Friends

Larkyn and her friend Cora rang in the New Year with beauty treatments and fun!

Colton and friends spent New Year's together playing the strategy game Settlers of Catan.

Colton and Larkyn have a sweet shared friend group - games with friends!

Summer and friends supporting each other in theater

I attended our church's women's weekend retreat with these lovely ladies

Larkyn skiing with friends

Colton skiing with friends

Summer and friends preparing for their Broadway show

Summer's church Bible study group

Dinner with friend Mahfuza and family

Volunteering at puppy shelter with friend Emery (Larkyn and friends made bracelets and sold them to raise money for this puppy shelter)

Attending TOBY MAC in concert!

School and Activities

Colton got "student of the quarter"

Summer and Grace at athletic band

Summer and some friends from Speech

What "practicing" at a speech meet looks like....(everyone finds a corner and gives their speech to a wall to prepare!)

Summer won the Novice division at the Minneapple

...and continued to medal/place in almost every tournament all year....

Colton won first place in the science fair for Middle School

Summer played keys in jazz band for Broadway at her high school

Summer and Grace after a band concert

Larkyn continued to love cheer all season long!

Larkyn LOVED getting to practice some new cheer stunts as the flyer

Thank you to Summer's friend's dad for getting some cool close up shots at a band concet

Broadway at Apple Valley High School

Some of the fans that supported Summer at Broadway (not pictured are Grandma and Grandpa K who came another night!)

Summer and some Speech Team members

Larkyn's cheer team

Cheer Highlight Video from Banquet linked here!

Larkyn in her school's production doing the "stick song"...

...and in the choir....

Unfortunate Events

Tiger ate the head of one of his toy mice, which lodged in his intestines, which led to emergency overnight surgery, two weeks in a cone, on a special diet, and with no running or jumping. He was well taken care of poor guy.....

We found out at our Super Bowl party that Colton is allergic to shrimp. He finished the rest of the game in the ER and he now carries an epi-pen.

Celebrations

We love celebrating the kids spiritual birthdays - when they chose to trust Jesus as Savior. On their night, they cook us a meal and get a gift to encourage them in their walk with the Lord.

Larkyn made a breakfast charcutterie board.

...and received a new more grown up Bible now that she is in Middle School.

On many pages are verses she can color in, which can help her stay focused during sermons and youth talks.

Colton opened a Bible commentary, to help him in his own personal study and as he prepares for the Bible study he leads with his friends.

He made an oreo dessert and meatball subs.

Valentine's Day

Celebrating our Savior on Easter

Travel

Paul and I took a little getaway to Florida over MLK day. We stayed near Miami and enjoyed our time together going for runs and walks on the beach....

We took a food and walking tour of Little Havana filled with history, delicious food, and an awesome tour guide.

We had lots of chill time eating snacks in our own little patio, chatting, getting time in the pool, and in the hot tub.

Shout out to Grandma and Grandpa T for holding down the fort in AV!

Summer and I had spring break the week before Colton and Larkyn. We decided to road trip to see a college! We drove to the Chicago area to visit Wheaton College. She loved it and also got in some driving hours as she works toward the required 50 hours of driving before she can get her license.

We had the best time, just us two, with lots of conversation and memories made!

When we got home, Paul and I took Summer on her second college visit to Bethel (where we both attended).

Then, later that day, we pulled Colton and Larkyn out of school a day early to fly to Orlando to meet up with Grandma and Grandpa K, and Auntie Kristin and family. The house we rented had access to this water park.

Auntie Kristin did a great job preparing for our day at Animal Kingdom. She also brought fun nail stickers and Minnie ears which Larkyn thought was amazing!

We had a super fun day at Cocoa Beach!

Back at our condo they had non night with glow sticks.

Our Animal Kingdom day was filled with amazing shows, rides, and making family memories.

The next day we toured the Kennedy Space Center. It was super cool.

The next morning, we took a super fun and interactive tour of a chocolate factory, and then the family dropped Summer and me off at the airport, as our spring break was done and we needed to hear back to work and school. The rest of them continued to have more fun for several more days!