Saturday, October 27, 2018

May 2018

Meron's soccer team won the league championship.  Not bad for her first year playing since preschool!



Then we celebrated Angel's Mexican heritage with a fun Cinco De Mayo feast with friends.




Getting closer to having our kitchen back.

Rahel went to her first formal dance with Florida friends.



And these two kicked of summer birthday fest with breakfast out.


We followed up with a trip to the library, just me and Hermela which was such treat.


This girl in her happy place.



And finished up with dinner with the fam.


Caleb conquered his first IKEA self-build (in just under 6 hours).


One of my favorite things about homeschooling is the freedom to take school anywhere.  On this day we had the whole lake to ourselves.  It was glorious.


School on the rocks.


One step closer


And one of the most fun developments in May was the completion of the family boat.  Nick and his crew worked for hours to restore this old pontoon boat which in turn has given us hours of fun on the water (all of our happy place).


We launched on Memorial Day weekend.


May finished out with a birthday celebration for this girl.  Brunch with mom.


A trip to the Ra Ra salon (Rahel gifted Caroline with hair and nail treatment).


And all of her favorite foods.


It's always a party at the Irvin house (well, not really but it sure feels like it sometimes).

April 2018

April started with a trip to Florida to celebrate Easter



The Handsome Boys


The Lovely Ladies


That meant a trip to the beach was in order.  I so miss the ability to pick up any day and be at the beach in less than an hour.  

Beach baseball with friends


The bathing beauties




Fun with this sweet girl!


Meanwhile, in South Carolina...…..this was me at the END of April.  I am definitely 
not use to the weather yet.


Meron rocking her natural beauty and her free hair as she calls it.


And we all know why little kids play sports. It's for the snacks (you know, after they've exhausted themselves playing a one hour game, most of which is spent standing in the field or sitting in the dugout....they have to replenish those electrolytes....and sugar and food dye.....don't get me started :-).




Kindergarten science-volcano day.





The dance tour continued with a getaway competition with SC Gee Gee 


and Aunt Oleva



President Theodore Roosevelt made an appearance at the wax museum. 


And we celebrated "old" Uncle Na turning the big 3-0. Since I met him when he was in 6th grade (and I now have kids older than he was when we met) that makes me officially old (and quickly approaching my own big birthday....and I don't mean 30).


Angel...living life to the fullest. I wish you could see the dance moves that were
 going on when I took this picture.


We started our first real garden. The lettuce grew, but pretty much was wilty and bitter. 


But most everything else including watermelon, tomatoes, pepper and basil took off.


and our happy hens at Desta Farms continued to provide delicious eggs for our family.



We love spring time in the hen house.  Tons of eggs everyday.  Right now (in the fall) they are molting and we are only getting one or two eggs a day.  I actually had to buy eggs the other day and made the mistake of buying plain old store bought eggs.  Well, once you've had fresh, you can't go back.  Off to the farmers market for me until the girls start laying again.


For from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
John 1:16

March 2018

March kicked off watchingNick play in an alumni game.


Followed by a fun trip to Disney.  We took kindergarten on the road and 
attempted to find all the letters in the alphabet. 

M is for Monorail (and Mickey and Minnie)



C is for Castle


O for Olaf


D for Dumbo....you get the idea.  


We continued cooking for 10 without a full kitchen (a fun game we played for 5 months).  Some days we'd have water, some days we wouldn't.  Some days a floor, some days no kitchen floor.  We did pretty well, but we are all thankful to have a fully operational kitchen now (well, minus a dish washer....).


The girls made homemade mango soda for science.  It was pretty good.



Sometimes I find these treasures on my phone.


Or come across artwork like this:


Girls by Rahel


Plane by Colton


We have some pretty talented artists in the family.


We celebrated the 100th day of school!


And Eli finally got to put that birthday glove to good use.