They say a picture is worth a thousand words..... well.... this post is going to be very wordy on the picture end of things.
What have we been up to since Labor Day? We have played soccer, lots of soccer, many many days of soccer. Matt coached the 7th grade boys and reffed soccer, all four kids and both parents play on teams. Good grief. There are no pictures of my 3rd poor middle child. Sorry Jessica.
We had a carnival at church. Matt, Carla, Anika and Brandon all helped. Jessica and Maria played games and brought home way too many stuffed animals.
Carla took Jessica and Maria to a neighboring church carnival and they both got some cool face paint.
Anika played softball
And she was Bartolome de las casas for a class period
Side note: he was a very cool explorer and there is a small movement of people that believe we should celebrate Bartolome Day instead of Christopher Columbus Day. I read these chapters with Anika, and I have to say, Chris is not someone to celebrate - but Bartolome is.
Did I mention we played (and are still playing) soccer?
We dog sat for our dear Maize for 3 weeks.
We danced on grandpa's feet and helped grandma celebrate her birthday a few days early.
We attended Art Prize - essentially they turn down town Grand Rapids into an art museum. There is art on the streets, in buildings, even in the river. We walked (much to the chagrin of a few of our kids) and saw lots of neat things, including a panda made from old tires and a guy doing spray paint art.
Playing all that soccer makes one so tired you can fall asleep in the strangest of places
Anika had a band concert
And a choir concert
We dog sat again for a day
Maria turned 7, lost her first ever tooth, had a party that was decorated by her adoring oldest sister, and Papa and Mimi came to help celebrate.
All that partying makes one tired and we fall asleep in the strangest of places... again. Could she possibly be growing?
Brandon went to his cousins in Illinois for a few days to play.
Carla and the girls went to a corn maze - yes we walked through corn that was grown in dinosaur formation!
We ate donuts and played with the kitties on the farm afterwards.
The fall colors here were GORGEOUS - and now we've had snow.
There was time for a little dress up with friends.
Anika and Brandon both played in a 3 on 3 basketball tournament - each on their own team
We spent an afternoon at Camp Pendalouan. Its the local YMCA camp and they opened up all the activities for one last hurrah before the weather broke. We did kayaks, paddle board, rifle, wall climb, gaga ball, volleyball, and football. It was a full afternoon.
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| that's Brandon at the top |
We carved HUGE pumpkins. Grandpa grows them for us and when they are small, he etches each grandkids' name in them. They scar over and each pumpkin bears the child's name.
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| Yes, her pumpkin was almost bigger than her |
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| Anika's won in the church competition |
Then, of course, you have to light them and see what they look like.
We went trick or treating..... in the pouring rain... many mud puddles.... VERY WET
We practice piano with grandma, and grandpa and papa help Matt get Anika's basement room almost ready for habitation.
Carla is coaching Anika's 7th grade basketball team
Life has been busy. Almost too busy most days. I have been edgy, almost too edgy most days. I miss my village that surrounded me and supported me and helped me haul kids from point A to point B and home again.
But, in the end, this is where we are called to be. I need to choose joy and praise God within the moments each day. And there is much to be thankful for. We know so many people that don't have jobs or have pain or loss, and we are healthy and BUSY. I LOVE my job, it is the one place that I feel sanity, even when I am so behind. Its crazy how rewarding the YMCA can be!
And, there are always the sunsets over Lake Michigan, Seriously good medicine for the soul.
And a crazy bunch of girls
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