Summer Camp!

 Addison headed off to teen camp at Kulaqua this year.  Teen girl's camp was a little nutty to try and get into - we have always registered the boys on the morning of January 1st, but when Amy went on to register Addison at the same time, it was already full!  What!?  So some of the girls had made it into the teen camp and we registered Alison, Addison and Elin into junior camp and then put them on a waiting list....thankfully during the 7th grade spiritual retreat Amy received a call from the camp director that she had some slots open up and all three girls were able to move up to teen camp - although they were in two cabins rather than one.  Addison, Elin and Victoria were in one cabin with Lily, Alison and Lele in the other - which was just across the hall.

Elin, Addison and Lily

May it be a super fun week - you will be missed sweet girl!

Lily, Alison, Addison and Elin

While we waited in the car line, we were able to see Kaleb!  It was hot and humid, we felt for them standing out in the blistering sun!

Nike and Kaleb

We've missed you kiddo!

Kelli and Amy carpooled, which always makes the trip go through a little faster and more fun!

We are off!

Addison did enjoy teen camp and had a great time rotating through the different activities each day.  She jammed her finger near the end of the week but thankfully it was not broken.  A more recent new friend Pastor Alex was there, so she sent a few pictures during the week of Addison at the various events.  Addison volunteered at one of the morning worship sessions for one of the illustrations

Her final creation

And having Kaleb there meant that we also got a random picture here and there!

While Addison was away at camp, Amy took the opportunity to do her every 5 year colonoscopy.  This would be the second one - this time she did the pills instead of the drink - the drink possibly is better as it works faster but both were ok.  Thankfully no polyps again this time - so another completely clear report. She took slightly longer to wake up this time, but still felt really good afterwards so we went for lunch at the local Sakari Japanese Bento box place and then we went and looked at bath tubs etc as we are starting to plan on the re-do of our master bathroom in the next year (it takes a long time for us to choose things.....)

Waiting for the procedure to begin - ready and waiting!

Still smiling afterwards at lunch!

He fits!

And while Addison was away, Karis was hard at work helping to set up for the Forest Lake SDA Church VBS program which was the next week.  His handy-man skills came in handy for sure!

Random events:

Kelli and Heather took the kids down to a pottery painting event for Turkish pottery.  What a fun afternoon!

And a movie outing with London and Nalexi

Memorial Day 2026 Weekend

Over Memorial Day, Stephanie Vohwinkel was in town and we were excited to be able to have her spent the weekend with us.  Her daughter Sophia was in the AdventHealth summer RN internship here in town, so Stephanie was enjoying some time with her after spending a few days here on work business. 

We took Sophia and the Zs out on the boat - what a lovely day!

Sunday saw Kaleb packing up his car, and heading out to Camp Kulaqua to be a junior camp counselor.  It was his first time, and it was for one month.  Sneak peak, he had a great time and handled the kids fantastically!  He was a relief counselor (2 hours rotating around cabins each time), day-off counselor one week (where you take a different cabin every 24 hours) and then the last week he held a cabin of his own. 

We will miss you!

On Monday Memorial Day, we had Addison's friends over to tube, including the 8th grade girls and then invited the parents over that evening for burgers.  It was a great evening and we laughed and visited and got to know the parents a little more

Penny, Alison, Lele, Lily, Addison, Raylin, Alexa, Amaya (and Taylor was not in the picture)

Emy is Alison's little sister, and she had a great time with the big girls!

This week also saw Amy and Karis both having a birthday. 

Mexican food

Culver's Ice Cream for Karis

Graduations Galore & Menopause!

With Kaleb being a Junior, Orangewood includes the Juniors in their Senior graduation ceremony.  It is held on Friday before Sundown, and we were able to head over there to the Northland Church to watch.

Juniors walk across the stage and are handed a candle from the Seniors as the proverbial "mantle" is handed from the Senior class down to the Juniors.  The juniors wear a black cape and the seniors wear red.

Friends Becca and Ashlynn. We couldn't find his male friends in the mad crush of people

The FLA graduation was the same weekend, so Sabbath we were delighted to be able to head over to Biris to celebrate the graduation of Jonny Biri, Kieran Cochran, Andreas Mayr and Max Genanian.

The Saturday night FLA graduation is the major event, and Heather was able to get 2 extra tickets so Amy and Kelli could attend to support Kieran.  Congratulations Kieran!

Kaleb, Cameron, Becca, Leticia and Lily

Micah Hillmon

John Mark Touchard

Jackson Holland

Jonny Biri

And one of the moms!

The same week on Tuesday was the FLEC 8th grade graduation, held at Spring Meadows church.  We headed over to support Addison's 8th grade girl friends and of course Devin Cochran and Blake Holland.

Devin Cochran

Amaya, and 7th grade friend Penny

Blake and Raylin

And another 7th grade friend Lily

On Sunday, Amy and some lady friends went out to the Samantha Bee Menopause comedy show at Dr. Phillips.  We went out to eat lunch at Thrive beforehand.  It was very fun and we laughed a lot - it is better to laugh then cry 😂

Maria, Kayleith, Olesea, Erika, Kelli and Amy

On Sunday, Addison went to Disney with Alison S in order to see the Christian artist Joshua Queen - it was a fun time!

And in a random picture, how sweet is it that Addison still likes to hold a parent's hand!  Love this!

Happy Mother's Day & School Year Starts to Wrap Up!

May is always busy with lots of fun activities, and we enjoyed a new restaurant for this year's Mother Day breakfast!  We went out to the Peach Valley Cafe, which was pretty good.  Grandma, we love you very much - you are a blessing to us and we are so happy that you live in town with us and that we can see you often!

Happy Mother's Day!

Waiting for our table inside where it is cool and not humid!

The church always does a nice set-up for pictures on Mother's Day Sabbath so we took the opportunity with at least one of our children who was in the vicinity!

We hung out with the Js for a bit and the boys were able to go out on the jet ski which was neat for them to be able to experience that.

May finds the end of the FLEC school year and therefore the flag football also came to an end.  Addison was on the co-ed varsity team and they had a fantastic season and won the finale!  Congratulations team!

Catching the ball

One very sad farewell that we said in May was to Ms Esther - the choir director for Una Voce.  She has been amazing but made the decision that it was time to retire and move up to Tennessee in order to take care of her aging parents.  We will miss her greatly - what an amazing experience to be able to participate in the musical plays and the trips over the years with both Kaleb and Addison.

Aletha, Ms Esther, Laura the choreographer and Eric the AV expert!

The final concert at Apopka SDA, what a pretty church with the glass windows behind!

The 7th grade culminates in the science class with the pig dissection.  Karis always helps volunteer so it was his chance now this year with Addison!

She got the pig brain out intact for extra points!