Jan & Feb

Here goes 2024.  We recently went to see the MN Orchestra play quite the show for Lunar New Year and had a wonderful time.  The girls really liked hearing it all.  We had a nice evening out with some of the neighbors, we had a fun trip to Como Zoo for old time's sake, visited a local Harry Potter themed cafe, Nina had a good band concert, among other typical goings on.  The other happy news is Nina's joy in her new hamster, Stracciatella. She named him after the gelato she loves in Italy, which is also referenced in a book she loves.  He's a very friendly guy and has quickly stolen her heart.

Still working hard     ----     Watching Ben curl on the livestream

Two swans now live at our lake  --  Homemade sesame chicken

We have been grieving the loss of beloved Aunt Marte.  She was an amazing and fiery woman who always had a joke, some inspiration, and a twinkle in her eye.  The trip down to Winona for her wake was tough, but it was nice to share stories with others.  No trip there would be complete without some Bloedows, and we also had a nice hike in Frotenac State Park, and up Garvin Heights where we unexpectedly ran into our neighbor, John.

Halvesies and year in review

2023 Video

As 2024 begins we look back at a fun 2023 and celebrate the girls' half birthdays.  Our year of school went well and we had fun throughout.  The summer was an amazing one full of beautiful landscapes, wonderful people, and new experiences.  The European trip was wonderful.  The following road trip was also full of new experiences as we went to new cities and got to learn about Hetty Zeilinger and then visit the Virginia Zeilingers.  The rest of the year has been busy taking care of hamsters, playing games, and spending time together.

End of 2023

Despite the lack of snow, holiday season is here and we've been spending a lot of time together.  We've played a lot of games like Happy Little Dinosaurs, Cover Your Assets, Dutch Blitz, Sushi Go Party, Uno, and our favorite of the break has been Can't Stop.  Sadly, Nina has been under the weather for a bit.  She didn't even finish the Monopoly game she was excited about or help make the pretzel chocolate treats she wanted to work on.  

Games at Annie's - always so much fun there!

We are thankful for our generous family and their kind hospitality.  Rod and Katie got us tickets to see the lights at the arboretum and it was lovely.  While there was no snow, the lights were still gorgeous and it was a nice night to wander.  We also took a trip to Treasure Island where we had free passes to the waterpark and bowling.  It was a nice getaway that felt like a mini vacation.  Lastly, the girls had a small get together at a trampoline park and enjoyed getting to hang out with some friends and let loose. There is much to be thankful for and we wish everyone a joyful start to 2024.