Happy Birthday, Nate!!!

I have obviously been working on a lot of different blog posts over the last few days.  It is a busy time of year with school ending and especially this year with Megan graduating.  Sometimes when things are kind of busy and there is a birthday at that same time, the birthday gets a little tucked in amidst everything else.  But Nathan is a good sport and just rolls with whatever comes his way.  I am very thankful that he doesn't place too much stock in all the trappings and material items.  He cares more about getting together and less about the details.

I noted in a previous post that Grandma Foulk made a delicious dinner for us on Sunday to celebrate Nate's birthday.  What I didn't mention in that post was the fact that I had insisted on being the one to bring the birthday cake that day.  But with the beach party the day before, and preparing for the refreshments for Seminary graduation the next day, I totally forgot to make or even buy a cake.  Nate didn't care.  He was fine with bowls of ice cream for dessert.  Thankfully we got another chance on his actual day and did come through with a cake then.

It is unusual for the children to be out of school by Nate's birthday, but this year it happened.  We spent the day lounging around, watched a movie, and then had the missionaries over for cheese steaks and ice cream cake.  Both the foods we ate and having the missionaries over on that day were actually Megan's idea because one of our missionaries will likely be transferred next week and she wanted to make sure he had tried Nixon's cheese steaks before he leaves.  Nate was fine with that....whatever was just fine.  We finished off the day with a rousing game of Trivial Pursuit.

I promise...he did actually like this shirt

A little more awake....

...and maybe back to sleep?

Good morning and Happy Birthday!!

So, a very happy 15th birthday to you, Nate!!  We appreciate the huge help that you are to us and especially your willingness to roll with the punches and not take yourself too seriously. 

 We love you!!

Meg's Graduation -Seneca High School 2012

It is hard for me to believe that Meg could be graduating.  Although high school is not always a welcoming place to be or an easy experience to go through, Meg has definitely made the most of it.  She has very few friends who share her moral values, but she still manages to be good friends with a wide array of people.  We have been happy to meet and interact with many of them.  She finds the best in them and learns from them.  But I am especially pleased that she is definitely not shy about sharing her beliefs and inviting her friends to learn more about them.  Her teachers have learned from her as well and see her as a light and example to many, including themselves.  

Meg is ready to move on now, but she will take with her the many experiences and things she has learned during her time at Seneca High School.  Congratulations, Sweetie!!!

Members of Megan's student government homeroom 

Meg just before heading out to graduation

A close-up with her Honor Society pin and Seneca pin

She needed one photo with Ginny

Entering the stadium

Right after her name was called

Hugs from Miss Sabo

Hats in the air

Meg and Marianne

Kory and Megan

Megan and Katie

Laurel and Megan

Dad, Meg, Grandma, and Mom

Meg and Ev

Meg and Jess

Meg, Hope, and Olivia

Meg with Evan and Nate

Liv and Meg

Meg with her proud Mom and Dad

???

Meg and Kent

This was Evan's idea....a very nice sister

Meg and Mack

A hug from Jillisa

Sunset on the way to dinner

The traditional display of graduation paraphernalia that our graduate finds displayed upon arriving home from the "Grad Bash" held the night after graduation

CONGRATS TO ALL THE 2012 GRADUATES!!

A Crazy Last Minute Idea

So.... Meg has been saying for the last several months...."Hey Mom, how about you helping me finish that skirt that I cut out in Young Women's last fall."  But for some reason, she and I never got it done.  Well.....this week Meg was wondering what she should wear for her graduation night under her gown.  Here comes the crazy idea.  Yes, that's right, we chose the night before graduation to finally finish the skirt.  Well, kind of.  We actually realized about half way through the process, that the skirt called for a zipper which we had not bought.  So....we finished it all except for the zipper and the night of the graduation, I just sewed it up after she put it on.  She did a great job and looked amazing.  Now we just have to go find a 7 inch zipper.  :)

Just starting out

Here she is....the seamstress

Finished (well, kind of) product

A quick stitch job.  Hey, it stayed closed and there was a gown over it most of the night.  

It worked.  :)

Welcome Home, Elder Shipley

I wanted to put in just a few of the photos of the decorations and Lana and Med made to welcome home Brigham and his family.  They worked very hard to make it a special day for them.

NICE JOB, GIRLS!!

May Academic Awards

Megan and Nate were both honored at this year's Seneca Academic Awards.  Each received two awards.  Nate was honored for achieving a gold medal on the National Latin Exam and for being the number one Latin 1 student in the school.  Go Nate!!!  Megan was honored for receiving an academic scholarship from BYU-I and also by the Tabernacle Women's Association as and exemplary student from the Tabernacle sending district.  Great Job!!!!

With Attitude

Silliness 

What a crew!!

A Very Busy Week In Early June

Sometimes, the best way to tell a story or, in this case, about your week, is to "tell it in pictures".

Here are some photos that tell about some of our family's recent happenings.

(Wednesday) This first photo shows Evan after getting home from his first pack meeting.  He just started cub scouts in May and here he is with his Bobcat badge.  He is working hard toward his Wolf badge now and LOVES it!!!  Go Evan!!!

(Thursday) We had a friend give us some Phillies tickets for a day game this week.  We had actually gone to a wet rainy game already on Monday (which we lost) but decided to go again.  We also wanted to help celebrate Nathan's upcoming birthday, so we contacted the Phillies ballpark and they came and surprised him with this hat, some confetti, and having everyone in our section sing to him.  I think he was sufficiently embarrassed.  Happy early birthday, Nate....even though we lost again.  :(

After the confetti

View from our different seats

Nathan's name on the scoreboard

Brother and Sister enjoying the game

The youth of our ward also had a beach party on Saturday at Island Beach State Park.  The day itself was beautiful and we enjoyed the company as well.  Unfortunately, these happy pictures don't tell the story that ensued that night.  Nathan neglected to put sunscreen on and paid the price.  We were up a large part of the night trying to cool off that sunburn.  Hopefully, a lesson learned.

Nate, Sawyer Reeve (visiting from Utah), and Meg

Plus Steve in the water

Evan working on some serious sand construction....

...and taking it easy.  He burned a little, too, but since he had sunscreen on, it was not as bad.

Some of the ward members 

Working/Playing together

Sunday brought a missionary report and seminary graduation.  Elder Brigham Shipley returned from his mission in Thailand and Megan went to the Moorestown Ward to attend his report.  She and Lana Sikahema had, earlier in the week, decorated his home to welcome their family home as  they had gone to Thailand to pick him up.  

In between the report and graduation, we got to have a delicious dinner at Grandma Foulk's house and Nate and Meg got to open some birthday/graduation presents.

We were very proud that Megan not only graduated seminary, but did so with perfect attendance for all four years.  Now that's dedication!!  Great job, Megan!!

Meg and Grandma

Katie, Meg, Lana, and Katie

Angel, Danny, Elvis, Emanuel, and Rob

So pleased with your accomplishments, Meg!!!  We love you!!