Elizabeth is 15!!

 2) HOW OLD ARE YOU? 15

3) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? pink

4) WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND? Parker, Isabella & Julianna

5) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? medical field

6) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? I don't have one

7) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? The Summer I Turned Pretty (Team Jeremiah!)

8) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK? The Summer I Turned Pretty

9) WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? Swimming and Golfing

10) WHAT MAKES YOU SAD? Being confused while I drive

11) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Steak, mushrooms, potatoes, green beans

12) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG? Bejeweled by Taylor Swift

13) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY? Ticket to Ride

14) WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE GIFT? New phone
15) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT? This dual athlete can't decide!

Current Height: 5'10.25"

Grant is 13!!

Birthday Quiz 

2) HOW OLD ARE YOU? 13

3) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? green

4) WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND? Nathan and Jack and Landon

5) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? No clue...really working on exploring new opportunities 

6) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? Mission Impossible (the one I saw in the theater with dad)

7) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? Dude Perfect

8) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK? Who Was Jackie Robinson?

9) WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? When I win a baseball tournament 

10) WHAT MAKES YOU SAD? Losing at baseball

11) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Cheeseburger with mushrooms and ice cold water

12) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG? Whatever it Takes by Imagine Dragons

13) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY? Catan

14) WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE GIFT? Tickets to see the Cardinals in Kansas City
15) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT? Baseball

Current Height: 5'7.25"

Elizabeth is 14!

Elizabeth is 14! The annual birthday quiz!!

2) HOW OLD ARE YOU? 14

3) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Pink

4) WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND?Julianna & Parker

5) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? Something to do with people interaction (she doesn't want to work at home!)

6) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? Top Gun Maverick 

7) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? Press Your Luck (what a classic!!)

8) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK? The Treasure Hunters (I tried to promote Little Women this summer, she wan't having it)

9) WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? Playing golf, swimming and being with animals

10) WHAT MAKES YOU SAD? When it is 120 degrees outside

11) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Steak, mushrooms, potatoes, green beans and salads 

12) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG? Heads Carolina

13) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY? Dominoes

14) WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE GIFT? Stand up paddle board and new golf clubs
15) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT? Swimming and golf

Current Height: 5'10"

Grant's Birthday Quiz

 Grant is 12! Here is the birthday quiz....

2) HOW OLD ARE YOU? 12

3) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? orange

4) WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND? Brady

5) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? I want to work for Cat

6) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? Top Gun Maverick

7) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? Dude Perfect

8) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK? The Contract by Derek Jetter (thank you summer reading program!)

9) WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? When I win a baseball tournament 

10) WHAT MAKES YOU SAD? Losing at baseball

11) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Cheeseburger

12) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG? Heads Carolina

13) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY? Monopoly (or Dominoes)

14) WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE GIFT? Tickets to Imagine Dragons
15) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT? Baseball

Current Height: 5'5"

We have a teenager!! ELIZABETH is 13!!!

I have been reminded several times that I forgot her 12 year old birthday quiz...can I blame COVID?

2) HOW OLD ARE YOU? 13

3) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Purple or gold

4) WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND?Julianna

5) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? Something to do with animals

6) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? Jungle Cruise

7) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? Heartland

8) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK? I don't like to read

9) WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? A lot of things

10) WHAT MAKES YOU SAD? Moving

11) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Steak, mushrooms and potatoes 

12) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG? Iko Iko

13) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY? The Logo game

14) WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE GIFT? I liked it all - I can't pick a favorite
15) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT? Swimming, horseback riding and golf

Noteworthy: We told her we were moving the day before her birthday...she said we ruined her whole weekend :(

Grant is 11!!

 Wow a whole year went by and we forgot Elizabeth's 12 year old birthday quiz!

Ok, here we go....

2) HOW OLD ARE YOU? 11

3) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Green

4) WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND? Can we come back to that one...Evan & Brady

5) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? A baseball player

6) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? Peter Rabbit 2

7) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? Dude Perfect

8) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK? Ballpark Mysteries

9) WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? Winning a baseball game

10) WHAT MAKES YOU SAD? When I lose a baseball game

11) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Cheeseburgers (two years in a row!)

12) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG? Believer by Imagine Dragons

13) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY? Catan

14) WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE GIFT? Everything
15) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT? Baseball

CURRENT CATCH-PHRASE: "What the heck" (usually said when something has just been broken or spilled)

Height 5'3"

Day 99

It's Monday. Monday's are really hard for me. Brandon gets back into his work groove, but doesn't leave the house. The kids are still exhausted from the weekend and are in lounge mode and I have a list 10 miles long of all the things to do to catch up from the weekend and prepare for the upcoming week. I tired my best to put on my happy face :)

Elizabeth is training for cross country in the fall. Her running buddy is out of town so I was the fill in. 80 degrees, 70% humidity and two miles later we were two hot, sweaty girls!

The kids really didn't get a long all that well today either, which didn't help my mood. I even threatned the "get a long shirt" and they ended up writing sentences about how grateful they are for each other. 

I managed to throw a dinner together and we headed out to shop for life jackets for an upcoming boat trip! 

Day 98 - Grant is 10!!

Birthday Quiz

2) HOW OLD ARE YOU? 10

3) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Green

4) WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND? Brady

5) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? A farmer or work at Cat

6) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? The Lion King (that is the most viewed movie in our house)

7) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? The Amazing Race

8) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK? Mathlete vs. Athlete

9) WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? When I get hugs and kisses

10) WHAT MAKES YOU SAD? When I get hurt

11) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Cheeseburgers (such an upgrade from hot dogs!)

12) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG? Natural by Imagine Dragons

13) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY? Black Jack

14) WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE GIFT? Everything
15) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT? Baseball

CURRENT CATCH-PHRASE: "Let's Go!" and "I know, right"

Well this is a big day...Grant's birthday and Father's Day! We woke up early and I started working on the requested birthday Texas Sheet Cake. Brandon took off to pick up donuts. The kids woke up, we had donuts and then it was time for the first gift. We hid it behind the car and then brought him outside and Brandon pulled the car forward to reveal the BIRTHDAY BIKE. This is perfect, we were planning a bike ride today! ;)

Happy Father's Day

Maybe new pajama pants would have been a better gift?

The break after 10 miles

He got a quick gear lesson and then started making his laps. Brandon loaded our bikes up and got ready for the day. A birthday parade had been organized for him at 10:00. He loved it. Elizabeth had wrote "Happy Birtday Grant" in sidewalk chalk. Luckily there was enough room to squeeze in the "H" Ima and Pops were the caboose of the birthday parade and what luck...they had their bikes with them! 

We headed into town to park and unload the bikes. We road 19.4 miles. We learned a couple of things...1) Grant's new bike is really nice and we need to upgrade Elizabeth. 2) body parts will hurt tomorrow 3)we more than earned lunch! and 4) we should do this more often!

We went to a wood fired pizza restaurant for lunch and ate outside (of course). I actually asked if it was ok if I went inside to use the restroom. They looked at me like I was crazy for asking. 

We headed home to prep dinner. The birthday boy requested marinated chicken kabobs (I am not sure who my child is - unusual request for him). We then all hopped in the pool to cool off and relax. We actually got so cool that we all ended up in the hot tub!

Dinner was hand cut fries, chicken kabobs and veggies, homemade baked beans (we all decided Bush's was just as good) and apple salad. I forgot the frozen corn that he also requested, but  he said "It's ok to forget to veggies mom!"

Grant opened birthday presents and the dad's opened Father's Day gifts. Brandon had declared on Friday that he was growing the beard out again...good thing the kids got him a new razor! We sat down and looked at old favorite pictures and had a lot of good laughs. At 9:00 I thought we'd better do cake before Grant fell asleep. In hindsight, relighting trick bday candles may not be the best during these COVID times! There was a lot of blowing on that cake!

It was another awesome, perfect day, celebrating some of the best guys we know!

Day 97

Just another Saturday. The boys woke up and I made pancakes and bacon and then the jumped in the pool. There was a new pool toy calling their name...I will say it involves mounting a hot dog and jousting with ketchup and mustard bottles! We all had a family swim and some relax time. Grant had his first baseball practice in the afternoon. After his travel team league was cancelled we signed him up for a in-house team. Brandon gets to coach this team too! Looking forward to seeing my boys on the field! 

Grant opened an early birthday present for game night and we played Pickles to Penguins. Eb and I sat in the hot tub and the boys ended their night with Dr. Mario. Time for a good night's rest....big day tomorrow!

Day 96

Today we took time to celebrate 3 birthday boys who were all born within 11 days of each other. We had their families over to swim and for a cookout. It was a perfect day. It felt like a normal day. Something that we would haven't thought much of last summer and this summer it feels really special to have two families over at the same time! Everyone was in the pool. Only a few things got broken and apparently I forgot to tell Brandon that the boys were spending the night at our house. But after hours of swimming, and after their fort was built, they crawled in and crashed hard! 

Day 95

Had a catch up morning today. All of that afternoon pool time tends to get me behind. Ima took Elizabeth to riding in the afternoon. Grant and I went and ran some errands. Which still feels really weird. I had some returns to make. I guess they were ok with touching the items I was returning but not the bags that the items were in. Like I said before, so much variance between stores. I have tried to read the guidelines from the state on the re-opening and phases and it bogs me down every time. 

Elizabeth had a great ride...nice and hot. She got to hose Jewels down afterwards. Grant's highlight was the automatic car wash.

Day 94

Today was a good pool day. Started with "quarantine swim team". Lots of afternoon swim time and a St. Jude meetings in the evening. 

Day 93

We have a new "red light" system. Brandon has been working from home for 3 months now and we just came up with this system, which I have to give credit to my sister in law. We have a wifi color changing light bulb. We put it in the centralized kitchen sidebaord table lamp. When he is not to be interrupted and needs the house quiet, the red light is on. When the doors are closed but the light isn't red we can go in if we need to. I am finding that his office may not be the best place to store my cookbooks! The light seems to have a lot of power and is well respected...among our family and friends who may drop by! 

Things are starting to open up, but the guidelines still really vary from establishment to establishment. 

The story of the day however is snakes. Specifically snakes in trees. Our neighbor sent me a message asking me if I had seen them....well no, I sure hadn't. After whispering to Brandon that something needed our attention outside I quickly became aware that we did indeed have NOT one BUT TWO snakes in our tree. I don't like snakes. Apparently we made enough commotion that Grant eventually poked his head out. After giving him very clear instructions "Please go inside. Do not come out here." He promptly joined the party. They received a long lecture about listening at dinner. They had been playing hide and seek by that tree less than 30 minutes prior to the snake discovery and I didn't want them to be afraid to play in our yard. Grant's response "Mom, it is just a snake, no big deal." Well this mom might not feel the same way!

Day 92

Is it time to make a schedule yet? The controversy of summer...to have a schedule or not?! The kids were up late last night and exhausted from the farm, it is days like this it s ok not to have swim team at 7:00 am. However, Elizabeth will start cross country training tomorrow :) 

We did a birthday parade this morning. Had friends over to swim in the afternoon and a few meetings in the evening.

Day 91

Paver and pumpkin project day. Brandon and I worked on sanding pavers and the kids went to the farm with my parents where they worked really hard too, but had a lot more fun! They drove tractors and four wheelers and built a fence and watered pumpkins and concluded with a pizza party on the way home! Brandon and I snuck in a date night after our work was done. 

Day 90

My parents surprised us with a visit in the morning and we made preparations for Sunday's paver project. We had a family over to swim in the late afternoon and Brandon rotisseried a pork loin on the grill for the first time. It was a perfect summer day. 

Day 89

Catch up day...laundry, groceries and family time. Elizabeth did an all day horse clinic. She got to give the horses de-worming meds and do liberty work for the first time! We all swam in the pool and played games in the afternoon. I made sweet and sour chicken and homemade dinner rolls. Elizabeth lost her last baby tooth! How is that possible? We were all ready for early bed!

Day 88

Leaving day :( We went to Duck Donuts for a special breakfast treat and then let the kids play at two really fun parks. We ended with lunch at home and a game of spoons before it was time to head to the airport. It was a really fun break and of course great to see family!

Day 87

Kids make dinner day! We took them grocery shopping and they were in control of dinner. We dined on pulled chicken sandwiches, hot pink hummus and veggies, baked beans and chocolate soufflé. The did a fantastic job!

Day 86

Water Wheel hike was the destination today. Brian took the day off work to join us. We drove 1.5 hours into the mountains and had an awesome hike. It was rocky and there was natural water everywhere...streams, waterfalls, springs. The kids could get in and swim wherever they wanted. It was really fun. We got ice cream on the way home and had nachos for dinner. We were all exhausted and very ready for a shower!