November 2022

November started out with Aliza trying out for and making the Varsity Competitive Cheer team!  She is going to rock this experience!

Carmen came home with the packet and my heart wasn't ready for it. How did we get here so fast?! That same day her senior pictures showed up in my inbox and I gushed over them for days. They are all so beautiful!! I've only included just a few of the hundreds we got. 

My nephew Lane had his bone marrow transplant a few weeks and continues to fight that battle. His sister Peyton was his bone marrow donor and we are so proud of her for being willing and able to help her brother. She had to leave from her first semester of college to go down to North Carolina to donate her bone marrow. Lane and my sister Sarah are staying down there for the next couple of weeks. Hopefully soon they can move over the the Ronald McDonald House.

Carmen was selected as Student of the Quarter at the tech center. This year she is doing advanced EMT and was voted at the Captain of her class. We are super proud of all the hard work she puts into this goal of hers. 

We ended up having a huge snow storm and had home church. It took me back to the COVID days of church at home. 

Here's Koda trying to get down to the yard in all the snow. 

Just because he's so handsome! 

Aliza celebrated her Sweet Sixteen birthday. She got these gorgeous cookies from her Young Women's leaders, Julee Wheadon. She's so ready to drive, but still needs some more hours behind the wheel before she can officially take the test. We were so happy to celebrate her being a part of our family. She has such a calming spirit and oftentimes seems wise beyond her years. 

We hosted Thanksgiving at our house with several families from our ward and the missionaries. Not a single picture was taken because I was so busy hosting. But after Thanksgiving we decided to get into the Christmas spirit by going to Frankenmuth, MI which has the worlds largest Christmas store. It was a quaint little German village all decorated for Christmas. We had fun picking out yummy cheese at the cheese house and also ice skating, which is always a good time. 

October 2022

 October brought Fall sports, Homecoming parades and dances and Halloween.

Carmen with her friend JT Cammack after his football game at Portage Northern High school.

He asked her to his school's homecoming dance by making her this really cool wooden box with all her favorite things on the outside and then a puzzle she had to put together inside with the invite on the puzzle. Very creative!

Her response was this note along with some Chick-fil-a food. 

She didn't really know many of the kids in this group, but they ended up having a fun night together at the dance. 

The elementary school does a Walk-a-thon each year and here's Dallin with his buddies Andrew and Sarger. I helped out at the event and had so much fun stamping the kids hands with each lap they made. Some wanted the stamp on their hands, arms, face, legs...it got a little out of control. 

This picture is included because I just love her laugh. Aliza is generally pretty stoic so when she get giggly it fun to see. 

And I guess this is what senior year looks like...tired all the time. 

The boys from church did a fun bike ride at Al Sabo Land Preserve. 

My only picture from the Homecoming Parade with their friends Amelia and Lila. 

Dallin impressing me every year with is soccer skills. He's better and better each year. This Fall he tried out goalie and enjoyed it. 

The Stake put on an incredicle Iron Rod activity for the youth. David and I were "tempters" trying to get them to leave the rod. They were all super valiant and no one let go of the rod. It ended with this amazing bonfire and some Book of Mormon "characters" giving their testimonies. 

Carmen got her senior pictures taken and I can't wait to see the final results! It turned out to be really fun and Carmen was a natural in front of the Camera. 

This night we got a 1am wakeup call with our fire alarms going off. We could not find any fire or smoke, but we felt unsettled and called 911 just to make sure. They showed up and check for fire and gas leak and we got the all clear. Turns out we just needed to replace some batteries. 

We had a fun ward activity with a trunk or treat. Dallin was a glow in the dark stick figure this year. 

David and I went as Jelly Beans this year. So far we've been Beanie Babies and then Mexican Jumping Beans and this year Jelly Beans. 

And all the girls dressed up at M&Ms. It was actually adorable!