All Region Orchestra Auditions

Quincy and Corbin spent all day at BHS for all region auditions. They’ve worked very hard to prepare, especially Corbin, who has been going to school early twice a week, staying after until 5:30 for mock auditions, and using priority class to rehearse. Lots of practice! Quincy practices faithfully every day abd it shows. Her tone is really lovely!  I’m so impressed by her efforts. 

My mom and I volunteered as room monitors and concessions. I hauled ice for awhile. The energy was great and I just love seeing my kids with their fun friends.  

When I asked Corbin how his audition went, he was brief and confident. “Good. Awesome.” 


Quincy also had a great day! 

We are SUPER excited for Corbin! He made All Region! 4th chair! This is excellent! Only one other 7th grader from Washington made all region. Great work! 

Haircut for my Dad

A bonus to living down the street from my parents is getting to give my dad haircuts on occasion. We visit and I try to act like I know what I’m doing and give him a chop. It’s a fun little date with my pop.  Looking fresh, Papa Smurf! 

What it’s like to have a 12 year old

“Hey Mom, can you smell my armpit and see if I need a shower?” 

Step Up for Down Syndrome 2021

The Down Syndrome Connection of NWA ended up in a last minute pickle late Friday night, when their princess company ended up not working out for the big event To be held on Saturday morning.  

Having done princesses many times before, Reese and Quincy knew the drill. They gathered costumes, pulled together some friends, and we spent the day at Arvest Ballpark celebrating our friends with Down Syndrome.

The event was a drive thru parade and it was so much fun! I love watching my kids discover the joy of having relationships with friends of all abilities. They know that we are part of the “lucky few” who understand that more alike than we are different.  

Spencer B (Flynn Ryder), Reese (Rapunzel) Corbin (the prince), Cadence C (Elsa) Ena R (Belle), Quincy (Tinkerbelle), and Olivia H (Snow White) Emma W and friend were Cinderella and fairy godmother) 











Jill and Danielle put SO much work into this event every year. 

Piano Lessons

Corbin and Soren are both taking piano lessons from Karen Sasine. She’s so good and the boys really enjoy playing. I know things are going well when I don’t have to remind them to practice, they just do it. Here’s a cutie pic I snapped of Soren today while he loaded up his bag of music before his lesson. Thanks Karen! Keep practicing, boys! 

Distractions

To help encourage Reese to focus on her college applications, we suggested she give us her phone for a few days. She doesn’t have internet or social media, but her friends call and text at all hours of the day and night. 

After less than 24 hours of her not checking or responding to texts, she had received 324 text messages! To be fair, many of them were from a group thread for Ignite, but 324?! Bananas. 

We are full of snacks and encouragement, and the whole family is getting hilariously creative with our pressure to help her keep her eye on the prize. “Write your college essays” is now the punch line for every joke, whispered secret, or note on the bathroom mirror. Yesterday, Aaron asked Reese is she had seen the “new” tithing slips the church is issuing. 

She’s getting there. T minus 10 days! 

Wall Decor by Sloane, not Soren

Sloane called me into the bathroom to shown me the naughty things that “Soren” had written on the door.  

You wub biy mom and dad. I am bere sorre fun Sorne

Translation (she read it out loud to me): You would die, Mom and Dad. 8+9= bed. I am very sorry. 

From Soren. 

I brought Sloane a big pink eraser and she brought me the pencil she used and a confession. 

Autumn decor

Autumn on Primrose lane is my fave! The houses all decorate with corn stalks and hay bales and spookies and it’s just so much fun! 

I added some black cats to the yard. They’re so funny and make me do a double take every time I look out the window! 





The big tri colored mums are from my neighbor Morgan to thank us for supporting them in their foster care journey.  I should do something like that for our people (you know who you are!) because your continued support is everything to us.  Aaron and I talk often about how other churches make a huge deal teaching their congregations about local foster care needs and that do a good job modeling what good support looks like through local initiatives. Our church is worldwide and I know we support all sorts of important causes. It’s nice to know these children right under our noses are not being forgotten though. Nor are the biological siblings in the foster family who make big sacrifices, too.  My kids get pulled out of church 10 minutes early every week and are left at home while we take the twins to experiences that cause major trauma. Some nights that means kids coming home triggered into violent and aggressive behaviors, exhausted parents, and a LOT of nights it means I’m up into the wee hours of the night washing bedding from trauma-vomit, anxious diarrhea, stress nose bleeds and bed wedding. The twins come home super clingy and need undivided attention and we are all tired Monday morning. The mums are a small thing, but it’s good to have friends who are also in the thick of foster care to  share a taste of understanding with.  We did some yard work for them the week they had court and they knew we had our re-eval last week and brought us mums. They just make me feel happy.  

Quincy and I made a big southern bow thing for the mailbox out of crap she found at my mom’s house. I think it turned out pretty gaudy and just right! I love it!  Good job being crafty, Q!  

Soren plays Soccer

The fall soccer season is wrapping up for the U9 boys. Team Force had a good season, Soren played well and had a lot of fun. Corbin went with me tonight and watched Soren play, then tossed a football around with the McSpadden boys.