June 2025

Happy Birthday Rose! (10)
Lucia’s dance intensive
Lucia and GG go to Riverside Bible Camp
Lucia’s cabin group
Lucia loves carpet ball.
Now Rose goes to camp!
Rose’s cabin group
The boys and I went to SJU for Elliot’s summer orientation
Whether they like it or not, the boys can’t help but laugh at each other.
Happy Birthday, Mari! (20)
Rose at camp.
. . . and we’re at the lake.
spikeball
pad life
Gary and Kathie
Me and Susan
Liess Clan
Family Pic
Susan went to her college reunion.
I took the girls camping in Decorah
Ruben came, too.

Happy 18th Birthday, Elliot!

Elliot. . .

  • Works at Target.
  • Goes to the gym almost every day.
  • Beats me in ping pong rather often.
  • Doesn’t like cleaning his room.
  • Likes playing poker.
  • Favorite restaurant is probably Chipotle.
  • Eats a lot of eggs and rise.

Happy Birthday, Lucia!

Hope, Cameron, Lucia, Rose, and Elliot

Lucia is 12!

Lucia is a real joy to have around the house. She still loves to dance and other performing arts. She is in the choir this year at school, but she is taking a break from band and orchestra.

Her behavior tends to be on track with what would be expected of someone her age. She is staying up a little later, sleeps in more, and is spending more time with her friends.

This year we were lucky to be able to have her birthday party because she has been sick for a few days.

Favorite color: Violet
Favorite food: Skyline pizza
Favorite band: Gracie Abrams
Favorite book: Projekt 1065
Favorite sport: Dance
Favorite movie: Moana

Happy Birthday, Susan!

I swear we had a birthday party for Susan this year, but I didn’t take any pictures of the cake. We had people over on a Sunday evening. I was out of town in the morning and Susan and the girls went on a special picnic breakfast with Erin and Hope.

Birthday Week

This past week Mari and I celebrated our birthdays, with small parties on our birthdays and a bigger family party on the weekend.

Mari’s birthday dinner at Texas Roadhouse.
Who is inside and who is outside?
My birthday, hanging out around the firepit.
Pool volleyball at the larger family party.

Adventureland

As an add-on for Rose’s birthday, we went to Adventureland. It was Lucia and Rose’s first time going there and the first time they had been to an amusement park for a couple of years. They had a blast on the rides and with their friends.

I think they went on the swings more than any other ride, but their favorite rides were the roller coasters.

Happy Birthday, Rose!

Rose turned 9 today and we had a traditional family party this evening. Walking Tacos is the dinner of choice for Rose’s birthday and her cake this year was a Twix cake – she doesn’t always like traditional cake.

Happy Birthday, Elliot!

Elliot turned 17 this year. He is fun to have around and enjoys running, pickleball, and games. He and I enjoy watching sports together and playing ping pong almost every night in the winter. He hit the gym a lot over the winter and would often stop at Ross on the way home looking for deals .

Partiers
You can tell from his smile that he knew he was going to have a lot of “girlfriends” after his first attempt at blowing out the candles.

Happy Birthday, Lucia!

This evening we had Lucia’s family birthday party. On Friday she has a sleepover with 8 friends.

Lucia loves dance, reading, talking, playing with friends, school (her teacher).

She enjoys soccer, church, and any art.

She doesn’t really like waking up early.

Rose’s Birthday Party

Today we had some friends from school over for Rose’s birthday, followed by a family party in the evening.

Playing on the trampoline
Pool Time
Piñata
Party People

Elliot’s 16th Birthday

This evening we celebrated Elliot’s 16th birthday. The Reagens, Mimi & Papa, and Mari’s friend Lila came over for skyline pizza, cake, and presents.

Some notes about Elliot:

  • Elliot would sleep until noon every day if he could, take a 3 hour nap at some point in the day, and go to bed at 2.
  • He likes to play video games on his phone and occasionally on the TV.
  • He doesn’t have a job yet, but is committed to get one when he turns 16.
  • He is a good driver and is planning on getting his license in a few days.
  • He likes athletic clothes and shoes.
  • He likes cool cars.
  • He and I play ping-ping and he wins 99% of the time.
  • He wanted that Lakers shirt for his birthday.
  • He and Cam play pickleball with me and Nate sometimes.

Favorite song:
Favorite color: Red
Favorite food: Skyline
Favorite musical artist: Yeat
Favorite book:
Favorite sport: Running
Favorite movie: