Another Soggy Memorial Day

Weather-wise Friday was the best day of Memorial Day weekend. We made it up to Melrose and got the boat washed up and ready to put in the lake. On Saturday morning we got the boat into the water and a couple hours later the boys were tubing despite it being 65 degrees and cloudy. I was in my sweatshirt and covering up with towels, but they were having fun on the tube. We even picked up Maddie for a bit, from their camping location on the other side of the lake, and gave her a ride. I think the chilliness of the water gave the kids an added thrill and no one wanted to hit the big waves in fear of ending up in the icy water.

Sunday we went to church and then headed back out to the cabin in hopes that the rain would taper off and we could get back out on the water. We spent our time in the cabin playing bean bag toss, Othello, Trouble, and cards. Grandma Nancy napped. The boys did venture out to the lake and beach to play for a while. About 3 in the afternoon, the boys convinced us it had almost stopped raining (a light mist was still falling). We took them out to tube. We had to stop and wipe the windshield off with a towel so Fred could see, but soon even that didn't help for more than  10 seconds. But the boys again had fun behind the boat. We headed to Swanville to Red's Pub for supper that evening.

Monday it was rainy again, but about 11 it seemed to take a break so we headed out to the cabin to try to set the tube out to dry and cover the boat up. We had lunch in St Rosa while the tube dried and after putting it away went to Melrose to pack up and head back to the cities. About the time we pulled out of town the sun came out. Sigh. We went to the park back in Chaska for a family game of baseball to enjoy the sun, finally.

Jacob Turns the Big 1-0!

Double digits. A decade. 10 years old. Wow. 10 years since Jacob entered this world 11 weeks early. He's come a long way from his 2 lb 14 oz self. He's become a solid, normal 4th grader (as normal as 4th grade boys get anyway). He likes school, not necessarily the homework or the organizing it takes to keep things straight. He loves sports, he's certainly made good use of the basketball hoop in the backyard this spring and was so disappointed tonight when his baseball scrimmage was cancelled because of the rain. He's looking forward to tackle football in the fall, I just can't bring myself to sign him up just yet. He's using his musical talents by taking piano lessons, but getting him to practice can be a challenge.

Jacob's 10th birthday coincided with a late start school day, so we had time to open presents before school. Jacob didn't really have anything on his wish list, he said "surprise me". So Fred did the birthday shopping this year and came home from Target  at 10 PM the night before Jacob's birthday with a $50 ping pong table that was in about 100 pieces. It was put together 3 hours later. In Jacob's birthday bag was a bag of bubble gum, an iTunes gift card, and a set of ping pong paddles with ping pong balls. He wondered where he could use those. I joked that he could use them on the kitchen table, but soon we got him out to the garage to find the new ping pong table. He was surprised and excited.

Jacob opening his iTunes gift card

Jacob opening the ping pong paddles

 

Wondering where he'll use those

 

Jacob and Gavin taking on Fred

Volley

 

Fred took a sick day after staying up so late putting together the birthday present. He took the boys for bagels  and picked up cupcakes for Jacob's class before dropping them off at school. He also went back to school to have lunch with the boys, in Gavin's case with Gavin and his table of girls.

 

After school, there was more ping pong to play before heading to the Taste of Chaska for a bite to eat. Jacob had a year end party for Connect at church, so he got to enjoy the inflatable obstacle course, popcorn, cotton candy, and games with friends. So, it was pretty much party all day for Jacob. He claimed it was great a birthday. He'll celebrate with friends at AirMaxx in a couple weeks. 

Remembering Dad & Celebrating Mothers

We were lucky enough to have Adrea and Tim staying with us last week. They flew in on the 1st and had a wedding to go to on the 2nd, after watching Wyatt's soccer game. On Sunday, we gathered with my family at RJ's in St Augusta to remember Dad, who passed away a year ago on May 2nd. We hope to make than an annual tradition.

 

The Jeske Clan

Alyssa had teddy bears made from Dad's old shirts made for each of the kids. Gavin took his right to bed, but he was bothered that it didn't have a face.

I added button eyes and before I could add a nose and mouth with thread, Gavin decided to add a Crayola smile to his bear. He sure looks happy.

 

Tim & Adrea were here all week and it was fun to spend so much time with them. They got to see some baseball and more soccer, play some scrabble, and eat way too much.

 

On Saturday Alyssa, Joe, Maddie, Isaac, and Grandma came down to stay in Chanhassen so we'd all be ready to do the Race for the Cure early on Sunday. The kids all got to play for a while at our house and then swim in their hotel pool.

 

Sunday morning the runners (Adrea, Tim, Alyssa, Maddie, Isaac, Jacob, Gavin, and myself) got up early for a 7:30 am "race" start. I ran with Gavin, we ran the whole first mile and then a bit after that Gavin asked to walk. I was worried about keeping up with him, so I was happy to do some walking. I guess I just slowed to a walk though, which didn't necessarily mean Gavin was walking. At about 2.5 miles Gavin said "Mom, can we walk now so that I can walk." So we slowed down for a bit before running in for the finish. Tim got to keep track of Jacob and Isaac during the run and worked with them on pacing. Adrea and Maddie stayed pretty close to the pack of boys. Alyssa passed Gavin and I before mile 2 and we never caught her.

 

Me and my runners.

 

The whole running gang. 

 

The walkers - Mom, Joe, Fred & Wyatt met us for the 1k walk at 9:15 am. We think the course was longer than 1k and Gavin's legs were about worn out by then, so I got to do some strength training during that walk as Wyatt was already riding Fred's shoulders. 

Team Live for Dessert

 

The reason I attempt to run.

 

We got a table at The Cheesecake Factory after the walk and enjoyed a delicious breakfast and a few pieces of cheesecake.

 

The weather held for the morning and then turned rainy on our way home. Perfect reason to nap on Mother's Day. The boys had piano and came home with an ice cream cake for me. I also got my own pink basketball and baseball glove, so I can keep pace with the boys.

Preschool Fun

Wyatt has been having lots of fun at preschool and they are often sending me pictures of the fun things they are doing.

Star Hunters

Wyatt with his star

Tricycling on the relocated playground, due to construction work on the church.

Bike Day

 

They also had a mama duck in the planter right outside preschool. We watched the mama duck sit on the eggs for a month and they just hatched early this week and made their way across the street to the pond. Amazing what 2 day old ducklings can do and how fast they can swim.

Camping Weekend

Mid-April, Fred took the boys camping at Minneopa State Park by Mankato. There was a camper cabin available and Fred was up for an outing with the boys. Jacob & Gavin's school had their Family Fun Night on Friday night, but they were willing to skip that to head out camping. My mom came down to hang with Wyatt at Family Fun Night while I worked the raffle table.

 

Wyatt had his first soccer game on Saturday morning, which he showed up for with his hair spiked and colored red. He looked fierce. He did an awesome job and scored a number of goals. His other team mates were not all as aggressive, some fought their teammates for the ball, and some just had to lay down on the ground mid-play. Oh the joys of 4 year old soccer.

 

After soccer, mom and I drove Wyatt down to Mankato to meet up with the campers. We went out to lunch with them and then I returned home for a slumber party with my friends Kim & Becky.

 

Fred and the boys did some biking, played lots of football, got really dirty, hiked, and made s'mores during their camping adventure. It was early in the season, so there was no running water in the campground yet. Sometimes its good to be a boy and not have to use the "vault" toilet each time they had to go to the bathroom.

 

Fred and the boys by the falls at Minneopa State Park

Wyatt, Jacob, Gavin & Fred in front of their cabin.

 

Kim, Becky and I went for pedicures and dinner at School of the Wise 2 before coming back to our house to hang out. Kim put us to work stuffing envelopes for her real estate team and we baked a cake for Kim's mom. It was so fun to hang with my girls. I appreciated the break from the boys.