Regular basketball season has come to an end.  Jacob (Varsity) will have divisional tournament next weekend and then if they win 2 or 3 games they will go to state. They are currently 3-12.  Their last game was a one point win against a cross town rival - so very exciting.  He got a lot of playing time on JV and scored double digits several games.

Joseph finished his 8th grade season with his team getting second place in final 8th grade tournament.  A couple of nail biter games too!  All in all they both did really well and enjoyed their seasons.

Jacob has been doing a lot of work with his billboard vinyls and some welding, painting projects with the vinyl guy Matt.  It has been a good little gig for him.  He has also made a connection with a landscape guy, so he is hoping once that starts, to get lots of weekend hours and then four 10s during the summer.

Joseph is still plodding along at the taco place.  He is already talking about the summer and if he wants to pick up more hours or a different/second job.  

The weather is warming up and doesn't look like much snow on the horizon.  Makes me happy but will mean a very dry summer.

Ben is still doing his thing and comes around occasionally.  Not sure what is on the job horizon for him.

My job plods along.  It seems very cyclical, in dealing with employee retention.  Lose a few, then hire a few.  Have a great group of gals right now and gearing up for a busy spring/summer with regular work and some big construction projects.

The high school started a tradition last year where any senior that wanted to, could participate in a game.  It runs for the school year and it costs $5.  The last one standing wins the money.  The rules, the seniors are randomly listed from 1 to whatever and it is your job to eliminate the person below you.  Then you have a new target.  You don't know who is out to get you.  They can only get you out via water gun and it has to be recorded and then end with an elimination hand shake.  You can't get someone out on school property or at a school sponsored event.  The big catch, if you are wearing swim goggles, they can't shoot you.  So it is fun to see all the seniors around town with goggles on their eyes.  Can't wait for Jacob and his classmates to participate next year.

Few pictures -Two of them are pictures of welding projects that Jacob brought home that I think are really cool!!!

Basketball and work has been keeping me busy.  Between the two boys, there are three nights a week that they are playing.  Jacob's team is 1-12 and Joseph is 4-3.  Needless to say, my boys have learned how to be good losers.  We have 2 more weeks of basketball and then business will grind to a halt.  

On a good note, the school has hired a new football coach and there is a lot of excitement.  Jacob has stepped up and taken a leadership role among the football players and it is so good to see.  The new football coach has started early morning workouts and both boys have been going.  So excited that Joseph has decided to.  I don't really care if he ends up playing freshman football or not, but excited for him for the workouts, discipline and getting around other kids.

This past week JR and I finally bought tickets to Kauai.  We have been invited by the pastor that married us, along with another couple, to join the pastor and his wife at their time share late April.  We will be gone 7 nights.  Turns out neither of us are real into all the tourist things, but more the cultural and just seeing the sights.  The younger two will stay home alone, which will be interesting and good for them.

Things have been really busy at work.  Our construction projects have started kicking off.  My boss has bid on about a dozen other projects.  I am learning so much about that industry.  Given all the growth here, lots of job security.

Joseph and I recently went out to shoot pool and bowl.  Always great when I can get out with the kids and get them off their devices.  We had a good time and afterward, Jacob met us at the university campus and we ate at one of the dining halls.

JR has finally started to move snow.  Winter is here.  Thankfully it is February, so spring weather should be arriving in 4 weeks.  Below is a picture that I took one night outside our window.  It was one of those -30 degree nights and unprompted, Jacob convinced Joseph to go across the street and shovel our neighbor's driveway.  Love the serving heart of my boys.  I keep telling them one day I will be older and they would hope that a younger neighbor would take care of our driveway.

That's it!  Just a quick check in

 Halfway through January!  The holidays were very quiet around here.   I struggled to put Thanksgiving stuff away and was somewhat revolting on putting up a tree...not sure why other than every year it seems to be more work.  About 10 days before Christmas I was gone for the better part of the day and came back to find the tree up and decorated.  Kudos to JR and Joseph.  Then JR took it down before New Years, so the 'season' seemed to fly by.  

Benjamin moved out mid December.  He has finally gotten his stuff organized and is enjoying his place.  It is less than 2 miles, so he pops in 1-2 times a week.  The other day he stopped by because he was bored and hungry!  I asked him if it was quiet over there and he said yes.  I think he just might miss some of the brotherly commotion and chaos??

Benjamin, Joseph and I went to Salt Lake City for 3 nights over New Years.  An opportunity to get away, shop at IKEA, go to 2 NBA games and drive some go-karts.  It is always fun to get away with the boys!

Jacob started basketball.  He is playing well and enjoying it most games.  They still can't seem to get much traction on the court, they are 1-6.  He is dialing in and trying to work on things like his breath control and staying calmer on the court.

Joseph had his first basketball game tonight and he scored.  He is reading the court much better this year than last year.

I just had a milestone birthday!  Jacob surprised me with a scavenger hunt and well thought out 'coupons'.  I told him I loved the time and energy he put into the gift, way more than any dollar amount attached to it.

We have had a really big cold snap this past weekend.  We spent 4 days in the negative numbers!  Thankful our cars started every morning and we did not have any issues.

JR and I both continue plugging away at work.  Benjamin and Jacob seem to be piecing their work together and they are making their financial commitments somehow.  Joseph still enjoys the taco drive through.

Can't think of much else...Enjoy a few pictures.

Thanksgiving 2023

Thankful for

*my sweet and spicy tea

*the harvest from my garden and the ability to can it

*my shoes with great arch support

*2 work trips I took this past year

*5 weeks with my mom in Montana this summer

*another year of good health

*a job and work environment that I continue to really enjoy

*my blankets

*the privilege to watch our boys turn into young men

*my online bible study group/reading plan

*JR's continued low maintenance, good, consistent clients

*provisions this past year that allowed 3 trips to Texas, one to Ohio and lots around the state

*beautiful fall weather, which means less snow on the ground 

*being debt free in this crazy inflation world we are in right now

*for a group of women I have reconnected with through Bible Study Fellowship

*a long family weekend at Rushmore - first family vacation in 13 years

*some jeans that I love wearing

*the time I get to watch our dog Bree play at work with the other dog 

*my pull up bar that allows for great stretches

and lastly, but most importantly, my relationship with Jesus, which continues to be the only thing that truly satisfies

 With the exception of a few zero degree days and about 6 inches of snow, our amazing fall continues!!  

We are all on auto pilot!

Joseph continues to work 8-12 hours a week.  I think he is leaning towards 8th grade basketball, which will start in January.

Jacob has been hunting 3-4 times a week.  He keeps holding out for the 'big' one.  He finally got a doe recently and it is hanging in the garage.  There is a lot of pride in the fact that he can do it all, start to finish.  The last several months he has been texting a professional hunter.  Did  not know that was even a thing, but it is. This hunter has several sponsors, a podcast and has even been featured on a tv show or two (the names are escaping me).  He told Jacob the best way to get into the industry is to come in as a photographer/videographer.  Well, this coming weekend he is going on a 3 day hunt with him and will do all the filming.  Excited to hear about it and where it might take him.  The hunter did say most of the people he brings under his wing is early 20s, so Jacob has a huge jump on others.

The countdown is on for Benjamin.  He will be moving out the first 2 weeks of December!  He will be about a mile from here, so anticipate we will see him once or twice a week!  He is still mulling over the job situation, but has told me a change will be made by Thanksgiving!

I am headed out of town this week for a big work job.  Taking two of my college age employees, so should be a good time!  I set off for Cleveland a few weeks ago, road tripped out there with my mom.  Always enjoy the one on one and seeing the countryside!!

JR is gearing up for snow shoveling!

A few hunting picture and...a rare shot of Benjamin.  Him and I went to see a comedian, Preacher Lawson.  Really enjoyed it and this was a selfie we got with him.

 We have had some wonderful fall weather!!!  

Benjamin and I recently made a very quick trip to Texas and while there, we were able to stop in to some high end car dealerships.  It just made my heart sing to listen to his enthusiasm and excitement.  Oh, the facts that kid has stored away in his brain.  We also toured the Cowboy stadium, what a structure that is.  While in DFW airport, he followed a flight radar map and we walked the airport trying to find the huge international planes so he could see them up close.  Recently there was a huge 747 that flew through the area and landed for a few nights at our airport.  The buzz in town over a plane that big.  Benjamin was absolutely giddy!!  How I wish I had connections to get him up close or even inside something like that.  It belonged to a UAE royal family, from what I understood, and word has it that only a handful of people had flown over on something that big.  I love when I see my boys get excited about things.

Benjamin is still doing excavation work.  He enjoys the variety but things are slowing down a bit as winter is approaching.  He is hoping to do this until November sometime and then pivot in a different direction.  He still has plans to move in with a friend mid December.  Benjamin and I recently went to a Rend Collective concert.  They are a band we saw years ago at an outside weekend festival.  Sure was fun doing something social with that kid.

Jacob continues on with football.  He is starting varsity and getting lots of play time.  On the field for all defensive plays, most special team plays and some offense.   I had to laugh at last night's game because I looked up and he was getting ready to punt the ball on fourth down.  I asked him afterwards what that was all about and (their kicker was out with a concussion) they had a punt contest during football practice and he punted the furthest (63 yards) so he was the stand in punter.  (During the game though we had a good laugh cause he got a ton of height but very little yards.)  They are currently 0-7.  Hard to keep the morale up but so proud of him and his energy and leadership.  After one away game, our athletic director (Matt) sought me out.  Matt told me that a parent from the out of town team wanted to make sure that Matt found #3's parents and told them that #3 was the most respectful, polite player he had ever seen on the field.  Jacob (#3) was talking with all the opposing players, helping them up, laughing, having fun on the field, despite a 9-50 loss.  Those are the comments that mean so much to me.  I have also enjoyed Jacob dressing up for themes each week at school.  When the boys were younger they never wanted to dress for spirit week, etc, but fun to see him getting in on things.

Jacob has been out bow hunting every weekend.  He has yet to take something down, although he has  his eye on 'the one'.  He and JR will soon transition into rifle season.  Don't think the other two will participate this year.  Jacob got his bear back from the taxidermist.  (I have a picture below of its claws...huge)  He has also gotten into bird/duck hunting, but nothing yet.

Joseph is just cruising along.  We are already starting to have discussions about him taking drivers ed!!!  He continues to work about 10 hours a week.  It is neat to see the confidence he has built with this job.  As I picked him up today, I told him it is amazing that he mans a drive through window and at one point, the speech therapist wasn't sure if he would ever put a sentence together.  It has also given him a new perspective on ordering when he goes through a drive through.  And he is currently a saver, which makes me very happy.  It is so easy with debit cards these days to just swipe and not really realize the transaction or 'feel it'.  I am trying to encourage cash as long as I can.

My mom made a last minute trip out here for a few weeks.  Always fun to have her around!  Her dog was hit by a car before heading to Montana, so she has one leg in a cast.  Makes running around with Bree a little difficult.  I will drive out to Ohio with her next week, so looking forward to another road trip.

Work has been busy for me.  Starting to find a new groove and really focusing on bringing on new clients and helping the boss start to grow the business.  I have enjoyed learning about a whole new industry!  

JR is gearing up for snow - we have already had some at higher elevations.  I am so not ready!

School has started!  Crazy!  8th and 11th grade!

Recently celebrated Joseph's 14th birthday.  I always told him when he turned 14 he was gonna start working.  He isn't involved in any type of sport/club, etc so he just hangs around the house a lot.  Well, a few days before his birthday he told me he wanted to go pick up a few applications for jobs.  There are a few places that hire at 14, so off we went.  He got 3 applications and came home and filled them out.  The morning of his birthday, he dropped off the first one and the owner took it from him, had a 2 minute conversation with him and told him he could start the next day!  He was so excited!  It is a local taco place.  He is normally on the drive through window/register or the lobby register.  By law he can only work until 7pm so hoping he can get 8-12 hours a week!  

Some other pictures I forgot...At Rushmore we hit the batting cages.  I won't name names, but had a blast showing up my boys.  I hit way more balls at 40 mph than they did.  I think they were impressed with my abilities.  We also went to a high ropes course, zip line, tubing, etc.  Drove the Needles HighwayThe weather was beautiful!

Jose's cousins moved back to FL a year ago.  Recently their oldest daughter has decided she wants to move back.  She is in an apartment not far from us!  (If you notice an unfamiliar face in a picture)

It is football season.  We are currently 0-2, but games have been closer, so that is progress.  #3!!  This year the coaches are giving 'awards' at the end of each game.  First game he got Defensive player of the week t-shirt.  He had an amazing interception (on of the pictures below).  They both went up for the ball and Jacob came down with it.  The second game he got a 'Crunch' bar.  He had an amazing hit in the second half.  One of those where he read the field perfectly and got in early for a tackle.  Both of these were on video but it is so small, hard to see.