2021- Year in Review

Happy New Year, friends! I am ready for 2022. I am expecting great things and want each of you to feel loved and blessed throughout this year as well.

2021 was a good year for us. I don’t feel like anything major happened, good or bad, so I’m counting that as a success.

Here is a quick recap:

January

The girls played lots of volleyball with their club teams in January. We had a tournament almost every weekend this month. Because of COVID, we didn’t get to go in and watch them all but we sat out in the parking lot and watched it on live stream if we weren’t able to go in.

We bought LAND! We are the proud owners of 12.5 acres in Doniphan. This was such an exciting thing for us and our goal is to build a house here one day.

We had our first snow of the year. It was only about an inch and didn’t stay around long, but we had fun playing in it.

February

Not a lot happened this month. I started coaching for our middle school volleyball team. This was a fun year because Emily was in 7th grade and Liz in 8th grade, so I was able to coach them both!

We got a little close to a foot of snow and missed a week of school! We loved the extra time off together and playing with friends in the snow!

March

Both girls attended their annual winter semi-formal dance at the middle school. This was Elizabeth’s last year for it! They, of course, looked beautiful!

Our volleyball games started and life was busy, but FUN!

We bought a CAMPER! Best decision ever. We bought a Forest River Wildwood X-Lite 28QBXL. I plan to do a blog post about it soon since I never did last year.

We stayed at our river lot in our camper for the first time for the weekend.

April

We went on our first camping trip to Old Greenville campground with my sister and her family. It was 4 days of bike riding, perfect weather, and a wonderful time! We realized we love camping and all the simple things it brings.

Happy turned 9!

The girls ended their middle school volleyball season. Elizabeth’s team got 1st place in our county tournament and Emily ‘s team got 3rd place. It was a great season!

May

Lots of camping and fishing and river time.

The girls ended the school year.

Elizabeth received the Female Faculty Merit Award at the end of the year assembly and we couldn’t be prouder of her!

We had a gender reveal for my cousin and found out she was having a boy! Baby Nolan is so loved and the best thing.

We went to a STL Cardinals game.

Emily turned 13! Officially a teenager!

Emily and I headed to New York City for her 13th birthday trip. We had the BEST time and made memories I will cherish forever.

June

I taught summer school for the first time. I actually ended up loing it and loved the extra money that came with it.

Went on a quick trip to St. Louis for Elizabeth’s doctor appointment. Spent the day at Union Station after her appointment and loved the aquarium and Ferris Wheel.

Remembered my dad being gone 4 years on June 2.

Chris turned 38!

We celebrated 17 years of marriage with a date night.

Remembered Chris’s mom being gone for 2 years on June 14.

Elizabeth played in her first high school volleyball game for a summer Rib City tournament.

We went to Clearwater Lake to camp and brought our kayaks with us. The kids loved kayaking all over the lake near our campsite.

July

We spent the majority of this month on the river.

Liz went to Florida with friends.

Emily caught a GIANT smallmouth and I was able to get it on video! She (and her daddy) were pumped!

August

Spent the first 10 days of August in Colorado on vacation. This was the first year we didn’t go to the beach for our vacation and even though we missed the beach, we loved visiting the mountains and seeing all the wildlife also.

Went on a really fun camping trip to Branson with my sister and her family. We spent a whole day on Table Rock Lake and enjoying the sunshine.

I got my second piercing done and love the way it looks.

Started a new school year. Emily as an 8th grader and Lizzie a freshmen in high school.

Liz played in her first “real” high school volleyball game.

I turned 37!

September

Life was busy with Emily cheering, Chris coaching football, and Liz playing volleyball.

My sister and I hosted a baby shower for my cousin, Haley, and sweet baby Nolan.

We went to a Kentucky women’s college volleyball game and spent the weekend in Kentucky. This was FUN!

October

Elizabeth had her first homecoming dance and looked so grown up and pretty!

My sister and I threw my mom an epic retirement party. We loved hearing all the wonderful things her co-workers had to say about her. She is loving retirement!