I just wanted to leave this here: we are the champions.

Sure, our first opponent ended up forfeiting the game since they showed up late, and yes the second game was a close call, but we dominated the final (championship) game. And that’s how we ended the season: in first place.

But I’m not here to brag or anything. Because not every team can have an almost-undefeated season. Mel-Min just happened to have the talent to claim “winner, winner chicken dinner.” But just because our team is better than yours, I would never rub it in your face. So, besides being practically unbeatable and crowned the best team in the Coulee Region, I have chosen to remain humble… while I perform the Griddy dance all the way out of the gymnasium.

Before leaving Florida to return to the not-sunshine state of Wisconsin, which has no palm trees or cruise ships, we maximized our remaining time with family by touring the Kennedy Space Center, hiking the nature preserves, participating in escape room challenges, visiting science and art museums, and eating Gainesville’s best pizza and vegan ice cream.

Clearly, this trip will go down in history as my favorite adventure yet!

But also recorded in the books, unfortunately, is my student status as truant.

Of course, my rule-following soul was initially stressed about that scary attendance notification mailed to our house on official school district letterhead and the mandatory principal meeting that followed, but in the end, the crime was totally worth the time because family is everything, and, now that I’ve successfully completed my maiden voyage on a cruise ship, no school policy is gonna hold me back from living my best life.

The only reason I allowed the wedding night to conclude was because I knew we would get to crash the honeymoon the next morning…. ON A CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP!

In honor of the newlyweds, we set sail with 21 friends and family members to continue the celebration across 6 more days, in the middle of the ocean, with stops in the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos.

There are no words to describe such an adventure… I could tell you about the bottomless kiddie cocktails, the late night pizza, the all-you-can-eat buffets, and the self-serve ice cream stations, but it’s not the same as having your taste buds actually tingle. Or I could try to explain that morning when we found towel animals in every corner of the ship and that afternoon when we witnessed an angelfish carved from a block of ice, but to be truly wowed, you had to see it in person. And, I suppose there’s also no point in listing off all my favorite floating amenities like the hot tubs, waterslides, miniature golf course, and the basketball court, because that would sound a little bit like bragging. Plus, no one would believe that we had our own personal magician who removed dad’s Apple watch right in front of our eyes and gave me the strength to bend coins.

As it turns out, some experiences are simply beyond words, and can only attempt to be told through 117 pictures:

In January, we headed to the Sunshine state, and we didn’t return until February!

But it wasn’t all fun and games at first, because we had lots of work to do, in preparation for the big event.

Well, some of us worked hard, heat pressing t-shirts for the wedding party, designing wedding favors for esteemed guests, dog sitting furry companions, keeping the streets of Gainesville safe, filling candy vending machines, and keeping the bride and groom caffeinated, while dad just took joyrides on the John Deere tractor. But still, it was a team effort. And eventually, after all the blood, sweat, tears, and child labor, it was finally time to experience what we flew across the country for and had been anticipating since Covid ruined the original 2020 plans: the CandE Factory wedding extravaganza!

And Chelsee and Ernest did not disappoint. It was like a circus meets county fair meets community event meets wedding nuptials meets every-kids-dream-come-true. Between the stilt walker, trapeze artists, hot chocolate bar, snow cone food truck, fake snow storm, magician, game show, hypnotist, caricature artist, calypso band, face painting, and so much more, we had the time of our lives!

Then, long after the sun set and all attendees were drunk from fun, the wedding party clumsily executed our flash mob assignment, and mom pronounced the happy (exhausted) couple officially plunged around 10 p.m.

It was magical. It was exhilarating. It was epic.

They were not lying when they said sh*t was about to go down. (View the video highlight reel below.) And not only do my sister and I have a new uncle to show for it, we also now have high, unrealistic expectations for all future weddings we attend.

Congrats C & E!