First day of school 2026.

Back to school is here! Norah is in 6th grade and is in the middle school building! Lucy and Ellory are in 4th grade. Thankful for a good start to the year and for all the teachers that are preparing long and hard to invest in our girls! Praying for a great year and that our girls would be light and love for Him in their classrooms! Norah, Lucy, and Ellory, we love you so much and pray you trust in His nearness with you wherever you go!

Love you Lucy!

Love you Norah!

After the first day treat!

Annual before school tradition of getting their nails painted at the salon!

Love you Ellory!

End of summer fun with cousins in Sioux Falls.

We had a fun day in Sioux Falls for some end of summer fun with Amma, Aunt Elizabeth, and cousins Will and Gerrit! We went out for lunch, enjoyed a few hours playing at Washington Pavilion, and did some back to school shopping. Yay for a great day!

The special exhibit there was all about Barbies over the last 60 years (since the original one debuted). I loved seeing all the different Barbies and the year they came out- so cool to see how they reflected what was going on at that time and to see how they've changed over the years. 

We love Aunt Elizabeth and so glad they live close by now!

Sometimes I forget that Lucy and Ellory were born in Sioux Falls! They spent their first 10 days in the NICU in Sioux Falls, what a time that was! So thankful they are healthy and growing today, and Norah too!

Enjoying the exhibits!

Cousin fun.

Silly Gerrit! :)

Des Moines staycation with Schuts 2026.

We had a super fun staycation with the Schut side in Des Moines for a week! With two new nephews in the family in the last year (yay!), it was easiest to not do a family trip with lots of travel, so we explored things in Des Moines! (My parents and two of my siblings live in Des Moines, and I grew up there.) Yay for summer fun!

The cousin crew wearing their "cousin crew" tie dye shirts! :)

We tried out the new Spare Time and loved the arcade and bowling!

Bowling fun!

One night my parents babysat the bigger grandkids and sent the siblings out for a fun supper at Wilson's- so nice of them!

Water fun in the yard.

Carousel at the zoo!

 

Cousins at the zoo.

We love Aunt Kayla!

Bingo night- everyone loved the Bingo game I planned and it was so fun!

Gyros in Keaton and Rose's gorgeous new house!

We tried the new Waterworks Splash Pad in Grimes. It was fun because it was big and had a park and splash pad together. They also had things for a wide variety of ages. 

My dad stuck their collection of squirt guns in the trunk and that was a huge hit!

Our family friends, the Groens, invited us to come swim at their pool and it was a great afternoon! It was pretty hot, so it was nice to be in the water!

Popsicles by the pool.

Kley had to leave two days early sadly for work, but glad he could be there for most of it!

"Cousin crew" tie dye shirts.

We took family photos one night and I snuck a few on my camera too. Love ones with Grandpa and Grandma!

Girls photo!

Our niece, Josie, snapped this. :)

Love my sweet family!

Thankful for sweet family time in Des Moines!