Tennessee Part 1

Family Reunion in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The weather temperature was wonderful, but it was a rainy week, which put a damper on wanting to be outside more.

We started the week by visiting an upside down museum that had a lot of fun science activities, laser tag, and rock climbing.

Tuesday we did some hiking in the morning.

Some family pictures taken on the back patio due to the rain.

Playing ladder golf

Matt and Caleb played a lot of cornhole.

Chicken Farewell

This post makes me a little sad to write. 3 years ago, during Covid, we took on 6 chickens that a church friend was giving away. I was not on board with Matt's idea, but the boys loved it. I loved the idea of fresh eggs, and it didn't take long before I was kind of attached to the chickens. With 6 of us in the family, we each took a chicken and named it. Matt- Buttermilk, me- Dixie, Caleb- Speckled Flogs (I don't have an explanation...), Carter- Nugget, Bryson- Fluffles, Austin- Batman. It was fun to see their little personalities, different egg colors, size of eggs, etc. Batman was the first to die, we think by a raccoon. Austin was so distraught that we replaced her, against our better judgment. We learned a lot about integrating a new chicken into the flock. It was a rough transition for Midnight! Buttermilk was the next to die. She caught some sort of disease. Fluffles caught the same disease months later and passed. Nugget always laid the biggest eggs, and she died randomly in the roosting nest--we think laying an egg! After 3 years, the boys had lost all interest in helping with the chickens. I was tired of chicken poop and flies. We found someone interested in taking them. Speckled Flogs and Dixie held up the longest from our original 6. 

Final farewell. (Speckled is molting)

Past pictures:

The day we got them

Fluffles always was the one that did best with people holding her.

Selling the eggs was a nice little side business for the boys for about a year and a half when we couldn't consume the amount of eggs laid.

A Nugget egg compared to a particularly small one from one of the other white chickens

Carter had a really good relationship with all the chickens.

17th Anniversary

We celebrated our anniversary by going to Fogo de Chão and later seeing The Drowsy Chaperone, a musical playing at a local theater.

 

End of the School Year

Bryson graduated from elementary school.

Bryson received several awards. He got all A honor roll and a student council award (one boy and one girl voted on from each class at the beginning of the school year). Specials teachers also chose approximately 10 kids in the whole grade to earn an award for each fine art. Bryson was selected by his art teacher and PE teacher to be recognized as a student who is on-task, kind, respectful, and a hard worker. Very few kids were recognized by more than one teacher!

Carter also received awards at the Junior high level. Each subject area selected approximately 12 kids total. These are kids that epitomize leadership, growth, work ethic, and respect. He was selected by his Ceramics and Science teachers.

Carter finished up another year of percussion in the band. His heart isn't completely in it, and he does enough to do well, but doesn't push himself. I like that he's still involved with music despite quitting piano.

Caleb's Varsity tennis team (and managers)

Caleb was voted best sportsmanship

Baseball Spring 2023

We switched Bryson's league so he could play more competitively. The downside was Bryson didn't get to pitch this season because he wasn't good enough. The upside is he improved all around because the skill level of his peers was higher. Bryson has to work through nerves when he plays, which holds him back. (For example, when he bats in practice, he can knock the ball way out in the outfield. During games, he couldn't perform to the same caliber.)

His team won the championship! It was a tough battle trying to beat a team twice that was essentially undefeated all season. 

Showing off the championship ring

Carter's season did not result in a championship win, but they were the youngest in their age bracket (7th grades playing against 9th graders). Matt coached again. Carter mostly played shortstop and pitched on occasion. 

Carter going in to pitch and warming up.

Catching a fly ball at shortstop

Suzuki Graduation Recital

Caleb participated in a Suzuki Graduation Recital on May 13th. This was a huge deal because he graduated from the highest level of Suzuki. He performed Mozart's Sonata in A Major, K. 331, Theme and Variations memorized. It's a difficult piece with little intricacies, and it's 8 pages long! His memory is incredible. He didn't perform flawlessly, but he did very well. The video he submitted to the judge was all 3 movements (19 pages long!!), memorized, but he was fortunately able to record one movement at a time for the submission (not back-to-back). He is gearing up for his Book 7 Suzuki Recital; all pieces are learned and mostly polished and memorized. I admire his dedication to see this through. It definitely represents a lot of hard work!!!

Caleb and his new piano teacher

Ellery also performed at the recital!

 

Preschool Field Trip

I finished up teaching my 10th and final year of preschool (over the span of 13 years). I took a few years off in between boys because my boys are all 3 grades apart. It was a bittersweet decision, but one that felt right. Our final field trip of the year was to a farm. I pulled Austin out of school so he could join us.

Feeding the animals

Pony ride

Train ride