Austen Turns 19

Austen finally went back to school on January 19th so he got to celebrate his birthday at home with us. I'm not sure that would've been his choice considering celebrating with your friends is way cooler at that age. But, at least he got a good dinner and lots of presents!

Golfing in Mexico

It was nice having him home for a long stretch - he was home from December 7th until January 19th and only had to go back for one final during that time. I think Hailey really enjoyed having him home but it was more difficult for her to say goodbye this time (more on that in a future post). 

Austen didn't waste his day sleeping - he was up around 11amish. Grandparents came over at noon to bring presents and say their goodbyes. He watched a lot of football. He opened our presents (Illinois basketball jersey, On Cloud sneakers, jeans and other clothes) and then went for dinner at Capri - an Italian place that we hadn't been too in ages. Austen was surprised when they came out singing Happy Birthday to him with a candle in a dessert too. He thinks that's embarrassing and while I put it down on our reservation, I didn't think they'd surprise him - which they did and was nice even though he kept telling us to not sing. Ha!

So who is Austen at 19? 

• He's a kid who still loves to golf. Any chance he gets, he's practicing. 
• He still loves soccer as was evidenced by all the games he watched while on break -he's just not playing it as much although he said he'll have more time this semester and may try out for the club team next year. 
• He likes music and going to concerts (was in Mexico for one over break and has another one lined up during spring break in Chicago). 
• He does like to party - hopefully this settles down a bit after his first year of college! 
• He did pledge a fraternity and is a member of Phi Kappa Psi where he's already talking about being an officer in the house. 
• He's still pretty organized and likes to get things done. He has his own To Do list he keeps on his phone and makes his own doctor's appointments and secured himself summer employment (at a golf club) while he was home over break. 
• He's still pretty disciplined too whether it's making sure his work is done on time or getting in his workouts during the week. 
• He's a loyal friend who still makes time for his different groups of friends - which he did during both of his breaks. (And, he's not sick of his roommate whom he saw a bunch over both breaks. In fact, his old soccer coach from when they were 7-13 saw him recently and once he found out they were roommates asked him if they still like each other! They do!)
• He likes to play games and was up for any family competition over the holidays. 
• He's social and easygoing too. 

At 18, you could definitely see him changing a bit and now at 19, he's becoming his own person independent of us thanks to college life. It certainly goes quick these growing up years. I read a statistic the other day that said by 18, a child will have lived 90% of their life already with you. But, I feel like we get an extra % because his breaks are so long that we get to see him even more than we thought, which is a nice gift. 

Looking forward to more time with him this year as he comes home for his spring break and a portion of ours then Easter, Mom's Weekend and then he's home before May. We'll be relishing his last year of being a teenager (although I'm sure he can't wait til he's 21). 

Presents!

Hoosiers!

Wow! What a run for my Indiana Hoosiers to claim their first ever National Football Championship last night and go down as one of only two undefeated college football teams ever (Yale was the other in 1894).

IU!

I've been sporting my Indiana gear along the way and my Indiana flag has been flying high outside my house. So many people got behind this team especially when Coach Cignetti came on board and with his wit and quick replies to what are you going to do with this team ("Google me. I win"), us alumni especially saw something was changing with Indiana football.

If you know me or you've been reading my blog you know how much I loved my time at Indiana. When Austen would go for soccer camp, I would head down to Bloomington - sometimes staying the weekend just walking around campus and remembering how much I love that place. 

My freshman year was the last time that Indiana went to a bowl game (so we weren't terrible when I was there). Our basketball team went to the final four too my sophomore year. So we had some good sports to cheer on. Add in the men's soccer team with several national championships and you have yourself an amazing sports school. 

The academics are strong too with one of the top business schools in the country and their journalism/media program has always been strong (that's actually why I chose IU along with the east coast feel). In fact, it rained the day I visited IU in October, and I still loved it and knew it was the school that I wanted to attend. My only regret is that I graduated early and only spent 3 1/2 years there instead of the full four years. 

Indiana University-Bloomington is my happy place! In fact, once when I was down there with Austen for soccer camp, I took a picture of me and him in front of the Sample Gates. I posted and captioned that shot, "Did you ever just love something so much?" I've always been a proud Indiana alumni but I'm even more proud of the class shown by this football team and their 2 and 3 star recruits. Teams win games and it's obvious this was a team that liked each other and played for each other. Can't wait to see the movie! Go Hoosiers! 

PS. Peyton woke up this morning worried that she won't be able to get into Indiana now that they're likely to get even more college applicants. Just keep working hard and you will get in, I told her. How sweet would it be to have another Hoosier in the house?! We would really be a house divided again! 

Peyton Gets Her License

It's official. You must all stay off the roads as Peyton received her license last week when we returned from Mexico. Luckily, I was able to book an appointment before we left for the Monday when she had no school. 

It might have been the best DMV experience I've ever had and that's saying a lot as the DMV is not someplace anyone looks forward to going. But, we had an appointment and she didn't have to take the driving test since she completed her driving test at school so we breezed right through and were in and out in 25 minutes. 

She was a bit nervous that she would be pulled for a random driving test as I guess there's one day a month when that happens but it didn't happen to be that day. She asked if I could drive home so she could "snap" (aka text) all of her friends. Sigh. I took her for a Starbucks and then she was off picking up her friend to come over and then promptly changing plans and driving all over our town and to the Target. She did text me that she had a change in plans (not while she was driving) and I refrained from lecturing her on how this is her first day with her license, let's just take it slow. I get it - it's brand new. Just her driving has come a long way and I still want her to be cautious as it took lots of hours with Tom and I driving with her to get her to this point (and she still isn't the best parker). 

She's been up early to drive herself to school and says her parking is a lot better - she was in between the lines! (I need to drive by her spot and see if this is true!) I'm not sure if my heart is ready to have another one on the road but time is marching on and she's ready, I guess. 

Xmas Break in Mexico 2025

We weren't sure we were going to do Xmas break trip this year because we just moved and we did do a summer trip to Disney (because of Austen's soccer) which we don't normally do. But, we decided it was important to have a family trip to all be together since Austen was home and he had an extra long winter break.

NYE 2025 - Beach Party

We decided on Mexico, largely because it was cheaper and also because Austen was planning on going to a concert there on January 4th so flying back and then flying him to Mexico would have been a bit more complicated. Three weeks before the trip, I booked it. Yes, normally, I have these vacations planned at least 6-9 months in advance but I didn't this time. I narrowed the list of resorts and decided on a brand new all suite hotel with a great rate during a soft opening (took the risk there that it would be okay). Tom and I  had Southwest companion passes for flights so Hailey and Peyton flew basically free with us except for taxes. Used points for our flights and Austen's too so we just had to pay for hotel. 

The new hotel was the Majestic Mirage (a 4.5 star hotel) that looked magnificent and sat next to its sister property the Majestic Elegance in Costa Mujeres on a beautiful beach. Quick 3.5 hour flight from Chicago to Cancun and then a 40-minute shuttle ride and we were there. The lobby was magnificent and new. We booked two rooms and unfortunately due to it being a new hotel and some of their rooms not operational, we were a building and a half away from each other. The kids decided to stay in one section and Tom and I were in the other section (adults only although they were lenient on this during the soft opening). 

Fashionista!

We had a swim out suite and then the kids' room was one with a plunge pool that faced the waterpark. We used both and the kids had fun on the waterslides too. It was only 40% capacity which was nice so not really that crowded during that time of year which is what I wanted. Restaurants were pretty easy to get into and we especially enjoyed their hibachi restaurant and their Italian one. Our butler did go no contact after a few days and Hailey did flood their bathroom (which Tom and I deduced was shoddy workmanship as the tile in the shower slanted away from the drain.). But we rolled with the setbacks and it was fine. No had I paid full price for these rooms/this resort, I probably would not have been happy but it was fine and minor inconveniences. 

Tom and Austen did spend an afternoon golfing and then everyone (except me) went jet skiing. Other than that we just relaxed. Played cards. Watched some Bears and Indiana football and enjoyed the warm weather. 

We rang in the New Year on the beach to a band and fireworks. Too soon it was time to return home and we woke up that morning to the airspace being closed due to Trump's "kidnapping" of the Venezuelan president. So our flight was two hours delayed and Austen's friends were two hours delayed coming in. Eventually, our flight got moved to only 30 minutes delay but we sat on the tarmac for another 30 minutes due to the backup. We left Austen in the airport Starbucks to wait for his friend's flight (a parent or two were coming in as well) which landed just before we took off. 

Felt lucky to make it home that day when so many flights were canceled or majorly delayed. Or at least I did until the driver of our car service decided not to back out of our driveway after he dropped us off and pull forward through our brand new backyard with in ground sprinklers. To see a huge SUV in the middle of our yard stuck in the snow and trying to now do a 3-point turn to get out was shocking! I still can't believe it. Yes, our driveway was covered in snow so you couldn't see what was driveway and what was grass but how he didn't realize it as soon as he came off the grass and started through our backyard, I don't know. 

I guess we won't know what kind of damage he really did until spring. Happy 2026! 

Indiana wins Rose Bowl!

Dinner on our last night

Rigatoni a la Gorgonzola - with a carrot butterfly

Last night dinner

Air hockey at the teen club

Drinks at the bar

Jet ski battle

Hibachi

Austen head first down the waterslide

Tire tracks through our backyard!!