I think I'm caught up. Oh this week as been nuts. My kids are ready for school and its been the first week, well 3 days anyway, where its just been us! So, you can just imagine the adjustment of lots of activity to just boring mom! I was just striking out left and right...for some reason I was not cool anymore! And, with Issy taking morning and afternoon naps, we were limited.
Yesterday we did some shopping to get ready for school. Its tough buying lunch boxes for 10 bucks a piece knowing very well that in 2 week they will be 70% off! But, its the first day of "big" school for both the kids, so new Spiderman and Hello Kitty lunch boxes were just what we needed. I got to the check out and unloaded the bottom of the stroller to find that my purse was not buried under all the stuff. Bummer! That means after waiting in line for what seemed to be forever I had to run out to the van to get it! So, our way out to the van it crossed my mind to just drive away and leave the "stuff" there at the checkout. Besides, is it really worth going back in with all the kids?!! But, the lunchboxes. The kids would know. So, we made it to the van and my purse wasn't there. That means it would have to be in the shoe department. Now I really can't just drive away. Annika was too tired to walk in the first time, so this was going to be tough! As we went back in a cashier was trying to flag me down. Apparently, they knew that I was the owner of the missing purse! We checked out and I had told the kids earlier that if they stuck close by they could get popcorn on the way out. They didn't forget. But, that changed to ice cream when they saw all the flavors! Annika wanted the pink one, but the "older" lady working there said that it was too hard to scoop, could she pick another?! The girls got their ice cream and Erik got his popcorn. Was it horrible of me that that was also their dinner? Tim was gone and I was just at the end of it...I am just too tired!! So now, being my house is clean (!!) I am going to sleep in tomorrow. And, we also have a babysitter for tomorrow night. A trial run with the next door neighbor. If it works out she will be really nice to have next door. :)
Friday, August 22, 2008
Bikini Baby
Okay...I had to do it just for the laughs. And, we had many. This is a suit from you, Jen! I'm sure Maddie didn't fill it out quite this nicely!
Yes, the hat is a little much, but it keeps the sun off! And, when you are this pasty white, it doesn't take much to turn red!!
Yes, the hat is a little much, but it keeps the sun off! And, when you are this pasty white, it doesn't take much to turn red!!
Sleeping Bear Dunes
This trip to The Sleeping Bear Dunes on the northwest coast of Lower MI added about 3hours onto our trip from Grand Rapids to the Bridge, but I knew Tim would do it. He saw it on the map and thought it would be fun... The bummer of it all was that we were going to stop for lunch before we got there and I did see a Culver's sign and we thought it was just up ahead....it wasn't. So, we were all hungry and there are no food places....just cottages all along the route. Oh well. The kids didn't care a whole lot when they started running up! It was pretty steep, too! The camera does not do it justice. Tim got half way up and he got a phone call. It was a work day for him, so he spent the whole time we were up there talking to a guy from Iowa. Thanks a lot Iowa dude! Just a boring paper guy, too.... The kids ran up and down three times.....Erik wiped out once, but you don't get hurt!
Tim and Issy on their way up....before the phone call!
There's our van! Camper in tow with the bikes on the top. We are just waiting for the Carriers to join us sometime!
Here's the view from the top!
Ahhhh!! If I only had this on video!
Then afterwards we were trying to get back to the main highway....Tim hadn't been paying much attention to the gas gage when the light went on....well, at only 10.7 miles to the gallon it moves down pretty quickly. And, do you think there would be a gas station in such a touristy place!! NOPE!! But, about 25 scary miles down the road a gas station came out of no where. We were saved just in time. :) And, then found a late lunch about an hour later!
Tim and Issy on their way up....before the phone call!
There's our van! Camper in tow with the bikes on the top. We are just waiting for the Carriers to join us sometime!
Here's the view from the top!
Ahhhh!! If I only had this on video!
Then afterwards we were trying to get back to the main highway....Tim hadn't been paying much attention to the gas gage when the light went on....well, at only 10.7 miles to the gallon it moves down pretty quickly. And, do you think there would be a gas station in such a touristy place!! NOPE!! But, about 25 scary miles down the road a gas station came out of no where. We were saved just in time. :) And, then found a late lunch about an hour later!
Mackinac Bridge
Tim's big goal this summer was to go camping by the Mackinac Bridge. We sure couldn't camp any closer than this! I actually took these right from our campfire pit! The kids LOVE the bridge. Ever since last summer when we went to the Island. We just camped there one night, so we didn't go grocery shopping. In the morning we were going to go out for breakfast (I like that kind of camping!) and Tim asked Erik where he wanted to go. He said, "Across the Mackinac Bridge!" So, we went back over it and had breakfast in Mackinaw City and bummed around there a bit.
Heading over the bridge! Lis...are you scared yet??!
It was a little chilly, but the kids didn't care! They put their suits on anyway!
Tim was in awe as we watched this huge boat go under!
What a picture....I especially like the seagull in the air! I really DON'T like those birds at 5:30 in the morning, though!
This was taken in the morning. Kind of a cool picture!
We left around noonish and had all day to get to Wells Park, so of course we had to stop at The Mystery Spot! Tim had never been there and I was there once when I was younger. Its just something you have to do once. :) The kids thought it was great and oh so mysterious!
Alaina just chillin' on a chair with only 2 legs supported!
Erik loved walking like this!
Heading over the bridge! Lis...are you scared yet??!
It was a little chilly, but the kids didn't care! They put their suits on anyway!
Tim was in awe as we watched this huge boat go under!
What a picture....I especially like the seagull in the air! I really DON'T like those birds at 5:30 in the morning, though!
This was taken in the morning. Kind of a cool picture!
We left around noonish and had all day to get to Wells Park, so of course we had to stop at The Mystery Spot! Tim had never been there and I was there once when I was younger. Its just something you have to do once. :) The kids thought it was great and oh so mysterious!
Alaina just chillin' on a chair with only 2 legs supported!
Erik loved walking like this!
Chuck and Buck
Alaina LOVES Chuck and Buck now! We never knew that she would take to them so much! Thanks, Auntie Susie, for taking the time to "play" with them! :) Here is Alaina taking Pupsi, Erik, and Annika for a ride. She thought she was so cool b/c she could drive him all by herself! And, another highlight of the week was giving Chuck his first bath! He was pretty dirty, but I think the kids got him clean! I didn't get any pictures of the kids riding Buck and Chuck with the saddles, b/c I was leading them, but it was pretty fun. Last time we were there the kids were a little nervous.....not this time. Even Annika jumped on and rode all over! No one fell off! :)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Already??!
Is it the 19th already??! Where did the days go? As of today our summer activity is over. We got home on Friday, thanks to Uncle Anders for driving the kids and I! Joe, Jackie and the girls came on Saturday for a fun weekend of more play, and today Rachel, my roommate from Bethel, came to visit with her two kids! Too much fun. :) But, as of right now our house is just filled with the 6 of us and everyone is in their own beds.
I can just say that this last trip was exhausting! We had lots of "down" time, but all in all, it drained us. Here are some of my favorite pictures. There are just too many to go through!! I do think my kids are genuine "country" kids. They spent every waking hour outside for 2 weeks. From camping at Wells to Wallace....there's just nothing that can beat it!! Pupsi's and Nana's pond is a favorite!! And, they learned to love turtles and frogs! They've had a hard time adjusting to life back in town! I'd take the country....
Alaina, Erik, & Ryan floating away on the raft...
I love this one....Erik and Ryan were so anxious to get into the pond that they decided their undies would work just as well as a swimsuit!! Gotta love Spiderman!!
They look like they were getting along great! Let's just pretend that they were. :)
Pupsi wins the prize for biggest and best sandbox! Whoo hoo!!
Here's that nekkid kid again!!
Okay, can you just take a guess as to why Annika came up out of the water in tears??
Everytime the turtle would move Annika would drop it! Good thing he has a shell!!
Love it!! Aren't they so cute??!
Favorite picture of E. Swimsuit,dirt, and a frog.....it doesn't get any better than this when you are 5!!
This is just An being An.
Ice Cream Bar break with Tessa, Taya, & Kajsa!!
One means one for each hand, right??!!
Alaina's not quite ready for the real "Erik hold" but she's getting closer!
I'll post some more tomorrow. But, for now that's it. :) Isabel was at the doctor today and her ear infections are clearing up. She had a rough go last week with stubborn infections that wouldn't go away, but we are on the clear now. Its time to sleep. :)
I can just say that this last trip was exhausting! We had lots of "down" time, but all in all, it drained us. Here are some of my favorite pictures. There are just too many to go through!! I do think my kids are genuine "country" kids. They spent every waking hour outside for 2 weeks. From camping at Wells to Wallace....there's just nothing that can beat it!! Pupsi's and Nana's pond is a favorite!! And, they learned to love turtles and frogs! They've had a hard time adjusting to life back in town! I'd take the country....
Alaina, Erik, & Ryan floating away on the raft...
I love this one....Erik and Ryan were so anxious to get into the pond that they decided their undies would work just as well as a swimsuit!! Gotta love Spiderman!!
They look like they were getting along great! Let's just pretend that they were. :)
Pupsi wins the prize for biggest and best sandbox! Whoo hoo!!
Here's that nekkid kid again!!
Okay, can you just take a guess as to why Annika came up out of the water in tears??
Everytime the turtle would move Annika would drop it! Good thing he has a shell!!
Love it!! Aren't they so cute??!
Favorite picture of E. Swimsuit,dirt, and a frog.....it doesn't get any better than this when you are 5!!
This is just An being An.
Ice Cream Bar break with Tessa, Taya, & Kajsa!!
One means one for each hand, right??!!
Alaina's not quite ready for the real "Erik hold" but she's getting closer!
I'll post some more tomorrow. But, for now that's it. :) Isabel was at the doctor today and her ear infections are clearing up. She had a rough go last week with stubborn infections that wouldn't go away, but we are on the clear now. Its time to sleep. :)
Friday, August 8, 2008
still out
Its been really nice being "out of the loop" as far as technology goes. We've been camping all week....very fun. :) Just had to make a trip in to town today to go to the dentist. Not fun, but oh well! And, on Tuesday I had to run Tim down to the ER. Crazy...we are all okay...nothing has happened to the kids...just us two! Now I'm at my sister's and Isabel is sleeping, so when she wakes up we'll head back to the park. I love camping...I told Tim I might go into a depression when we get back to IL! I'm liking the big, open spaces too much!! And, I do like seeing ALL the stars at night!
Its been an eventful 10 days, between big sand dunes, the Mackinac Bridge, a family reunion, swimming and more swimming, a visit to the ER & dentist, snapping turtle hunting, and lots of laughing at the kids (and with them!) I'll have lots of fun pictures and stories. :) But, that won't be until, at least, the 19th of August. I'll save you the hassle of checking in on us and there's nothing new!
Next week the big kids are going to VBS with their cousin, Ryan. That will be fun for them. They are going to be so worn out when we get home!! We'll have one week and then school starts. Where did the summer go?!! I'm glad its not over yet. :)
See ya in a couple weeks.
Its been an eventful 10 days, between big sand dunes, the Mackinac Bridge, a family reunion, swimming and more swimming, a visit to the ER & dentist, snapping turtle hunting, and lots of laughing at the kids (and with them!) I'll have lots of fun pictures and stories. :) But, that won't be until, at least, the 19th of August. I'll save you the hassle of checking in on us and there's nothing new!
Next week the big kids are going to VBS with their cousin, Ryan. That will be fun for them. They are going to be so worn out when we get home!! We'll have one week and then school starts. Where did the summer go?!! I'm glad its not over yet. :)
See ya in a couple weeks.
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