May 2022

May tends to be our busiest month finishing up the school year, running track, and starting softball, and celebrating two birthdays. And we love every minute!

Jacob celebrated his First Communion

My kids treated me well on Mother's Day!

Maya running the mile at the Best of the Best State Meet

Gabi competed in the Triple Jump and Long Jump at the Best of the Best Meet

Buds after a choir concert

Maya played in a softball tournament in Spearfish, SD.  Jacob, her, and I had a fun weekend staying in a little cabin and exploring Spearfish Canyon and the fish hatchery in between games.  It was beautiful!

Maya's team was 2nd place in the tournament

We have another teenager in the house.  Maya turned 13! We are so proud of her. :)

Maya's softball team enjoying some birthday cupcakes after practice

Jacob turned 9!  He is such a funny boy and still loves his Sonic!

Celebrating the Cousins Birthdays!

The summer work at the cabin has begun!  Joe started replacing all of the fencing abound two sides of the property.  Big Job!

 

April 2022

 

Maya planted lots of flower pots to raise money for her 8th grade trip to Costa Rica.  Much thanks to Grammy Joyce for all of her work to make this happen.

Two Track Runners this year!

Maya likes to run the 800m and 1600m

This is Gabi's 1st year running track and she has fallen in love with the triple jump and long jump!  She's not a huge fan of running but has done well in the 200m and 400m

Maya does the long jump and triple jump too!

Jacob love taking swimming lessons - especially boat safety day!

HAPPY EASTER!

Busy dyeing East eggs

Jacob's Sonic eggs

Gabi built a cross on Grandpa Don's grave out of sugar rocks

Jacob won some goldfish at the 4-H Carnival.  He loves watching them swim while drinking his morning smoothie.

The cat loves watching them too! :)

Joe and I were able to get away for 5 days to celebrate our 20th Anniversary a bit early.  We went to Coral Beach in Cancun and had a wonderful time.  The resort, beach, and food was amazing!  My Mom and Dad stayed with the kids so we were able to do this.  So thankful for them!

A little cheesy, but it was fun!

March 2022

 

Jacob's leprechaun trap!  He was certain he would catch one through the trap door this year

The inside of the trap even had jail-style bars and a laser alarm system in case he escaped the jail!

The leprechaun escaped the trap, took the gold, but left Jacob a silly message

Our Spring Break was early enough in the season this year that we decided to go skiing at Steamboat with some friends.  We had a blast!

We even left the kids at the condo for a dinner out on the town!

After returning from Steamboat, we spent a couple of days at the cabin to finish out Spring Break! We had to hike about 1.5 miles to get in, but the weather was lovely.

February 2022

 

Jacob's Valentine Box for school - Sonic!

Maya's choir concert

We went down to Laramie for a double header of men's and women's basketball!  We were able to sit courtside for the women's game thanks to the Cowboy Joe Club - it was so fun!

Fun with some friends at the hotel after the games and some swimming!

Maya got to extend her basketball season with the Junior Bison team

January 2022

Gabi had surgery on her shoulder the day after we returned from New York.  Everything went well to repair the torn labrum.  Hopefully this will prevent her from dislocating her shoulder in the future!  Twelve weeks of rehab and then she can return to sport (fingers crossed all goes well!)

Headed in to surgery

Recovering at home

Jacob sang in the choir for the Christmas Program

Jacob used some of his Christmas money to buy some Sonic legos -- two of his favorite things!

We found an ice river while hiking on Windy Ridge

Joe's Grandpa Don passed away on January 23, 2022.  Obituary  He was a very special person to all of us and will be deeply missed.  We are so thankful that Gabi, Maya, and Jacob got to know their Great-Grandpa and that we were able to live close to him for almost 11 years.  He was buried on the ranch that he loved so much and spent the majority of his life.

His ashes are in this box that was buried on the mesa overlooking the Hall Ranch

Seth fed the cows in the shape of a cross the morning of his funeral.  This is the view from his burial site.

Here are a couple of my favorite pictures of Don.

Jacob's 7th Birthday -2020

He always called Gabi & Maya, "My girls."