Norah's 11th birthday- friend party.

Norah had some friends over for a craft party for her birthday! She wanted a pink/gold theme for this year and we did bead bracelet/key chains and floral paint by number canvases (and they ended up doing a giant team hide and seek game too). We have a friend in town who has a fun business and Norah wanted to use her for her party, so we got a fun balloon arch, cake pops, and cookies from her for the party (thanks Kate's Snacks and Kate's Balloon Creations!).

Happy 11th birthday Norah! So glad you could have fun with friends!

We pray for great friendships for you now and throughout your life! Thankful for some sweet girls from church and school.

We love you Norah- happy birthday!

Norah's 11th birthday- family celebration (and Kley's surgery).

Happy 11th birthday, Norah! You are so loved! For birthdays, we let our girls choose what they want for supper and an activity and it's a fun tradition to celebrate just the five of us. This year, Kley had ACL/meniscus surgery two days before her birthday (pickup basketball injury), so we gave Norah the choice to either wait to go out and do something in a couple weeks when Kley was doing better, or we could do something at home over her birthday weekend. She chose to do something at home and we had fun together! She chose to carve pumpkins, paint by number canvases, Pizza Ranch for supper, open family presents, and watch Annie together. It was a wonderful night and glad we could celebrate one of our favorite girls! Norah, you bring us so much joy and being your parents is a true gift!

Pizza for supper.

Pumpkin carving- they did them almost entirely on their own!

Painting.

Kley right after surgery- we love you Kley and are sorry this happened! Praying for smooth and quick recovery!

Norah's 11th birthday- extended family celebrations.

We had tons of fun celebrating Norah's 11th birthday! We love you so much Norah! We are so thankful for you and you bring our family so much joy. Happy happy birthday!

We were able to celebrate with both sides of the family! It looked a little different than other years, because my brother and his family weren't able to join because they just had a baby (yay for another nephew/cousin!) and because we celebrated with Kley's side on a short weeknight before Kley's ACL/meniscus surgery, but it was still great!

Most of my side was able to come for a weekend to celebrate the fall birthdays in the family. We got to celebrate Kley's birthday too- happy birthday Kley! We all love you so much!

Norah frosted/decorated her own cake! :)

So grateful for family that could come join! 

My parents, sister Kayla, and sister Karlie and her family were able to come! 

It was special that everyone could come here too to also be able to see my grandma. She will be 90 very soon! We love you Gram!

Happy birthday, sweet Norah!

Our friend has a balloon business and Norah really wanted one of her balloon arches for her birthday!

We had the most beautiful fall morning at Fields of Fun with cousins!

My parents weren't there yet because they were watching my brother's kids while they were having sweet baby Stuart!

Norah is such a great oldest cousin!

Lucy is the only one that still wants to ride the train- love it!

Love cousin time on both sides! We got to celebrate Kley, Norah, and cousin Gerrit too for the fall birthdays! Love family time and love you Norah- happy 11th birthday!

On Norah's actual birthday, we got to go out for supper with Papa, Amma, and Great Grandma De Jong. (Unfortunately Kley had to miss because that was just two days after his ACL/meniscus surgery, but I'm glad we could still make it to celebrate Norah!)

Family Photos- Fall 2025.

 Love this sweet family of mine so much! It was asked around the supper table the other night what we all wanted to be when we grew up, and I said that I am what I dreamed I would be- getting to be a wife/mom and teach kids in a variety of different aspects. What a precious gift. Very thankful for my favorite four.

Thanks to Photos by Laura Jeltema for these beautiful shots!