Go Sports!

 Spring is in the air and that means, sportsball! Daryl has now had one game with the Topeka High JV baseball team and Alex has joined the middle school tennis team. I'm not the best sportsball mom but I do enjoy watching my boys be active and be with their peers. (I just wish they wanted to run in the mornings, but maybe some day!) 

Grandma Rosie came up for Daryl's first game and in true Grandma style she brought out the games. Joseph, Alex, Grandma and I played checkers, Rubiks Race and the boys played chess. It was a hoot and we need to do it more often. 

Lastly, I found out Daryl had a wrestling banquet Wednesday night at 9am on Wednesday morning. I got a text that Daryl needed to bring food to share. I didn't know exactly what happens at the wrestling banquet but I picked him up some snacks on my lunch break and he drove himself. (Yay for kids being able to drive!) He come home and he received a letter at his banquet! He was pretty happy and I asked him if parents were there. He said a few, note to self I want to be one of them next year. I hope I get more than 9 hours notice! 

Spring Break 2025!

 While our kids have the world's longest Spring Break, March 13-24th, we did a quick two days to Kansas City for a mini trip. On Saturday, we got day passes to Great Wolf Lodge. It was fun to swim all day and everyone left good and tired. 

We stayed in the Legends area so we went and saw the fish at Bass Pro Shop and looked at patio furniture at Nebraska Furniture Mart. I really can't believe the boys didn't get in trouble for sleeping in the living room furniture section for almost and hour while Jeff and I looked around. They must have been tired from the swimming! 

On Saturday night we went to K-Pot and the kids had their first Korean BBQ experience. They agreed it is pretty cool and they all had a favorite meat that they liked to cook. 

On Sunday we slept in and then went to the Negro Baseball League Museum. It is a very good museum and we all really enjoyed it. We had more BBQ for lunch, this time Q39 and I had the best BBQ mac and cheese I've ever tasted. I will be looking for excuses to go back and get more of that! 

After a little shopping at the mall, my boys are shoppers, we headed home. It was a quick trip but it was still nice to get away and spend time with the kids. We might need to rent a bigger car for our road trip this summer. There were definitely some complaints from the three that shared the back seat of the Traverse. LOL 

Goal Update (Better late than Never)

 I do have goals for 2025 and it feels like the year is finally starting to settle. I'm at a new address and still working on unpacking but am learning the best places to run and the coziest spots to read and stitch. I am very happy that my sewing desk will be coming (in pieces) this week. Hopefully this coming weekend I will have a space to sew again! 

There are three spots in the house that Jeff and I are working on that will set us up for some success. We have a screened in porch that needs some furniture. That will be a great spot to read and relax while watching the dogs and kids spend time outside. 

In the basement we have room for an in home gym! A treadmill for me and a bike for Jeff will eliminate all of our excuses about getting in some workout time. We already have the weights and a bench and the rest is on the way. 

Lastly, the aforementioned sewing room. Our house was marketed as having a formal living room and cozy living room. Since we don't meet guests in the parlor, I'm making the formal living room into a sewing room/office. It's a little unconventional but I'm ready to have a dedicated space to sew again!

So be on the lookout as we create these spots that are going to make our bustling household a little more workable for us. It will get there. 

2025 Goals   

Read 24 Books 4/24

For January and February I read 4 books. So I'm right on track there. 

Parable of the Sower I don't know why I keep reading these dystopian future books. They don't seem like fiction anymore. Published in 1993 it talks about a failed government, wild fires and drought all along the west coast and gangs of poverty stricken people that terrorize cities. It's a good book but getting a little too close to reality for my comfort. 

Community Board was the fun read that I needed. A woman in the monotony of everyday life has her whole world turned upside down. She returns to her childhood home and has a great story of aligning her past life and new life. It was a light read when I needed one! 

Year of Wonders great book I recommend about the plague in England and how one small village fights it. 

Too Good To Be True while I enjoyed reading it I didn't remember much about it just two weeks later. So it won't be earning a place on the bookshelf. It is a mystery book that jumps from a past story to present day until you see how the two are connected. A little predictable. 

Run 650 Miles 60/650

The running has been off to a slow start. Still doesn't change the fact that I sign up for a half marathon at the end of April. So ready or not here I go. 

January- 45 miles

February- 15 miles (I don't really want to talk about it. LOL) 

Money Goals

Fund 3-6 month ER Fund

Pay off Car 

UFOs (unfinished objects) that need Finished 

T-Shirt Quilt (have the shirts)

Alpaca Quilt (have the pattern) 

Placemats

Alex and Daryl Photo Books 2021, 2022, 2023

My year has been off to a slow start but it can only go up from here! 

Where the home gym is going. I wonder who put a piano there...

The sewing room/office is still full of boxes.
But my sewing table did arrive and is built!

The screened in porch just ready for some chairs. Can't wait!

Last week Anna was in her middle school musical. 
It was such a great show and all the kiddos put on a fun show!

Step One: Done

 All of our stuff is in our new house. You would think, yay you are moved! Technically yes, our stuff and our people and pets are moved. However, unpacked and old house dealt with; no. Moving had its surprises and was supposed to be done on Sunday. But Jeff was still with movers Monday afternoon and now they do have all of our stuff at the new address. So that is good. 

We had great weather this weekend, I even got to run outside and try to learn some of the streets. My sense of direction is terrible and I get turned around pretty easily. Must only run during the day right now. LOL! 

While there was nerves with moving, everyone is enjoying the new house. We have space, bathrooms and a bigger washer and dryer. With 5 kids, what more could you ask for. Once there are less boxes I'll show some pictures but for now you just get to see how tired we are. Lol

Being cool

When you need a place to draw!

Everyone is exhausted!

The Crew is on the Move!

 After saying in my last two homes, "this is it, I'm not moving again." I'm not making any declarations this time.

Jeff and I gave it the good college try, living in my house with five kids. Ultimately, it was the bathrooms that got us. We started looking for something larger, but still in 501 district, in December. Not the time people are selling their houses, but in January we got lucky! 

We are moving from one side of Topeka to the other, from Potwin adjacent to Briarwood. We are going to be closer to my gym, but farther from everything else including my Jaime. Really hoping the arguments over bathrooms and space make it worth it. 

In an hour the moving truck is coming and it will be a welcome relief. We have been tripping over boxes for two weeks now and I'm ready to be done. Leaving the house I bought seven years ago for me and my boys is giving me all the feelings; excited, sad, frustrated and anxious. I guess that's a part of it too. 

Checking Another State off of the List

 Work took me to my 38th state on my quest to visit all 50. I attended the Extension Leadership Conference in Savannah, Georgia. It is a quick conference, only two days long but it had some great sessions. It was a little chilly in Georgia, but nothing compared to the negative temperatures this week in Kansas! 

Conference days were 7:30am to 5:15pm so there was not a lot of sightseeing going on. I did make it out after lunch one day and walked to Forsyth Park. It was very close to our conference and had a beautiful fountain, gardens and Spanish moss-covered trees. After that I felt like I saw something unique to Savannah. 

Jeff came along to handle the Uber responsibilities; he received five stars! The company with the other Kansas Agents was also top notch. You were lovely Georgia, maybe next time I come back it will be warmer.

Big move coming up for the Bergles family. Stay tuned! 

Book store cat, just for him I bought a couple of souvenirs here!

Leaving this picture in to remind myself we almost didn't get there. 
Flight was delayed in KC for over an hour then we had to run 
through the Chicago airport to make our connection. We did it, coming back home was 
smooth sailing! 

A Fun Night in Lawrence!

 Thanks to Jeff, five of us had some pretty great seats to the KU vs Iowa State men's basketball game on Monday night. The three lucky children that got to go this time was Daryl, Alex and Anna. We will do something later with Joseph and Lucas. 

I came down with a cold last week and was really worried I wouldn't be able to go but with the help of lots of medicine I went and had a good time! I didn't yell but thankfully the team played great without my encouragement ;-)

I think the late night hurt me more today than my cold but it was still worth it. We got home at 11pm but the car ride home was full of game recap and no fighting. I even got a sweet text message from Daryl thanking me for taking him. <3 

Needless to say, I will be in bed by 8:30pm tonight. Don't call me. LOL 

I told Daryl, price of admission is pictures, he did ok with it. LOL 

The players come and go but Jay and Baby Jay are staples!

I've never been in the 4th row at a KU game, it was AMAZING!

My boys are getting bigger....
Fun fact, the sweater Daryl is wearing is the sweater I
bought on my KU campus visit in 2003.

Dad and Daughter night, Lucas went last year so it was Anna's turn!

I'll take that for a final score!

Hello Scottsdale and Goodbye Scottsdale

Got to escape the freezing temps of Kansas for almost 72 hours! Everyone in Scottsdale was complaining about the 50° temp and I was just happy it wasn't negative 10.

Jeff had a work trip and I knew I could keep myself busy for a couple of days, so I tagged along. I made good use of the resort gym and even had a treatment at the spa 😮! Took more pictures of food than anything else. 

Airport blogging now and should be home in time for dinner. Thanks to Grandma Rosie for keeping the kiddos! 

On my walk to the gym!

The cutest Tabasco I've ever seen!

Trying to figure out how to get a couple of these lights home.... This picture does not do them justice!

Bye Scottsdale! I very much enjoyed all your cactus and rocks!

Snow, Snow and more Snow

 There hasn't been a post this year because for the most part we have been stuck inside! This blog's function is to be a scrapbook for my family so while there wasn't a lot of activity the Blizzard of 2025 is worth posting about. 

On Sunday January 5th Topeka got 14 inches of snow, the 3rd largest snow fall in the city's history! Needless to say that amount of snow was an issue. The kids got not only a day or two snow days, because of another inch of snow on Thursday, they got the entire week off! Since they had been on Christmas break that means our kiddos were out of school for THREE WEEKS! 

They were actually happy to get out and go to school on January 13th. And they were tired after school that day. I got home from work at 5pm and they were all asleep! This has been a long week and we are all looking forward to the weekend. 

Leave it to the guy from Michigan to let the dogs out in his shorts! 
Jeff said this is when cats are better than dogs...whatever!

This is pretty much what we have been doing in 2025. 

Lola doesn't mind....