Ronnie Turns 5!!!

I cannot believe our baby boy turned 5... We started the day in Duluth. The pool at the hotel opened at 8:00 am - and we were there by 8:05! Maama and Ronnie played in the pool squirting each other with squirt guns and the double barrelled super soaker for 1 1/2 hours! I had to tell them twice it was time to go - not sure who was having more fun!

After we got dressed, we went to the video game room at the hotel and Ronnie played a few games. Then, we headed out to a Swedish restaurant where we met Beth and members of her family for brunch. It was DELICIOUS! And, the restaurant staff sang a birthday song to Ronnie in Swedish. It was pretty cool.

We left around noon and headed home. Wayne, Sue, Nick and Anders were in the Cities after a week at the cabin. They came over for dinner with Kiki and we had a barbecue and birthday brownie.

On Sunday, we held Ronnie's birthday party at the Nickelodeon Adventures Park in the Mall of America. Ronnie was told he could invite 7 of his close friends to his Bakugan themed party - and he invited Aidan, Mickolas, Adam, Owen, Spencer, Jojo and Morris. The boys met us at the food court and we ate lunch, opened presents, and had a DQ ice cream cake. Once that was done - we headed downstairs and went on rides. We hit the Sideswipers, Diego's Magic Bus, carousel, Pepsi Orange Streak (roller coaster) and Wonderpets ride. The kids had a GREAT time.

Several of the parents joined us - so it was easy to keep track of the kids. I also bought them each a red Bakugan shirt so that they would match and be easy to see/find.

At the end of the party, we stopped at Leggoland. Most of the parents took the kids home at that point. Ronnie shopped, and spent his birthday money on some Toy Story Leggos and some Star Wars Leggo guys.

Maama, Ronnie and I harassed Doug until he agreed to go on the Rock Bottom roller coaster - this horrible thing that takes you straight up and straight down in a small car... he did it - and loved it. Maama, Ronnie and I also went on the log ride - which Ronnie DID NOT like. Not sure how old he will be before I am able to get him on that ride again.

It was a great day - and we were all exhausted when we got home. Ronnie had fun - which is what mattered most. I just can't believe he is already 5. He sure is a special guy. We love him dearly!!!


Playing a game at the hotel.


Ronnie and Maama outside of the hotel in Duluth.


Ronnie and McKinley at brunch (which Ronnie kept calling "broom")

Lindsey and Ronnie. She is helping him open his birthday card.

Beth, Lindsey, Brian and Christie bought Ronnie this cool plate for his birthday. You can arrange the food so that it makes a hat, hair, eyebrows, a beard a mustache, etc. It's pretty cool!! We've used it a bunch of times already.

Ronnie is officially 5 - it's 7:18 pm on August 7th.

Ronnie with his birthday brownie - the Jersey Dahlbergs, Maama, Kiki, Doug and Lauri all sang to him - which he loved!

Anders wrestling with Ronnie.

Nick playing Leggos with Ronnie.

The birthday party - eating lunch. From left around the table - Jojo, Aidan, Owen, Adam, Mickolas, Ronnie and Morris. Spencer is there behind Owen.

The Bakugan Crew! They are all wearing Dan masks.

The birthday crew... Spencer, Jojo, Adam, Owen, Morris, Ronnie, Mickolas and Aidan. They are all GREAT kids.

Maama and Ronnie with his Bakugan DQ ice cream cake. YUM!

The boys posing with Sponge Bob Squarepants.

Ronnie and Adam ride on the Sideswiper.

All of the boys went on Diego's Magic Bus by themselves!

Ronnie wanted to ride on the dragon - since he was the birthday boy - he got his wish!

Lauri and Ronnie on the Pepsi Orange Streak roller coaster. Ronnie loved it!

Ronnie and Spencer on the Wonderpets ride.

Owen, Morris, Mickolas and Aidan get ready to ride the Wonderpets ride.

Doug caught a picture of us coming down the log ride. Lauri and Ronnie screamed on this one, and Ronnie got off the ride saying "I seriously do NOT like that ride. I am never going on that again." It was hard not to laugh, because he was using animated hand gestures to get his point across.

The Rock Bottom roller coaster that Doug was harassed in to going on.

Doug liked the ride!

The day ended at Leggoland with Toy Story Leggos, Star Wars guys and a sword (of course). What a great way to end the day!

The Bird / DeLuca Wedding

Lauri's friend Beth's son, Brian, and his bride-to-be asked Ronnie to be the ring bearer in their wedding. Initially, Ronnie said, "Um, no, I don't think so" - which caught us all off-guard. Once we talked with him about it - and bribed him with a double-barrelled super soaker - he said "Okay - I will do it!" We are glad he did - because the wedding was fabulous, and it was extra special for Ronnie to be a part of it.

The wedding was held in Duluth on the beach down Canal Street. The weather was FABULOUS that day and evening, and everything went off without a hitch. Lauri, Ronnie and Maama drove up on Friday morning, which gave Ronnie a little time to swim in the pool at the hotel before the festivities began.


What a handsome guy!!!


Maama and Ronnie


The groom, Brian and Ronnie

What a good looking wedding party!!!

Beth and her babies... Brian and Lindsey

The photographer told Beth to give Brian a kiss - and when she did he said "awww mom!" It was priceless!

Lindsey and a groomsman. She looked GORGEOUS!

Ronnie and the groomsmen wait to walk down the aisle.

The beautiful, blushing bride - Christie!!! She looked FABULOUS!

The Birds!!! A happy couple.

The flower girl is Christie's neice... she was so cute. She immediately wanted to be friends with Ronnie - but he acted shy and avoided her. Eventually, he warmed up and they did a GREAT job. Luckily, she knew what she was doing, and drug Ronnie by the arm down the aisle. They were way too cute!!

Beth and Lauri

Ronnie definitely earned his double barrelled super soaker! He wore the tux, smiled for the pictures, walked down the aisle and acted like a good boy while he was up in front. Way to go Ronnie!!!!

Christie and Brian cut the cake.

Jessica, Beth and Lauri

After the wedding reception, Beth's side of the family - and all of the groomsmen - went to Grandma's (a bar and restaurant on Canal Street) to celebrate. We had a GREAT time! This is a picture of Lindsey, Beth, Coop (Beth's sister-in-law, Beth Cooper Eide) and Lauri just before we closed the place down and walked across the street to our hotel. Just as we were getting to the front door of the hotel, Maama called Lauri to make sure she was okay - I guess you are never too old for your mom to worry about you being out on the town. :)

Ronnie and Aidan's Sleep-Over

Ronnie's best friend Aidan spent the night with us recently. The boys were so excited for the "sleep-over" that they counted the days down.





We went to Ruby Tuesday's for dinner - and Aidan ordered a steak off of the children's menu. I wondered how good a $4.99 steak could be - and was relieved when it arrived and was a hamburger pattie... :)





Ronnie and Aidan were out cold after about 15 minutes of giggling and whispering. They slept in their sleeping bags on the floor of the play room.



In the morning, they helped with breakfast by making some juice.

The boys had a bunch of the toys in the living room and were combining the Bat Man Cave and the Space Station to make one big action, super hero adventure.

Father's Day

We spent Father's Day up at the cabin - and had great weather! On Father's Day, we took a boat ride over to Zorba's and ate out on the deck. We then stopped in the middle of the lake and jumped in. We had a gret time!


Ronnie and his Daddy!


Getting ready to go in to the water... it's cold!!!


Ronnie getting a ride from Daddy.

Camp 'n Canoe 2010!!!

This is the second year that we were invited to the Eide/Heuser Family Camp-n-Canoe. This is an annual event held in July each year in Decorah, IA. Beth Bird, one of Lauri's best friends, is an Eide - and after a family vote, we were invited to attend. Thank gosh for that - because Camp-n-Canoe is one of the best weekends of the summer for the Shakopee Dahlbergs!

Greg Eide and his family live in Decorah - so they stake out our camp spots at the local campground. Family from all over the midwest (and sometimes Montana or out of the country) come for the 3 day camping extravaganza. This year, we had 20+ tents set up. As usual, Randy Heuser was the executive chef, and cooked FABULOUS meals in Dutch Ovens. We had chilli chicken one night for dinner and lasagne the next; we had egg bake and scrambled eggs in bags for breakfast; and, we had fresh cobbler for dessert. The food was heavenly!

Family and friends began arriving on Friday - Saturday was the big canoe day - and Sunday was set aside to celebrate the pending nuptials for Beth's son Bryan and his bride Christie. The girls had a bridal shower at a nearby fancy restaurant; and the boys watched the Twins game at a sports bar across the street.

This year, the canoe trip was extra fun for Lauri, as she decided to declare a water war with some other folks who were canoeing down the river. They cleaned her clock (she actually lost a contact in the "Bridge Battle") - but not before Ronnie was able to yell out - "don't you super soak my mama!" We will get them next year! Another highlight was a fun girl's trip to Wallmart - but you had to be there to understand the humor in the trip (right, Judy, Coop and Beth?)

Anyway - it was a ton of fun - and we can't wait for next year - hopefully, we are invited back!


The entire Camp-n-Canoe Crew!


The finalists for the "Whiter than White" Contest


The Kids of Camp-n-Canoe - they were so great with the younger kids like Ronnie!

Our Executive Chef - Randy. LOVE his cooking!

Beth taking care of the nuts on our inflatable palm tree...

Ronnie and McKinley enjoying the fire.

What a cute little camper in his cute little camper chair!

The Heuser Boys keep Ronnie company while he waits for Paige... he kept asking "where is Paige"... she was sleeping. Then, when she came out of her tent, Ronnie elbowed the boys and told them "hey guys! here comes Paige!" I think he might have a crush!!!

Ronnie and Paige - the boy has good taste!