Zoë is 11!

 Zoë Kayte - you are 11! We had a nice time celebrating your this year. Your birthday was on Sunday, so you were happy to go to church and see your small group. Your leader, Loretta, gave you a bouquet of flowers. At lunchtime, Dad and I took you to Hawaiian Bros. and then in the evening we had our family party. 

You chose a delicious ice cream cake for your birthday! 

Baked Potato Bar with Miriam 

It was fun to make your birthday food! 

Your new favorite place to eat -- Hawaiian Bros. 

I never know when you'll emerge from your room with art ON you! :) 

We are proud of you for competing with the Gladstone Gators swim team! 

Happy 4th of July! 

Verdon's 4th of July party and Aunt Judy's 40th nursing party -- you got fun tattoos and face paint! 

Hanging out at Lake Olathe with Malia and her kids 

Summer Vacation in Bentonville, AR -- you loved swimming in the lake, daily! 

Kayaking was a new venture

Pop-Pop came to cheer you on at a few of your swim meets! 

A cloudy swim meet at Gladstone, which was cancelled just an hour later after it started storming. 

Miriam and Aunt Teresa came over to Liberty to cheer you on too! 

You embraced your swim cap way easier than I expected! 

Birthday Twins -- you and Aunt Fern 

We had fun making French food after reading "Julieta and the Diamond Enigma". Everyone enjoyed these cheese omelets! 

We went to visit Amelia Earhart's birthplace in Atchison, KS 

You completed your first year of band, playing flute! This was after your spring concert. 

STEAM day Amelia Earhart presentation at the Green Hills Library 

Birthday Interview: 9/11/2026 

What is your favorite color? Teal 

... food? Stuffed Peppers or Hawaiian Pizza or Chicken Broccoli Casserole 

... movie? "Mirror, Mirror" 

... TV show? "Baby Animals" 

... book? "Warrior Cats" 

... fruit? "Strawberries and peaches" 

... animal? "Dog, cat, and bunny" 

... instrument? "Violin"

... band or singer or favorite thing to listen to on Spotify? "Perfectly" by Micah Tyler 

... thing to do every day? "Sleep in" 

... thing to learn? "History" 

... about Naomi? "That she reads to me."

... about Levi? "He helps me with stuff." 

... about Zeke? "That he has good ideas." 

... about Mommy? "That you help me with Lila and you bake with me." 

... about Daddy? "That he reads to us when you're gone." 

What do you want to be when you grow up? "Someone who works at the vet and someone who works at a Cat Cafe." 

What do you like most about homeschooling? "That we don't have to wake up so early and that we can take our time and don't have to move from class to class." 

What are you looking forward to about being 11? "That I'm older and that I get to be helping with kids at Restore." 

Zoë, you had such a great year being 10! You played in a band for the first time, joined swim team, started middle school and attending RY. You learned a lot, improved your reading, cooked and baked, helped your little sister, played in our piano recital, watched "Full House" with Naomi and I for Girls' Club, and so much more! I love to see who you are becoming -- brave, honest, diligent, task-oriented and dedicated. You spent all summer waking up early for swim practice and you did it with very little complaint or resistance. I love spending time with you for our Tuesday Together Time. We watch cake decorating on YouTube, talk, play games, take walks, and sometimes go shopping together. I love having you as my daughter and I look forward to the year ahead! Love, Mom