Paw Patrol LIVE!

This weekend back in February we spent Saturday in downtown Chicago and Sunday Luke and I went downhill skiing!  Super fun!

Paw Patrol LIVE! tickets were Christmas gifts from Uncle Ben and Aunt Linda and the kids loved the show

We went to the Field Museum while we were down there and it exceeded expectations.  We didn't realize how fun the Field Museum was!  The kids found everything fascinating.

Then we hit Chinatown for a little culture and dinner

Chinese food in Chinatown, yummers

We got "rolled" ice cream afterwards.  They basically make the ice cream right in front of you on this frozen plate and then roll it up into a bunch of tubes.  It was a novelty, yes, but we enjoyed it.

Chess while enjoying our treats

Took Luke downhill skiing for the first time at Wilmot in WI.  Apparently other people had the idea to go skiing on a beautiful winter day, during the Winter Olympics, on a holiday weekend.  We waited in line for our lift tickets and ski rentals for 2.5 hours!!!  Worth it!

Luke did awesome.  He was a natural.  Must be all that balancing on the paddle board.

Lunch of champions

Meanwhile, Matt took Claire tubing next door.  He got her down one time before she shut it down.  Too fast and scary for her.

They ended up going to a local bounce house place for awhile waiting for Luke and I to ski, and then eventually they went all the way home (~1 hour away!) and then came back for us when we were done.

Cub Scouts balloon race in the gym

Laying with Claire.  I lay on the left side of her and Matt lays on the right, no exceptions.

I find they have both fallen asleep sometimes when I go in there after laying with Luke first.

Love this picture Claire drew of Iso, Luke and herself.

Paddle Party

Last Fall I bid on a "paddle party" for 12 at a silent auction for Luke's school and we were excited to enjoy it with our friends one night.  We had such a fun time.  Paddle is an awesome sport, enjoyed best with a great group.

Lisa 'n me

These are our "game faces"

The whole group!

Cousin Orrin's party in WI on Sunday

Dumped with sow

Trying out the used snow shoes we got

Still getting the hang of them

It wasn't really packing snow, but Luke and I tried!  Snow blob

This looks like a good seat

Snow fort (may have been reinforced by a table by Matt - since it wasn't packing snow, as mentioned)

Matt's night out with the guys

Grandpa Emil taught Luke how to play chess and he is so into it.  He has since taught Claire and me! 

Matt has had his eye on lake house properties in Pleasant Prairie, WI for years.  We think it would be the only place to get a lake house that would make sense for our family - just 30 minutes away from home, right on Lake Michigan.  We fell in love with this beautiful house, and so did Matt's parents!  Lucky for us, by pooling our budgets we could afford going in on it together.  We submitted an offer and it was accepted!  Woo hoo!  We are proud lake house co-owners!

Donna and Emil's house in Waukegan (just 20 minutes from the lake house) looked gorgeous with the snowfall

Sledding fun

The frozen creek was tons of fun

Walking on the frozen ice

This girl bounces everywhere around the house these days, she doesn't seem to walk anywhere.

Selfie

The winter face licking still in full effect resulting in chapped skin.

Playing with Samantha and Claire

Bunco night at church with my ladies