NorthWest Duals & Ben Snowboarding!

 We took a very small girls team (lost 2 girls the night before to illness) and a full but green boys team to Northwest Duals in Albany Oregon on the day after Christmas.  It was super fun.  A much better experience than Hammerhead.  Libby went undefeated (7-0) and Sarah was 3-3 I think.  With a team of only 6 girls, we weren't going to win.  But we got a lot of experience and had fun.  The boys won some good matches too.  Hotels were nice and we were in bed pretty early.  

If you look closely you can see that Libby is starting to get pink eye.  She's been super sick, and it all came to a head the day after we got back.  Sinus infection & pink eye. Thank goodness for anti-biotics and a trial pair of contacts once it started clearing up. 

I think these pics are actually from Hammerhead.  But they are cool! 

Meanwhile, back in WA, Maren took Ben snowboarding! He really liked it!  And thank goodness he had a helmet, because he had some head to pole contact!  

Happy New Year 2025

 2024 went really really fast.  It was such a better year than 2023.  I actually killed it on my 24 in 24 goals!  Wow.  This is partly the result of setting the right goals and keeping it where I could see it frequently so I wouldn't forget about them.  Anyway, we had a fun little pizza making celebration at Maren's last night.  Again, small and simple.  We played SCUM, I held my own--staying mostly in the top half (VP often!) and chatted.  We rang in the East Coast New Year (9 pm) and I was home in bed by 10.  Love it.  I have a huge to do list for the next two days.  So gotta snap to it! 

Merry Christmas 2024

For some reason these pictures refuse to drop into the post in the correct order.  So they feel as chaotic as our Christmas season has.  Pretty appropriate! We celebrated Christmas eve at Maren's.  It was weird for me not to host, but after our exhausting weekend at Hammerhead, I was very okay to not host.  (Plus I hosted Christmas morning for our small group, so it was okay.)  We had a small group for Christmas eve too, so it was simple and nice.  But sadly, no group photo since we didn't do a nativity.  And no group photo on Christmas morning either.  I was off my game!  So here are random pictures of Christmas eve and Christmas day, as well as the Clark outing on the 23rd. 

 

Each kid got a new beanbag.  Ben is loving his.  His new system is stacking the old and new beanbags on top of each other for gaming on the new monitor he got for his room. 

Sarah got staph for Christmas.  Thankfully our good friend helped us get meds on Christmas so she could clear it enough to wrestle on Friday and Saturday. (We held our breath through skin checks--but she passed.) 

Libby got an airfryer for when she moves out (she did not like hearing that.)  The reality of graduating and moving out seems a bit daunting right now.  But now that she has her own airfryer, I know she'll eat! 

Ben with all his loot.  He got loaded up with fortnite V-bucks! 

Sarah's big gifts were a paddle board and the lego succulent set.  She and Libby also got tickets to Colter Wall from Dad.  And they got a spa day with mom.  We probably won't have time until after wrestling.  But it will be fun.  

Before they went down to see presents.
I got Derek a new suit (we have to exchange it, but he's excited I think.)  He got me some new attachments for the kitchen aid.  It will be fun to try them out. 

We did some traditional Christmas Eve stuff...the ring toss! 

Opening PJs on Christmas Eve

Adorable

The Uncle Clark outing was small this year.  But they had a great time.  

It was a very lowkey but Merry Christmas.  I'm so thankful for my Savior and all the blessings we have in our life because of Him.  It was a pleasure to give gifts to those I love in his honor.