Happy Thanksgiving 2022!!

Weekdays:

• Monday - I worked from home due to a 7a call and an airport pick up for our first visitor, my baby sister Molly.  I ran by Greenwood Elementary around 4p as Maci really wanted to come with for the pick up.  She ended up falling asleep shortly after picking up Molly.  We then met the boys back at home and went out to Oak Eatry for some dinner.  All crashed at early times as we had work the next day.
• Tuesday - I headed to the office while Clint and Molly worked from our house.  I had a productive day and was excited to turn on that out of office message!  After Ravioli for dinner, Molly and I were off to Innkahoots for some beers and darts.  We had so much fun playing and it kept us out until 11p which is when my brother was pulling into town with his crew.  We headed back to my house and Maci woke back up to say HI - we chatted for a bit but then all crashed around midnight.

Darts - Don't mind my hand telling you how many wins I had at that point HAHA

• Wednesday - Day before Thanksgiving!  We were all sleeping in as it was the first day of break but then my sister Meghan and her husband arrived around 830a after their 730a arrival at the airport.  We all enjoyed some breakfast and World Cup soccer.  We were super lazy all morning and around 1p Clint and Christian headed out to pick up all our catering and pies etc.  While he was gone the rest of us were still super lazy :) We worked on a jigsaw puzzle but that was about it.  We finally had some Mac n cheese and wings for dinner before the adults headed out for the night before Thanksgiving bar fun!  So much dancing with a great DJ at Stanchion!

Siblings!

Car Ride Home

• Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving!  We enjoyed a day of family and laughter!  Lots of cuddles on the couch with World Cup, Parade, Football, Snacks, Beautiful Sunshine, Beers, Deep Frying Turkey and Catering Warming.  We loved our meal, had many a naps afterward and then enjoyed some cocktails and games afterward.  The kids most enjoyed the Pictionary game while some of the guys and I caught the AWESOME Vikings game finish!  

Kids built Gingerbread Houses

Maci being the great babysitter for her 2nd cousin Matthew

Deep Frying Turkey and Hanging Out

Someone living his best life waiting on food

Here is how the others killed time before food - Photo Hunt!

The spread!

Pictionary to End the Night

Friday :

• Lazy morning again!
• Molly was off to the airport with Clint and Meghan along for the ride for her 1p flight.
• They got back to the house just in time for the US World Cup game.  Maci, Dustin, Christian and I were really into it while many of the others napped or came in and out of the room.
• Many of us then took real naps after the US game and once up decided to have some reheats.  I also ordered some pizza to go with the reheats.
• We then made an outdoor fire and had a blast playing guess the year this 90s rap song came out around the fire pit.  We called it around 11p as many have to leave the next day.

Bye to Aunt Molly!  First to Arrive & First to Leave

Pizza Time with Cousins!

Maci and Clint at the Fire

Saturday :

• Had some quick breakfast, lots of showers and then before we knew it we were off from our house at 10a heading for mall of America.
• Meghan and Christian had a 330p flight so we hung out at the mall from 10-12 then had a family lunch at Cowboy Jacks before walking around the mall a bit more.  We then ran Meghan and Christian to the airport and Dustin's family started their 12 hour drive home from the mall.
• My crew got home and CRASHED!  We all took some naps and enjoyed the quiet time.  Once we got up and moving, I did a lot of cleaning up, started laundry and taking down Thanksgiving decor.
• Clint went to bed really early as he is fighting a nasty cough/cold.  I watched some episodes of the Crown before crashing myself.

Each Kid got to Pick One Thing Under $25 at the Mall

Connor chooses Legos and wanted Aidan to see he already built it :)

Sunday :

• Clint had a super rough night sleeping due to the cough so he got up at 630a and went to urgent care - it is only a bad cold and they gave him some codeine to help with sleeping and the cough.
• We got up and slowly moving, I was up most of the night with his coughing too, but wanted to get our Christmas tree. 
• We got a good tree and were able to get home in time for the Bengals game - YAY a great W!!
• Our awesome neighbors, Harty's, helped Clint to hang the Christmas lights quickly today since he felt like poo.
• Clint then napped while I wrapped up laundry, preparing for the week and decorating for Christmas.

Christmas Tree Farm

Our eyes are tired and bodies worn out but our hearts are so full from a great long break with family!  We will shake this crud and be enjoying the holiday season in no time!

Lots of Love,

C, K, M & C

Mom Heads to Nashville!

Weekdays:

• Monday - I worked from home which was probably for the better as we got some snow and roads were way more slick than one may expect.  Around 11a I had to head to a CIO luncheon at Mall of America for work.  After the luncheon, I was off to the airport for our 330p flight to Nashville for the CTO quarterly offsite.  Thankfully it was a super smooth flight and before I knew it, we were eating some tasty BBQ across the street from our hotel.  We wrapped the night with some beers at the hotel bar and there was a Bengals fan so you know who I had to talk to :). Back at the home front Clint had a nice evening of no kids activities 

The one person that is super happy when I am away b/c she gets Clint all to herself

• Tuesday - Day 1 of meetings.  Ended the day with dinner at Modell's which is this yummy southern cooking/homestyle place.  Afterward we went to downtown Nashville bars and had a blast dancing at Tootsies.  I headed back to the hotel with the first group at 1130p, it made for a rough morning for all the next day but so fun in the moment!  Once again, Clint and the kids had a quiet night at home.

Me, Bree, Kelly and Melissa having some dancing fun at Tootsies

This was before the crowd showed and made it impossible to move

• Wednesday - Day 2 of meetings.  Many left to the airport after we wrapped but those of us that stayed got some Nashville hot chicken and then headed to our rooms by 830p.  So tired!!  Clint juggled Connor's religion class and Maci's finishing camp in the evening but then he had the guys over for some Golden Tee fun!
• Thursday - I was to fly home on a 1030a flight but we got delayed by 1 hour and 30 mins.  Thankfully we finally got out of there and I was home by 230p.  I wrapped my calls from home and then picked up the kids who were happy to see me :). Maci had soccer practice at 7p and Clint ran her while I got some things done on the home front.

Friday 

• Productive day working from home for me and Clint headed into the office.
• The kids got off the bus and Connor was sad to hear his play date got rescheduled b/c his buddy Anna had a nasty cough/cold.  Turns out Connor also started to show signs of a cough/cold so we got him to start resting.  
• After we were all home for the day, we ordered some Mexican for dinner and had a fairly lazy night at home.

Saturday 

• Connor woke up sounding rough so we skipped basketball practice
• We got a lot done around the house and started to put together the playroom with the bookshelf, bean bag chairs, rug, posters etc.  We also had a crazy busy Costco run where Connor fell asleep in the cart - oh my goodness!
• I got laundry pretty well done with all the bedding getting a good wash before company starts to arrive this week.
• Maci had to head to soccer practice at 3p and I did drop off but then Clint picked up at 415p while I got ready for date night.
• By 530p we were off in our Uber to downtown for a Manny's steak dinner with John and Sarah Verplank.  We had a wonderful dinner we had and some super strong cocktails :) 
• Afterward we went to the Verplank's home for some final drinks and Shuffle board in the house.
• We finally got in our own Uber heading home around 12a - Long but Fun night with good friends!

Sunday 

• Clint and I were both feeling pretty rough today!  A little too much fun and lack of sleep.
• Connor is still hacking but feeling better, I think it is moving.  We still got him to take a nap and rest inside.  Maci on the other hand did all her studying, read for her homework and then sled outside wit the neighbors for a few hours.
• We got the house totally cleaned for the family coming this Thanksgiving!  Watched football and are ready for an early bedtime for all tonight!!

We are so excited for this week and seeing so many loved ones in our home!  We wish you all a Super Happy Thanksgiving!!

Lots of Love,

C, K, M & C

Playroom Ready for a Makeover & Maci Kills Another 5k!

Weekdays:

• Monday - I was actually on it and worked out before heading into the office.  I even figured out how to go to the UHC building to start my day and then head over to Optum.  I wrapped my day with a great interview with a gal that we are going to offer a role to on my team.  Great way to wrap a day! We had no to dos in the evening which made for a nice relaxing night!
• Tuesday - I had my team offsite with the leadership team.  We ended the day with happy hour and then I picked up dinner for the family on my way home.  Another nice low key evening at home.
• Wednesday - Another team offsite but this time with our extended team.  We wrapped our day with a team dinner/cocktails and secret snowflake gift exchange!  While I was having fun with the team, Clint kindly got Connor to his Faith Formation class and Maci to her finishing class.  The Hintze's helped with kid running by brining Maci home from soccer since both kids wrapped at the same time.
• Thursday - Maci's last day of girls on the run before the big 5k.  I had a normal day back at the office and picked up the kids on the way home.  Clint ran Maci to and from her 7p soccer practice and then we ended the day with some hot tub and Thursday night football.

Friday : 

• Productive day working from home for Clint and me
• We got to enjoy a live stream Veterans Program from the kids' school and my brother, Dustin, was able to dial in and watch too!  It was so well done!
• In the early afternoon Clint and I hoped on a call with our financial advisor to plan out the remainder of the year and what not
• Right as we were hanging up, the kids came off the bus and were super happy to be home - yay Friday!
• We headed to Applebees for dinner around 6p and it was packed b/c of their "Veterans eat free" program on Veterans Day but Maci and Connor loved seeing so many veterans!

Saturday :

• Clint and I started the day with a 3 mile cold walk with the dogs.
• Afterward, Clint and Connor were off to basketball practice at 1120a while Maci and I took on the playroom - it was a total disaster, I should have taken a before pick.
• We worked on that room from 1130a until 330p!!!  We had over 3 bags of garbage, an entire car load of items for a Goodwill run and a dollhouse to clean up/list on Facebook market place for sale.
• The kids BIG Christmas gift this year is redoing that room to make it a bit more of a tween hangout.  We are mounting a tv with gaming counsel, new bookshelf, high top table/chairs, been bag gaming chairs, new rug, new sports posters etc.  It looks amazing now!  We were all exhausted by 5p but we kept going and after dinner, Clint and I ordered all the items for the new playroom - it is going to look awesome!!!!
• We ended the day with a late grocery drop off & a dip in the hot tub.

Sunday :

• Up early for the big 5k!  It was COLD!
• We got there just in time as traffic got nutty and we dropped Clint and Maci with her team at 850a when the race is set to start at 9a.
• Maci's wave started at 9:24a and she was done by 9:45a!!!  SHE IS INSANE!!! She also felt pretty icky afterward but did awesome.  Clint was about 10 mins behind her.  We started to warm up, said hi to Maci's best buddy Natalie who also ran with her school and then we were off!
• We enjoyed a big breakfast at Peg's near our house afterward 
• Now we are all warm near the fire, watching football and getting ready for the week.

They are ready and we are staying warm inside before it starts!

Post Run Fun

Hi Natalie, Good luck at your gymnastics meet today too!!

They are so cute together!

We hope you all had a wonderful fall, almost winter weekend!

Lots of Love,

C, K, M & C

Happy Halloween!!!

Excited for Halloween!

Weekdays :

• Monday - Happy Halloween!  I went into the office and rocked some spiders in my hair.  The kids both rode the bus home and I joined them all at home around 4p.  I got the kids ready to go in their costume, Clint fed us pizza and then it was 6p and we were off before we knew it!  It was a gorgeous night, if only every Halloween could be this warm and lovely!  I hurried home to watch the horrible Bengals game which I ended up turning off and going to bed.  Woof!

Wednesday Adams & Power Ranger

The Hood

• Tuesday - Another gorgeous day!  I worked from home along with Clint as we had to head up to the kid's school around 3p.  Maci had her practice 5k.  She crushed it and while it was only 2.5 miles, she finished 1st and in 18 minutes.  Maci had a wonderful day b/c not only did she have a great run, she also had a field trip at Baker Reserve - what an awesome day to have an outdoor field trip!

Maci's Class on Their Field Trip

Girls on the Run post practice 5k

• Wednesday - The warmest day yet, crazy nice - we broke a record for 74 degrees!  Maci was back to soccer with a finishing camp at night but in a dome, she was so confused on why a dome when it was so great out HA!
• Thursday - Maci had another girls on the run practice after school and then she had soccer practice with her regular team 

Friday :

• The kids had no school and we let them stay home.  That may have been a rough idea as they kept interrupting us all morning.  We finally got them to watch some movies, color and stay out of our hair until at least calls started to end come the afternoon.
• We made some LaRosa's pizza for dinner and I enjoyed a beer to end my day and working on performance reviews in our chase chair - it was so cozy!
• Clint and I watched the Shania Twain documentary before bed which was pretty interesting.

Saturday :

• Connor had his first basketball practice at 8a, Clint is helping to coach 
• I had a massage at 915 and then Clint had his at 1030a so a lot of quick running between the both of us.
• We then had nothing else the rest of the day!!!
• I took a nice long nap and Clint enjoyed a lot of college football!
• We watched the Buckeyes pull it out, a little nervous there and then enjoyed watching Alabama lose and Clemson also lose later in the night!
• We had a nice cozy night at home and ended the evening watching SNL with Amy Schumer 

Sunday :

• While I hate daylight savings, I do love an extra hour of sleep!
• We took the dogs for a walk after getting up 
• Did a whole bunch of to dos around the house and squeezed in a shower before the Bengals and Dolphins started.  It was quite the fun Bengals game considering we were up 28-0 at one point and were able to pull our starting QB before the 4th quarter started!!!  Clint was a little more nervous but they also pulled out the W.  Our other fav team the Vikings are now 7-1 on the season and looking great!
• Since football ended, we have been doing more to dos around the house.  Clint just wrapped another weekend of leaves.  Connor is playing football with neighbor boys.  I have some dinner ordered and ready to puzzle in front of football tonight and Maci is coloring.

We hope you all had a wonderful Halloween and fall weekend!

Lots of Love,

C, K, M & C