January 2022

Welcome to 2022! If the year continues in the same fashion as the month of January, we should be in for quite a ride. Like many others in the world, we started the year off sick. Nick, Parks and I were sick first. Sims and Sawyer came down with it about a week after the rest of us got well. Thus, we started the year and the month off slowly and at home. We did get one short trip to the mountains for some skiing and hiking. We took ALOT of walks and enjoyed the outdoors as much as we could.

Sims spent the beginning of the month prepping for a boat move. He left mid-month to head to Charleston in order to help with the boat prep and pushed off soon after. For the first time, he experienced sea sickness while on board a sailboat (he got sea sick once as a little guy on an offshore fishing boat). It took almost five days before he felt better. During the move, he saw all types of weather, all types of waves, some dolphins, a sea turtle, and a lot of bioluminescence. He and the other three crew members hit Antigua to beautiful skies and weather. So far he is loving Antigua. He has become friends with his dock neighbors. They went diving a few times, and he saw sea turtles, dolphins and an octopus. After a long sail, he is enjoying life on the island for a while.

Getting the boat ready to leave Charleston.

Sims’s route from Charleston to Antigua

One of Sims’s catches on his sail

Sunset in Antigua

Sawyer, while looking for experiences in her gap year, found a semester school that spoke to her. In December and early January, she busted a move to fill out the application and get recommendations. In mid January, she found out that she was accepted, and she started prepping. Nick and I dropped her off in the NC mountains where she will attend school through May. So far, she has done an orientation class, started a leadership class, and backpacked for 4 nights. Her group hiked 30 miles during her trip. She learned to make a tarp tent and to do all things that come with backpacking. She said the highlights of the trip were seeing a bald eagle and the amazing sunsets over the mountains. Before she left, she competed in the regional climbing competition and advanced to divisionals. With her new school situation though, she will not be able to attend. She was super excited to have qualified.

Sawyer at regionals

Sawyer at regionals

Climbing practice.

Sadie trying to figure out why her mom is filling this box when she could be playing in it.

Last minute snuggles.

Drop off day!

This is everything she has for the next four months! Minimalist packing!

Last minute snuggles.

Drop off day!

Parks’s month started off slow, but then hasn’t stopped. He and Sims tried to hit almost every bike park in the area before Sims left on his trip. They also got in a few ski days before Sims headed out. Parks’s classes didn’t start until the end of the month, so he focused on getting through some math, history, and learning new skills in bike maintenance-including a dropper post installation, rear shock maintenance, derailer tuning, and several other items. He has been rebuilding Bmx and mountain bikes and learning a ton along the way (some great real life applications of his physics class). He is trying to figure out why it means to be an only child for a bit.

White water center day. The girls went ice skating and the boys hit the trails.

Sims and Parks playing on bikes.

Climbing practice.

Sawyer and Parks building a lego bonsai tree on her last night at home before she left.

Lego bonsai.

I almost forgot that we also got SNOW!! We had a blast playing in the white, fluffy surprise. We have not had a good snow in quite a while, so we all thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sawyer playing in the snow.

Snow ball fight!

Playing in the snow

The best way to get back home.

PLaying in the snow

Sadie admiring the candles

Cuddling kittens.