October - December 2021

We continued into fall with our school studies.  For "October Break", we went with some friends on a short camping trip to Raccoon Creek state recreation area.  There is no fall recreational soccer, but Jack stayed active with his scout troop; a highlight was a two-night backpacking trip into the Hoosier National Forest. Dad went with Jack on the trip.  We had to set up our backpacking tents--one person per tent--in the dark on Friday night.  We completed about 10 miles total in a series of loops.  Kate and Anna continued with ballet, too; they were able to go back to in-person classes in the ballroom with mask wearing as part of the protocol.  We also took some photos during our Thanksgiving and Christmas festivities.

setting up for dinner at Raccoon Creek

a chilly morning at camp

Jack helps with the Eagle Scout court of honor for his troop mates who earned Eagle since the pandemic started

Jack getting his tent ready in the dark at Hoosier National Forest

Jack and Dad on the trail with our packs

breaking camp on Sunday morning

Dad got a new phone, and he used the portrait mode to take a picture of Jack

our Christmas lights are up, and Dad used the night mode on his phone to take a picture

Kate helping prepare the Thanksgiving dinner with Jack
(she did make crescent rolls, but we didn't get a photo)

the pumpkin pie that Jack made with some help from Mom and Kate

a silly selfie at Thanksgiving dinner

Kate with a Christmas gift

Anna and Jack with Christmas gifts

Kate and Anna after the Lafayette Ballet Company's
"private performance"

Christmas dinner family selfie

July - September 2021

Anna and Kate continued their stays at Lac du Bois and Waldsee for the first half of July, and they made the most of their camp stay.  When Mom and Dad picked them up, most of the two-day drive back home was filled with stories from camp and comparing their experiences.  At the very end of July and into the first of August, we made a trip to Chatauqua Lake to meet our friends Lisa and Ruth; we got to do some outdoor things--including stand-up paddle boards on the lake.  Kate started studying astronomy when the school year started up again, so she, Anna and Dad stayed at Shades State Park so we could all attend the late-night "star party" to view stars with 100s of others at the place in Indiana that is supposedly most free from light pollution.  Jack stayed active with the scout troop.  After much work on our back yard, Dad finally got a small fire pit for us to enjoy.

Anna at a group sing

Kate with her group at Waldsee

Anna gets the Super Français badge

Kate wearing the Super Sprachmeister CD badge

Anna having fun at Lac du Bois

Heavenly Creamery, an ice cream store in a repurposed church!

stand-up paddle boards and kayaks at Chatauqua Lake

Dad and Jack at Bemis Point

the Crossley family on the ferry with Lisa and Ruth

Dad, Kate and Anna selfie at Shades

at Deer's Mill covered bridge

Kate and Anna tending the campfire

Jack helps lead the outdoor court of honor for the troop

Anna examining contents from owl pellets for environmental science class

first fire in the fire pit

April - June 2021

Our spring started off with staying at home.  We had one more late snow in April.  Jack started spring soccer, which played outdoors so masks weren't required while playing.  In May, Jack's troop awarded him with the inaugural Matt Klenosky service award for his efforts in helping run the virtual troop meetings during the pandemic. Anna and Kate started looking forward to Concordia Language Villages immersion camps--French for Anna at Lac du Bois and German for Kate at Waldsee.  Jack was looking forward to summer camp at Gerber Scout Reservation.  We were able to get vaccinated before the camps, and Concordia took extra care to be sure everyone was clear before loosening restrictions. Jack enjoyed camp; he and some of his troop members spent much of their time on the climbing wall. Dad was able to join Jack for part of the week at Gerber.

more snow in late April

Jack at Spring soccer

Jack takes a throw-in

Jack with the Matt Klenosky service award

Kate checks in at Waldsee as Katjana

Anna checking in at Lac du Bois as Anissa

early days at Lac du Bois with everyone wearing masks

Kate at a Waldsee activity

Eurovision-inspired dance act at Lac du Bois

Kate wearing the Sprach Meister tag indicating her command of Deutsch

Anna and fellow campers at Lac du Bois

Jack (in blue) on the climbing wall at Gerber

Jack and Dad at Gerber before the closing "fire bowl"

January - March 2021

We started January with some cold, and we finally had snow later in the month. Anna showed off some sewing skills by modifying a jacket she purchased at Goodwill and replaced the sports team logo with a design of her own.  Because of the pandemic, there was no Nutcracker this year, but Anna and Kate continued remote ballet lessons.  Jack's scout troop continued to meet remotely, and Jack helped lead the online effort for the troop.  Kate's 12th birthday was this year, and we celebrated with just the five of us at home.  We stayed mostly at home, given the circumstances.  We had more snow in February followed by an ice storm in March.  Anna and Jack celebrated their 16th birthday in March.

Anna with her re-made jacket

Kate's birthday

snow day

more snow in February

ice storm in March

twins' birthday