Family Update

Welcome back!!

Nothing like a little "cluster-blogging"

Thought it might be good to do an update. .

Especially since I had so many fun pictures to share!

This girl has gotten about 3 years older all at once. .

She is growing in manners and politeness. .

And is getting to be fine help!!

She got to participate in a gymnastics class and a dance class this year.

She loved them both!

She has gotten pretty tricky at front handsprings on the trampoline. .

And loves practicing!

She had her first recital right before Easter. She was excited and nervous all rolled into one!

She got flowers for the first time in her WHOLE life (Her words). .

And can't wait for it to start all over again next year.

She gets to/has to stay home this summer. Her dad works right at the house in his shop. .But she isn't highly motivated on her own. .so she is despairing the whole idea. .more because she knows that she will have to do some "work". .and that she will get into trouble if she isn't careful!

I am hoping that she will take care of some watering and learn how to get dinner started.

I think it will be a good step for her!

This guy will be graduating GRADUATED. .from 8th grade next week LAST NIGHT (by the time I actually got back to finishing this post :-). He is super excited! He will finally get his very own cell phone! He has been doing a lot of driving with his instructional permit. .and has the mandatory 50 hours of driving done so he can get his farm permit, which will allow him to drive to and from school alone, and to get parts or errands run for his job--working for his dad.

He is glad to be done with track, which he never really liked. .And will look forward to going out for basketball and golf next year as a freshman. He did join a neighboring school to participate in a high school trap shooting team. .and will get to shoot on their varsity team in a few weeks at the state competition. He and his dad are both really excited about that!

Grant and Tristan both graduated last Thursday from tech school in Topeka.

Look at the excitement!

Tristan started a job last week for a commercial carpentry crew. .and got to work on one of the buildings on the campus at the University of Kansas. .He loved every minute of it! He gets to be an 'intern' for 3 months before deciding whether this will be the job for him.

I think he has already decided that it is!!

Grant will continue to work for the feed store that employed him part time through the school year. He will do that until after he and his dad and brothers take their guided fishing trip in a few weeks. After that, he will start working at Kenworth-fixing the big semi rigs that he has loved since he was a tot!

Both of them got their dream jobs. .and we couldn't be happier for them. .

Or prouder! It was a fun weekend to hang out together. .

And, after 50 pictures. .I decided that they aren't any easier to photograph now. .than they were when they were little. Someone was always doing something dumb. .or looking the wrong way. .or making silly faces. .or kissing/licking the person standing next to them. UG!

In the last week. .since I started this post the first time. .

We have finished up a lot of the "end of school" things.

We have been through Cami's play day at school. .

It is essentially a mini-track meet for K-5th.

She did a great job. .

And unfortunately, in about 2 more weeks-it will seem-she will be wearing her own cap and gown!!

These guys were also back all weekend for Devin's graduation. .

Our church celebrated a 100 year anniversary on Sunday. .

So we were busy with that as well as a graduation BBQ in honor of Devin.

Not to mention all the graduation celebrations for the kids of our friends!

It was lots of cooking and hangin.

Devin is heading to get his farmer's permit today. .

And he will be raking in the "dough" at the shop soon!

Tristan had to head back late last night to return to work. .

Grant is heading there today. .as well as my mom returning home. .

So when I get home tonight. .

It should be back to the quiet life. .

As quiet as it gets anyway!

Here is our little grand-pet. .

Rastus. .is Tristan's little hedgehog. .

He is quite ugly, really. .which ALMOST makes him a touch cute.

Cami and Devin are in love. .and I hope I can remain firm in not having one in my own home in the future!

Well. .

That's it from this crazy crew. .

We have a characteristically busy summer getting started as soon as next week. .

Camps, jobs, an exchange student coming, road trips, and of course. .

the LAKE!

I hope to showcase some garden blooms again soon. .

But then, you know how that sometimes goes!!

Thanks for stopping by!

2017 updates. .

I seriously don't know where the time goes to! It has been so long since I have posted any pictures. .or added any updates!! I don't do facebook very often. .and rarely post pictures or information. .So that's not my excuse. .I guess I just get caught up in the day to day.

Seems like everyone is still growing by leaps and bounds. .and changes are occurring regularly. .

Like Jeremy's hair!! HA!

I did have to include our Halloween picture. .

Cami is not about to let us stop celebrating the season with a still-huge costume party.

Now it's all about her. .and her friends. .

But we only must survive 2 more. We are well into double digit hosting now. .And I suppose, that all these "lasts" will be more bittersweet than all the "firsts!"

Tristan has just flourished this year. He is finishing up a year of cabinetry school. He works part time at Lowes and has been able to find regular carpentry projects in the community too.

He is looking at his options for employment in May-thinking he wants to keep doing the broader spectrum of carpentry for a while to increase his skill set.

Grant is also starting to consider employment options. He is finishing up diesel mechanic training. .and is hoping to work for a large company on their trucking fleet. There are several options around

Topeka. He is working part time for a small farm and ranch store there and that keeps him busy and provides some spending money.

We got to enjoy them at home for about a week around the holidays. Last month, we visited them one weekend and enjoyed going to a local trampoline park. .

This old woman was super sore after jumping for an hour. .but it was a blast, and we all decided we would do it again in a heartbeat!!

This guy is growing INCHES at a time!! Seriously, this photo was taken one morning when he was all at once taller than he had been the day before! It was a monumental day for him. .He finally was taller than his mama!! I am 5'10". .and he was super pumped! I guess it won't be long and I might be the shortest. .which doesn't happen very often-trust me!

He is pretty excited for high school next year. .

And, again, I can't believe that time has gotten to this stage. He is 14 and his dad promised to take him to get his farm permit to drive. .We have seriously missed the big boys carpooling the kids around to where they needed to be!!

They just finished basketball last week. .League champions! And we will look forward to a slower month before the crazy spring activities start! He has been involved in a local drumline. .and is now on to playing his 3rd instrument since 5th grade. .the baritone sax. I think that he is going to be a man of many talents as he grows!!

He and his dad are making more time to go fishing as the weather warms. .and the guys have a guided fishing trip booked for June. .for all 4 of them. Cami and I are going to need a girls trip too I think!! Devin will keep us busy and young for a while yet. .as he has a lot of passions. .and wants to be in the middle of most anything!

And then Miss Cami.

She and her brother have gotten used to having their brothers gone. They tolerated it better than I expected. .and better than I certainly did! She and Devin are pretty good buddies now. She is still ALL girl. .but likes shooting her pink camo BB gun and her cross bow.

She's in 3rd grade. .For her birthday, her friends brought their aprons and enjoyed doing a little cooking. It's different having girls at the party than boys!!

She still loves cheerleading and is in her first year of a gymnastics class and dance. She has been mastering handsprings on the trampoline. She is totally a mama's girl. .and wants to be wherever I am at. .or maybe I should say. .she wants ME to be wherever SHE is at!! She is quite something!

She has mastered the social media sphere of SNAPCHAT. .and will snapchat her brothers, the neighbors, and her cousin! It has been fun for her to keep connected with them that way!

Not too much has changed with us old farts though! We're getting ready to be a little older. .and we are trying hard to get a little wiser as we go. Lots of work. .and plenty of play. .both of us are ready for the warmer weather to come around and stay!

We finally made it to that iconic family of 4. .one girl. .one boy. .it's super weird!! I am not sure I will ever learn to cook for less than an army. We get sick of leftovers. .I get sick of not having to cook something new for days. Laundry doesn't take that long though anymore!! That is a plus.

We did apply to get an international 4-H student for a month this summer. .either from Costa Rica or Japan. THAT will be incredible!!

So that is about all we are up to. .

 

Thanks for checkin in on us! Wish I could say when the next update will come. .Some day I look forward to catching up on everyone else's blogs as well. .Enjoy the few weeks left of winter!

Dog Days of Summer. .

My goodness. .

Time has flown!

I intended to be posting more regularly. .

but the summer just flew by. .And I guess I spent more time living it than writing about it.

Let me run down where we are in our lives. .

These two have flown the coop. .Tristan won't be back to live again. .Only to visit. Wow! He finished his carpentry classes in May. .worked all summer for our local contractor. .even getting to do some projects on his own. .

He has moved now to Topeka where he is focusing on learning cabinetry and millwork. I did get some use out of him replacing some yucky doors and trim in my laundry room. .and I am loving that. .a nice reminder of him since he is gone. He called yesterday and told me he got a part time job at Lowes. That will help him out a lot--both giving him something to keep him out of trouble. .and helping him pay for his apartment expenses.

This guy will also not likely be coming back to live either. He intended to study diesel mechanics for 2 years in Topeka. .but over the summer, they revamped their courses and program, and so he will learn most of what he needs to know in a year. At which point. .he too, will be ready to get a job and be his own person!

He and Tristan are living in the same apartment with another buddy, and that will make the whole transition from high school to college easier. He is loving the classes, even after a week. .and is also putting out applications for a part time job. Seems, as they have talked, that there is no shortage of part time opportunities available. .so that is great!!

This past weekend. .we cleaned out the rest of Grant's basement abode. .repaired and repainted the walls and shampooed the carpet before we let Devin move down there. It is much cooler than their upstairs bedroom. .so he was excited. It also made the loss of the oldest two a little more acute though for this mama! 18 years goes incredibly fast!!

You can see that we made it to the lake again.

We weren't going to go at all this summer. .

But WHO can pass up amazing opportunities like this one??

Skiing at sunset? Unbeatable!

We did have a wonderful long weekend away to relax and play before everyone had to get back to reality and to our schedules!

This guy is trying to adjust to being the big man on campus now!

Not only is he the biggest kid at our house. .

He has officially started 8th grade!

He had a super busy summer working for his dad. .mowing granddad's lawn. .a week of church camp. .and a week of a community oriented  mission trip service work right here in our county. Oh. .and some pool time in between! He has started football. .and is committed to working his hiney off to earn a position on his team.

He got 2nd place in his cooking division at the fair and earned the opportunity to sell his amazing German Chocolate layer cake at the premium auction! He and Cami will continue with 4-H this year. .and I will admit great fulfillment in graduating from helping with 4 record books--to only 2 record books!! And the little girl already seems much more patient to write and take care of business than any of her brothers ever were!!

Speaking of little girls. .This one is growing up fast!! She is in 3rd grade. .She is quite social-and on a brother/sister status with nearly every lifeguard at the pool. She is becoming really helpful around the house. .and has had to step up her game since her older brothers left.

These two are attempting to learn new skills to help our church with worship music. Cami is still trying to learn the guitar--we have been lazy about it. .but she has new motivation now to try some more! Devin is learning how to play a Cahon--a wooden box with snare drum stuff on the inside. We saw it used during the mission week here. .and fell in love with the sound and potential!!

So then, that just leaves us!

What an adjustment!

Granny took the kids to a rodeo last weekend. .

And we enjoyed supper out and a trip to the movie to watch Jason Bourne. .

We can still have a good time with just the two of us. .so that is in our favor :-)

He's been helping me with a lot of honey-do's lately. .but we are about to get them all caught up.

His boat driver left. .but Devin is learning to drive it--however, since the kids have been in school, it just leaves him hot and bothered. After 18 years in that hot metal shop--he finally consigned to getting a huge water cooler which drops the temperature about 20 degrees. .so it is really helping on those 100 degree days!!

And his temperament improves too!

Still work for me. .plus youth group, Sunday School and our online women's bible study. I was hopeful that moving another kid out this year would be easier than last year. .but it wasn't. I just knew what to expect. .and so did Jeremy!! (Last year he thought I was going C-R-A-Z-Y!)

BUT. .one of the perks of growing up. .

Is that I graduated to this AWESOME and sporty little mustang to drive to work.

The first time that Cami rode in it with me, she looked in the back seat and said "Mom, I don't think I can fit back there." I just smiled and said "Exactly!"

Mid life crisis??
Maybe!

Thanks for stopping by!