June 2025

June started off with end of school year festivities- smore & night games with Jefferson's friends, school awards ceremony (both boys got eagle awards) and cheers and high five for the end of school year, last day of school pics and kindergarten party and as always the last week of school ends with SOJO fest. This year we went every night- miniature golf, carnival, Taylor Swift tribute concert, and Journey tribute concert. It's our favorite way to kick off the summer. On the first day of summer vacation, Carter had a pre surgery eye apt and we found out after his surgery he would have to have limited activity for a few weeks while recovering, so we through out our projects/to do lists and hit summer hard- sports camp, swimming every day, biking, hiking and starting flag football with summer sports camp. Father's day weekend we checked out the new Bees stadium, rocked out with the Gun N Roses tribute band, discovered baseball paddleboarding, and saw the new mission impossible movie. We had the best time at the Beach Boys tribute concert and then Carter was such a brave little guy and had his surgery. The primary children's staff was so awesome and we are so grateful his surgery went well. While Carter was recovering Jefferson, Bella, and I did some biking around the lake and we had our Dennis family come for a bbq. We rearranged the boys bedroom and Carter moved onto the top bunk. Jefferson was bored as can be at the Abba tribute concert, but Carter had a great time dancing. We had a fun birthday week with Carter- starting with a surprise visit to build a bear where he made Lebron and we all made a heart wish for Carter that was put in Lebron. We ended June with family miniature golf- and Carter and Jefferson both beat the parents getting holes in one. It's been a fantastic start to summer!

May 2025

May kept us busy. Carter surprised us with 1st place in the kindergarten half mile. Mom Jefferson and Mary got to see the opera Madame Butterfly. We celebrated May the 4th with our Jefferson family and the boys made storm trooper cup cakes and fruit light sabers for everyone. Carter got his first basketball shoes and has been obsessed with tying them (mama's way- dada's way was too hard). A mama duck and her ducklings moved into our yard/canal and Mary even rescued a duckling that got stuck in the fence. The boys finished off the soccer season with great games. So fun to see their growth this year.  We had such a fun Mother's Day/Brad's birthday weekend. We celebrated Mother's day with lunch and froyo and a family bike ride. And Brad's birthday with carrot cake for breakfast, pickleball and a Real Game- though it was a tie, Carter totally got into the dancing. Bella loved going for walks up to the lake and finding goslings. We checked out the soap box derby and Carter declared with a messy face his new favorite meal is enchiladas. Jefferson met his 30 book reading challenge and was rewarded with his first Swig- it was 2 thumbs up. Brad put together our new bike rack for our car so we were able to do some family mountain biking. On memorial day we shared family history memories and had a German dinner with our Jefferson family and the boys played catch with Pop Pop. We finished off the month celebrating our 17th anniversary and Jefferson started his own fundraiser for his 6th grade DLI trip to Panama- goal $500. Jefferson and Carter are now calling us "bruh" and Carter discovered clicking (like Mary used to growing up) is the best way to annoy Jefferson. And Carter made us laugh when he said a girl asked him to marry he said "I was like in shock and jumped off the monkey bars and ran away" which seems like the start of a Taylor Swift love song. Almost the end of the school year and we are ready to welcome summer vacation.