We've moved....

So...we've upgraded our site...want to check out the new site....

Go to thecarmackfam.wordpress.com

Hope to see you there...but we will NO LONGER be updating this site!!

Lessons, Lessons, Lessons....

So as you can imagine, living in Wisconsin severely limits what we can and can't do outside during the winter months. Basically when you have to constantly worry about the possibility of getting frostbite...it doesn't exactly encourage you to get outside.  It just so happens that we all start to go stir crazy so we are ALWAYS trying to figure out ways to get everyone out of the house and doing something active.  

So...we try to get the girls into some type of lesson....

Here ya go...Addi, Olivya and Charlye all took the next step in swim lessons - they just wrapped up last weekend, they all passed with flying colors!  On to the next step....

Since Addi was born Missy has talked about getting the girls up on ski's as soon as they were ready and old enough to really give it a try without getting too frustrated....we had taken them both a few times when we lived in Brainerd and the ski hill there offered some free ski day's - those always ended with mixed results and usually in some tears and frustration...

After a few months of the girls mentioning that they were ready to give it another try...

Well....the time was now...for Christmas both Addi and Olivya got ski lessons for their 'big gifts' from Mom and Dad...conveniently there is a ski hill 2 minutes from Missy's church - it's a smaller, less busy hill - basically perfect for the first real attempt at skiing.

Now if you know anything about us - I grew up in Texas and had only ever seen skiing on t.v., so this was a total Missy and girl's thing...

Here are some videos of Olivya and Adelyn skiing on their own down - what I think is called the bunny hill.

The Olympics

        Here is a secret....no one really knows this...we LOVE the Olympics...winter or summer...doesn't matter...We love watching the opening ceremonies...all of the events, even the one's that we've never even heard of - hello biathlon...we love it and watch it all.  If the American's win gold or even metal that's a nice bonus, really it's all about the games.  Countries from all over the world - even those tiny one's no one has ever heard of - have an opportunity to come together with the rest of the world for the sake of sport.  Now, Missy and I definitely have our favorite sports to watch - she's super into the skiing events in the winter where as I am really like the team sports - soccer, rugby, water polo etc. 

So...back to our love of the Olympics and watching the opening games...

For the last Olympic opening games in Rio we watched them with who else...the Marshall's - some of our favorite people.  This year we thought...why not...plus we hadn't hung out with them in about a month or so.

So we loaded up the van and headed up to Brainerd to watch the opening ceremonies and to hang out with Sarah, Marc and all the chitlen's...who am I kidding...I was excited  just to see Blake...

So....When we lived in Brainerd Addi fell in love with this Mexican food place - El Tequilla - not because the food is fantastic or the atmosphere is wonderful or even that the service if spot on.  Really....she just loves one certain meal that as far as we can tell is only served there.  Marshmallow's and pancakes - together - for a meal.  

Back story - when ever any of the girls were sick and couldn't go to school, they would come hang out with me at the office for the day and whenever they are hanging with Dad they get to pick where we go eat lunch, it's like a secret thing or something.  Sure enough, every single time she would pick this place, which was fine by me...I secretly love the place too.  

But the last few trips up she has been begging to go eat there - and we have always brushed her off and said next time, next time, next time.  Well...next time finally came - so here we are. 

The rest of our time we just did what we have always done....and let the 8 kids play together and love on each other...sometimes the 8 of them are all just mass chaos and they all want to do the same exact thing at the same exact time.  Then there are other times...where they all play together in perfect harmony and you think to yourself...why can't you guys be like this all the time.

But as always - a perfect, whirlwind of a trip to Brainerd to spend beautiful time with some of our most favorite people.  Plus..we got to watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympic games. 

The Superbowl

The big game...the pigskin showdown....the football event of the year...

This year we decided we were going to watch the game at Pam and Ed's...we almost always have dinner over there every Sunday night anyway and I was going to just be getting home from a retreat...so Pam and Ed's it was....

Now you need to know this about my family and football...I love football...love watching the game, the strategy, trying to figure how one team is going to beat the other.  I love it.

The girls on the other hand have no idea what is going on and don't really have much of an interest in learning.  The super bowl is probably the only game that Missy watches and she is really only there to watch the commercials.  I'm pretty sure she mentioned a few times...I'm only here for the Justin Timberlake concert amongst the numerous times she wondered aloud if it was halftime yet...

 The girls decided to have a picnic while eating all of their fan foods for dinner in front of the TV waiting for the game to start...
















The girls at least tried to pretend to care about the game so I could get an 'action' shot...
















Right about when the game finally got started....the girls were more interested in playing dominoes than watching the game...













So we hung out and watched the game, ate some good food and got to see a pretty good game...at least I did.

What have we been up too...

Well..it's been 3 years or so since are last 'update' post/blog thing....so here is a rundown of what we have been up too....

We moved....We were living up in the Brainerd lakes area and about a year or so ago Missy was given an opportunity to move back 'home' - at least closer to grandparents.  So now we live in New Richmond Wi.  I know, the horror....we live in Wisconsin....

Missy is still a pastor...she works at Peace Lutheran in Dresser Wi - the same church she did her internship with.....

I work at King of King's Lutheran Church in Woodbury Mn....

The real update is with the girls -

Addi is now a first grader at Paperjack in New Richmond and loves life...one of her favorite things to do at home is play school....and she is always the teacher teaching about what she learned about that day at school.

This is Adelyn on the first day of Kindergarten....
















Olivya - also affectionatly known as 'liver' - is now midway through 4K - a state run kindergarten prep program that the state runs....

Liver loves to be helpful...she is always the mediator and peace keeper in the family...




This is Olivya helping shovel the drive...

Charlye - I don't really know where to start with her...I often refer to her as a terrorist...she is headstrong and determined to do what ever she wants...as soon as she wants to.  And we wouldn't change a thing...other than that...she is three and loves life, school and her family!






Charlye decided to go sledding...by herself....the snow is up to her knees if you can't tell....

We're back b*tch's!

That's right...you read that right...no need to hit refresh!  After laying dormant for the past several year's Michael is taking over the blog...so what does this mean?  Well...not a lot...other than Michael will be writing stuff...so...who knows what that means.  We are not going to cover the last three year's events...were just going to use this date a starting point and you can just imagine what we have been up to for the last three years....


 For once we had a Saturday with out much to do...and it was warm outside...something that really has not happend since late August...so we have been taking advantage!

    

So....we had the snow fall of the year today and at first Charlye was begging to go play out in the snow...so we got her bundled up, sent her out.....

 She decided that she was gonna shovel the driveway....but the snow was up to her knees...so she just gave up and started eating the snow....

   

 At some point she decided she wanted to sled down the hill...really she was just ridding the struggle bus most of the day....

 So our snowblower broke a few weeks ago and it takes week's to get those things serviced in the winter...and we thought we had better shovel the drive before it got to be too deep....before we really got started on the drive Missy thought the leaf blower might work well to clear the snow...but it was a fail....

 Here are some pictures of the girls attempting to help clear the drive way....hey A for effort I suppose...

 

So there you have it...a small glimpse into our weekend...keep checking back when we do cool stuff I will post shit...

April 2014: Spring Fun

Man, I'm just lovin' this spring weather! Here's a few things that we've gotten to do since spring has sprung (other than be outside, which we do as much as possible!)

 

We got to have a play day with our friend Norah...(that would be Katie's daughter) and we got to see their new house too!

 

 

We've already gotten in lots of swinging and park playing this year...

 

And we had a special surprise from Gramma (my mom)...she took us to see Frozen on Ice!! The girls LOVED it! What a special outing!!

 

I'm thinking we are off to a great start this spring. Looking forward to making more memories:)