Extinguishers

The Garrett Band is going to Disney World in June and Simplx sponsored a fundraiser for the kids. We put together a fire extinguisher fundraiser for the kids to sell 2.5 pound, 5 pound, 10 pound extinguishers and all their profits would go towards their Disney trip. Some people sold so many that it covered their trip cost. It turned out to be a very profitable fundraiser for the Garrett Band and it was a lot of fun for Simplx. Felix and Melissa presented the fundraiser at a Disney meeting, and let the kids try extinguisher outside. It was educational for them to know how to use one and what therefore, and then to be able to sell them to their friends and family. 

Pie in the Face

The Cub Scouts have a pie in the face event every January to celebrate the popcorn sales for the troop. Based on how many sales you made for Cub Scout popcorn in the fall, the kids got to throw whip cream pies in the faces of den leaders. Of course I got pies thrown in my face and it was super fun for the kids and messy for me! It was a good time and good memories made.

Cooper’s Surprise Party

We threw a surprise party for Coopers‘s 16th birthday! We kept it quiet and he had no idea it was happening. All his friends showed up and went down to the basement. When Cooper got home we sent him down to fix some thing in the basement and his friend surprise him there.Nate hosted a ping-pong tournament in our house and we had food and friends. He was surprised and excited and I just can’t believe he’s 16! 

Owen’s First Loose Tooth

Owen lost his first tooth! He’s been wiggling it for a while and it finally came out. He’s got more wiggly ones in there!

Owen's second tooth was lost in March!!  Now he's got one gap on the bottom and one gap on the top!

Cooper is 16

Happy birthday, Cooper! Cooper turned 16 this year!  You are a few fun things about Cooper at 16!

1. Cooper's buddies these days include Derek, Sammy, Matthew, Andy, Andrew, Grayson. He makes friends so easily and is a kind friend to all.

2. Cooper is very much into basketball and working out. He’s at the Y almost every day shooting hoops and exercising. He joined a YMCA adult league with his friends for more basketball experience. Basketball is his favorite thing these days.

3. Cooper is also involved in FFA, future farmers of America. He has worked with Crystal at Oak Farm and has been competing at the FFA conventions. He is very talented speaking and leadership skills. It’s exciting to see him thrive in this organization as well.

4. Cooper is a hard-working individual. He puts his all into his work and is dedicated and honest. He has a very good head on his shoulders and we are very proud of his efforts and everything he does. He succeeds just about everything he touches. And he has confidence and joy. 

5. Cooper is a deep thinker.  He is always thinking outside the box.  He has compassion for others and is thoughtful and kind to others around him.  

6. Cooper is a Sophomore this year.  10th grade at Oak Farm.  He's doing cross country and basketball through school.

7.  Cooper is a natural leader.  People tend to follow his lead and he can lead with integrity.  He is social and fun, humorous and enjoyable to be around.  He emits an energy that is warm, inviting and fun. 

Some of Cooper's best buddies are below: Andrew, Pierceton, Cohen, Sully, Andy and Anna!

Cooper and his buddies did a nighttime nerf war outside in the dark!  Fun and frightening!

Basketball Season

We had another great basketball season at Oak Farm. Nate was the high school basketball coach and Cooper was a starter. The Oak Farm team is gaining momentum and is a fantastic group of high school students. They lost some and won some. Cooper and Nate both enjoyed the season a lot!

Piano Competitions

Jaxton enrolled in several piano competitions this winter. He has an amazing piece called Fantasie by Chopin that he has mastered all on his own. It was a self taught piano solo and it is incredible that he is able to learn something as difficult as this. He entered into these competitions, hopeful to earn a scholarship, and to have an opportunity to share his skill. The first competition was at the Wagonwheel in Warsaw. There were 12 contestants. Jaxton did not win, but it was an opportunity for him to perform on a beautiful stage and share his skills.  He was in the competition with a fellow GarrettBand member, Abbey. The second competition he entered, was the Gene Marcus piano competition at PFW. This one was much more stringent and had more contestants. It was nerve-racking and stressful, but he performed so beautifully and got really good marks. Then he entered the same piece into the solo ensemble festival  at ISSMA Indiana regionals. He got a perfect score there. He will be performing Fantasie one last time at the winter Garett concert in a week. He is one incredible musician. 

Gramps’ Mission Call

Gramps received a mission call to be a software trainer for the senior and service missions across the United States. In his younger years when he met my mom, he had a desire to serve a mission, but was told he was a little bit too old and needed to move on with his life. I think he always wanted to serve. He is beaming in these photos and is so very proud of this call. The work is right up his alley. He gets to create a system to teach service missionaries remotely how to use Excel and Word and other software programs and is assisting the senior missionaries in learning these programs as well. These programs help keep track of things in each mission and Gramps is helping to teach these computer software skills. It’s a volunteer mission and he is taking it to the next level. Wearing that badge is a symbol of pride for him. Congrats Gramps! 

Kaylee’s Birthday Party

Kaylee wanted to have a birthday party this year. We decided on a slumber party with a mall scavenger hunt. She wanted to invite everybody. We had quite a large group. We picked 13 girls from the school on a snow day afternoon in our giant big van and took them to the Fort Wayne mall. Kaylee came up with a really fun scavenger hunt to do at the mall and we split the girls into three groups and set them free. So much fun and lots of memories made! They all came back to the house to hang out open presents, eat dilly bars from Dairy Queen and watch movies. Some girls were up almost all night. They had a blast. Dawson helped me make pancakes in the morning. What a fun time! 

Uncle Mike Riding

Uncle Mike passed away this last November. He had a service in California city on February 17. My mom and dad attended the service. It sounds as though Ken and Marilyn and Kendall and her husband along with Carol and Mary were all there to support Jane. I did not know Mike very well, but I do remember being called Tara Treetops as a little child. He would smile and greet me as Tara Treetops and give me a giant hug. He had step children with Jane and five grandchildren who adored him.  He was 85 years old. I have been in touch with Jane a little bit through Facebook. She has commented on my posts and I have commented on hers. We connected about Mike and I sent my love her way. The celebration of life brought positive memories and positive feelings for my mom and her family. 

Cub Scouts Super Science

Since I teach the third grade, Cub Scouts, we had a requirement to learn about science. We did some water experiments with salt and sugar and we did color morphing, and some other interesting experiments with colors. The boys actually loved the experiments and it intrigued their interest. So much fun!

Kaylee turns 13

Kaylee turned 13 today! I can hardly believe it. She is such a beautiful and sweet girl and we love her to the moon and back. Here are some fun things about Kaylee at age 13:

1. Kaylee’s favorite color is sage green.

2. Kaylee is an animal lover. She loves her cats more than anything in the world. At Oak farm she cares for the goats and is anxiously awaiting for the baby goats to be born.

3. Kaylee loves cheerleading and she loves to be on top of the pyramid stunts. She has no fear of heights and no fear of flipping around in the air and trusting others to catch her. She must get that from me:)

4. Kaylee‘s closest friends these days include Jorja, Stella, Hannah, Nora, Ana, Bella, Ruby, and more. She is friends with everybody, and is always including everybody. She’s very aware of her social interactions and insures that everybody is included.

5. Kaylee loves fancy drinks. She loves to make smoothies and create her own recipes. She also loves to stop at coffee shops and get sweet drinks.

6. Kaylee is in seventh grade this year. She ran cross country and is planning to start up track this spring. She’s a runner!

7. Kaylee likes to organize things. She likes containers and contraptions to store things in an organized way. She loves to organize stuff.

8. Kaylee was nervous for Middle School at Oak Farm but has found her groove. She is loving it more than she thought she would and claims that it’s way better than ever elementary.

9. Kaylee has been selling her homemade jewelry with her friends, Layla. It’s been a fun hobby and they’ve made some good hard cash.

10. Kaylee emulates her middle name, joy she brings so much joy to our home and family and spreads joy. Everywhere she goes. Her name couldn’t fit her more. Happy birthday, Kay!