Weekend Wrap-UP

 Friday night Kase went to a birthday party for a basketball teammate.  They had a great time at the card shop!

Then half of them hustled off to baseball practice and a super fun scrimmage that the parents got to go watch. Made me really excited for baseball season! Meanwhile Kylee was out for dinner with her boyfriend.

Saturday Kase had a couple basketball games and the team went 2-0!

His friends' team was also playing so he got to watch them.  Love seeing him support his buddies.

Kylee had a long run, lunch plans with a friend then went shopping with some girls to buy a gift for and visit another friend who recently had surgery. 

My parents and I went to watch Kael's indoor meet at Grinnell. So, SO good to see him and he just looked so happy. 

He threw pretty well too! He didn't throw weight or shot in high school so this is all new to him and I love seeing him try new things and have fun doing it.

His girlfriend Emma came to watch too so it was great to see her. Such a sweetheart.

Love this buddy.

Kael and his roommate Logan, who also is a thrower.

When we took this picture I said, "Kael with two of your favorite girls!" He replied, "Well, and Kylee too". So sweet.

Kase got a much needed haircut now that the goose egg on his forehead has healed. He went to the Jag basketball game with friends then later spent the night at a friend's house.  Kent and I went out for a little date night. 

Sunday Kase had another game and we didn't look good at all.  Oof. Kylee had a meeting at church. Kent and I went for a walk, did a few things around the house, watched football. Later Kase played at a friends house, Garrett came over to hang out with Kylee.  Pretty low key day and night!

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for a sisters night on Tuesday.  Always good to catch up and loved seeing my niece and nephew too.

I'm thankful for weeknight walks at Trail Point with Kent.

I'm thankful the weather has been warmer and there have been no snow days this week!

I'm thankful to have time to cross some things off my to do list lately.  January days feel long but I'm trying to make the most of it and accomplish some things that I never seem to make time to get to.  So satisfying to cross something off my list that has been there for ages. 

Happy Thursday!

Weekend Wrap-Up

Friday I met my mom and my aunt Connie for lunch and SO enjoyed catching up with them. They're the best.  Don't get to see my aunt and her family nearly enough! She brought us some goodies from the bakery too-she's the best. 

Kael also got to go to the University of Nebraska for a meet on Friday- Kent was able to find a live stream of the event so we got to see him a little bit.  So, so proud of Kael! 

Last week I also had a ladies night with my Crew mom friends- we had dinner out then played trivia and did pretty well!

Saturday Kase had basketball- the boys went 2-1 including a great comeback in the last game! The real highlight though was all the family and friends who came out to watch him during the day.  My nephews were playing at the same place so my whole family was there, plus Keith and Cindy came, one of Kent's brothers and his family came and four of Kase's best buddies and their moms came to watch! Kylee even drove up after her long run which was so sweet of her considering she had done 65 (!!!) laps at Trail Point! She also had a lunch meeting for her Junkyard internship. 

I should have gotten a photo of his whole cheering squad but these two have such a special cousin friendship so I was glad I at least got one of the two of them!

That night Kent had some Crew dads over for a poker/playoff football/fight night party. He loved being able to use all his TVs downstairs! Kase went to a friend's house and Kylee and I went to the new pizza place in town- it was great!

Sunday we celebrated the January birthdays at Kevin and Kaity's.  Always so great to see the family.  Kids are all growing up so fast. Then Kylee had a meeting with her mentor for The Walk and later went to paint pottery with one of her best friends.  Kent took Kase to a snowboarding lesson! Kase has been so excited lately about all the "extreme" sports- snowboarding, dirt biking, etc. And he's going snowboarding in a couple weeks with the church youth group so Kent took him to get some practice. 

Again, I didn't take nearly enough photos but was glad to capture one of these cuties making friendship bracelets together. 

Kase LOVED his snowboarding lesson.  I think we've found a new hobby for this guy!

We spent the rest of the evening home watching football and getting ready for the kids' first full week of school in what feels like forever! 

Thankful Thursday

 I'm thankful for an impromptu date night on Monday. Kase was staying at a friend's so we decided to go out to our favorite spot!

I'm thankful Kase and his friends had a blast working out at Trail Point on their day off school. They played pickleball, lifted, and ran.  Buuuut I'm more thankful that Kase is ok after crashing into his best buddy during a football game and getting a GIANT goose egg on his head.  Man I thought we had outgrown the phase of Kase smashing his head into things.

I'm thankful for the sweetest question from Kase last night, "Mom, when I'm grown up, will you save all your recipes and give them to me so I can cook them for my family when I'm married?" Awww. 

I'm thankful Kylee loves her job! She's always trying to get extra hours whenever she has free time. 

I'm thankful Kael is going to the University of Nebraska to throw on Friday. I'm so proud of him and excited for the track season!

I'm thankful for a walk with my dad at the gym yesterday.  It's always great to catch up with him and spend time with him!

Happy Thursday!

Weekend Wrap-Up, Snow Days edition

 It has been a crazy weather week around here! So much snow, blizzard conditions and freeeeezing temps.  Here's how we've stayed busy.

Kase was winner of our family College Bowl game picks.  My dad brought him over his prize- 24 gold dollars for the 2024 champ!

Kylee and I were accidentally twinning last week. Exact same shirt, leggings and slippers (just different colors of shirt and slippers).  Love it!

Kase kept busy with his workouts, going to the batting cages and also he and Kent went to the Jag/Hawk wrestling meet before all the snow came. Kylee had semester tests on Wednesday and Thursday and she works so hard and I'm so proud of her- she really wanted to keep her 4.0 and she did it!

Friday there was no school already planned so Kase and company made the most of the fresh snow and went sledding by the school.  Then back here for hot cocoa! Garrett also came over and we had a fun day/night just playing games and hanging around here.  We ordered pizza and one of Kase's buddies stayed overnight.

I made them Oreo blizzards in a blizzard- ha!

Saturday basketball was cancelled.  Everything was cancelled.  Iowa was closed, friends.  Not even kidding.  Door Dash, restaurants, gyms....all of it closed. We had kind of lazy day here- Kylee eventually made her way to Garrett's house (we drove her and I'm glad we did- the roads were terrible!) and Kent, Kase and I just watched football. 

Sunday Kylee and I went to church even though the heater was broken- and no joke it was SO cold in there! Then we had a meeting as she is starting The Walk- our church's version of confirmation.  She went home with a friend and spent the day hanging out there.  Kase went to SkyZone with a friend then to a sleepover at his house.  I guess he was having fun helping peel potatoes for dinner here? What a goof. Kent and I went and walked laps at Trail Point then when Kylee got home we all went out for dinner.

Today is an already scheduled no school day.  Kase had a rescheduled basketball tournament in town. The boys played pretty well- lost in the championship but played a good game and kept it close. Kylee had a long run at the gym then came out to watch one of Kase's games then went to a movie with a friend. Kase's friends came over to watch football and later Kylee babysat for Kase's best friend's little siblings. 

I wouldn't say the kids are excited to go back to school but I think they are ready after such a long, cold, snowy weekend! 

Thankful Thursday

 I'm thankful for a snow day on Tuesday!

Kase is so thankful there is enough snow to tube behind the truck- he loves it so much! I'm thankful Kylee was willing to go along to spot- it makes me too nervous!

They are thankful for grandma's hot cocoa mix!

I was thankful to spend some time with Kylee.  She had spent her morning studying and driving herself to the gym (no small feat in this snow!) then we baked cookies together.  Love her.

I'm thankful for another team mom who captures some great shots of the boys with her super nice camera at the games!

Especially love this one of Kase and his coach Tyler.  Every time we looked at the bench when Kase was out they were sitting the exact same way.  Ha.

Thankful for a long weekend ahead with no school Friday or Monday! 

Weekend Wrap-Up

 Friday night Kent and Kase had their first baseball practice of the season and both of them said it went so well and they are pumped for this year! Afterwards we went for dinner at Hidalgo- Kael had requested to go out for Mexican before he left town so we did and it was a great night. Came home and had one last family game night playing Wii, Sequence and Clue!

 

Saturday Kylee had a long run then went to Garrett's and later they had plans with friends.  Kase had two basketball games.  Kael came to one then headed back to school.  Kent and I had his holiday work party and it was great to catch up with everyone! Keith and Cindy helped out with Kase- getting him dinner and to his game on time so we could enjoy the party then meet them there. 

Sunday Kase had an early game- the boys played a great first half then struggled in the second so we lost and ended up having a free day! Kylee studied and then swam at Trail Point- I went with her and walked some laps.  Kase played with his friends, Kent got some stuff ready around the house to prepare for the supposed big snow storm we have coming! It was a lovely, lazy Sunday. 

Have a great week!

Thankful Thursday

 I'm thankful I ran into Kylee on a run the other day! She had left earlier than me and had a longer run planned and when I came around the corner I met right up with her.  So fun and we ran for a little bit together.

I'm thankful for a last fun day of break for Kase and his besties.  We went to SkyZone (and ran into my sister and her kids!) then went to Pizza Ranch.  

Kase and Kylee are back to school and Kael goes back Saturday- it feels good to get back to a little bit of a routine but I will miss having the house full of kids! 

Have a great weekend!

Weekend Wrap-Up

 We've been having a great break! Here's what we've been up to.

Kael helped Kase with some lifts at Trail Point! We are loving having our membership here again and I love that this is something the boys can do together!

Kase is loving his new socks, shoes, shorts, shirt and basketball. 

We went ice skating with my fam! A quick stop at a cute bakery before time was fun. 

We were missing Tyson but I love how many of us were available to go! The cousins always have so much fun together. 

Thankful for my sisters! Love them.

Love that my mom and dad went along and my mom got so many great pictures. 

These two are the best. 

His hair looked so red this day! We were all commenting on how amazing it looked.

New 'fit. Shoes, jacket, pants.  He took off a little early to go visit his girlfriend in Norwalk.

That afternoon Kase played at a friend's house then went to a hockey game with his buddies- so fun!

We went bowling on Friday night.  We had made reservations a looooong time ago but when the day came we really weren't sure who all was available/interested in going and at the last minute everything fell into place and we all made it and the kids each brought their significant other/best friend. We had the BEST time.  There was live music going on too! Later Kase, Asher, Kael and Emma played in the arcade too.  Fun.

Kase went to the Brody Brecht pitching camp in town.  Later we got a couple messages from the Ankeny head coach saying what a nice job Kase did at camp- not just his skills but also being willing to try new things and be very coachable.  Proud of my little buddy.

On the 30th Kylee had a long run with a friend- they sat in the hot tub and hung out for awhile and later went out for a fancy dinner with another friend. Kael went to the gym with a friend and also the boys all went to the batting cages. 

NYE I went to the mall with Kylee.  Kent, Kylee and Kael had also gone to Trail Point earlier in the day. We waivered on plans all day and at the last minute decided to let a couple of Kase's friends stay over, Garrett came over and the Rineharts and some of their kids' friends too.  We always have a great time with that group and Kael hung out for a little bit then had plans with his friends. 

We played games, Kylee made fancy mocktails and the kids played pickleball and FortNite and ran to the park for a bit. 

Right before the New Year Kase decided he wanted a brisket mac and cheese toasted sandwich because we had made brisket earlier and he remembered the sandwich he'd had at the state fair.  Ha. 

We lasted until midnight! New Year's Day everyone slept in and then we watched the Hawkeyes. Terrible game but we had a fun day anyways. Kent and Kael went on a long walk and stopped at Keith and Cindy's for awhile. Kase played with friends all day.  Kylee went for a run then to Garrett's . Can't believe we only have one day left of break!