Lake Weekend

Our weekends are filled with fun family adventures and our nights during the week have finally are not filled full with sports. We can enjoy just relaxing during the evenings. We have been to Milwaukee to visit Nick's brother and his family. The girls are getting so big and we had such a great time visiting everyone! This weekend we spent time at the lake with Nick's cousins, aunts, uncle and grandma. I was super busy with orders for Saturday and Sunday so I didn't join the family until Sunday. The weekend was perfect. Today the kids and I went back out to spend the afternoon with everyone again before they all left. We soaked up the sun, swam in the lake and enjoyed some fun boat rides. Braeden has been trying to get up on water skis a few times this summer. Today he was determined to get up and he was up on his first try! Uncle Dick was in the water helping him and his papa was driving the boat. I can't tell you how exciting it was for everyone to watch. The boat was filled full with cousins, aunts, nana, papa and grandma cheering him on. What a site to see your 9 year old skiing! He can't be more than 60lbs soaking wet and looked so little skiing. He wasn't sure what to do once up so skied for a little while and then let go. He got up 2 more times and 1 time he got up without any help. We are so proud of him! What a great way to end a fabulous weekend. Didn't bring my camera out and left my phone in the house; which is probably a good thing because I probably would've tossed in the lake I was so excited!

Tim & Kenny

I have been a terrible blogger this summer. With the kids being home and a booked baking schedule I just don't find the time like I use too. I am trying to do better.

Sunday my sisters and I went to the Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney concert. We had such a blast! It was quite the experience and frankly overwhelming. It started at 4:30 and went until 11pm. It was a long hot day but so worth every second. We had fabulous seats and sat next to some fun people as well. The security guys by us were very friendly and lets us get away with a lot more than we probably should have. I was able to get some really good pictures. I even ran closer to the front and snapped a few quickly. The pictures were harder to get when Kenny came on because of the lighting and my crappy old camera. I wish I would have brought my DSLR but what a lug that would've been to haul around. Molly, Ali and I stayed in a hotel for the night. It was the best decision we could've made. It was a great way to send Ali back to Michigan after some good sister time. We sure miss her when she isn't here! Here are some pictures from the concert that I took:

HHHEEELLLLOOOO OUT THERE

Geesh....it has been along time since I last posted. We have been adjusting to the non-school schedule. It hasn't left much free time. We still get up early and run around all day. The past few weeks have been eventful for all of us. I had 7 weddings, 7 graduation parties, birthdays, baby showers, bachlorette parties, retirement parties...etc! Oh and did I mention Senator Amy Klobuchar placed an order that was shipped to Washington DC?! Needless to say it has been a busy few weeks for me. Braeden has been busy as well. He is in golf and swimming and both take up a lot of his time. He had a swim meet Father's Day weekend and has another one coming up this weekend. There really isn't much down time to get on the computer and update things. I have pictures and videos to get up but haven't found the time to do it. Plus, 50 Shades of Grey Trilogy consumed my life for a good week! ;) This week is a little slower so I am going to TRY to get caught up on life. We shall see if that happens. I have had a lot of consults these last few weeks. Braeden has baseball on Tuesday and Thursday nights and Emma has softball at the same time. Nick and I have been switching who goes to which game. When we have some down time we have been heading to the pool and the lake. Only 13 more days until the Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney concert but who's counting! I will try to get pictures up tonight when the kids are in bed. Today is a great day for the slip n slide so I am sure I will have some fun pictures of the kids trying it out.

Stomach Bug

The last day of school is tomorrow, Thursday, and we have had the stomach bug at our house since Friday. UGH....it started with Emma on Friday morning. She missed the school festival that night and was so sad. It is something the kids look forward to every year. She was also suppose to have a friend sleepover so we had to reschedule :(. It was only a 24 hour bug and she felt a lot better by that evening and back to herself by the next day. Monday evening the bug visited Braeden. Poor kid wakes us up in the night and said..'I got sick but I can still go to donuts with dad in the morning.' He tried to clean it up himself so that he could go to school :( Broke my heart! Tuesday was a hard day for him to miss. He had to miss donuts with dad, Kopischke Cash Auction and fast food lunch. He was so bummed out! He didn't want to eat or drink anything because he was nervous to get sick. He was too weak to go to school today so he had to stay home and miss his class picnic. He is SAD and bummed that he has missed everything. He is finally feeling better and seems back to himself this evening. Charlie, Emma and I were playing outside and the bug visited Charlie. Poor kid has had his head in bucket since 4:45pm. It is now 11:15 and he is still getting sick. He is so thirsty and we have been giving him 2 tsps of water at a time. He falls asleep and within 20 minutes is up again getting sick. We are in for the long haul tonight. I am just hopeful that this little bug will not visit Nick and I or Dean and Mary. They came over to watch Braeden and Charlie today so that I could bake. I am grateful for all their help and don't want them to get sick because of us. Say some prayers that Charlie can crash now and not get sick anymore.

Stretched

What are we going to do when Charlie gets involved in sports? Baseball, swimming, softball, dance and camps have all started. School isn't out and we are juggling schedules and figuring out when we will have a normal supper together again. What is normal? PB & J on the road isn't normal? Well it is for us right now. I think the kids have had it with them so we change it up to ham & cheese too ;) I juggle activities during the day and then Nick takes the evening shift while I work. This is the busy season for my business so I am getting pulled from all directions. School is coming to an end and all the kids have asked to keep going through the summer. WHAT..what is wrong with my kids? Kudos to their teachers this year because they are all AMAZING. What a fabulous year they have had. Braeden's teacher found what motivates him, money and rewards. He has had the best year yet and has loved every second of it. They have a big Multiplication Sundae Party tomorrow and the kids have gotten to earn scoops and toppings by passing their timed tests. Braeden is so pumped that he has earned all his scoops and is working on toppings. We have been working really hard the last few weeks. His teacher is pretty smart! What kid wouldn't want ice cream. Braeden did say to me...'I am not going to try hard for the cherry though mom because I HATE cherries.' Haha! As much as I would LOVE to have my kids stay in school all summer, I am really looking forward to some quality time with them. This is the first summer in awhile where we can just relax and enjoy one another...in between all the activities of course. Ah the joys of activities. Nick and I will have to schedule date nights in too just to see one another.

Emma's Recital

This past weekend was jam packed with a lot of activities. Friday was Braeden's friend birthday party. Saturday Emma went to a birthday party then we headed to the lake. It was our first trip to the lake for the summer. We brought our neighbors and their kids along. It was a perfect day for the kids to swim and go on the boat. We ended the weekend on Sunday with Emma's dance recital. It amazes me to see how she has grown in the last few years. All the girls have come a long way and I sure enjoy watching her grow throughout the year. Here are some pictures from the lake and recital:

Happy 9th Birthday Braeden!

1st Birthday

9th Birthday 

May is a busy month for this Otto family. We now are celebrating Braeden's 9th Birthday. How crazy to think that he is 9 already. It feels like just yesterday we were ripping off wallpaper, painting, getting ready to move into our house before he arrived. Now our little baby boy will be 9..NINE!! He enjoyed a fun birthday with 7 other 9 year old boys on Friday night. We learned a great lesson from Friday night, 7 additional boys is A LOT. Next year only a few...3 extra boys for a sleep over. He had a blast so that really is all that matters. Sleep is over rated anyways.

We love you so much Braeden. You truly are a spirited little man with a lot to share with everyone. We love all your stories even if they are only about video games or movies. We..I am relearning a lot of fun facts about our country. Here are some great pictures from the year: