February was filled with basketball games for Atticus and Baylor, indoor soccer matches for Finley, an indoor track meet for Briley and Baylor, a disappointing Super Bowl, Valentine's Day celebrations, Atticus' birthday, and a ski trip for Dad.
Baylor's middle school basketball season continued through February, with a couple of games each week. The team had its ups and downs, but by the end of the season, they were really hitting their stride and playing great basketball. It’s always the same—just when you figure things out, the season wraps up. But at least they finished strong, and Baylor had his best game of the year in the final one.
Then came Valentine’s Day and Chiefs Red Friday. The kids threw together their Valentine boxes the night before, and for last-minute creations, they turned out really well. I barely had to help! To top it off, Atticus’ class won the Red Friday competition, earning them extra recess. Later that weekend, the Taylor family came into town for the Super Bowl. We had a great time with them, but unfortunately, that’s where the fun ended. The Chiefs played their worst game of the year in a painful blowout. On the bright side, we still have Patrick Mahomes, so we’ll be back next year. We hosted this year, enjoying some Q39, Costco Chiefs cake, and little Patrick was all about those Costco cookies. The kids had the day off for Valentine’s, so Finley went to a Galentine’s Day party with friends, and that evening, we had a romantic dinner of heart-shaped cheese ravioli.
On Saturday, we all packed up and headed to Northwest Missouri State University, Autumn’s and my alma mater. There was an indoor track meet, and Briley’s coach wanted her to run the mile and get an updated time since her personal record was from sophomore year. It was an open event, so Baylor decided on a whim to run too. Briley ran a fantastic 5:13, smashing her old PR of 5:35. Baylor, with limited training, still ran a strong race, just a little off his PR. Afterward, I enjoyed showing them around our old stomping grounds—my house, Autumn’s apartment, and my favorite late-night spots. Not sure they were as thrilled as I was, but I’m hopeful one of them will go there someday.
Next up was Atticus’ 10th birthday. It’s hard to believe our little guy is already 10! We repeated last year’s party since he’s still all about Steph Curry and the Warriors. He had chocolate croissants and chocolate milk for breakfast and waffles for dinner—definitely a breakfast food kind of day. The Brawner crew joined us for dinner, presents, and ice cream cake.
That Thursday, my buddy Jonathan and I headed to Colorado for a long weekend of skiing and catching up. He had to speak at an event in Boulder Thursday night, and our plan was to drive up to Keystone afterward. However, just before he finished his talk, a snowstorm hit, and they closed I-70. Fortunately, his hosts had booked him an hotel room, so we stayed the night and got up at 4:30 AM to drive up the next morning. The roads were snow-packed, but we made it to Keystone by 7 AM. After checking in, grabbing some free breakfast, we hit the slopes. They had received 11 inches of snow the night before, so we had an epic powder day. They offer night skiing on Fridays and Saturdays, and we had big plans to ski until sunset. But after a full day of powder, our legs were shot and begging for the hot tub. So, like any responsible old men, we listened to our bodies, spent an hour in the hot tub, and then enjoyed a late dinner.
On Friday, the groomed runs were much easier on our tired legs, and we spent the day flying down the slopes. It was an amazing trip, and I can’t thank Jonathan enough for inviting me. The mountain air was the perfect way to decompress and shake off some stress.
I flew home Sunday night to find the house clean, thanks to Briley, who had watched the kids while I was away after a last-minute scheduling issue with grandma. She’s such a responsible teenager, and I never once worried about her handling everything. She was excited to take on the challenge, and she did an incredible job. Luckily, Caroline and Jarod are just down the road in case of an emergency.
The next day was Autumn’s birthday, and it was a tough one for all of us. We always loved celebrating this amazing woman, and she was truly the best wife and mother anyone could ask for. I wasn’t sure how to celebrate it without getting too emotional, but we received a steady flow of flowers and cards throughout the day. Our old neighbor brought over a cake from Grandma Julie, which we enjoyed after dinner. Baylor had a basketball game that night, and they won in a close one. Afterward, we went to Jess and Jim’s, one of Autumn’s favorite spots. It was a lovely meal, and we spent time sharing memories of her. We came home, had some cake, and called it a night. As much as we would have loved to celebrate with her in person, I find comfort in knowing she’s having the best birthday yet in heaven, surrounded by God’s love and grace.
The next day, Finley had her choir concert, and she did an amazing job. She’s thinking this might be her last year in the choir. Baylor played his final basketball game the following night, and Atticus wrapped up the basketball season with a tournament championship over the weekend. He and his teammates were beyond excited. Papa Sparks and Uncle Rick were in town to witness the championship effort, and they also got to watch two of Finley’s indoor soccer games, both big wins. They also went with us to the Blue Valley North girls basketball game on Friday night, as Briley and the Relay for Life crew were raising money. They honored Autumn at half time, it was sweet of them. It was a busy weekend, but we enjoyed catching up with Papa and Rick.
This week has been big for Briley too. She started working at a nursing home as part of her CNA certification through Blue Valley’s CAPS program. It’s also the start of Blue Valley North’s Senior Assassins game, which has over 200 kids participating. The game involves getting your target with a water gun, and Briley has already moved Autumn’s car to the driveway, making sure she’s parked in the garage so she is protected from a surprise attack. She and her siblings even scouted out her targets house after I found his address. She’s got a plan, and I’m excited to see how it unfolds. I wish we had games like that back in my day!
