Everyday stuff...

No particular theme this post. Just a few pictures of life around our house. Things that the kids have been busy with and things that I've been sewing and doing.

Arianna & Julianna in front of one of the art exhibits. Arianna takes an art class every other week for 2 hours. She made amazing art work this year. The teacher keeps all of the art until the art exhibit, where she puts all of her student's work on display. It is an exciting time especially for the students.

I love this picture! Can't wait to frame it

we received this play set from our friends who moved to Texas :(
the kids have been playing on it all the time! as have the neighbors:)

everyone has their favorite place to read...
today this was Arianna's, mine was on the deck in the sun!

too cute not to post. Julianna received these headphones as a gift from her cousins.
(not to worry, I have since taken them away from her at nap time, lest she strangle herself)

the two skorts I made for Arianna
I've been having a lot of fun sewing lately :)

matching jumpers I made for the girls

sweet, sweet jumpers for Julianna

because afternoons are always this peaceful ;) , I thought I'd post this one. Next to new socks,
there is nothing like new crayons and markers. The twistables crayons are the best~definitely worth the extra money

I flew 'home' for Mother's Day and had an absolutely wonderful time. It was so relaxing to spend time alone with my mom. I flew to Flint, MI on Thurs. night, and stayed the night at my sister Teresa's house. Friday morning my niece, Sarahlynn, cut and colored and highlighed my hair and in the afternoon my mom and I went home. We ate dinner together and in the evening we went to my sister Betz' house for a grad party for my nephew Aaron. Saturday after sleeping in, Mom and I went out for lunch, did some shopping, and enjoyed being together. In the evening we went out for dinner with my brother David and his wife Barb and my sister Betz and her husband Jack. Sunday we went to church, went to the cemetery, celebrated my 12th anniversary over the phone with Cor and had a Mother's Day celebration with my family at Betz' house. Sunday night I went back to MI with my sister Teresa. Monday afternoon I flew home after shopping and going out for lunch with Teresa. I had a great time away. I was so excited to go 'home' and I was equally excited to come back to my Cor and kids!

me, Teresa and Betz and my mom
this picture is okay but a whole lot better than
THIS
ONE!!

wow, Teresa and I laughed ourselves silly over this one!
I guess we share a lot of expressions!
( Not sure how Betz and mom managed to keep their pose)

I got spoiled for Mother's Day! A totally unexpected gift!

Happy Birthday Asher-Dasher!

Our sweet, funny, happy, trickster boy is 7! He is constantly playing little jokes on us. Last week he filled my empty wine bottle with water and put it back in the refrigerator. The next day, I pour myself some wine and noticed that it was a weird color. I took a sip and was totally confused, it tasted like water. Did the company mess up? I knew Cor had just opened a new bottle for me and I couldn't find it anywhere! So I gave Cor a call and he just laughed. (don't mess with my bottle of wine!). Asher definitely had me on that one.

here's our boy all smiles
first attempt at a football cake, I wasn't very pleased with it:(
but Asher was!

Arianna taking this picture

s-l-o-w-l-y reading his card from Oma!

little joke I played on him. I forgot to buy wrapping paper,
brown paper bag works well! I'm so green!

eating lunch at the party

opening presents at his birthday party. He had 7 boys over
his party was 2 weeks after his actual birthday,
we wanted a pool party, but it was still a little cool to swim for long

remember Wilbur? He DID turn into a pinata,
he didn't take long to break though!

all the boys
this football cake turned out so much better.
I bought a football mold for this one

Asher's room!! Lego disaster.
He just put together his Lego race car from his cousins and is watching it move

Our Family's First Camping Trip ~~Manatee Springs

We survived it...and absolutely loved it! Why haven't we done this earlier?

On a gorgeous March day, our family headed out for our first camping trip. I will have to admit I had some mixed feelings about the whole adventure. Cor and the kids were quite pumped to go, I was a little more reserved. We were joined, (or rather we joined) some friends from church who are very experienced campers. When they lived in Alaska they camped EVERY weekend! We arrived on Thursday afternoon, set up our tents...(good thing we did a practice run at it at home first) and started exploring the camp ground. The creation was absolutely beautiful. We stayed for two nights, breaking me in slowly. Other than all the ticks the adventure was fantastic, and I would most definitely do it again. It was our first time camping and my first time having s'mores! Can you believe that?! They are so yummy.

the temperature of the spring is always 69,
we couldn't go swimming because apparently humans and manatees don't mix.
We could see at least 4 huge manatees swimming around.
Save the manatees!!

Manatee Spring
I could just sit here for hours it was so incredibly peaceful and beautiful.

Asher and friend Jacob

Jacob, Asher, Joshua and Arianna

setting up camp

It was cold in the evenings and mornings low 30's, but during the day it was around 70.

Do you meet the criteria?

I do...so does pretty much the whole human race. Aren't you glad we can all fit into at least one category ~now that's unity in diversity people!

I want to say more but I'm just lost my train of thought and my kids distracted me!

The Baby is 3 ~~Julianna that is!

In a blink of an eye...Julianna was/is crawling, walking, eating, talking, climbing into/out of her crib, potty trained, dressing herself, buckling herself, going potty by herself, fighting with her siblings, reciting scripture and sleeping in a big girls bed. She's 3! I'm happy and sad. Thankfully she will still cuddle with me. After all she is still MY baby. Love ya baby, you're the best and such a joy to have around. We love you, Sally!

Julianna was so very excited about her D-D-D-Dora cake!
I'm happy how it turned out too!

our family, we haven't changed much since last post...
well that's not true Cor has..notice anything different?

our great friends!

Julianna opening her gifts

very, very pleased with her new baby

and her new wheels

and her new stroller!

Julianna and Gracie hanging out on the top bunk, having a rare moment of play

Julianna got spoiled...but that's what birthdays are all about. Thanks to everyone who sent gifts from Canada.

Weekend Getaway-Orlando, FL

Cor and I spent a weekend together in Orlando on March14 -17th. Last year Cor won the Master's Award at work and part of the award is attending the Annual Honor's Meeting. Last year the meeting was held on a cruise ship in the Bahamas, and this year the venue was a beautiful hotel in Orlando. While I loved the cruise, we had more "free" time in Orlando, and if you have even been on a cruise you know the rooms are tiny! The room at the Rosen Shingle Creek was huge, roomy, and gorgeous! Cor had to attend a 3 hour meeting on Saturday morning, I had to attend for 1/2 hour to be thanked by the CEO for helping my husband help the company...and the rest of the weekend was ours to do whatever we wanted. There were receptions every evening which we wanted to attend for the food and drinks. Oh, and we each got spending money and I won a $100 raffle. Not bad at all!

The back of the hotel. It had gorgeous, well maintained grounds. On Sunday afternoon we walked the nature trail

entrance to the Rosen Shingle Creek

Saturday afternoon Cor and I spent our time in Winter Park. While a lot of the people at the meeting braved the tourists at the Orlando Parks, Cor and I chose to tour the lakes in Orlando on a pontoon boat. It was the best $10 that we spent. It was a pleasant day and there's nothing like being on the water looking at people's beautiful estates!

Florida landscape, bamboo trees~ reminded me of high jumping in elementary school

narrow canal from one lake to another

Mr. Roger's neighborhood~ were he lived

so peaceful

We had such a enjoyable weekend together, and our kids had fun where they stayed as well. Arianna went to her cousins house in Vero and got to go to the Kennedy Space Center and Sea World...not a bad weekend for her! and Asher and Julianna went to my friend Michelle's. Asher had a blast with the 2 boys and Julianna played with Gracie when they weren't fighting and arguing! Thanks for having them.

Happy Birthday Arianna!

Arianna turned 9 on March 9! Time just flies by! She has been such a joy and blessing to our family. I remember, like it was yesterday, her lying in the hospital bassinet peacefully staring at us. She was so content. She still is. We love you dearly Arianna.

Arianna with her friends
we had a party for her on Saturday

one of the activities we did at the party, stain glass painting

cake designed by Arianna and her cousin Annalee

my sister's family on Arianna's official day
spoiled girl got two cakes, her favorite van Eyk cake made by my sister Betz

thrilled with her watch with 11 different bands!
her present from us came late...a iPod shuffle which she was so thrilled to receive

our family