You are 6! B day Rona style

We had big plans for your 6th birthday and it saddens me that we couldn't throw a party.  Since most places are closed, we tried to do a backyard party but there was still too many cases.  But you still had a great time.  

We had a small pod birthday party, first with Oscar and Olivia, then with the Wares.  There was a delightful lunch from Famous Dave's, individually packaged popsicle cakes that were gold B's and your bull cake with red velvet.  

Then, we had Bradley's backyard bash with a ring toss, corn hole and water balloons.  Your birthday wish was a Cree suit with matching nerf gun.

Here's another fishy!!

Happy 6th Birthday Bradley Berger!  We are really looking forward to a fun celebration.  You have been such a blessing in our family.  Every day, you bring laughs and joy to our home. 

Breakfast of champions - Donettes and bacon, soft and crispy along with warms milk.

Red Velvet bull cake per your request.

Outdoor games with your dad and Ben!

Playing games with your  bestie!

Lunch bunch with your b day party friends.

Project success!  We had a monarch butterfly from worm to wings!! Every day we fed the worm until it became a cocoon.  Then baba brought out the tent which is when it turned into a butterfly.  A few days later, when she was ready, we released her to nature!!

There's been some significant milestones this summer.  On May 18th, you learned how to bike without training wheels.  You are still not a fan of venchtables lol.  When I give you kisses you wipe it off and explain that you are wiping around my love (very ready for corporate america).

Masks are a part of your life now, you're quite good.  The other day, you told me that you touched your finger to your nose.  On you mask?  Yeah, definitely not on my face mama!!

Also, you asked the other day, 'Mama when can we move to a new house but then come back to our house?  You mean a vacation?  YES!!' Soon buddy, soon :)  We love you 

Start of summer

The trees are starting to turn green! It's clearly warm enough to go out with no shoes or shirt. LOL

We also got an add-on to the playset but it's on backorder... everyone's idea of staying home during the pandemmies.  Today's fun activity is building a fort with an ipad enclosure, hahaha 

Life is good when garage Hawaii makes it to backyard Hawaii.  90 degree water all the time.

In the corner playing instead of eLearning.Someone really likes the warm outdoors but not too hot.  Prime temperatures these days.  This is mud and chocolate fun, or did you eat the mud? :) Legs of an active boy!

Here's mama's garden salad mix!I love this picture, you only wanted one warms milk with your donettes.  One of your favorite snacks. 

And we are back on the boat!  Still a little chilly in the beginning of summer.  Your gold shoes are back in stock, we had to get two pairs, one for now and a larger size for later.

Your first fish!! It was a fat sunny by Maynard's 

It's nice to have warmer weather so we can get out more.  The pandemmy is still in full effect and we've been social distancing for a while now.  You have been doing an excellent job cleaning your hands, wearing masks and staying six feet apart.  I hope this ends soon and you can return to a fun and somewhat normal childhood.  Love you Bradley!!

More spring fun

We might have a pandemic but that doesn't stop us from having fun!!  You love anything 'army' aka camo.  This is army Bradley ready to go out for playtime. In the Spring, you learned how to swing really high, like over the fence high!

eLearning has not been very exciting.  Here you are learning away, love that your hair is getting so long! :) 

Having fun with baba

The Easter bunny came!  We had a safe and festive Easter egg hunt in the house.   He even bought you new Easter baskets with your names on it in your favorite color. 

Check out the hair :)  You don't really like long hair but I do!

Check out my muscles mama, I can do 7 pull ups all by myself!

Baba has been great about stocking our home with food, which includes baking ingredients... a shortage since everyone is baking these days.  Chocolate cookie dough is by far your favorite, you enjoy the Ben & Jerry's chocolate chip cookie dough :) 

And this is why you don't want mama to cut your hair.  Today, I learned about the different settings on the clipper

Army Bradley!  Check out the green grass - Spring is here 

We love you so much Bradley, B rad, Berger!! Thanks for being a part of our family and making it so much fun.

Hawaii!!! December 2020

We decided to go on vacation the week after Thanksgiving!  Garage Hawaii was fun but real Hawaii would be way better.  There was an extensive process to get to Hawaii - schedule an appt for a COVID-19 test, get a negative result, load it onto the Hawaii app, have the app approve your results and then you are on your way.  Thanks to baba, we got through all the hurdles successfully.

Here you are ready to go!! Everyone upgraded!

We have arrived. 

First night, no time wasted, right to the lagoon. 

First morning - on the beach with Ant and Wong.

Shaved ice everyday was a must!

You don't really love the hot sun, cabana's are acceptable.

Poor Bradley's butt.  You had a huge rash/hive due to the salt, sun and chlorine.  Good news is we had all the right meds and it went away in one night!!

We had a ton of fun and Hawaii was exactly what we needed in this crazy year.  We went to the beach, pool, Dole Plantation, multiple daily trips for shaved ice, Pillbox hike, Japanese temple, Kualoa Ranch and the KoOlina Kat.  Even though we come here every two years, we are still seeing new sites and loving the traditions.

Here was your wish list:

Pool - check

Beach - check

Swimming - yeah!

Snorkel - done but not much due to the waves

Eat pineapple - yum

Choo Choo train - of course

Hot tub - boo, not open

Shaved ice - like ten times

Rice & noodles - lol yes

Take a walk - and hike and scooter!

I'm so happy you had such a great time :)

Spring -Rona style

Spring 

COVID-19 and Spring Break

Target

First day of homeschool

In the beginning of the year, we learned of a fast spreading virus with no vaccine in China.  The virus (Coronavirus, now COVID-19) has spread quickly to all continents except Antartica.  Many, many people have died from the virus.

In the US, we have taken many, many measures to help flatten the curve.  What this means is we are trying to delay and lessen getting COVID-19 so it will not overwhelm the healthcare system.  We only have so many medical professionals and hospital beds.

What does that mean for us?  Lots of changes.  Mama and Baba have prepared us well - we have plenty of food and necessities.  In addition, Minnesota has stopped schools and moved to virtual learning for March, April and May.  This means you and Beni are at home now.  Also, Mama and Baba are working from home now.  In practicing social distancing, non-essential stores are not open anymore.

We had Megan babysitting but with the new shelter in place, we have taken a pause in both childcare and cleaning from Crystal.

During these times, we are very grateful and appreciative for what we have.  We have a safe home, plenty of fun, wifi, games... we are healthy, we are happy, we are safe.

Spring break certainly has taken a change.  The biggest impact right now is not going to Hawaii due to quarantine.  This is a first world problem.  Other countries are going through curfew, checkpoints, quarantine, lockdowns, etc.  The great news is we have creatively solved for this during the pandemic.

Garage Hawaii!  Garage Hawaii includes a new hot tub, sand pit, tiki lights and our tiki hut.  You and Beni love it.  Garage Hawaii also comes with tropical popsicles and pineapple.