Christmas 2025- De Jong side.

What a special Christmas! So thankful for our Savior and His many blessings to us. We were home for Christmas this year and celebrated with Kley's family. It's a gift that both his parents, grandma, and sister and her family live really close to us! I didn't grow up being physically close to any family (not that that was bad- we visited them and had great local friends), so that's special that our girls get to experience that.

Love this sweet family of mine!

Present/family time.

It's so fun to celebrate at home, just the five of us, too. What a gift to be able to create these memories for our girls!

I love this picture!

We celebrated with Kley's grandma Shirley on Christmas eve.

Everyone around the table- truly my favorite! Merry Christmas!

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!

 

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. :)

Lucy and Ellory's first communion.

Lucy and Ellory took their first communion- what a special day! So thankful for God working in their hearts. We rejoice that they have both professed faith in Jesus! They met with our pastor a few weeks ago and talked about the importance of communion and what it means. Praise Jesus for Lucy and Ellory and this meaningful time!

Father's Day 2025.

Happy Father's Day! I am very thankful for my dad, father-in-law, and Kley as our girls father. I miss my grandpas today, as it's my first without them (and Kley's grandpa's too that passed a few years ago), but so glad to know they are rejoicing with our Heavenly Father today. I love that our girls have these healthy, safe, loving male role models in their lives and don't take for granted what a true gift that is. Kley, thank you for being a great dad. That takes a lot of hard work, patience, consistency, and investment and our three girls are sure blessed to have you! 

Easter morning photos 2025.

Happy Easter! We were in Des Moines on Easter morning and went to my brother's church with family. Thankful for our risen Savior!

Grandpa and Grandma photo.

Wow, I looked at this picture and first noticed how tall Norah is getting! Thankful for Kley and our three growing girls!