Graduation, Europe, California, JDRF Ride to Cure!

Good grief, over a year since a post!  I was just thinking over my year.. (and I had to log into this old email to get Disney + ..so I remember this little site sitting alone online, haha!)

We worked bunches of days in our youth group's Pumpkin Sale!  This is one day after church..the only recent photo I have of the whole family! : )

I can't even begin to catch up..but I can try some shorthand.

Opening night of Ford vs. Ferrari!  Locals brought their Ford GTs, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis..it was a cool car club that all came to watch the film..and shared their awesome cars! 

Clay was a senior-and graduated with highest honors!  (Which we really didn't know if he would, honestly!)  But apparently it's about how many AP classes you accumulate, not GPA.  But he did leave Har-Ber High School with a 3.53, hooray!!  Band, cross country and track were his faves last year.  He's now living on campus at the University of Arkansas majoring in Anthropology with an emphasis in Archaeology (switching early summer from Biomedical Engineering).

We've had a few low blood sugar scares with Clay-freakishly low.  He hadn't gotten up by noon, was 68 after 3 juice boxes given by his roommate and 40 minutes.. and maybe I can elaborate later.  Suffice it to say you need the roommate's phone number, RA (resident assistant)'s phone number, and probably campus police if necessary to get to them.  Also, a 504 carried to college is a huge recommendation!  (oh, and teach them to drop their basal if they stay up till 2am and use extra energy they haven't planned for!)

She had some fun shopping with me for Christmas!  

Mary Claire is a SENIOR (how is that even possible?!) at Haas Hall Academy, and she loves it!  She's exploring University of Portland, St. Louis University, University of Dallas, and the University of Arkansas.  I think she'll stay here, but if the scholarships are good, I don't know...  She's still in Girl Scouts, working, and plans to go to law school after her undergraduate degree.  She graduates in May!  

Eiffel Tower!!

We went to Europe this summer with her Girl Scout troop!  It was a wonderful trip in lots of countries.  We flew into London, went through Paris, Florence, and Rome and flew back out of Rome.  SOO BEAUTIFUL!!  (except they need more trash cans..trash is blowing around in the streets..)  It was a great time to spend with my girl.  I won't forget it.

Girl Scout World Center in London, Pax Lodge.  They got a special pin for traveling there!  There are only five world centers in the world.

In Rome at the Coliseum

Ponte Vecchio in Florence!

Playing with a puppy in the River Seine in Paris just below Notre Dame Cathedral

St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in Rome (inside Vatican City)

Our covered shoulders at Vatican Square!

She's managing her diabetes pretty well..we keep adjusting her basal lower since she's trending super low.  I think she's lost weight or is building muscle (girls have so much pressure to stay super skinny..but we don't talk about it much..just lots of encouragement that she's beautiful just the way she is!!).  She's very responsible, so she's pretty easy!

In Covent Garden at a pop up photo booth by Jo Malone London! : )

Ethan is in seventh grade and started band!  He's smart, loves video games/computers, and is GROWING!!  I'm not sure if he'll try to go to Haas Hall again, or stay in Springdale schools.  He's a sweetheart, and he'll be the one taking care of me when I'm old.  Love his tender heart for others.  He's not loving his religious education class or youth group..so Ches and I may tag team that for next year.  We'll see!

Beginning of School Photo! : )

Carter is in second grade, whew!  He has big front teeth, so he looks sooo different.  He really likes school, loves his teacher, and he draws, writes, and creates daily.  I'm so thankful he's not into electronics-he has a tent, a desk full of creative stuff, and tons of Legos!

Carter ready for some football!

I'm actually at Carter's school this year!  I renewed my teaching license this year, and am 2 hours away from finishing all of my professional development to catch up.  I'm working part time there as a math interventionalist (mouth full!).  Basically pulling small groups of kids from kindergarten through second grade to tutor and grow their math ability.

I got hired after we got back from our last JDRF Ride to Cure in Sonoma, California!  We took the kids for a week (cheap airfare, haha!) to see everything we could from Los Angeles to the Redwood Forest!

San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance!

After Ches finished his 100 miles!!!

at Pismo Beach for lunch!

Santa Monica Beach and Pier for dinner and a night on the pier/rides!

Mary Claire and I out riding!  Still smiling..so early.

and a trip to Cali isn't complete without a trip to LA to see Grauman's Chinese Theater to find our favorites.  And mine?  Mister Rogers!!  Love him.  And his new movie, go see it!!

Fun trip down a one-year memory lane.  I might try to keep up more often, haha!  Especially since I just finished a fun gingerbread house! : )  Hugs!

Balloon Arch, Take 3 and Room Renovations!

So much time has passed..but I've been informed that no one young-ish is reading anymore!  So I can write again, hooray!! : ) haha!

Our latest adventures..

We got ready for a surprise party to say goodbye to our seniors from youth group at church!  I chalked the hallway across from the entrance!  I got super tired and my hand was hurting by the bottom scripture area..so it wasn't too great, haha!

Our baby dog, Gatsby, is super big now!  He's at 32 pounds..and maybe counting?!  This is Mary Claire's room that I redid this spring..I repainted Carter's old room upstairs (her old room), and got her a new matching monogram made by a super talented friend of hers!  Carter is back downstairs, and she's up..moving completed!

This is a room I worked on for a sweet friend, it's the kids' playroom!  We still need to hang a couple of personal items..maybe their last home's door key or some special toys.

I really have been busy as I look back over pictures!  ..I helped Clay's friend, Georgia, to build a balloon arch that we could reuse (so we don't have to keep using expensive helium balloons!).  She went to Lowe's and Wal-Mart to request money and supplies to make an arch for Springdale Youth Activity Council.  Their walk was to gather food for a local food pantry.  We started with two 2'x2' pieces of plywood, and attached flanges in the center to hold 1/2" pipe (24" long) in place.  Then we got three pieces of 8'x3/4" white plumbing pipe with two fittings that would fit over the metal pipe.  I left it assembled in my garage with weights on the wood since the white needed some time to conform to the bent shape!

metal flanges attached with 1/2" screws

Sitting with weights..waiting on balloons!

We got some volunteers to help us!  And Phat Tire Bike Shop next door let us use their air compressor to blow up our balloons!! : )  We made the arch in an unused business space owned by the bank nearby..and there was very little lighting.  But we were thankful to have a big space to use!

Finished product, moved outside the day of the walk, hooray!!

Carter posing with a cutout of C3PO at Wal-Mart before Solo came out!  He looks SO BiG. :O

Easter, after church..everyone is a little crazy by now!  And our dog had recently been trimmed..he looks funny!

A really sweet picture of my parents.  They very rarely let me take pictures..when they are 80, they'll wish they took more, haha!

Baby Carter (not a baby..) lost his first tooth before school one morning!  He was nervous he'd lose it at school or during lunch..so we helped alleviate his fears, haha!

The bulletin board I did for our youth group seniors!  I went outside the box with a turquoise floral..but you can barely see it anyway!  This is a big group of really sweet kids.  We'll miss them!!

Carter graduated from Kindergarten!!  Wow, he's a big kid now.  He had a wonderful year with Mrs. Mueller!

And an even bigger shock-Ethan graduated from elementary school!  He'll be in sixth grade this fall across town.  Mrs. Cain has blessed us by teaching three of our kids..I hope Carter gets her eventually too!!

Gatsby turned ONE!!  His birthday is June 3rd, so he's officially not a pup anymore!  We adore him!!

Tiffany and I rode from the Fayetteville Square to the Bentonville Square, 31.5 miles!  What a fun day, and we needed each other..it got tiring!  (Especially since we hadn't ridden very much this spring!!) 

Wreath for a friend's big front porch!

This spring, I also had another fun project, an office!  It just needed cleaning out, organizing, and rearranging.  We only purchased five new frames, an end table, and a lamp.  It's not always expensive to freshen up and feel organized..just takes some hard work! ; )

It's a large room with lots of beautiful windows, and I already loved the color!

At the tv/fireplace end, using some beautiful art they already had!

The desk suite was just begging to be put back together..and it looks great with books and frames!  We only have a couple boxes for him to go through to identify recycle/keep/trash!

This is one of the only pictures I got of Clay running track this spring!  He doesn't like pictures..and he's always so far away too.  I didn't even get him in his uniform. : O  But lately, he's running every day from 7am to about 8:30am.  He's up to about 7 miles a day training for cross country.  Good grief, those boys are dedicated!!

I'm still not caught up..but I love to have the history for when I lose my pictures. : O  It happens!  

Hope your life is busy with fun, family, and friends!  Happiest of Father's Days to my DAD! to Ches! and to your dads and ALL the people who have guided you in life!  Hugs!!