Guess Who The Tooth Fairy Visited?

The Tooth Fairy has been extra busy with Team Utzig lately. Summer lost her second tooth (first one's new tooth is half in already) and she wanted everybody to see her new look. In her Kindergarten Class they have a "Tooth Chart." This gives a tally of all the teeth the kids have lost so far this school year. Summer was excited to join the ranks of the "toothless." Her 2 teeth made the tally go to #37 & #38! That's a lot of teeth and makes for an exhausted Tooth Fairy! Sam's been losing teeth left and right (literally) yet isn't as excited about the whole deal as his sister is. It could be an interesting summer for eating corn on the cobb at our house this year! Enjoy her new grin!

Nothing Runs Like A Deere...Except Perhaps Summer

With the start of Spring, comes soccer season in Sioux Falls. To know Summer is to know that she LOVES to RUN. It is one of her favorite things to do. Saturday was Summer's first soccer game. She plays in an all girls league. The teams have candy names, her team is the Hot Tamales, how cute is that? The Hot Tamales played against the Kit Kats and won! The final score was 12-7, Summer made 8 of her team's goals! She had alot of fun, as did Team Utzig as we watched. To say Sum enjoyed herself would be an understatement, she wishes she was still out on the field. Move over Mia Hamm, here comes Summer Utzig!

Omaha H2O

For Team Utzig's Winter getaway we headed South...to Omaha, NE. Okay, so it isn't a Florida beach, yet we were surrounded by warm water. We traveled to Omaha on Friday Morning and didn't return until Monday. We enjoyed the the hotel water park a TON! Mom enjoyed not having to cook or clean up meals. Dad turned into a big kid enjoying the tall enclosed tube waterslide...(Okay, I liked it alot too!!) The kids seemed to like everything!

One night as we were in our downtown hotel, we noticed Summer standing on the ledge by the window and waving. Mark went to look at what she was waving at...turned out it was about 15 college kids (mostly guys) that were outside the sports bar & grill on the hotel's bottom floor. They were enjoying their adult beverages in the 60 degree weather smiling and waving at Summer. Yep, that's our daughter. Pray...for...us....

Here are a few photos for a peek of our H2O fun. Thanks for checking in!

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

Okay, so I will admit, I am not a big Hillary Clinton fan. My Southern, Democrat, Reese Witherspoon look-a-like, former Miss Nebraska, marathon-running, Arkansas native, neighbor, Myra Katherine (M.K.) is. A few years back Mrs. Clinton wrote a book with the title "It Takes a Village...to Raise a Child."

M.K. would refer to Team Utzig, and others close in their children's lives, as her "Village." Perhaps it was pride or stubborness that I didn't want to agree with Mrs. Clinton, yet, I must admit that I am 100% behind this idea now.

Gone are the days where grandpa's and grandma's are down the street, along with uncles & aunts, to help raise children. With families living in different parts of cities, regions, states, and even countries, "others" besides relatives have increasing importance in our lives and the lives of our kids.

This past Tuesday was a sad day for Team Utzig as we had to say goodbye to a big part of our "Village." My size zero, Southern dynamo "Miss Myra" and her gang moved to Fremont, NE. These "Villagers" were very dear to us. We could completely trust them with our children, they treated them like our own. When the kids were with them we knew they were well taken care of, not hearing bad language, not watching junk. The "Fritz Four" were safe...and loved.

I will greatly miss Coulter, age 5, Summer's twin. Many times if Coulter was with us out to eat, at the library or park, people would smile and ask me if they were twins. Yes they are, just have different parents. I will miss watching Coulter and Summer on the trampoline, riding bikes, and playing soccer in the backyard. I will miss Emma Claire, age 2. I will miss her walking in our house and saying "Miss Mary I'm HERE!!" I will miss her wanting me to paint her fingernails and toes. I will miss this blonde angel climbing on my barstools keeping me company while I was in the kitchen; and asking for "Fruit chews, please."

Before we moved to SF I asked God to please lead us to the right house with neighbors we could connect with. God was faithful! It was hard to say goodbye. It is hard to look at their dark, un-lived-in house across the street. Yet, I will cherish that friendship, the place in each other's "Villages" we had, and pray God's blessings on them in this transition.

We may no longer hear on a daily basis "Hi Miss Mary" or "Look at me, Mr. Mark" or "Can Summer come over and play?" but you can be sure those sweet voices will ring in our minds and hearts for many years to come. Thank you Fritz Four for being in our Village the past 5 years. As we all said, it is not "goodbye" just "see you later!" Never miss an opportunity to be a part of a "Village," you will be greatly blessed...Team Utzig sure was!

Star of the Week

Team Utzig had a mini-celebrity in their midst this past week. Summer was the "Star of the Week" in her Kindergarten section. This meant she was the line leader, she got to take 10 photos of herself to school and tell the other kids about them, we could join her in her classroom and take a "quiz" on her, brought one of her favorite books to read to the class, (Sum picked big brother Sam to read it - he even held it like a teacher - we never told him how!) watch her and her class work in the computer lab, and eat lunch with her. It was FUN!!

The class of 22 Kindergateners was very well behaved, had great listening skills, and seemed excited to see and learn about Summer's family. When the festivities were done, I went to thank her teacher, Mrs. Preheim, on what a great job she is doing. She said "Dare I say this has been my favorite class yet. They are a great bunch of kids and Summer is such a sweetheart." Those words warmed our hearts and made us feel proud of Sum, her classmates, and thankful to be part of the SFC family. They're all Stars!!

Steven Curtis Chapman Cinderella Music Video and story

Beware: hang on to your hankies if you click "play" and watch this video. When I heard this song on the radio; pictures of Summer prancing around the house without a care in the world, came to my mind. As the song shows the girl growing up through the years, it reminds me to not take the time with our "Cinderella" or "Tinkerbell" as we call her (we think she looks like Tink and Sum loves Tinkerbell) for granted. Time slips too quickly away. She might be prancing from room to room today, but the tomorrows are filled with school dances, prom, and her wedding day. We love you Tink! Dad or Mom would be happy to be your dance partner anytime!

CABIN FEVER!

This is what happens to Team Utzig when living on the frozen tundra keeps you inside to long. Add music, a 70's wig from Halloween a few years back, and there you have it...craziness! Let's hope, for our own sanity, that Spring isn't to far away!