2023 Coming to a close

Hard to believe two more days and then it will be 2024.  Ashton has grown up so much this year, both physically and emotionally.  In the last 3 months, he has really stepped up his game.  He has become more mature, more responsible, and more enjoyable to be around.  

He continues to amaze me with his engineering brain even though sometimes it drives me nuts.  He has a fascination with how things work and is always taking things apart and exploring how things work.  Even if it includes breaking things such as playstations and bikes, and drilling a gazillion holes into our walls so he can hang his hammock from the ceiling!  He loves creating and building things such as basketball hoops, and wooden Christmas trees out of pallets, and turning his closet into a gaming space. He continues to build amazing creations with legos, watching videos.  He loves using Daddy's drill and got his own drill from Mr. Rick for Christmas. He is excellent at figuring out how to solve problems such as putting on bike racks or putting together a bicycle.

Christmas Drill from Mr. Rick

Christmas Tree made from pallets

Homemade basketball hoop with rim from an old bicycle

Just hanging around after drilling a gazillion holes in the ceiling to find the joist

We spent Christmas Eve with one of Ashton's best buddies from Lisbon and our family friends.  They went to church with us and enjoyed a raclette dinner together.  And Christmas morning we spent with Pop-Pop and in the evening we enjoyed our traditional Chinese food dinner with the Pop-Pop, Lily's boyfriend Raymond, the Rinkes family, Jennie, Steve, and Jax Lane.

Christmas morning!

Christmas Eve with the Conte family

Someday maybe he will smile for a family picture!

He also has developed some more friendships.  Being invited over to other people's houses and having friends over to our home.  He continues to love to ride his bike and for Christmas, he got a Jetson electric scooter bike.  He has expressed an interest in mountain biking and has even built some mountain bike trails in the woods in our backyard, but still hasn't taken me up on my offer to go actual mountain biking yet.

We had a Chanukah party with our family in December and Ashton pretty much kept to himself until Cousin Eric pulled out the Nerf guns. Then Ashton was all in!!!!

Praying that the awesomeness that Ashton has exhibited towards the end of 2023 continues into the New Year!

November flew by!

 Hard to believe Halloween and Thanksgiving have passed and we have fast-forwarded into the Christmas season.  For the last 6-7 weeks Ashton has been pretty awesome!  I hope this is our new normal for sure!  I even got a happy Thanksgiving Day family hike!

A rare treat for Mama...family hike on Thanksgiving Day!

Ashton has been tinkering a lot!!!  He has built a basketball hoop, and bike ramps, taken apart bikes, put together bikes, made things from pallets etc.  Very creative even if sometimes he needs to daddy's help to complete a few of the final tasks.

He still went trick or treating this year, but did not dress up!  He still came home with a boatload of candy!

Ashton, Liam and Micheal Trick-or-Treating

Changes

 I've been meaning to write this for a while, but I kept forgetting!  Ashton is growing and changing so rapidly now.  It's like he's gone from little boy to little man-child!  His voice is changing and getting deeper and for a boy who has never ever liked to wear underwear, has been wearing underwear for one or two months now!  He's 100% middle school boy!  

A fun afternoon at Gaver

Searching for the perfect pumpkin

Snarky boy on a the hay ride with Yolanda

Typical pre-teen boy...all we need are earbuds!

He's got a new BFF Liam who he enjoys hanging out with on the weekends!

I also received a new picture of his birthmom Ms. Taylor with the three girls and her little boy.

Eli, Taylor, Annabelle, Paisley and Noel

Catching up

Since school started it's been a whirlwind here at the Gjerde residence.  We have had some good days among the whirlwind days.   

First picture day hair!  Ashton really wanted his hair to have a certain style for picture day, so he asked me if I could do his hair for picture day!  I would say it was a success!

Next, our friends who gave us Waffles got a new pug puppy named Biscuit.  Ashton was in love!

Took Ashton apple picking for the first time ever with Lily and Ms. Susan's family.  It ended up pouring down rain, but we had a really good time!  I think Ashton even though he was reluctant to go really enjoyed himself.

After Labor Day Ms. Susan's pool does a puppies in the pool event for charity!  Ashton along with Ms. Susan's neighbor Lucy were so excited about swimming with Waffles and Pickles in the pool!  Waffles and Pickles not so much, but they endured it!

Lastly, we bought season passes to Gaver Tree farm. So far Ashton and I have been 3 times.  He really likes doing the corn maze (which he is amazing at by the way), shooting basketball hoops and throwing footballs, and building the little wooden house they have there.  I know he really wants to go with a friend, so hopefully we can go one more time with a friend.

Ashton also had been hanging out with a new friend Liam whom he met at Adventure Park USA camp.  They have been hanging out together almost every weekend!

A successful summer and back to school!

Happy to report Ashton had a successful summer as a CIT for Frederick County Parks and Rec.  There were a few hiccups along the way, but they were super patient with him and he had a successful time!  He even earned his iPhone! 

 He also got to go to Mr. Rick's house in Elkton, play airsoft, meet his new husky Scar, and enjoy playing in Mr. Rick's airsoft room.

Lastly, today is the first day of 7th grade for the not-so-little-anymore dude!  I can't believe how grown up he is looking!  He was ready.  He got up, got dressed, and was ready to go!  I asked him if Waffles and I could walk him to the bus stop, but he said no.  Mr. Independent for sure!  I hope 7th grade is another great year!

Let the summer fun begin

 First, we received Ashton's report card for the 4th quarter and we are so pleased that he made the honor roll again!  So proud!

Last weekend we took another family camping trip to Calendonia State Park in PA.  We took Ashton's buddy Nathan.  They had a good time fishing, swimming, kayaking, socializing, and bike riding around the park!

Lastly, Ashton started his new summer gig as a Counselor in Training for the Frederick Recreation Department. For his first week, he reported he did great on his weekly evaluation, all excellent and very good!  He is working towards earning an iPhone (since he lost his previous phone)

Fun Camping trip with friends

 Camping is always Ashton's happy place and our last camping trip with his biological sister Ariana and friends was no exception!

The three amigos, Ariana, Xavier, and Ashton

The torture picture!

One more funny for the day, last week we had some terrible air quality, like nothing I had experienced in the United States before.  Kids and adults had to stay indoors.  Anyway, someone told Ashton at camp that breathing in the poor air quality was similar to smoking 6 cigarettes.  Ashton was super concerned, "does that mean I am going to get addicted?"  Don't worry little man...the air doesn't have the addictive drug nicotine...you are going to be okay.  Love my boy!

School Out for Summer!

 Today was the last day of school for Frederick County Public Schools!  Ashton has officially completed 6th grade at New Market Middle and is moving on to 7th grade next year!  Our morning routine started with Alice Cooper's School's Out for Summer wake-up call, which none of my children appreciate!  But I was able to get a few last-day-of-school shots!  Praying for a great summer!

And he's off!

A little update from Ms. Taylor

 Ms. Taylor sent Ashton the results of her DNA results, so Ashton can see where his maternal side of the family comes from.

Also, she sent him a very sweet birthday card with a Roblox gift card.  Very sweet.

Turning 12!

We celebrated Ashton's 12th birthday yesterday.  His big gift was a new bicycle that actually received a few weeks ago.  He also enjoyed a meal out with his buddy Chase at his favorite restaurant California Tortilla, followed by a Dairy Queen Chocolate Blizzard Ice Cream Cake and a trip to the Walkersville Community Park.  He also got some great gifts from friends and family, including a new hammock for camping and a new Lego set.

Easter Sunday was fun, we went to church and then had some family friends over.  I upped the Easter egg game up this year with some money.  So each participant walked away with a little extra cash!