February 2025

            February included a lot of volleyball for Allison and basketball for both girls.  Without much else on the calendar for the month, we will focus on the sports. 

 

            I’m coaching Sarah’s 56B team this year and we did better than we expected.  Last year, we didn’t win a game, but this year we have played better.  I always like meeting new families and coaching the girls.  This year, I was able to partner with Phil to coach the team, which has been a great experience (although the girls may not agree!).  As of the end of the month, Sarah’s team was undefeated and so was Allison’s Cadet A team.        

 

Sarah’s Things of the Month

            Sarah’s softball team has continued to practice most weekends at an indoor facility.  She has enjoyed meeting some new girls.  The team is gearing up for some tournaments on Sundays in the spring.  She will also play on another team in her league that doesn’t travel to different locations.  She has been playing some good basketball in most games and is very aware of her surroundings when playing help side defense. 

 

Allison’s Thing of the Month

             Allison’s volleyball team had 2 tournaments on back-to-back weekends in early February.  She continues to enjoy the friendships she has on the team.  Her basketball team has been playing well and, on a few occasions, she has had to play the full game as some of the girls are missing due to volleyball commitments. 

 

A few more items from this month:

• Deb and some other moms did a great job helping out with the trivia night at the school.  It was sold-out and she powered through even though she wasn’t feeling well that weekend. 
• I went to a Pacers game vs. the Grizzlies with Anderson, Watkins and Wyss.  It was good to see Zach Edey playing well and starting the game. 
• The girls got tickets to the UCONN vs. Butler girls basketball game for Christmas.  It was a chance to see several stars on the UCONN team and the girls had fun watching the game from some good seats. 
• We had a good time celebrating Erin Dodson’s birthday in late February.

January 2025

            January was full of volleyball, basketball and softball.  We had a big snowstorm here that extended Christmas break an extra day followed by some very cold temperatures that has kept the snow around for the entire month. 

 

            We think we got about 10 inches of snow the Sunday before the girls were supposed to go back to school so they had the day off from school.  After doing some e-learning, Sarah was outside playing with her friends in the snow a majority of the day.  Allison was a little more challenging to motivate to go outside, so I decided I would teach her how to cross-country ski with Deb’s equipment.  She and I had fun going around the neighborhood loop. 

 

            For the last few years, we have attended a Purdue men’s basketball game over Christmas break and the girls enjoyed it, but kept asking to go to a game “when the students are there.”  So, we were able to get some tickets from my Aunt Linda for a Big 10 game in January vs. Nebraska.  Purdue won, hit a bunch of 3’s and the girls enjoyed the environment with the student section in full force. 

 

            As one of her Christmas presents, Sarah and Debbie went with some neighbor moms and daughters to see the new women’s professional volleyball team (Indy Ignite).  They said there wasn’t a bad seat in the house and the volleyball was very impressive.  Everyone had fun as it was the opening night of their first season, so there were all kinds of entertainment planned. 

 

Sarah’s Things of the Month

            Sarah has continued her weekly practices with her softball team as they start to get ready for playing in some tournaments this spring.  Her basketball team won their first game, which was pretty exciting as they didn’t win any games last year. 

 

Allison’s Thing of the Month

             Allison has really enjoyed playing volleyball in January with the Jr. Trojans team.  There were 2 tournaments in January and they played well.  Probably the best part for her is experiencing a new sport and making some new friends that will be her classmates next fall.   

 

A few more items from this month:

• I went to the Pacers vs. Cavs game with Jeremy.  I got some tickets through work and I owed him for all the times he has gotten some great seats and invited me. 
• Deb and I went to Woodland bowl for the 6th grade class party.  Deb left around 9 as she was getting up early to take Allison to volleyball the next morning and I hitched a ride and came home after a few beers at KSR. 
• We quietly celebrated my birthday this year.  I got some gifts and we enjoyed some cake.  The following weekend, Deb and I went to Sullivan’s for dinner. 
• The last day of the month, Foulke, Anderson, Wyss and I went out to watch the Purdue vs. IU game.  IU played harder, but Purdue was able to pull it out with great shot by Kauffman Renn in the last 10 seconds. 

 

December 2024

We started off the holiday season by going to Yuletide at the Indianapolis Symphony.  We were fortunate enough to be invited for the last dress rehearsal and had great seats.  Randy and Anna came along this year and we all enjoyed the dinner and drinks that were part of the invite. 

 

            We celebrated Christmas in Indy this year and went to mass on Christmas eve with the Dodsons and Wahmans.  Afterwards, we had everyone (plus Mark) over for dinner and drinks and enjoyed catching up.  Allison and Sarah hung out with Molly & Erin in the basement most of the time while the adults hung out until about 9PM.  On Christmas morning, the girls slept in until 7:30. Sarah got a new softball bat and a bean bag chair.  Allison got tickets to see Megan Maroney in concert in April.  Debbie got a gift card to go to a spa with one of her friends. I received a Yeti cooler.  Later in the afternoon, we went over to the Dodsons along with the Wahmans and Mark.  Molly and Erin did a musical show for us and we brought back a tradition of shooting free throws as a family (even though it was raining).  We got home and watched Christmas Vacation before going to bed. 

 

            The following weekend, the Shafers came to town and they stayed with us on the first night.  Kyle, Randy and I went to Upland for a few afternoon beers before coming home to open presents and eat dinner.  A few of us stayed up a little later than we should have and the next morning Julie, Kyle, Debbie and I went to Orangetheory for a workout.  Afterwards, we made our way up to Randy and Anna’s house and the kids enjoyed pizza with them while Julie, Kyle, Debbie and I went to the Grindstone restaurant in downtown Noblesville. 

 

            On New Year’s Eve, we went with the Verspelts to do an Escape room with the kids in Fishers.  It was a race car themed room and we were able to find our way out.  Afterwards, we went back to their house and met up with some friends from school to watch some college football and ring in the new year.  

 

Sarah’s Things of the Month

            Sarah finished her basketball season with her Jr. Trojan team and has started practicing with her CTK school team.  I’m coaching her team again this year.  She has also had a few softball practices at an indoor facility with her Bluehawk team. 

 

Allison’s Thing of the Month

             Allison decided to go out for a Jr. Trojan volleyball team and that started in December.  She made the team and has had fun making new friends from other schools.  Her IGB fall season ended in December and will pick back up in March.  She also has started practicing with her CTK school team. 

 

A few more items from this month:

• I made a few trips to Chicago this month as the company I work for acquired a business located in Wooddale. 
• We went to the annual Bassett Christmas party and enjoyed catching up with everyone. 
• We had a few neighborhood families over for some holiday fun the day before school was out.  The kids made gingerbread houses and we had some fun trivia games for everyone. 
• We were fortunate to be invited to have dinner to celebrate Kent Campbell.  We went to Binkley’s and then went to the school parking lot and lit lanterns and watched them float away. 

November 2024

            The month of November had us transitioning from volleyball into basketball for both girls and starting the holiday season off with the celebration of Thanksgiving. 

 

            We celebrated Thanksgiving this year in Ohio with the Vandervaarts, Dodsons and Grandma. We arrived in the afternoon on the Wednesday before the holiday.  We enjoyed some appetizers and then opened some gifts from Grnadma.  Afterwards, we let the cousins hangout in the basement while we caught up in the living room and watched some home videos from when we were kids. Thanksgiving morning, Pete and Laura worked on getting food prepared while the remainder of us went to go see Moana 2.  When we got back, Pete and Laura had things in good shape so we watched some football and basketball on TV.  We were able to situate the table and chairs so everyone could be at the same table and we enjoyed dinner.  Afterwards, the adults had set up a game where the kids would each get a chance to punch 5 “cups” with a prize inside.  We had several individual games where each group would win and get an opportunity to get their prize and then trade with others if they wanted.  The next day, we left around 2PM to head home and ran into some winter weather along the way which slowed us down a little bit.  The holiday weekend was rounded out with Sarah having 2 basketball games on Saturday and Allison having a game on Sunday.  We went to church on Saturday evening and had Randy and Anna over for dinner, to watch some college football and decorate for Christmas. 

 

Sarah’s Things of the Month

            Sarah’s fall volleyball team lost their tournament game in early November.  Sarah got a lot better over the season and she really improved her serve.  As mentioned last month, she is playing some basketball with some of her classmates and enjoying being back on the court.  She is also participating in a Sunday evening basketball clinic at Chatard that started in November. 

 

Allison’s Thing of the Month

             Allison’s volleyball season ended earlier than expected in their tournament, but she enjoyed the season so much she has continued to go to a few open gyms at Chatard so she can gauge her interest and see how she matches up against other girls.  Her IGB team has played some games and we are hoping that having this time together will help them in the spring season when they start playing in more tournaments.  Allison has been participating as a “ball girl” for the Bishop Chatard girls basketball team during a few games and is enjoying spending more time around the team.  She also took her placement exam for high school this month. 

 

A few more items from this month:

• Debbie and I went out to dinner with Tony & Amy Bultinck at Capri’s on a Saturday evening
• Kyle (Julie’s husband) was in town for work, so he and I went to the Colts game vs. the Bills.  He and I enjoyed hitting up a few spots before the game and having the great seats from Deb’s work. 
• For the first time in several years, we were able to make it to the Watkins’ house for Friends Thanksgiving.  Watkins, Foulke, Anderson, Bleill, Geddes, Wyss and myself were guys from college that were able to make it.
• We also went to the Steffey’s Friends Thanksgiving and enjoyed seeing everyone.  

October 2024

The month of October was highlighted by our fall break.  We flew out on an early Saturday morning flight and arrived in Vegas around 8AM. After getting our rental car, we went to Valley of the Fire.  We went to the beehive area, hiked the white dome trail, hiked the fire wave trail along with the seven wonders trail.  Those 3 miles felt like they were all being hiked on a beach because there was so much sand.  We then piled into the car and drove to Zion and checked into the Driftwood Lodge. 

 

            After checking in, we went to dinner the Zion Brew Pub and fell asleep pretty quickly due to the time change.  We got up the next morning and rented some e-bikes to ride thru the canyon without dealing with shuttles.  The e-bikes were a hit and the girls probably thought it was the best part of the trip.  While exploring the canyon, we hiked the riverside trail, scout’s lookout and the court of the patriarch.  We got some ice cream for the girls and coffee for the us and then did a little souvenir shopping.  We had dinner at Zion pizza and noodle and woke up the next morning ready for the next adventure. 

 

            We woke up and drove to the east side of the Zion Canyon, which was quite possibly the most scenic drive I’ve ever done.  We arrived at the Ponderosa ranch and did the observation point hike and then drove to Bryce.  We checked into the Ruby Inn and had dinner at the Bryce Canyon Cowboy club and relaxed in the hot tub afterwards.  The following morning, we went and hiked the Navajo loop and queens garden trail.  After having lunch at the trail head, we checked out 2 viewpoints (Inspiration point and Bryce point).  We then decided to go for an ATV guided tour and that evening, we looked at the stars with the Dark Ranger Telescopes. The next morning, we did the scenic 18-mile drive through Bryce canyon and did the Bristlecone and tower bridge trails.  We then spent the afternoon driving to Page, Arizona. 

 

            After checking into our hotel, we went for a swim and had dinner at the Dam grill.  The next morning, we went on a tour of a secluded slot canyon and horseshoe bend.  This tour was given on land owned by the Navajo tribe, so our tour was a chief and we learned a lot about the culture.  After the tour, we did a short hike and hung out by the pool before going to dinner at State 48 tavern.  We woke up the next morning and drove to Vegas and arrived at Mandalay Bay around 2PM. We walked down to the Bellagio for the water show and we enjoyed the people watching and seeing the sights.  After dinner at the hotel, we went to bed as our flight home was at 7AM the following morning. 

 

Sarah’s Things of the Month

            Sarah’s fall softball team ended their season in early October, but she has decided to continue with the year-long “Bluehawks” program which will allow for her to keep playing thru the winter.  Her volleyball team won a few games and Sarah is a very consistent server, along with being aware of situations and diving when necessary.  She is also playing basketball with several of her classmates as they get ready for their CYO season. 

 

Allison’s Thing of the Month

             Allison’s volleyball team has been competitive in every game and she looks like she is really having fun when she is on the court.  Her Jr. Trojan season ended while we were on fall break, but she enjoyed meeting several girls she hopes to play with in high school next year.  She also kicked off our IGB season by joining her team for a fall session to better prepare them for the spring travel season. 

 

A few more items from this month:

• Frank and Jan organized a group dinner, where Mark, Chris, and the Dodsons joined us for a nice dinner and a chance to catch up before they started traveling south for the winter. 
• Frank and Mark have had an annual guy weekend that revolved around euchre since the late 80’s / early 90’s and I was invited to participate this year.  I had a great time, got a little sleep and probably had too many beers. 
• Deb took the girls to “trunk or treat” at CKS this year and they enjoyed getting some candy and seeing their friends. 
• Halloween has changed for us, as Allison is off with friends in other neighborhoods and Sarah is running around our neighborhood but we don’t really know where she is.  I ended the night watching some NFL football and hanging out around the fire. 
• 

September 2024

            The month of September was packed with kickball, volleyball, softball and basketball.   While the girls have fun playing sports and being with friends, it can be challenging to find time to catch up or even eat dinner during a month like this.  We know it won’t last forever…but a few quiet evenings are welcome when we can catch them. 

 

            The month started off with Labor Day weekend. We spent a majority of Saturday unboxing items and helping unpack.  We went to church that evening and then came back to our house for a cookout.  Julie & Kyle got a boat over the summer and we took that out on Morse Lake on Sunday and enjoyed some tubing and swimming.  After that, we had dinner at the Cyphers house.  They have settled in for the most part and have ordered some furniture, along with continuing to unpack. 

 

            During the month, we traveled to Lexington for a wedding in the Grubb family.  The Grubb family has been close friends with the Cyphers forever.  I actually first met Julie, Randy and Anna at their house for a 60th birthday party for Randy many years ago.  The wedding was outdoors and the kids enjoyed dancing while the adults enjoyed the nice selection of bourbons.  Julie’s family was able to make it, so all 10 of us were together.

           

            The last weekend of the month, the remnants of a hurricane came through Indianapolis and took out our power.  We lost power 3 separate times and borrowed a friend’s generator to keep our fridge items cold, Wi-Fi working and TV on!  It was a lot easier to use than we thought, so we have looked into getting one to help us out the next time we face an extended outage. We did play a fun game of Uno with the Sniadeckis with headlamps on. Pretty memorable!

 

Sarah’s Things of the Month

            Sarah’s kickball team ended their season and she had a good time playing with some of the 7th graders.  Her softball team continued in the month of September and got better each week.  Sarah got a chance to play a few different positions, such as outfield and 2nd base.  Her volleyball team has played competitively and she seems to be one of the stronger players. 

 

Allison’s Thing of the Month

             Allison’s final kickball season ended for CKS and they won their last game with her entire team playing in tutus.  Her Jr. Trojans basketball team continued to play well and she made friends that she hopes to play with next year at Chatard.  Her volleyball team is fun to watch and she has some natural talent for the sport, so we will see if she wishes to pursue that as she goes to high school next year.  As 8th graders, they get to start off the year with a 1-day retreat at CYO camp and she enjoyed spending time with her class. 

 

A few more items from this month:

• A neighbor of ours invited Sarah and I to a fever game in early September.  We had a good time and enjoyed all of the snacks and food in the club seats. 
• Some portion of us all went to a few Chatard home football games this year as the weather was nice and the kids ran around with their friends. 
• Beth and I got together for a few beers in September at our house.  We hadn’t got a chance to do that in a few months with our busy schedules. 
• Deb volunteered and helped put on Grandparents Day at the school.  It was for KG, 4th and 8th grade parents. 
• Grandma came to town for Grandparents Day and we tried to hang out at our house, but we were out of power Friday evening thru early Sunday morning.   We went to church and the girls enjoyed hanging out at her hotel for a few hours on Saturday since she had power.
  

August 2024

            The girls went back to school in mid-August and appear to be enjoying the start of the year.  Allison is in 8th grade, which means they are the oldest kids in the school and being leaders.  Sarah is in 6th grade, which is the first year of middle school, which includes getting a locker and switching classes for the first time. 

 

            During the month of August, Allison and I were in a car accident at 71st and Keystone.  The accident was bad enough for the airbags to deploy, but we were both fine.  After talking to the police and getting my car home, we settled in to having 1 car for a day until we got a rental, filed our insurance claim and started that process.  Overall, everything went very smoothly and I had bought another car by the end of the week.  When I was selecting my rental car, I was given some options and chose the sensible one…but then as I went out to look at it, an orange Dodge Challenger caught my eye and I knew I was going to have to get that to drive around for a few days.  I brought it home and the girls loved it and were upset when I had to turn it back in. 

 

            Randy and Anna moved to Nobleville in late August.  Debbie went to WV for the weekend to help finish up packing their items and go to a “going away” party.  Everything seemed to go smoothly as they did a great job packing up their house, organizing with the moving company and then arriving in Indy to unpack.  They have already started to meet some neighbors and are still in the process of unpacking and selecting furniture.

 

Sarah’s Things of the Month

            Sarah’s kickball team has continued in August with practices and games.  She has enjoyed playing with some 7th graders and having fun.  She also had volleyball evaluations and is in the 56B team with the girls from her grade.  She has also started fall softball, with games starting in September.  

 

Allison’s Thing of the Month

             Allison’s kickball team has continued in August with practices and games.  She is enjoying her final year of that sport and having fun with her friends.  For volleyball, she is on the Cadet A team.  Also, she has continued her Jr. Trojans practices and her team is much better than previous years.  She and I went to an “end of the season” pool party for her IGB Basketball team in early August. 

 

A few more items from this month:

• I participated in the CTK golf outing with Chris, Tony and Matt.  The weather was great and a group of us went to Ale Emporium afterwards for dinner. 
• I took the girls to the state fair, where we enjoyed walking around and checking out the exhibits, eating some food and riding some rides.
• We went to the annual party at the Steffey’s house, called “Smokefest.”  We enjoyed lots of good food and hanging out with friends we don’t get to see as often as we like. 
• Sarah and Debbie went to see a Taylor Swift cover band at Symphony on the Prairie with several friends and moms from school. 
• While Deb was in WV, Sarah had a cold she couldn’t get rid of and Allison hurt her elbow playing basketball.  Needless to say, I probably didn’t take as good of care on those things as Deb usually does, so we were glad when she got home on Sunday. 
• My mom came to town to visit in late August and went to dinner with her and the Dodsons on Friday evening and spend most of the day Saturday with her, going to Allison’s basketball game and then Erin’s soccer game. 
• Debbie and I went to the Annual Bishop Chatard Fund dinner, which is exactly as it sounds.  A big celebration and dinner to get donations.  It is an impressive night and helps us get acquainted with where the girls will be going to high school.