Merry Christmas! In true 2020 style if you got our Christmas card this year and were able to peel it from the envelope after the photo card had gotten soaked from me dumping them in a puddle instead of the mailbox and had the time to read the bottom that hopefully still said follow our Christmas blog here then well let's just say, miracles do happen. Every year I try to type a blog update about our past year. For my own records and keep sakes of important or fun family adventures we have had this past year. Well 2020 is surely something to write about! I hope this letter finds you all doing well. Although, I am sure that meaning has been altered for many of us this past year.
We spent the first part of the year enjoying the Slopes and skiing at Whistler. The kids are finally getting the hang of the skiing thing and will go pretty much anywhere we do, a little concerning at times honestly but I am so proud of them. Black Diamonds and all!
We did a lot of winter camping in the RV and skiing at Steven's Pass this year.
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| Last runs before the shut down |
Jared and I have been fortunate to have jobs that stayed up and running during the pandemic. Jared's business picked up with calls for Covid Cleans and disaster clean up after riots, as well as people being home more and wanting to take care of some in home issues and remodels.
My work was very slow initially, because it was kids, most surgeries were cancelled and there wasn't much Covid hitting the younger ages. I had one day during the shut down where I was the only staff on the unit and we had no patients. I made my first Tik tok video! Unfortunately, #childhoodcancer doesn't stop for #Covid and things have been rather busy again.
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| Advantaclean is going strong |
We found ourselves getting antsy since the world was closing down. We had to cancel several trips, for weddings and our trip to Hawaii. So we packed up and went to find our own fun! Met up with some longtime friends doing the same things with their kids. Jared and Brody went to the desert for their annual riding trip. They took a new toy and now Jared's hooked. We had a few mishaps with all the fun but it was worth a good story!
I didn't know that in 2020 my Part time job would be so important and I would be making time to be a fulltime teacher for my kids and doing Art and Gym class as well, but here we are....
We did sneak off to MN for the 4th of July and stopped to see the changes that have taken place to a city that I love and the memorial that was created for George Floyd honoring the BLM movement.
BREATHE...because you can, this is not a political post
Our best adventure and trip this year, I think, was the trip to Stehekin, WA. This little town is only accessible by boat across Lake Chelan on the far side was chilly but very beautiful.
When you get there you tie up or unload the ferry boat that runs there and you can rent bikes and ride to the bakery and the waterfalls and see historic sights around the town. The kids had a great time and were pretty good troopers the whole way. It was very windy on the lake and although it was sunny and the end of summer the lake is so deep that is is really cold on this end.
One thing is for sure, Charlotte has enjoyed having us all home more this year.
We did a few hikes up to Rainier and Camped at American Lake for a few weeks.
The kids got up on Water skis at Nana and Grampa's and came home and did some tubing and skiing here with the ZUP board. Luckily we have pretty outdoor adventurous kiddos and that has been the thing that has sustained us this past year. Getting outside and enjoying nature and our time together. We have made a pretty good Quaranteam, but the kids are wearing thin and ready to get back to school, hopefully by February as Washington is still shut down. Many of our 2021 travel plans are up in the air we are hoping to not have to cancel or postpone anymore adventures and get to show the kiddos Hawaii just in time for our 15th Anniversary!
Although I anticipate the pandemic lasting well into 2021/22, we are hopeful for new adventures. We have had many blessing to be grateful for this past year. Many neighbors and friends have stepped up to be part of our extended family. Our rental property was rented out by a young family with kids close in age and a teacher who has helped us immensely to make it through this year without our regular childcare and school programs in place. Since there was no sports and kids were all home the neighbor kids have come out and formed a wolf pack and play outside till dark, almost daily. Without each other and our communities this year would not have been manageable. I hope this Christmas you can find some good in this past year and for those who find light in darkness, may the light continue to grow. May 2021 be a year of healing, health and happiness.
As always our door or schoolhouse is always open, if your passing through Washington or just want to say Hi.
Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year
The Toppenberg's
Becky, Jared, Maycen (10) and Brody (8)
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