Friday nights this fall are spent watching two football games. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that this guy is already playing high school football.

He plays some defense

and starts on offense at the position that is becoming the Johanik trademark: center.

Jim is enjoying the opportunity to coach Peter.

(Although it’s not the first time he’s coached Peter)

If that pic doesn’t remind me how quickly time is passing, considering the fact that my second-born is a senior in high school surely does.

The varsity team makes a grand entrance during each home game, with Derek carrying the maroon flag.

After singing the national anthem,

Derek and his fellow captain, Ben, pray together.

Then he proceeds to pour out every bit of strength and grit he has onto the field.

Saturday was game day at USAFA. Some of us participated in the squadron tailgate before the game, while my dad picked up the boys at the airport.

We caught up with Jake’s good friend Michael and his parents.

We also caught the football team walking into the stadium behind the marching band.

Jim, Derek, and Peter took off from Chicago bright and early Saturday morning, just ahead of a major storm system. We were very grateful they had an early flight! It was a sweet reunion when they arrived.

After the game, we all went out to an authentic German restaurant.

So authentic, there was a woman serenading tables with her accordion.

After church and lunch on Sunday, we left for home. We drove through several storm cells which made for an adventurous ride!

As usual, it was a bittersweet departure.

While Tiffany and I enjoyed some time at Starbucks, everyone else went to a WWII museum at Peterson Air Force Base. They loved it!

They went inside planes

and saw lots of other stuff (I wasn’t there, so I’m going by the pictures my mom sent!).

When we returned to the hotel, some of us swam,

and then ate Chick-Fil-A at the hotel lobby…

while livestreaming the WA football game. We were thoroughly impressed with the livestream! They do an excellent job with both the video and the commentary.

Here’s what was going on at home:

There was an hour and a half long lightning delay, which put a major dent in the amount of sleep Jim, Derek and Peter were to get that night before taking off for Colorado in the early morning.

Peter dressed for the varsity game and eventually went in as center. Here they are after the game (with Coach Johanik).

Dave and Judi not only were there until the very (late) end, but they also arrived at our house in the wee hours of the morning to drive the boys to the airport! Talk about dedication!

It’s hard to believe we just returned home from our third Parents’ Weekend at USAFA! Where has the time gone?

This year was a test of logistics: Jeremy, Ruth, my parents and I embarked on the 15.5 hour drive before the sun rose on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, Jim, Derek, and Peter stayed back for the WA football game Friday night and flew out to CO on Saturday.

My dad and I tag teamed the drive, while my mom kept us all fed and the van clean.

Friday morning, Jake’s fan club sat in the grandstands waiting for the parade to begin.

One of my favorite things about Jake attending USAFA is getting to see fly-bys! The F-16s flew overhead to mark the beginning of the parade.

When Jake marched in, Grandma waved to him from across the parade field.

Once the parade was over, we joined the multitude of parents to find our cadets. Once again, I am grateful for Jake’s stature.

It was nice to have Tiffany join us!

Ruth snagged Jake’s hat as soon as she could.

We hung out in Jake’s new room in the new squad in the new building.

See everyone sitting on the beds? I reminisced over two years ago when even leaning on the beds was strictly verboten. Ruth and Jeremy had fun trying on all of Jake’s uniforms.

While Jeremy was more of a goofball, putting hats on backwards and such,

Ruth really got into character.

But her goofball brother was never far from the picture.

We enjoyed touring the library. Jeremy got some studying done in one of the comfy chair pods.

My dad found the archive section and declared he would like to spend the rest of the weekend right there.

And Jake couldn’t resist giving an upper level math lesson on the white board.

Later, we joined the new squad for a cookout lunch.

The paper maché globes finally dried, so Jeremy and Ruth got right to painting them. Can you tell whose is whose?

I found it quite amusing that their personalities were evident even in a project like this. Because Ruth was carefree in how she applied the paper maché to the balloon, her globe was full of holes and very topographical. She said the whole globe was the Rocky Mountains.

Although we’re studying chemistry and physics this year in science, Jeremy couldn’t resist getting out the microscope after we killed a bee in the house.

The bee’s leg kept twitching, which Jeremy thought was ‘freaky’, so the observation didn’t last long.

For our most recent science project, we made lava lamps with oil, water, and Alka Seltzer.

I wasn’t sure if the bottle would explode so we promptly took the project outside. It did not explode, and we enjoyed watching the reaction!

It seemed that the weather heard football season was scheduled to begin Friday night and produced the cold, rainy weather we are accustomed to later in the season.

But it certainly did not deter the athletes. They came out strong and finished well.

Derek’s – and now Peter’s – loyal fan club was present. Aiden found Derek’s senior poster.

It was a packed house, despite the cold mist that fell all night. Let the season begin!

Another first day of school is in the books!

Derek 12th grade
Peter 9th grade
Jeremy 7th grade
Ruth 3rd grade
Jake (1000 miles away) College Junior

With Peter starting his freshman year at WA, we are doubly thankful for our proximity to the school. The boys have been walking together every morning.

Peter’s attendance at WA also means that our homeschool numbers are down this year. I’d say we are adjusting well, however.

This week, we worked on Geography and did a paper mache project.

We’re also studying physics and chemistry in science.

In the first week alone, we had several experiments, including this one on density.

We occasionally have neighbor kids come over to pet our menagerie of animals, and I’ve jokingly thought about charging admission to our personal petting zoo.

The guinea pigs continue to amuse us with their squeaks and chirps. They’re also showing an interest in sports, both football

and softball.

Not only that, but they are learning to read,

and have helped Ruth occasionally with English work.

On the canine front, we discovered that poor Molly had two abscessed molars. She had surgery to have them extracted last week. She was still a little loopy when we picked her up from the vet after the surgery, but she was definitely eager to get home.

The vet said that after they wake up from the anesthesia, most dogs lie down and sleep. Not Molly. She refused to close her eyes completely and watched through droopy lids as the technicians walked about the room. I diagnosed her as having FOMO (fear of missing out).

She finally gave in to sleep once she got home, and has been recovering well since.

August was a big month for Jake. After returning to school, he marched in the Acceptance Day parade. Only this time, instead of being the one accepted, he was the one accepting the doolies into the cadet wing, pinning shoulder boards onto their shoulders.

A few days later, he attended the Commitment Dinner, where he committed to remaining at USAFA for the next two years, and serving after that. It’s official!

We celebrated with him from afar, thankful for the way God led Jake on this path and continually walks with him. Jake sent a couple pictures from the night of the dinner.

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him (Psalm 37:23)

The football team decided to serve brunch to all the moms a few weeks ago. Someone (ahem) had the idea to do a crepe bar because he knew someone who knows a thing or two about making delicious crepes.

The night before their scrimmage, Peter was up late making 200 crepes. And those crepes did not disappoint, especially when filled with fresh fruit and cream cheese filling; and served up by the senior boys.

The senior boys also taught the moms a few things about football. We learned about A gap and B gap, gap defense, and trips right, among other things.

Ruth joined the fun.

Over the past three years, Derek has benefitted from wonderful coaches. They have helped him grow not only in the sport, but also as a young man. I am thankful for their influence in his life. Here are some of them:

On another note, I found this picture of Derek being interviewed about the season ahead. Ever since last October, he has been counting the days until the start of his senior season. He intends to savor every moment of it.

Jake’s unexpected time at home was just under two weeks, but it went by so quickly that it felt like two days. The four brothers did a lot of bonding–usually late at night. I would see the light still on at 11:00, make my way downstairs to tell them to get to bed, then see this:

They spent hours sharing memories from years past, mostly laughing. How could I put a stop to that?

We went to Great America for a day.

Seeing these guys walk around together

reminded me of another group of four guys.

The thrill rides did not disappoint.

Ruth hung with her brothers for almost all of the rides, though she opted out of Giant Drop. You either love the drops, or you don’t!

The next day, Jake got to spend time with Sam. They came back and played some pool,

and made s’mores. Grandma and Grandpa came out to see Jake one more time before he left for school.

Jake had bought a one-way plane ticket home, with the goal of finding a car here that he would drive back to school. That goal was accomplished, and after spending an afternoon at Uncle Dave’s learning how to detail a car, he returned with a sparkling clean automobile.

The first thing he packed into his new car? The telescope…leaving a bare corner in the front of the house. Now when I sit in my quiet time chair in the morning, this is what I see–a constant reminder that my oldest is out of the house and on his own.

He left long before the crack of dawn on Friday to make the drive back to USAFA. While Jim and I brewed him some coffee for the road, Molly headed out with him for one last goodbye. It was no surprise to come out and find him gazing up at the stars.

I was so thankful to God for the time Jake was home, realizing that these times with the seven of us are dwindling.

One of our primary goals during the time Jake was home was to head up to Michigan and visit with family on the other side of the lake. Since Jim couldn’t take much time off, we chose to make it a day trip.

Once we arrived in Holland, we stopped off to see the popular Albert K’s Cafe, started and run by my Aunt Ellen. I found this picture of Aunts Ellen and Chris:

After observing the steady stream of customers and the bustling work in the kitchen, we made a pit-stop at Chris’s to change into swim suits and pick up the tray of brownies and almond bars she had made for us to take to the beach.

Then we met cousins at the beach!

They had fun being goofy,

building castles,

and spending lots of time in the water.

The giant raft was a main attraction, and appeared to hold up under the weight of all the kids.

Another attraction was the Sea Doo. The kids (and adults) went out two-by-two and had a blast.

We ended the day by joining my Grandpa Barker and Aunt Chris for dinner at Bob Evans. Grandpa posed for a picture afterward with the kids.

As we drove back home, one of the kids commented that “it was a perfect day!” I had to agree.

Derek registered for a football camp at USAFA months ago. At the time, we did not think Jake would be able to come home for the summer, so they planned to connect while Jim and Derek were out there. As it turned out, Jake did come home–at the same time Derek and Jim flew out west.

They were trading places.

So while Derek was touring the locker rooms,

the field,

and having his picture taken in front of a green screen,

Jake (and the rest of us) went into the city for dinner at my mom and dad’s and swimming in the pool.

It was a good day for all.

Last Thursday was a busy day. It started out with Derek and Peter competing in the final day of summer football. The teams had been competing all summer: weight room competition, earning points for attendance, among other things.

The final day was the softball tournament. Last year, Derek’s team dressed in a Polish Christmas theme. This year, they went with a more monochrome theme: Blue Man Group.

Because costumes weren’t enough, Jim went to Menard’s to get materials to build a prop. Proving that you can learn just about anything online, he printed out instructions on how to make a Blue Man Group drumbone. The kids practiced.

Then Derek and Peter picked up some blue leggings, and I sewed a bunch of masks. It was truly a family affair. Here’s the team.

These guys contributed…

toward a softball tournament championship!

And because they won the tournament as well as the costume contest, their team won the overall summer competition. Way to go!

But for these guys, the day was far from over. They, and a couple teammates, joined the rest of our family at a golf course in Grayslake to volunteer at the annual Cru golf outing.

It was great to have the kids there to help. Ruth was my helper at the Square cashier station, while Jake and Jeremy greeted golfers and chatted with them. Before we even arrived, Ruth had been asking to drive a golf cart. Jake gave her her first driving lesson.

After taking the wheel with Jake in the passenger seat, she was eager to show me what a good driver she was.

Let’s just say it’s a good thing she is not legally allowed to drive for another 8 years. After I ended this video, she sideswiped a huge rock. Thankfully, no damage was done to the hearty golf cart; however, that was the end of her driving experience for the day. She later renamed the rock the “ruthless rock”. At least she had a sense of humor about it.

The course was beautiful,

and it was a neat sight as the golfers all made their way to their respective tees for the shotgun start.

Derek and Peter arrived with teammates in their jerseys to stand at one of the holes, representing WA and greeting golfers as they played through. The boys got some time at the driving range too.

A common sight was Jeremy putting on the practice green. I kept telling him he looked like a short adult man all day.

At the end of the outing, all the golfers gathered under the tent for dinner and a message. The gospel was clearly and compellingly presented. We were happy to have been able to participate in this special day.

Over a year ago, Ruth began saving up to buy a guinea pig. The money was burning a hole in her pocket as she waited until Jim and I decided the time was right.

Last week, we surprised her with a trip to Petco to finally adopt a piggie.

Ruth knew right away which of the six guinea pigs she wanted. And even though Jim and I tried to get her to at least consider others, she was undeterred from wanting the little white and brown one.

That one was in a cage with another little one that Jim thought was adorable. Long story short, we walked in to buy one and walked out with two.

Cinnamon and Sugar. I was very leery about owning not just one more animal, but two. But I must say that we have had so much fun with these piggies, and they seem happier to have each other.

If I was leery, Molly was downright apprehensive about them. But over the course of the week, she has warmed up to them. I’m sure she’s thinking, “Who let these animals in the house with us humans?”

Even grandma thought they were cute.

Thanks to Jeremy, Cinnamon joined me in my quiet time spot.

I think what I’ve enjoyed most is seeing the boys interact with them. The piggies do not lack attention in this house, that’s for sure. This video was taken after Ruth was tucked in bed.

It’s hard to believe we’re approaching the end of yet another month. Every month passes quickly, but for some reason, June, July and August seem to fly by.

We’ve built a couple fires in the fire pit.

Jeremy whittled sticks for s’mores.

We got together with backyard neighbors for a picnic.

Jim smoked meat for everyone.

Not only did he smoke for the picnic, but he he has smoked meat for Meat Monday every week during the summer.

It’s been a highlight of football camp, and neat to watch these guys bond.

This girl is growing up before my eyes.

We celebrated friend Bethy’s 9th birthday.

I brought home a mini WA baseball helmet. She immediately took it and brought down her two dolls: one football, one baseball.

Here is my view when I look behind me while cooking in the kitchen. My loyal mop.

Jake was a cadre during basic training.

Here, he’s leading his element to intramurals.

One day, we looked out the front door and saw this:

It has been another month of God’s faithfulness to us.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3)

Our final days in Colorado were spent walking around the village of Crested Butte and visiting the WWII Aviation museum in Colorado Springs.

We window shopped in the village, and the kids tried on lots of hats.

The mediterranean cafe–Pitas in Paradise–served up some delicious food.

There were dogs everywhere; even where you would least expect them, like behind the wheel of a truck.

Before driving home, we spent a day in Colorado Springs with Jake and Tiffany, touring the WWII Aviation museum. The guided tour began with a summary of the war.

The boys relished all the planes–actual and model. They observed that they had many of the same model planes at home, which they had assembled over the years.

We saw the actual trainer in which WWII pilots learned to fly.

A highlight of the museum was the simulator. Both Jeremy

and Ruth excelled in their flights.

That night, we stayed at Tiffany’s parents’ house. The girls were twins for the evening!

And a musical monkey made a guest appearance.

It was a great week in the beautiful state of Colorado. Until next time!

On July 4th, we decided to honor our country’s birthday by climbing a mountain. Our house was near the Collegiate Peaks, which include Mt. Yale, Mt. Princeton, and Mt. Harvard, among others. Derek and Parker decided to climb Harvard, which is the tallest and most difficult hike of the Collegiate Peaks.

Jim and I took the rest of the kids a little bit north to the highest peak in Colorado, as well as the second highest in the continental US, Mt. Elbert.

It was listed as a relatively easy hike among the 14ers in terms of technicality, though it was a hearty five-mile ascent to the top. We knew it would be challenging for Ruth, but wanted to give her a chance to do it. Ever since hiking Eagle’s Peak in 2016, she has been anti-hiking, so we hoped this would change her opinion.

The trek through the 2.5 miles of forest was fun and easy. As we rose above the treeline (around 11,000-12,000 ft), the view was spectacular. It reminded me of scenes from The Sound of Music!

Our pace slowed as we began feeling the effects of the low oxygen in the high altitude, but we pressed on.

The mountains will always hold a special place in our hearts.

It was at about this point when Ruth began complaining of dizziness and a headache. Unfortunately, altitude sickness had set in, so Jim accompanied her back down the long mountain.

They made the most of it when they finally got to the bottom.

Meanwhile, the two boys and I continued up. The higher we ascended, the less oxygen our lungs took in, and the slower our pace got. But our attitudes remained positive, and we were able to use the experience as a metaphor for life. Despite how difficult the trek was, we were determined not to give up–and we agreed that it’s no different in life.

We saw several unique sights along the way. Some were snapshots of beauty

while others–like the friendly, squeaking marmots romping around the rocks–were downright amusing.

We thought about Derek and Parker throughout the climb, knowing their hike was longer and much more difficult. We assumed they wouldn’t summit Harvard until we were well on our way back down Elbert. We were wrong. They reached the top while we were still early on in our own ascent.

Here’s what they saw on their adventure. Just beautiful.

After five hours (that’s averaging one mile per hour!), we made it to the summit. I was so proud of those two boys.

We really did feel like we were on top of the world, as we saw mountain peaks in every direction. I felt like it was more beauty than one pair of eyes can behold.

We did not linger long at the summit, as we could see storms developing around us and wanted to get below the treeline before they hit. The descent was nearly as difficult, and I felt like I was crawling at times. Peter, on the other hand, bounded down the mountain and then would stop and wait for Jeremy and me. This was a common scene as he waited.

We reached the base, exhausted, but feeling pretty good about our accomplishment. And I would do it again in a heartbeat! Speaking of heartbeat, I wore a fitbit during the hike, and at the end of the day looked at the stats. Only in Colorado.

By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation,
You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea;
Who establishes the mountains by His strength,
Being girded with might (Psalm 65)

While we did a lot of activities while in CO, we also spent a lot of time just relaxing at the house. A Johanik vacation tradition became a Johanik-Neathery tradition: jigsaw puzzles. We brought one from home that we had completed a couple years ago.

It didn’t take long for our large group to complete,

and once we finished it, we moved on to another one, which we found at the house (with the vexing missing pieces),

and another. Three puzzles in five days!

We played many board games. Among them were Monopoly

and a favorite of both families, Nertz.

Jake, who was in the midst of basic training as a cadre, was able to drive into the mountains to join us for just over 12 hours. We were all quite happy to see him.

We decided that the star of the week was Neal’s Traeger that he hauled in his car from Michigan. It provided every meal, and even some desserts. These are some meat-loving children here.

Ruth was occasionally Neal’s helper.

A couple family games we played were the “Old”lywed Game (because we parents are definitely not newlyweds) and the Sibling Game, both played like the Newlywed Game. Thanks to the Neathery kids, this brought some friendly competition between families.

Jim took some Neathery family pictures. Their kids are all in college, out of the house, so this time together for them was especially sweet.

Peter made breakfast one morning in the expansive kitchen.

And we girls enjoyed hiking on the mountain near the house.

Our friends invited us to join them on a trip to Colorado, staying outside of Buena Vista. I looked up what Buena Vista means in Spanish: good view.

I believe this is an understatement. This was the “good view” from the house we stayed in for the week.

Behind the house was a swiftly flowing creek. Here, Ruth is standing down by the creek with the house in the background.

One of the first days we were out there, all the guys went fishing.

In order to get to the lake, they had to hike a pretty steep and rocky mountainside with their gear.

It was worth it once they arrived, though, as the water was clear and the backdrop was gorgeous.

After many hours of waiting, and watching the trout pause at the lures then swim right by,

they came home with a whopping total of three fish. We ladies were hoping they would bring home dinner, but instead we ended up with appetizers. Delicious appetizers, I might add! After cooking the fish, certain family members enjoyed examining the head.

More to come later on our CO trip!