Another half a year has gone by, and I realize more and more how much I cherish these small snapshots of our life. I find myself looking back on these memories just amazed at how time passes, how the kids are growing, and how life changes daily. This post contains all the photos and captions I published on Instagram from July through December 2021.
07/03 - Oh ya know, just using a blowtorch watch our 💰 go up in smoke. NBD 🤷. #merica #independenceday #fireworks #donttrythisathomekids
07/03 - Watermelon, popsicles, cupcakes, and an amazing fireworks show . . . thanks friends for a fun evening and fantastic show! #independenceday #summertimefun #fireworks🎆
07/04 - Independence Day through the years . . . love celebrating with my sweet babies!
07/04 - Cookies, 'cracks, and cream made for a fun night with some of our favorite peeps! Happy Independence day, America!
07/05 - The big kids had a totally rad time at an 80s themed birthday party this afternoon! The invitation had a cassette tape on it, and they couldn't decide what it was 😂! Happy birthday, Kyrie! Thanks for a tubular time!
07/06 - THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to my parents' 50th Anniversary project! It ended up being a book FULL of well wishes, gratitude, memories, and LOVE. It's also the perfect mix of heartfelt and hilarious! This helped make their day extra special, and I'm so grateful for everyone who came together to make that happen.
07/07 - An untimely spill a few days ago brought some firsts for me . . .
First time on a stretcher ✔
First time riding in an ambulance ✔
First broken bone ✔
First time using crutches ✔
Our busy summer has come to a screeching halt, but I'm taking this opportunity to soak up some downtime while I heal!
07/09 - As part of their Botany studies this year, the Bigs planted a raised garden. Today, they harvested their first tomato! #LIGHTacademy #botanystudies #apologiascience #homeschoollife
07/11 - Chris dropped our two big kids off at church camp for the week. My broken ankle prevented me from being there, so I'll have to be satisfied with the ONE photo hubby took 😐. I know they'll have a great week, but I miss them already! #lbbc #churchcamp #Brensfirstyear #BriannaElisabethJo #fabulousfifth #BrensonCharlesJacob #thrivinginthird
07/12 - We're doing some fun rock painting and other indoor activities today while I try to keep my foot up. I had a few outings planned this week while the big kids are at camp that we'll miss out on, but truly these two are none the wiser and having a great time at home! 💗💜 #twinbies #indoorsummerfun #makingitwork #mommatime
07/14 - Brenson had a shop class with his Grampy last semester where they made this little table to go next to Bren's bed. I think he earned an A! #LIGHTacademy #homeschool #shopclass #woodworking #BrensonCharlesJacob #thrivinginthird
07/16 - Watching and listening to these two play fills my heart. Their storylines are hilarious! #twins #twinbies #calicocritters #sixyearsold #imaginativeplay
07/16 - These two are "camp tired", but they're almost home! This momma is ready! #camptired #awholeotherlevel #babiesarealmosthome
07/16 - 🎵 reunited and it feels so good . . . 🎵
07/22 - Can anyone say Brooke Ellie?!? 😂
07/23 - Playing games isn't really my jam, but right now our normal activities are pretty limited due to a certain broken bone. So, games it is!
07/24 - Each of the kids have a "Warmie", which is a stuffed animal that's filled with warming beads and made to be heated in the microwave. When they're warm, they emit a relaxing lavender scent and are the perfect snuggle partner. Brecklyn is very attached to hers, and earlier this week she accidentally nuked it in them microwave until it caught on fire! It was a mess and smelled horrendous, but the worst part was that Brecklyn was heartbroken and just cried and cried.
All on their own, the other kids came to me with money and asked me to buy her a new Warmie. They were beyond excited to surprise her with it, especially since they had gone together to pay for it.
It was such a sweet moment when she opened her new Warmie tonight. She was just as exited to receive it as her siblings were to give it, and it made my heart full to see the joy they all shared. 💜💙💜💗
07/26 - When a trip with the college besties to KC that had been planned for months becomes a trip to Tahlequah instead, you make the best of it. And, somewhere along the way, you may just discover that maybe this was the trip that should have been planned all along 😊.
⭐Tahlequah Memories⭐
⮚ Revisiting all our old stomping grounds on campus . . . Seminary Hall, TRiO, Bagley Hall, and Leoser Hall.
⮚ Eating at all our favorite college places . . . Sam & Ella's, Vidalia's Cafe, El Zarape, and Del Rancho.
⮚Staying up waaaay past our bedtimes laughing and playing games.
⮚ Taking a nostalgia tour around town and reliving our favorite memories . . . the Illinois River, the Wheeler House, and the RFC House.
07/29 - Did you know you can tour the Tulsa Port of Catoosa? We took a fun field trip there today, and it was very interesting! I enjoy learning about things that are an integral part of our state. #tulsaportofcatoosa #oklahomahistory #fieldtripday #LIGHTacademy #homeschool
07/31 - Pretty much 😂!
08/01 - We acquired an interesting souvenir in our windshield driving by the golf course tonight. I think someone needs to work on their tee shot! 😂🏌
08/03 - Brianna was able to spend the day helping the best fourth grade teacher out there get her classroom ready for another school year. My girl had a great day with you, Amy! Thanks for making it happen 😘. #BriannaElisabethJo #sensationalsixth #newschoolyear #weloveAmy
08/05 - Today we completed our "Birds of North America" summer unit. Birds aren't really my thing but the kids loved learning about our feathery friends - especially the ones we see daily around our house! As a fun cap to the unit, we made these colorful bird bookmarks. Since our neighbor was here, she joined in on the crafting fun! 🐦🦅 #homeschool #LIGHTacademy #gatherroundhomeschool #birdsofnorthamerica
08/05 - As a follow-up to my post earlier this week, the guy who hit the golf ball that left a pretty, new design in our windshield happened to be part of the family that owns A+ Mobile Auto Glass in Claremore. He was very apologetic and immediately put us in contact with his parents to get the windshield fixed. They have been wonderful to work with . . . prompt, respectful, informative, and very accommodating to our schedule. Just four days after the incident, our windshield is replaced and looks great!
08/07 - Today was the official end to our summer running program. Each of the kids worked hard for ten weeks, met their goal of running 100 miles, and received trophy for accomplishing that goal. We finished the season with a race where Brecklyn and Brooke took 1 and 2 for their age group. Brenson came in 2nd for his age, and Brianna secured 3rd. Most of all, though, they worked hard, showed dedication, and HAD FUN! #OwassoFalcons #summerrunningchallenge #homeschool #LIGHTacademy #lilrunners🏃🏃🏃🏃
08/10 - Brecklyn and Brooke are so excited to be starting first grade soon! It felt good to see familiar faces and share lots of smiles. We're looking forward to a great year! #schooldays #flourishinginfirst #twinbies #BrecklynSarahFaith #BrookeElianaMae
08/11 - We had to squeeze in one more play date with two of our favorites before school begins. Love these girls!
08/16 - We're back at it! It's sixth grade, fourth grade, and first grade this year for these wonderful students. Looking forward to a great year! #LIGHTacademy #homeschool #BriannaElisabethJo #sensationalsixth #BrensonCharlesJacob #fantasticfourth #BrookeElianaMae #BrecklynSarahFaith #flourishinginfirst
08/17 - This girl . . . she has always been such a helper to me, but it's been a whole new level this summer. She's picked up SO much slack for our family while my ankle has been healing, especially with cleaning, cooking, and laundry. I'm still having issues with swelling, so while I'm sitting with my foot elevated, she's mopping. And yes, that's a smile on her face 💜. #BriannaElisabethJo #servantheart #oldestchild #lilmomma
08/21 - I'm curious to know how other busy people handle meals. We eat out about twice a week (typically once on the weekend and once on a weeknight), but all other meals we eat at home. Before the twins were born, I stocked my deep freezer with meals because I knew dinner time would be difficult with a preschooler, a toddler, and twin babies. Ever since then, I've made a point to take a few Saturdays a year and restock my freezer with meals. I did about 14 meals today, and I know my future self will thank my current self for the effort!
I'm a big fan of the slow cooker, freezer meals, and quick prep meals for the weeknights. How do you manage meals?
08/24 - My big kids had co-op today, then we went on an impromptu lunch date. These are precious times! #LIGHTacademy #homeschoollife #BriannaElisabethJo #sensationalsixth #BrensonCharlesJacob #fantasticfourth
08/26 - I. Feel. This. 😂
08/28 - Dreams of autumn foliage and cooler days made me do it . . .
08/29 - The big kids kicked off their cross country season yesterday. They ran a course that they both ran last year, and Brianna improved her time by one minute and fourteen seconds, while Bren shaved 58 seconds off of his time. It's great to see their hard work paying off! #gofalcons #crosscountry #lilrunners #BriannaElisabethJo #sensationalsixth #BrensonCharlesJacob #fantasticfourth
08/30 - Happy birthday to my lifelong playmate . . . my sister, Lisa! Love you 💓.
08/31 - A few have asked, so here's an update on my ankle injury . . . It was 8 weeks ago yesterday that I broke my ankle. Since then, it's been in various stages of swelling, bruising, and mobility. For the first 6 weeks, I could not put any weight on it and the knee scooter and I were good friends (thanks to my friend for preserving the memory of me on it, haha!). For about a week and a half after that, I was able to walk in the boot. That was a welcomed change but difficult in its own way. Now, I'm wearing an ankle brace full time to give my ankle extra support as I build back strength and stability.
My orthopedic doctor is very happy with how the fracture has healed and with my range of motion so far. However, he said that if I wanted to see full strength and full range of motion as quickly as possible, I'd need to do physical therapy. I said, "Sign me up!"
I started PT this week, and will do 2-3 sessions per week for the next four weeks. Everyone is hopeful that I won't need anything beyond that. So far, my foot is sore from PT but feeling more flexible already. I am still dealing with some swelling and a lot of stiffness, but we should see improvements in those areas soon.
I'm still limping around pretty good on my foot, but it's getting better every day. I'm so grateful that the fracture has healed well, and that I'm starting to see some of my normal life activities resume! I can definitely say I have a new and sincere appreciation for my usual level of ability and mobility after this experience!
09/01 - My babies are all tuckered out today! I hope a quick little nap will be the ticket to a smooth evening 💜💗. #twinbies #twingirls #sleepingbeauties #precious
09/10 - Yesterday was a hot (temps in the 90s) and sunny day for a cross country meet! Even in the heat, the kiddos ran hard and improved their times from last year. It was a special treat to see our "now retired" PE teacher, Mrs. S, and Bri's face just lit up when she realized who it was! #crosscountry #gofalcons #BriannaElisabethJo #sensationalsixth #BrensonCharlesJacob #fantasticfourth
09/16 - Sweet friends full of giggles and joy, and growing together in the the Lord!
09/22 - Hahaha . . . not false 😂🤷😁
09/29 - This is spirit week for the twins at school, and today was beach/Hawaiian day. They just happened to have the perfect skirts in their closet for this day! It was just three short years ago that they Bigs were dressing up with this same theme. Bren was in first grade, just like the twins are now. I can't believe how much they've all changed in three years 😢. #spiritweek #throwback #flourishinginfirst #timeisathief
10/02 - We spend some time with our church grandparents this morning. We are blessed by these relationships and so grateful for them!
10/30 - I affectionately refer to Jordan as "the other woman", as we've been connected by our mutual BFF for well over a decade. We've shared so many ups and downs of life . . . babies, losses, birthday parties, careers, health struggles, and everything in between. Each of our pregnancies overlapped a bit. We stood together with our friend when she suffered an unthinkable loss. Jordan was one of the very first friends to reach out to me when I had a miscarriage. Her third daughter was born fast and furious on the day I found out I was pregnant with not only one but two babies. I've cried many, many tears for her over the past four years as cancer ravaged her life.
Words are often not adequate to describe the really hard in life, so I'll just say the world is a dimmer place without her smile.
10/08 - Seeesters helping each other get ready for the day 💜💜💗.
10/11 - Look who got some new accessories today! #preteen #braces #sensationalsixth #BriannaElisabethJo
10/16 - Fall Break took us on a quick trip to St. Louis this year. We spent some time at the Arch, took a ride to the top for the views of the city, and got caught in a downpour while making the trek back to our vehicle. Then, we went to Collinsville, Illinois to see the World's Largest Catsup Bottle. Brooke's day was made when she realized it was "Brook's" brand catsup. We also visited the World's Largest Chess Piece at the Chess Hall of Fame, and spent some time admiring the lovely architecture and atmosphere of the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis. As a fun food experience, we took the kids to White Castle because it always makes me think of St. Louis 😂. The trip was too short, but our beds will feel great tonight! #fallbreak2021 #travellingwithkids #stlouisarch #stlouis
10/20 - "Through the Lord's mercies, we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: Great is Your faithfulness!"
10/20 - TWENTY years ago I married my favorite partner in life, love, and adventure! We've had our share of ups and downs - times of immeasurable joy and times of deepest sorrow and trial - but I'm truly thankful for the blessing of marriage.
I made a video to celebrate. It's definitely the highlight reel, but I love it because you can literally see us growing up together. Life is better with you 💓!
10/23 - Family photo attempt using a timer at the pumpkin patch . . . ya win some, ya lose some 🤷.
10/24 - Our Falcons XC team cookout was the other night, and we truly had a great time! We had a bonfire, several acres to run and play, hot dogs, s'mores, and Coach Renee even had an award for each member of the team. Being part of the Falcons has been a blessing to us, and we are so grateful to be a part of it! #LIGHTacademy #homeschool #homeschoolteam #crosscountry #gofalcons #lilrunners 🏃🏃
10/25 - Autumn vibes at the pumpkin patch 🍂🎃. It took a few tries, but I did end up getting a decent family photo 😁.
10/27 - Today is the final regular cross country practice of the season. It's chilly and pouring rain, but all I could hear was laughter when I snapped this photo! 🏃🌦☔🏃 #gofalcons #crosscountryrunning #homeschool #LIGHTacademy #runningintherain☔
10/28 - Mmmm-hmmm. Who can relate?!? 🤷🙄😀
10/29 - 🍂🍁 Autumn is my favorite! 🍁🍂
10/30 - We finished our cross country season today with Homeschool Nationals in Springfield, Missouri. Brenson and Brianna each ran a two mile race and finished strong, even though Bren was a bundle of nerves before the race and had to have a pep talk from Dad. It was a chilly morning, but the course was beautifully decorated with fall foliage. After the race, we met up with some friends for lunch before heading home. It's always fun to watch these kiddos run! 🏃🍂🏃
10/31 - It's always a fun time at Boologah! Wendy, the Ref, Mulan, and Ms. Peacock enjoyed themselves 😀.
11/01 - This morning's #sunriseonsummittrail and one from a few days ago . . . starkly different but each beautiful in their own way!
11/02 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 1
Today was a travel day, and since we had lots of miles to cover we started early. Our goal was to leave our house at 5:30am. We missed that by 10 minutes, but I call that a WIN! We made our way through Oklahoma where Brooke proclaimed, "WHAT is wrong with the dirt?!?" I guess she'd never seen red dirt before 😂. We drove into Texas, admired the landscape of cotton fields and tumbleweeds, and stopped in Amarillo for lunch. We ate at a very "Texas" place where the kids were served their meals in cowboy hats, and we witnessed someone successfully eat a 72 ounce steak meal in less than one hour so he could get his meal for free 😐. After that, it was on to New Mexico. Our goal was to reach Santa Fe, and we enjoyed amazing desert mountain views and a gorgeous sunset on our way there. We arrived at our hotel in Santa Fe after a solid 13 hours on the road.
11/03 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 2
We began the day with a quick tour of the New Mexico state capitol building. It's not a majestic as many we've seen, but it's unique because there is amazing artwork displayed all throughout the interior. Next, we traveled north to the Rio Grande Gorge. We followed the river through the gorge for many miles until we took this super sketch gravel road to the west rim of the gorge. It was rough and full of switchbacks, but the mountains views were incredible. Just outside of Taos, we explored the Rio Grande Bridge. It's an impressive structure, but the views are what make it worth the drive. Finally, we trekked west across the Carson National Forest, winding up and down several mountains seeing a little wildlife and a lot of snow, before settling in Farmington for the night. It was an incredible day to explore the beauty of New Mexico!
11/04 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 3
Our first stop today was The Four Corners. The monument wasn't much to write home about, but we enjoyed being in four states at once. I made a fun and sarcastic friend that made me laugh a lot, and we took in the desert views. From The Four Corners, we drove into Colorado and headed to Mesa Verde National Park. We wound through the mountains, had a picnic in the cool mountain air, and took a few small hikes. The 360 views from the highest point in the park was 😍😍😍, even though my pics don't even come close to doing them justice. From Mesa Verde, we made our way to Moab, Utah where we'll be staying for the next few days. The scenery on our drive was incredible, and we find the quaint mountain town to be quite charming. We can't wait to continue exploring around Moab tomorrow!
11/05 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 4
Canyonlands National Park was on today's agenda. We started off in the Island in the Sky district with a magnificent hike to the Upheaval Dome overlook (points 1 and 2). This hike was a lot of climbing and mostly on "slick rock" which is smooth rock that is sometimes covered in sand. While hiking, Bren said, "This feels so good. It's been a long time since I've been hiking like this!" Of course, the views were incredible. Pictures don't come close to showing the depth and beauty, but we took them anyway. After a picnic lunch in the fabulous scenery, we went to several overlooks in the park. The canyons reflected so many amazing colors against the starkly blue sky with the snow capped mountains towering above it all. We couldn't get enough of the views! Before leaving the park, we took the short hike to Mesa Arch. We were pretty worn out at this point, and Brecklyn said, "Whew! My legs aren't really keeping up with me on this hike!" 😂 Mesa Arch was my very favorite view of the day, and I'm so grateful we were able to see it! Other funny notes about the day . . . my kids' eyes were opened today to using "toilets" that don't flush because there's no running water in the park. They had a lot to say about that 😂. Also, the weather was fabulous. It was chilly in the morning (40 degrees), but that desert sun warmed us up very quickly . . . perfect hiking weather. It was a great day!
11/06 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 5
We are still enjoying Moab and the beauty it has to offer! Our day was split in two parts. The first part we took an amazing and FUN off-road tour of the Sand Flats Recreational Area in an open air hummer. The kids loved the adventure, the views were incredible, and we had a great driver/tour guide. Brooke and Bren took turns riding up front, and we only got a little mud on our clothes :-). The second part of our day was spent in Arches National Park. We had a great time exploring the unique rock structures, seeing the arches, and hiking some of the trails. As the sun set, we were in awe of all the gorgeous colors of the desert, sandstone, rocks, mountains, and sky. It was breathtaking! The diverse landscape and beauty of God's creation is truly indescribable!
11/07 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 6
Today was a scheduled rest day, but we still managed to squeeze in some fun and sight-seeing. We had a slow start morning (even though we were all up early thanks to a combo of Mountain Time and the end of Daylight Savings Time), then went to worship with the church that meets in Moab. After church, we enjoyed strolling on Main Street Moab and eating lunch with a mountain view from a second story balcony. After lunch, we headed to Dead Horse Point State Park. It did not disappoint with the incredible canyon and Colorado River views. We returned to our hotel well before dark (which is an hour earlier now) for some relax time before we hit the road again tomorrow!
11/08 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 7
We said goodbye to Moab early this morning and continued our trek west while watching an incredible sunrise. Our destination for the day was Capitol Reef National Park. The national park is unique because right in the middle of the park, among the massive red rock formations, water pocket fold, and breathtaking gorge is a series of fruit orchards and remnants of what was once a Mormon pioneer settlement. Our first major stop in the park was the Gifford House in the middle of the fruit orchards. Here, they sell fresh fruit pies (and other yummy goods), so of course we had to sample the pies! We had peach, apple, and pumpkin, and they were all delicious! From there, we travelled down the Capitol Gorge Road which took us along the bottom of a majestic gorge. The road ends at a trailhead to a breathtaking hike through the bottom of the gorge. On the hike, we saw petroglyphs and several places where pioneer explorers signed the gorge rock walls. We also hiked up the gorge wall to see "tanks" where water is naturally stored. It was an incredible experience! Finally, we drove about 2.5 hours southwest to stay in Bryce Canyon City for the night. More adventures await us tomorrow!
11/09 - I'm a sucker for the sunrise 😍
11/09 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 8
Another day, another national park (or two) 😉 . . . Today was one of those days that just didn't work out like we had planned. Thankfully, it was still a great day and everyone rolled with the changes really well! We woke up to an amazing sunrise in Bryce Canyon City, just minutes from the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park. Unfortunately, several of us also woke up with achy limbs and/or joints from all the hiking we've been doing (including my ankle which was very swollen and sore). In addition to aches and pains, the weather was cold and windy. While we had prepared for cold weather while hiking, we didn't want to be miserable. With all that said, we decided to forego the hikes we had planned and take the scenic drive through the park instead. It turned out to be a good decision as the wind was bitter cold, and snow was blowing hard at the lookouts above 8500 feet. We still saw some incredible views of the hoodoos Bryce Canyon is known for and spent the entire morning in the park. With our original plan set aside, we found ourselves with a whole afternoon to fill (as driving the scenic drive takes much less time than hiking). Chris suggested that we go to Zion National Park and take a scenic drive through that park. Zion was not in our plan - and was almost two hours out of our way - but the kids were all on board. So, Zion it was! On our way to Zion, we drove through part of Dixie National Forest. There were a few tunnels that cut right through the rock which were neat. We had no idea we'd drive through an amazing 1.1 mile long tunnel in Zion! I'm typically a quality over quantity person - which is why Zion wasn't on our original itinerary. We just didn't have the time to spend there. However, I'm SO thankful we went for the afternoon. The scenic drive was breathtaking, and I can confidently say it lives up to the hype! We were in awe the entire time we were there. It was just so majestic. Also, the weather was much warmer there, and even thought it rained on us a bit, we saw a gorgeous rainbow not long after leaving the park on our way to Page, Arizona for the night.
11/10 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 10
We woke up this morning in Page, Arizona which is where the Glen Canyon Dam is located. We started our morning with a quick visit to the dam. We had just read some information about the dam in our apologetics Bible study, so it was great to get to see it in person. After that, we headed toward the Grand Canyon, our inspiration for this whole trip! To say we were not disappointed is an understatement. We had a picnic lunch at the Desert Tower Overlook, then spent the next 4 hours driving from overlook to overlook just soaking up the views. We ended the day by parking at the main visitor's center and walking to Mather Point to watch the sun set. It was cold, windy, and we had to wait an hour for sunset, but the kids were troopers. We were all in awe as the light began to change and cast shadows on the canyon. Then, the whole sky became them most stunning array of rainbow colors, and we were left speechless. We are SO grateful we endured the cold and wind for that incredible display!
11/11
11/11 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 10
Today was our last sight-seeing day of this trip, and we made the most of it! Yesterday, we spent our time driving from overlook to overlook on the east side of the south rim of Grand Canyon. Today, we decided to take the shuttle bus and see the west side of the south rim. The great thing about the shuttle is it allows you to get off at certain points which are connected by the Rim Trail. We rode for a while, then decided to walk the trail which offers many more opportunities to overlook the canyon. Of course, the views were incredible! We also found opportunity to get a splinter (Brecklyn), identify animal tracks and excretion, and rip a hole in our clothing (me). We walked over three miles to Hermit's Rest, which is the furthest western overlook point on the south rim. We enjoyed a picnic lunch and fresh baked cookies before making our way back east. We took the shuttle much of the way back east to the main visitor's center, although we did walk part of it. On our final shuttle ride back, the kids were so tuckered out from the last ten days! After a little rest and a good dinner, we had one more activity to finish out our day and vacation. We took the kids back into the park to see the canyon and stars at night from Mather Point. It was incredible! The moon shone so brightly that we didn't need any additional light (though we used them), and we could easily see more stars than we could count. It's amazing how breathtaking the sky is when there is little light pollution. I felt so very, very small standing at the canyon's rim in the dark. It was very cold, so we didn't stay out long, but what an amazing experience it was!
11/12 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 11
Today was a travel day, and we had a lot of road to burn up between Tusayan, Arizona and Amarillo, Texas. Traveling started our slower than we'd hopped, and we didn't help ourselves by adding in a stop at the Petrified Forest National Park. It was our eighth national park to visit on this trip. Whew. We didn't stay long, but we did enjoy a few overlooks of the beautiful painted desert before heading on down the road. Between traffic, meals, and crossing time zones where we "lost" an hour, it was a very long day. It's been an amazing trip, but we're all just so ready to be home.
11/13 - The Nelsons Go Southwest - Day 12
For the first time on our trip, we all really struggled to get up and going this morning. We had about a six hour drive from Amarillo, Texas to home. We rolled into our driveway just after 2:00pm, and we all clapped and cheered. After roughly 3000 miles of driving, our van was an absolute pit (and didn't smell to fresh either). However, Oklahoma welcomed us home with a beautiful sunset, and we're so thankful for an amazing trip and to be sleeping in our own beds tonight!
11/26 - Yesterday was a good day. We had a small group, but I texted with my sister and FaceTimed with my bro and his family. We ate delicious food, played games, worked a puzzle, and laughed a lot. We are so grateful for God's bountiful blessings! #thanksgiving2021🦃
11/30 - Sometimes, they're pains and they fuss and fight. Other times, they create with play-doh for over an hour in the beautiful November weather while squeezed around a table they've *almost* outgrown. 💜💙💜💗
12/01 - Happy December 1st! 🎄🎅🎄🎁🎄
12/03 - I've seen lots of sunsets around the world, but the sunset at home gets me like 😍💓😍. #homesweetoklahoma #sunsetonsummittrail
12/07 - Bren has been playing guitar with a small group at our homeschool co-op this semester. Today, they performed the songs they've been working on. Bren is always so serious during these types of things, but he did a great job! #LIGHTacademy #BrensonCharlesJacob #fabulousfourth #homeschoollife
11/09 - Introducing "The Claw"
Our sweet and spicy Brooke Ellie has proudly earned the title of First Child in the Family to Break a Bone. She has two small fractures in her little hand around the knuckle of her pinky finger. We're not sure exactly how the injury happened . . . she just came to us and said her hand hurt. She never cried or really fussed about it, and had it not been very swollen and bruised, we probably wouldn't have had it looked at. Of course, she wanted the brightest and most colorful pattern for her cast. I'm pretty sure she's not sad about the whole ordeal 😀.
12/11 - Christmas cookie baking and candy making! One of them messiest and best smelling Saturdays of the year 😁. #christmas2021🎄🎅⛄❆ #familiesthatbaketogether
12/14 - 🎅🎄🥰🎄🎅
12/15 - The big kids had an assignment to make posters for Bible class. They put a lot of work and effort into it, and the posters turned out so cute! #LIGHTacademy #homeschool #trainupachild #bibleclass
12/16 - Dissecting owl pellets was on today's schedule at LIGHT Academy. Despite the kids being drama about how gross it was, they thought it was really neat. Brianna's pellet had almost an entire skeleton in it! #homeschoolmom #homeschool #scienceclass #owlpellets #LIGHTacademy
12/17 - Well if this ain't me. Just today I thought WHY am I so awkward after a brief interaction with someone 🤦.
12/18 - My boy who loves to read (always in a strange position), a hand cut snowflake taped to my Christmas decor, and the soft lights from the Christmas tree . . . these peaceful moments are such a gift 💝.
12/22 - A random sampling of our December fun . . .
🎄 Will's Country Christmas at Will Roger's homesite
🎄 Holiday fun at school for the twinbies
🎄 Dinner with friends
🎄 Tulsa Botanic Garden of Lights
🎄 Meeting the ❄Frozen❄ crew (Brecklyn didn't want a photo with them)
🎄 A wonderful evening with the college besties
We are so grateful for the joy and beauty of the season! Also, we recognize that this season isn't always full of joy for everyone and sometimes it doesn't feel like the most wonderful. It can be stressful and trying. People are still hurting, facing hard times, and grieving during this time of year. If you are in that place, we are praying for you!
11/24 - I think Santa was here! 🎅🙈🎅
12/25 - I'm enjoying everyone's Christmas pics! Here are a few from us. Merry Christmas!
12/28 - We celebrated Christmas together and all dressed in flannel to razz Dad (who never lets us down with his flannel shirts). It was pretty fantastic!
Whew! That's a wrap on a very busy and very blessed second half of the year!
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