Christmas Letter 2020

Merry Christmas, 2020! 

What a year! I hope this letter finds you in good health and joyful spirits, able to safely enjoy your family this season. I had plans of sending out a real physical letter this year with my cards but I didn't remember my well intentioned plans until after my cards went out. I do love reading recaps of friends and family's years; please let me know how you are doing! I also love still doing a letter as a little time capsule of our year.

I am thankful to report that our family has been safe and healthy throughout 2020. It was a shock to us that school was cancelled from spring break until fall. The kids and I took it in stride and made the most of our days at home together. We had a good routine that included some learning, plenty of reading, and lots of outdoor time as a family. Playgrounds being closed for much of the spring forced us to explore lots of hiking and biking trails we had never done before. 

We had found quite a few fun traditions that hopefully we will look back on fondly once this is all over. We also did a ton of work outside in the yard this spring, rebuilding our side retaining walls with nothing but our own man power, replanting the whole front landscaping, and power washing everything! In years when spring is a busy time for me as a teacher, it was nice to invest that time back into our home.  

(life of an online teacher!)

This summer we managed to do plenty of social distancing from the middle of the lake on our boat. We took our boat out more than ever and loved sharing the time with friends and family. The girls turned into brave pros on their ski trainer and Michael finally got up on his very own wakeboard! I am still learning to help Scott with driving the trailer and the boat but I ended the season with a successful trailering of the boat so I was excited. :) We found a favorite spot at Lake Red Rock and hope to get back to lake Rathbun next summer. So much boating was an unexpected surprise to having much of our other activities cancelled for the summer. I am hoping it will be a consistent background to our children's summer memories. We only accidentally ended up at one floating Trump rally on the water- whoops! hehe 

The kids and I were excited to head back to school in the fall. We have all been in person since the first day. I had a two week period of my 8th grade students going to hybrid and it was not a big deal at all. I do have several students doing online band and it has been a learning experience to stay connected with them while they are at home. All this just goes to prove that in year 16 of teaching, there are still surprises and opportunities to keep learning. My job continues to provide me with much joy, especially getting to know my students and families. 

Micheal started 5th grade this year at Woodward Granger and is loving being back in the classroom. He is very social and is happy that his little desk pod is full of friends. He started band this year and is playing percussion. He continues to take piano lessons and we love his teacher. Hockey started back for him this fall as well and Scott volunteered to coach his team as parents are not allowed in the rink otherwise. He is a good helper for me at home and is very responsible this year with taking the bus home by himself and being home until I get home about 45 minutes later. He got a new apple watch to make phone calls from after one scary day when our internet went out so we are happy to avoid the cell phone debate for another year. 

Anna & Brynn started Kindergarten this year and they are also loving being back in the school. They had to be in the same class and sit at the same table due to contract tracing but so far it has only given their teacher a few issues. They are learning to read, write, and do all sorts of things in math. They love to do school work at home and Brynn even asked Santa for more learning books so she can do her homework at home. They like to play school and are very into drawing pictures with their crayons and markers. Just us girls have been enjoying our nights at home when the boys are at hockey practice. They are sweet and imaginative, but growing entirely too fast! 

Scott continues to work at State Farm on 86th street in Johnston. He has kept busy with the Johnston Chamber and a workout group of his friends this fall. We took a very nice trip to Colorado this summer  and were thankful my mom kept the kids while we were away. He has gone into the office every day since COVID started, aside from a day or two when he tried to work at home. I think much of our success at home during the pandemic has been that our regular routine had not been disrupted too much- we are used to Scott going to work and me being home with the kids. We are counting ourselves extremely fortunate and lucky. 

As far as family, we spent thanksgiving at home with zoom calls with both sides of our family. Christmas will be spent at home as well with our family, and we are looking forward to serving at church and staying cozy at home. We visited Moville two times this summer to spend time with mom and then to celebrate my nephew's birthday and it was so nice to see all my siblings. We spent a weekend in Muscatine over the 4th of July visiting Scott's family and hosted his sister's family over Labor day. Scott's dad's 80th birthday party got postponed to summer when hopefully we can all celebrate in person again. We did a birthday zoom call with Dave to celebrate on his day and it was really nice to be able to thank him for the wonderful influence he has been on our life. Things like generosity, work ethic, and belief in regular car maintenance are all lessons he has passed on to his family and we are thankful for those. 

The Cyclones have been a bright spot for our fall. We did not renew our season tickets but were able to attend two home games when they allowed fans thanks to my generous sister. We were there for two historic wins- beating OU and WVU making us the outright regular season Big 12 champs. Scott and I traveled to Dallas for the Big 12 championship game before Christmas and were excited to witness history even though the Cyclones lost to the Sooners in a last minute interception. We have postponed bowl games trips the last few years in hopes of that moment so we were thankful to be able to take the trip. Following Cyclone football is such a journey, but we are thankful for the fun the game has given us in this tough year. 

We are still thinking about my dad this time of year, as well as sweet baby Trace. It feels Trace's presence looms larger in our family this time of year with decorating his headstone, having his stocking out, and seeing his special ornaments hanging on the tree. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about either one of them. I feel lucky to have been loved by them and keep trying to make a life they would be proud of.

This year I also said goodbye to friend, coworker, and mentor in Dalene O'Brien whose job I inherited when she retired. Her memory still looms large in my life as well as I strive to keep her legacy alive and well, despite the challenges being a teacher this year brings. She will be missed. 

We hope to not have too many changes in the new year but rather get back to all the things we are missing so much: attending concerts, playing in musical groups, traveling as a family, eating at restaurants indoors, visiting the state fair, worshiping in person at church and Sunday school, and visiting loved ones. In a year of such upheaval and unrest in our country I pray for peace and healing for all of you and hope you are finding ways to take care of yourself so you can let your light shine brightly for others. 

Stay safe! Merry Christmas and happiest of new years!! 

Colorado 2020

Scott and I took an awesome trip to Colorado at the end of July. We are so thankful to my mom for staying with the kids for a week so we could have some adult time. It is a hard job! 

We had originally planned to visit Chicago for a long weekend as Scott had tickets to a big concert. The concert was postponed so hopefully, we'll get to visit Chicago when things are running better than they are now. I'd like to take the kids, so we'll see where things are next year at this time. 

Since the concert was postponed. We waffled over where to go instead. Originally we thought Branson, but then we realized we could go to Colorado for about the same driving time and better accommodations. We settled on sending a few days in Breckenridge, a few days in Glenwood Springs, and then a tour of some mountain towns on the way home. It ended up being a really nice itinerary that was both active and restful. It was so wonderful to be in the fresh mountain air!

We left our house at 5:30 a.m. and arrived at our airbnb in Breck around 4pm. We made really good time on the interstate, switching drivers about every 2/3 hours and only stopping for gas and restrooms breaks. It actually went pretty quickly! 

Our airbnb was awesome. The location was right on Main Street with lots of restaurants nearby. We parked our car in the underground ramp and walked everywhere the whole time we were in Breck. It was awesome! The first night we grabbed and early dinner of appetizers and drinks since it was still happy hour and did a little walking around in the downtown before hitting the hay. 

The next morning, we ate breakfast in our condo since we had hit up the grocery the day before. It was nice to have a relaxing morning of sleeping in and enjoying our coffee. 

On our schedule for the first day was a gondola ride up the mountain for the alpine slide and some hiking. It was an absolutely beautiful day, one of the best of our trips. The gondola was an easy walk from our condo on the bike path and it was free to ride. 

At the base camp for Peak 8, we got in line for the Alpine Slide and had a lot of fun. I especially appreciated the energetic resort workers who hyped up the mask-wearing by reminding us it was something we were all doing together to help everyone be safe. Never underestimate the power of a positive attitude! We had a laugh when Scott got stuck behind a little girl going slowly at the very end. So much for giving ME a hard time for going slow! hehe

After our slide adventure, we loaded the Colorado Superchair scenic chair lift up to the top of peak 8. While the gondola was free to get to the base, this lift and the slide were extra charges. The chair lift ride provided awesome mountain views! 

At the top of the mountain we headed out on the horseshoe wildflower loop. It was quite busy at the beginning, which made me nervous, but it tapered off the further we got. We loved the views and the wildflowers. It was much easier getting back then starting and I wished we would have gone all the way to peak 7 just to say we did it. 

Bluebells!

It was a nice hike, taking almost 2 hours. We ate our sack lunch at the little lodge, enjoying the fresh air and views. Luckily the restroom was open as well. We had fun riding the chair lift down the mountain again, something you never get to do when you are skiing!

We were amazed at how much different the mountain looked in the summer vs. the winter and also how much longer it took us to get around on our feet vs. our skiis. This was our only day at the ski resort and we only saw a small part of it compared to whizzing all over the place on your skis. I'm glad we've been able to experience both! 

It was such a nice day that we did our shopping on our way back to the condo. We bought the kids some new friends, which they loved, and I got a new Colorado hat. I really wanted some beautiful turquoise jewelry but it was very pricey! My favorites were the large, vintage ones. Lovely! Breck had blocked the main street so it was more pedestrian-friendly and it was really nice. Lots of room to walk and keep your space. 

After shopping and a stop at the world's cutest Starbucks in an old house, we took a quick rest at our condo and then headed out for dinner at Breckenridge Brewery, which was just a few steps outside our condo. We had a few canned beers while waiting outside and then had a nice table on a balcony outside. It was a lovely evening so after dinner, we walked the main street again for a few more beers. We were full afterward! 

The next morning I got up early to say goodbye to our views before we packed up and went to breakfast. I loved our condo so much and I hope we can go back again someday! Breck is such a fun town. 

Breakfast was at the famous Blue Moose which was also right across the street from our condo. YUM! We ate here years ago when we went skiing and is a great way to end your stay at Breck.  

Before we left time, we had to go find the troll!

It was a super easy trailhead to find and it was a very short walk (mostly standing in line) to see the troll. I'm glad we got to visit him! There were also some other trails in this area and we spent about an hour hiking around a little bit. It was a nice change of pace than our previous day's hike. 

We left town afterward and headed toward Glenwood Springs. We had booked a stay at the Hotel Denver, which was a super cute hotel right in the downtown. 

We checked in, got some pizza for a late lunch, walked around, and then checked in for our evening at the hot springs. 

We went to Iron Mountain Hot Springs and it was lovely! It was set up with multiple hot tubs and then a larger family pool. They had a bar area and water bottle fill stations. The water bottle filling stations were handy as you did get thirsty after being in the hot waters for so long. We only had one drink, and Scott didn't even get carded. I guess when you have gray hairs in your beard and chest hair, they believe you are of drinking age. :) 

You had to book a two-hour slot for social distancing but that was plenty of time. We were so relaxed afterward! They also had really nice showers in their locker room, which we used since our skin was covered in salt and minerals from the hot springs. 

The next morning, we got up early to have breakfast at a local place. It was right across from an adventure company so we were entertained by the people coming and going, checking in for their rafting and biking. It was a little rainy but we did a little more walking and shopping afterward. 

We checked in for our rafting adventure on the Colorado River with Whitewater Rafting LLC around lunchtime. It was an easy process and we were excited! Luckily the rain cleared and it was a nice afternoon of weather. 

I had been rafting before on a high school youth group trip and this was similar to what I remembered. It was a few thrills and then a lot of floating, watching the scenery. The rest of our raft was a group of college friends who liked to travel together. Our guide was also friendly, knowledgeable, and safe. We had a good time! 

After we got cleaned up from the river, we ate an early dinner at the brewery in our hotel. They had a nice beer garden set up behind their building and it was really nice. Our favorites were the strawberry beer and the macaroni and cheese with elk sausage. After dinner, we walked on the ped bridge over the railroad tracks and river to explore the Hotel Colorado. Our river guide recommended it to us. He said to just visit and look at all the photos in the lobby and it would be just like visiting a museum. He was right! 

Glenwood Springs was a destination in the early 20th century as people visited the hot springs as a therapy, made popular by gunfight and gambler Doc Holliday. Teddy Roosevelt also visited to hunt and there are also stories about this is where the teddy bear originated. 

The second night we requested a new room as our AC wasn't working. It was so nice of the hotel to accommodate us with a new room just down for our old one and it was fun for us to see another room in the hotel. Each room is furnished with antique pieces that are just lovely. 

We had a lovely view out of our room! 

Our final morning in Glenwood, we geared up for a bike ride in the canyon. We used Canyon Bikes, where they outfitted us with nice bikes, bags, and a shuttle to the trailhead. We then rode about 18 miles back into town. It was all downhill except for a short uphill and it was so fun. 

This bike ride might have been my favorite parts of the vacation. It was very zen, just moving our bodies in the fresh air and taking in the beautiful views. It filled my heart! 

The trail went right by the hanging lake trailhead and it was a beautiful area. Unfortunately, the passes were booked up for hiking hanging lake although we did not see anyone on it or near it. 

Our shuttle driver pointed out a few places to stop and hike and we took a little break at Grizzly Creek to stretch our legs. It was a super short hike to the stream, where we sat and waded for a bit. It was cold and refreshing! 

After our bike ride (about 3 hours), we took the scenic route over to Aspen for lunch. Scott had never been and it is a beautiful town. The scenery is very much different than other areas and I'm glad we got to see it. 

We continued our scenic drive to Manitou Springs to make our drive back to Iowa shorter in the morning. We stopped at Independence pas to see the continental divide. It was beautiful! 

Our final stop was at the Cliff House in Manitou Springs. This is also an old, boutique hotel that is in lovely shape. We enjoyed a fancy meal to celebrate our anniversary and then took a walk to explore the main street in Manitou. Scott was so excited to find a HUGE arcade but unfortunately, it was closed. :( 

The next morning we had a fancy breakfast at the hotel. It is normally a buffet, but they offered it as sit down to accommodate for social distancing. It was a really nice perk of staying there. 

The night before we had heard others talking about the mineral springs in town. I didn't know anything about it but after some reading, I did a little exploring while Scott loaded up. 

The water is in these different fountains around town and you just fill up a cup and take a drink. They all taste different and they are carbonated due to the water coming up through the different layers of rock. These were also touted for their medical properties in the olden days, like for stomach aches since they contained sodium bicarbonate. I tasted three fountains but I wish I had more time to do all of them! 

Since we were right by it, we stopped at the Garden of the Gods on the way home. It was beautiful! We only did the quick drive-through and stop at the lookout but I am glad we got to see it.