Our Aweful Beautiful Life

 Almost two years ago, exactly, our world drastically changed. Everyone holed up at home, scared to enter the world and catch Covid 19/Corona Virus. (Except Jason, once he got to feeling better from most likely having Covid before it was a known thing, he just went to work everyday like nothing had changed). The world basically shut down  -- special hours, curbside pick up encouraged, no dining room service only drive through or carryout. If someone coughed or sneezed anywhere near you, you were instantly suspicious. Our parents lived on complete edge and worry, taking in every ounce of information the news was constantly throwing in their faces. It was a time of great uncertainty, lots of information being thrown at us from trusted news sources, social media, and hearsay from those in the medical profession.  We spent March to May just trying to figure out our new life. No baseball. No softball. Lots of time with our animals. Lots of crafts. School from home. Porch drop ...

 Sometimes, this kid just spouts things off that leave us totally cracking up. A few include: 1.) "It's 7:15am. No, 7:16. I'm the KAREN of the timeclock. Get up big kids, you're going to school" 2.) Playing tractors and chilling singing "I'm still standing even after all this time".... 3.) Getting checked by the doc for bronchitis, Doc is asking questions "Does your chest hurt? How do your ears feel? Does your throat hurt? When was the last time you smoked?" HA Keaton's face was PRICELESS.

April is always the month that makes us think spring is FINALLY here, because it's starting to warm up, suns starting to shine more, except when we finally get to the baseball/softball fields, it's just as cold as it was in February. Thankfully, Emmalyn had an indoor sport to carry us through the cold of the month, until baseball/softball really got kicked off! Emmalyn tried something new this year and participated in CiVic vollebyall. This is a club program out of Carroll County, and she practiced every Sunday from January through April. Finally in late April she had three play dates. One Saturday we played up at Fairmount, IN. Grandma Jacki, Keaton and I went with Emmalyn, while Dad, Grandpa and Colton cut down some trees in preparation for our spring projects. Emmalyn and Mae Ella did a wonderful job for their team, both rocked their serving and seemed to know the game and keep their cool better than some on the team. The second weekend Dad, Em & Mom traveled to Triton H...

 We got a great snow toward the end of January, enough to finally go out and play in. AND PLAY WE DID. It started with a stuck ranger, carried on with lots of screaming and giggles and excitement and ended with feeding the cows in the snow. Pics loaded in opposite order, but you get it. Aunt Jess, Mer, Madi & Uncle Jacob, Aunt Makayla, Clayton & Reagan - we had a great day! So much fun putting that lake innertube we won to good use on the snow covered fields of E Robinson Ct! 

 We put a bow on January by watching our oldest turn 13. Our first teenager. HOW WEIRD. What feels like three blinks ago he was a pudgy little dude walking around, pumping his fist saying "Bowler Up" or putting on his denim overalls to go ride in the buddy seat. Now he's driving those machines, playing the game of basketball and just making us blink our eyes in disbelief at every turn. We aren't sure where the years have gone, but it's been so fun watching this kid grow and develop his passions. Hands down, his passion are his show calves. Colton, you've been such a student to this trade. It's been fun as a parent watching you ask questions, soak it all in, and then practice what you've been taught. Each year you've done better and better with your project - and I've told you -nothing makes me more proud than watching you go into the show ring with dirty hands from fitting your own animals. You still love sports - football, basketball & bas...

 We kicked off show season with this set of calves in mid-January at the Central Indiana Winter Spectacular, a first time show down in Cloverdale, Indiana. I'm not sure what was more fun - being with our kids and friends at a cattle show, or listening to our kids meddle over the thought of staying in a Motel 6.  (Backstory on this one -- when I worked at Purdue/in the Conference division, I held a few conference at The Hyatt in downtown Indianapolis. When I had events there, I'd earn points. We then would use those points for free night stays....I think I had maybe 15 or so over the years. So, the only hotel my kids know, is a Hyatt, because unbeknownst to them, it was FREE.....which is the ONLY reason we stayed in such a nice place with young kids. So, imagine their dismay when the Motel 6 in Cloverdale didn't have an Eagles Nest rotating up top, or an indoor pool and hot tub/workout area. We have officially raised hotel snobs.....because when we finally took them to the k...