August 2021

  • Working on the deck railing
  • Bike ride for Rob’s birthday
  • Patio planning
  • Andrew Senior Pictures
  • Andrew Senior Pictures
  • Senior Picture Moms
  • Ian and Andrew
  • Night Swimming
  • Coloring at Elsie’s
  • Mari and Hope
  • Ice Cream
  • Crushed rock for the patio
  • Mini Golf
  • Triathlon
  • Susan and Rob in the pool
  • State Fair
  • Working on the patio
  • Lemonade Stand
  • XC Campout
  • XC Camput
  • Elliot first day of school (9)
  • Mari first day of school (10)
  • Andrew first day of school (12)
  • Lucia and Rose first day of school (3,1)
  • At the bus stop
  • They got on the wrong bus the first day of school, and went to the wrong school
  • Andrew at first XC meet
  • Elliot at first XC meet

July 2021

  • Gray’s Lake
  • Lucia getting her ears pierce
  • Working on the deck
  • Clive Festival
  • Deck Stairs
  • Giant Waterslide
  • Giant Waterslide
  • Our pool is not the right color
  • Garden Vegetables
  • Fireworks at the Anhalt’s
  • Worlds of Fun
  • Froghopper
  • Dance Party
  • Mary, Mari, and Luke went on the giant swing.

Minneapolis Soccer Tournament

This weekend we headed to Minneapolis for a soccer tournament for Mari’s team. We watched a lot of soccer and spent a lot of time hanging out with friends.

Mari must be out there somewhere.
Susan, Lucia, and Rose took a morning off to visit friends: Hope, Sarah, Susan, and Jen.
Saturday was my 40th birthday, so we had a little party in our hotel room.

Happy Birthday Mari!

It was a low-key birthday for Mari this year because there is a lot going on. The Reagens are out of town and soccer is still in full swing as Mari’s team preps for a tournament this weekend.

For dinner we went to P.F. Chang’s. Andrew was working, so he couldn’t make it.
Cake

Mari turned 16 this year and is already driving herself to school and some other school-related places. She gets up around 6:30 and school days and we wake her up around noon on off-days. She likes to play soccer, read, and spend time on her phone. Her favorite app is TikTok. She watches some shows including Grey’s Anatomy and Outer Banks. For Friday night pizza she insists on Papa John’s. I think she goes to bed around 2 when there is not school.

The rest of May

I have been woefully behind on the blog. I decided that to catch up I would just do a few posts that cover entire months. Here comes May. . .

Filling the pool with a sand foundation.
Spreading the sand
Susan, Mary, and Erin
Working on the liner
Working on the liner
Ian was the first one in the pool
Rose, Ian, and Lucia
Hope and Mari reffing
Going away party for our neighbor Vi
Generic pool shot
Lucia playing socer
Lucia’s Soccer Team
Rose’s Soccer Team
Elliot after band concert
Dew Tour
Rob Axe Throwing with Friends
Susan and Rob on anniversary date

Colorado Trip

My uncle Tom, who lives in Colorado Springs, has not been doing well. His mental and physical health have been declining and I had the opportunity to go visit with him for a few days at the end of last week. Susan stayed home on kid duty and I spent my days visiting with Tom, making time for a hike each day.

Susan playing at the creek with the kids.
Lucia chasing after Elliot.
I camped in Colorado. It felt like our RV trip to pull into the campground after dark and have to find my spot.
The view from my office. I worked on Eastern Time, so I had a couple of hours each day to get some work done before heading in to visit with Tom. I was fortunate that the weather was still warm.
My first good view of the mountains.
Uncle Tom, resting
Tom liked to hold hands and one of my primary responsibilities when I was there was to make sure I was available for that.
Meanwhile, life went on at home and Susan had to get all of the kids to their activities. here, Andrew is running in a XC meet , maybe at Southeast Polk.
My first hike in Colorado Springs was to Garden of the Gods. I tried to stay pretty close to town.
Susan also had to get up early with Oreo, who insists on waking us just a little earlier than we would like.
During this time, Mari also submitted her application to work at Coldstone Creamery. With soccer and XC winding down she will have more free time, and she is saving up for a new phone.
Soccer fans.
Red Rock Open Space in the foreground, with Garden of the Gods in the background.
Susan and the kids enjoying a fire.