August 2025 Recap {Butterflies, Fountains, Flowers, New Jobs for the Teens + More}

August was a busy but beautiful month for the Beelers.

We started strong by taking a family vacation.  Travel Evie believes in ice cream at every stop.

Vacation was wonderful.  While at a coffee shop in Wisconsin I saw this sign and chuckled....moms - the magic makers of every moment.  Don't get me wrong - Dads are awesome.  They execute.  But moms - they are in the details.  Thanks, Mom, for all the details when we went on vacations as little girls.  It's exhausting.  

When we got home we jumped right back into it.  We started school and I worked on my classroom for the homeschool assistance program.  This year I'm teaching one large classroom for 5-8 STEAM, two sections of 4-8 Art, and 3 sections of K-3 Art on Tuesdays, then 9-12 STEAM and High School World Geography & Cultures on Wednesday afternoons.  I'm excited to get started and the children are eager to begin their classes.  I went with a fluorescent theme this year and the bright colors make me happy.  

Evalynn is over the moon at having monarch caterpillars...

A friend from church gave us some to start with.  She gave us 3 tiny caterpillars and 2 eggs (1 egg did not hatch).

I had always thought of milkweed as a plant with big leaves.  When we saw the milkweed from our church friend I was surprised to see it was small leaves.  Then I wondered if the plant I've called "butterfly bush" that I have outside was a kind of milkweed.  

(caterpillar photography by Ev)

So a few days after we got the caterpillars from our friend, Ev and I were outside inspecting the fairy garden (the butterfly bush is beside it) and there were 2 huge monarch caterpillars munching away!  Indeed it is milkweed.

However, our little bush is covered in some kind of pest and it's not big enough to sustain our hungry caterpillars, so another friend brought us big leaf milkweed from her house, and then the kids went hunting and found some on campus and in a nearby cemetery.  Our caterpillars are thankful for a fresh supply, however every time they bring back milkweed it seems like they bring an egg or a caterpillar with them.  The cycle may never end.  LOL.

This is through a magnifying glass....on the right in the middle you'll see a teeny tiny baby caterpillar that came out of his egg.  Actually you might not see it.  But it's there.

We've also enjoyed the fairy garden and the flowers...

A gift from the fairies... {courtesy, Nannie - wink}

My birdbath was in the backyard.  I brought it around front, filled it with the beautiful rocks from the great lakes, put my fountain back in, and it brings me immense joy through the front windows.  The birds NEVER touch it, but oh well.  I still love it.

I also enjoyed my bird friends...

Bad pictures but still lovely.

We had many still spurts of time in August and many busy moments, too.

This beautiful girl got herself a job...

She's found a perfect fit at the Christian bookstore in town.  We are so thankful for the opportunity for her.

Xavier also started working for a landscaping crew.  We're flexing their school time to fit their part time jobs and are grateful they have those options!

Zayden and Evie had a grandparent/cousins sleepover with Artie and Theo.  They were delighted at their weekend of fun!

Xavier, Natalee, Ameliya, and Mike took a full day to help Grandma Sara and Papa Phil start demo on their back porch...

.....and low and behold - their demo work day aligned with the younger two's sleepover and Mom had a full day at home alone.  I mostly got some much needed work done for Cubbies, homeschool, and HSAP (which is why I stayed home), but I did watch a show, read a little, and cleaned.  I love my people but sometimes my brain does get full...the quiet was lovely.

The teens gave their mission report with their team...

School went along splendidly....

I love the teddy bear by the bed...

The younger 3 finished their summer reading Bingo.

Evie learned she can butter her own bread...

And Natalee continued hippotherapy...

We went mini golfing...

Evie turned 6!

And we finished the month out with the Christian concert on the square.

Thank you, August, for all of the amazing memories!

Evalynn Nancy Turns 6!

The family princess turned 6.  

Evalynn is such a unique little personality. 

Her school "book learning" is proceeding at a modest pace, but more importantly she sees the world through a beautiful awareness for a child her age and is a delight to our family.

• She can identify by song and sight many different kinds of backyard birds.
• She knows how to make flowers grow and she appreciates their beauty.
• She learned to ride her bicycle without training wheels and keeps up with all the big kids on long rides.
• She is empathetic and loves others well.
• She is quick with a hug.
• She sees the good in people.
• Her friends include other kids her age, teens, middle age elementary students, toddlers, and adults.
• She is nurturing.  
• She delights in God's designs of nature.
• Sometimes beauty makes her cry - a heartfelt song at church, a story with a lovely resolution, a friend's joy.
• She is strong, well coordinated, and flexible.
• She is determined.
• She is sensitive....to perceived unkindness, to doing wrong, and to others' hurts.
• She sings - beautifully, loudly, and on key - but mostly in her room or away from the eyes of others.  
• She enjoys pampering, especially the hair salon.
• She desires to do brave things for God.

Evalynn started her birthday early.  She was up during mom's quiet time hour and we bird watched together (in our heatless curlers).

After she got ready for the day she had her birthday pictures taken, and then went with Daddy to get donuts and a special birthday drink.

She chose her "prairie dress" to wear and her heatless curls did well!

Donuts and bacon for birthday breakfast.

(I said "smile at me when we sing so I can take a picture...and she did...the entire song.)

A couple gifts after breakfast before Daddy went to work.

That large box had a few smaller packages individually wrapped in it and she thought I was hilarious.

While Daddy was at work in the morning Evie played, opened a rubber band bracelet set and made a bracelet, and watched a show.  

She had 2 different family friends come by to wish her a happy birthday and that made her feel so loved.  I wish I'd taken pictures.

Ev picked hot dogs, mac & cheese, and rice for lunch but really only ate the carbs.  Ha.  

While Daddy was home for lunch break she opened a life size baby doll and promptly fell in love.

Mia was especially thoughtful to Evalynn on her birthday and took her for walks with her babies (Honey did not get cast aside with the addition of a new baby).  Mia also pre-planned a treasure box hunt for Ev's birthday, which delighted the birthday girl thoroughly.  Xavier and Zayden were in charge of entertaining Ev outside while Mia got everything set up.

Follow the red string throughout the house and the boxes of treasure were clipped to it in different hiding spots.

Some had candy....Evie ate as she went.  

and rings!

The fairy garden fairies left a birthday Care Bear gift (courtesy: Nannie), which was elation in itself.

The afternoon was spent playing babies and princesses.

Again, Mia was a most attentive and sweet big sister.

Evalynn requested pizza, "special drink," and family game night for her birthday supper.

Xavier had worship band practice.  We're in a hard season of learning to share our teens with their almost adult lives.  

During supper, the most important queen took three Facetimes.  The Paredes crew called to wish her happy birthday, and both sets of grandparents called her.  The patience of all the grandparents who listened the the full day recap was absolutely precious.

Evalynn's game of choice was Skyjo.  We played one round before Xavier got home, then paused for cake and ice cream, and played past our bed times until we were on the verge of slap happy and overly emotional and Dad called it a night.

(Evie helped make her cake on Thursday.  She picked yellow cake with "pudding" [ganache] frosting.  I laugh every year, because she doesn't really like cake.  She loves ice cream, and she strategically chooses whatever she puts on the cake to suit her - in this case ganache.  Then she eats the top and leaves the cake.  This year I made a box mix and felt less upset when she scraped the top and threw it away.)

Oh sweet girl - you are joy.

So very ornery!

When everyone was in bed I told Mike, "oof, our family is loud."  But man, are we the lucky ones.  Truly.  

A video compilation of all the birthday moments....opening gifts, playing, Mia's treasure hunt, and game time.

And a couple bonus pictures of the last night she was five, hair all wrapped up....I said, "she'll either wake up 6 or 60."  

Happiest of birthdays, sweet Evalynn.  Precious in His sight and ours...and loved beyond measure.