Ringing in the New Year!

Happy New Year!  2021 we are ready for you! 

We had a party of 5 at home, eating yummy cheese and chocolate fondue and sushi!  We played a board game together and watched a movie waiting for the new year to begin.  

And some of us wore party hats!

2020 has been a challenging year.  It hasn't been all bad though.  We have all stayed healthy and covid- free, for which I am so thankful.  Eric received the first round of the vaccine last week, and the rest of us are anxiously awaiting our turn for it.  We have all learned a new appreciation for slowing down and enjoying our home and each other's company.  It's been a year of cooking and grilling at home more often than ever before.  And I have to say, Eric and I have both improved our culinary skills!

It has been a time to learn to be flexible and resilient.  The boys have really showed up for this!  I'm amazed and so very proud of them and how they have adapted with online school, FaceTime piano lessons and wearing a mask without complaint.  I know that they miss seeing their friends in person.  I am so very hopeful that the pandemic will end soon and we will be able to return to the best parts of our old lives.  

 

Ski trip!

In lieu of skiing in Utah this winter, we chose to drive to Michigan to ski at Crystal Mountain Resort.  We left the day after Christmas and spent 4 nights in a lovely ski in/ski out town home on the top of the mountain.  It was so convenient to be able to come and go from our own place, no need to truck the kids and all of the gear to the lifts in the morning!  We would ski into the town home for lunch at our own convenience.  We all skied together the first morning, then Nick and Sam were eager to take off on their own, leaving us in their snow dust!  For dinner we had carry out from the local restaurants at the resort.  We also celebrated a milestone birthday for Eric while we were away!!!  

It was a fun, socially distant trip and a much needed time away together!  

The resort makes a lot of their own snow when Mother Nature doesn't provide enough.  The bonus from the snow making machine is this beautiful snow flocked tree!  

There was night skiing each night we were there, and a full moon!

You can barely see it between our heads.

Ben and I couldn't resist throwing up a pair of Deer Valley antlers, a special nod to our favorite ski resort!  

 

Our town home was quite spacious and included a Christmas tree!  

Ben brought a circuit board to tinker with, it was a Christmas present.

We were all quite impressed with skiing in the midwest and would love to return to Crystal Mountain again someday!  The runs were short, but lots of fun, and it was an easy 6 hour drive from our home.

 

Merry Christmas!

We spent Christmas eve at home this year.  We watched mass online while enjoying our favorite appetizers.  Then had a zoom party and toast with our friends the Basile's, since we couldn't be with them in person this year.  That pandemic continues to wreak havoc on our lives!  

The boys put out milk and cookies for Santa and off they went to bed with visions or sugarplums dancing in their heads!

Then Santa went to work!

Jimmy, our elf came for the final week before Christmas to check in on the boys.  See you next year Jimmy! 

Christmas morning!

Hurry up and take the picture already Mom!!

Merry Christmas to Ruby, too, AND Happy 7th Birthday!

The boys received so many great gifts this year.  Sam was wishing for a baseball net, tee and bat to set up a batting practice area in the garage.  He also got a Packers Jersey and bag.

Nick was all about Legos this year and got a very cool Saturn rocket, an Illinois helmet and Busch Stadium Lego sets.  He also received an Illinois pullover jacket.

Ben asked for a Nerf blaster!  And he also received a remote control motorcycle, a tent, tri pod camping chair and other camping supplies.

The boys all had miniature bicycles in their stockings that will be become new bikes in the spring! 

We enjoyed a delicious prime rib dinner in our pj's later in the afternoon.  

 

It was a different holiday season, we really missed seeing our family and friends.  But we are most thankful to be healthy and to have each other. 

 

December Fun

The month of December was a blur.  We did as many of our holiday traditions as we could, at least the ones that were outdoors! We decorated the house, and cookies.  And enjoyed our first snow fall of the season.

Christmas at the Zoo.

Ben helped to sell Christmas trees with the Boy Scouts.

The lights at Newfields, the art museum.

Ben trialed a new instrument, for a short time we had 2 baritones in our home!  Nick couldn't help but play a few songs, too.  They were pretty cute playing a duet together.

We made hot chocolate bombs.  They were delicious!

The boys are currently on a hybrid schedule for school.  They school from home 3 days a week and are in school 2 days.  Ruby likes when they are all home.  Sam is taking a lunch break and Ruby is enjoying the attention!

Ruby is Nick's study buddy. It's the last day of classes before a 2 week break!

Sprinkles!  The best part of cookie decorating!

We've had a countdown going all month long!

The Children's museum hosted an outdoor party in the sports fields.  We had a fun time playing tennis, racing cars, and walking the track.  We had so much fun that the only picture from the night was of the pretty decorations on the entrance ramp! 

After the fun at the museum, we drove around Monument Circle.  We were there just as the laser light show began, a new addition for this years' display.

And our favorite night of the season, Santa came through our neighborhood on the firetruck!  

Small town living at it's best!

Thankful for a new kitchen!

We began a kitchen remodel in mid August.  It was officially completed at the end of October and we couldn't be more happy with it!  We are still remembering where that random bowl and waffle iron is located now, but loving the new design, larger refrigerator and fresh look, and... the fancy coffee bar!  

We are waiting for new stools, which are expected in mid January. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

We enjoyed a quieter Thanksgiving this year with just the 5 of us.  The pandemic is still happening, hindering any kind of indoor gatherings with our family and friends.  

Eric was working on Thanksgiving day, so we delayed our turkey dinner until Friday.  

I signed us up for the virtual Gravy Chase race.  We participated as a family with a big walk on Thanksgiving afternoon.

I love that these 2 pilgrims join us each year on our table.  They come from my childhood. As long as I can remember these 2 have always been present on Thanksgiving day!  My mom passed them down to me a few years ago.