January started our year off with the sweetest homeschool activity where we walked a delicate light spiral contemplating the last year, lighting our ice made candles and making good wishes and goals for the next year. It was a chilly evening, but one spent in quiet, peaceful reflection.
Our 4th annual cabin trip with our co-op was once again a highlight for us! This year we tried to take the van so the kids actually got a lesson on having to push a vehicle uphill in the snow. You’re welcome! We hung out in the cabin with friends, the boys built and carved multiple snow tunnels and the kids skied in and out of the cabin. This was the first time Chase and I felt comfortable letting kids go off and ski with friends or on their own, so we finally got the chance to ski together just on our own. It was a new experience for us and one we look forward to doing again and again.
This February the twins turned 13! Ava had some girlfriends over and they all decorated their own cakes. It was a bit like being on the Great British Baking Show making 12 mini 3-tiered cakes, but it was worth it to watch how much fun they had decorating them.
Vance’s LEGO robotics team took 3rd place in regionals and surprised us when we were all set for the season to be over, when they won and we found ourselves prepping for State out of the blue.
The boys did such a fantastic job at state! Though theirs was only a team of 4 homeschool boys and they were competing with schools with upwards of 20 kids on a team, they had spirit and grit and supported each other all the way. At one point in the competition, the judges were experiencing some technical difficulties, when Vance and his buddy started to do a little “dance off”. Pretty soon, a few of the nearby judges joined in, as well as some nearby teams also waiting (not so) patiently. It took the stress right out of it and from then on, the boys were determined just to enjoy themselves.
At the end of the (very long) day, they came to the awards part and the boys decided to cheer as loud as they could for the teams they were sure were going to win. It came to the very last award and not one of them was disappointed, knowing they were going home with a once-in a lifetime experience and happy just to have gotten to come.
Imagine our surprise when the MC came up and said that the last award was going to a group of “Rising Stars” that worked well together, had a very innovative and interesting project, and was “One to Watch” in the upcoming years. Suddenly, I knew it was them and when they called their team name, the whole floor erupted with cheers as they made their way to the podium to receive their reward. Once we got over our shock and excitement, we realized how proud we were of them and are looking forward to another year (with a different crew this time) that started in the fall.
More February Fun...
In March, the Red Cliffs Temple opened and the 3 older kids and Chase and I got to volunteer for it. It was fun to see one of Cash’s favorite friends, Garret putting on booties out front and Cash got to be his last customer. We went through the temple a good number of times, and each time found something new and lovely to be so grateful for.
This month we also got to take a trip with our co-op to the SUU television studio and recorded our own co-op newscast, with weather, running the cameras and even the lights and sound!
April means PROM! Leave it to Kurt to have his very first date ever also be a full, day-long prom date with all of his friends! He and Whitney have been friends for years, and he knows how much she loves birds. When we were in Pennsylvania, he would FaceTime her to show her Poppy the peacock and even brought home some peacock feathers for her. When we went to decorate her room for his prom-posal, we saw the peacock feathers and I had the idea to make her corsage and his boutonniere and add in peacock feathers to them.
They had a great time and it was such a treat to be there to take pictures and be a fly on the wall for just a little bit. Once the pictures were done, they shooed us away and left on an evening of dinner, dancing and all around good times.
More April Amusement...
May was a busy month!
The three older kids went on their “Ship Trip” capstone activity with the Wonderpath Teen homeschool group. When we started this group, we had dreams of these kinds of activities, so to see them learning, growing and experiencing these moments make all of the hard work and many hours worth it!
While Cash and Grant enjoyed time in Washington with Dad at the Between the Rivers gathering, the 3 big kids and I attended our favorite homeschool teen and parent conference, LDSHE. We found out about it last year when I was asked to present to the parents and then to the youth. We loved it and found such lifelong friends there, that we just had to come back for year 2.
The kids (and I) had such great speakers! I got to monitor the class with the kids’ favorite Studio C character (“LOBSTER BISQUE!”) and they danced, took classes and had a great time at the airbnb.
More May Merriment...
After Girls camp, we made the long trek out to Pennsylvania again for the summer. This time we had double the cousins (and 2nd cousins) and we couldn’t have been happier! Grant celebrated his 9th birthday with an epic baseball game out in the field, Ava and the girls slept almost every night out in the tent, and Chase and I got to sneak off to the beautiful Canadice Lake in New York State while the kids hung out with cousins.
July took off with a blast celebrating with lots of extra cousins and friends at Grandma and Grandpa’s. We did baptisms at the Palmyra temple, telling the kids the story of how we came here when we were dating not knowing if we would keep dating and here we are, 17 years later!
Cash celebrated his birthday with epic cars and cold pools. Then we made our way home across the country, first stopping in at the Ohio Zoo. We got to see some old friends before finally making our way back home.
August was full of family outings and preparations. I got to help Jenn put together her 1st grade classroom which is always fun for me. Not just because I get to design, decorate and play in a classroom again, but because any time spent with my sister is precious to me.
I also got to attend yet another fantastic homeschool mom’s retreat with some of my favorite people. We started off with a hike in the rain, then breakfast, a cold plunge and sauna and then off to Pinevalley to meet, plan and rest at a beautiful cabin. Once again we were blessed to be able to do a conference call with my homeschool-icon author, podcaster and all around hero of mine, Julie Bogart. Listening to a person that you have read all of their books talk about your own children and give advice for your personal homeschooling journey is something so profound it’s almost indescribable.
The kids started Fire Canyon (their middle school homeschool co-op), The boys had a real roofing job and learned what hard work actually looks like, Kurt started seminary, Chase and I spent time together in the mountains, and suddenly our school year started off with a bang.
September found the kids attending their Adventure Club fall retreat in Brianhead, Ava started as the team manager with the high school girls’ wrestling team, Kurt was asked to read part of the constitution for a livestream on Constitution Day, Chase taught at the Rabbitstick gatherings and the big boys moved out of the room with the 4 of them and I surprised them with their very own room (which used to be the guest bedroom), which made the younger two pretty happy as well.
Still More September...
He stayed this still only moving ever-so-slightly.
These boys were 100% here for it!
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October also brings with it Kurt’s birthday (15!!???), the teen via feratta (their 2nd), as well as Halloween, star gazing and bonfires. The days are passing so quickly I fear that at this rate, we’ve already reached the end and we’ve only just begun.
The 3 big kids also had their awards night for their fall semester of Fire Canyon Academy. Vance and Ava stood with their mentors and received their “Key of Liberty” with all of the extra ribbons showing what effort they put into to their papers, projects, presentations and even memorizing the Declaration of Independence. I was so proud of them for memorizing the whole thing (minus the grievances)!
When listening to them recite it, it took anywhere from 8-10 minutes and now Grant and Cash and I know most of it too! Kurt loved his mentors in his Sword of Freedom class. He also received the Above and Beyond award, memorizing the Gettysburg address, and receiving a sword at the end, along with his classmates who earned it.
Hopefully the neighbor moms forgive me.
This December has been busy with many wrestling meets and tournaments, science experiments and getting ready for the holidays. Since Dad is working in California still, Grant has become my handy-man, still using his tools to fix things around the house that need mending for me.
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