Happy Father's Day!

Matt, you are a wonderful father and husband!  We love you so very much! 

The just walk in integrity;

happy are their children after them! Proverbs 7:20 

Gracie put in a lot of time making this fabric collage for Matt.  She would do anything for her daddy!

According to Gracie Cakes, spending time alone on the course with her daddy is quite special to her.  

Starbase 2018

Today marked the end of Lily Grace's first official week out of school.   What better way to kick summer off than Starbase Camp? (STEM- science, technology, engineering and math camp). This year Gracie got into the Advanced Camp. 

The highlights of this years camp included, learning to use Raspberry Pi to code and program a camera to be used in the launch of a weather balloon, meeting a college student who built R2D2 using circuits, a few experiments with liquid nitrogen and getting to see how weather satellites are made. 

Starbase is such a remarkable opportunity and we are most thankful that Gracie got to be a part of it.

Working on programming and coding their team's Raspberry Pi to take pictures of the weather balloon as it traveled through the atmosphere, popped and then landed.  

Inflating the balloon before release

Each of the 8 teams had a camera attached.  Gracie's team was one of 3 teams to capture photos and video.  The balloon reached an altitude of 95,952.2 ft.  It traveled for 3 hrs 38 min before popping and landing in Ohio.  

Experimenting with liquid nitrogen

This young lady is a college student who built this R2D2 which can also function much like the one in the movie. Lily Grace loved meeting her, seeing R2 and hearing all about how she did it.

Graduation Day!  Her call sign this year was, "Bacon!"  Each graduate was also given their very own Raspberry Pi to keep.  Gracie was super excited and rushed right home to get it set up so she can start coding and programming among other fun things.  

STARBASE Indiana is a premier educational program, sponsored by the Department of Defense. At STARBASE Indiana students participate in challenging "hands-on, minds-on" activities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Students interact with STEM professionals to explore careers and observe STEM applications in the real world. The program encourages students to set goals and achieve them.

http://www.starbasein.org/index.html

Last Day of 6th Grade!

 Today was Lily Grace's last day of school.  She finished 6th grade and her first year of middle school.  She did amazing!!!  She finished with all A+'s for this nine weeks as well as the school year (no lower than a 98 average in any subject) which earned her 11 Academic Excellence awards and awards for Excellence in Service, Cantoring, Lectoring and Serving at school mass.  She also finished the year as only one of two and the youngest to complete the Lifetime Achievement in Accelerated Reader.  That's right, in 6th grade she has earned the total number points that are required through 8th grade so she is now exempt from Accelerated Reader for the rest of middle school.  We are so proud of her!
The kids started the day with an all schools mass and she was all smiles as she exited this afternoon. 
Gracie Cakes, your daddy and I are so proud of you.  We can't wait to see all that you achieve next year when you take on your new responsibilities as a member of National Junior Honor Society and the Commissioner of Finance on Student Council.  
Remember to keep that contagious smile and always put God and others first!  We love you Gracie!!!

All smiles with her best buddy before leaving home for her last day of 6th grade.

After attending the All Schools Mass, Matt and I spent a cool and cloudy day on the golf course together while Gracie was at school.  I damaged my rotator cuff so I had to just ride along today, but we still enjoyed a wonderful day together. 

She was all smiles as she exited at dismissal this afternoon!  Father Jay was there to see the kids off, give high fives and as he said, "serve as a reminder."  Too cute!

She's officially on her way to 7th grade now!

Another year of memories for these best friends!

Gracie asked to get in nine holes of her own after school to top off her special day.