We Have A New Adult!

Bella through the years. . .

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012 

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Bella is EIGHTEEN! An official adult! This has been a year of trying to live in the present, but also looking ahead to future plans. She visited seven college campuses this year in an attempt to make an informed decision about where she'll spend her next four years. She gets to leave school early each day due to an online college english course she is taking and has been enjoying the quiet house in the afternoons while everyone else is still at work/school. Overall, her course load is a little lighter and a little easier this year. It seems, by design, junior year is the most difficult/intense. It's good because seniors are busy with campus visits as well as college and scholarship applications. She was recognized as the Hauser DAR Good Citizen and also is a finalist for the Lilly Scholarship. When she's not busy with schoolwork, clubs, or sports, she's spending time with (or FaceTiming) her boyfriend, Sam. This is an exciting time in her life - she is just about ready to fly. As her parents, it's bittersweet, but we are so incredibly proud of the person she is and the person we are releasing into the world. 

Traditionally, I make a slideshow of the previous year for each of the kids' birthdays. For Bella's18th birthday, I decided to span the timeline across her whole childhood. Since that's a lot of content to go through, I narrowed it down to just video. She has literally grown up before our eyes. 

Happy Birthday, Isabella! We love you so much!

November Days

Tis the season for basketball! Our high school had a "Black and White" night where all the teams from 2nd grade through 12th grade came out to scrimmage each other. The night was topped off with an alumni game. Here are some photos from Curtis's scrimmage. 

If you notice on the top left of this photo, Bella's basketball senior banner is up! 

Graydon played in the pep band that evening.

A friend sent this photo of Bella during a game we missed (because we were attending Curtis's game that was going on at the same time). Bella ended that night with ten points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists and was named Max Preps Player of the Game! 

Curtis participated in an FFA Crops competition. He described it as learning about and judging "seeds and weeds." His team came in 2nd place, so now they're headed to state! 

Bella was chosen for the DAR Good Citizen Award for Hauser. She, along with the other award recipients from the Columbus high schools, was recognized at a DAR meeting last week. 

I wasn't expecting a picture of myself (I probably should have). I probably would have worn something different than a shacked if I had just been thinking. 

The four DAR Good Citizens from Bartholomew County!

Bella's teammate who usually does the jump ball was injured, so Bella gave it a try at this game. 

Papa and Gaga were in town and able to watch her play!

Mabel found a tennis ball and was running around the living room with it in her mouth. We try not to keep these around much because she destroys them. But this one is still in pretty good shape. 

We have a new niece! Zoe Lynnleigh Hassler was born on November 21st! The weighs 10 lbs. 2 oz. and is 21.5 inches long. We can't wait to meet her next month. It's so exciting to have a new family member to love. 

We had a simple Thanksgiving at home, just the five of us. I didn't get any photos of us or our food, but I did manage to get a photo of the table before all the candles were lit. 

October

Bella and I participated in a Glow Run 5k one evening. The event was put on by G.L.O.W. Like Sarah and all the funds raised were donated to pediatric cancer research. 

Curtis got braces! His teeth aren't terrible, but his bite is a little off and his eye teeth need to come down a little. It sounds like he'll need them for less than a year.

We all got dressed up and went to a wedding, so it needed some documentation.

We stayed home for Fall Break and made sure to use some of that time to get our pumpkins. 

Everyone in this house now plays tennis (with the exception of me - though I'd also like to learn), so we had a little doubles competition.

Graydon got some bowling in.

I took Bella on a college visit to Indiana State. 

That Friday evening, Bella and I attended opening night of The Eras Tour concert movie. With the crowded theater and Taylor performing on stage on screen, it almost felt like we were really at the concert. I had fun dressing up and singing along to the songs with Bella. 

And of course we wore bracelets. 

Our church youth group went to a corn maze pumpkin farm after church one Sunday. 

Another October wedding. We sat with a fun group of Hauser coaches and staff members.

Hope had its annual Ghosts and Goblins event at the square on the Friday evening before Halloween. We missed all the festivities (it's mainly for young kids), but the weather was so warm so we took a walk and stopped for this quick photo. 

The Meades drove down for the weekend and we enjoyed hanging out with all of them. Tim and the kids played lots of basketball on Saturday afternoon.

That evening, we attended a church barn party.

Mabel enjoyed all the extra attention she received that weekend.

This photo popped up on my Facebook Time Hope from exactly eighty years ago that day. Since these two were together again on that actual day, I had to get an updated photo. They've changed just a bit. 

Card games around the table.

Working at an elementary school is always fun when Halloween rolls around. And I never have to figure out what my costume will be because our office staff takes care of everything. We have very few male staff members at our school, so our costumes this year played right into that. 

Since our kids don't trick-or-treat anymore, the past few years our tradition has been to carve pumpkins, eat apple pie, and watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". As we did each of these things, it was in the back of my mind that this is our last year that Bella will be here with us. Another one of those "lasts" during senior year.

Bella's Pumpkin

Curtis's Pumpkin

Graydon's Pumpkin (front)

Graydon's Pumpkin (side) - it says "sha" (kind of a running joke with Andy).

We had an extra pumpkin, so Curtis carved that one too.

So cute. :)

We watched the movie in the basement since that's where our DVD player is set up. As always, Charlie Brown's "I got a rock." had us all laughing. Love that movie. 

Basketball season is officially started. Bella's team took some pictures a couple weeks ago. 

The seniors!

The team!

Curtis's team is just getting started too!

Our evenings are about to get super busy, but it's so fun watching them play.