The Hannig Home

Dear Ben, the other day you said to me (with a sad face), "I don't know if I can be a pirate anymore."  I said, "Why not?" And you replied, "It's just such hard work."  It was really sweet.  You are "in character" as a pirate at all times, and it is hard for you to go to teeball or take your long pirate pants off to wear shorts (even on the hottest days) because you are a pirate.  I told you that you could be a pirate AND a baseball player AND other things but I could see that you weren't sure my idea would work. :)  I love your imagination, your creativity, your passion, and your commitment (to piracy or whatever else you decide to be or do). love mom Bedtime story High school state track meet McDonalds, on way to Gopher game Gopher regional baseball playoff game Gopher Regional Playoff game

Meredith went to her friend Finley's house during Luke's birthday party a few weeks ago.  They have a pontoon and recently bought an "Easy Ski" for their kids to start skiing with.  Meredith, not with parents, out on a pontoon in the middle of a lake she's never been on, just 4 years old, decides to try it, no problem.  My friend, Andrea, Finley's mom, said she could start by sitting down or sit down at any point while trying it, but Little Miss Adventure stood the entire time.  Check her out!  Andrea sent a picture and said "Look out Little Crow Ski Team, here comes Meredith Hannig!" She also did some tubing with Finley and Ben's buddies, Jensen and Lukas.  I love her spirit of adventure.

Heather was here this past week and reminded me of a story I told her about the kids this past winter.  I had sent her the story in a text message and she found the old text and sent it back.  So here it is! The middle of the cold, dark winter, 2018: Last night, Luke couldn’t find his backpack and Ben couldn’t find his lunch bag.  They thought they left them in the van and I told them they had to go out and find their bags or they would just have to take hot lunch tomorrow (this is like a death sentence for Luke, and sometimes for Ben, too, depending on the lunch menu).  Ben immediately puts on his winter gear and heads out into the pitch black, cold night. He gets about five steps, turns around and comes back in, saying he’s too scared.  Luke negotiates hard for 10 minutes for me to go out to the van for him, but I won’t budge. So he runs out to the van in a T-shirt, takes one quick look, turns around and runs back in and says that there was nothing out there.  So then, Little Mis

Another school year, done.  Just like that.  We welcome the summer days, though, and have already been swimming for almost a month, entertaining at the pool, helping (if you can call it helping) Grandpa and Grandma Dold build a tree house, playing baseball, running/biking along the lake, tubing and kayaking with friends, and cheering on Eli Wilson and the Golden Gopher baseball team who is currently one of 16 teams left in the nation, hoping for a College World Series berth.  Here are some pictures to capture the moments! June 1, 2018 Last day of 1st and 3rd grades Summer evening at Oneils!                            

    Meredith finished up her first year of preschool at Praise and Play on May 24th.  She is going back for another year next year.  She loved her teacher, Miss Patsy, and made so many new friends.  She is so brave and adventurous, adding full days almost right away, taking school lunch, and embracing rest time despite the fact that she doesn't ever nap.  :)  Many days I would arrive to pick her up and she would shoo me away to get the boys at the elementary school first, then come back to pick her up, because she was too busy having fun to be ready to leave.  We love seeing this little girl grow up, while at the same time we are sad to see her grow up.  But, as Paul would say, "take comfort in the fact that you don't have a choice" - we know we cannot stop time, we do not have that option or choice, so we embrace all the special little moments that we have with Meredith along with way.