Dear Leah and Logan: 2023

Sunday, December 31, 2023

Giraffes and Wakeboarding, Summer '23

Dear Leah and Logan,

One might guess that a house or family with an already-crazy schedule and with a baby on the way would take some summer downtime to relax and chill for a bit. But that's just not us.

Navarre Beach 07.23

So what did we do this summer? How about a recap:

June 2023- Annual Pontoon party on Center Hill Lake. Celebrated Dad's birthday with Aunt DeeDee. Headed to Navarre Beach...and for us that means Navarre Zoo. This year we met a Sloth!

July 2023- Still at the beach, we got to experience 4th of July fireworks from the Navarre Pier while eating insanely huge ice cream sundaes. After the holiday, Leah's volleyball started a 3-week gauntlet of non-stop practices, sometimes 2-a-days! We managed to sneak in a couple of lake trips, and both of you tried wakeboarding.

August 2023- School starts. Soccer starts. Lots of NSC games. Lots of volleyball games. Logan ran a triathlon.

Here's a photo recap, in no particular order:

Monster Fish, Times Ford Lake

NSC Tailgate with Kings Hammer

Center Hill Lake

Leah's gift for Dad's B-day

Birthday Bowling for Dad

Logan Wakeboarding 8.23

Navarre Zoo

Navarre Beach

2 Middle Schoolers

Leah Staff Against Blackman

Nolensville Triathlon

What an amazing summer!

Love,

Dad

Sunday, September 3, 2023

Spring Things 2023

Dear Leah and Logan,

It seems like the older you get, the crazier the house schedule gets. Logan your Spring was highlighted with your 11th Birthday party, and another successful Kings Hammer season. Your KH Team made it to the finals in all 3 of the tournaments and came away with 3 silver medals.

Logan's Birthday Party, #11

Orions Cup, 04.22

Leah, you went full-speed-ahead (pun intended) into Rockvale Middle School Track. Your main event was the 100m dash, with occasional double feature with the 200m. It was your first experience with a 'team' atmosphere in 5 years (youth soccer), we watched you set Personal Records in the last 3 meets. Well done!

Leah, 100m @ Blackman Meet, 04.22

Logan your school year ended with the 5th grade dance, and Leah's year ended with a last-minute decision to try-out for volleyball. So, with one week to prepare, we did a volleyball crash-course in the backyard with the occasional visit from Logan and Mary. I'll always remember driving you to the Middle School on the Saturday of Try-outs, Day 2. I was so nervous I thought I'd have a heart-attack. And then--BOOM! there your name was!!! Junior Varsity--Leah Slivensky. You were happy, and I was a proud dad.

Leah made the JV Volleyball Game, 05.22

Leah, I want you to look at this photo closely--what do you notice? in the background maybe? I want you to remember that FOREVER....no matter what you're doing and what you're accomplishing, I'll always be in the background being your biggest fan.

Logan, you're off to Middle School! We went to Orientation night, and you got to see all the sports and clubs and opportunities.

Last but not least--your report cards to end the year were outstanding...BOTH of you! It's especially impressive because you 2 are so active with school and sports. You both will go far with all the responsibilities you're learning to balance.

6th Grade Honor Roll

5th Grade Awards-Superior Math

Love you both!

Dad

Safaris, CJ, and Baby Announcements

Dear Leah and Logan,

In late Winter/Early Spring 2023, we took a road trip for the ages to the Tennessee Safari Park. In a 90-minute loop, we made so many friends and watched the outdoor zoo animals empty 10 feed cups in the car. The 'happy' faces are priceless! Llamas, alpacas, and buffalo--oh my!

And just to add some more spice to an already insanely fun atmosphere:

1. We welcomed Colby Jack to our home!! I never would have thought an animal could bring so much joy and laughter to our house!!

And 2. we broadcasted the birth of your future sibling to the world!

2023 promises to be as CRAZY as ever!!!

Love,

Dad

Sunday, June 11, 2023

Fairwell to 2022

Dear Leah and Logan,

As we dive into 2023, we have a ton to be thankful for in this amazing year. And, of course, I have a video 😁! It truly is incredible how much we're able to fit in one calendar year...

Our 2022 Video

But first, let's see what's new? Leah's dive into Middle School included joining the 6th grade band as a percussionist. We hear you practicing upstairs a few times a week, and your first concert was a couple weeks ago (December 2022).

Logan, you had a really busy fall as well with Kings Hammer Soccer, which included a new coach with Coach Raul and a tournament in Cincinatti where a bunch of Michigan family came to watch you.

Leah, you had your 12th birthday party at Urban Air, and one of your guests showed up on crutches! (Everyone still had fun, though).

We capped it all off with our annual December ski trip, and Grandma and Grandpa joined us as special guests this year. Although their skiing was less than spectacular, they joined us on a couple Rocky Mountain hikes and for some dogsledding.

Rocky Mountain National Park 12.22

Leah and Grandma, Dogsledding

Let's not forget Logan starting wrestling!!

I'll say it again: I LOVE ALL OF OUR ADVENTURES!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love,

Dad

Monday, June 5, 2023

Florida Beaches -----> Statue of Liberty

Dear Leah and Logan,

Father's Day Pontoon at Center Hill Lake

Happy Fall of 2022--To put a time-stamp on when I'm writing this, we just got back from NEW YORK CITY for your Fall Break. But it's been a few months since I've written, so lets hit rewind for a recap of the Summer.

June 2022: Father's Day Pontoon Party--always a big hit!

June 2022: We ended up in Miramar Beach (Gulf Coast) for our Biennial vacation with my high school crowd. Beach Olympics! Dessert every night! Tortilla Slaps! Golf Cart adventures! This vacation had it all.

Video here: MIRAMAR BEACH 2022

NSC Game w/Sophia

Then there was the Nashville SC game where Logan's soccer team went together and Leah had fun with Sophia in the stands.

Kings Hammer, NSC

But lets not forget our end-of-summer traditions with a kayak outing and roller coasters at Six Flags...

Six Flags with the Chilton's

Kayaking the Piney River

This summer you even talked Grandpa into taking friends on his boat....many tubing spills were seen that day!

Grandpa, see if you can knock us off!

And after that--Fall Break! Now I've always said it would be really hard to top the excitement of our Road Trip out west for Fall Break 2020...well this trip would definitely compete for honors. We got in
as much as we possibly could in 4 days including: Ms. of Liberty, Escape Room, Time Square, Wicked, Big Red Bus, Empire State Building, World Trade Center Memorial, the Bronx Zoo and tons of great food. The best pictures probably came from the Wax Museum where you 2 played the part perfectly!!