February Random

Katie MC'd her Valentine assembly at school.  She also won Mrs. Class Clown.  Not sure if I should be proud of this or not.  I will attest the girl is pretty witty though.

John surprised me with this cute Dr. Love for Valentine's Day.  That night we got together with the coffee ladies (and their guys) for a potluck supper.  A fun night!

Sunday I attended a prayer retreat at Cedar Springs.  It was a beautiful day so I spent some time walking around the amazing grounds.  

This came into the thrift store the other day.  I remember my mom making me lots of cakes with this mold!

I thought Katie was retiring her dance and character shoes now that Frozen is done but LC decided to do a Spring musical this year and guess who got a great part?  Our favorite actress will be playing the part of the witch in "Into the Woods" (junior) in May!  She is super excited!

Remember those big logs the guys were de-barking?  Here they are all up on the Love Shack.  It's coming along!

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Good thing too....our first wedding is just 112 days away!

TOLO 26

The last TOLO (girl asks guy) dance has come to the Hiemstra House.  

Katie asked a guy (just a friend).  Don't ask me what the sign means.  Apparently, it's an inside joke.  The whole sign thing kind actually kinda confuses me.  The girls made signs and "asked" the guys two nights before the dance.  But they are not actually using the sign to ask the guys because they've already asked them earlier.  Whatever.

He said yes.

Katie wore a dress borrowed from Paige who wore it to her senior year TOLO (she went with Sam of course) which was pretty fun.

These two are good friends.  They will really miss each other next year!

She even allowed a picture with Mom and Dad.  

Our baby girl is beautiful - inside and out!

Company from Down South, More Frozen, and Big Logs

My folks had literally just gotten to Arizona when they turned right around and came North again.  You know your Grampa and Gramma really, really love you when they give up sunny, warm Arizona to come to rainy, cold Washington to watch your musical.  My mom took me to breakfast one Monday morning.

Just a little plug for "Graze and Gather" if you're local.  Their "brekkie bowl" is amazing!  I was not compensated for this advertisement...although I should be.

James and Katie also drove up to watch the musical.  

This girl still loves to swing.  I'm glad she found someone to push her.

John put James to work stripping wood off of big logs that are going on the Love Shack.

Holly got in on the action too.

Gary and John cut a "trench" in them the next day and then the guys put them up.  They are going on all four corners.

More Frozen pictures.  I know I am super biased, but my girl is so much fun to watch, her facial expressions are the best!  These ones are from my favorite scene - Hygge.

It was such a fun show.  Katie was so excited that her family was there to watch.

Auntie Denise was there too.

And Holly's friend Lauren.

Seriously feels like I was just watching these two in musicals! This is from their senior year.

After the last performance, Katie was in charge of thanking all the volunteers.  She did an amazing job!

The director recognized all the seniors (27 OF THEM!) and we prayed over them.

I'm going to miss watching these two.

What's up

So, I was at Costco today and they have all the spring stuff out - fertilizer, hoses, those cool gazebos, etc.  Normally, I love this.  Today, I found my heart beating a little faster and my hands getting a little sweaty.  I have two graduations and two weddings coming up very quickly and I need more time.  It actually made me so anxious that I didn't even buy that mocha freeze I was planning to get because I thought of the dresses I need to squeeze myself into!

Anyway, here's a little of what us Hiemstras have been up to.

Katie's high school musical "Frozen" started.  Such a good show!  Katie was in the dance assemble and had lot of costume changes.

Her bestie Lucy had the lead of Princess Anna.  She did such a great job!

Per usual, Katie had lots of fans in the audience.

She was super excited when her friend Brooklynn surprised her by flying back from Dordt to see the show!

Of course these are her biggest fans.

The little in the woods is coming along nicely.  My niece Carissa was over the other day and called it our "Love Shack" so henceforth, that is how it is to be known.

I recently saw this nugget of news on Facebook. 

I wouldn't consider myself a highly sentimental person but this did make me a touch sad.  When I was at Dordt my Dad would send me gift cards to Hardees all the time.  And John and I would go there sometimes and split an apple pie sundae.  

Katie had a bunch of friends over the other day to get ready for a hometown rivalry (LC versus Lynden public) basketball game.  Obviously, the theme was "pink".  She has such fun friends.  I'm going to miss seeing all these girlies next year.

Wedding preparation packages arrive here frequently including this very large tarp John ordered just in case it rains....which it isn't.

John captured this cool picture of Keith in the love shack window.  He loves that cat.

Speaking of Keith, he has taken over Carly's coop.  It is his kill room.  Those are feathers in there. 

And finally, this.

So, so true.