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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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June 20, 2011

Let’s Get This Block Party Started…Summer Activities for Kids!

WOO HOO! It’s finally here!
It is the first Official week of Summer and we are ushering it in with the first ever
Blogger Block Party!

I am even going to be getting some warm (FINALLY!) summer weather here in the
Northwest this week
so I couldn’t be happier!

Kiddos home from school + day after day of rain =
grumpy mommy restlessness and lots of time outs.

Now, every day this week you will be able to link up YOUR summer projects to one (or several) of the fabulous parties happening on our Block.
Just check them out…

DebbieDoo’s Blogging and Blabbing-Summer Paint Projects-June 20
At The Picket Fence (Vanessa)-Summer Activities for Kids-June 20
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia-Drop Cloth Projects-June 21
Savvy Southern Style-Summer Decks and Porches-June 22
DIY by Design-Outdoor Cooking and Dining-June 22
Elements Interiors-Summer DIY Projects-June 22
Green Door Girl Designs-Summer Fashions-June 22
No Minimalist Here-Summer Entertaining-June 23
SAS Interiors-Summer Spaces-June 23
Common Ground-A Vintage Summer-June 24
French Country Cottage-A Shabby Cottage Summer-June 24
Stuff and Nonsense-Summer Sales (Thrifting, Flea Markets and Yard Sales)-June 24
At The Picket Fence (Heather)-Fresh from the Garden (Garden Recipes and Projects)-June 24

Party Features and Wrap-Up-June 25

We are kicking off this rockin’ Block Party here at the Fence with a Summer Activity for Kids I did last week with my kids which not only helped fight the “I’m Bored Disease”, but also got us outside and running around!

Now, let me just tell you that we do indoor scavenger hunts all the time at our house.
When you live where it rains a lot you have to get creative.
And a scavenger hunt is a great way to keep your kids out of your hair  happily occupied for awhile.
I have even been known to hide pennies around the house in a moment of desperation!

But in the summer, we take the fun Outdoors!

I started by purchasing these galvanized metal buckets from Lowes.
The size was just perfect for little hands while also providing plenty of room for holding all of the treasures!

I taped off small squares and then sprayed on chalkboard paint to create a space for each child to decorate their bucket. This was my first time doing any chalkboard paint projects (I know I’m the only person in blogland who hasn’t used it yet but don’t judge!) and if I were to do it again I probably wouldn’t use it in the Spray Paint form.
It was very hard to control and well…it leaked and dripped and my lines didn’t come out just perfectly.
But, even with it’s imperfections, the kids sure did love adding their names
(or having mommy help to write it) to the buckets.

My best piece of advice about creating your list of items to hunt down is
KNOW YOUR PARK!
Or neighborhood, or backyard etc.
The items I selected were ones I knew the kids would have no trouble finding at this particular park.
I printed out wallet-sized images.

And then the little Miss (in all of her bed headed glory!) helped me glue each one to it’s own construction paper card. I had intended to have these laminated but…well…life got in the way.
I’m thinking that having this time with my girl to do a craft together was better than having them laminated anyway! Don’t you?
Once they were ready, I punched holes in each one and then tied them onto
the bucket with a little piece of twine. 
And then I did that 3 more times!

Why 3 more times? Because we invited some of our favorite friends to come along!
My wonderful friend Kara and her darling children are so special to us and we love any chance to have a playdate with them. Her son and daughter are roughly the same age as mine and they all have a blast whenever they are together.
This is sweet Miss Elisabeth checking out her bucket and cards.
And even baby Charlie joined in the fun!
Now, you will notice that these photos have a lot of “Pink” in them.

That would be because I could NOT get the boys to stand still long enough to snap their photo.

Go figure!
But I begged Britton to show me what was in his bucket and snapped this one before he knew it!
My own son was less obliging so I don’t have any of him.
This was such a fun way to spend a summer afternoon. The rain stopped just long enough for us to do the Scavenger Hunt and then started up again just as we finished. We moved the fun to our house for the rest of the afternoon and it was the perfect way to kick off our Summer Break!
A project like this could be done in so many different ways and doesn’t even need to be more complicated than giving your kids a list of items and a paper bag to store them in.
I would encourage you to have a few of these activities planned for your kiddos throughout the summer. They are a wonderful way to enjoy nature and each other!
Thanks for joining me as we kick off a week of fun here at the Fence. I’m going to be heading on down the block to visit Debbie over at DebbieDoo’s Blogging and Blabbing Paint Party to link up my Chalkboard Scavenger Hunt Buckets. Hope you will hop over the fence with me and come along! And make sure to get your Drop Cloth Projects ready to share over at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Kristin’s party on Tuesday!
Now, did we happen to mention that there are also going to be GIVEAWAYS on
every corner of this Block?

That is a total of 13 Giveaways!
Here are the wonderful sponsors of our Blogger Block Party.  They are all providing fabulous items for our giveaways!

The sponsors for today’s Summer Activities for Kids Post are the amazing folks at Twisterz Toys!
These incredible educational games are “designed to inspire creativity, learning and parental involvement.”
The winner of this prize will receive the “Clifford Category Matcher” and the “Word Girl Word Builder“. These would be absolutely perfect to take along on that summer road trip or even to have when the grandkids come for a visit. But really, they are fantastic to have anytime and anyplace and we encourage you to pay a visit to the Twisterz Toys website to check out more of their incredible products! Giveaway winners will be drawn from party links so make sure to link up lots of projects!

Now, who’s ready to party with us?! Here’s how it works!

Link up your themed related post(s) on each blog as it goes live on their party day. Your links will appear on all twelve blogs that are hosting the party as their posts go public! That means your posts will appear simultaneously on all of our blogs once you have linked them up and will be there throughout the party! You are welcome to share as many summer posts as you like related to the themes…and trust us there’s a theme for everything! That’s it. Just find a theme related to your post during the week and link up to it…for one HUGE link party!”

44 Comments Filed Under: Blogger Block Party, Good Ideas, Kids

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Previous Post: « A Father’s Love…Simply Sunday
Next Post: The Party Continues…Drop Cloth Magnetic Wall Art »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. ⚜ ↁℯℬℬᴵℰ⚜ says

    June 19, 2011 at 10:10 PM

    I love this idea…really this could be for kids of all ages. I can see a teen girl loving the bucket too for her bling bling. Thanks for this fun party!

    Reply
  2. Honey at 2805 says

    June 19, 2011 at 11:02 PM

    Such cute ideas for the kiddos! And a great idea for a giant summer party!

    Reply
  3. Debbie says

    June 19, 2011 at 11:04 PM

    I used to love to do scavenger hunts with the girls and my nieces. We particularly liked it on snow days. (They are a RARE treat around here. Nowadays, rain days are, too.)

    I think your pails and the cards are inspired. I love this in a big way. Wish I still had little ones around this joint.

    Reply
  4. alison says

    June 19, 2011 at 11:43 PM

    all linked up…hoping i did everything right! i love the scavenger hunt idea and nature notebooks you made…so cute…eek…can’t believe the party’s finally here!

    Reply
  5. Pattie says

    June 20, 2011 at 12:46 AM

    So cute…. I wish my Tia was little again… she would have fun doing this project.

    Pattie

    Reply
  6. marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says

    June 20, 2011 at 1:23 AM

    What a fun idea. The buckets are such fun and everyone looks like they are having a ball. Hugs, marty

    Reply
  7. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    June 20, 2011 at 2:23 AM

    Vanessa what a great idea, I love it and I know my Victoria would have a blast doing this! Looks like I’ll be heading to Lowes for those buckets! Martina

    Reply
  8. Ashley says

    June 20, 2011 at 2:28 AM

    Great idea! The kids looked like they were having a blast. I will have to check out Lowes for some of those buckets.

    Reply
  9. ❀ⒹⒺⒺ❀ says

    June 20, 2011 at 2:44 AM

    I love this idea! This is a wonderful way to get the kids outside and have fun in the sun.

    Dee

    Reply
  10. Sherri @ Design2Shine says

    June 20, 2011 at 2:45 AM

    The pails are adorable! And I am betting my ‘new’ 3 yr old would LOVE a scavenger hunt. We’ve been trying to come up with fun summer budget ideas – adding yours to the list!

    Reply
  11. Jenny says

    June 20, 2011 at 2:49 AM

    My friend Leslie at Goodbye House, hello Home told me about the Blog Party! How fun! Thanks for hosting!
    Jenny @ https://www.thesoutherninstitute.com

    Reply
  12. radn@HouseonAshwelllane says

    June 20, 2011 at 3:06 AM

    Love the scavenger hunt idea! Fabulous!

    Reply
  13. Denise says

    June 20, 2011 at 3:11 AM

    A great idea! I can see this working for birthday parties too! So….let me see if I have this right….it doesn’t take much to confuse me!:) If I link to your post, it should be a kids projects or ideas post? And so on during the week, depending on that blogs theme? This is a wonderful idea by the way. And I know, lots of work! FUN FUN!!

    Reply
  14. Sweet Young Journey says

    June 20, 2011 at 6:56 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
  15. Sweet Young Journey says

    June 20, 2011 at 6:58 AM

    This is my first time linking up and I would like to say thank you for hosting!
    I’m looking forward to future parties!
    : )
    Cheryl

    Reply
  16. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    June 20, 2011 at 3:54 AM

    Hey Vanessa~ I don’t have an activity for kids post to link up today but wanted to stop by and say thanks for the party! 🙂

    Reply
  17. Ivy and Elephants says

    June 20, 2011 at 11:04 AM

    I absolutely can’t wait to do this project with my three year old and his friends. I actually think using the chalk board spray may have been the better idea. The paint on chalkboard paint can be a little tricky as well. This looks like soooooooo much fun.

    Paula of Ivy & Elephants.

    Reply
  18. Lesley Litrento says

    June 20, 2011 at 12:23 PM

    I’m confused. I came here to see links to kids activities and I am seeing Debbie’s projects on your page…. Am I crazy?? I have refreshed and come back a few times and I see you cute post about the bucket scavenger hunt, but the links are not kids stuff. What am I doing wrong?

    Reply
  19. kara@elements-interiors.net says

    June 20, 2011 at 2:25 PM

    OKAAAY! Cutest thing EVA’!!!
    I LOVE this…such a great idea! I am SO doing this! Im STILL trying to finish getting my store moved…so, that has caused CHILD NEGLECT! OOPS! I mean, they are with my parents everyday { Dont call CPS! } but they have been a little neglected, EEkkk! SO, this will be a great thing for me to do with them! I managed to get a post up, YAAAAAAY!
    Thank yall again for letting me be included in your party as a host! I NEED NEED NEED some traffic…my Blig has been a lil neglected too! YIKES! { DONT call BPS-Blog Protective Services, either :-O }

    LOVE YALL!
    xoxokara

    Reply
  20. Wendy says

    June 20, 2011 at 3:01 PM

    My neighbor just mentioned doing this with the kids, as we are trying to encourage them to play in the woods a little more! I’m totally going to have to copy you! Now, if only it would stop raining!

    Thanks for hosting this fabulous blog party!

    Reply
  21. Samantha Lynn says

    June 20, 2011 at 3:44 PM

    CUTE idea!!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  22. Sue says

    June 20, 2011 at 6:31 PM

    Okay, I’m confused….(which really isn’t anything new!) but wasn’t this linky party for and about summer activities with the kids? I’m seeing other stuff linked up~ Am I nuts? LOL
    hugs, Sue

    Reply
  23. At The Picket Fence says

    June 20, 2011 at 7:04 PM

    Hi Sue no you are not nuts..lol I was going to email and then decided maybe I should put it on here in case anyone else has questions related to the party.

    The link part of the party is a shared link on all 12 blogs. Our individual posts will be themed
    related and projects will be kind of grouped together by theme as they are linked up but
    it’s one big shared link so some of the smaller themed posts (like Vanessa’s on kids activities or Jenn’s, which will be Wednesday, on summer fashion and which possibly won’t have as many links as say paint) can still get exposure on several blogs. We wanted everyone to be part of the whole party and get to have everyone see their posts on all 12 blogs by the end of the week instead of having 13 different party links.

    So because today is paint projects and summer activities for kids they are intermingled together as people link them up. There seem to be a few other types of “summer” posts and that’s okay, they have probably just linked some up a bit early. But since we don’t get over concerned about stuff like that, it’s not a big deal. :)Tomorrow the drop cloth links from Kristin’s party will start to show up as well when she posts her part of the party tomorrow!

    Hope that helped to clear up any confusion! If anyone has any other questions that this does not answer, always feel free to email us as well and we will respond promptly! Thanks!

    Heather

    Reply
  24. Jen @ Domesticated Nomad says

    June 20, 2011 at 8:22 PM

    It’s a great idea and a great way to get kids outside exploring nature.

    Thanks for hosting this blog party. 🙂

    Reply
  25. Christie says

    June 20, 2011 at 6:03 PM

    I better get busy! I don’t have anything for today, but wanted to stop by and say ‘hello!’ Vacation last week with no wi-fi so feel disconnected with my blogger world! What is that?! It was like being on a deserted island! What a great party all week! I will keep checking in! I love the scavenger hunt buckets Vanessa! My kids will love this! Christie

    Reply
  26. Poppy says

    June 21, 2011 at 2:47 AM

    Hi Vanessa,I don’t have any summer activities for kids to link up today… but just wanted to say thanks for hosting this wonderful party for us… it’s a marvelous idea! The kids are looking adorably cute and looks like they are having lots of fun… such a fun idea and its perfect for outdoors as well as indoors. I loved those galvanized pails painted in chalkboard paint. Thanks for sharing!~Poppy

    https://withadashofcolor.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  27. Sherry says

    June 21, 2011 at 3:00 AM

    That looks like a scavenger hunt that will keep them busy awhile. They get bored easily. Thanks for having us!
    Sherry

    Reply
  28. My Shabby Chic Home says

    June 21, 2011 at 7:32 AM

    Thanks for stopping by my blog and for your lovely comment!!! I’m a new follower and also new in blogland! Your Blog is gorgeous!

    Reply
  29. Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says

    June 21, 2011 at 1:02 PM

    Hi Vanessa, What a cute idea for the kids! You have taken a scavenger hunt to a new level.
    xo,
    Sherry

    Reply
  30. dogsmom says

    June 21, 2011 at 1:38 PM

    The name on the bucket appeals to all sorts of activities and all ages. I love the idea of printing out pictures to show what to hunt for.

    Reply
  31. Christine @ Stonehouse Living says

    June 21, 2011 at 2:00 PM

    Hi Vanessa,

    We used to do a scavenger hunt before we were married. It was a group of couples and we would spend a day on the weekend driving around the countryside finding all of the clues. Each stop with a clue to the next location. Thanks for the great memory! The kids look like they are having a blast!!
    All the Best,
    Christine

    Reply
  32. xinex says

    June 21, 2011 at 2:09 PM

    Great project and beautiful kids!…Christine

    Reply
  33. About Vintage French Hen says

    June 21, 2011 at 7:21 PM

    Hi Vanessa, I’m so happy to join in the fun! Thank you for hosting! Marcia

    Reply
  34. Angela McInnis says

    June 22, 2011 at 12:50 AM

    I love this idea! It has all kinds of possibilities. Thank you so much for hosting such a fun party!
    Angela

    https://amcinnisartworks.blogspot.com

    Reply
  35. Anita says

    June 22, 2011 at 4:02 AM

    Hi Vanessa, what a great idea you guys had!! Thanks for stopping by and for hosting! There is so much to see!

    Reply
  36. Becca says

    June 22, 2011 at 11:55 AM

    As many times as I’m in Lowe’s and pass those buckets, I never would’ve thought to create something so cute as this! Love how you got the kiddos involved, too. I’m sending Jax to visit you guys, ok?! xoxo

    Reply
  37. CailinMarie says

    June 23, 2011 at 1:40 AM

    I love this. Such a good idea, and the buckets are so cute with their little cards! I bet even my 8th grader would get into a good scavenger hunt, right along with the younger ones.

    Reply
  38. Brambleberry Cottage says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:00 PM

    I homeschooled my children through to graduation, and there were many, many scavenger hunts over the years. It was such fun for us all! Of course, one of the wonderful things about YOUR scavenger hunt was that it was fun AND educational. 😉

    I just joined you as a follower, and now I need to see if I can get some posts linked to these fun parties.

    Blessings,
    Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage
    https://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  39. saltbox treasures says

    June 26, 2011 at 8:54 PM

    Hi Vanessa and Heather, thanks for putting together this wonderful blog block party! It is so much fun! I look forward to reading more of the party posts. Thanks for always commenting on your party posts.
    You both continue to inspire blogland.
    ~ Julie

    Reply
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This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right?

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done. Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity. So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka. Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house. And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉
We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of rain lately (which is saying something when you live in Oregon) and I’ll admit that it’s affecting my moods a bit. I feel like I’m dragging and struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. So don’t mind me if I’m over here looking at photos of my garden in the summertime and finding that it keeps me hopeful about those days to come. They will come, right?! 🤪. 

What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and h Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and hail and snow) we are finally getting some sunshine and warmer temperatures. I’ll be honest, it’s really affected my spirits having one gloomy day after the next. So this is a much needed reprieve. Our cherry trees are showing off outside my kitchen window and we plan to get outside and make the most of these days while we have them.

What’s the weather like where you are?
“The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and “The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…HE’S RISEN!” (Charles R. Swindoll).

Happy Easter! He is risen indeed!
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; he has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he carried; yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. (Isaiah 53)
I try to always remember to put a water bottle in I try to always remember to put a water bottle in my car before I go to pick up my daughter from school. She didn't ask me to do this, but a few months ago I began to notice that she was often thirsty when she would get in the car. Her water bottle filled up at the beginning of the day was empty by the time school got out and she would ask if she could have some water from my hydroflask. So I make sure to have one waiting for her. It's just a simple thing, really. But, I want her to know that I'm paying attention, that I see her.

Isn't it amazing how small gestures can make us feel less invisible? Knowing that someone is thinking of us and takes the time to meet a need that we might not have even realized we had? These little acts can have big impacts. What is something that someone has done for you recently that made you feel valued and seen?

What have you done for someone else to remind them that you are paying attention to their needs?

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
― Charles Dickens
“The next day the large crowd that had come to t “The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ – John 12:9-19
#palmsunday
When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the pa When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the payoff of your investment in your children, it is truly one of the greatest gifts. We had that experience twice this week with our 18 year old son and were overwhelmed by this opportunity we had to watch as he handled two very different situations (one personal and one professional) with grace, maturity, integrity and courage. Those of you mamas of little ones, don't ever minimize the job you are doing in raising this next generation. 

Every story read at bedtime
Every correction made to strengthen character
Every outdoor exploration
Every nose wiped
Every bandaid applied
Every time you say no when the world says yes
Every night of helping with homework
Every difficult conversation
Every prayer uttered

The final pieces of the puzzle of his childhood are falling into place and the picture revealed is one that is more wonderful than we could have imagined. And we know that it is only by God's grace on us as we sought His wisdom and guidance that we have come to this point. We have been FAR from perfect parents, but one of my most sincere prayers for the past 18 years was that the Lord would stand in the gaps that were surely to be revealed by our imperfections. And He has answered those prayers again and again. He's taken my humble petitions and most sincere intentions and knocked our socks off with the young man we are so privileged to call our son. And we can’t wait to watch as his future unfolds!
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