Its been almost a week since my last post, and lots has happened here!
We had a wonderful trip to IA. The weather couldn't have been more perfect - almost 60 in Dec! (I remember washing my car in the driveway the first weekend in Dec while I was at Dordt, the next weekend was a HUGE snowstorm - and that's the day my brother got married and my aunt and cousin got stranded....) I realized the kids and I have put a lot of miles on that van traveling the country. We have never had a breakdown, problem, car crash, etc. There have been many close calls - literally crashes that happen before my eyes or large objects blow out of trucks, land in my lane and slide away before I hit them - but nothing has happened to us. How many angels are on my wheels I wonder? A great thing about traveling in the evening and going west is you get the longest sunset possible - it was great. Of course the opposite was true coming home, but such is life.
It was wonderful to see family and friends again. I had a family adopt me while I was at Dordt. They still live in Sioux Center, and my kids don't know life without them, as their kids don't know life without me. It is a relationship I hold very dear and it was great to talk with them again. Much of my biological family also lives there and we spent lots of wonderful quality time with them. Again, relationships we hold dear. There wasn't much exchanging of presents but there was lots of laughter, pictures, game playing and memory making. I loved showing my kids that Christmas can be about fun with people you love, not just getting something. Maybe they missed that point, but I didn't. It was wonderful to feel normal, to know where things were, to feel like we were 'home'. We even walked into the mall on Saturday and ran into a college roommate of mine, so cool. The kids will tell you that it was too long of a trip, but they would also tell you that they would not stay home if they had the choice to do it again!
While driving home I wondered about the verse, "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." What does a 12 year old girl, holding a baby in a basement stable, and newly married... ponder? I can't even imagine. Was it a cool mommy moment? We all have some of those. For instance, a few moments ago, all four kids were laughing, playing together and making up their own game. It was a good ponder moment for me. Notice I also said it was a few moments ago, life changes quickly - so do attitudes. Anyway, I can't imagine giving birth in a stable, or having complete strangers show up a few hours afterwards. She had lots to ponder, I'm thinking.
We bought a house on Monday. That actually was hard for me. Just the permanence of it all and the fact that the loan isn't fulfilled until 2042. That's crazy to think about. Matt is already painting and we are making some redecorating plans. We probably won't move in until mid January.
I was one of the driver's for Jessica's class field trip to a nursing home to sing Christmas Carols yesterday. The night before we had gone caroling with our church in the neighborhood surrounding church. I give both of those instances in how life is here for me. Caroling was fun, the kids enjoyed it, we walked and talked and drank hot chocolate and gave strangers some joy in Christmas. I took the kids to a musical light show afterwards. The field trip was hard. I'm used to understanding how the school system works, seeing familiar faces, knowing what's going on. Very similar things, very different emotions, both just getting used to life and the range of emotions that go along with it.
We have lots of plans if this weather continues. A trip to Matt's parents for Christmas Eve, Christmas dinner with people from church, Christmas evening with my aunt, and friends coming to visit from MN next week. Can I ask that we don't get any snow until Jan. 1?
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
The dog next door
We met the neighbor awhile back, and her dog, Rocko. Marissa and Chad have two cats and a dog. Guess where Jessica and Maria wished they lived? Several times we have gone over and knocked on the door to find out if Rocko can come out and play. Last time they took out the plastic tennis ball thrower and all 4 had to take turns using it. A few times the ball flew into the road, then the kids had to play fetch, so it was good exercise for both the dog and the kids. It has been very easy to talk with Marissa. She is a 7th grade math teacher! Hopefully our new neighbors will be as easy to live next to as they guys have been.
I hate losing things. I keep imagining that all the things I have been missing are somewhere in one of these boxes and some day I will find them all. I knew I had a coupon in the form of a store gift card that expired on Wednesday. For the last 24 hours, I have been going crazy trying to find it. Maria and I were going to head off to church to look through boxes but I decided to search through the boxes that were here. I found it this morning and I was so pumped. A silly little coupon, but it put my heart at rest, for awhile.
We went to the high school's Christmas concert last night. It was held in an old time theater complete with big chandeliers. It was an amazing concert. Even the kids thought it was cool. Brandon commented several times that the people sounded like they came right off the cd. Three of the four were asleep by the time the final number, The Hallelujah Chorus, started in. We took the opportunity of everyone standing up to leave.
In a few hours, the kids and I are headed off to IA. The Zevenbergen family is gathering for Christmas in Sioux Center, IA. It will be a long drive, but everyone is excited to see their cousins, so off we go. We'll drive back on Sunday.
Maria had a field trip to the local Pizza Ranch. I can't tell you how excited we are to have a Pizza Ranch in town. Maria's class has had a restaurant center in her classroom for this month. The culmination was a trip to Pizza Ranch. We were allowed in the kitchen and each kid (and adult chaperone =) was given a mini pizza dough pan to fill with whatever we wanted. Then we put it in the oven and toured the rest of the store, then went back to the kitchen to watch our pizza come out of the oven and of course got to EAT them! It was a fun time and it was good to meet some of Maria's classmates.
There were a few things we had hoped to do this weekend if we had stayed, but we put them on the list of things to do next year. There is a live nativity in Grand Rapids and I want to take the kids to the Nutcracker Ballet, which is also in Grand Rapids. In time!
Enjoy your weekend everyone!
I hate losing things. I keep imagining that all the things I have been missing are somewhere in one of these boxes and some day I will find them all. I knew I had a coupon in the form of a store gift card that expired on Wednesday. For the last 24 hours, I have been going crazy trying to find it. Maria and I were going to head off to church to look through boxes but I decided to search through the boxes that were here. I found it this morning and I was so pumped. A silly little coupon, but it put my heart at rest, for awhile.
We went to the high school's Christmas concert last night. It was held in an old time theater complete with big chandeliers. It was an amazing concert. Even the kids thought it was cool. Brandon commented several times that the people sounded like they came right off the cd. Three of the four were asleep by the time the final number, The Hallelujah Chorus, started in. We took the opportunity of everyone standing up to leave.
In a few hours, the kids and I are headed off to IA. The Zevenbergen family is gathering for Christmas in Sioux Center, IA. It will be a long drive, but everyone is excited to see their cousins, so off we go. We'll drive back on Sunday.
Maria had a field trip to the local Pizza Ranch. I can't tell you how excited we are to have a Pizza Ranch in town. Maria's class has had a restaurant center in her classroom for this month. The culmination was a trip to Pizza Ranch. We were allowed in the kitchen and each kid (and adult chaperone =) was given a mini pizza dough pan to fill with whatever we wanted. Then we put it in the oven and toured the rest of the store, then went back to the kitchen to watch our pizza come out of the oven and of course got to EAT them! It was a fun time and it was good to meet some of Maria's classmates.
There were a few things we had hoped to do this weekend if we had stayed, but we put them on the list of things to do next year. There is a live nativity in Grand Rapids and I want to take the kids to the Nutcracker Ballet, which is also in Grand Rapids. In time!
Enjoy your weekend everyone!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Its the Little Things
At great harvest yesterday we picked up some raspberry bread. One of the best sweet combinations ever is raspberries and chocolate! So, I need to cut up the bread for supper. A previous post will remind you that we have no serrated knife with which to cut this glorious bread. BUT, another elf sent me a new Pampered Chef serrated knife (thanks Tami) and wow was it fun to use that knife on that bread! Its the little things. And the bread was delicious. Jessica ate it again for breakfast.
I don't feel like today was a very successful productive day. We have a tentative closing date for next Monday. We found that out late last night and all I can think about is appliances, bedding, furniture, paint, cleaning, unpacking, etc. We went and shopped for new appliances today and I'm trying to wrap my head around that or craiglisting for used ones, or cleaning up the old dirty ones that were left in the house. We need to purchase a washer and dryer for sure. Maria and I did story time and we ran a few errands, but mainly I was just scattered. I did write down a 'to do' list. For some reason, that always helps. Now, the kiddos are at church and I need to clean up supper!
Here's to getting more things done tomorrow!
I don't feel like today was a very successful productive day. We have a tentative closing date for next Monday. We found that out late last night and all I can think about is appliances, bedding, furniture, paint, cleaning, unpacking, etc. We went and shopped for new appliances today and I'm trying to wrap my head around that or craiglisting for used ones, or cleaning up the old dirty ones that were left in the house. We need to purchase a washer and dryer for sure. Maria and I did story time and we ran a few errands, but mainly I was just scattered. I did write down a 'to do' list. For some reason, that always helps. Now, the kiddos are at church and I need to clean up supper!
Here's to getting more things done tomorrow!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Crazy Fun
I had a fun day today. I went for a 6 mile run, of course along the beach, got some bills paid, and then my aunt walked in the door! It was SO good to hang out with her and just be. We went out for lunch to Great Harvest Bread which I would highly recommend. Grand Haven downtown is full of cute little shops, nothing big name, but lots of neat things. And this is coming from someone who doesn't like to shop! But I do run down main street twice a week and read all the names of the shops and look in the windows as I go by.
Funny story. The boardwalk and sidewalks along the lake are covered in sand. I don't mean a light dusting, I mean FEET of sand, so I run on the road. I figure they don't bother cleaning off the parking lots (also full) and sidewalks until spring when people swarm back to that area. So now, the wind blows and literally drifts of sand accumulate all over. There is a restaurant on the beach side of the road. Today, one of the employees was standing on the curb SHOVELING sand into a wheelbarrow. Oh, how I wish I had my camera. Who would think you would be shoveling sand away from your gutter, drain and front walk on December 12? It was too good to pass up. I told him I had just moved from MN and had never seen anything like it. He told me he has to do this whenever the wind blows. When you live on the beach, that's pretty much every day!
Jessica asked to be homeschooled..... we decided she doesn't truly know what she is asking for. Part of it came because of something that happened at recess - friends - and part of it is she doesn't like waking up early in the morning. She is also studying the weather and doesn't think that is fun. I explained that if I homeschooled, she would still have to study things and do work. She was quite puzzled by that. I'm not sure she fully grasps the concept!
We are getting closer to closing on our house. We are starting to shop for appliances and considering paint colors. We have a contact at an appliance place and he told us to stop in. They just got a shipment of scratch and dent! My kinda place - the same place with the freezer story from a few posts back.
Good night all!
Funny story. The boardwalk and sidewalks along the lake are covered in sand. I don't mean a light dusting, I mean FEET of sand, so I run on the road. I figure they don't bother cleaning off the parking lots (also full) and sidewalks until spring when people swarm back to that area. So now, the wind blows and literally drifts of sand accumulate all over. There is a restaurant on the beach side of the road. Today, one of the employees was standing on the curb SHOVELING sand into a wheelbarrow. Oh, how I wish I had my camera. Who would think you would be shoveling sand away from your gutter, drain and front walk on December 12? It was too good to pass up. I told him I had just moved from MN and had never seen anything like it. He told me he has to do this whenever the wind blows. When you live on the beach, that's pretty much every day!
Jessica asked to be homeschooled..... we decided she doesn't truly know what she is asking for. Part of it came because of something that happened at recess - friends - and part of it is she doesn't like waking up early in the morning. She is also studying the weather and doesn't think that is fun. I explained that if I homeschooled, she would still have to study things and do work. She was quite puzzled by that. I'm not sure she fully grasps the concept!
We are getting closer to closing on our house. We are starting to shop for appliances and considering paint colors. We have a contact at an appliance place and he told us to stop in. They just got a shipment of scratch and dent! My kinda place - the same place with the freezer story from a few posts back.
Good night all!
Monday, December 12, 2011
the hole in the floor
We found a clothes chute. We have lived here for two weeks and we just found it. Who knew a hole in the floor of the bathroom could provide so much fun and entertainment? Well, actually I did because I had one growing up and we had plenty of fun with it, besides its basic usefulness. My kids still enjoy going to Gpa and Gma's house to eat a banana through the 'peek -a - boo' hole. The clothes chute there has two doors across from each other, so you can actually look through the clothes chute at someone. But here, many things have found their way downstairs, right next to the wash machine, through our lovely little hole already. They even tried to see if their heads would fit, nope, they don't. Whew!
Anika had her band concert tonight. She had to be there 45 minutes early so we took one of her classmates with us and the two of them sat in the back and talked and laughed. That was good to hear. Anika was telling her who was in her extended family and what Christmas was like. The 5th grade band here is just getting started so Anika had no problem jumping in. I still need to find her a teacher so she doesn't lose what she knows, but that will come, too.
Maria and I had fun today just hanging out. We talked with some friends, we danced in the living room, and we watched a movie. She took another nap right before supper tonight. She's just so tired!
The neighbor told us to add our recycling to hers so I should be able to empty my bucket this week. And she said they recycle everything here. Obviously I'm going to have to do some more research into what company I get to pick up our garbage. But, we'll be in a different county than we are now, and I know that makes a huge difference, no matter where you live!
Sleep well!
Anika had her band concert tonight. She had to be there 45 minutes early so we took one of her classmates with us and the two of them sat in the back and talked and laughed. That was good to hear. Anika was telling her who was in her extended family and what Christmas was like. The 5th grade band here is just getting started so Anika had no problem jumping in. I still need to find her a teacher so she doesn't lose what she knows, but that will come, too.
Maria and I had fun today just hanging out. We talked with some friends, we danced in the living room, and we watched a movie. She took another nap right before supper tonight. She's just so tired!
The neighbor told us to add our recycling to hers so I should be able to empty my bucket this week. And she said they recycle everything here. Obviously I'm going to have to do some more research into what company I get to pick up our garbage. But, we'll be in a different county than we are now, and I know that makes a huge difference, no matter where you live!
Sleep well!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
daily log
Today I organized the piles that oh so quickly accumulate. It needed to be done, is not finished yet, but felt great to get started! And, I think, just maybe, I have the kids ready for school tomorrow - WITH all the papers, homework, money, etc that they are supposed to have. Hopefully I won't get the 'I know you're new so we will help you along' look from any teachers this week. I'm getting there. We are discovering that Muskegon doesn't seem to use websites in the same frequency we are used to. We are used to going to a website and getting all the information we need. Not so much here.
Like tonight. We wanted to go to a church that is near our new home to just check it out a bit. The website said 5 - 9 PM with no details. So we show up at 5 and find out the supper goes from 5 -6 the play goes from 6 - 7. So, we are in a strange church parking lot and no place to go. We call up our dentist friends and go visit for 45 minutes. Which means I got to see a gorgeous sunset over the lake, the kids got to play with the golden labs and Brandon got to watch some football. Matt also got to fix a doll's arm, but that's a whole other story. The program was ok, but the kids weren't impressed. I may have a hard time convincing them to go to GEMS and Cadets there. I will give it time.
We also notice they don't recycle much - from what we can tell, they throw away paper, soup cans, most plastics. Its going to be weird just throwing that all in a bin and walking away, but I think keeping bags of recycling and sending them back with whomever is visiting seems a bit out of the realm of decency as well. We were told to wait until we moved to our new home to truly figure it out. I guess the carrier you have makes a big difference. We shall see.
Maria slept through lunch today. She has been taking a couple of naps a week. She is just TIRED and needs it. Those early mornings are hard on a 5 year old!
Crazy side bar - We got one of the coca cola glasses that you get free from McDonald's. They are cool glasses. Anyway, I went on ebay to see if you could just buy the glasses and of course you can, but people are selling them for $20! That's crazy. I don't want glasses that bad, especially when I can get a nice looking set at Meijer or Kohl's for that price! Maybe I'll just eat lunch at McDonald's all week and get a few more glasses.
I am missing people tonight. More memories - remembering traditions, etc. I will give that time also.
Like tonight. We wanted to go to a church that is near our new home to just check it out a bit. The website said 5 - 9 PM with no details. So we show up at 5 and find out the supper goes from 5 -6 the play goes from 6 - 7. So, we are in a strange church parking lot and no place to go. We call up our dentist friends and go visit for 45 minutes. Which means I got to see a gorgeous sunset over the lake, the kids got to play with the golden labs and Brandon got to watch some football. Matt also got to fix a doll's arm, but that's a whole other story. The program was ok, but the kids weren't impressed. I may have a hard time convincing them to go to GEMS and Cadets there. I will give it time.
We also notice they don't recycle much - from what we can tell, they throw away paper, soup cans, most plastics. Its going to be weird just throwing that all in a bin and walking away, but I think keeping bags of recycling and sending them back with whomever is visiting seems a bit out of the realm of decency as well. We were told to wait until we moved to our new home to truly figure it out. I guess the carrier you have makes a big difference. We shall see.
Maria slept through lunch today. She has been taking a couple of naps a week. She is just TIRED and needs it. Those early mornings are hard on a 5 year old!
Crazy side bar - We got one of the coca cola glasses that you get free from McDonald's. They are cool glasses. Anyway, I went on ebay to see if you could just buy the glasses and of course you can, but people are selling them for $20! That's crazy. I don't want glasses that bad, especially when I can get a nice looking set at Meijer or Kohl's for that price! Maybe I'll just eat lunch at McDonald's all week and get a few more glasses.
I am missing people tonight. More memories - remembering traditions, etc. I will give that time also.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Memories
Anika got to play in her one an only basketball game this season. It was so much fun to watch her, and yet so hard. It was a Saturday morning at 9 AM, watching basketball. It was hard not to think of how many Saturdays we spent watching Upward basketball, knowing most of the people in the stands and most of the kids on the court. She played really well, but they lost. She had a hard time with it afterwards as well - its never fun to lose, but its multiplied when you miss the people you used to play with! The girls at MCS have been playing for about a month and today was the season ending tournament.
We went to the Muskegon Museum of Art today. They had a 'make it take it' craft. So everyone painted a few cardboard box Christmas ornaments. Then we went next door to the library and pet some live reindeer.
Matt and I went for my lake run together this afternoon. The electric babysitter was on hand!
We are exploring different churches to associate with for extra programs. There is a church VERY near our new home that has GEMS and Cadets. I think I like the program already! =) We'll have to check it out one of these nights. I was planning on going there and asking for tips on finding a piano teacher and a flute teacher. Hopefully it all works out.
In the world of mint, there is good news and bad news. The good news is - Dairy Queen has reinstated the candy cane blizzard and I have buy one get one free coupon. The bad news is the closest DQ is 45 minutes away and the coupon expires on Thursday. I'll still get a blizzard from there, but probably not with the coupon - maybe I'll drive down there for my birthday! Another round of bad news. It seems Oreo stopped making the fudge covered mint oreos they always used to make at Christmas time. They still make the white fudge covered ones, but now they have mint sandwich cremes, not quite the same thing.
I realized today that I am with the kids constantly unless they are in school. Its strange with no sport practices, no music lessons, no play dates, no sleepovers, no neighbors, no toys outside. Its something I have to get used to. We have contemplated me homeschooling in the past, but I have resisted. Somewhat out of ignorance of how to jump into it. Right now, all they have is each other. Its just an observation - nothing good or bad necessarily about it. I do find that as the day wears on, my patience thins. I get tired, and they gear up. Oh to have that energy!
Thanks for checking in!
We went to the Muskegon Museum of Art today. They had a 'make it take it' craft. So everyone painted a few cardboard box Christmas ornaments. Then we went next door to the library and pet some live reindeer.
Matt and I went for my lake run together this afternoon. The electric babysitter was on hand!
We are exploring different churches to associate with for extra programs. There is a church VERY near our new home that has GEMS and Cadets. I think I like the program already! =) We'll have to check it out one of these nights. I was planning on going there and asking for tips on finding a piano teacher and a flute teacher. Hopefully it all works out.
In the world of mint, there is good news and bad news. The good news is - Dairy Queen has reinstated the candy cane blizzard and I have buy one get one free coupon. The bad news is the closest DQ is 45 minutes away and the coupon expires on Thursday. I'll still get a blizzard from there, but probably not with the coupon - maybe I'll drive down there for my birthday! Another round of bad news. It seems Oreo stopped making the fudge covered mint oreos they always used to make at Christmas time. They still make the white fudge covered ones, but now they have mint sandwich cremes, not quite the same thing.
I realized today that I am with the kids constantly unless they are in school. Its strange with no sport practices, no music lessons, no play dates, no sleepovers, no neighbors, no toys outside. Its something I have to get used to. We have contemplated me homeschooling in the past, but I have resisted. Somewhat out of ignorance of how to jump into it. Right now, all they have is each other. Its just an observation - nothing good or bad necessarily about it. I do find that as the day wears on, my patience thins. I get tired, and they gear up. Oh to have that energy!
Thanks for checking in!
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