January Bits and Pieces

New Years Day

We enjoyed a relaxing morning watching the Rose Bowl Parade.

Play Time

After a delayed anniversary date for the Phungs, we hung out with a couple of our favorite kiddos at our place while their parents took a short anniversary date.

Cast Off/Brace (affectionately called Robotic Arm) On

This was exciting progress after wearing a cast for a week! Thankful for Scottish Rite!

Cotton Candy Clouds

Scootering

Makin has enjoyed the independence his new scooter has brought.

Popstroke

We decided to continue our membership through the cold months. Thankful we have had nice enough weather to enjoy it!

Zootopia 2

Brad got free tickets to the local theater so we couldn't resist fitting in a movie!

Prom Tickets

We agreed that Lorelei can go to prom her junior and senior year. Homeschool prom here is Texas-level. Tickets go on sale at 7 AM and you need to be ready to purchase them right away in early January for prom that will be in early May. So it beings.

Wayback Barn

Nerf and outdoor time with friends.

Celebrating

We celebrated Kody with an ice cream treat after PE on his actual birthday and then a paintball party a few days later! So much fun!

Lorelei celebrated Krystal with a gameshow party followed by a variety of food and fun at Krystal's house.

Snow!

We had quite the icy snow storm hit our area. I was so thankful that we kept our power and water the entire time. We had plenty of notice ahead of time, so had no problem staying home for 5 full days waiting for it to thaw!

Scheels Scavenger Hunt + Portillo's

The first day of clear roads we had a Frisco HIS event to enjoy! The kids had a scavenger hunt at Scheels (the moms visited in the cafe while they hunted) followed by supper at Portillo's. There were almost 30 students that participated in the scavenger hunt!

Bubble Planet With Adventure Club

How many people can say they went to another planet with their Adventure Club? This was such a fun and unique indoor attraction and perfect for a winter Adventure Club activity! Such a great day!

 

January Watson

January Date - We cut it close but snuck in our January date the last day of the month! Breakfast out at Barney's Brunch House. Yum.

Goodbye To 2025

I love our memory jar tradition! 

This jar has been going in our house now for 11 years and I'm so thankful for the idea from Pinterest back in 2014. :)

Some Verses/Words Of Wisdom From This Year:

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him." - Romans 15:13

Maybe that's how God feels. I know He is always there for me. But when I'm going through an especially tough time, I become acutely aware of my need for the peace of His presence. I mentally reach for His hand and am comforted, knowing He is supporting and loving me. I had not through of the joy it must give Him as well, to have me want my hand in His.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

Let your light for Jesus shine so that others see it and can't help but know it's His love pouring out of you.

If you live a life like that, the music never stops.

Learning to trust that the circumstances right now are for our good even when they don't feel good and for His glory even when they don't hold the shimmer and the shine I think His glory should.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

While you wait on God's answer, don't loose confidence in His goodness. - Lysa T

God's blessings are always perfectly timed, even when they challenge our understanding.

Faith that is deeply rooted cant easily be destroyed.

Today is the best day to enjoy life.

Not dwelling on what was missing but embracing what I had, I celebrated the gift of life God had given me all these years, and everything that is yet to come.

God does not promise us a life exempt of pain. But God promises to walk with us each day and give us peace. We must rest in those promises and the precious gift of life we're given each and every day.

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." - Isaiah 26:3

You never know when God's gift of extraordinary will cross paths with what you thought was just an ordinary day.

The default of an area is always darkness, until light shows up. One only has to recall whom they follow to know that a clear, straight path will emerge in time if they stay close behind the Savior. In a world where one could be persuaded that darkness is winning, sending us into despair, it is comforting to know we are connected to Jesus even when He seems hidden. Like the sun, when He rises in us, darkness has no choice but to flee.

Thank You, God, for unexpected moments of beauty that touch our souls.

Here is a look back at some of highlights of 2025!

School Happenings

American History Portfolio time!
(With a treat!)

Personal Finance - love having these kids each week!

History Portfolios giving us a chance to get creative for some highlights.

We are fitting in various read alouds to add to our history.

Had to fit in some vintage Oregon Trail!

When she finishes a math chapter or an English packet she earns a Poppi!

Including various Personal Finance Class photos here!
This day the kids earned a pizza party for doing budgets for a month.
Brad added a debate to our class time, which gets the conversation going.

Personal Finance - watching one of the videos for the curriculum.
Typically this is part of their homework, but this day we watched as a class.
(Which gives them less homework! Yay!)

Had to include Watson as the class clown during class.
Typically I have to keep him busy or he does this the entire class.

Trying some charcoal art for his portfolio.

Lorelei took First Aid and CPR at HOPE Prep.
She made sure to take the test and get certified and is SO excited about this.

Because she has consistently done a budget (Personal Finance)
 and is bringing in her own money,
she budgeted to spend money on lunch once a month.
Elated to buy herself Chipotle!