May 2024

 

Building a shelter

Forest School Celebration

Wicked

Isaac's USA soccer team

Orchestra concert

Choir and Band concerts on the same night

Mother's Day

Tulip Time Kinderparade

Tulip Time 5k

-Nate, Caleb, Isaac, Stephen and Lexi ran the Tulip Time 5k

-It was a rainy and cold Tulip Time Kinderparade this year. Isaac and Lexi were our only kids in the parade this year.

-Nate had a PET scan on April 10 and we finally got the results on May 9 that Nate's cancer had returned. 

-Isaac had a band concert and Julia had her choir concert- divide and conquer. 

-Lexi played in her first orchestra concert

-Stephen auditioned for a part in the summer children's production of Once Upon a Mattress (The Princess and the Pea story) and was excited to get the Wizard role. 

-Stephen's 5th grade class was the first HC Forest School class and they had a celebration in the forest to recognize the end of their Forest School journey. Who would have thought this kind of crazy sounding idea in kindergarten would turn into six great years?

April 2024

 

Market Day

Birthday presents

Happy 10th Birthday!

Celebrating Enedina's bday a little later

Melody, Lexi and Keira

Cousins in motion

Star Wars lego 

The lego dragon in Disney Springs

Easter dinner

Visiting the Custers in Atlanta

Julia went to NYC

Isaac high jumping

-We drove to Orlando for spring break. We stayed with the Custers on the way down. We picked up Isaac from the band trip and rented a house for a couple days. We found a church to attend on Easter morning and ended up being overflowed to a tent outside with a tv feed of the service to watch, as the service was so full. We had our Easter dinner poolside. We spent most of the trip relaxing at the house-swimming, watching the Harry Potter marathon on TV, and playing games. I took the kids to Disney Springs for a morning and our family ate out at Joe's Crab Shack. Tim and Jenny's family were staying in Orlando so we spent a day together. Gloriana and TY and Dave and Kate were also in town, so we got together for an evening- we hadn't seen each other in a long time! We decided to drive back home thru the night. I took the day shift, Nate drove thru the night with Isaac staying awake for company. Driving thru the night is not our favorite, but we got it done.

-Isaac began his track season. He usually ran the 100 meter and 200 meter dash and did high jump. He hit his personal high jump record this season at 5'10. 

-Julia started doing some weekend shifts at Dutch Village

-Julia went to NYC with the WOHS choirs. She experienced so many things in a couple of days-Rockefeller Center, Chinatown, the Met, 9/11 memorial, Statue of Liberty, singing at a church and two Broadway shows- Wicked and The Outsiders.  

-We celebrated Lexi's 10th birthday with family and an ice cream cake. She got a Minecraft Switch game, flair pens, deodorant and a box of mac and cheese. I promise she put those last two items on her list. Lexi still loves mac and cheese. Lexi is still an all-in Forest School kid. She loves summertime and playing with neighbor kids for hours. Lexi loves it when her older siblings play games with her. Lexi works hard in school, loves her friends and brings spunk and silliness to our family. We love you Lexi!

-Lexi had market day at school. She made and sold pet bandanas. And this is our 5th and LAST market day ever! 

-Caleb finished up his freshman year and moved home for the summer. 

March 2024

 

Church derby car races

Musical theater class 

Last meal with Tim and Jenny's family

Celebrating Julia's 15th birthday

Siblings playing a game together

Stephen's first band concert and Isaac's last

-Caleb was home for his spring break. The kids enjoy having him home and it's fun to see their interactions together.

-We celebrated Julia's 15th birthday! She chose turtle cheesecake for her dessert. She got some clothes, a water bottle and some makeup she was wanting. Julia has shown courage and perseverance this year.  She is at a new school with new people and she is taking it in stride. She has put herself out there so she could make new friends. She is doing fantastic academically. She is learning how to drive. She found a part time job for the summers. What a year this has been Julia! We love you and we love watching you grow! 

-Stephen and Lexi did running club a couple times/week after school. 

-We had our Soul Kids derby car races. This was Stephen's last year.

-HC had their elementary spring music program. Stephen and Lexi sang songs with their classes. 

-HC band department had their spring concert. This was Isaac's last year playing the French horn as he wants more room in his schedule for AP classes next year. This was Stephen's first band concert. 

-We had Tim and Jenny's family over for supper before they moved away. 

-Stephen's musical theater class performed pieces from Newsies

-Isaac started USA soccer practices

-Isaac left for Florida with HC's band and orchestra. They perform in Disney and spend a couple of days at the parks. 

February 2024

 

Isaac and friends at the winter dance

Isaac and friends skiing weekend

Nate, Stephen and Lexi went skiing

Lunar New Year dinner

Julia got her driver's permit

New furniture

Julia and her friend at the winter dance

-Isaac and Julia had winter dances at their schools

-We celebrated the Lunar New Year with our favorite Korean and Chinese dishes

-Julia got her driver's permit!

-Some of the family did snow skiing over winter break

-Stephen played indoor soccer

-Julia continued attending Young Life

 

January 2024

 

Celebrating Mom's 70th Birthday

Walking around Mission Point Lighthouse

Getaway in Traverse City

Snow hill as tall as our house and sunshine in January!

Celebrating my 45th birthday

Watching the Packers

We learned how to make sushi

And we need some banket for dessert

-Caleb returned to GVSU for his second semester

-Julia is done with the orthodontist! Three kids done!

-Isaac played indoor soccer

-Julia went to some WO hockey games with friends

-Stephen had his musical theater class

-Julia and Isaac had their first semester exams and did fantastic

-Lexi continued lessons with her Mandarin tutor, Lexus

-Nate and I went away with the Gabrielse to Traverse City for a relaxing weekend

-We celebrated my 45th birthday

-We celebrated Mom's 70th birthday!

-Julia did Segment 1 for driver's education

-We went to an all school roller skating party and Lexi won the limbo

December 2023

 

Hard to get the kids cooperating for a picture

Enedina and Abel- newly married

Family pic

Splash Lagoon in Erie, PA

Cousins with their arcade winnings

Sibling rivalry

Cousins playing in the hotel pool

Stephen as baby Jesus (with the Harvey's)

Stephen as Joseph, Lexi as a shepherd

With Tim and Jenny

I Am Academy's Black Gala

Presents with the Jongsma family

New bike

New jersey

She was crying because she was so happy to get a Switch

Julia got an Enhyphen (Korean boy band) CD/picture book

Isaac got new Nike's

Stephen enjoys Christmas dress up days at school

Merry Christmas!

-Dad and I went to Handel's Messiah at Calvin

-Stephen, Isaac, Caleb and Nate went to the Grand Rapids Gold basketball game (one of Stephen's bday presents)

-Isaac played the prelude on the organ. He was nervous, but did a great job.

-Isaac and Lexi played on indoor soccer teams

-Stephen and Lexi's Forest School classes presented at Hope College regarding their class projects. Lexi's was about trees and fungus and Stephen's was about water quality and macroinvertebrates. 

-Nate and I attended I Am Academy's Black Gala fundraiser. The theme was Harlem/1920's. It was fun to dress up and support the Academy's work in the community.

-Stephen and Lexi were in our church children's Christmas program. This is the last year that Stephen will be in it. He came full circle as he was baby Jesus when he was a newborn and in his last year he was Joseph. 

-Enedina and Abel were married on Dec 15 at the Grand Rapids courthouse. They chose the Fuji Buffet for the celebratory meal. Nolbi, Ruth, and Naomi then spent the weekend at our house. We are happy for Enedina, Abel and the kids!  

-Caleb had 3 weeks off for Christmas break

-Stephen did a HC basketball camp on Saturdays in December

-We did our family Christmas on Christmas Eve. It was fun to see the surprise on the kids faces with the gifts they received. We opened gifts with the Jongsma's on Christmas Day

-We drove to Splash Lagoon in Erie, PA with Colleen's family. The cousins had fun going off together at the waterpark. We went to the arcade, played games and went out to eat at Applebee's- a fun couple of days.

-On New Year's Eve, Julia went to Leila's house. The rest of us went to the Stielstra's house and had a euchre tournament. Stephen and Lexi were the youngest and they held their own. We are thankful for the adventures of 2023 and are looking forward to 2024.