Christmas piano recital and program 2025.

We had our church Christmas recital/program and it went great! The girls have never played in the recital portion at the program before because they played in a different Christmas recital right before this, but they have a different piano teacher this year and she didn't have a recital, so they played in this one this year. They all did wonderful! Norah played Angels We Have Heard On High.

Lucy played Silent Night.

Ellory also played Angels We Have Heard On High (different version than Norah).

Kley played guitar/sang for it and I helped lead it. It's a big job but glad we could help with it and thankful it went smoothly.

All the girls sang very well!

Norah read a Scripture verse during it. This was Norah's last program, as she'll be in middle school next year!

Grandpa and Grandma got to come to it too! Papa and Amma were there also, but they were helping serve food so we didn't get a picture with them. Thankful for wonderful grandparents for our girls!

My favorite four. :) Merry Christmas! The theme of the program was hope- so very grateful for the hope we have in Him!

 

Christmas light tour and holiday fun 2025.

Yay for December fun! We have gotten so much snow already this winter (way more than all of last year and it's not even Christmas yet!), which has been so fun for the girls. They love playing in it and it definitely keeps them occupied outside longer in the cold. We went to the big sledding hill in a neighboring town one afternoon and they loved it!

We loved the games and crafts at the library Christmas party, and Lucy and Ellory loved that one of their favorite school volunteers was dressed as Santa!

Our annual Christmas light tour at our favorite place was a highlight! We stopped for supper first and then hit the lights. Our favorite place is all on one property and they have tons that you can walk through and it's so neat! It was below zero, but really wasn't too bad and we still had fun!

Some of their favorites that they wanted to take pictures by.

Lucy and Ellory are doing a big unit on penguins at school and reading Mr. Popper's Penguins, so they thought the penguins were cool!

Norah is looking older these days!

The girls and I have taken a picture in this spot for many years, so fun to look back on.

One of my favorite nights of the year!

Ellory found her favorite animal!

Thankful for fun Christmas traditions and special family time. :)

Thanksgiving 2025 (and gingerbread houses!)- De Jong side.

We were in Des Moines with the Schut side for most of Thanksgiving break (where we also celebrated Christmas), but we were thankful for a fun night with the De Jong side when we got back! We had a delicious meal together and did our annual tradition of gingerbread houses!

So fun to see all their designs!

Always love cousin time!

Great Grandma De Jong got to come too!

Love whole group shots (except missing Jana in this one, who took the photo!). 

Happy Thanksgiving- so much to be thankful for! And thankful for start of Christmas fun with gingerbread houses!

Thanksgiving/Christmas 2025- Schut side.

We spent Thanksgiving in Des Moines this year and also celebrated Christmas too! My side rotates each year, so this year was the turn for Thanksgiving all together and then Christmas with the spouse's side. We will still go to Des Moines for a few days over Christmas break just for fun and because the girls have awhile off for school, but our official Christmas celebration was during Thanksgiving. We had a fun few days with family- much to be thankful for!

Matching cousin Christmas pajamas are so fun!

My favorite four!

Sweet sisters. 

Cousin fun at Keaton and Rose's new house (minus Stuart who was sleeping).

We got to tour my brother's new house and it was amazing and so beautiful!

Thanksgiving supper all together- the best!

The whole crew! (Minus Margo who didn't want to join.)

This trip was a little different than usual because my parent's are in the middle of remodeling their basement (where we stay when we are there). It was supposed to be done by Thanksgiving, and unfortunately wasn't, but oh well! I'm thankful that were able to stay at my sister Kayla's house, who bought her own house two years ago. Thanks for hosting us, Kayla!

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas! Grateful for His many blessings to us!

Thanks be to my brother, Keaton, for continuing to make picture taking a joy even as a grown adult by purposely making faces. :)

Meeting new nephew/cousin Stuart!

Over Thanksgiving in Des Moines, we got to meet our newest nephew/cousin, Stuart Herald! He was born October 17, 2025 at 8 lbs. 10 oz. and 22 in. What a cutie! I think it's very sweet that his middle name is a combination of both of my grandpas, Herlan and Donald (Herald), who both entered Heaven in the last year. Getting to hold him was so special!