Alice's 14th Birthday Party!

The Saturday after the storm took out our power and internet, we had power returned (but were still without internet.)  We decided to have the party, just the same and I think everyone, especially the birthday girl, had a fantastic time!

Alice gave me pretty broad criteria for decor: she wanted pink, flowers, cats.  The first opportunity she came with me and picked out some things (like the chickens) that I would not have picked for her party, but the pink flowers were easy enough to collect.

I thought she did a fantastic job with her decorations!  As the the twins, since they are now asking for a green and yellow flower party! = )

Alice got to invite both of the friends she calls BFF!  Avia also came, but ended up taking the twins and going to find something fun to do while the big girls caught up.

Billy went to pick up the chick fil a, and it was early enough that we got to have chicin minis!!!!

Middle school parties are weird.  Instead of playing a game, the spent hours playing with a tortilla blanket and water bottle....

 It was a lovely, fun day celebrating our favorite 14-year-old!

later days

edit 9-8-23: backdated for continuity.

First Day of School, Part II

The Monday following the twins' first day, my big kids were up extra early to catch a bus for their first day!

Everyone had a good first day, though Alice isn't in any classes with her BFF, and Emily shares every class with one of her friends.  I was the most nervous for William, being in a new school, with all new people, but I think he had a great first day too!

Here's hoping for an excellent year for all five of my dear ones!

later days

edit 9-8-23: backdated for continuity. 

Three Other Pictures

I have a few stray pictures that didn't really fit in anywhere else, so I'll drop them here!

The twins were super happy to have Avia back!  Juliet said she wouldn't cry, and she didn't, but her face turned awfully red with the effort!  

My garden is pumping out RED tomatoes now!  Sadly, the mozzarella that I got from Kroger was opened slightly on one end and got all over my refrigerator.  I'm also leery of eating "fresh" mozzarella that is already opened, so I'm planning to return it tomorrow. = (

Yesterday we got to hang out at the Cornishes and play some games! We played 3 rounds of Forbidden Island, one round of Code Monkey Island, but I'd bought it used and it didn't have the instructions, so we made up our own rules. = ) The last came we played was Red Dragon Inn.

After the games, we stuck around for a little while longer for some s'mores!  It was a very pleasant, if cool, day!  Only WGJ came, and Alice and Emily stayed home, but the three that came had a good time!

Now I'm all caught up, so, next in the queue will be another round of first day of school pictures!

later days

78 Michigan Parks: Newaygo State Park #51

On the first Friday of the twins' school year, I had scheduled a routine ultrasound appointment, since I didn't yet know when their school year would begin. = /

It was an early appointment considering our drive, so we were out the door by 730.  They all did a good job being patient, and had to have their bladders full, with a single tech running the controls!  On the way each of them had a 'special' drink to help fill the bladders.

Alice and Emily came with us, so while we were in the ultrasound room, Avia, Alice and Emily walked to some yard sales!  It was a really pretty day for it, and we scored lots of good things.

Once we had our fill of shopping, we headed north to the Newaygo State Park so that we could check off another box on our checklist!

It was a really pretty campground, and the vistas were beautiful!  Alice opted to stay in the car, but everyone else enjoyed exploring.  Here they are spelling "LAKE" can you tell?

To make the day more exciting for Alice, we promised ice cream at the end of the day.  On our way down from the park to Lowell, where there is an awesome thrift store, we saw signs for a covered bridge!  We didn't go that way then, instead shopped and then had some ice cream.

After the ice cream stop, we stopped for gas, then set out to have one last adventure and find the covered bridge!

It was very picturesque, coming around the curve and seeing it.  This was in Fallasburg, over the Flat River.

The bank was strange, as it was just a drop from the grass.  The water was very clear!  The kids were excited to "touch" it!

The kids were happy to do some "rock climbing" before we started our long trek home, except for Alice who sat in the car.

Doctor's visits are no fun, but when Avia is around, we do our best to have some fun and explore our adopted state!

later days

Tahquamenon Falls #15
Keith J Charters #33

Muskegon State Park #50*

PJ Hoffmaster State Park #52
Grand Haven State Park #53
Ionia State Park #54
Holland State Park #61
Island Park State Recreation Area #63b
Waterloo Recreation Area #70a
Van Buren State Park #73

*this post marks the start of the project, and as such, has information about what I hope to accomplish!

Alice Answers Her Birthday Survey: 14 years old

This post is just a couple of months out of date, but life has been busy!!!  Alice added her answers when we finally both found the time an motivation!

I am 14 years old.


My favorite color is: Pastel pink
The coolest person on earth is: Me & My Besties
The thing I do best is: Sleep
If I could change my name, it would be: Mixie
My favorite toy is: Sticky hands
When I grow up, I want to be: Rich
I like to watch: Youtube
My favorite song is: Imagine dragons
My favorite book is: N/A (I don't read)
3 words to describe me are: Beautiful, Georges, sleeby
When I was little, I used to: Sleep, but less
My favorite season is: Winter
The food I like most is: Mash potatoes w/ Salisberry steak
One food I really don't like is: Hamburger helper
My best friend is: 2 irl are Willow & Meloney, 4 ol besties be Usa, Caysen, & Fini
For my birthday I want to: sleep
My best memory is: w/ my besties

3 months late


you can see her answers from 13 years old here!

11/12/23 edit: backdated for continuity. 

Back to School, Part I

 Last week, as we recovered from our Jellystone trip and switched into school mode, we were busy! 

On Monday night, we went to an open house & ice cream social event.  I had a wagon full of things that I'd collected over the summer for various people at the school.  We were poised to walk up, when the rain started coming down!  Thankfully, the wagon fit into my car once we put the seat down, so we didn't have to carry everything around the school!

Grace and Juliet were excited to see their new classroom, and meet their new teacher, as their own! (Alice and William had him in years past.)  

After we took everyone home, Emily and I ran over to her school for a fall sports meeting.  It might have only been for HS, I never did find the email that came.  But there was a meeting, so I must have read it somewhere!  We learned that there would be no bus for XC tournaments, because HS didn't make quota (10), and the MS always rode with them. This change will make this season a little tougher than the last one.

Wednesday finally arrived, and the twins decided to match, pretty well on day one!

This was our last 'we always walk on the first day' walk! = (  

I was meeting up with some other moms after drop off at MorningLori's so, Alice came along, for breakfast.

I wasn't quite able to focus on the cool dew covered spider web that Grace and Juliet found.

The next event for the week was the orientation for Alice, Emily and William!  They were taking school pictures, so Alice and Emily dressed up.  William did not.  Alice looked very fashionable in her new outfit that she pieced together from Avia's trip and my shopping.

Emily's locker this year is in a better spot, according to her, and once she got it open, everyone except for Alice took turns cramming themselves into it.

We ran into Alice's BFF, then headed for the gym to get pictures taken, because the line to meet William's teacher was really long!

This year's experience was so much better than last year!  They broke down the times by last name, had the pictures in a much better location, sent out paperwork early, and will pass out technology on Monday to the middle schoolers!  They also moved the freshmen to a totally different night.  It was hectic and crazy, but so much better than last year!

On day 2, Avia brought donuts for everyone, since she and Emily and I were going to go garage sailing after dropping them off.  She met us in front of the ice cream shop, since we'd already left.

We pulled into the pick-up line that day by the skin of our teeth, and Avia walked home with the twins, because we had no room for them in the car, after all of our shopping!

I'd scheduled a routine ultrasound for WGJ on Friday, in Grand Rapids, before I knew the start date for the twins, so they missed the third day of school. = (

On Monday, Alice, Emily and William start back to school, so I'll have another first day of school post soon!

later days

Alice's 14th Birthday!!!

Last night, we took 'one last picture' as a 13 year old.  Emily came in to offer her fingers, but things got a little silly.

This morning, the entire family was awake at 8am, for birthday cake!!! Oh, and to celebrate our favorite 14 year old!! ; )

Alice really liked almost everything she got, but I was so incredibly pleased that the first thing she went back to, once she'd opened everything was her Russian Country Human.

She's trying to mimic the face here.

Next, she tried out some of the Japanese treats from the Helterbrands!

Looking fashionable in her fuzzy hat, that is as old as her mother!

She spent time transforming her dragon bones into something else, and got to have a lazy birthday, even though it is the day before school starts!

I love how creative my fourteen-year-old is!  She's such a good big sister, and shared her new treats with everyone who was brave enough to try them! We think she is pretty amazing.  Happy Birthday my dear girl!

later days