A Man, A Jeep, No Real Plan

Amazing Stories and Adventures

#Caitlynwroteit

Kitty cuddles, 240 ft up, and some changes

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Kitty cuddles, watching Disney’s live-action Aladdin and making a blog post to update you guys on our lives. Not a bad way to spend an evening if you ask me. Grant has had a bath, a story and is now in bed. Tyler is going to be late getting home tonight so figured I would take some time to update you on some new things. Where do I start?

Grant playing with snow

Tyler is currently working 240 feet up in the air at Lucas Oil Stadium. The pictures alone are enough to give me a heart attack. The long days are the hardest part. He leaves before we get up and is usually home when Grant is in bed. I do like having the bed to myself, makes laying diagonally much easier. Now for my turn!

Tyler in the roof of Lucas Oil Stadium

I have news! News that I am very excited about. I have been offered and have accepted a job with a local credit union. I will be starting at the credit union in February. It is full time, as well as comes with a lot of opportunities for growth. This credit union is getting ready to expand and grow. They are looking to build up internally before they expand.

Grant on couch

I looked for a full-time position for a couple of months now. Out of the blue, they reached out to me. Leaving Royal South is hard for me. I have been there for almost two years and have enjoyed my time there. I started there right after I started my journey at Ivy Tech. They were instrumental in my success to be able to go to school, raise a toddler, and be able to work. They would work with me around my schedule when they would make their schedule. When I would work I could work on my school’s assignments and homework. If you are a college student in Bloomington or know of one looking for a part-time job, send them to Royal South. The ladies in the office are all amazing and will do what they can to help you succeed in your life.

I am very excited to see where this new journey will take me. We will continue to update you guys as well as “regularly” as we are now with updates.

Now go have your own adventures and tell us about it!

-Caitlyn aka Pretty Lady

Caitlyn Selfie

Christmas Letter 2020

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Merry Christmas all!

Time for us to take a look back on the year and share a summary of what we have done this year. My apologies that this is not coming out till 3 days before Christmas. I kept asking Tyler if he wanted me to write it starting like 2 weeks ago but no. Somebody was certain that he would have time. Also couldn’t get past the first line that included the fact that 2020 was a “dumpster fire of a year”.

Now while we all know that this is true, 2020 was a hard year for many in so many different ways. I would like to argue that 2020 was also a good year and had a lot of things to celebrate and be proud of. If you keep up with our blog you probably already know what we have been up to. From the hardship of Tyler losing his entire industry overnight, to potty training in a pandemic, all the way to me finishing my degree.

Tyler and I also got the chance this year to really connect and grow together. We’ve had to learn how to work as a team, how to compromise together, and how to raise a toddler together. We were blessed in that no matter what was going on in the world, even with the chaos, our home was our safe harbor. I had always heard of relationships where it was like that. Where it was you guys against the problem. Not you guys against each other because of a problem. My favorite thing about us is that we can be ourselves unapologetically around each other.

So let me try to sum up some of our biggest things from this year in just a paragraph or two. Tyler created a company with his father in our garage called DeLong Rigging Solutions. Grant was potty trained. Hallelujah!! I managed to finish my degree and will hopefully have a graduation ceremony next year. Tyler and I finally picked a venue for our wedding in July.

The three of us also got to go on some wonderful adventures this year. We piled into Jackson for a two-week-long adventure in Colorado. This was a wonderful trip and I have fallen in love with the Rocky Mountains. This is where I was able to rekindle my love of photography. We also spent some time in the Smokey Mountains this year. Tyler and I did a long weekend together camping. Then me and Grant spent a week down there with my family. This is what sparked my idea of us looking into getting married down at the Smokies!

Well, those are the main highlights of our year. Truthfully, if you want to hear more or get more details, go look through the blog. We give detailed accounts on the blog and they include pictures.

May you finish the year strong. Find those happy memories from the year and cling to those. Hopefully this was the year where you really discovered who your people are and are able to keep them close. May next year be a year of more good news than bad.

Merry Christmas from ours to yours!

Now go have your own adventure and tell us about it!

-Caitlyn, Tyler, and Grant

A Month Already?!

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Hello all!

Has it really been a month since our last update? Time is flying by. Our apologies for not getting an update out sooner! Do I have an exciting, great big update for you guys? Well, um, no actually. Life is life right now.

Grant's Preschool Pictures

Tyler and Grant

Tyler has been busy creating the One Shot Trainings. Meaning late nights filming and long days in front of the computer editing videos. Those late nights were awful, now that he has been home for 9 months I can’t fall asleep without him in bed. Even with that, I am proud of him. I don’t think I have ever met someone who has such big crazy dreams and then manages to make them happen.

Jackson all dirty with Kyle on top

Grant has been busy, well, being Grant. The life of a 3-year-old is so much simpler. He goes to daycare, which sometimes he loves, and sometimes throws a fit when we tell him it is time to leave. Last night he booby-trapped the stair landing by covering it in toys. He is learning new things constantly too. He knows the planets now. My 3 year old can name all the planets. The daycare is working with them on recognizing letters. Sometimes when we are driving down the road and he’ll say “Mommy it’s a (whatever letter he saw)!”

Grant in a box

Me!

As for me, I’m in finals week. I have 2 finals and a discussion board left then I’m done. Not just done with the semester but done done. I will have earned my associate’s in Business Administration. If you ask me how I’m feeling I’m going to awkward laugh, shrug my shoulders, and say “I don’t know”. Truthfully I go back and forth between different emotions.

A big part of me is proud and feels accomplished. I went out and got a degree. Then the mean ugly voice in my head likes to remind me that it is just an associate’s degree in business so nothing special, it is from Ivy Tech a community college, and I’m 26 so didn’t earn it till almost 10 years after graduating high school. I have high school classmates who have gone on to earn all kinds of impressive degrees, one is even a lawyer. Therefore I can’t blame my small-town school.

Momma Kitty in bed

I keep reminding myself that yes while all of this is true, I still accomplished this and that I am allowed to feel proud of myself. Earned my degree while working, while raising a toddler, and while going through an ugly divorce that tore me apart. I may have been earning the degree but I was also in the process of completing rebuilding myself. I probably wouldn’t even recognize myself from 2 years ago.

That is the lesson that I am taking from all of this. Just because your accomplishments look different from someone else, does not mean they are not accomplishments for you to be proud of. I earned an associate’s degree and I am excited and proud of myself. I will also continue to cheer on everyone’s accomplishments they achieve. Is this where I thought I would be at 26? HA! Not even close.

Tubby on my lap

But I am happy. Genuinely, truly, unapologetically happy. I am marrying a man who is my best friend. Grant is happy and thriving. I am working a job that I love and that I hopefully have a future in. And I earned a degree. Do I have people who think I’m a mess and other hateful things? Yup. But I have accepted that that is never going to change. I am not going to live the life they think I should, I’m going to live the life I want too. My main focus is how I feel, how well Grant is, and keeping up with Tyler’s crazy ideas.

Wrap it up, Caitlyn.

Well, that took a turn to a little personal. But I feel better after writing that all out. Who knows, maybe it’ll help one of you who might be feeling the same things I am. Our life isn’t always adventures and fun times. We have the hard moments together too so we are sharing it as well.

To summarize, Tyler is doing Tyler things, Grant is being a normal 3-year-old boy, and I have earned an associate’s degree and am proud of it. If you have accomplished something this year, especially this year (2020, am I right?) then be proud of it! Let’s stop comparing our achievements to other’s achievements and just be proud of ourselves. Go out and celebrate those accomplishments!

Now go have your own adventure and tell us about it!

With much love and appreciation for reading my inner thoughts,

-Caitlyn aka Pretty Lady

Caitlyn driving Jackson with top off

Ice cream, diplomas, and more!

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Hello all!

Grant with his canvas drawing

I noted yesterday on our ice cream date, to Bruster’s, that we had not posted in awhile. I feel like I need to just have an alarm on my phone to remind myself to post something. Truthfully the only reason I am writing this blog post is to avoid writing a research paper, do not worry I am half way done and have till Sunday. While we have not been on an adventure yet we are still making things happen. Doing life with Tyler is possibly my favorite thing.

Momma Kitty on Tyler's Back

This includes all the things that Tyler is doing with DeLong Rigging Solutions. There is a lot of new things coming and he is very excited about all of them. For instance, when he came home yesterday all excited, talking a mile a minute. Usually about things that I do not fully understand. Which is why he will be the one to tell you about it. Regardless, I can’t help but to smile and feel a great sense of pride in him and what he is accomplishing.

I’m graduating?!

Tyler is not the only one accomplishing things though! I received the email yesterday that my application to graduate was approved. You guys, I graduate next month. I will have earned my associate’s degree in Business Administration. I have already earned my certificate in Human Resources Management, Business Administration Certificate, and my Business Administration Technical Certificate. When I graduate, I will have four diplomas to hang up on my wall, so what is my next step?

Momma Kitty with her claws in my leg

Truthfully, I don’t know. Not the best answer, I know. I had hoped to start looking for a job here in Bloomington in human resources. The trouble I am running into is that most jobs require a bachelor’s degree or equal experience. Continuing with my education would require me to commit fully in order to succeed. My heart is just not in it right now.

Life continues

For now, I will continue working at my job that I enjoy. Me and Tyler will continue with adventures when we can. We will somehow survive a toddler. Lastly, I will continue to try to find something. Changing the face of human resource departments is a passion of mine. Human resources are supposed to be the employee’s allies and full of helpful resources. Not the “bad guys” of the company. The irony of Tyler marrying a future human resource employee is not lost on us!

Grant passed out in the car

Hope everyone is managing things well and are prepared for the holidays. Updates will continue to look like this for awhile. Sorry. You guys are stuck with me and my rambling. Go on your own adventure and tell us about it!

-Pretty Lady

Selfie with my hair all did

P.S. These photos do not go with what I wrote at all but they are cute!

Momma Kitty laying on my stomach in bed

We’re Still Here!

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Hello All!

I wish I could tell you all about a grand adventure that we took. I’m currently on fall break and took some days off to allow for an adventure but alas, we have been too busy doing the adventure of every day life to go any where. This does not mean that we haven’t done any thing or not been kept on our toes. By no means at all! We do have Grant.

Concert Together

Clayton Anderson Concert

Tyler did manage to get a few hours of work at a concert. IU put on a few outdoor concerts that were only open to IU students and only allowed like 100 people to attend. Tyler worked the load in and load out. We were supposed to go out that night since we were kid free, but when he gets work as a local, he needs to take it. Starting a new company does take time, so in the meantime work local as much as you can. Tyler being Tyler, came up with the idea of me meeting him there and watching the concert from the outer edge. This was a great night. We got to enjoy each other’s company and then about half way through the show they let us come on in and move closer. Clayton Anderson put on a great show!

Hanging Pots?!

Hanging pots in our kitchen

Tyler has also been working on the house as much as he can in his free time. He recently got some new hardware and rope to put these hanging pots up in our kitchen. I was not 100% on board with the idea at first honestly. I was not able to visualize how it would look. Tyler reassured me that it would look fine, that his mom had hanging pots there when they were living there. Safe to say, I really love having them now. They are a great addition, help to fill such a big space. Hopefully soon we will have tomatoes, and spinach. We also put my spider plant in one to allow it more room to grow.

Kitties!

Lucifer and Tubby on wall outside our door, waiting to try to run in.
Tubby in Caitlyn's sweater while playing darts
Tubby being held like a baby
Tyler holding Tubby, holding the darts
Momma Kitty

We have also had the pleasure of three kitties moving into our garage. They have become some of the most spoiled cats I’ve ever had. Mostly my fault but don’t let Tyler fool you, he loves having them around too. He likes to describe them as farm dogs, the three musketeers, his office staff, and the worlds worst dart partners. They will follow you around where ever you go outside, they get along well, and keep any small critters away. Momma Kitty (inside cat) has not enjoyed having them around. She is very concerned about making sure they stay outside and do NOT come in. Grant also loves having them around, no surprise there. They have been great to help teach him about being gentle and have now given him a daily chore. Feeding them every morning and at night when they get closed up in the garage. Speaking of Grant.

Pumpkin!

Grant craving a pumpkin

This past Sunday, while I was sitting on the couch enjoying a lazy Sunday, Grant comes up to me and says “mommy, I wanna go DO something.” Um….okay. We could go to the store, I need to get some things. OKAY! So away we went. Got to the store and saw the pumpkins out front and thought perfect! We bought a pumpkin and some things to make Halloween themed cookies. He wasn’t as on board with the decorating part of cookies and just wanted to eat them. When it came to the pumpkin, he wanted a T-rex. Kid, I can’t draw that well. Spider. Nope. How about a face. Fine. Proud to say that at 3 years old he is finally willing to at least stick his hand in the pumpkin with a spoon. Still won’t touch the pumpkin guts but it is progress!

Grant's Pumpkin

Ducking

Jeep ducked in Kohl's parking lot

I have also been trying to make sure to place a duck on every Jeep I see. I am waiting for the day Jackson gets another duck but for now, Kyle gets to ride front and center. One day, I ducked a Jeep at our favorite ice cream place here in Bloomington, Bruster’s. It turned out to be the general manager! I wrote A Man, A Jeep, No Real Plan on the bottom of all of them and he found our Facebook page with the post about the ducking. These little ducks may end up being a great advertising for the blog. So if you are here because we placed a duck on your Jeep, welcome! Stay awhile and share with your friends! I hope we made you smile when you saw it.

More to come soon, hopefully

That is basically the highlights of what has been going on. Busy growing in our own ways. Him, creating a business. Me, finishing up school and looking to future careers. Together we have been focusing on Grant and creating a home. Hopefully soon things will settle down at home some so that we can take an adventure, even a small one. Until then, please share with your friends.

Now, go on your own adventure!

-Caitlyn aka Pretty Lady

Caitlyn with Tubby in sweater