Winter basketball for Clair

I haven’t done a great job of keeping the blog up-to-date so far this year.

Clair did basketball for her third season in a row. This year we played in the competitive mid Maryland basketball league. She was on a fifth and sixth grade team. We were lucky that her and Lila could play together again.

The team had a rough season and didn’t win a single game. As the head coach, I feel sad for them for that. I wish I could’ve helped them pull off at least one win.

That said, we had several girls who had never played before who did a great job learning the game. Clair and Lila both improved tremendously over the season.

I did tell Clair that next year if she wants to play, we’re gonna have to find her on accomplished Coach because I think I’ve taken her as far as I can in basketball.

The girls did seem to enjoy one another’s company. We celebrated the end of season with some yogurt at sweet frog. I gave them all awards that tried to highlight their own accomplishments for the season.

My girl fights hard for the ball. 

Maxs first track meet

Max decided to try track this winter. During the winter season he was only on the practice team, but he persevered. I was really proud of him trying something new and sticking with it.

This spring he decided to do it again. This time he got to compete in his first track meet this weekend. He was part of a 4 x 800 relay team representing His high school in the junior varsity heat. 

He was able to run his 800 in 2 minutes and 33 seconds. His goal was to be under 240. So he made it. He ran a great pace and he was able to pass one competitor. He never stopped, and he had great hand off with the baton.

I’m proud of his performance and I’m also proud of how great a teammate he really is. I love watching Max fit in with the other boys and encourage them. He has Friends on the team that he enjoys hanging out with, but he also makes friends with new people and encourages and supports them so easily. I admire the skill that he has. I’m not sure where he got it from but he has got it and he makes me proud.

Lining up to receive the baton

Lap one complete

The finish. 

Tired and accomplished

Our trip to Greece

For Christmas, David and I decided not to exchange gifts but to plan a trip somewhere. We decided to go to Greece. Last week we had our week together in Greece and it was really nice. The weather was perfect for spring and we got to see lots of different things and enjoy great food and wine and just spending time together.

Oh, we got on the plane to come home last Thursday. We did a list of our top 10 best and top 10 worst impressions of Greece. Each of us made our own list. I’ve took a picture of it and shared it below for memories.

I’m also gonna try to share only 20 pictures from our trip, but there were lots of good ones. I’m really glad we got to have this time together and go exploring.

I enjoyed putting my feet in the cold Mediterranean Sea Near Corinth. 

We were all smiles before we took off on the long journey home, which took about 20 hours

Sunset from Lycabetus Hill in Athens was quite the view. There is a tram inside the mountain that takes you to the top.

This Colosseum on the eastern side of the east side of Peloponnese is apparently older than the Colosseum in Rome. David journey to the top, but I did not. The sound acoustics were quite awesome. We watched some Italian teens perform in the center, and their voice carried perfectly.

Our Greek wine tasting adventure included a tour of the factory. We got to see all parts, including the manufacturing aspect where they were bottling, labeling, and packaging the wine. The wine was OK and the experience was awesome.

Nafplio is a cute town and I’m so glad David discovered it. We spent two nights and three days there. It’s right on the Mediterranean and has a great walkable little town. We did lots of shopping here. On this day, the Mediterranean was really rougher than we had ever seen it.

David enjoyed all the ruins and kept insisting on stops that I had never heard of. This stop at Myecenea is an example. Apparently this castle in town was built in Old Testament times, 1500 BC. This is called the Lionsgate. The rocks are so big they’re not sure how they were putting in place. Sometimes old historic tales said Giant did it.

My favorite ruins stop was walking old town, Corinth. It was awesome to see the town where Paul preached after Jesus’s death and created the early Christian church.

We found the seat of BMA where Paul was tried and found not guilty by the Romans. 

On the first full day in town, we toured the hill of the acropolis where the famous Parthenon remains are found. There’s a lot of history here. I enjoyed the fact the tour guides focused a lot on Greek philosophers and the philosophy of the way of life. That was what was different to me about the historic tours in Greece from Rome

View of the Mediterranean Sea from our hotel room one night in a beach resort off The Mediterranean in Loutraki

First night in town, we enjoyed a walking tour with a tour guide named Lucas. The idea was to taste local Athens cuisine. We made four or five stops and it was a very great way to get used to the town and enjoy a tired evening.

The food was fantastic. This was David’s favorite meal. The fish was definitely not my favorite meal, but man enjoys his fish and definitely having it fully and displayed in front of him. He ate all of this, including the big plate of vegetables.

My favorite were the tomato salad served at every meal and the olive oil with delicious bread. I also had some awesome pizza and pasta throughout the week and some very nice wine.

Christmas break

 The week between Christmas and New Years is when we try to shut down and just enjoy relaxing. I try to ensure some forced family time, which feels somewhat harder with the kids at this age.  We managed a few nice adventures mixed amongst a lot of sleeping in and junk food. 

One evening we tried our first family escape room. It was a carnival and we made it out with just 2 minutes left, and quite a few nudges from the facilitators. 

We enjoyed some family games and several Christmas movies - Elf, Christmas Chronicles, and a couple others. 

We even took a trip down to Tyson's Corner on request from Ellie. She enjoyed spending money she had accumulated over the past month or so from her babysitting jobs. 

I enjoyed a lot of naps with Sunshine and cuddles with Clair. It was a relaxing week. 

New year's eve was celebrated at home with the Latimer's. The Neale's could not make it this year. It was a relaxing evening with a few games, lots of food, and chilling out. No laster tag this year which was a little sad for some. 

As we move into 2025 my prayers will continue for each of the kids to grow in knowing God and being who He has built them to be. I pray that I am doing my job as their mother. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to raise them and be in their lives. 

The return to school happens so fast. Clair is dreading it the most this year. Max and Ellie are nearly ready for the return, but Clair is bored in school and would prefer to stay at home enjoying the life she has built here - writing novels, reading books, designing Pokemon and new worlds, and all things fun. 

Christmas 2024

The years truly do flyby. Another Christmas has come and gone. I’m laying here in Claire’s bed, listening to her hum as she finishes up her shower. I am waiting for her so I can tuck her in and reflect on this lovely day.

We had a lovely morning at home like always mixed with presence and grandma’s cinnamon raisin bread. I think the kids got more than they expected, which is nice. They got lots of things from their gift list as well as trips in January.

Max Ellie and David are going to Hazel‘s in Scotland. Claire mommy and Gramma are going to Orlando for a trip to visit Disney.

Ellie got lots of clothes and makeup products and face care. She also got some books.

Max got five Lego sets and two new PS5 games which seem to be his favorite. He also got lots of clothes. He’s growing so fast right now. This year he grew 4.5 inches! 

Clair got almost everything she could have imagined including her first iPhone with a new cell number, a fancy new composite bat, games, books, a drone and so much more. 

We had some time to relax in the afternoon And David and I were able to get in a little walk. I also was able to grab a nap.

This evening we had the Latimer‘s mom, dad and G over for dinner. I had made lasagna yesterday so it was pretty low-key. We even managed to get a game of elf charades in. I didn't capture any pictures from the evening unfortunately, but I guess that's a sign of a nice evening. 

I’m thankful for these crazy busy holidays. I can’t imagine them without the kids. As they grow, I envision what the future could look like when they’re not here. I hope we always find a way to celebrate Christmas together.

Ellie is 17

Ellie celebrated her 17th birthday at home with her family and her friend Shams. 

As it’s been tradition for the past few years, she insisted on making her own cake, chocolate with peanut butter icing. She asked for grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner and of course I had to add bacon for the boys.

She seemed like she enjoyed the day. She got lots of fun gifts. It was a school day, so there was limited celebration. But I think her friends made her feel special in school and that’s very important at this age.

Ellie is still doing great in school. She has a 4.0. She loves art and is getting into oil painting as of this birthday. Granny gave her oil paints and oil brushes and canvases for this new journey.

Ellie plays the piano very well. I love that. She still practices learning new songs. When she finds a song, she like she tends to play it every day. It’s great hearing her work at it.

She also got into tennis this fall a little bit. We’ll see if that goes anywhere.

She is learning how to drive and she is really quite diligent. She doesn’t seem in a hurry to drive but she’s working through it.

She has soft spoken and kind most of the time. She loves Young Life. She says it’s what turned her into a real Christian. I’m happy she has that group of people and that outlet.

On ellie‘s 17th birthday if I could give her one thing, it would be confidence in the ability to use that confidence with her voice. I can’t wait for her to stop worrying about what other people think and just live in them being who she is, and who God made her to be. 

Happy birthday, sweet baby girl.  I love you and I always will. 

Sadly, I didn’t get a picture with her on her birthday this year. But I got her and her brother and her cousins. We have somebody in the family in each grade at Linganore this year. I love that.

Ellie is turning 17

Tomorrow is 17 years since I became a Mom. I can’t remember much before I became a mom. Well, some days I can, but it was all peanuts before. Nothing quite matters in life like building your family and raising your children. 

On the night before her 17th birthday I’ve set up the birthday tree, wrapped the presents, and put up a sign. There’s still more to do while she is in school. 

These days she likes to make her own birthday cake. This started about three years ago.

My parental reflections are probably slim because I am so tired and it is bedtime. I just cannot believe it’s been 17 years. I say the days are slow and the years go by fast and I really feel that these days.

I hope ellie has a wonderful birthday and an amazing year ahead. My biggest wish for her is for her to see herself in the way that we see her.

Love you girlie!