Wow it's been a long time since I've been on here! I've wanted to write. Had good intentions to write. Just could not make myself sit down to write...until today! Grab a cup of coffee and get caught up with The Stemmons Family.
SPRING 2012
Spring got a bit busy for us. We finished our first year of Classical Conversations. Abigail LOVED learning about our great country, John 1 in both English and Latin, about our bodies, and skip counting. Ashby finally decided that she liked getting to play and do crafts in her own little class each week. Our Heritage Campus families were so wonderful and welcoming. We all loved the fellowship each Tuesday and we saw the start of some beautiful new friendships. We ended our year in April with a presentation by all of the Heritage Campus Classes. Very educational and entertaining.
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| Abigail & Her Abecedarian Class with Tutor Mrs. Schrader |
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| Abigail & her class learning new memory work |
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| Abigail & class as pilgrims during Heritage Campus Closing Ceremony |
We also wrapped up another wonderful year with our Ignite Homeschool Co-op. This was our second year in Ignite. Abigail really enjoyed her 3 classes, Zoololgy-Swimming Creatures, PE and Magic School Bus. I had the amazing opportunity to lead some incredible teenagers through
SOAR Discipleship Study. What a blessing! I also got to hang out with Ashby and the other cute toddlers each Thursday. In addition to the fun classes each week, we enjoyed worship time, several field trips and family events. We adore each of the families and I appreciate the opportunity to pour into some great kids and all of the wonderful people that took the time to pour into our girls.
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| Ashby & friends displaying their complete puzzle |
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| Lunch with friends |
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| Field trip to the Redhawks Ballpark |
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| Abigail performing her own song, "I Want To Be Like You" in front of all our Ignite friends |
We visited Disney World again in April. Scott's company had it's worldwide sales kickoff at the Disney Swan & Dolphin. The girls and I couldn't let him go with out us. We made it to Orlando the weekend before the conference started (without problems or delays this time!) and enjoyed a few days at the parks. Scott was in meetings for 3 days, so the girls and I took a couple of rest days and hung out by the pool. Once the meetings were over, we headed back to the parks for more family fun. It was our best trip yet!
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| Magic Kingdom |
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| Mickey was waiting for us as we walked into our first park! |
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| The girls finally got to meet Rapunzel |
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| We love Duffy The Disney Bear! |
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| Jungle Minnie in Animal Kingdom |
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| Waiting for the Main Street Electrical Parade on our final night at Disney World |
The weekend after we returned from Disney World, I ran my first half marathon. The
OKC Marathon is held each year in April to honor those that were killed in the 1995 bombing of the Murray Federal Building in OKC. The race starts at the Memorial in downtown OKC and goes through our neighborhood. It was the perfect first half for me since I've run our neighborhood for the past 2 years and was familiar with the first part of the route since I ran the 10k leg of the Memorial Relay last year. I also loved it because it is a beautiful way to honor the memory of lives lost and to celebrate the life and opportunity I've been given to make a difference. It was a rainy 60 degree day...really pretty hot for a 13.1 mile run. But I did it and was thrilled that I was able to run the whole thing. I only slowed down at the water/PowerAid stations to rehydrate. I started out with a few of my RAWR girls and my sweet friend Julie (who is so FAST and finished about 30 minutes before me) was at the finish line waiting for me. It was such a wonderful feeling! I felt really good until I was into mile 10. I kept looking for the miles 11 and then 12 signs thinking that the other mile marker had come so much faster. I was just a couple of blocks from my house at 2 different points and considered just going home, but I didn't. My goal was to finish around 2:30 and I did it! I am still running and loving it and will probably run the OKC Memorial half marathon again in 2013.
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| A friend of mine snapped this as the 2012 OKC Memorial Marathon began |
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| RAWR girls at the Memorial before the race |
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| Julie & I at the finish line |
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| 13.1 |
The girls also ran in the
Princess Run (Ashby's first and Abigail's second) with Julie and I. It was a 1.2 mile run for girls 12 and under that started at the Devon Boathouse and trailed along the Oklahoma River. Such a cute event with lots of pink, purple, sparkles and tutu's. Abigail and Ashby love running with mommy. Daddy and Nana came along to cheer us on and enjoy the festivities with us.
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| Princesses ready to run |
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| Enjoying the view and a/c in the boathouse before the race |
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| Made their own crowns at the craft station |
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| We did it! |
Like the rest of the state of Oklahoma, we loved cheering on the OKC Thunder in the NBA Playoffs and Finals. Scott and I were blessed with tickets during the regular season as well as the Playoffs and the last Finals game at the Chesapeake Arena. When we weren't at the games, we all watched from home. The girls would beg to stay up to watch until halftime. It was definitely a fun season and we are so proud of this great team. We can't wait for the new season to start in just a few short weeks!
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| Thunder love! |
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| Western Conference Finals |
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| We love the Thunder! |
Summer 2012
Our family joined
Twin Hills Golf & Country Club, so we spent the majority of our summer at the club playing golf, swimming and eating. Scott is a big golfer and I played a little before we got married. The last time I played was on our honeymoon in 2004. I got new clubs and shoes for Mother's Day and started playing. I LOVE it! Scott is super patient with me and is a great coach. Abigail participated in the Junior Golf Camp for 3 days and had golf play days most Thursdays with the club pros. She is really good and even better, she really likes playing. Abigail won the 6 year old girl Club Championship and got her very first trophy..she was super excited about that! Abigail needed to go up a size in clubs so Ashby inherited the little set and is showing interest in playing, too. We've been playing as a family at least once a week. So fun!
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| He's awesome! |
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| Ashby learning to hit the ball |
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| Abigail teeing off |
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| Cutest golfers EVER! |
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| Abigail heading out on the course with Coach Brandon & friends |
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| Putting practice |
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| Such a pretty swing. Teeing off for the Championship |
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| Putting |
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| Abigail and a couple of the girls at the Championship |
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| Abigail with her coaches |
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| Twin Hills Junior Golf Champion! |
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Twin Hills Junior Golfers & their trophies
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| Perfect date! 18 holes of golf with my love. He's a great golfer and coach. |
We were so thrilled to have a pool to go to this summer. Abigail could already swim a little. She got stronger and stronger, and by the end of the summer was swimming all over the pool. Abigail LOVES the deep end and jumping off of the diving board. Opening weekend, Ashby did not want to get her face/head anywhere near the water. She was happy just walking around with her floatie on in the shallow. It only took a couple of weeks and she started going under and swimming like a little fish. Midsummer, she started taking her floatie off to swim with Scott and I and eventually ventured to the deep end of jumped off of the diving board.
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| Abigail & Ashby LOVE the pool! |
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| Water fun |
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| The girls also like the cold treats on hot summer days |
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| Abigail on the diving board |
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| Ashby on the diving board |
The pool area also had a great playground/sand box, swings and basketball court. The girls enjoyed their snack and break time playing with Mr. Kevin, Ms. Sheena and new friends. We also spent all of our summer holidays on the golf course and by the pool. On Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day, Twin Hills had all sorts of fun events for the kids/family, a DJ and festivities to celebrate. It had to be our best summer yet!
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| Climbing |
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| Basketball with Ms. Sheena & Mr. Kevin |
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| Ashby & Daddy enjoying the pool |
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| Ashby, Abigail & cousin Jack on the 4th of July |
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| Hula Hoop Contest |
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| Water balloon toss |
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| Julie & Ashby stealing candy while the kids & lifeguards play games |
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| Slush Puppie and watermelon from the contest |
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| Ready for the Twin Hills fireworks |
Fall 2012
Back to school! We are back at our Classical Conversations Heritage Campus one day a week. Abigail has started her second year and Ashby is now in an official CC class. She is the youngest at our campus. Both girls are doing so well, learning so much, making new friends and having lots of fun. I am tutoring a 4 & 5 year old Abecedarian class. You can't imagine how much I love being able to do this. You must no that I was in no way interested in doing such a thing...kind of like homeschooling! When the Lord calls, I've learned it's always best to say YES. What a blessing! I am truly learning along with my girls and appreciate the opportunity to share my love of learning and homeschooling with other families. We just finished Week 5 and I am looking forward to learning more and more though the classical model with all of these kids and families.
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| First day of school at home-August 2012 |
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| Our first day of CC at Heritage Campus-August 2012 |
Both girls are doing CC Cycle 1: World-Historical Empires, People & Countries, Biology & Earth Science, Verbs & Prepositions, Declensions, Masters/Drawing, Composers & Theory, Exodus 20
(Timeline, History, Geography, Science, English Grammar, Latin, Arts, Music, Bible Memory)
Abigail is also working on:
Handwriting Without Tears
Spell to Read & Write
First Language Lessons
Writing With Ease
Math U See
Song School Latin
Ashby is working on:
Handwriting Without Tears
Hooked on Phonics (K)
Math U See
Song School Latin
Abigail started violin lessons in the spring. She is doing very well learning theory and how to play the instrument. Both girls are back at Metro Gymnastics one day a week and both play golf with Scott and I at least one day a week.
It's also football season, so you'll find Scott and I in Norman when the Sooners have a home game. This year, we joined the Sooner Club and got 4 season tickets. We look forward to taking the girls to some games. It will be Ashby's first time at an OU game. Can't wait!
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| I take their pic every year in Sooner gear on College Football opening day. The brainwashing starts early in Oklahoma. |
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| Boomer Sooner! |
So that's what we've been up to this year! I'm hoping to make time to do this a little more regularly. I do have good things to share from time to time. :) Thanks for catching up. I'll be back soon with birthday party posts.
~JEMMA
