Keeping Up With The Caswells: Christmas Card 2022

Well, folks, it appears that this blog is not well kept.

I started it years ago, and sometimes I get the urge to write something and publish it on this blog, but the fear of the first blog back not being enough of a milestone, I never commit to writing it.

Admittedly I don't expect that I will be able to keep up with it through 2023 either, but even if I purely write this for my own benefit, I want to record some of these sweet memories from 2022 & a snapshot of each of the kids at this time. The last 7 years have flown by, and I retrospectively wish I had done a Christmas card each year in this same manner, so they were all together... That fact is what brings me here today!

2022 was a year for growth! As I am putting together our annual photo book, I go through thousands of pictures that I have taken in the last year, and I am always in awe of how much the kids have grown in just one year! I love to look back at all the fun things we have done in a year, the mundane things that we find joy in, and also the ways God has shown up on our challenging days. I pray that you have a blessed holiday and that you also can reflect on the ways God has provided, protected, and helped your grow this year.

Let's start with the oldest two children: Dakota and Kiley. I hesitate to group them together because of course they are two independent young ladies that are blooming at their own rate, yet their paragraphs could be quite repetitive if I wrote it up separately because they share many interests and milestones.

Dakota and Kiley turned 10 the week before Christmas! We celebrated by having a birthday bonfire on the beach with Jason’s brothers and their families that were in town for a visit. For their birthday, Jason and I signed them up for a 3 day horseback riding camp. In the beginning of the year they finished their soccer season, tried out a new sport in softball, and also participated in swim team in the summer. One day of horseback riding was all we needed to know that they had found their “thing.” So, at least for now, they have started weekly horseback riding lessons. We really enjoy the ranch that runs the lessons and they have learned so much already! Another highlight for Dakota and Kiley was participating in Camp Paws this summer at the Humane Society. They are passionate about caring for animals, and this year that has also transferred to being passionate about caring for the environment as well. It is so fun to see their interests and passions develop as they grow and become more independent!
They are both in 4th grade. They are in different homerooms, but they have the same two teachers. They are very good readers and read lots of books at home. Dakota also enjoys Coding Club and Kiley participates in Quest. Both of these are activities that let them explore STEM activities. Another big milestone for them is that they have earned some independent privileges in the kitchen. Not only are they helpful to me in the kitchen, but now they also are able to cook their own eggs and put together simple recipes.
Recently I have enjoyed watching them work in the yard as they are building their own clubhouse with scrap wood. They have designed it and are executing the plans as independently as they can! It is so much fun to have big, independent, and creative kids!

Gorgeous setting for their birthday bonfire on the beach in Gulfport.

Dakota at horseback riding

Kiley at horseback riding

Kiley (L) and Dakota (R) enjoyed continuing to volunteer at the Humane Society after Camp Paws. In fact, they have asked to use this as a reward for excellent behavior at home!

Dakota (L) & Kiley (R) at the beach for Fall Break

Fishing off the pier over Fall Break

Kiley (L) & Dakota (R) at Camp Paws

Dakota (L) & Kiley at Camp Paws

Dakota climbing trees in Pass Christian

Kiley climbing trees in Pass Christian

Dakota at Mardi Gras 2022

Kiley at Mardi Gras 2022

Kiley (L) & Dakota (R) softball ready!

Nora

Nora is in 2nd grade, and she got to loop up with her loved first grade teacher which worked out great! She was very excited to be invited to join Quest this year. She has claimed the blanket/game closet as her cozy reading nook and takes many trips to the library between her class's weekly visits to exchange the chapter books she has already finished. Nora is very social and makes friends everywhere she goes. She is involved in soccer, softball, and swim team. She would do just about any activity or sport that we would allow her to try (& she would probably excel in anything she tried!), so we have to ask her to stick to her favorite sports! I absolutely love how she has her own unique fashion sense. It is not uncommon to find her dressed to the nines and accessorized head to toe… playing softball in the backyard mud. She loves to tag along with mom or dad anywhere they go, often volunteering before she even knows where we are going. She is often first to offer help in the kitchen, pick up the baby, or with whatever project Jason is working on. At the beginning of the year, she mastered riding a bike without training wheels which has given her a lot of independence and confidence. When we were at OWA amusement park over Fall Break, she and Jason were the only ones brave enough to conquer Rollin' Thunder, the alarmingly huge and twisty rollercoaster. She was also the only Caswell to catch a fish on that trip! 2022 was definitely a year of growth for her!

Nora at Mardi Gras 2022

Caswell girls ready to PLAY at Tropic Falls (OWA!) The white structure behind the fountain is part of the roller coaster that Nora and Jason conquered!

Friends on the soccer field!

Nora as a "Cranberry" In the Thanksgiving musical.

Nora picked the BEST BOOK OF 2022 for her book fair project, and she worked very hard. The result was impressive!

Pajama Day & Christmas party at school

Making Christmas cookies at Grandma's

Evelyn

Evelyn started Kindergarten this year! It makes my heart swell with pride when I think about how much Evelyn has learned and grown already in just a few months since kindergarten started. She has made so many friends and made a lot of progress with her academic and independence skills. I am consistently impressed when my free spirit sits down to do her homework. Her focus is so precious. Still, she has not lost her endless imagination and spunk! She is still a spark of energy and adventure, yet also loves to snuggle up with me to read a book. She loves to climb trees and run wild and free! For Christmas Santa brough her a ninjaslack line for the backyard. It should be perfect for her to climb and jump and expend all that energy in a fun way! This summer she learned how to swim by being on swim team. She picked it up really quickly and she loved being able to participate in something her big sisters were doing too! Evelyn has the kind of sweetness in her soul that makes you believe in the magic around you. She loves all things rainbows, mermaid, glitter, and unicorn (and SWEETS!). One of my favorite memories from 2022 with Evelyn is gathering around the fire pit and listening to her "spooky" stories that she dreams up.

Evelyn turned 5 in May

Before Evelyn started Kindergarten we spent lots of time together at the Children's Museum & around town!

Evelyn was recognized as the good citizen in her class at school. Her explanation makes me laugh every time I think of it. She told me, "They announced my name on the speaker and I went to the gym and they gave me cookies. There are good citizens, and there are bad citizens. I am a good citizen." HAHA! There are a few holes in her story, but I loved her version!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Evelyn from 2022! The rainbow unicorn swimsuit with the fringe is SO HER!

Tucker

Tucker is 3 years old and every bit of that. Looking back on the pictures and memories from this time last year it is hard to believe he has grown so much in just one year! His favorite things to do are play with magnatiles, chase his sisters with a shovel, and insist I read the same books over and over, or ask for something specific to eat, then insist that I did it wrong and demand something else to eat... His favorite book is "Room on the Broom" and his favorite shows from the year were Blippi the Musical (YES someone actually made a MUSICAL for blippi... and the biggest surprise is that the songs are SO CATCHY!) and Paw Patrol. One big milestone this year is moving into a big boy bed in his own room. We transformed the playroom and half bath into Tucker’s room with a full bathroom. The renovation was a headache, but we are very happy with the result! Right now, the bathroom is a guest bathroom and the girls also use it, but eventually we will make it Tucker’s own space, because as the only boy, we figured he needs a little bit of space for himself! He loves to play with his sisters (or terrorize them if they don't include him, like little brothers do!). He cracks us up when he puts on a show he calls parade. When he loves something he is eating, he hums, and it makes us all smile. When he enjoys an activity we do, he clearly states that he wants to do that again tomorrow... so he has an ongoing list of things he wants to do tomorrow. While his big sisters are at school, we usually explore parks and playgrounds in our area, go to story time at the library, or go to the Children's Museum that is close to our house. At the beginning of 2022 we also had a membership to IMMS so we frequently visited to watch the dolphin show and pet the sting rays. Now that Maggie is a bit older I can see Tucker playing with her more and he is always making her laugh with his activity!

Tucker with Buc-ee himself on one of our stops on the way to the beach!

The beach is so fun with little ones! They love to explore, collect, build, and splash!

Tucker and Maggie at the local library story time

Tucker and Maggie joined us on a date to the local ice cream shop

Tucker and Jason enjoying the rides at OWA

Crafts at the library story time

Tucker LOVES riding the lawn mower (blade up!) with daddy!

Maggie

Maggie just turned ONE! Oh what a blessing she has been to our family this year! When I reflect on 2022 I could cry with how much I love her and how much she has taught me this year! She has been a light to our whole family. Her siblings are her biggest cheerleaders. It is so precious to see them cheer for her every milestone. She has done a lot in her 12 months on earth! We have traveled to New Orleans, Memphis, Pensacola, and Orange Beach. She also got to join me when I went to New Orleans for the Picasso exhibit with my friend for my birthday in the summer. In the fall, we were grieved to hear that my cousin Dan, a St Louis Police Officer and Navy veteran died. With the help of a lot of family and friends, Maggie and I were able to make the very last-minute trip so I could attend the funeral. This meant Maggie also got to fly on an airplane and stay in a hotel for the first time. It also meant she got to meet her great grandma Dee-Dee for the first time (and eat IMO's!).
Maggie is on the verge of walking and is eating anything that is offered to her. She is happiest when she is within 6 inches of mommy, but she is beginning to venture out a bit more. She is constantly entertained by her big siblings and the dog. She is happy to tag along to all her big siblings' events and has figured out how to catch Zzz's in the car or in the wrap - basically wherever she can! She started December with 2 teeth, but in the last couple of weeks there are 2 more out and working on 2 more! I know that 2023 will be another year full of big milestones and growth for her and I am so happy that I get a front row seat for it all!

First time in the pool and she loved it!

Picasso Exhibit was a wonderful experience!

So much fun with her big sisters!

What a difference a year makes!

Jason

Jason finished another year working for Memorial Hospital in the orthopedic clinic. We are so proud of him for all he does at work, but the really incredible thing is the way he comes home and still manages to find time and energy to take kids to practice, keep up with yardwork and house maintenance, grab a broom when necessary, and help with homework or throw a ball, and most importantly lead our family in our faith walk! People often ask me how I can “do it” with 6 kids, but the answer is, “I don’t do it alone!” It is definitely a team effort and I have a great teammate! This year he has also made time to go on a Cursillo Retreat through the diocese and make a few trips with us as a family to Memphis and New Orleans. We were also able to go on a family trip to Pensacola with my family, but we spent a lot of that time caring for sick kids. An opportunity came up for us to take a last minute trip to Orange Beach over Fall Break. We stayed in a house that was right on the bay and walking distance to the beach. Jason took the kids fishing off the dock in the evenings and we walked to the beach or enjoyed the view from the balcony in the day. We are at Lambert's on the way and played cosmic mini golf. We also went to the OWA amusement park while we were there and we had SO MUCH FUN!

Kathleen

I am still a stay-at-home mom, and I am so thankful that I get to do this for this season of my life. There are long hard days, but overall I know it is an incredible blessing that I am able to be present with the young kids during the day and pick up the big kids in the afternoon (late, usually!) I am still participating in Bible Study Fellowship for my 9th year (although I have taken some breaks in different years). Jason and I have also taken an hour of adoration at the 24/7 adoration chapel this year. I have been feeling the pull to build up a community of families and look forward to what this might look like in the new year. I still make time to paint, although it turns out having six kids takes up a lot of time, and newborns and 3 year olds don’t seem to sleep a lot, or at the same time… and when they do, I am usually too exhausted to pull out my brushes! Still, one of the most exciting things in the art department was becoming a published illustrator for a children’s book! It has been a huge learning adventure and surprisingly a lot of fun! (THANK YOU to all who supported me through this!!!) I am still consistently amazed at how God can use my art and my hands to bring Glory to Him! (Yes, even painting dogs and cats and Easter baskets can be used to His Glory!)
I was asked to join a book club this year and I have really enjoyed that! I managed to keep track of the books I have read/listened to this year and I read 41 books in 2021. This year I am beginning the Catechism in a Year with Fr Mike Schmitz. If you did Bible in a Year in 2021 or 22, I would love to have you join me on this journey!