Family Camping

Camping.  Not sure who invented it, or why it has been handed down from generation to generation.  Very sure I am glad I never lived in the wild west and would use a rock for a pillow and no tent, air mattress or blanket.  But also sure the damp, stuffy insides of a tent where five people spend 10 hours all breathing the same air is not high quality sleeping.  Nor is the car alarm that goes off or the baby screaming 7 campsites down the road.

If you can't tell, I'm not much fond of camping.  I tolerate if for 36 hours or so because my kids think its quite the event.  I went to Calvinette camp growing up so I probably spent 5 or 6 nights of my life in a tent before marriage.  I loved Calvinette camp but I was young and don't even remember not sleeping well, waking up with a wet sleeping bag, or barely breathing oxygen.  Ok, I'm catastrophizing.

My kids LOVE camping.  I have promised them one night a summer and this was the third summer I have carried through on my promise.  They think its sheer torture that I won't go on long trips or last for more than one night, but I stand by my promise. I tell them they can whine about having one night, and I'll take it away, or they can be grateful they get one night at all!

I do get better at it every time.  We remembered a welcome mat and flashlights this year, so that was a definite improvement. I even made a list of 'must haves' so hopefully next year it won't take much thought at all.

The first camping trip was with 5 families from MN and we just picked a campground and a weekend and went for it.  The kids had a great time.  It was a huge playdate sleepover.  Last year, we went with friends and a few people from church.  Again, a great time and a huge playdate sleepover.  This year was Celebration church's first annual church campout.  I was a bit worried that that allure of camping would be lost in the fact that there weren't any friends.  I figured the kids liked camping because of the excitement and when the excitement was removed, camping wouldn't be so much fun.  Maybe I was hoping that.  Anyway, I was dead wrong.  They still love camping.  And there were people there to play with.  I had to work so I came late and the first thing Jessica said to me - Mom, there are like 1,000 kids here'.  So much for not having people to play with.  A couple from church were in the site next to us and they have a girl Jessica's age and a 3 year old boy. Brandon loves to play big brother to him and Matt and I enjoy their company as well.  Another couple from church have spent years camping with their kids who are now grown but still have the huge tent.  Matt and I stood around and watched them put up the huge tent that we slept in.  We were very encouraging and even held up things and pushed and pulled when told.  They brought the tarp and took it down for us, too. 

So, all in all, it was a good 24 hours.  And, it was the first time Matt had ever come with us.  They had a service at the campground on Saturday evening that Matt led and had pulpit supply at church on Sunday morning.  From what we understand, both services were about equally attended.  Matt, Brandon and Jessica went fishing and Anika and Maria went swimming.  We ate pudgy pies and smores and barely slept.  It took 3 days to catch up with the laundry.  The kids loved it, we tolerated it, and maybe next year I'll last 30 hours.  We'll see.

Muskegon County Fair

Muskegon County Fair

Sounds exotic doesn't it.  This may be one adventure that is not repeated next year.  BUT, it was an adventure none the less.  Its free to get in and all the activities are free - except the Grand Stand which is more like the bleachers on the visiting side of a high school football stadium.

There was a swine and goat barn, an arts and crafts barn, a bird and rabbit barn, and a beef and dairy barn.  In the middle of the cow barn there was a petting zoo with several animals to investigate. There was a free face painting booth but the line was more than I had patience for so I told the kids we would come back to it.  When we got back to it, it was closed for the evening.  Not the best mommy moment.  And there were pony rides, but you had to pay for those, so we didn't do that.  We looked in the arts and crafts barn to see if we should enter their school art work next year. It would be very doable, so we'll have to see what next year brings. We spent most of the evening at the horse arena - the open air fenced in sand area with picnic tables and a few bleachers on one side.  We watched reining (the riders had to tell their horse to turn, back up, etc) and we watched barrel racing.  Jessica and Maria LOVE horses so they thought it was a good time.

Fun with Cousins

Kurt and Sheila and family came to play.  It was a crazy weekend with all my hours working, but they endured my being gone, took our kids with them on adventures, and we got to do several all together!  Brandon loved having a boy around and the girls had fun.  Brooke went to volleyball camp with Anika two of the days.  We played kickball, wii, went to the Grand Haven musical fountain (the highlight was the HUGE barge that went through in the middle of the show) and went to the beach - several times. We LOVE the beach.  We went for a walk to Pierre Marquette which is Muskegon's prime beach. Its actually rated one of the top 10 beaches in the USA.  There are LOTS of sand volleyball courts, a light house, and the day we were there - a few kite surfers which are plenty of fun to watch.

Thanks for coming guys! It was great to have you.  Come on back anytime!

Let the fun begin

I started working at the airport.

Matt turned 46.

The youth group from MN came to visit.

All on the same day.

It was a good day.

It was a busy day.

It was a fun day.

Matt's birthday was really pretty much ignored.  The kids all said Happy Birthday to him and I gave him a box of fudge covered Oreos a few weeks later.  The youth group showed up with scotcheroos for him and we had ice cream sundaes with the youth group.  We took them to our friends house that live right on the lake. They are an amazing host and hostess.  Food galore and wonderful ice cream sundaes. I even got in on the fun after my first shift at the airport.  The kids were impressed with our little ocean and the house on it!

The youth group was on its way to SERVE in Toronto, Ontario. Seems they had a good trip, which we are thankful for, and we were glad to have seen them!  They slept on the floor in our church and were off the next morning.

The airport job is kinda fun and it definitely keeps me busy.  I actually started two jobs.  They are both very different but I enjoy them both.  We'll have to see what happens to our schedules once school starts and with it all the practices and things.  I still have 3 weeks of training to do in Denver which could prove to be interesting as well.  The airport is small and there are only two flights a day.  Around noon a flight comes in from Chicago and then flies back.  The same thing happens around 6:30 PM.  We do the ticket counter, the gate, and all the loading and unloading of the plane outside.  Four people work a flight.  I am only trained to do the outside work, so I unload and load luggage and I marshall (use the cool orange wands to tell the plane where to go).

Blueberry picking

Adventure.
Anika is tired of that word.  Maybe I use it too much.  When the kids were little, we ran errands together.  Matt always called it an adventure when he ran errands with the kids and they always wanted to go.  I have taken up using the word whenever we are embarking into the unknown.  Something we have never done before.  Someplace we have never been before.  Life is full of adventures, especially when you move.  Going to the grocery store or library is an adventure, although now, the grocery store is an errand.  But sometimes its still an adventure when you are looking for where the store stocks a product you don't buy often, like quinoa.  I was in several aisles before I found its location in Meijer.  Thus, an adventure.  This is the part where Anika rolls her eyes and smiles at me - more of a smirk actually.
WELL.  We had an adventure with Aunt Kathy.  We met half way between our homes at a blueberry field near Coopersville, MI.  I don't know if you can tell from the pictures, but all the little blue/purple dots on the bushes are blueberries.  I had NO IDEA blueberries grew like this nor that the bushes got so full.  We picked for around a half hour and barely moved. There were so many blueberries! And they were OH so delicious.  We mainly picked from the taller bushes as we liked the taste of that variety better and they were more ripe and ready to be picked.
You wear the bucket around your shoulder, put your hand under the big bunch of blueberries and barely put your fingers together and you have a huge handful.  They just fall off into your hand then you put them in the bucket.  And they grow at all heights, perfect for a family to pick.
We had a friend of Anika's with for that morning so she got in on the adventure, too.  And, it ended with ice cream.
All in all, a great adventure, one that needs to be repeated next summer.
Thanks Aunt Kathy!

Right Back Into It

They were busy while I was in Denver.

Overall, it seems to have gone well at home.  Matt's mom came to provide some help, guidance and moral support which was appreciated by everyone.

It was SERVE week here while I was gone.  Anika worked every afternoon as part of the Barnabas team.  She and a few others, drove around to each work site and gave the SERVE kids drinks and treats.  She thoroughly enjoyed doing that, especially because she got to be with two girls from her GEMS league and the mom of one took them to Coldstone one afternoon.  Another plus was the whole family ate supper there every night! YEAH!  I guess one night Mimi and the kids got locked out but they hung out at the neighbor until Matt got home.  The kids loved it because they got to make homemade pop and play games.  Its good to know the neighbors.

We had originally planned to go back to Chicago the first three days of the next week.  Talking it over, we both decided we were trying to accomplish too much. The kids were a bit bummed but we made plans for other adventures.  We went blueberry picking, attended Bible School, went to beach day, Anika and Brandon had a sleepover and went to a movie, and generally just enjoyed ourselves.  Another perk of the week was Bible School offered supper every night!  No cooking all week.  Good times.  

So no Chicago, but a friend reminded me that Chicago will always be there.  Maybe it will be an adventure for next summer.

Time in Denver

And  now, I'm in Denver, attending class and taking tests.
Day 1 was all about the company.  Its a neat company with lots of perks and an interesting business model, so I hope this job continues to work out.  Only time will tell.  Today was class and an agility lifting and stepping test.  It got my heart pumping, but I passed.
There have been many God moments to get me this far. 
- I literally prayed before going to the interview that if I was to work here, to give me the job, and if I wasn't, don't give me the job.  Sort of a Gideon fleecing.  I didn't want to make any decisions.  I had a phone call 3 hours after the interview that the job was mine.
- I was originally supposed to leave on Sunday at 11 am, which would have messed up the Shields visit a bit.  I found out on Thursday night before they came that I wasn't leaving until 7 pm
- I was very excited when I first got the job and the excitement has waned as time has passed. I ache over leaving my kids, and I will have to leave them a few more times; I ache over not being able to give them a trip to MN, although I'm still working on that one!  Flight benefits start in two weeks, enough time for me to get them out there, come back and work, and then go back and get them;
- I also have an interview with the YMCA going on;  when we moved here I knew I didn't want to work within the school system anymore, although who can ask for a better working schedule.  I had three places I thought would be neat to work - the airport, the YMCA, and the medical field - clinics or hospital.  So far so good on those!  But I wonder if two jobs is too many.  Only time will tell, and the YMCA said they would be very flexible with other work schedules and that job is only during school hours!
Day 2 was much more of an orientation day where you go around and introduce yourself and go over company policies.  I passed all 5 tests - only 5 tests left!  But, I got to eat lunch out by the pool in the sun! I went to Walmart last night and got groceries so I can eat breakfast and lunch in my room!  Way more convenient!  Now I am off for a run.
Day 3 was long.  Lots of information all day long! I spent some time on the stationary bike in the work out room and then out for supper with the Denver Zevenbergen clan.  Good times.
Day 4 was another long day, but I wasn't as tired.  Maybe I actually slept last night!  I went for another run and then to Panera for supper.  They were out of cinnamon crunch bagels so I am waking up and running there tomorrow before class to make sure I get a few!  The phone and tv kept me company the rest of the night.
Day 5 - got my bagels from Panera! I was out of class by 1 pm and came back to a message from my cousin asking if I wanted to have supper with them at their house! Oh yeah baby - way better option than Arby's or Sonic which were the only two places I hadn't gone yet.

Tomorrow I head home.  I'm sure there will be laundry and hugs waiting for me!  Its been a good week.  We'll see where it leads us.