the first snow of the seaon

The first snow of the season is so exciting especially for the little ones! The kids went to bed well aware that the forecast called for snow, which I reminded them could be just a dusting or a dumping and not to be too disappointed if it was the first. Well they certainly weren't disappointed the next morning and by 9am all three kids and myself were fully suited up in snow attire (with PJ's underneath) tromping through the snow. It may have only been a few inches but to them it was pure winter wonderland. For Drew this was the first time he actually understood what the snow was however he wanted to part in the snowsuit and boots. He has quickly caught on and is becoming more cooperative when getting ready to play outside during the winter. Here are some pics of the kids enjoying the first snow of the winter season! Enjoy!

Substitute Teacher

I'm a little behind with my blog postings but this one I thought needed to be done. In early November I had a wisdom tooth pulled out which required Gary to take a day off from work and stay home with the kids as well as be the teacher for the day. Before his first day of teaching school I made sure the kids' school work was in order and easy to follow as well as some science experiments. My kids just love doing science experiments - usually because they are messy and totally hands on! This would be no different. The object of this experiment was to show how some fairly "weak" materials, uncooked spaghetti noodles and marshmallows could be used to build a stable/strong structure. Here are the results and the scientists (prior to the demolition and eating of the marshmallows). Ok, well Drew had to be bribed with a few marshmallows before construction was completed hence the sticky face.

Dishwasher in Training

Since Drew always wants to do what his big sisters do why wouldn't he want to help mommy with the dishes! I guess you can't start them too early eh? Plus not only does he rinse the dishes well but he also adequately soaks the floor allowing for a little pre-rinse soak before I bust out the mop. During this round of dish washing he was so distracted with the job at hand he didn't even notice (or squirm) when I trimmed his hair. He looks so much older with his new cut! Enjoy the pictures.

Halloween 2010

Sorry for the super belated post with Halloween pictures but I figured better late than never, right? The Allen family ame over to trick-or-treat with the kids which has sort of become an annual tradition. The kids played, ate pizza and got ready for a night out in the neighborhood. This was Drew's first time going around the neighborhood and he caught on quickly! This year the kids designed their own costumes and helped me to sew them. We had a blast working together on this project and were very happy with the results. Kami was a cowgirl, Rian was a mermaid and Drew was a cowboy. The pictures I took weren't the greatest but I think they give a little idea as to how the kids looked. Enjoy!

GWO 2010

Girls Weekend 2010 was a great success! This was the 12th year we girls have been getting together to enjoy a fall weekend together. This year we got to attend Kami's last soccer game and cheer her and her teammates on! Saturday afternoon we packed up the car and headed to Holland MI to enjoy the Holland Farmer's Market and the many unique shops along 8th Street. On our way back to Grand Rapids we stopped at Los Aztecas for a Mexican dinner. Once back to my house we got started on this year's craft - French Memo Boards. I'm amazed every year how amazing each person's craft turns out! Great job ladies. Sunday we gathered back together for lunch before everyone headed on their way back to their homes. It was great having you all here and I look forward to next year's GWO!  Here are some pictures that capture a small portion of our weekend. (by the way if you have other pics you wanted posted here for all to see please e-mail them to me!)

Giddy-Up

A few Saturdays ago our family went on a hayride with some families that Gary plays softball with (we call it the softball group). Even though the weather was cold and windy we still had a great time! I highly recommend Fruit Ridge Hayrides for any of you looking for a great fall activity- follow this link: www.fruitridgehayrides.com . The best part of the hayride is that the wagon was pulled by horses rather than a noisy tractor. Wiggle little Drew couldn't sit still on the wagon but once the horses started moving he didn't wiggle one bit for an entire hour! The kids loved to ask the driver questions and just watch the horses plow through large mud puddles, through corn fields and wooded areas. The farm offers more than just hayrides all of which are described on their website. We packed a picnic dinner and ate together under a covered picnic area that included many picnic tables. After dinner the kids played on the outdoor play sets which included a huge wooden tractor with slide and tractor wheels, swings, and round and square bales of hay to climb on while the adults gathered around a large (WARM) campfire. Here are some pictures from our outing.

The BIG 4 !

I'm a few days late but like the saying goes "better late than never", right? So on September 30 Rian turned 4! She was so excited and is very glad to now be 4! She feels like such a big girl. The day began with breakfast at Sandy's doughnuts shop on Leonard (best ever!) and then home to get ready for some special visitors, Maima (Dianne O'Brien) and Papa (Tom O'Brien). After opening some presents before the grandparents left for a trip to NY City, the kids played with the presents together. Later that evening we had a nice family dinner followed by more presents then some pink frosted cupcakes to finish off the day. Rian's big party was this past Sunday evening with the rest of the family (thanks to all who came). We are blessed beyond measurement to have such a wonderful daughter like Rian. She is a true treasure with the funniest sense of humor and wildest imagination. I just love this kiddo! Happy Birthday Sweet Girl.

Fall Bounty

This past spring/summer the kids planted various vegetable and flower seeds into small starter containers and then once the little plants were big enough we transplanted them into our larger containers which we call our garden. We have all enjoyed watching the plants grow throughout the summer and picking the ripe beans, tomatoes, carrots and basil. Our container garden isn't very big but it is just the right size to produce a few cups of basil which we used to make pesto or put on pizza and in soup, a handful of cherry tomatoes gobbled up right after picking and crisp green beans that over a week can be collected and served for a veggie during dinner. Here is a picture of our latest bounty from our container garden. Even Drew enjoyed his first cherry tomato! It took awhile to convince the little guy that the red "ball" was edible. Finally, he popped the whole thing in his mouth and began chewing resulting in seeds squirting out from his mouth. He liked it because he said "Again" after he finished eating the first tomato.

Bad Hair Day

Lately our electric bill has been on the high side (mostly due to the air conditioner being used non-stop) as well as lights left on in various rooms throughout the house. Gary and I decided to get the kids involved with helping us save money and electricity by encouraging them to turn lights off. The girls were given a "chart" to check off little boxes each time they turned off a light in the house. After checking 5 boxes they could select a piece of candy from the treat jar. We didn't put any restrictions as to the time of day or type of treat they could select hoping that keeping it simple would keep them interested (nothing like a gummy bear appetizer before breakfast eh!) After they completed their chart we promised that they could pick out a toy or game from the store as a big "thank-you" for helping us reduce our electricity usage and bill. The girls did a great job! A week ago they both finished their charts and decided that the toy they both wanted was a little electric hamster (like a zhu zhu pet). A few hours after playing non stop with them Kami came running into the kitchen with a big problem - the little hamster was crawling towards her and ended up getting tangled in her hair! Enjoy the picture! After completely dismembering the hamster's motor/wheels/ect. the little guy survived and is hair free! Kami however has a small section of newly cut short bangs to help her remember this little event!

Mari's Visit

This past week we were excited to have Mari visit for a few days! Unfortunately Mike is in New York working and was unable to join Mari and the rest of us but we certainly did think about him often. Sunday, after Drew's nap we packed up the car and headed to Craig's Cruisers for an afternoon of mini golf, bumper boats and a frog hopping ride. The greens were well kept and perfect for our crew who couldn't resist dropping their ball into certain holes that would then shoot the ball out onto another adjacent green over and over and over and over..... again! The bumper boats not only collided with each other but they had a great squirt gun attached to the top that the girls got to shoot at the opposing bumper boat. The day ended with the girls riding on the 25 foot hydraulic frog hopper ride. The ride bounced them up to the top (25 feet up) and then "hopped" up and down several times until finally coming back to rest at ground level. I'm not sure what they enjoyed more from the frog hopper - kicking off their flip flops at us or the actual ride. Either way they both loved it!