Grizzly Gulch Mini-Golf...

 Almost a week ago, we decided to play some mini-golf at Grizzly Gulch in Custer, South Dakota...

When we started, I said we're playing for fun, no hassling anyone...that lasted halfway through the first hole...

Lex played the pink ball...

Lukie was the biggest talker at the beginning, playing the blue golf ball...

It was a nice course, a thunderstorm had just moved through, so everything was wet...

It took Lukie some time to forget about taking a big swing (as shown below), but him doing that helped Lex catch up some on the scorecard...

We were the first group out after the storm, so we played our pace...Lex really talked some trash when she beat Lukie...frankly, for the amount he talked, it was deserved...

It was a fun time before hitting the pool (again)...

And for the record, I won...

Lukie - Baseball...

 Lukie played baseball again this summer and had a blast...he's gotten better over the summer and is looking forward to playing baseball again next spring/summer...

I've been to every game that he's played in (he missed one game this past Monday because we were out of town) but I hadn't yet taken any pictures, so I had to document a bit of his last game on Tuesday...

We left Devil's Tower at 7:00 am Mountain time in hopes of getting to Annandale, Minnesota so that he could participate in this last game (we were late 10-15 minutes, not bad for driving so far) and almost immediately it was his turn to bat...he is #20 and is on deck here...

He made contact in this at bat with very little prep time, he grounded out, but we considered this a win after the drive...

He started the year playing the outfield, not his favorite position, but due to other players out he played left field again for a couple of innings...

He's much more comfortable playing second base, but made a nice catch in left during this game...

And we had to take one last picture...

It was a fun season, looking forward to more...

Orthodontics & Lex...

 Lex's orthodontic work started on May 25, but before braces, she had an 'expander' placed.  With the small mouth, the amount of teeth coming in, her overbite, etc., she literally needs her jaw expanded to fit everything that's coming.  I have zero pictures of the expander in her mouth, she and I know what is is, but we were tasked with 18 'turns' (expansive turns) to be completed by mid-July...

Below is the completed 18 turns...

And this is the tool used...it is a small hole on the expander to fit into and Lex immediately feels the pressure when I begin to make the 'turn' or expansion.  But we made all 18 turns...

Our hope (and it is certainly Lex's) is that no more turns will need to be made at the next Orthodontic visit...she hopes to get it off as soon as possible (note - she will have a retainer before braces, but the retainer will only need to be worn at night).  This has not been comfortable for Lex to speak (when it was first placed she tearfully said 'I can't talk') and was a learning curve on even to eat.  But she's done great and is ready to move to the next step...

Black Widow...

We're huge fans of Marvel's MCU and one of our favorite Avengers is Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow (though to be fair, we all know that 'fat' Thor is obviously way cooler and is also the strongest Avenger, but yesterday was not Thor's day)...

The movie 'Black Widow' was originally coming out to theatre's in May/June 2020, but obviously the pandemic changed all of that...we couldn't wait for it to come out on July 9, 2021...

It was a great origin story for a character we loved (past tense meant...spoiler alert, Nat died in Endgame)...

Scheel's - Eden Prairie...

 The store in Eden Prairie opened last summer, but a number of 'enhancements' did not open until recently due to the pandemic.  We got there often and the kids knew what they wanted to do when the saw these...

First up was the Ferris Wheel ride...

Then it was time to do a little shooting...

Lex actually outscored Lukie, he says it's 'because she was taking the easy, close shots, not trying to hit the hard targets.'

We've taking the picture with the bear before, but took one more...

Lukie's New Trick...

 The kids are pool rats all summer...Lukie's been doing flips for a couple of years now, but he learned a new trick recently...

Vaccines...

When the COVID vaccines was approved for 12-15 it was a no-brainer to get scheduled as soon as possible and not wait for a convenient time (even Lex, who hates needles wants one, like now) and Lukie got his first in the middle of May...there was no waiting for June and/or postponing, it was time...

Well, he got his second shot yesterday (6/9)...what do you do when you have your second COVID vaccination?  A large, strawberry Dairy Queen blizzard of course...

Bring on summer...

Norwood Pool...

 The pool opened Memorial Day weekend (only weekends until June 14) and the kids were happy...

They couldn't wait until 1:00, the time the pool opened...then the promptly spent the entire day swimming...that'll be a common theme for the summer...

A.A.A., Wax Museum and Band Concert...

Things are getting back to normal a bit...the elementary school had their A.A.A. (Academic, Arts and Achievement) recently.  Lex being in 5th grade could enter in two events, she went with photography and art.  Below is a picture (okay, a picture of her picture) she took this spring at Gooseberry Falls State Park.  She received a blue ribbon on this picture...

The other project she entered was this art project of a playground.  Her idea was grand in scale, though the work needed to complete it came mostly late.  She received a white ribbon for this, but learned a valuable lesson on needed to complete projects early and not waiting until the last minute.  All-in-all, Lex was happy...

The same day that Lex had her projects due at school, Lukie had a wax museum (focused on someone from Minnesota) and his first band concert.  Lukie chose Troy Delvon Bell, who came from Holy Angels High School and played some professionally.  Honestly, I don't remember him...but Lukie knew his cards and was able to recall details from his life so far...

Then it was time for his band concert, in a socially distant gymnasium (instead of the auditorium)...Lukie is in the top right of the picture, to the right of the boy in red...

In between songs a student came up to the microphone to introduce the next song and said "thanks for coming to our first concert since December 2019"....it's been a long time...

 Like I said, things are coming back to some normal soon...

Citizenship Award...

 An announcement was made today at Central Middle School for the Quarter 3 award winners.  The school announces several winners per grade (6-8) for academic, citizenship and character.  They do the announcement via video announced by the principal.  You can see it here if you wish...

Or just look at the image below...