Ethan and Laynie Prom photos

These two are way too attractive. But they aren't obnoxious about it, so we love them.

Amy to the rescue! She's pinned many a boutonniere.

Parent Paparazzi

Have fun kids! Don't hurt the van!

Reading to no one

Everly loves to read. Well, she isn't reading the actual words...she doesn't need to. The ones she makes up are infinitely better. She has conflict and resolution! She has rhythm and rhyme. It ebbs. It flows. She's a master storyteller.

And she doesn't need a single soul to listen.

She's perfectly happy.

Conversations with a teenager

Laney and Juliette

Concentration

This is....concentration! **clap clap clap**

No mistakes!  **clap clap clap**

or hesitation!  **clap clap clap**

Cuties.

NourishKC FHE

Now that all the kids are in school, I have time. So much time!! I am blogging and cleaning and reading and lunching with the ladies. I'm going to the temple and crafting and repairing and visiting and volunteering! It's nothing short of miraculous. 

I knew that when it came to volunteering, I didn't want to bounce all around. I wanted to find a place where I can help and really get involved. After my first time serving the homeless at NourishKC, I knew this was it. 

I go downtown once a week to help out with lunch and I love it so much. It seems to help make sense of all the rest of the stuff I'm doing.  It's hard work and it gets me off of my stupid phone.  Miracles.

Monday nights just happen to be a food prep night, so I signed us up as a family and we headed up. Austin Stecklein and Kylie Flynn tagged along because they are super awesome kids. 

Everyone got to rock a hat or a hairnet.

Even Mark!

My hairnet turns my hair into a perfect lima bean shape. Not attractive. But that's not the point, right?

Right?

Even the little girls got to slip on some plastic gloves and get to work. The did an excellent job deconstructing some donated vegetable shishkabobs.

Kylie and Megan were given the great honor of using the super sharp knives to decob the corn. Austin stuck with the shucking in the background. Oh, we are going to miss our Kylie when she leaves for her mission!

Mathew prepped for the next day's continental breakfast.

The boys pitched in and things went pretty smoothly.

When they were done with their veggie duties, the three littles masterfully wrapped the forks for the next day. These guys are experts with details.

Kenny is the orchestrator of all the madness that comes with delegating dozens of tasks to dozens of people in a short amount of time. Here he is giving the girls a pep talk and reminding them to use their charming personalities to get others to come and help. uh.....ok.

It was hectic and busy and my favorite part was that the kids didn't bother fighting with each other because they were working! I love it! I think we'll make this a tradition.

Bored level: Vacuum cleaner Christmas tree

I think this speaks for itself.

Art & Craft Cabinet

The Clarkes moved to Colorado and left behind their old cabinet they used for homeschool materials. It had good bones, so I snagged it with the help of Jozianne and her awesome magical car...I will never now how we fit that inside there.

I don't have a picture of it before I worked on it, but just imagine something WAY less cute that this.

And this inspired us to give away the barbie house and the puppet theater. These girls are SUPER CRAFTING MEGAGENIUSES and they need proper space to create!

Hot new trend: Band Bibbers!

There is an undeniable coolness in the combination of overall straps and over-the-ankle hemming.

To Perform or To Puzzle?

We all have our own ways of entertaining ourselves.

And both seem totally crazy to the other!

Proud owner of a CLARINET!!

That is a the smile of a girl who is read to get learning how to get over the break!!

Toadstools of opportunity

Sometimes nature just comes a knockin...and inspiration swoops in!

Old Settler's Parade 2018

Ethan decided not to take marching band this year, so Mathew is on his own in the Olathe South Falcon Regiment. He's looking sharp in his uniform!

We dropped him off and went to find a spot to wiggle into. Shockingly, we found a prime spot by the port-a-potties! The kids even managed to grab some candy!

There's Mathew! Why do I always guess wrong on the side of the road we should be on??

Here comes Megan!! She's rocking the snare...oh, her poor knees! But this time we were on the right side of the road...I guess 1 out of 2 ain't bad!

And back home to swap our candy! It's like a Halloween warm-up!

Homecoming!

Out of the blue...Ethan decided to ask Laney Peterson to prom. He took a minute to get into character...

He asked me to come along to record it for him...kinda funny! He actually wanted his mom to come along! I was happy to help! And right as we were leaving, I suggested that he have something to give her. We ran outside and picked a bouquet of sunflowers from the big plant growing in the blackberries. Yay for the crazy sunflowers that we get every year!

When she came to the door, he said, "Behold, I say unto thee...Verily, verily, will you go to Homecoming with me?"

And she said "YES"!!!