2025 recap
2025 has come and gone, and it was filled with many wonderful (and a few not-so-wonderful) things:
JANUARY
Finch did a football camp, played basketball, and was in chess club
Rooney was involved in PowerLife (church confirmation class), show choir, and volleyball
Eric went on a guys’ trip to Okoboji
We went roller skating with Finch’s school
Eric and I played in a co-ed volleyball league
We went to Okoboji for a late Christmas celebration and Winter Games
We enjoyed a Living History Farms dinner with Eric’s co-workers
FEBRUARY
Finch participated in Bricks 4 Kidz (LEGO club)
I got COVID :(
Rooney had a band concert (flute)
MARCH
Rooney turned 13!!!!
Eric turned 41
Rooney got braces!
We spent spring break in Okoboji
Finch went to Magicamp
Eric and I went to Topgolf with friends
Finch joined the Robotics club at school
Rooney started spring softball
APRIL
Finch (and I) took the Third Grade Bible Class at church and received his first Bible
Celebrated Easter
Finch started baseball
MAY
Rooney went to a school dance
Our twin nieces graduated from high school, and I took them to get their colors done
Rooney had a choir concert
Rooney had her last ever band concert
We went roller skating with Finch’s school
Finch did a football camp at his school
We had a third driveway slab and concrete patio installed
Eric and I celebrated 22 years together
We celebrated Memorial Day in Okoboji
We took our annual time capsule photo
JUNE
Finch broke Rooney’s pinky finger
Finch turned 10
Our niece Myah became our summer nanny
Finch did weightlifting
We went to an I-Cubs game
Finch went to summer camp for a week in Okoboji
We attempted to go to the horse races but got rained on as soon as we arrived
Eric and I went to Topgolf with my co-workers
JULY
Eric and I had a dinner and game night with our friends Kristin and Ryan
We went to a family reunion in the Wisconsin Dells
Finch played 7 v 7 football
We went to July Jubilee
Finch learned to backflip off the diving board
Finch went to Magicamp
We went swimming with Finch’s football team
Two busy weeks of Vacation Bible School
Eric and I had dinner with our friends, the Kregers
We went to Taste of Hope (summer festival at church)
Summer vacation in Okoboji
AUGUST
Finch went to Magicamp
Finch did football camp
Rooney and I went to the Iowa State Fair
We went to Adventureland as a family, and each kid brought a friend
We went to Topgolf as a family
We went to an I-Cubs game with Eric’s co-workers
Rooney started 8th grade
Rooney played school volleyball
Finch started 4th grade
Finch played tackle football
SEPTEMBER
We went to high school football games
Rooney started her second year of show choir
We went to Topgolf with my family
Rooney got her ears pierced (again)
We went to the block party at Finch’s school
I turned 42
OCTOBER
Finch started therapy
Eric and I went to the Taylor Swift movie
Eric and I celebrated 19 years of marriage
Eric and I went to the Brandon Lake concert
Finch and I went to the Mom & Son Tailgate at church
Finch started sports training
Rooney and I went on a church retreat
Finch performed in his school music concert
I went to the Regretting You movie with friends
We took fall family photos
A fun night of trick-or-treating
NOVEMBER
Rooney joined a club volleyball team
Eric went to Denver for a work conference
Eric went to a Hawkeye football game with friends
Rooney got a bedroom makeover
Rooney had a choir concert
We volunteered as a family with Meals from the Heartland
We celebrated Thanksgiving in Okoboji
DECEMBER
Eric and I went to Cancùn — a trip he earned through work
Eric and Finch went to Kansas City for the Chargers vs Chiefs football game
Celebrated Christmas
My dad, siblings, and our families spent a week in Cancùn to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2026
Rooney turns 14 in March and can get her driver’s permit!
Rooney will start high school 😱
Rooney will (probably) get her braces off
Finch will enter his last year of elementary school 😱
Finch is excited to join his school band and learn to play an instrument
Eric and I will celebrate 20 years of marriage, hopefully with a fun trip
I hope to read at least 43 books
Big things ahead! Here we go!