21

We got this gal home to celebrate for a bit!  Hoping she has a joyous year.

Filling that cake on up with candles!

 

13

Thirteen years

Of joy

With this silly goose

Freedom Rangeman

Nate began in Trail Life as a first grader in 2015.  He hadn’t been in very long before he was invited to a Freedom Rangeman Ceremony.  He decided then that he wanted to earn that too.

Over the years he took the steps to learn all he could.  Then once he reached middle school he began to earnestly  pursue all the steps—earning badges and service hours first, then seeking leadership opportunities.  As he continued, he sought out learning in minors with CPR & First Aid and Wilderness First Aid as well as ***.  He majored in Communication & Performance through keeping a blog of leather working blog and group piano lessons.

The culmination was a service project, leading other youth in replacing the flooring in our church.

We knew there was some rot by the sink.

He discovered there was more in front of the fridge.

The rotten floor was cut away and replaced.

Then new tile placed.

There were tight spaces to fit in.

And after it was discovered the adhesive the tile came with wasn’t strong enough, every tile was lifted, glued, and reset.  As newly glued tile looks like the originally laid tile, they were taped once complete to keep from continuously lifting the tiles to check.

Completed Project!

He had the honor of having his former Troop Master, a former Trail Master, and a former Trailman (also a Rangeman) come from his old troop all serve on his Board of Review along with our current Senior Ministry Liaison, Troop Treasurer, and an Area Pointman.

It was such an encouragement to have so many men who were willing to give their time and come to offer their wisdom.

Congratulations!

 

18 1/2

1. What is your favorite color? pink

2. What is your favorite toy? books

3. What is your favorite fruit? pomegranates

4. What is your favorite tv show? percy jackson

5. What is your favorite movie? pride and prejudice 

6. What is your favorite thing to wear? pjs

7. What is your favorite animal? LUCY

8. What is your favorite song? origami

9. What is your favorite book? heartless

10. Who is your best friend? teresa and kevin

11. What is your favorite snack? lava cake

12. What is your favorite drink? iced coffee

13. What is your favorite breakfast? french toast

14. What is your favorite lunch? any kind of ramen

15. What is your favorite dinner? chicken alfredo

16. What is your favorite game? uno

17. What is your favorite thing to play outside? swimming

18. What is your favorite holiday? CHRISTMAS

19. What do you sleep with at night? hippopotamus 

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? a princess

20 1/2

 

1. What is your favorite color? Yellow.

2. What is your favorite toy?

I love the triceratops at school and the leg press. 

3. What is your favorite fruit? 

Pomegranates or strawberries.

4. What is your favorite tv show?

Welcome to Derry.

5. What is your favorite movie? 

The Amazing Spiderman.

6. What is your favorite thing to wear?

This little black lace cardigan I picked up at a thrift shop.

7. What is your favorite animal?

Cats!!

8. What is your favorite song?

The Great Divide by Noah Kahn.

9. What is your favorite book?

Currently reading Sunrise On the Reaping so it’s between that and A Heart That Hurts.

10. Who is your best friend?

My boyfriend and my roommates:)

11. What is your favorite snack?

Costcos grain free cookie bites 

12. What is your favorite drink?

Diet Coke.

13. What is your favorite breakfast?

Croissants and berries.

14. What is your favorite lunch?

Spicy chicken sandwich. 

15. What is your favorite dinner?

Steak and roasted asparagus and potatoes 

16. What is your favorite game?

Jackbox!

17. What is your favorite thing to play outside?

Drawing dinosaurs with chalk!

18. What is your favorite holiday? 

Halloween.

19. What do you sleep with at night?

An unholy amount of pillows.

20. What do you want to be when you grow up?

A teacher. 💛

12 1/2

 

1. What’s your favorite color? Blue

2. What is your favorite toy? Gymnastics mat 

3. What is your favorite fruit? Mango

4. What is your favorite tv show? Percy Jackson

5. What is your favorite movie? Spider Man

6. What is your favorite thing to wear? blue

7. What is your favorite animal? Panda

8. What is your favorite song? Golden

9. What is your favorite book? Caravel

10. Who is your best friend? Madison

11. What is your favorite snack? Gummy Worms

12. What is your favorite drink? Root beer 

13. What is your favorite breakfast? Blueberry Muffins

14. What is your favorite lunch? Cheetos and chips

15. What is your favorite dinner? Spaghetti 

16. What is your favorite game? One Night with a Werewolf

17. What is your favorite thing to play outside? Bike

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas 

19. What do you sleep with at night? Piglet

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Gymnastics coach

16

 

A new drivers license!

Volunteering at the food pantry, where he found lots of pineapple

Finished with braces!

What a birthday!

A year of hiking—this was the 30-miler

Leatherwork

Blacksmithing

A first job—with big sis

And much volunteer work at the food pantry

Grateful for this hardworking, persistent, young man.

Happy birthday, Nate!

18

 Happy 18th to our

Baker

Beauty lover

Walking partner

Parthenon loving

Gabby

20

Serving at our church (preparing for the move last fall) and now in the nursery

It’s been a big year for her—not all easy, but she’s worked so hard!

Glowing

A coffee and a puppy in the morning

With kitty, kitty

Ready to protect her new home

Heading off on the next grand adventure!  Excited to see you continue to learn and grow!

Happy 20th—cake to come!!

12

Twelve years with our Ellie

Grateful for her

She has her own sense of style

Joined me in Pi/Pa at AHG (Pioneers [middle school] and Patriots [high school])

Knot tying 

Walkover at gymnastics

She’s spent the past several months serving along side her brother at a local food pantry.

I hope this year is a great one!

Letting Go

 This week is one of big change.

Our second born is off to do exciting things.

As a home school mama, I’ve had the joy and privilege to be there for almost every first, but, like her sister before her, this is where we get to step back.  This phase is hers to own.  And I’m sure she’s ready!

We can’t wait to see all the ways she learns and grows.  We’ll be here, cheering her on!

Praying for wisdom, friendship, joy, and peace.

Class of ‘25

 I seem to have blinked, and we went from this

To this:

We joined together with a gaggle of other homeschoolers to have a ceremony together—front row, closest end.

A quick reception afterwards

Got to see her boss out at an event on the way from lunch

Next stop…college!