Ode to 2023

Universal Orlando.  Bathroom Remodel.  Start of DC Card Collecting.  Disney Pin Organization.  Return to Casino Windsor.  Spring Musical Stage Crew.  Spring Soccer.  Stan Hywet Tour.  First Piano Recital.  Finger Amputation.  Natural History Museum at U of M.  Boys Backpack Trip.  Girls Trip to Ohio Caverns.  Beach Glass Hunting - Conneaut, Nickel Plate Beach, Vermillion Main Street Beach.  Shed Landscaping.  Allergy Testing.  Start of Allergy Shots.  New Kitty - Gracey.  Stained Deck at Lake.  Put in Bay and Kelley's Island Weekend.  Cedar Point.  Cleveland Hiking - Bedford Reservation, Hell's Hollow, Geneva on the Lake, Rocky River Reservation.

Ode to 2022

ADULT  DISNEY TRIP!!!  Bedroom Remodel.  Holly's First Sleepover.  Spring Soccer - Jacob.  Bree's First Job - Snack Shack (City Pool). Kelley's Island with Kids. Bree's First Trip to Cedar Point.  Outer Banks - Monster Trucks, Beach Rescue.  Father's Day Drive-In Date Night - Jurassic World Dominion and Top Gun: Maverick.  Catapult Tree Mishap.  Marble Lake.  Greenfield Village. Singo Bingo.  Grand Rapids, OH.  Band Camp.  Bree's First Parade. Freshman Volleyball Team.  Fall Soccer.  Block Party.  Jacob's Pizza Burn.  Lake Tahoe. COVID.  Jacob Fall Soccer. Hocking Hills. Bree Speech Team.  New-to-us Jeep.

2022 Reads

1. A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

2. Dear Santa by Debbie Macomber

3. The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom

4.  The Perfect Father (True Story of Chris Watts) by John Glatt

5. The Handmaid and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg

6. Seven Dirty Secrets by Natalie Richards

7. Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

8. Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

9. Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks

10. Everybody Fights by Kim and Penn Holderness.

11. Midnight Library by Matt Haig

12. The Lost Husband by Katherine Center

13. Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker

14. Don't Let Go by Harlan Coben

15. Wild at Heart by K.A. Tucker

16. May B. by Caroline Starr Rose

17.  The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

18.  Forever Wild by K.A. Tucker

19. Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center

20. What Happened to the Bennetts? by

21. The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks

22. 

Ode to 2021

Two Week Virtual Learning.  Santa Afghan.  Gnome Craft Class. Snow Days.  Passport Books.  Jim Truck Accident.  New Living Room Carpet.  ARUBA.  New Work Truck.  Sauder Unit Business.  Spring Travel Soccer.  Barn Wood Wall.  Solo Stove.  Top Golf.  Groot Waffle Afghan.  Covered Lake Deck.  Slate Sidewalk.  Stock Tank Garden Beds. Summer Tutoring.  Good bye, Uncle Jeff.  Pine Lake.  Kalamazoo/Battle Creek/Marshall, Michigan Road Trip.  Neighborhood Fireworks.  Mud Hens Game.  Summer of Kids Working with Dad.  Crossnet.  Jacob's First Trip to Cedar Point and Soak City.  Fall Travel Soccer.  Defiance Splash Pad.  Hello, Myla.  Goodbye, Grandma LeBarr.  Jacob Bird Feeder Business.  Kelley's Island Birthday Trip.  Return of County Fairs.  2nd Grade, 5th Grade, 8th Grade.  Piano Lessons.  Glenlore Haunted Trail.  Bree's Hotel Birthday Party.  Gatlinburg - Anakeesta, Stanley, SkyFly.  Winery Trivia Night.  Family Walleye Game Outting.  Ghostbusters Afterlife - Finally!  LeBarr Family Christmas KICKOFF!  Jacob Glasses.  Bree Cell Phone.  2nd Annual Bookstore New Years Eve Trip.

2021 Reads

Books Read in 2021:

1.  Layla by Colleen Hoover

2.  Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

3.  Stranded by Melissa Braun

4.  Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

5.  Confess by Colleen Hoover

6.  It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

7.  Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent (book on CD)

8.  Someone We Know by Shari Lapena (book on CD)

9.  Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich (book on CD)

10. Divergent by Veronica Roth (book on CD)

11. Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

12. The Breakdown by B.A. Paris

13. The Innocent by Harlan Coben

14.  The Seven Hubands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

15. A Plain and Simple Christmas by Amy Clipston

16. Carrie and the Great Storm by Jessica Gunderson

17. Daisy and the Deadly Flu by Julie Gilbert

18.  Watching You by Lisa Jewell

19.  How Y'all Doing? by Leslie Jordan

20.  Hold On, But Don't Hold Still by Kristina Kuzmic

21.  Not So Boring Letters of Private Nobody by Matthew Landis

22.  Falling by T.J. Newman

23.  Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

24.  Shiver by Allie Reynolds

25.  The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore

26.  A Mrs. Miracle Christmas by Debbie Macomber

27.  The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku

School Time

 First Day of 8th Grade!!

Due to a staggered start, Bree was the only one who had school today.  Sitting in the car line this morning felt as if we never even had a summer break.  It all went so fast!  So we got to chatting and listing all the things we did:

Pine Lake, camping (Poplars Lake)-camping (Marble Lake)-camping (Uncle/Cousins House),  Mud Hens game, church kayaking, sleepovers, Drive-In movies, movie theatre movies, Michigan day trip, worked with her dad a lot, lemonade stands, neighborhood fireworks and birthday party, played massive amounts of Crossnet, and more!

"But..." she says "We didn't go hiking!"

Preschool Year 1

Preschool Year 2

Kindergarten

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

6th Grade

7th Grade

Ode to 2020

 FAMILY DISNEY VACATION with Mike, Becki, Matt and Adrienne.  Coronavirus Outbreak.  Caesar Windsor Trip.  Rachel's First Speeding Ticket.  Valentine Geodes.  Penny Hockey Board.  Quarantine, Shut Down, and Toilet Paper Shortage.  Virtual Learning.  Jacob Quarantine Birthday.  Easter at Home.  Season of Pudding Shots.  Jim turned 40.  Repainted Living Room.  Permanent Camping Spot at Poplar's Resort.  New Patio Table.  New Gas Grill.  Neighborhood Ice Cream Birthday Party for Holly.  TWO New Blackstone Grills.  Summer of Hand and Foot Games.  Mask Mandate Began.  Gaga Ball Pit.  Kayaking with Tammy and Heather.  Cake Decorating 4-H Project.  Bree made the 7th Grade Volleyball Team.  New Fridge.  UP Birthday Trip.   Cuyahoga Trip with Heather.  Fall Travel Soccer.  Painted Shed.  Hocking Hills Trip with Becki, Mike, and Austin.  Cuyahoga Hiking with Mom Dominique.  Watched All 22 Marvel Movies in Order.  Holly Close Contact Quarantine.  20th Wedding Anniversary.  Halloween Donuts in the Front Yard.  13th Birthday at Blue Pacific.  Thanksgiving Lasagna.  Taking it to the Streets.  Rachel Tested Positive for Covid.  All Three Kids Quarantined.  Passed Out Turkey Dinners.  MIS Night Lites.  Quiet New Years Eve at Home.

2020 Book List

2020 Book List

1. Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
*Follow up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz

2. Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

3. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

4. Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

5. If You Tell by Gregg Olsen

6. Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne

7. My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni

8. Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

9. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

10. Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

11. Run Away by Harlan Coben

12. Missing You by Harlan Coben

13. The Stranger by Harlan Coben

14. Holes by Louis Sachar

15. The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

16. Shaken by Tim Tebow

17. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

18. Finding Ultra by Rich Roll

19. The Lake House by Kate Morton

20. The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede

21. The One by John Marrs

22.  Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

23. The Dutch House By Ann Patchett

24. The Last One by Alexandra Oliva

25. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

26. I'm thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

27. The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck

28. The Last Flight by Julie Clark

29. The Immortal Nicholas by Glenn Beck

A 20 year Tribute

"Here's to the ones that we got

Cheers to the wish you were here, but you're not

Cause the drinks bring back all the memories

Of everything we've been through

Toast to the ones here today

Toast to the ones that we lost on the way

'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories

And the memories bring back, memories bring back you."

From the first Nintendo purchased at a pawn store on our honeymoon

to the collection taking over our basement....

From the first road trip to Tennessee

to every road trip in-between...

From the very beginning

to this very moment...

I love you more than I can put into words.  I would not want one thing about the life we have created to be different.  If the first 20 years were this great, I cannot wait to see where our hope and dreams takes us on the next 20.

Happy Anniversary.

1999:

2020:

Ode to 2019

 The first picture of New Years Eve

New Van.  Great Wolf Lodge.  Polar Vortex.  

Final French Quarters Hotel Stay.  

Columbus Axe Throwing.  Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace.  Meteorological Bomb. Friday Night Book Club.  

RV/MH Hall of Fame.  Hall of Heroes.  

University of Notre Dame Visit.  

New Camper.  Kindergarten Registration.  4-H.  Spring Soccer Season for Jacob AND Holly. 

Birthday Boys Camping Trip.  4-H Nature Day Camp.  Cleveland Family Hiking.  

Rainiest Spring in 125 years.

  

Second picture of New Years Eve

First 4-H Week Long Overnight Camp.  

Pine Lake.  4-H Judging.  State Fair Representative. 

Goodbye Grandma Graham.  

Antenna Fixed.  Homegrown Zuchinni Abundance.  

Mohican Adventures Family Vacation.  

Travel Soccer.  6th Grade, 3rd Grade, Kindergarten at Last!  Food Substitute Position. Volleyball Clinics and Tournaments.  Band. Disney Countdown.  

Inflatable 5k. Gatlinburg Getaway.  

Lights Before Christmas.  TSO Concert. 

Taking it to the Streets.  

Frankenmuth.  Blue Pacific Date Night.  

Project Life 2019.

Finally got it right!

2019 Book List

My 2019 reads:

1. The Impossible by Joyce Smith
* Medical drama, powerful message of the power of prayer

2. Just One Look by Harlan Coben

3. The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

4. I Survived The Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967 by Lauren Tarshis
*Favorite 'I Survived' book of all time.  Mountains, nature, and impact on environment.  Whats not to love?

5. The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens

6. The Strangers in the Woods by Michael Finkel

7. No Exit by Taylor Adams
* Needs to be a movie

8. The Shadows We Hide by Allen Eskens

9. Bird Box by Josh Malerom

10.  Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
*Reread but still didn't like it any more.

11. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
* Reread and LOVED IT MORE the second time!

12. Grey by E.L. James
*Interesting view point to the series but it still did not make me want to finish the other books.

13. Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman
*So confused by this book.  The premise is good, but the story fell short.  Maybe it shouldn't have been a novella?

14.  Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom

15. First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom

16. Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer
*What the what?!  Had no idea that Amish books could be this intriguing!! 

17. Hello Sunshine by Laura Dave
*I was pleasantly surprised by this book and it left me thinking...  Is this really how it is for the Food Network Stars?

18. Along Wooded Paths by Tricia Goyer
*Sequel to Beside Still Waters.  Seriously!!  Amish books!!!  Amazing!!

19. The Forgotten Girls by Sara Blaedel 

20. Beyond Hope's Valley by Tricia Goyer
*Amazing, amazing, amazing conclusion to the 'Beside Still Waters' series!!!

21. Six Years by Harlan Coben

22. Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni
*Almost like Forrest Gump for the modern age.  Wonderful read.

23. As You Wish by Cary Elwes
*Awesome behind the scenes story of the Princess Bride.

24. The Princess Bride by William Goldman (Abridged Audio Book)

25. White Christmas Pie by Wanda Brunstetter
*Okay, so maybe not all Amish books are amazing or else I really don't care for this author's style of writing.

26. Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

27. I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

28. Verity by Colleen Hoover
*Very fast read.  Chilling.  Suspenseful.  Shocking twist!

29. Educated by Tara Westover
*Favorite Biography of all time.  Cannot believe there are still people/families like this in the U.S. today!! 

30. Wild Awakening by Greg Matthews
*Loved. Loved. Loved.  Mountains, nature, bear attack, survival, God.  Perfect combination.

31. Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

32. Wolfhunter River by Rachel Caine

33.  I Can't Make This Up by Kevin Hart
*Good and funny start, but when they hit celebrity status and loose their roots, it gets frustrating.  

34. Silent Night, Holy Night by Colleen Coble

35. Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
*OMG!!!!!  Best thriller ever!!  So many gut wrenching, heart pounding, physical emotions felt in this one!!

36. View From Rainshadow Bay by Collen Coble

37. The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
*I am thankful for modern day luxuries and endless food.  However, it is inspiring to read about being resourceful and meager.

38. November 9 by Colleen Hoover
*Thought I was going to be reading a thriller or a mystery, but instead this is a romance and it is wonderful.

39. The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
*Wonderful piece of historical fiction.

40.  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling

41. Made From Scratch by Sandra Lee
*Interesting to learn about Sandra's start to life, but then the story went downhill for me.  She became a celebrity and lost her humbleness.  Lots of name dropping

42. Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
*Amazing.  Loved the characters right from the start and has the best epilogue ever written.

43. The Immortal Nicholas by Glenn Beck
*Best Christmas book ever written.  Tying the all important meaning of Christmas into why Santa does what he does brought a whole new, eye opening view to Christmas.

44. The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda
*Did not care for this one.  Storyline was hard to follow between past and present and flashbacks in the characters heads.

45. Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh
*Courtroom drama (but understandable and not boring) meets serial killer makes for one awesome book.

46. I Will Always Write Back by Martin Ganda
*Refreshes the heart on the impact of the OCC Shoeboxes even though this has nothing to do with them.  So little for us does so much in third world countries.

47. Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan
*A deeper more character developed Christmas story worth reading.

48. A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
*Story follows Martin, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, all the way to adulthood.

49. The Christmas Star by Donna VanLiere

50. Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
*Historical fiction love story.  Makes you want to read follow up non-fiction books on WW2.

Honored

Jim was asked to be the Godfather of the newest member of the Dominique family.  It was an honor he could not refuse.  Today we attended her baptism and celebrated the beginning of her walk with Christ.  

God is within her, she will not fail

Psalm 46:5 

Thankful

Thankful for a sister who

1.  Has the Big Ten Network

2. Invites you over to watch the OSU game on said network

3. Offers to buy pop, make snacks, and fry chicken wings for dinner

And Holly is thankful for any get-togethers that involve eating ice cream.

Celebrating Early

My family has always been 'Christmas Day' kind of people, but this year we were all feeling the pull to stay home with our families on Christmas and that is okay.  That just means that Christmas gets to come early!

Holly preparing to say the Pledge of Allegiance before dinner.  

If you don't understand, you need to spend more time with me at Christmas.

Graham Cousins

Christmas 2019

Only the Best

The Stockings have been hung.  The presents are wrapped.  

The lists have been made.

Assisting the homeless and serving our community have been completed.

The carol have been blaring since November.

The parties have since been cleaned up.

Now its time to bake some cookies for Santa and bask in all our hard work.

Annual Exchange

What good is seeing and posting fun and torturous group Christmas games if you aren't going to do them?  Thankfully I am just the mastermind and don't have to participate.

Double Date

We were invited out by another couple to have dinner at their favorite restaurant - Blue Pacific.  Since we had not been there before, we studied the menu before heading out so we could at least pretend we knew what we were getting into.  Thankfully our friends were great teachers on how to maximize our food experience.  A few bites into our meal we were hooked.  I foresee Blue Pacific becoming our new go to date nights out.

Serving

Tis the season to be selfless.

Taking time out of the already busy season to prepare and serve a holiday meal at the Wauseon Community Dinner.  

Christmas Treasures

Who knew that a simple hobby, an enjoyable way to pass the time, would forever bring a smile to their family's faces.  So thankful I am now the owners of these Christmas Smurfs.  They will be cherished and proudly displayed every season until it is time that I pass them on.

Starting Point

We need to work on how to hold a knife, but we all have to start somewhere!