A Look Back at 2025

 2025 included some wonderful memories with our growing kiddos. Here's a look back.

January

We welcomed Bella into our family and soaked up the puppy snuggles

We received over six inches of snow during a storm (the most ever in the kids' lifetimes!) We thoroughly enjoyed our snow play

Our Saturdays were packed with flag football and double basketball games

February

I turned 40 and celebrated with the best evening planned by the sweetest husband surrounded by so many dear friends

March

Samuel turned 12 and celebrated at his favorite Trail Life campout of the year

We enjoyed a visit from the Flamings over Spring Break including lots of Jack Box and board games

Katherine started her third soccer season with Almighty

Matt and I got away for a long, relaxing weekend in Hot Springs, Arkansas

April

We celebrated Easter with our church family and lunch with the Shondelmyers

We ended our co-op and finished our homeschool school year

We spent a week at our favorite place, Fort Walton Beach, FL

May

We ended our beach trip with a surprise day at Six Flags over Georgia

Nathan turned 14 on our drive home from the beach

Matt and I celebrated 19 years of marriage on a super busy night but managed a drive thru ice cream date of celebrate

Elisabeth and Katherine performed in their dance recital 

We drove to Iowa to visit the Flamings for Memorial Day Weekend

June

Nathan, Samuel, and I served at Vacation Bible School while Katherine and Elisabeth attended

Nathan, Samuel, and Elisabeth attended Red River Valley Honor Camp and grew spiritually, relationally and had a ton of fun

Nathan attended FBCBA's student camp

Elisabeth played Shadrach at music camp, and Katherine sang a solo

July

We hosted our eighth annual Fourth of July party

We spent the week in Weatherford attending the Evetts' VBS and visiting family

Erica, Mindy, and I enjoyed our eighth girls' weekend trip. We stayed in Tulsa this year, and shopped, ate, and chatted all weekend long. 

We swam and soaked up the end of summer with trips to children's museums in Seminole and Bentonville, blueberry picking, a night at the Drillers stadium, and a hike at Osage Hills State Park

August

We vacationed in Colorado with the Shondelmyers for a week

Elisabeth turned 11 and celebrated with a pool party with ALL her co-op friends

We began our sixth year of homeschool with a freshman, seventh grader, sixth grader, and second grader. 

September

The boys joined an FTC robotics team and had their first competition of the season

The girls and I traveled with Grandma, Aunt Becca, and Abby to the Happiest Place on Earth for a week full of magic.

Matt, Nathan, and Samuel traveled to Ohio and spent time at the Air Force Museum, and Cedar Point

Katherine turned 8! She had a sweet party with her close friends

October

We spent a long weekend in Kansas City with the Flamings

I attended the second annual Share the Arrows Conference with dear girlfriends and was challenged, emboldened, and encouraged in my faith

Matt and I saw Nate Bargatze perform and laughed all night long

We celebrated Halloween at the Shondelmyer's new house

November

Elisabeth started her second season as a NOAH Jaguar basketball player

After more than two years, Nathan got his braces off

Nathan and I attended the Brandon Lake concert

The boys watched a Chief's win in Kansas City with Papa

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Weatherford

December

Nathan attended his first high school Winter Formal

We celebrated Christmas with all our favorite traditions including the neighborhood Christmas concert

We ended the year with the Shondelmyers, our annual tradition

I'm realizing more than ever that I'm living in the good old days, and I'm trying to soak up all these precious, fleeting moments.