What does it take, as a mother, to turn personal tragedy into an opportunity to change others’ lives for the better?
In early 2013, local mom Katrina Witschen and her husband Matt were thrilled to find out they were expecting identical twin girls. But their joy was soon dampened by the doctors’ discovery that, not only were the girls in danger because they were sharing one amniotic sac, one of their daughters had anencephaly, a serious birth defect that would prevent her from surviving more than a short time outside of the womb. The two girls were delivered at 32 weeks. Valencia, whose name means “healthy and strong,” was born just so and will celebrate her 4th birthday next month. Laurencia, whose name means “victory,” lived for just 15 minutes before passing victoriously into Heaven.
Laurencia’s death, it turns out, was not as much an end as it was a new beginning. In 2014 the Witschen family started a nonprofit called Laurencia’s Victory that honors her life and memory by providing support to orphaned children and adoptive families.
The weekend’s forecast says it’s shaping up to be another hot one! Other than “inside with the A/C running” (haha), where does your family like to go when the summer heats up?
Here are 8 fun ideas for cooling down when temps get high. (I bet the last few will surprise you!)
1. Splash in a fountain
The splash pad is probably my family’s favorite place to cool down when it’s hot out. For one, most of the local splash pads are free, which is my favorite price. 😉 Also, they’re simple and safe for all ages—no worrying about toddlers who can’t swim yet—and it’s easy to keep an eye on all the kids at once. The best local splash pads are in Otsego’s Prairie Park, the recently-opened Delano Splash Pad, and Maple Grove Central Park, but you’ll also find some nice little ones in downtown Buffalo and Elk River. Mom tip: Bring a few buckets or cups to play with and double the fun!
Tiny treasures are popping up all over St. Michael–Albertville, but you have to look down—they could be hiding right under your feet!
It’s being called STMA Rocks, and they are just that—rocks, hand-painted by kids and parents and hidden all around the STMA area. My kids found their first rocks earlier this week hidden on the grounds of the St. Michael library.
The other day some friends and I were talking about warm-weather activities for our kids, when one of them asked, “Am I the only one who’s feeling totally overwhelmed by how many things there are to do this summer?”
She wasn’t. I’ve definitely felt overwhelmed with all the options for entertaining and enriching our kids during the summer, especially as I worked on putting together the summer events calendars. There are a lot of options for activities, and it’s easy to feel like you’re supposed to do it all!
You’ve probably heard of families creating a “Summer Bucket List,” a list of things to do before summer kicks the proverbial bucket and the kids return to school. Maybe your family has even made its own summer bucket list before…
Here’s a list of events for kids and families taking place this week at Eastman Nature Center, which is located within Elm Creek Park of Maple Grove:
Preschool Book Worms Story Hour: “Nature Goes Boom”
Tuesday, July 4Â 10-11 am
Discover nature on your bookshelf with your preschooler. (Ages 2-6) Explore nature-learning stations, a picture book story, hands-on activities and more. End with a short hike, craft, or other activity. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult. Reservations required. Cost: $4/child
Register here