosing a gown that was completely different from what she expected—but completely beautiful! She was glowing when she tried it on.
Fun twist: she picked Hudson’s choice off the rack! The dress has already made its way to her home in Colorado, and we can’t wait to see Sara shine in it this May when she marries Blake’s brother, Chris. It was such a special day full of laughter, friendship, and wedding magic.
Willow and I recently spent two days in Nashville with Blake at his Society of Hospitalist Medicine Conference. Our first day was travel, but after checking in, we walked to a late-night Italian spot that Willow called some of the best Italian food she’s ever had!
Day one’s full adventure continued with a morning walk down Broadway for a double-decker bus tour, taking in Nashville’s history and iconic sights. We refueled with lunch at Assembly Food Hall and did some shopping for Confirmation dresses and wedding guest outfits for Chris and Sara on Broadway and then in the Gulch neighborhood. We walked so much on Day 1 and were ready for a somewhat early night, watching the lights on Broadway from our 27th floor hotel room.
Day two brought a fun tour of the Hatch Print Shop and Country Music Hall of Fame, more shopping in the 12th street neighborhood (including a stop on Broadway for cowboy boots), and once Blake wrapped up his conference, we tackled an amazing Prison Escape Escape Game before enjoying a memorable meal at Shabu Shabu hot pot—definitely an experience! We flew home the next morning just in time to be greeted by 7 inches of snow. Two days of food, history, shopping, and adventure—Nashville didn’t disappoint and it was so fun to spend one-on-one time with our oldest.
Noah’s already hoping the next conference is somewhere just as fun.
We may have waited a little while to celebrate Leo turning seven with his friends, but it ended up being worth every second. When the day finally came, all of his friends were able to make it—and you could just feel how loved he was from the moment everyone arrived.
We leaned all the way into a dinosaur theme, and it couldn’t have been more fun. One of the highlights was our “excavation site”—we filled a planter with gemstones and pretend dinosaur fossils and let the kids dig, search, and discover. It didn’t take long before they were completely immersed, proudly showing off their treasures like true little paleontologists. One of Leo’s friends literally dug for the entire two hours!
Next up was a dinosaur egg hunt around the yard. The kids took off running, hunting for squishy eggs and candy-filled surprises, laughter echoing as they raced from one hiding spot to the next.
We were lucky enough to have the most beautiful day, so the rest of the party naturally unfolded outside—kids running, playing, and just being together. At one point, everyone gathered to frost and decorate their own cupcakes, which was mass chaos but made for easy clean up since we were able to do it outside!
We wrapped up the day the best way kids know how—games of tag, rounds of hide and seek, and jumping on the trampoline.
Leo opened so many thoughtful and exciting gifts, and true to form, he dove right into building a Lego set as soon as he could. Watching him sit there, completely content and focused, was the perfect ending to a really special day.
Seven looks good on you, Leo. You are so deeply loved!
The night before his birthday, Leo lost his second front tooth—so not only did the birthday fairy show up (with balloons filling his room when he woke up), but the tooth fairy made a visit too. Safe to say, it was a pretty magical start to turning seven.
It’s hard to believe our baby is now missing his front teeth and officially 7 years old. Time really does fly.
Leo is still very much Leo—loving trains, completely obsessed with the Titanic, building Legos whenever he can, and spending as much time as possible with his best buddy, Theo. He gave basketball a go this winter (jury’s still out on whether that’s a long-term sport), but one thing that is certain is how well he’s doing in school. He’s become such a strong reader, and we’re so proud of him.
He’s also grown like crazy—most people think he’s already 9, and are always surprised when we tell them he’s just seven.
On our trip to Red Lodge, he absolutely skied his little heart out. By the last run, he was taking lots of breaks, but he powered through like a champ.
And in true Leo fashion, his only birthday request for cake this year? Lemon.
We love you so much, Leo. Seven looks pretty great on you.
After a weekend of watching Bodhi play soccer for SDU in Bismarck (they came in 2nd and lost the championship game, we headed west to follow the snow in Red Lodge, MT.
We set out for a winter getaway expecting a little bit of everything: hiking, exploring, shopping downtown, and relaxing in the hot tub. And we did all of that—we hiked, skipped rocks, wandered through downtown shops, and soaked up plenty of hot tub time. But what we didn’t expect was to spend three full days skiing.
Then the snow came. And kept coming!
This year’s trip was extra special because we had a new addition to the crew—Will joined us. Having him there made the whole dynamic even more fun. Willow was in a much better mood with him by her side, and Noah and Bodhi loved having their sister’s boyfriend along for the ride.
Meanwhile, Leo was convinced the entire trip was in celebration of his birthday. And honestly, from his perspective, it made perfect sense—unlimited screen time, endless hours on the mountain, frequent stops at the candy store, and as much hot tub time as he could want. Not a bad way to celebrate, whether it was actually his birthday or not.
Each of the kids found their own version of adventure throughout the week. Noah split his time between the slopes and the local music store, where he spent plenty of time admiring a twelve-string guitar. When he wasn’t doing that, he was outside building the tallest rock cairn he could manage or absolutely shredding on the mountain—highlighted by accidentally landing a 180.
Bodhi made the terrain park his home base, fully embracing every jump and feature he could find. He didn’t seem to mind being the third wheel alongside Willow and Will, happily doing his own thing while still being part of the group.
As for Blake and me, we spent most of the trip trying (and failing) to keep up. It’s hard not to feel a mix of pride and disbelief watching how much the kids have improved. One of the standout moments for us was getting everyone to the top of the mountain and successfully skiing down Lazy M together. It felt like a milestone—one of those moments you don’t realize is a big deal until you’re in it.
By the end of the trip, we were exhausted in the best way possible. The kind of tired that comes from full days, fresh air, and nonstop activity. My knees still hurt.
The drive home, however, was a different story. A blizzard made for a long, difficult trip back, testing our patience and endurance one last time. A 9 hour drive turned into almost 14!
Nevertheless, it wasn’t the trip we planned—but it was exactly the one we needed.
A few weeks ago, my two best friends from high school, Brittany and Justine, and I embarked on a trip that was as much about friendship as it was about wine. We were celebrating Brittany’s 40th birthday, and what better way to honor that milestone than a girls’ getaway in beautiful California wine country?
We based ourselves at the charming Napa Valley Lodge in Yountville, which felt like the perfect mix of cozy and luxurious. With these amazing accommodations, we felt completely refreshed and ready to explore and were within walking distance of quaint shops and amazing restaurants.
Our days were delightfully indulgent: two wineries a day, amazing food, and more wine education than we ever knew we needed. One of the biggest takeaways? The soil really does make the difference—tiny changes in earth can drastically change the flavor of the wine. We even squeezed in a bike ride through a vineyard, pedaling past rows of grapevines.
We also enjoyed a special lunch at Justine and Brittany’s cousin’s little farm, where we were welcomed with warm hospitality, fresh food, and the joy of catching up with family and Ryan’s beautiful dog.
We also did a little sightseeing in San Francisco. First stop: the iconic Painted Ladies made famous by Full House. Then, despite the rain, we braved a ride over the Golden Gate Bridge, a stunning—and slightly misty—way to wrap up our trip.
Even with the occasional rain, the trip was pure magic. For three busy moms, it was a bucket-filling getaway: full of laughter, deep conversations, delicious wine, and memories!
Blake and I kicked things off last weekend with a Mardi Gras celebration that was very much outside our usual routine. We actually got dressed up, left the house, and stayed out past 10 p.m. — which, in this season of life, absolutely qualifies as a major event worth documenting. We had fun sitting with the Avera table, raising money for a great cause.
Tuesday brought birthday mode as we celebrated Sam turning 14 — It was special to mark another year for him and spend time together as a family. We also squeezed in time to watch Leo play basketball, which came with equal parts impressive plays and classic sideline entertainment — including some highly competitive rounds of rock-paper-scissors when he wasn’t on the court.
Then came this weekend: ice, community, and the 3rd annual Casey Kulm Ice Fishing Derby. It was a beautiful day out on Dahme Lake — bright, crisp, and full of energy. Blake, Mel, Bodhi, and Scott caught a few fish (nothing that made the leaderboard), but Bodhi still had a great day and even won some prizes, including a sweet Mall of America ticket package to take home.
Unfortunately, illness had other plans for Noah and Leo. Noah tested positive for influenza A, and Leo started the morning throwing up, so they had to sit this one out from home.
While the rest of us were on the ice, Willow spent the day working hard selling food for the ski team. I was out there from sunup well into the afternoon, doing everything I could to help make the day run smoothly — tired, but grateful to be part of such a meaningful event.
Later that afternoon, Bodhi headed off for a fun playdate with friends in Richmond, and we got some really cool pictures from their time together — muddy boots, big smiles, and pure joy!
January is a funny month. The holidays are over, the days are short, the cold is relentless, and it feels like everything slows down just a bit. Around here, January doesn’t offer many options—but one thing it does give us is indoor soccer, and honestly, that’s been more than enough to keep things fun and full.
Between a tournament in Aberdeen and a weekend trip to Fargo, the boys have basically been living at the dome—practicing, playing, and just genuinely having fun with the game. There’s something about indoor soccer in January that feels extra special. Maybe it’s because it’s the only thing breaking up the winter monotony, or maybe it’s because you can feel how much joy the kids get from simply being able to move, compete, and laugh with their teammates when it’s freezing outside.
Watching Noah jump into something new at 14 has been especially fun. Trying a new sport at that age takes courage, and he’s handled it with such a great attitude. He’s learning, growing, and most importantly, enjoying himself. Along the way, he’s also picking up some important lessons—like not letting players on the other team get under your skin and staying focused on your own game. Those moments matter just as much as goals or wins.
Bodhi, on the other hand, has been quietly putting in the work. Whether it’s practice at the dome or footwork drills in his room with his rebounder, he’s constantly working to improve. That effort is paying off. His ability to step into any position and contribute wherever he’s needed has become such a strength, and it showed in Fargo when his team battled hard and came away with the tournament win.
The Fargo weekend ended up being one of those unexpectedly perfect winter memories. Snowed in and unable to head home right away, we made the most of it—celebrating with a trip to Slick City for the boys (while Willow and I took advantage of a little bonus shopping time). The majority of Bodhi’s teammates are around Noah’s age, so the weekend felt less like a tournament trip and more like a long hangout with friends. Noah got to spend time with his own teammates and Bodhi’s teammates.
As soon as the weekend wrapped up, we turned right around and hurried back to Aberdeen for another big moment—Bodhi’s first jazz band concert. He played percussion, and it was such a proud moment watching him on stage. Even more impressive, he was the only 6th grader who tried out and made the Holgate Middle School jazz band.
Heinz Family Part 2! 