May 2025

Elliot decided to attend St. John’s for college.
Rose had an orchestra concert.
Lucia got braces.
I picked up Mari from school. Here we are having dinner at Holly’s with a couple of her friends.
Playing in the pool. It’s probably not too warm yet. I can see the ladder isn’t even in.
Family pic on Mother’s Day. Everyone is home from college.
Susan on Mother’s Day.
Lucia did a great job in her dance recital.
Lucia singing in 6th grade honor chorus.
Susan went to Chicago with Jen for a training
Elliot’s last day of high school!
Elliot’s graduation.
Elliot graduated!
Elliot with Mar-Mar and Be-Bob.
Susan
Elliot’s graduation board.
Rose’s friends at track day.
Last day of school for the girls.
6th grade class.
Lucia and Stella in the obstacle course.
Lucia and friends.

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.

Friday Fun

Girls Pool Party
Trying on some of Papa’s old clothes.
Rose got her ears pierced and Lucia got her right ear pierced, again.

Pool Time

It isn’t the warmest yet, but that doesn’t stop us from enjoying the pool. I think the water was in the upper 60s today.

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Pool Opening

We opened the pool today. It was 50 degrees out with 25mph winds, but we went for it. Now all of the “Birch Worms” have a nice place to land.

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Late Summer Happenings

Lucia’s first time going off the diving board.
Susan and Shelly in Shelly’s classic car.
We went to a Des Moines Menace playoff game. They lost on PKs.
We went to a car show.
We decorated the sidewalk.
We went for a walk along the Des Moines river while Mari was at soccer tryouts.
Making bracelets was a popular activity this summer.
I was a referee at Keeper Wars, a goalie competition.
The kids made our foam float into a slide for the pool.
The girls played in the creek on a walk with Susan.
We got a cool volleyball net for the pool.
We went for a hike at Greenwood Park.
Rose, Lucia, and I went to the state fair.
Andrew and Susan went to Eatery A for a final meal. College departure is close.
Boy Cousins. They had a final weekend together, spending the night and doing some fun activities.
Mari’s soccer season started, with a new club. She is in the white.
We got a new couch.
8/16 – We had the Liesses and Reagens over for one last dinner before Andrew and Ian head off to college.