Bucket List

Feb 22, 2018 while sitting around eating BBQ pork baked tacos Jacob announced he wants to visit every state by the time he is 40 and Nathan said he wants to visit the Lincoln memorial...hence the Sinclair family road trip has been birthed.

The wheels are in motion, the United States printable map has been printed. (We are going to color every state we've been to as a family).  This motivated me to get back to my blog page.  I needed an online journal and this has served that purpose well.  Feel free to join us this summer for the adventure!

It has been a long time since posting.  I think the blog phase for me fizzled for awhile...it's an easy thing to not take the time to do but we sure have enjoyed looking back at our stories, pictures and videos.  Of course I wish I would have kept it up.  The boys have grown so much and so fast.  And if I had written every single witty funny comment that Nathan has said - I could write a book.  Also with the increase of social media (Facebook, Instagram) who wants to sit and read a long drawn out blog post.  Well, except for the famous ones.

While previously writing I always had a specific person in mind. My mom.  While I loved that I was documenting our family life I always knew she would be the one most excited to read the post.  She went to heaven last summer on July 10, 2017. We had some amazing times during her 4 year battle with cancer.  She was strong, brave and persevered.  I am so thankful my boys had their Grandma for the time they did but she continues to be missed greatly.

You can still reach this blog but stay tuned for the launch of our new address.  Hopefully it won't take 2 years.  XO

Rough day at the office.

Future Olympians

Some day we will look back on this video as the beginning of what will most certainly be two great long jump careers.  Or not.

Winter 2015-2016

First we headed way south, then way north.  Had a great time celebrating the holidays with our families.  

One and only waterpark pic.  

The annual line-up.  Since this pic, Walker Robert has joined the crew.  

Back on the ski hill!

A gorgeous day on Lake Julia

Celebrated this guy turning 8!  

It's a bit lame that I have to label my blog post Winter 2015-2016.  Apparently keeping up the blog isn't a huge priority for me although there is always tomorrow.  Looking back on winter photos I'm thankful for lovely holidays, good health, and safe travels.  Happy to report I am writing and only a few weeks away from the first day of spring.  Oh how I love the end of winter.

Fall 2015

It was a beautiful day to be at the orchard!

Keith Urban at the great Minnesota get together.  Need I say more? 

Jacob has really been enjoying Taekwondo!  

We celebrated 14 years with a lame lunch date.  Sorry, honey.  Honestly, in my head I was thinking it would be a really special lunch...just a nice lunch together - no need to make a big event out of it.  We talked about kids and work - what did I expect?  It was the middle of the day in the middle of the week!  LOL.   I'm going on record...anniversaries ARE a big deal and you'll be sure our celebration next year won't be over lunch.  

Jacob's first day of 2nd grade!

Nathan's first day of pre-school! 

This is one of the most surprising and interesting things I have done this fall.  Scott encouraged me to take a watercolor class with a local artist that has his studio downtown.  I forgot how much I enjoy painting!  I don't have a lot of experience but have learned a lot - and most importantly I enjoy it and actually don't mind the learning process.  

We surprised Sarah for an impromptu birthday dinner for her special day on 9/14.  

Our family bike ride.  We went 7 blocks and then had to stop because Nathan got dust in his eyes.  We had a few more meltdowns over the next hour or two.  It was fun.  I think that was our last family bike ride of the season.  

Other than coming home with a horrible sinus infection - pretty sure I was contaminated while swimming in the hotel pool...we had a great training weekend in Moline, IL.  We are facilitating a class at our church starting in January.  It is a fantastic class and we are feeling quite blessed to be able to participate in this.  We are passionate about marriages!  

We had a great time at the annual HPAAC (Hastings Prescott Area Arts Council) Gala which is an annual fundraiser for this group.  We bid and won an evening of Wine and Watercolor with Andy Evansen!  

Remember how great our fall was?  We had a perfect night for a bonfire with a bunch of our friends.  

We got Lydia for a long weekend - she painted my nails and I got to put her in a dress for church.  

Hey - we're already one week out from Thanksgiving!  What the heck!?  You know what they say...time flies when you are having fun.  This fall has been amazing to say the least.  We've had mild temps and lots of warm sunshine.  Just the way I like it.  Next week we're hosting Thanksgiving (low key, no fuss...let's be real...my mom and dad do most of the "work" - I don't clean out turkeys), walking / running The Gobble Gait, and enjoying some time off of school - one of Jacob's complaints lately is that he just doesn't have enough time to play.  More on Thanksgiving after Christmas.  Just kidding...I'm going to try to be a bit more diligent about keeping this up to date.  I'm talking to you, self.  But for now, enjoy some recap pics of the last couple of months.

Say it ain't so...

We've packed a lot in this summer.  And for that I am so thankful!  Not to mention I am walking, able, and wait for it...got back on water skis again for the first time in a couple of summers.  If someone would have told me last year that I would be able to ski in a year I wouldn't have believed them.  It did take 3 tries to get up but this body isn't quite as young as it used to be.  Not to say that by this time next year I won't have completed my first triathlon.  Here's hoping!

Jacob also had a go at water skiing!  He did awesome - he didn't want to keep trying but it was a good effort.  I bet my next summer he will want to have another go.

Anyway, I'm sad to say we had our last summer getaway last weekend.  (Unless we sneak one last one in before school starts! ;) We had a blast at Sarah and Mike's.  The weather was crazy hot and humid...just the way I like it for swimming and boating.  The last few days have been rainy and cold, and a very real reminder of what is to come.  It's not over yet though.  Here are a few pics from the weekend.

These two got stung by bees.  Notice Lydia is tough and proud, Nathan on the other hand was very concerned about the hold in his arm.  ;)  

Jacob's #1 fan. 

Looking good in Grandma's lipstick.  

This is the life.  

These kiddos spent a lot of time in the water!  

So did these kiddos.  

Yippeee!!!

Lunch at Zorbaz

These two had a little work to do with Mike.

Loaders?  I'm in.  

Post lunch afternoon nap.  

Hot day, hot tub.  

4 years old...

June 7 marks Nathan's birthday.  We had a houseful, taco bar, and Batman ice cream cake from DQ.  It's good to be 4!