Turkey Art work

 I forgot to share the turkey artwork for Thanksgiving. 

Abel

Ansel 

Thanksgiving

Apple cider with a splash of Goldschlager

                                                   

Time to dig in!

Pumpkin and apple pie

 Happy Thanksgiving 2020!  We had a small gathering with only Grandpa Rapp as our 'extra' person.  We had SO much food and pie.  

Early Christmas Joy

We decided to decorate for Christmas early this year. Why wait until after Thanksgiving- no one is coming over.  If you can't tell I LOVE Christmas trees.   I actually did 2 less this year then last year :)  Trying to keep it simple.  Abel and Ansel helped me decorate the house.  I love having the lights and all the holiday vibes in the house.  Why not do what what makes us happy this year?!   

Grandma's tree

TV room tree

Basement tree

Dining room

Mini table tree

The tree magic always brings our elf Red Nose

Glad the North Pole is being safe and requiring her to quarantine 

We didn't know if she would make it this year! 

Please wear a mask!

 

Please wear a mask and stay home as much as you can.  COVID is surging in Minnesota and it's getting real.  Our hospitals are getting overwhelmed and having a hard time staffing.  This means even if you come to the hospital with some thing else, like a heart attack, you could end up not having a hospital bed or staff that can care for you.  Our hospitals are ready and prepared.  We have enough PPE to keep our staff safe but we can only fill so many beds.  Staff and the community have been getting sick with COVID.  I understand that every one wants things to be as they were.  We do too!  But this isn't the time yet.  We have to make decisions right now to be able to have things even out.  I want my kids to stay in school.  I want my kids to have the opportunities they need.  They don't get to make these decisions.  We as adults need to help them be able to their lives keep moving forward.  Wearing a mask and staying away from crowds are a part of this right now.  Life may never be what we once knew but it can and will be good again.  Please be safe, stay healthy and put your mask on!     

COVID Band Concert

 

COVID style band concert.  We had to drop Axle off and then watch on line.  Luckily we live close to the school so we didn't have to sit in our car and watch.  (at lot of families did this because you had to pick them up right after they were done.)  Each grade played two songs.  This year Axel is playing the drums!  He seems to be enjoying the percussion more then the trumpet.   He is also playing the piano.  He has a portable key board that the school has let him use.  He still doesn't really practice a ton at home but seems to be learning how to read and play music.  I think it's pretty cool.  I don't remember any thing about how to read music.  (we almost dropped out this year from band but he was not practicing his trumpet.  The band teacher offered percussion in hopes that he would stay in band. )  So here he is playing the drums.  He did a really good job.  With the drums you really hear what he is doing.  Not like the trumpet where he blends in to the other trumpet players. Again a new way to experience things this year.    

There is Axel in the back with the grey shirt and mask on. 

Us watching from home.

COVID Halloween

 We have been dealing with all holidays and celebrations continuing to be different because of COVID.  This year we did not go door-to-door trick or treating.  We decided to stay home and binge on candy and attempt to create our own fun.  The boys were a little bummed but by the end of the day I think they still had a fun time.  We carved pumpkins and snacked all day.   Axel had two friends over.  The watched R rate scary movies. (I did get approval of the other parents)  They walked the cemetery- that is in our back yard- and screamed at movies.  Not bad for 7th grade and COVID style.   It is what it is and we continue to make the best of it.  

                                                             A bowl full of candy all day! 

                                                    Wearing random costumes all day too! 

                                                                    Pumpkins 

                                                                Happy Halloween!