A few from 2021

 We were able to do a few fun things recently, but here's the general update:

2021 started with a "bang" with all of the national news (Jan 6th violence at the Capitol and President Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan 20th, and there were also some very deadly days for the coronavirus and as of the writing of this page there have been over 500,000 US deaths attributed to the coronavirus), but we continue to be plugging along from the safety of our warm home in Fort Collins. As of this writing, the grandparents are well on their way to receiving vaccines (I know that Papa Matty has already had his two doses), the kids are still working hard at virtual school and we are largely hanging close to home due to weather this time of year, but occasionally we've had some really pretty days.  

Here are some recent gratitudes:

• the flexibility of virtual school allows us to have more relaxed mornings and it can mean that if kids get their work done, we can walk the dogs together in the afternoons sometimes
• on nice days, we can get outside and enjoy the foothills and our community
• we live in an incredible neighborhood, full of friendly faces
• Lacey and Devon moved to Fort Collins last November, so we have been able to see them occasionally
• (not pictured) we have been enjoying the occasional drives just to get out of the house, and we often listen to the Office Ladies podcast, this is a "re-watch" podcast where two of the actresses who starred in the series go back through the episodes and tell behind-the-scenes stories about each episode. The kids and I love it!

Ruby and Scout walking the dogs

Ruby is pampering herself with a face mask

Lacey and Devon organized a doggy birthday party for Laverne

Laverne and Porter

Scout, Cory, Ruby, Lexie, Addy and Ella

Photo by Devon: (L to R) Laverne, Scout, Cory, Jayme, Ruby, Ella, Addy, Lexie, Lacey and Cathy (Devon's mom) 

Dogs in the foreground, a bunch of geese in the cul de sac

For MLK day, we lined the street with luminaries--this was a huge neighborhood effort. Neighbor Kate set a lot of it up with Kathy, and then I helped to clean things up with Cory and Ana. It was pretty chilly, but we met up in the cul de sac at 6:30 that night and "marched" down the street, then Scout read a book (at Shelley's encouragement) for all of us before we dispersed. This whole effort was partly encouraged by the city, because normally there would have been a parade from Old Town Square to CSU's Lory Student Center, but that wasn't held this year. So, the city offered luminary supplies, but we gathered additional supplies as well. 

On a nice Sunday morning (actually, it was Superbowl Sunday), we took the kids to Devil's Backbone down in Loveland, and we took a little hike in the sunshine. Ruby was less into it... but we all did okay!