Goodbye To 2023

It's been another busy year! While this year had plenty of challenges, we could see hope in this next season. Here's a look back at some of our favorite memories of 2023!

 

Decided to add a few verses and words of wisdom from my Bible time notebook this year.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in You." - Isaiah 26:3

God has used your yesterdays to strengthen you for today. - Hunting Hope by Nika Maples

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." - Romans 12:12

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may about in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13

I realize trust is the key to it all. Just as I trust that winter's lifeless forms are, beneath the surface, generating springtime bouquets, I must trust that God is working unseen in the winters of my life to bring about springtimes of good. - Walking In Grace Devotional

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11

Sometimes disasters are blessings in disguise. Depends on what you do with them. - Walking In Grace

Ringing In The New Year

This year Lorelei decided to host a Noon Year's Eve Eve bash event to earn some money. She had only three children sign up and decided she still wanted to do it even though it wasn't a great hourly rate. It was fun seeing her excited to plan the activities and overhear the fun they were having as I was stowed away in my room working on the blog! The countdown and celebration at noon involved lots of balloon popping, confetti-falling, and horn-blowing. One of the kiddos said, "Man we had a big celebration!" :)

Kid-friendly Charcuterie Lunch

Some of her festive decor - was great practice for her to budget for all of this!

Working on making their festive hats!

Cleanup time!

We rang in the new year as a family early again this year (wondering how much longer we will get away with that with two teenagers?) and watched what has become our usual New Year's fireworks celebrations online.

We always love London's drone show!
This year they also had a child blowing bubbles that popped into fireworks!
Amazing!

School Happenings

A few snapshots of our school adventures to wrap up first semester!

P.E. Shenanigans

A Whirlwind Wednesday attempting to work from Panera...
We have decided to try for a less chaotic Wednesday and have Brad take Lorelei to HOPE and work out of the house while Makin and I get his schoolwork done at home. Then I'll pick her up and take her to her animal behavior class. We originally wanted to save the driving time and gas but it's proven difficult to focus away from the house the entire morning. :)

Online field trips for history.

I never knew so many versions of dodgeball existed.
He absolutely loves P.E.!

The right-of-passage for every Texas student,
the Alamo project! He decided to laser engrave his Alamo.

Lorelei made a horse for a textile art class project.

Heading to HOPE Prep with a laptop bag for yearbook.

Spirit Days - Pink Out - Yearbook Staff
(Lorelei is back left.)

Lorelei - seed project for Biology

Cloud science experiement for M.

Christmas Spirit Day at HOPE

Christmas

We traveled to Oklahoma to spend Christmas with Nana, Papa, Aunt Heather and Lou. We sure missed seeing A.J. this year!

Beautiful table settings upon our arrival,
including the flowers Grandma always had at Christmas.

He definitely had his teenage boy snacking moments.

Lou always brings us smiles and laughs when we see her!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Morning!
Biggest chocolate coins ever!

The slippers were a hit.

Apparently we should have gotten some for Papa too!

We enjoyed Christmas Day with new gifts, a yummy lunch,
 an afternoon of games
 and Facetime with A.J.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Highlights 2

Christmas Movies

We love seeing The Grinch  (The 2018 version - our fav) at Brewflix! 

Watching Christmas movies at home was definitely a highlight of our month but I don't think I got any pictures this year! :) 

The list is long but here we go! Home Alone (1 and 2), The Santa Clause (1,2, 3 and the TV show on Disney+), The Star

Christmas PJs

This year's PJs were Home Alone-themed shirts. :)

Fancy Breakfast

Grinch theme this year!

Reindeer Games

We had a great turnout for this year's Reindeer Games!

Christmas Highlights 1

I'm fairly certain this December I took the least amount of pictures on record since Lorelei was born! It was a whirlwind of activities and survival as we juggled a few extra large "adulting" tasks along with the usual December busyness. (Two major extra adulting tasks - 1) figuring out the insurance situation to fix for the upcoming year 2) Deciding what to do with our car situation - trying to fix our car, deciding not to put any more money into her, buying a new-to-us car, selling our dying car...PHEW. Is anybody else tired just reading that? Yep.)

But alas, we still continued our Christmas adventures each day and made more memories! So, here they are!

Drone Show

We loved checking out the drone show! So cool!

(Sorry, didn't get any pics of the drones!)

White Christmas

We took in a play that was put on through a homeschool acting group. They did an amazing job! One of the main parts was even someone we know from church so was so fun to finally see him perform!

Gingerbread

This has become a yearly tradition. I decided to go with a village again this year because they can each make their own houses. :) Less bickering this way!

Christmas Lego Set

Love this Saturday activity so that Brad can help too, although he doesn't get to pitch in much...Lorelei did all the small accessory parts of the project (her choice) and Makin mostly built the cabin.

Lights!

We drove around to see Christmas light displays a couple of nights in Dec. Always a favorite!

Art

The kids painted a wooden nativity set and it turned out great!

The Night Shift

We enjoyed the musical The Night Shift and even had a friend who was in the ensemble - so special to see her perform!

Holiday Expo

The kids are motivated to make money and were thrilled when there was a holiday market opportunity for homeschoolers! Jerry and Joyce came out to support which warmed my heart and we loved meeting many families. The kids felt it was definitely worth all their time and effort.

Making one of her newest yarn additions for the sale - rugs.

Busy laser-engraving...
he doesn't want to admit it but HOPEFULLY
a few lessons about procrastination were learned for this sale... ;)