September | 2020 | conleycrew

When the coronovirus shut everything down, including sports, it left everyone wondering what to do. If you’re not a competitor, you’re a spectator, and if you’re not a spectator, you’re a fan, and even if you’re not a fan of any sports at all, you’re just a human and humans talk about sports whether you like it or not! Luckily for the Conleys, we love the sport of golf and golf courses have been thriving because it’s a socially distant sport. Jake has spent literally every day on the course. He’s competed in lots of tournaments on the KCJT tour and US Kids.

He went to Salina for a few days with Brian for a tourney and I sneaked a little note in his bag. I’m notorious for writing notes! I guess it’s obvious I like to write as I’m venturing into over 400 blog posts I think and my kids’ memory boxes are overflowing.

Brian sent me this picture of my note in Jake’s back pocket. I was told that he accidentally left the note in the hotel room and asked to go back up to room to get it so he could keep it on him during the round. These are the things that melt my heart and make me think I might be doing a decent job at this mom gig. I love you Jake!

Morgan has done some golf tourneys as well but she’s been very busy this summer being the most amazing nanny ever! Meet her two besties, Keelin & Ailie…

She ADORES these girls and has spent a ton of quality time with them this summer. I mean she is like a mom…so they aren’t getting away with much but they’ve had a lot of fun this summer too!

And last but certainly not least, Reece and Drew have been doing the Jr. PGA league through Lake Quivira. We’ve had such a blast watching them this season! Unfortunately, due to Covid, there is no All-Star tournament but we’re hoping that next year we’ll be back to normal.

Jake has played a bunch of baseball too and we LOVE watching him! He’s had a fantastic season with the KC Bulldogs and they had a lot of success!

And look at this….he trained (via Zoom) to be an umpire!! His first real job (other than mowing) and he’s doing great. I sent a spy out to get a picture of him. He’s so darn adorable. His hat is too big so I had to do a secret mom safety pinning job.

So much has gone on in regards to soccer and it’s been an emotional roller coaster for our family. Club tryouts actually occurred this year with precautions and a few things changed for us. Without going into a lot of upsetting details, Jake no longer plays club soccer, after 7+ years with KC Fusion Academy. Reece has made a change to a new club after 2 years with KC Fusion Academy. She now plays for Kansas Rush and it’s been a great change so far but definitely different seeing her in a new uniform. Drew is playing on the same two Toca FC teams he played for last year and Morgan is on her same Toca FC team from last year. This is her last season!

The high school kids have been working so hard this summer doing summer weights and workouts with safety measures in place. Olathe Northwest did a fantastic job of trying to keep the kids active despite so many restrictions. This weight room was constructed outside on our football field for the kids and they staggered workout times based on grade.

Of course Spring sports didn’t happen as a result of the shut down and we were so sad that we missed Morgan play her JV season. We were looking so forward to it.

Although Jake is not on his club soccer team anymore, he did tryout for his high school team and he did so well. He made JV as a Freshman. Way to go Jake!!

He’s looking so handsome suited up as a Raven!

After Reece changed soccer teams she also made a decision to make changes to gymnastics. After so many years at KGDC, she took her cubby home and said goodbye to Billie, the owner of the gym and many of her friends there. This was a very difficult time for her and for me, because honestly, my car went in and out of that gym so many times it was like a second home and she was spending 14 hours a week training there. I’m not sure if it’s the shut down that made her change her mind or just wanting more time to do other sports, but she has found another sport called tumbling and trampoline that she is trying. It’s a lot less hours in the gym and no conflicts with soccer.

Since this change, KGDC was forced to close it’s doors after 30+ years as an elite gym here in KC. We adore Billie and wish that KGDC could have weathered the Covid storm. I started taking Morgan there in 2007, then Jake, and then Reece caught the gymnastics bug and she still loves it so much.

Drew has continued to play basketball and when gyms opened back up after COVID he was back on the courts and also doing CrossFit. I LOVE that he is so into fitness. It’s awesome!

Brian and I are learning how to be responsible spectators! It’s different but we are just happy to be here!

Morgan secured her spot on the Varsity girls golf team for the 20-21 school year and we can’t wait to watch her play this season! It’s her last season and you better believe we will be there every minute watching her. We love you MoMo!

And lastly, does hunting count as a sport? Morgan has had a few opportunities to go with my dad after we got swindled into buying every permit possible at the KS Wildlife and Parks. Doesn’t he know he cannot send us in there!? We have NO CLUE what we’re doing or what we need!

So there you have it! A lot going on despite a world of craziness. We hope we can continue to do all of our sports!

I’m finally able to write this post! After being out of school since March due to the Covid pandemic. We have been anxiously awaiting the return to any kind of normal. Our normal now is Reece going to 5th grade in person two days a week and the other 3 are completely online for school and it was all pushed back to after Labor Day. This is not really the start back that anyone was hoping for but I guess we’ll take anything we can get at this point.

On a sidenote, upon our return from Pinehurst, we managed to kill our pets, Milo and Buttercup. Drew went to feed them and they were not in their habitat. So, my guess is that an animal came and ate the poor little things! Ugh…we are not fit to be pet owners I guess. So now we have these cute little gravestones for them. We loved you Milo and Buttercup (even though you were smelly)

Buttercup was found on the golf course by Jake on May 16th and a week later found Milo on another golf course

2020 was going to be BIG year for our family. Several vacations were planned, Brian and I celebrating 20 years of marriage, and 3 of our 4 kids were heading into school milestones. Morgan, her senior year, Jake starting high school, and Reece completing her final year of elementary school.

We were supposed to be on an Alaskan cruise with my sister as they celebrated 25. We settled for dinner out, gifts, and a cute little celebration board I put together.

I’m hoping to get a rain check on all of these vacations I was going to take this year! Most especially the trip to St. John we were taking with my best friend, Lisa, and her crew. We did manage to get a last minute booking at Camp Long Creek, a part of Big Cedar Lodge, in Branson, MO. We loaded up my new fancy ride to the very tip top, split up into two ADORABLE cabins overlooking Table Rock Lake and had the BEST time! Jake declared himself a “country boy,” we cooked a million pounds of bacon in two tiny microwaves, jumped off cliffs, and threw kids flying off tubes. We laughed so much our stomachs hurt and it was a great end to the 6 month spring break/summer.

We held off on buying school supplies and nice back to school clothes because we knew this school year was going to start off differently but we still gathered with our normal neighborhood crew for pictures and breakfast. We HAD to–it’s tradition. We even made the back to school donut ride happen!

So there she goes…our little one…off to be the big girl on campus and she actually gets to go into a school building 2 days a week!! She’s one heck of a strong-willed girl and she will follow every rule and make sure they are followed by others. This is the first year I haven’t put any kids on a bus! I decided to drive this year so that no one would have to wear a mask longer than needed. It’s kind of a way of life now actually, but we all need a break!

Look at our neighborhood SENIORS!!

We are so proud! We know they are going on to do great things and we will make this the best senior year possible.

I just knew the start of school would spark every single emotion. Our Morgan is simply the best and I have been wandering down memory lane a lot as I prepare to send her off to experience her senior year. I have no worries actually, only hopes and dreams for this fabulous daughter that I get to call mine.

She was the CUTEST kindergartner! And look how upset Jake was that she was getting on the bus to go to school and leaving him behind. You might even catch a glimpse of that little hand on her backpack as she enters the bus. Love this!

I would like to share what our home school is looking like here at the Conley house! It’s not perfect. You can’t buy a desk right now to save your life because they are all snatched up by every kid and parent in the universe working from home right now. We’re making due. You’ll see Drew is making time for Recess in the garage with a basketball and working on his putting between zoom calls. We think he MUST be an expert by the end of the semester. Jake is surviving on party pizzas and PS4 and occasional trip to the driving range between classes (it’s pretty much a glorified frat house around here) and Morgan is working really hard.

Reece is home 3 days a week and we’re trying out different locations

Her 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Petty, sent us this picture of her at her desk on her first day of school and I am so happy to have it!

There are no parent volunteers allowed any more, no field trips, and many traditions will not occur this year. Everything looks and feels different and I’m so proud of her for persevering on this crazy journey. The teachers are AMAZING for what they are doing to try to educate our kids. We have discovered we can do hard things but it hasn’t been without a LOT of struggle along the way. And if Brian hears that the WIFI isn’t working one more time he might send us all to a hotel!

I’m doing my very best to not let go of traditions during this time. The first week of September is always celebrated with grandparent lunch at school and we decided to make our own at home.

Nanny, Papa, and their favorite 5th grader!

Grandma and Grandpa Conley cannot have visitors in their facility right now and have struggled with numerous health complications since the lock down. But we are trying our best to keep them happy and healthy! They recently celebrated 54 years of marriage!

So as we finish up our 2nd week of school, we are reflecting on what a crazy time this has been! Our saving grace has been our sports! There was a time this fall that high school sports were not going to happen but the community has been rallying and pushing for them for the well-being of our kids. The Conley’s were in attendance and also rallying to get these kids back into a school building safely. I told my kids…wherever you go, put masks in your pocket so you’re prepared for anything and hope for the best! And oh by the way…you’ve now experienced the Royals winning the World Series, the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl, a community rally, and a pandemic. Unbelievable.