March

 

The month started with Rooke's school hosting a basketball tournament.  The school body isn't typically hyped about coming to the games (the school heavily emphasizes academics), but the tournament was a fun event that a lot of students showed up for.

Some of the guys figured out I was taking a photo - ha!

Dear friends out for the night with Aunt Vallerie

Bridgette played in her age group all-star game!  

Rooke and Phil with a little 1v1 after Bridgette's game

Her last night as an eleven-year-old

Happy 12th Birthday, Bridgette!  Ryan took her EARLY to get cronoughts (their tradition)

Then she drove the boys' carpool with me and got a drink on the way home

At age 12 Bridgette is an extrovert extreme!  She loves basketball, Adventures in Odyssey, time with friends, crochet, reading her Bible, watching Dude Perfect, Starbucks refreshers, and although she can't help but grow up she is still ok with enjoying some "kid" things 

Gretchen and I took her out for lunch, her choice: Vietnamese pho

Happy Birthday from her friends!  We are so thankful for her great group of friends

The girls and I were grateful for a visit from Leia and her girls!

I tried a new thing: making sourdough pasta.  I have since improvised and found a better system for drying the noodles, but this was my first try - ha!

History Day at the girls' homeschool co-op.  Both girls dressed up as a "character" from a specific time period they studied and shared two recitations with their class.

We had friends from church over for lunch and after we shared our meal, Ryan took care of their little one so our friend could take care of our big guy =)

Hosting youth group night started with a game of Knockout in the driveway

For Spring break, we headed north and spent a few nights in the Poconos of Pennsylvania.  Rooke drove most of the four hours and I relegated myself and my nervous comments to the back seat where I could read and not pay attention to his driving - ah!  We enjoyed time hiking, playing games, visiting the local town, eating out, and spending a few days together away from the normal routines at home.

February

 

So much basketball this month!  Rooke's team from his school, celebrating their coach's birthday after a home game:

Silly Bridgette is always trying to snap a selfie

Gretchen and I had a night by ourselves and decided to take advantage of the unusually warmer weather and bike around DC, seeing the sights at night

There are always new things for us to explore in DC . . . the girls and I (plus our friend, Ruth) went up inside the Washington Monument and were grateful it was a clear day so we could take in the amazing views

Taking care of business while chopping onions - ha!

Happy Valentine's Day from Daddy

Rooke treated me to a coffee date on my birthday!  Well, he technically didn't treat me with the coffee because it was free for my birthday, but he treated me with his time, which is WAY better than any coffee.

Ryan also treated me for my birthday with a surprise visit from JESSIE!!  What a fantastic gift!!  We spend the first full day of her visit just the two of us, seeing some DC sights, visiting the Hillwood Estate, eating delicious food, and talking non stop.

More fun with friends!  The Broggis included the girls in a night roller skating

Thrift store shopping and coffee - yes, please!

When I pulled the shades up over our kitchen window, the beautiful morning sunrise made me gasp!

Bridgette played on two different basketball teams this year, and one of her teams played games in two different leagues!  She was a busy baller and loved every minute.

Some friends from church came to one of Rooke's home games with their sons, who shot around on the court during half time.

January

Look out - our big guy is getting permit practice behind the wheel! 

The girls and I took advantage of the super cool MLK library in downtown DC and opted for a change of scenery on our homeschool day

His last photo as a 15-year-old!

Happy Birthday, Rooke!  We made time for birthday breakfast cronoughts and Grammy Deb's breakfast casserole before the birthday boy headed off to school

Happy 16th birthday, Rooke!  

Bridgette had a game before Rooke's game later that evening - 4 out of 5 Paynes loves basketball season!

Rooke's birthday game. . . I honestly don't remember if Bridgette or Rooke won their games, but it was a fun day of sports nonetheless, and always great when extra cheerleaders come to the game!

Rooke shares a birthday with one of our good friends, so I brought balloons for them to the basketball game.  Bridgette convinced me not to completely embarrass Rooke by bringing them inside the gym, so I tied the balloons to the car - ha!  And in a twin birthday gesture, Philip gifted Rooke a Costco size box of his favorite cereal!

The birthday celebrations continued with Rooke's pick for dinner: Panda Express.  Meat pie happened on a different night when I had more time to cook.

I got to take this cool crew to a Wizards game (thank you VetTix!) 

Big Daddy came for a visit!  He timed his trip to see the most basketball games possible in the amount of days he could stay.  Unfortunately, weather caused 4 out of the 6 games to be canceled.  Boo!!  Thankfully, Big Daddy is chill and flexible and easy to have around, so we still enjoyed getting to hang out, even if it wasn't in the basketball gym.

Sunday morning breakfast with Ryan

Gretchen and friends heading off to a dance hosted by the homeschool co-op we attend

More basketball with more friends!

I jumped on the chance to be a chaperone for Rooke's class field trip to the Kennedy Center to hear the National Symphony Orchestra perform - yes, thank you!  The guys granted me a quick photo before we got to hear Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 - amazing!!