This was our last super busy week of the spring with three kids in sports. Told ya it wouldn't last forever. Fast and furious.
Sunday found us in Missouri for Emma's graduation. We drove home late Sunday evening, exhausted but happy.
Monday we started the day slow. Zayden was up reading his new Bible in the morning.
The kids had odds and ends of school to finish up this week and we continued with our read alouds. We'll read all summer long. Monday we finished up The Long Winter and got out Little Town on the Prairie to put in our basket. We're almost done with Bambi, too!
Ameliya has started reading our American Girl books, and asked for me to fill out some series for her. I surprised her with the 3 books she needed to finish our Addy series and they came in the mail on Monday.
Monday evening we had doubled up games. I took Zayden to his and the girls came along to watch him. He got to play pitcher and had two good at bats.
He did a great job at pitcher!
It got cool and Evie was disturbed about the wind. I couldn't find a stocking hat in her bag, but found her "Carrie bonnet" from one night when she'd been playing dress up and wore it to a game. It sufficed.
Mike took Xavier and Jace to their ball game in a neighboring town, as Eric had Rogan at yet another game. #village
Natalee had an early morning Tuesday with PT and OT starting at 7:30. We didn't make it to mom's group on Tuesday, mainly because we just needed another day at home after some busy days and weekend. The weather was not beautiful, so once school was done we just read aloud and the kids played indoors. Ameliya had a soccer game, but it was misty rainy, so she went with Daddy while the other kids and I stayed home. Because the weather was sketchy, she got her medal in case her last game on Thursday got canceled. I hated that I missed that moment for her, not realizing it would be on Tuesday, but Mike took pictures.
Wednesday was yet another wet, gray day. Ameliya had an OT session midday, but that was the only thing we really got out for. Mia is working so hard on integrating some reflexes and getting her right and left sides to work together.
Zayden's game for the evening was canceled for rain (on his snack night) and that was disappointing for him but couldn't be helped.
Thursday was a bit of busy chaos. Ameliya, Zayden, and Evalynn all had dentist appointments at 9 a.m. No cavities x3!! Good job genetics and dental hygiene practices.
We always have packages of new toothbrushes at our house. We change after sickness, when they where out, when a wayward sister does something naughty with them. But that new toothbrush from the dentist....it just seems to hit different. So much excitement!
We were home only briefly after the dentist before loading up and heading to hippotherapy for Natalee. The weather was decent, so the other children and I sat outside during Natalee's session. After hippotherapy we headed home and got some lunch and then it was off to speech for Ameliya and I. Whew. So many appointments.
Thursday evening's weather turned chill, gray, and windy. Nevertheless, Ameliya got to have her last soccer game, and the coach treated to pizza afterwards.
Grandma Cindy and Papa Curtis came up for the evening to catch our evening activities. We left Xavier and Mike at the fields for Xavier's baseball pictures and the rest of us came home for a brief respite from the wind and to refuel with the frosties and fries that Grandma and Papa picked up. I ran everyone through the warm showers and we dressed cozy and went back to the sports complex for Xavier's 8 o'clock game.
It was a breezy evening, but Xavier hit a triple, which was thrilling to see, and it was a good night of baseball.
Mike had Friday off as one of the college's floating holidays. We didn't have any plans except to scrub the house down a bit. The mop water proved that we've been living hard here lately.
Natalee had an orthotics appointment in the afternoon. Usually we drive into the city, but the orthotist has been coming here twice a month and we were able to get an appointment in town this time. Natalee was casted for new DAFO's (nighttime stretching braces) and will be getting a carbon fiber walking brace. Please pray for pain relief - that's our main goal in all of the things we do - quality of life and pain control.
We liked this orthotist, Brooke, very much (same company we always have used but a different clinician).
The next two photos show the combination of customizations Natalee chose for her braces. I'll let you envision it until we get them in!
Friday afternoon and evening were spent outside in the beautiful sunshine. Mike mowed the lawn and trimmed and the kids played and played and played.
I'm reading this book for a group discussion in a couple weeks and the hammock was a perfect place to read for awhile.
So hard to see from my hammock view, but Zayden and Mia are on the big 360 platform swing together, just chatting away.
Mike made homemade pizza Friday evening and really gave me as much of an evening off as I ever get. The children ate through 2 large rectangular (jelly roll) pans of homemade pizza.
Saturday we slept in a bit and there's nothing wrong with that! By mid morning, however, I was convicted to go get our monthly grocery shopping done (feeling guilty I hadn't taken advantage and gone Friday morning while Mike was home) and Mike wanted some shelving for the basement from Menard's so we loaded up everyone and headed to a nearby town.
I realized we matched after we were dressed.
It was a bit after lunch when we got done at Menard's and Aldi and the natives were hungry, so we sanitized some hands and went through the drive through.
We got home and conquered putting away the groceries while the kids went right to playing outside. The hammock beckoned me for a bit, and then I got up and helped Mike trim out the lilac bushes that he was working on. They were so overgrown that they didn't really bloom out this year or last, so we're hoping this helps.
Everyone got involved. There were lots of little sticks, medium sticks, and huge branches to be picked up and drug off.
Everyone worked really hard. I honestly don't love roasting fires anymore, partly because of the danger with a lot of little people, and partly because of the smell/smoke, but I decided we should celebrate the last week of school and broke out the hot dogs. And the natives rejoiced. (wink)
hot dogs, chips, and lots of fresh fruits/veggies from the morning's grocery excursion
Mike's used to my anxiousness when there's a fire and tries really hard to help me by being very vigilant with the kids. I did realize today that, except for Evie, the others are old enough now to be quite careful. Zayden rarely gets too close because I worry about the smoke with him having allergies.
What's a cook out without s'mores?
Before it got dark I had my grubby kids go over to our big pile of sticks so I could take their picture. Show me the muscles you used!
These two...
It's hard to see from the photos but it's quite a lot. The campus landscaper said she'd pick it up and haul it off since the property belongs to them....we'll see what she says about how much it is. It had to be done.
After 7 solid hours outside, we had the kids start coming in one at a time for showers and then we all fell into bed, tired after a productive day!
Our niece graduated high school on May 22nd with honors and we are so proud of her.
Her graduation brought back a flood of memories that seriously just feel like yesterday. I don't understand how the time has gone so incredibly fast.
We went to Missouri on Saturday evening and I went in to Andrea's to help decorate the garage for the big post graduation party. As it turns out I still am not much of a decorator, so I mostly worked on laying out the food tables.
Sunday morning we putzed around mom and dad's house before we got all the kids prepped and headed into the graduation ceremony.
I'm biased, but isn't she a pretty graduate?
Emma received several local scholarships, which speaks volumes about her character.
The graduation ceremony was a great tribute to what seemed like a fun, loving class. The gym, however, was sweltering. We were glad to exit into the fresh air.
A pause to pose for a few pictures...
Next we headed to party time. The weather could not have been better. Truly a beautiful day. Andrea and Vance put together a great taco bar, and Grandma Num got the chocolate fountain flowing, which was a huge hit.
Emma is bound for ISU, so we all donned our gear to celebrate her acceptance and bright future!
What a tribe. What a privilege for them to be ours.
The Beelers are ready for Emma to be an Iowan with us!
Evalynn is a huge Emma fan. Wanted to take 1000 photos with her. They are a cute pair.
Aww....let's flash this one back...
Too fast...it just went too fast.
My big kids played a ton of bags and had a good time visiting with some kiddos that they don't see very often anymore.
Evie went 100 miles an hour, loved Nannie's little food boats (nacho trays), and thought the chocolate fountain was genius.
Lauren made a beautiful video montage that was played at the graduation party. I watched it Saturday night and cried a bit (okay, more than a bit). So many sweet memories wrapped up.
We're so proud of you, Emma. Thanks for letting us be a part of the journey!
Grandma Cindy and Papa Curtis came up for the evening to catch our evening activities. We left Xavier and Mike at the fields for Xavier's baseball pictures and the rest of us came home for a brief respite from the wind and to refuel with the frosties and fries that Grandma and Papa picked up. I ran everyone through the warm showers and we dressed cozy and went back to the sports complex for Xavier's 8 o'clock game.
It's hard to see from the photos but it's quite a lot. The campus landscaper said she'd pick it up and haul it off since the property belongs to them....we'll see what she says about how much it is. It had to be done.
