December 31

It’s always a good day when Jonathan is around. 

December 30

At first we had two neighbors come over to break in the trampoline. Next thing I knew, four more kids were in our yard. When we first moved here it was us and a bunch of older people. I prayed for more kids. Well... God delivered! Covid has been good for getting kids outside and playing with neighbors (most everything else for kids has been canceled). That part of covid has been nice. Even though they are noisy and messy, I love having a bunch of kids in the yard playing, squealing, and getting fresh air and exercise.

Lucy and the neighbors took Oliver and Gus for a walk up and down our court.

Peppy is just finally letting Kat hold him. He’s skittish. She is surprisingly patient with him.

December 29

Happy Birthday Nonna!

Elliott got his third stripe on his orange-white belt last night.

We started putting up the new trampoline and the neighborhood kids started coming out of the woodwork. They were eager to help get it up. Hmmm... it didn’t get done until after dark, so we told them to come back today and help break it in.

This is the first time in my 43 years that I haven’t set foot in IL one time during the calendar year. Since I couldn’t go home this year, I brought a little home here. Horseshoes for dinner!

December 28

Julia and I worked in the nursery at church with these cuties. They loved the Play-Doh.

We took advantage of the 57 degree weather and got our outdoor Christmas lights and indoor decorations put away.

We also tore down the old trampoline (and play house) to make way for the new trampoline. Our yard is “naked” until the new trampoline is put up. We ran out of sunlight. 

December 27

Raymond came over for the day. 



Meet Peppy Le Poo. Kat used her Christmas money to buy another hamster. He has a skunk stripe on his chest, so I told Kat she should name him Pepe Le Pew: the employee at the pet store overheard that and wrote “Peppy Le Poo” on the box that he was in. And it stuck. Kat is so happy to have a rodent in the house again.

December 26

Clay’s favorite governor is keeping an eye on things.

Santa brought Julia headphones

Kat got new shoes

Elliott and Lucy got a new trampoline

New phone chargers are exciting!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Elliott was excited about his Newton’s cradle

Weighted blanket

Na Na Na Surprise (doll inside the container)?


A Comfy and gift cards for fried chicken

What. A. Mess.

A white Christmas ... sort of

Zooming with Nonna and Grandpa Carroll.

We also went to see “Wonder Woman”, had Chinese food for dinner, and Clay watched “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the first time ever. It was a nice day.

December 25

Merry Christmas! 

Clay, Julia, and Kat made two Derby pies.

We had a zoom Christmas with Mamaw and Bapaw.

Enjoying their new toys.

We also got to visit with Grandpa and Lulu while they opened their gift from us. 

December 24

Julia and Clay made us monkey bread for breakfast.

Do you see the calendar? It was sooo nice to not have anything in the calendar for the first time in months. 

December 23

Santa pancakes for breakfast.

Mrs Marsha and Mrs Meghan, from church, brought our prize pack yesterday for finishing in the top 5 of the escape room. Because we don’t have enough sugar in our house... 

December 22

Julia had a Covid test on Friday. We found out yesterday that she tested negative, as we expected. But since she’d had a fever Wednesday and been around others recently, we got her tested. (FYI: all the people we were around this weekend knew we had her tested).

Elliott’s first jiu jitsu coach was in town, so we went to the class so the kids could roll with him.




We rang bells for a couple of hours yesterday. The kids made it a competition to see who could get the most people to donate during their five minutes of bell ringing. After three rounds, Jack won with 14 donations.

Cookie eating contest (who could eat three cookies fastest): Jack won! 

Slumber party