Ivy is SIX!

Ivy’s 6th Birthday Interview…

What is your favorite snack? graham crackers dipped in milk 

What is your favorite memory from being five? going to the pool 

Who is your best buddy? Greta 

Who is your best friend (besides your siblings)? Sofia 

What do you like to do outside? play Greta’s fun games 

What exciting new thing did you learn this year? to read

What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? tater tot casserole 

Who is your favorite person in the whole world? God

What is your favorite color? sparkly pink 

What is your favorite TV show to watch? Dude Perfect 

What sport do you like best? volleyball 

What do you want to do when you grow up? work at a bakery and make treats 

What would you buy if you had $1000? 2 horses

What do you like to do best with your friends? play with them

What is something special about you? that I’m sugary 

What is something you hope you get to do when you are six? get some cooking lessons  

What time do you wake up in the morning and go to bed at night?  It has to be a 6 or 7 before I wake up and 8:30 at night 

What is the healthiest thing you like to eat? beef sticks 

What do you like to do with Mommy? snuggle

What do you like to do with Daddy? play softball 

What do you like to do with Hudson? build LEGO sets 

What do you like to do with Greta? play with LEGOs

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? sherbet 

What is your favorite fruit? cherries 

What is your favorite vegetable? corn and peppers

What is your favorite thing to wear? pajamas 

What is your favorite thing to play? hide and seek 

What is your favorite stuffed animal? snowball 

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? waffles 

What is your favorite dessert? cherry pie 

What is your favorite thing to drink? Poppi (sparkling soda) 

What is your favorite animal? dog 

What is your favorite book? Sophie Mouse 

What is your favorite game? Sleeping Queens 

What is your favorite restaurant? Culvers 

What is your favorite day of the week? Friday (because we have ice cream) 

What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

What is something you are proud of? all of God’s hard work 

What is your favorite sports team? Iowa State and Chiefs 

Who is someone you look up to? Mimi 

What is your favorite school subject? math 

What is your least favorite school subject? handwriting 

What is your favorite time of the day? morning (because I’m scared of the dark) 

What is a fun surprise you had this year? my family let me put the star on the Christmas tree

What kind of music do you listen to? Forrest Frank 

Merry Christmas!

Swinger Family Favorite Five of 2025

Roy

1. Celebrating the life of two grandparents (Grandma Swinger passed away at age 94 and Grandpa Ells at age 102)

2. Cooking dinner on the grill on those sweet summer nights

3. Taking in the fall harvest and its strong soybean yields

4. Coaching Greta’s softball and basketball teams

5. Going on Culver’s dates with the family

Emily

1. Enjoying the surprise of her sister (aka Aunt Ang) buying a house in Des Moines, allowing us to make more memories together

2. Going on “dates” with Roy to the YMCA to lift weights or to walk the trails in our neighborhood

3. Vacationing in Branson with the Bomgaars family

4. Celebrating Bomgaars Farms (the family farm she grew up on) as a Century Farm at the Iowa State Fair in August

5. Clocking countless miles in the mini van driving the kids to their activities

Hudson - 14

1. Swimming in the summer Long Course Championship Meet and on the Varsity squad for West Des Moines Valley High School

2. Qualifying for the Worlds Championship in Houston, Texas, for the second year with his LEGO League robotics team, The Coding GOATs

3. Earning cash mowing lawns this summer

4. Starting to drive with his learner’s permit

5. Experimenting with his new 3D printer

Greta - 11

1. Reading 100+ books again this year

2. Playing the piano on repeat

3. Watching Dude Perfect

4. Participating in LEGO League robotics, homeschool tumbling, basketball, volleyball and softball

5. Enjoying her “tween” room upgrade

Ivy - almost 6

1. Doing cartwheels constantly

2. Graduating from preschool and starting Kindergarten

3. Going to the lake house in Okoboji

4. Claiming the nickname “Sugar” because she is just so sweet

5. Playing in the snow (and the hot chocolate that follows), thanks to all the

snow we received this month

 

RHC Christmas Market

On Sunday, December 7th, our church hosted a Christmas Market, with all proceeds benefitting Together for Good.  This ministry created pathways for the local church to come alongside vulnerable children and families in Christ-centered ministry.  This was my 2nd year coordinating this event and we raised over $1,100!  Thankful for our generous church.  

A friend decorated the board to welcome the guests.  

There was also a Christmas nativity scavenger hunt for the kids.    

As expected, the treat table was a hit. 

Everything at the market is for donation, nothing is priced.  So you take what you want and donate what you want.  Greta made beaded bracelets.  

Christmas tree shaped cookie bars and oatmeal caramel bars.   

Carpentry items...

Christmas devotionals, Chex Mix and homemade soaps and lotions...

Cindy helped me pull off the event.  

 

CC School Pics

As I was going through pics from the fall I came across these beauties I never shared.  In September they took "School Pictures" at CC, including individual shots and class pics.  We are thankful for Friday mornings learning together in community.    

Ivy is in her 2nd year of Classical Conversations.  

I am so thankful to be Ivy's tutor and teach the youngest scholars.  They are adorable little sponges who soak up all the information and the fun activities I have prepared.  

Greta is in her 5th year of Classical Conversations.  

She is in the "Masters Class," which is the oldest group of kids.  

 

H, G & I

Hudson John - age 14, Freshman 

Favorite things...

swimming

robotics

violin

3D printing 

baking 

lawn mowing 

all things technology 

Greta Alice - age 11, 5th Grade 

Favorite things...

audio books and reading 

playing the piano 

basketball, volleyball, softball and tumbling 

creating/imagining 

being with her friends 

family movie nights 

Ivy Rae - almost 6, Kindergarten 

Favorite things...

playing games

cartwheels

sweet treats

snow in winter, water in summer 

quality time with her people 

outside time 

 

Family Pics 2025

We had our family pictures taken again this fall.  We switched up the location a bit and went downtown for more of an urban vibe.  I'm thankful for this tradition and how it documents the kids as they grow.  It's always a bit stressful to get all the clothing to coordinate but has a way of working out and feels worth the effort for the keepsake they provide.  

Here is the round up of 2025 Family Pics...

 

Thanksgiving 2025

We spent Thanksgiving at my parents house in Sioux Center.  Hudson clocked 7 hours of driving getting us there and back home again.  

My mom hosted the Bomgaars family on Thursday.  It was a sweet group, 20 of us.  

The kids table, including my cousin Madison's 4 kids.  

After lunch we made apple turkeys...tradition!  

Hudson is such a good helper, so thankful for his servant heart.  

Showing off their flock of apple turkeys.  Gobble gobble!  

A trip to Sioux Center wouldn't be complete without several rounds of Dutch Blitz.  

Ivy did some farming with Bapa on Friday morning before we left town.  She seems to enjoy helping and was treated with a donut afterwards.  

Mom gifted the kids LEGO Advent calendars.  Ivy was (clearly) very excited about hers. 

Introducing...The Codologists

Greta was invited to join a FLL (FIRST LEGO League) team this year.  Following in her big brother's footsteps felt like the perfect path to take.  Everyone on the team (minus one member who was on a team last year) were first timers.  Their coach, Jen (who has quite a bit of experience under her belt and is amazing at leading successful teams year after year) was willing to take them on, as she coaches an older team too (6th and 7th graders).  They did a Coding Camp this summer to learn the basics and officially kicked off their season the last week of August.  The team meets on Monday mornings for 1.5 hours and coordinate additional times to work with their coding partners outside of the team meetings.  After quite a bit of discussion and working through several different team names being suggested and then denied, they landed on the name The Codologists.  They each chose a different -ologist they would choose to be, in addition to an expert in coding.  Greta was a Bookologist...of course.  

Their local qualifier competition was held on Saturday, Nov. 22nd in West Des Moines.  The Codologists are all 4th and 5th graders.  

It happened to be Coach Jen's birthday the day of the competition so we brought donuts, a LEGO birthday banner and balloons.  

The teams give two presentations, one of Robot Design and the other on their Innovation Project.  

After the presentation they field questions from the judges.  

They were pretty pumped with how well their robot runs went!  260 was their high score for the day, putting them in 2nd place, only behind the other team Jen coaches.  Pretty impressive for a rookie team!  

The Codologists qualified for state in Ames on Feb. 7th.  They also won the Rising Star Award, for being an up and coming team to expect great things from.  

Greta and Brynn were coding partners.  So proud of these sweet smart girls!  

 

Friendsgiving

I coordinated our 2nd annual Redemption Hill Church Thanksgiving on Sunday, November 9th.  Last year's event was so well received that we decided to make it a tradition.  The church provided the turkey, beverages and tableware and everyone else brought a side dish or two to share.  We gather together around tables in the cafeteria immediately following worship.  It was a sweet gathering and I'm thankful to serve the body in this capacity.  

The teenagers going through the line...

Thankful for the time of fellowship.  

The girls table!  

The table of teenagers (plus baby and her Mama) 

After lunch we played Fall BINGO.  I had gathered some prizes and everyone was an eager winner.