Friday, December 31, 2021

for much we are thankful

If there is one thing I want to take from this pandemic it is to not take anything for granted.  Not a single game, a church service, not finding everything I need at the store, not moving freely about my day, not dinner and a movie, a day of school, coffee with a friend, the health and safety of those I love, and not a moment spent with extended family.














Reggie's football highlights

Many programs in our area start doing tackle football as early as third grade.  Reggie has been waiting and waiting for us to allow him to play, and we have been waiting and waiting for him to develop some "self-preservation" skills.  Well I guess you could say we got tired of waiting!  Bryan started playing tackle in sixth grade, and so we decided that was well enough.


Reggie played for our city league because it wasn't offered at the middle school.  He landed on the 7th and 8th grade team.  The director and coach was our kids' t-ball coach, lives in our neighborhood, and has a son in Lydia's grade.😉  Bryan ended up being the assistant coach.  He promises this is the last time!


The highlight of the season was definitely stumbling into the opportunity to play at US Bank Stadium.  It turned out to be their only win of the season!  


I was kinda hoping Reggie would decide he hated football, but that didn't happen.  It is not my favorite sport to watch him play, but maybe it will grow on me.  This year, he played both offensive and defensive positions.  I definitely prefer watching him do the hitting!

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Brett's football highlights

After a relatively normal softball season, we had high hopes Special Olympics flag football would follow suit.  Brett had a few practices before our state case numbers reached a level that Special Olympics MN shut down contact sports.  Instead, it held a Pass, Punt, Kick event for the second year in a row.  


On a positive note, Brett earned back-to-back gold medals in this event!







Wednesday, December 29, 2021

the post with fall pictures

I usually call this post something like "fall fun", "fabulous fall", or "fall favorites".  This year I'm skipping the alliteration and getting right to the point.  





Oh, wait! We have an extra kid!  We love having my nephew, Taylor, attending college in the Cities. 






This was our Halloween trick-or-treating do-over year.  Last year we didn't go, and the year before Lydia had a migraine.  Brett LOVES Halloween.  He decided he wanted to be the Timberwolves' mascot, Crunch.  Reggie and Lydia didn't really care, so they went along with it.  Lydia was the Lynx mascot, Prowl, and Reggie was Bango the Buck's mascot.  We went to a trunk-or-treat event and decorated our trunk with the basketball theme.




It was nice to meet up with their neighborhood friends who now attend different schools and we let them go on their own.
Bryan and I and our friend, Bonnie, had a fire and passed out candy.


Hannah's wedding

My niece got married this fall.  Her shower in September was held at one of those paint a piece of pottery places.  It was fun!





The wedding and reception were held at a venue.  This was the first time we have been to a wedding where you sit at your table for the ceremony and meal. It was great to see the country cousins and some of our extended family that we haven't seen in a long time!

A hug from dad...
Bride and groom's grand entrance
Maid of Honor (sister) giving her speech
Cousins/besties

Cousins with babies!
First dance
Xavier with "PeePaw"
Father/daughter dance
Bryan and Brett watching the Brewers game
My brother photo-bombing my parents
Let's dance!
Mother of the bride
My parents outlasted the "who's been married the longest" contest!
50 years!
I got to sit next to my Aunt Mary!