Blackham Bunch Quarterly Recap ~ Q2

April, May, June ~ 2025

Another three months have gone by ... it's been an active quarter, with Grayson leading the way, both at Symphony (step challenge there at his work) and at home! Colton finished up his third term at Clackamas and came back to Utah for the summer. Some extended family gatherings and holidays (Easter/Mother'sDay/MemorialDay/Father'sDay, B-Days for Valentina and Kate, Graduation for Aiden, Lake Day) and some new foods added to the rotation (Eggs Benedict) and Keaton's new One Wheel made these months memorable!

• Clackamas Colton: The third term ended in June, and Colton achieved another 4.0. He trained with the track team, but only ended up running with them once, due to a strained his hamstring. There was Spring training with basketball, and he spent any spare time with his girlfriend, Haley. He (and Haley) drove the Charger home at the end of June. He'll be keeping the same apartment and roommates for next year. He will be working with Coop at DLP during the summer.
• Travel: Cal and Kate took a trip to Italy, and Landon and Valentina went to Portland. Both boys did little write-ups for Mom, so they have their own blog posts ;) 
• Grayson a Go-Go: Gray had been biking and running and winning the Symphony Summer Challenge! This quarter he did five half marathons and a 100mile bike ride. He's training for a triathlon too.  Sometimes we do get him to join us for pickleball.
• Other Family Fitness: Weekly pickleball. Jen plays with a ladies group during the week and gets in Zumba several times as well. Landon and Coop did a hike up Bell Canyon and Coop did a neighborhood 5k and actually challenges Gray on the winning step count. Cal has continued to get in some basketball games.
• Journeyman Status: Keaton has been studying and testing and passed the journeyman test.  After telling me some of the steps along the way, I asked him for a write up (here). 
• Coop - Concerts, Courts and Kittens: Coop went to a concert (Your Neighbors) and got invited to try some new pickleball courts (RonWoods) with some friends. He continued to play with random strangers after his buddy left, staying out late (as those courts have lights). The neighbor had kittens, and we got in a cuddle session before they left to their new homes. 
• Westra Family Gatherings: We had the grandparents over for dinner and games in May, and attended the annual Westra Father's Day shindig in June. Jen instigated a scheduled call to Mom, starting in May and they've been happening weekly since then.  Gray has gone biking with Scott a few times, and we had a double date for Chinese food. 
• Blackham Family Gatherings: After the Westra gathering in Highland, we stopped by the cemetery. We got together for a quick bite when Jami was in town in May, then again for Mother's Day, and again for a graduation BBQ for Aiden in June.   
• Derby! It's been a while (pre-Covid) but Grayson had been asked by a friend to run a Lego derby ... so Gray pulled out the derby stuff and legos (lego derby, not pinewood) and enlisted Landon to help. 
• Family Feasts: Lots of food ... we had the boys over for several of the NBA finals game  (steak, marinated chicken, salmon, burgers, nachos ...) and some big breakfasts where Grayson has been perfecting eggs benedict. We had Kate's parents over after pickleball for brunch one week.  Gray ordered more from licorice.com ... yummy!
• One Wheel: Keaton got a one-wheel, a motorized "skateboard" that can go fast and far between charges. He's been going to meet-ups and riding with other groupies, and riding a lot on his own (one bad tumble that scraped him up all along one side ... he does wear a helmet). There's an app to track achievements, speed, routes ...
• Yard & Garden: We've got vegetables (pumpkins, zucchini, cucumbers) and tomatoes coming up in the garden, and quite a few flowers (marigolds, hollyhocks and the hibiscus). A little sharing garden with starts out by the Little Free Library. The neighbor was having some landscaping done, and we had her guys take out a tree and do some trimming, and add a border to two flowerbeds. 
• Lake Day! We got the whole crew out (including Colton's girlfriend Haley, in town for a visit). Jordanelle was the chosen reservoir, as they allow dogs, and Cal and Kate wanted to bring Vera (and were actually spending a couple days there camping). I need to get blog post with a write up and all the pictures. Fun day. 

Here's some LIVE ACTION, the One Second Every Day highlights ...

April 2025

https://youtu.be/7XlZCAlWpFc

May 2025

https://youtu.be/xri69vWfvcA?si=yvK0MnmlwIFhwPnb

June 2025

https://youtu.be/JgjFRl9sSe4?si=dLjDbIRfklWcSsNk

Blackham Bunch Quarterly Recap ~ Q1

 The first quarter of 2025 ~ January, February and March

The Blackham Bunch had gone to Oregon (Visiting Clackamas) at the end of 2024, and flew back on New Year's Eve, ready to jump into 2025. Lots of basketball, three new trucks, the Blackham Builder's Convention, some snow, some sweet treats, lots of great eats, ping pong and back to pickleball! We watched the Superbowl, Cal had a birthday (26 - kicked off the folks insurance) and Keaton was called for Jury Duty (it was a murder trial! He didn't get picked, and he was relieved). Here's a little more info on some of these items ...

• Colton Basketball: Region games with Colton at Clackamas, playing eight teams twice (once home, once away). Colton had a great year, often being the leading scorer in games, and holding the top spot in the NWAC for assists. He started every game and got tons of playing time. Unfortunately Clackamas didn't make the playoffs, but they were able to end the year with a win.
• Callahan Basketball: Cal still LOVES basketball, and he's been playing with a few different men's leagues. In January, he had several games at Gene Fullmer (so I went to watch and get video). He also played in Herriman and South Jordan (they won the championship there). 
• Cooper Basketball: Coop got together a couple of times with his buddies (friends made back in 5th grade) to hoop it up at the local church gym. 
• Colton College: In January, some of his Utah buddies came up for the weekend to hang out and watch him play.  Colton has a job at Walgreens for a little extra cash. He and his two roommates (also on the basketball ream) get along well and are planning on keeping up the same accommodations for next year. He even met a girl! As far as school, he got a 4.0 for term 2! We got to have him home for a week at the end of March between terms, his Spring Break. 
• SNOW: There really wasn't much snow this year ... only pulled out the snow shovel a couple of times. Okay by us, as long as we do get it up in the mountains, but snow pack there seems good. Colton/Clackamas got snow in February (rare for them) and it closed campus for a couple days. 
• New Trucks: Grayson bade his big black truck truck farewell and opted for an EV (Ford Lightning). Both Keaton and Cal were truck shopping as well, and they are pretty pleased with their new (to them) trucks. 
• Blackham Boys at the Builder's Convention: Gray had always thought it would be fun to take his builder boys to IBS in Vegas ... so he made that happen this year. Full write up HERE. 
• Coop Concert: Coop is BIG into music (obsessed with the Spotify wrap at the end of the year) and instigated going to a couple concerts last year. He got his first concert of the year for 2025 ... The Hails/NeverEnding Fall. It was downtown, Kilby Court. He went with a buddy for work. 
• Piano: Jen got back into playing the piano at the end of 2024 ... here in 2025, we got the piano tuned, as that hadn't happened in years! Jen is still playing quite a bit most days. 
• Pickleball: The weather turned nice enough in March that Blackham Pickleball resumed. We even got Grayson to join us a couple of times. 
• Marathon Man: Gray did a ton of races last year (running/biking) and has quite a few planned for this year as well. He did his first half-marathon in March - in Moab, and got in some RZR riding that weekend as well. He's been doing a ton of running, biking, and even swimming (training for a triathlon). 
• Eats: Lots of steak and smoked stuff. Butter cake. Gray and Keaton made eggs benedict, which was pretty complex!  Keaton had ordered the fun and unique flavors from Licorice.com for Christmas. Grayson decided it was time for another order ... lots of licorice! 

Beyond all that, the guys stay busy with their work & play (Keaton has been going to Classic for skating many weekends), and Jen continues baking sourdough, Zumba-ing and listening to audiobooks. There's been a struggle with foot pain, pretty much textbook plantar fasciitis that has impacted exercise, although ... pushing through!

Here's a LIVE look ... One Second Every Day style! 

January 2025

 

  https://youtu.be/O-2oS-zzKAM

February 2025

 

https://youtu.be/t2GCEfBHEdk

  

March 2025

https://youtu.be/G-kgHoREYII?si=-7XzPBKar6bthxLB

Blackham Bunch Quarterly Recap ~ Q4/2024

 October/November/December

Quite a few of the activities this quarter were written up in their own individual blog posts ... but it's still nice to have everything organized into a quarterly (and an annual, should still do that too) review. Here are some highlights from the fourth quarter of 2024 ...

• Getaways: Gray hiked The Subway and he and Landon ascended Angel'sLanding. Landon had several trips for work and play ... Vegas, Idaho, Louisiana, Cabo. Cal and K8 went to SanDiego. A visit to Portland at the end of the year for the full family (although Jen ended up sick/sitting it out). 
• Holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas (Leg Lamp Lighting), as well as bdays for Jen and Gray in November and Colton in December. 
• Staying Active: Pickleball through October for the family. Gray/Landon and Cooper ran a 10k race up at the U of U and Landon did a half marathon.  Jen continues with Zumba/Ladies Pickle and the home gym. 
• Basketball! Colton's college season started up, lots of games! Most of the games were streamed, so even out of state, we could watch.  Cal had some games with his men's league as well. 
• Spotify Wrapped: The end of the year means it's time for Spotify Wrapped. Can you say obsessed? Coop and Keaton can talk about music stats for hours! What was your top song?

There were some power outages in October. Required replacement of the Tesla tires. Truck repair and Durango registration. The national election. Grandma's knee replacement. We went to Hale twice in October (The Magic Elephant and The Adams Family). Gray catered a wedding (chocolate fountains). Jen's book love (reading, book clubs, little free library) continues, and she started playing the piano again. 

At the end of the year, sickness struck. Keaton first, then Coop ... Coop took a test, it was Covid. Grayson was "feeling poorly" as well, and while Keaton recovered in time to attend Christmas festivities, Coop and Gray had to sit out the Westra party (the Blackham Christmas had been a week earlier before they were sick). Then Jen/Covid ... right before it was time to leave for the Clackamas visit. 

Here's the One Second Every Day LIVE look at the last three months ...

October 2024

 https://youtu.be/DGWchADNXd4

November 2024

   https://youtu.be/IHKzAj9znM8

December 2024

   https://youtu.be/rO1jepMBab4

Blackham Bunch Quarterly Recap ~ Q3/2024

 2024 - July, August and September

Once upon a time, I was doing quite well and getting monthly updates done (emailed out to family and on the blog) but ... well, not a one in 2024. I have gotten in quite a few individual posts on specific topics, and here's a quarterly report at least ... July/August and September.

• Family Fun: We get in some pickleball every weekend, usually Jen, Landon, Cal, Keaton and Cooper, and Cal's In-laws! Cal and Kate have had a few campouts, one to Jordanelle, where the rest of the Blackham Bunch came up and joined them for a lake day (sans Jen, who was sick). We had a brunch up at SnowBasin. A pizza night (dessert pizza was a huge hit), hot dogs, and of course plenty of Gray's good meats. Coop and Landon went to a concert (Glass Animals at Usana) and Landon and Cal took Coop axe throwing for his birthday. Celebrated birthdays for three of the boys. Had a big family reunion on the Blackham/May side of the family.
• Grayson a GoGo: Gray has been SUPER active, running several half-marathons this year, and also training for big bike races. Seattle to Portland. Logan to Jackson. Salt to Saint. He also participated in the Spartan. Gray's been good at updating his work on his exercise/activities, as they have a challenge going on there. King of the Hill. That has it's own blog post.
• People Pains: Gray hurt his rib and back at the Spartan race, and that hobbled him for a bit. Jen got Covid, second round for her. Hit with the "spinz" a couple times too. Colton ate peanuts and had an allergic reaction (just miserable for a while) and bit his tongue during a basketball game - he could barely eat or talk. Colton also needed some dental work, a root canal and crown. Cal almost chopped his thumb off with a hatchet, and Keaton caught his hand with a screw. Landon ... good news! He's pretty much back to hiking and running after his ACL surgery.
• Repairs Required: SO many breakdowns! We'd had Gray's truck, the Charger, the Durango all in the shop earlier in the year. We had to take the Durango in again for an A/C overhaul ($$), and the Charger in again for a tuneup. Both the Charger and the Tesla got nails in their tires. The house A/C went out, so we had to get that replaced. The oven and dishwasher needed repair, and we just decided to stick with ice cube trays rather than pay for another repair for the freezer ice-maker unit (just repaired last year). We got a new toaster.

Grayson's work participated in a community diaper drive - they built a darling Bluey Heeler House. This kept Gray pretty occupied and stressed for a couple of months. It got a write up on the family blog.

Colton got in quite a bit of basketball before he headed off to college. He played in a couple different tournaments, with a few teams. Cal plays in a Men's League on Wednesday nights, and Colton got to play for almost all the summer season (he missed out on the championship games ... but Cal's team still took first place!) Colton won an award for the most points scored in the season.

Cal and Keaton have been working together at Camsen - they had a work retreat (riding RZRs in the mud) and a couple trips to Bear Lake (for work). As those brothers enjoyed working together, Colton got a job for the summer at Cooper's work, DLP. They did a quick interview and hired him immediately, so he didn't have to do a big job search. The brothers were able to carpool, which was nice when we needed to get a car in the shop.

Then ... it was time to get Colton to college! In Oregon! Colton and two other basketball boys found an apartment close to campus. Grayson and Keaton were in charge of getting him there and settled. Colton could take whatever he could fit into his Charger (which didn't have much space) and the guys drove down. Some scrambled shopping to find a bed/desk and all the other essentials (luckily one of the boys lived in-state and had a lot of the common area stocked). A heat wave hit as they were there, and the apartment doesn't have air conditioning. You can see Colton's place HERE, and read his first letters home HERE.

I think that's a decent recap of the last three months ... whew!

Here's a LIVE look ... One Second Style.

July 2024

https://youtu.be/ja_15C8A5Mk

August 2024

 

https://youtu.be/-FJgJ8TVLBc

September 2024

 

https://youtu.be/j4IsJh18tt4