handsful

Forgive the late post, but we’ve just had 5 birthdays around here. Let’s start with our Independence Day kiddos…

Lainey 8

Dylan 7

Bags over their heads so they wouldn’t see what we were bringing in the room….big kids idea :)

We got Dylan a bike and had it fitted with a left pedal clip and straps.  As long as Randy gets him going, he can keep his balance and ride for quite a long way!

Lainey wears out our carpet on a daily basis with all of her tumbling…so, we got her a gymnastics mat.  She’s now wearing IT out.

Their choice for Birthday dinner?  One of our fav Asian places :)

These two are growing up quickly, it seems.

Our July 4th “littles” are blessings!

How’s that for a creative title? Maybe not…

A couple of weeks ago, Abbey, Marley, and Ethan had their voice recitals. They’ve been taking lessons from Mrs. Susan, who is also the director for Testify.

They chose two songs, one was their choice of any song, and the other had to be an older song prior to 1990. Footloose (old version), It’s a Wonderful World, and Desperado were A, M and E’s choices. Loved it!

The whole group did an impromptu version of Let It Go…I especially loved watching Ethan suffer through that!

Two days later, it was Father’s Day. The kids had a concert that morning, and then it was all about Randy. What did he wanna do?

A little lake time.

It was a perfect afternoon on the water, just what he wanted.

This year is a first for us.

We’re used to being crazy busy with the big kids Testify Youth Choir.  That’s the norm.  Begins in January with practices, concert season ramps up in the spring, tour to Ohio in July.

This year, Lainey and Dylan joined in and became members of Testify Too.  Yep, Susan (the director) has another choir that’s grades 1st-6th.  They just finished up their concerts and did a great job.  No tour for them, though :)

Here are some shots of both choirs in recent concerts.  Did I mention that my thespian husband plays the dad in the play…that he wrote?  Payton plays Seth, and Abbey plays Paige.  Abbey also has a solo.  Ethan plays the cajon (drum box), and has a solo.  Marley was content this year just being a choir member…no extras this time!

So, Payton plays a slightly inebriated teenager at the beginning of the play.  I’m so proud.

Paige (Abbey) is less than impressed to have Seth’s friend, Eli hitting on her.  Seth (Payton) says “Dude that’s my SISTER!”  Which cracks me up because Paige is Seth’s sister in the play.  And, in real life.  Get it?   Ha…

That’s Daniel in the blue shirt, Abbey’s boyfriend, who plays Chase.

Ethan’s solo “Meant to Live”

Marley, front and center.

Randy, aka Mr. Bill Thomas.  My friend Kelley plays his wife.  I’m okay with this.  :)

Seth makes a surprise visit to the Thomas home…

EJ playing the cojone during their theme song “Testify to Love”

And, Abbey has a solo part in that last song!

Next up…Lainey and Dylan!

We’ve told L she needs to work on her facial expressions…she loves it up there, but still has her shy face on.

Dylan, on the other hand…

This play is set during a gym class, so some of the kids (Lainey, Dylan, and their friend Gracie) jump down and do a quick tumble at certain parts.  Here’s L doing her easy-peasy back handspring.  Later on, she did a one-handed back handspring.  She was born to tumble.

L also had a short dance number with 2 other friends.  She loved that.

D played the part of the Big Cheese during one song.  He’s making the money sign here….it’s hillarious.

Here are a couple from another concert, too…

Group shot!  From my phone, so not great quality.

The big kids have one more concert this Sunday, and then they’re off on tour to Ohio next Tuesday.  Me and the littles will have a nice week together.

We love Testify :)

26′ x 110′ of good dirt, freshly tilled with fences and stakes set up.

We’re really late this year getting it all planted.  There’s just not been time!

But, we finally found the time to visit our little downtown garden center.  It’s been there for years.  They have an old sunflower hanging on the wall that’s over 100 years old.  I love old stuff.

And, I love having a truck full of baby plants and seeds, ready to find their home in our garden.

The next day was planting day.  And, we actually managed to have all 8 of us in on the planting.  Do you KNOW what a feat that was??  It’s rare we’re all together anymore…someone is always somewhere with friends, at work (3 of them have part-time jobs), at choir or worship practice, etc.

This is the expression you get if a camera is aimed at Payton.  And, yes, Ethan has black jeans on.  It was hot.  He doesn’t care.

So, what did we plant?

Corn.  Lots of corn.  14 rows with about 15 per row.

Better boy tomatoes, roma tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatillos, cucumbers (growing vertically this year), basil (for us and Marley’s bunny), jalapenos, habaneros (Randy is counting on lots of my homemade salsa this year), banana peppers, two types of bell peppers, green beans, and cantaloupes (also growing vertically…we have a plan on how to support those heavy fruits, we’ll see how it goes).

I’m aware I say this every year.  But, THIS year I’m going to stay on top of the weeds.  My plan is to work in the garden at least every other day and whack the green stuff that shouldn’t be there.  So far, I’m on track with this and it’s looking good.  Randy will also use our little tiller to keep the pathways clear.

As I finish this post, there’s a wonderful steady rain coming down.  Drink it in, garden…we’re counting on lots of good stuff out of you in the near future :)

This past weekend, we celebrated Abbey.

She’s our high school graduate now.  Twelve years of homeschooling under her belt.

And mine :)

Course, I have 5 more coming after her.  I’ll refrain from discussing how old I’ll be when Dylan graduates.  Shudder.

Abbey participated in the North Carolina Home Educators (NCHE) annual home school graduation ceremony.  Every year, during their home school convention, they hold a graduation.

We drove over to Winston-Salem on Saturday, walked over to the convention center, and spent a little time in the book fair…picture a ginormous room, with aisles and aisles full of everything you could possibly ever want or need for homeschooling.

I never get to spend as much time there as I’d prefer.

Then, we let the little kids swim at the hotel pool.

The next day, we met the grandparents (as well as Daniel and his parents) at a restaurant for lunch.  Gifts were given…

Abbey will be going to Mitchell Community College for a couple of years, to earn her Associate’s degree.

After a 3:00 rehearsal with students and parents (I was already getting weepy at this point…), it was time for the real deal.

In between weepy moments.

Abbey and Daniel were seated right across from each other.

Time for Abbey.  During this ceremony, the parents give the student the diploma…after all, we’re the teachers.  So, Abbey walked up from one side of the stage, and we walked up from the other side.

Abbey gave me a rose…

Picture time…Abbey and all her grands

Nana and Paw Paw

Gram and Pa-Paul

Granma and Granpa

Abbey with Uncle Tony and Aunt Dee Dee

Abbey and Daniel

Class of 2024 and 2025.  Heh.

Abbey and John William Frye…we’ve been friends with JW’s parents for years, and they’ve literally known each other since they were babies.

After the ceremony, we met up with Daniel and his parents for dinner.

It’s hard to believe that you’re a high school graduate, Abbey.  So much is ahead of you…we’re couldn’t be prouder of the young woman you’ve become.

Happy Graduation, Abbey.  We love you!

He’s still going to soccer camp again this year, but he’s developed a love for baseball lately.  And, he makes contact with the ball quite often.  Maybe next year we’ll try baseball?

Crazy cat.  This is Chili, rolling in the clover…

Found these growing on the side yard…never planted it.  Maybe the previous owners?  Not sure what it is, but it’s adorable.

Sunset…

one

two

three!

And, here are the beds with their new occupants…we’ve added 2 holly trees (at the far right end and middle of the right side), pink knock out roses, and gardenias.  We nixed the hydrangea idea when I realized I could do gardenias.

I love gardenias!

We also added hosta behind the japanese maple…it had always looked so barren back there, and now it’s gonna be green and beautiful!

I’m so anxious to see those blooms open up!  I know it looks sparse now, but our landscaper planted sparingly, to allow for growth through the years.  When we first moved here, the plants were CRAMMED in and completely overgrown.  Don’t wanna do a repeat of that.

And, one of the best parts?  He said we could chop at those roses however we wanted and they wouldn’t die.

Not that we ever would.

Ahem.

And, he also gave us a 1 year warranty on all the plants.

So, they’re safe for the time being…