Tree Climbing and Pumpkin Carving

We are always very impressed with Scott and his work. Olivia and Ethan have seen him at work in our yard a few times and, if he's in the area, we sometimes will visit him on the job site. To small children Scott looks much like a super hero way up in those trees! Our kids think the same! Lately Olivia had been asking Scott about climbing trees so he decided to bring some equipment home and let them have a go at it...

As you can see Scott had to coax Olivia to try out swinging in the saddle and Ethan was much more interested in the rope than anything else.


This past weekend we carved our pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns. Olivia and Ethan each had their own baby pumpkin that they decorated with markers and stickers. Although I think Ethan got more marker on his face then anywhere else. Then we let each of them decide what type of face Mommy and Daddy should carve for them in their bigger pumpkins. We had a lot of fun and little mess! It was great!

Grand Rapids Marathon 2008

I did it! I walked the half marathon! Yes, that's right 13.1 miles. It was on Sunday, October 19th. A beautiful fall day, crisp and sunny. This being my first half marathon I had some reservations about, oh, I don't know, MAKING IT TO THE END. But I did it! Since about July or August a group of us had been training (me not so much due to work etc., but that will change next year). There was a group of runners (Anne, Katie, two of Katie's friends, and Elly who turned into a walker due to an injury) and a group of walkers (me, Ellen, Aunt Cheryl, and Amy who wasn't really training with us but just knowing she was out there was a good feeling). As we crossed the starting line they were playing "The Eye of the Tiger" and I almost felt like starting out sprinting, but not quite. The runners were off and not to be seen again. The first five miles flew by. I enjoyed talking with my Aunt Cheryl about her Indonesian meal waiting for her at home and with Ellen about our favorite t.v. shows. We talked to a man (see picture below) who had run the Philadelphia Marathon the day before and was out just to see how far he could go. Amazing! There seemed to be a few more hills then I had anticipated and I started to really not like them. But I was on a mission to finish. The Gummy Bears at mile 6.2 were heavenly. I've never had Gummy Bears that tasted so good. In fact, I was tempted to pick up the ones that had been dropped on the ground to eat - they were that good. Well, I guess if I was about to do that at mile 6.2 you can guess how the rest of the miles went. It was nice to see Elly's husband and boys at 3 different spots (can't wait to see those pics also). The volunteers were so encouraging! We loved being cheered on along the way. At some point Aunt Cheryl fell behind Ellen and I, but Elly stayed with her as her "coach." Ellen and I passed a man who was kind of shuffling along and he said he used to weigh 360 pounds and that he was lucky to be able to cross the road. That was so inspiring to hear. I hope he finished and keeps it up! Nearing the final three miles Ellen slipped ahead of me and I just couldn't catch up to her. We had been walking a mile in about 15 to 16 minutes and my legs were tired. A few times I telephoned ahead to Scott who was waiting at the finish line with his mom and Olivia and Ethan. I was so happy to see them! I was so proud of myself and I know they were too. Olivia kept calling it my "race" and saying that I was going to "win first place" and that I'd get a "red ribbon." Well, I did beat my goal time so I guess I did "win" and everyone gets a medal,which is in the mail (I'll take a picture of it when I get it)so I guess that's like a red ribbon. It was very empowering to cross the finish line, to know you can not just think you can. I love that they announce everyone's name as they cross the finish line, even if it is mispronounced. My chip time was 3:27:30, beating my goal time which was 3:30. At next year's marathon I hope to be 25 pounds lighter and shave 10 minutes off my time. Maybe Olivia will do the Kid's Run. I hope to be an example to Olivia and Ethan of living actively. Our family history puts us on the defense in regards to health, so it's time to take it seriously. I am already looking forward to next year!

Springboards

We all have...current relationships and responsibilities we can too easily take for granted. If we're wise, we'll see our duties not as unimportant ways to bide our time, but as springboards, launching us into God's plan and purpose for our future.
~ Joshua Harris

I just found this quote to be such an inspiration. Not like we all haven't heard some version of it before, but if we are anything like the Israelites wandering in the desert (and who isn't to some degree?)then we could all use a little reminding. God put you where you are and with who you are with for HIS glory, plan and purpose. And because our God is loving and merciful, his plan and purpose is always ultimately for our good too. I know it is difficult to be grateful for laundry, vacuuming, disciplining my children, or disagreeing with my husband; so this quote was a wonderful reminder to me to not take those things for granted. After all, in a crazy roundabout way I got to be a stay at home mom (which I am LOVING), we have nice clothes that, eventually, need to be laundered (how many people do not have much clothing), a comfortable home to clean, healthy children to train up, and an unbelievably supportive, kind, caring, and HOT husband who I occasionally disagree with. These are things not just to be grateful for but to be treated as the sacredly spiritual relationships and responsibilities that they truly are.

First Day of Preschool, Take 2

Scott and I decided Olivia really should go to Preschool. She absolutely loved school and we felt horrible for having to pull her. We asked her if she would want to go to school at Coopersville where her cousins go, Parker and Marianne. She said "yes, but I want to go to my own class." We couldn't believe her independence! Well, it turns out her "own class" actually fits in better with our schedule. She goes to Preschool on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, story hour at the library on Wednesday mornings (sometimes PJ story hour on Tuesday nights), and literacy playgroup once a month on Mondays. "I'm a busy girl!" she says. And so big too. This was her first day of Preschool at Coopersville and she was so excited to go! (Note the huge smile on her face in the picture right outside her classroom.) When it came time for me to leave she held on tight and didn't want me to go (how long will that last?), but no tears. I must say those 2 hours seemed to take forever! I was so worried about her. Ethan and I have to figure out what to do with ourselves without Evie around for four hours a week. I think Ethan will surely enjoy the undivided attention. So when we picked Olivia up we waited outside the room a little early and watched her from the window - I love that window. She saw us and her entire face lit up! She kept waving to us and grinning from ear to ear. Ethan could barely stand waiting to go in and see her. Overall, she had a good day. They went to the gym, glued five fancy feathers on the letter F, had snack and played. Oh, and the side ponytail is her new favorite way to wear her hair. She saw it on a girl in one of the oldest Barney tapes ever, probably from the late eighties. Gotta love her!

Pumpkin Picking

We had a wonderful fall filled weekend. Scott made his sure-to-win-an-award-if-ever-entered-into-a-contest chili and we cheated and bought a pumpkin pie because Family Fare was out of canned pumpkin, I guess everyone else had fall fever as well. Saturday we went to Schwallier's Country Basket. The kids loved seeing the animals and playing in the corn box. We also had delicious donuts and tasty crisp apples. Olivia and Ethan picked out some great pumpkins. Ethan really just started loading up the wagon with any pumpkin he could carry. I think he thought we were there to work or something. He would have grabbed every pumpkin in sight if we didn't get out of there!

We also went to my dad's house to celebrate his birthday which is this week. It is always good to see everyone and all be in the same spot for a little while.



Some special playtime with Nana and Ethan in his new jammies - "ohhhh, soft."

Lessons and Laughs

There is nothing like being a stay at home mom. As a (former) teacher I, of course, incorporate lessons into our day. Recently, Olivia asked a question about guitars. So I went to the basement and brought up my 30 year old Yamaha with 2 missing strings that belonged to my mom. It's a beautiful guitar, too bad I never learned how to play it. Then Olivia wanted to make her own guitar out of paper - and decorate it with stickers, of course. Mind you, this was all before 7:30 in the morning. Yikes. Ethan is always up for the ride.













We also go to the library for story time on Wednesdays and other days to play on the computers. On good weather days, which is often, Olivia rides her bike while I push Ethan in the single stroller. They look so adorable with those huge headphones on.











I've kind of added some things to the play room that make it like a school room. Olivia loves to play school. We usually do this when Ethan is napping. We have calendar, story, "centers", and play.








I'm sure your kids crack you up just as much as mine crack me up...here are some funny things being said around here...
Olivia (completely out of the blue) to Scott: Daddy, Pooh knows about his tummy right?
Olivia to Scott: Today's the day to teach me how to climb a tree!
Ethan's favorite word: Ca-ca (lovely. I don't even know how to spell it.) which sometimes he will tell you means poop (correct) and sometimes he says it means go (incorrect).
Oh, and here's Ethan riding his motorcycle with helmet and all...