Shoveling Topless?

Only in Minnesota can one enjoy this activity! Ideal timing is when spring arrives, before winter leaves. A season we fondly nicknamed "Sprinter"!

Other fun "Sprinter" activities include bike riding through slush!

Aaahhh... don't cha just love MN?!

Spring Breaker Passed Out on Beach - Naples, FL 2011

This young spring breaker had too much fun in the sun!

Events leading up to this completely unconscious state of mind include...

Serious Sandcastle Construction

Growing Mermaid and Shark Tails

Hiking across a lagoon

Playing on the beach

Swimming... swimming... and more swimming!

Catching lizards

Spotting Manatee (this big guy was hiding under the dock behind our house)

Feeding Alligators (who knew they liked hotdogs?)

Riding Horses

Mini-Golfing

Airboating in the Everglades!

and finally relaxing at our home away from home!

All in all, a pretty great time!

Breakfast with Santa 2010

Here are some pictures from our 5th annual Breakfast with Santa at Macy's...


This year we had our new cousin Lukas and our dear friends Amelia and Amaya join us! We didn't have any tears this year! Here's a link to our Christmas past: http://schwartzcircus.blogspot.com/2009/12/breakfast-with-santa.html

A "Beary" Nice Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving wasn't quite the same this year with out Dad. Besides missing his company, we felt his absence as our turkey carver, gravy tester and expert pumpkin pie eater. (Not to mention that we could've also used his help when our garbage disposal got jammed with potato peelings!)

We were however, thankful for a visit from our family's newest little Turkey, Lukas! He made his first trip to MN (through one of our famous Thanksgiving Day snow storms I might add) to celebrate the holiday! It was a true blessing to have him here to squeeze!

We got early Christmas presents this year... Mom gave us all memory bears in remembrance of Dad. They are soft, sweet little teddy bears made out of some of Dad's favorite things... his fleece jacket, flannel shirts, hunting vest, fishing T's and loungy pants. The kids were excited to have a new stuffed animal to love and we were teary-eyed with the thoughtful memento!

We worked off our stuffing with a good ole' fashion game of bowling! It was hilarious watching Merek play his first "real" game of bowling. Although he holds the high score on the Ipad version, he was a bit green with the real thing. Thank goodness for the bumpers and bowling alley assistant who could retrieve his stranded balls!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Merek's "Free"!

That is... Merek turned THREE today!

He wanted to celebrate with an "orange airplane birfday party wif sill-wee hats"... so that's what he got!

The birthday menu contained everything ORANGE:

Mac-n-Cheese

Cheetos

Orange Slices

Carrots Sticks

Mandarin Orange Jello Salad

Orange Party Punch

Orange Airplane Birthday Cake

& Orange Sherbet!

Don't look too closely at this pathetic homemade airplane cake... I had envisioned a "Cake Boss" type creation and it ended up looking more like a preschool frosting fight. My regular cake decorator is no longer making cakes as part of her catering business, so I was left to make it on my own. Needless to say I am either going to take a cake decorating class or I find myself a new cake lady!Gifts...Gifts...

and more gifts! Merek's very own airplane!

Fly safe buddy!!!!!!

More Pictures of Little Luke

"Here I am world!"

Test driving the new lungs

Ahhh.... finally sleeping