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Elwood, Indiana, is a hidden treasure when it comes to beautiful wall murals. These artworks enhance the visual appeal of the town while sharing stories of its history, culture, and community spirit. As you explore Elwood, take the time to appreciate the creativity that unfolds before you. Each mural, from the Historic Mural to the Nature and Community Spirit Murals, carries a unique story worth discovering. So, the next time you find yourself in Elwood, remember to take a leisurely stroll through the streets and uncover the charm of these beautiful wall murals. They serve as a true reflection of the heart and soul of this wonderful town.

We enjoyed a picnic lunch inside Brown County State Park and then hiked a wonderful trail around Strahl Lake. It was an absolutely beautiful day with the snow on the lake and on the trails. It was a wonderful day to go on an adventure and visit the park!

Today was the 100th day of school. Time flies! I made chocolate chip pancakes for their snack. :) #100thdayofschool #Mikayla #Mason #Logan #Landon

Today was Martin Luther King Jr. Day so the kids did not have school. I ordered groceries online from Meijer and added play-doh to our shopping cart. The groceries were delivered along with lots of play-doh. The kids spent all afternoon making different things (hamburgers, hot dogs, snow flakes, etc). It was a wonderful activity on a cold winter day! #Logan #Landon #Malia #playdoh

Malia learned to play UNO and is so HAPPY! I took these cute photos of her while she was playing cards with Daddy -- so sweet! :) #Malia #UNOcardgame

We stayed home all day and just played. Malia had so much fun decorating my hair. She put every bow and clip that she could find in my hair. Ha! She told me that my hair looked "so beautiful." #Natalie #Malia

This morning, Logan rode the bus for the first time since September. I cried as I watched him step up on the bus. Today he conquered his fear - the fear and worry that he had about having an asthma attack or getting car sick while riding the bus. He told me that he was ready to try to ride the bus again. I was so happy and so was Landon to have his buddy back on the bus with him. I dropped Malia off at preschool at 8:30. Today was pajama day, swim day and the letter "p" for show-n-tell. Malia took a picture of us (laying down on the trampoline) for show-n-tell. So sweet! Then, I went back home and visited with my Mom over coffee. I have really enjoyed having her stay with us this week. I've asked her all kinds of questions about her life, which has been great. I have learned new things about her too. I started getting ready about 11:00. I didn't give myself enough time to take a shower and get out the door by 12:00 for my 12:30 hair appointment. I'm always rushing and it is stressful. I was in such a hurry that I put my undies on inside out. Ha! Maybe I need to get up earlier and get ready before the kids get up. I probably need to go to bed earlier so that I'm not so tired in the mornings. These are changes that I need to make this year. A new morning routine in 2020 is a must for my life! I made it to my appointment (as I finished my makeup in the car). It was so good to see Emily. I LOVE our conversations together about life - kids, family, husbands, friends and everything else we enjoy talking about. Emily and I set up a lunch date in February at The Cake Bake in Carmel, which will be so fun! I had to rush out of my appointment to pickup Logan in carpool (Landon wanted to ride the bus home today) so I had to leave with my hair wet. I realized that I was going to be arriving about 5 minutes late so I called Shawn to help me out. He was so sweet and left work to get in the carpool lane. I pulled into the TME parking lot at 2:45. Logan jumped out of Shawn's car and into mine. We drove home and ate a few snacks. I cleaned up the kitchen, vacuumed the floors and finished my hair. Then, I went and picked up sweet Malia at preschool. She was playing with blocks when she looked up and saw me. She gave me the biggest hug and started singing a song that she learned in Spanish class. :) The day ended with the most beautiful orange colored sunset. Logan took this photo of me and said, "Mom, you look so pretty." That made my day! #Natalie

Living in a clean and organized home is important to me. I love how beautiful everything looks on the days that Kandy comes to clean. It helps me think more clearly when our home has everything (toys, books, blankets, crayons, etc) put away in the correct place. I drop items off at Goodwill almost weekly to make sure that we don't live in too much clutter. I am so grateful for our home and feel very blessed that I get to share it with Shawn and our children. #home

The carpool lane at Towne Meadow Elementary has been very much a part of my life for the past 4 months. I'm here everyday sometime between 2:30-2:45. Logan has been fearful of riding the bus (for a variety of reasons, but mainly due to his asthma). So, here I am every afternoon. At first, I was irritated that I had to be in the carpool lane lineup and wait for 10-15 minutes. It takes at least 45 minutes out of my afternoon by the time I drive to the school, wait and then drive home. We often pull into our neighborhood right behind the school bus. So, why not ride the bus since we arrive home at almost the same time? Logan is still fearful and we are working through it very slowly. I decided it was time to change my mind set. Now, I take a book to read in the carpool lane and look forward to my quiet time every afternoon. I love it when Logan jumps in the front seat and is so happy to see me. He is always smiling and often says, "Thank you so much for picking me up. I was so worried until I saw my name on the carpool list." Oh my sweet Logie Bear! I know that I can never get this time back. He needs me to provide comfort to him during this "fear of riding the bus" stage of his little 10 year old life. Logan isn't always going to be fearful about riding the bus. He isn't always going to need me like he does now. I just want him to know that I understand and will do whatever I can to help him. For this season of life, I'm going to joyfully give up 45 minutes of my afternoon. I am going to be thankful for these sweet conversations in the car and precious moments with my Logie Bear. I LOVE this video from November: #Logan #carpoollane

Spending this past week in Florida was just what our family needed after such a busy holiday season. There was so much to do during the months of November and December with school activities/projects, preparing for the holidays, sending out Christmas cards plus trying to keep up with everyday life. It felt a bit overwhelming at times. Also, Landon came down with pneumonia the week before Christmas, which was a little scary so we had multiple doctor appointments to take him to and he missed 1 full week of school. By the time Christmas Day came we were prepared and it was wonderful. We stayed in our pajamas all day and packed our van that evening. We were all excited to head south to warmer weather. We spent this past week just playing on the beach and reading books on the front porch of our rental house. Also, we enjoyed taking bike rides to Rosemary Beach for ice cream, to Charlie's Donuts and walking along the nature trail at our resort. We ended our week with an afternoon at Panama City, which was fun. Overall, we had a relaxing vacation and made fun memories together. Now, it's time to head back home to Indiana and cold weather. :) #Florida #Natalie

We took a drive over to Panama City today and it did not disappoint us. We found the cutest spot filled with shops, restaurants and a boardwalk. We rode the giant Ferris wheel, watched a movie (Spies in Disguise) in the most relaxing seats and enjoyed lunch by the water at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville restaurant by the ocean. We had a wonderful day together and the rain held off until this evening, which was a treat! #Shawn #Natalie #Mikayla #Mason #Logan #Landon #Malia #PanamaCity

We spent the day at the beach to celebrate the 1st day of the New Year. Today is a fresh start - a new beginning to a brand new year. It's exciting to think about all the new adventures and fun experiences we will have this coming year. We had a very blessed year in 2019 and made so many fun memories throughout the year. I've been looking through photos the past few days and it makes my heart so happy. The beginning of the year is a great time to re-evaluate what is working in our lives and what is not. It's a time to make positive changes that will enhance our lives for the better in the coming year. I feel like today is a clean slate and I can't wait to create something new. Welcome 2020 -- I am ready for a beautiful journey ahead! :) #InletBeach #Florida #Shawn #Natalie #Mikayla #Mason #Logan #Landon #Malia