Spring/End of School 2024

 Third and fifth grade came to a close so quickly it seems.  Before we knew it it was time for spirit week, end of year chapel, and awards ceremonies

America Day

Neon Day

We were so proud of Corban at the end of the Scout awards ceremony.  He worked so hard and had so much fun being in the bear den this year.  In doing the communicants class at church he also met the requirements to earn his "Duty to God" pin.  He was the only one in the pack that earned it and he felt proud to go up with his den leader and the cubmaster to receive the award.

End of the year field trips to Dixie Caverns (Mom went with Corban) and the D-Day Memorial (Dad went with Gabriel)

End of the year chapel.  They had been playing outside and Corban gave his sweaty hair some extra volume:

Gabriel's class rocked some "Eye of the Tiger" on their recorders

Last day of 3rd and 5th grades

Corban was so proud when Mrs. Martin was giving him his awards.  He received the "Heart for God's Word Award" and an academic honor of having a high grade in all subjects all year.  He was so excited about the grades award, as only he and a girl in his class received it.

Gabriel received awards for Creativity and for academic achievement in Reading and Social Studies.  Then they had a 5th grade graduation.  We have a middle schooler!

This pictures makes me laugh.  Gabriel and Bentley are probably the most energetic kids in their class, but apparently they weren't into celebrating graduation quite like their classmates.

Bentley, Georgia, Aiden, and Gabriel at Georgia's birthday party

People like to stack things around here

Corbans psoriasis.  He may one day not like that I posted this picture here, but this was a major part of his winter, spring, and early summer.  It started as a couple little bumps on his right side that looked like poison ivy, but within a few days it spread to his back, chest, abdomen, upper arms, ears, and scalp.  I took him to our very experienced pediatrician who said "it's not any of the contagious rashes, but I have no clue what that is."  Always a comforting thing to hear. Off we went to the dermatologist where he was diagnosed with guttate psoriasis.  We were given a steroid cream for his skin twice a day and a scalp treatment for at night (for a while he thought that showering in the morning to wash his hair was fun, but the novelty soon wore off).  After a couple months of that not clearing things up the dermatologist prescribed "Light Therapy."  This involved Corban going to the dermatologist three times a week to stand in the "light box."  The first day he was in the for less than 20 seconds and he was burned (the picture below is from after a treatment).  As his skin adjusted he stayed in for longer and longer periods of time.  He got into the routine and when we were called back at the office he'd walk right to the proper room, undress, put on his goggles, and knew how to start the box himself.  One time he pulled his boxers up a lot higher than other times and ended up with a very burned rear.  Thankfully after months we have stopped the light therapy and will keep an eye to see if it starts to get worse again.

Dad and Gabriel went camping with his new scout group and got to learn lots of neat things about fossils:

It was almost a year since the tree accident and Gabriel suddenly decided to climb the tree from which he had fallen.  I'm glad that he wasn't afraid.  I was.  I'm also glad that he decided that since he was wearing flip flops that he shouldn't climb up very high.

Saw a cool car

The week of Memorial Day Dad and Gabriel took a trip to Baltimore.  They went to an aquarium, a baseball game, and an air and space museum. Gabriel got his first pocket knife and got to start riding in the front seat of the car

A Special Day for Corban

 This spring also marked a very important time.  Over the course of the fall Corban, as well as several other kids from church, went through a Communicants Class that Taylor taught.  This spring several of those kids were baptized, while Corban (along with Aaron and Asa) were admitted to the Lord's Table. We waiting several months after the class ended to have them go before the congregation because Corban did not want to go up there alone and we had to coordinate schedules with the twins. Corban worked really hard to learn things in the class (and also got to count it toward a Cub Scout award!)

Pastor Chris did such a great job speaking to the boys with both honesty and humor.  He made each of them a silly certificate that he gave them first and then got on the more serious and reverent.  Below are a few pictures that various people in the church took and sent to me:

Winter 2024

Nothing stands out as "major" in the winter months, but it was filled with a lot of normal winter things, though sadly only one snow.

On Saturday mornings Gabriel and Corban sometimes pull out "Super Boom Meals" and make a big breakfast.  They both know how to make some good scrambled eggs. I'm not sure why many of Corban's stuffed animals made an appearance here, but maybe it was to celebrate one of them having a birthday.

The only decent snow of the year came shortly after Christmas break and kept them out of school every day but one the week it happened.  The temperature stayed really low and the ice just wasn't melting.

There's a Bluey episode where Bluey and Bingo make a "cubby fort".  I love that they both still find that show hilarious because I sure do.  Anyway, Aela came over one day and they made quite a big one.

Corban made several forts over the course of the winter months. 
Above is either the kitchen or bathroom section.

Gabriel made an electronics store one day.  He had a variety
of items to sell as he worked away on the laptop.

Gabriel went bowling with Aela's elementary youth group and won first prize!

The boys all went tubing with the youth group

The boys have both really enjoyed Scouts this year.  I'm so glad that they both got to participate in a Pinewood Derby together.  They had fun cheering everyone on.  Gabriel made a sporty blue striped car and Corban made a Ninja Turtle car that was shaped like a skateboard.

Gabriel's cool blue car

Toward the end of February was the Blue and Gold Banquet.  This is an opportunity for everyone to receive belt loops that they earned and for the 5th graders to transition from Cub Scouts to Scouts.  I was really proud of the way Gabriel jumped in this year and participated in things.  He had two choices on Scout troops in the area, one that meets on Sunday nights and includes most of the kids from the current Cub Scout troop.  Another meets on Thursday nights and we know about that since one of the elders in our church is in leadership there.  Gabriel visited both groups.  We talked about how having it on Sunday would make that day very busy next year if he threw in youth group, but said that he could pick either since he'd already know some of the ones in the Sunday night group.  He took some time to think about it, but eventually chose the Thursday group because he thought their meeting was more lively and fun, as well as not making Sunday so busy in the future. 

The boys still enjoy the once a month projects at Home Depot, though they rarely need any help to complete them.

Corban, unfortunately had to head back to the pediatric dentist in Roanoke.  He had a "bump" on his gums on the upper left side.  It wasn't growing or hurting unless he touched it, but when we showed it to our regular dentist he said it looked like some work was in order.  Thankfully Corban likes going there and usually does really well.  The dentist said that kids tend to have a harder time the more times they come to his office, but that's certainly not the case with Corban.  They ended up needing to pull a baby molar and put in a spacer for the permanent tooth. He had the elephant mask with the gas and his stuffed animal (Cutie).  He wanted a Chick-fil-a milkshake on the way home but rarely mentioned anything bothering him over the next several days.

A creation that Corban made using a bendable fidget and his imagination.

Easter was a good time filled with friends.  We had our annual egg hunt with the Cary family along with the first ever egg hunt at the church.  We went to a little egg hunt at Home Depot. On Easter itself we went to an early outdoor morning service followed by a church potluck breakfast.  Then in the evening we ate at the Blacksburg Tavern.

Gabriel's class Easter party.  Aela's mom always makes a party to remember. 

Yvonne joined into the party with the Cary's this year for egg coloring and hunting.

Corban's favorite egg

Church egg hunt.  The ones for the older kids were really well hidden by some of the youth.  I'm pretty sure there are still some plastic eggs out there waiting to be found.

Gabriel made this a couple days after Easter and it's still in the front yard.

The boys had pizza to the celebrate the birthday of their friends, Caleb and Orrin.

At the end of spring break we went on a trip to see the Total Solar Eclipse.  We picked a new city, Cleveland, and headed up there for a few days.  We didn't realize it when planning, but NASA had chosen Cleveland to set up and broadcast their coverage.  The days before there was a big outdoor festival and downtown was packed (thankfully we stayed in a suburb)

Neck pillows, blankets, and audiobooks.  They know how to travel in style.

At the Cleveland Aquarium where they got to feed fish to stingrays

Touch Pool

Gabriel LOVED the sharks

We wandered in a huge indoor market.  I think that they were both a little overwhelmed by the crowds and noise.  Gabriel, the ever adventurous eater, chose his lunch from a Italian stand and got a pizza roll.  Corban found a hot dog place right outside so that worked just fine for him.  They did get to pick a dessert, and there were oh so many stands and choices, but they each picked a vendor will really elaborate dipped pretzels.

We went to a museum that had 3D shows about monarchs and mammoths.  Outside they had a small nature area with a few animals and OTTERS.  I think I've made Corban as excited about otters as I am.

Another day we went to the zoo.  It was big and fun and was a whole lot of walking.  Corban had my phone a lot that day and was trying out his photography skills.

Corban found this and wanted to send a picture to his
kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Meyer.  She loves pandas.

The day before the eclipse was a Sunday.  Taylor found a PCA church plant for us to visit and then we decided to check out the NASA festival outside the science center.  There were so many people.  At one point the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra was playing inside the center and they had to stop letting people into the building because it had reached capacity.  Neither of the boys love crowds but we stayed for a couple hours.  There were lines to meet astronauts, a booth where they could suspend their own DNA in a little plastic vial, and some neat traveling NASA exhibits about different parts of the space program.

The day of eclipse was a beautiful day.  We thought about trying to go downtown but knew that all of the parking would fill up really early and the eclipse wasn't until early afternoon.  We found a really nice park right on the lake and had a relaxed morning.  The boys enjoyed the sand and pretending they were explorers.  Taylor set up his telescope and enjoyed sharing it with the other people at the park and talking science with people.  At one point he stepped away and I stayed with the telescope.  Someone came by and asked about it and I said "I really wish I could answer that question, but I'm just babysitting it.  My husband will be back soon."

After the eclipse we walked to a nearby bus stop and headed to a baseball game.  The bus (and then subway) may not have felt like the safest choice, especially on the way back, but the boys thought it was an awesome adventure.

It was opening night for the Guardians so there was a very lively atmosphere at the stadium. Tickets sold out really fast but a couple days before I checked on StubHub and there was a really affordable set of 4.  We were so glad that we got to go and get another magnet from a Major League Park.

Fighting with water bottles while waiting for the final bus

The week after we got back the boys attended a short afternoon workshop put on by local celebrity Joelle Shanks.  She is the master of teaching theater and doing amazing story times in the community.  The boys had been wanting to do one of workshops for a while and it finally worked out.  They were there for 3 hours, where they were each instructed to bring something green (Corban brought a bandana) and they learned several skits involving green that they then performed for the parents at the end.  Corban was nervous but they both did a great job and had a lot of fun.