First day at the pool 2025.

The first day back at the pool for the year is always a great one! Makes it feel like it's really summer. We usually go on opening day, Memorial Day, but that was 60s and rainy. We went on June 2 (the first Monday of summer break) and it was 85 and the water was icy cold, but still such excitement to get that first swim in! Happy summer! :)

Kicking off summer in Des Moines.

Happy summer! The girls finished 4th and 2nd grade on Friday, May 30 and then we headed to Des Moines for the weekend for some beginning summer fun! We had a fun, low key weekend enjoying kickball, squirt guns, ice cream, Olive Garden takeout, a few stores at the mall, and a park visit. We enjoyed time with grandparents, aunts/uncle, and cousins!

Looking forward to summer days ahead!

Memorial Day weekend in Minneapolis 2025.

We had a fun weekend in Minneapolis visiting my Zack, Karlie (my sister), and cousins Averie and Brooks! We went to Como Zoo, one of my favorite places from back at our Bethel college days. It was a beautiful day, and always great to see the animals and flowers!

One of my favorite spots is this beautiful garden room in the conservatory!

Beautiful Norah- growing up!

Love these sweet sisters!

We made a Target run while we were there, basically because Norah needed some new shorts, and everyone found something fun (and all the girls' items were on sale- nice!). We got Kley a Timberwolves t-shirt and he has been pumped to watch them in the finals. Ellory stayed back at the house because she doesn't love shopping as much as Norah and Lucy, but we got her some pajamas. Lucy was thrilled to find this basketball shirt and a Messi jersey, and wanted to buy this Vikings hat with her own money. A fun shopping trip!

Everyone loved the fish!

There was a crane game store that recently opened by their house, and we checked it out. The workers were extremely nice and came by a few times to "fluff up" the animals in the machines, putting some on top more and making them easier to get. The girls were thrilled to each get a cute one they wanted! Whoever those kind workers were, thank you!

We went to Can Can Wonderland for the first time for mini golf and arcade games. That was fun for something different that we had never done before! Each mini golf hole was so unique, different than typical mini golf courses. It was fun! The arcade games were neat too.

We visited a new park and had a picnic!

There were tons of baby geese there, the most I have ever seen! It was fun to watch them. These babies were younger than the rest.

There were at least 60 baby geese in this bigger group. We were laughing because the park had roped off this area where they were trying to grow new grass, and all the geese just waddled right in and started eating the seed.

We ate almost all our meals outside and enjoyed making s'mores on our first night!

Thanks for hosting us! What a special weekend!

End of year events- 4th grade speech, dance recital, last soccer game, and piano recital.

Norah and Ellory had their dance recital and they did great! Lucy was a very supportive sister and watched the two hour recital very patiently. Norah was in a lyrical and jazz class and Ellory was in a tap and jazz class this year, and they each danced in two dances at the recital. The theme was "dancing through the decade" because the studio in ten years old this year, and they did a bunch of oldies songs, so it was fun! Norah danced to Imagine by John Lennon and Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees. Ellory danced to Surfin' USA by The Beach Boys and Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley.

Grandma and Grandpa got to come too! Papa, Amma, and Great Grandma De Jong got to come for a bit too, but didn't get a photo with after because they had to leave early to get Great Grandma De Jong back for lunch. So fun to have a big fan base cheering on our girls!

Sweet sisters!

Go Ellory!

Go Norah!

While Norah and Ellory were at dance dress rehearsal, Lucy got to go on a bowling and ice cream date with Grandma and Grandpa and she loved it!

Treat day Friday with Grandma!

Here are their dance photos!

Norah did a big unit on National Parks at school and they did a presentation at the end that family could come watch where they had to share what they learned about the park they studied. Norah chose Big Bend National Park in Texas and she did great!

Our little park ranger!

Norah also had track and field day at school. She participated in the frisbee throw, long jump, and the 50 and 100 races. She was first in her heat in the 100- go Norah!

All three had their last soccer game of the season and they did great! It was a fun season and we had pretty good soccer weather this year. It was great to cheer on our girls!

Go blue and orange!

The girls had their end of the year piano recital and did very well! It's neat to see how far they have come since they started. What a great skill to have!

The girls have each known Heidi since they were one, when they started Kindermusik classes with her, and now she is their piano teacher! She does a wonderful job and I'm thankful she's been able to be a great music teacher, as well as a Godly influence, in our girls' lives!