Our Triathlete

Look at this handsome guy! Our local YMCA held a kid's triathlon a couple weekends ago and Andrew worked it on his swim, bike and run. This was the real deal with body marking, a time chip on his ankle, T-shirts, and a medal! Andrew's been working hard on his new biking skills without training wheels and swimming across the pool at the Y. He swam one length of the pool (25 meters), biked one mile, and ran a half mile.

He was so excited about the triathlon. The day of, he kept asking how long until we had to leave and kept reminding me that he needed to be there at 5:15.
They marked him with his age and his number. He thought it was pretty cool that he was #23, just like Michael Jordan!

Here's Andrew's cheerleaders, complete with "Andrew Shakers" and all!

Andrew, and his friend Brynn, waiting for their heat to start.This is the face he made the entire time he was swimming!

Here he is coming to the finish line!

This was such a fun event and a great accomplishment for Andrew! Mike and I always love a race atmosphere and it was even better with our Andrew as the participant! Next year Tanner and Reid will be old enough to do it as well, bring on the race!

Congratulations Adam and Meghan!

We love Adam and Meghan and are so happy they're getting married!! We're so excited and can't wait for the big day in just a few weeks!! Aren't they a cute couple? Love, love, love you guys!

My jam party

I'll admit, I was a little sad when I called Camie and this jam party was happening. Three sisters and cousins gathered to pick berries and then make jam, how fun! Well, this morning, I had my own jam party...of sorts. We picked delicious raspberries this morning with some friends and then I came home to make jam with my favorite people.
These kids were on berry mashing duty and did a great job. They were so excited to help! I've made five batches of the yummiest raspberry jam that my Tanner boy spoons out of the jar if I turn my back.

These pics aren't part of our jam party, but the party always finds it's way to the front porch. I love days like this!

The Mud Hole

How much entertainment can one mud hole provide?! On Monday we had a huge classic Midwest storm come through. We lost power through the day, which totally changed my plan for a super productive day. Instead, we had a fun day playing games in the basement and hanging in the mud once the storm passed. It's always a big mess to clean up, but it provides hours of entertainment. What will we do when the house next door is finished and actually has a yard?

Shark!

You can imagine the shock when I found this little shark in my bed! Tanner is such an adorable little guy. He can melt you with his big blue eyes, thoughtful personality, and sweetness. He loves riding his bike and peddles up and down the road over and over until he comes in all sweaty asking for for me to make his hair into a lion's mane.

He can also be a little shark with his determined personality. I always say I like my kids to have some fire in them, they need it to get through life. But at the end of the day, it's nice to see the little shark sleeping peacefully.

It's like coming home!

Mike was in Grand Rapids recently for business and the kids and I decided to meet him at Costco for dinner and shopping. We don't have a Costco here in town, so this was a special treat I was so looking forward to. As I walked into my beloved Costco, it was like coming home! It felt so good, so familiar, and I was so excited about the yummy amazing products on the shelves!

Unfortunately, we went to the smaller of the two Costco's in Grand Rapids, so I had to make another trip today to pick up a few favorites...raw tortillas, dark chocolate covered acai berries, fruit and nut medley, etc. Oh Costco, I love you!!

Independence Day

We had such a great 4th of July weekend! Saturday, I took the boys to Home Depot Day in the morning and then we had a great afternoon at a pool party with a families from both wards in Kalamazoo. Our kids were lovin' the pool, tree house, ATV rides, cookies, and popsicles. That night Mike and I got Chinese food and watched Independence Day.

On Monday we headed to St. Joseph's for a fun kid's parade and a day at beautiful Silver Beach with some MBA friends. Eric and Gretchen and Justin and Cherity also relocated to the area post graduation and it was so fun to see familiar faces!


Tanner was the cutest kid in this parade! He waved and said, "Happy 4th of July!" as he passed spectators. We loved it!


Andrew and Gretta are great buddies. Wish I had snapped a picture of them holding hands walking all the way back to our cars.



These kids loved getting out of the lake and rolling on the warm sand to warm up. Then they'd get too warm and head back in the water!


After hours of fun at the beach, we headed back to Eric and Gretchen's and bathed kids and had a classic 4th of July BBQ. We left before all children melted from pure exhaustion and went home to set off a few fireworks in the driveway.




It was a great holiday, couldn't have been better! Thanks for hosting Eric and Gretchen, can't wait to do it again!

Our bike riding boy!

Before I post about 4th of July, I have to acknowledge Andrew's big accomplishment. Mike has summer hours and is home Friday afternoons and last Friday was so fun, and such a big accomplishment for Andrew. We took Andrew's training wheels off and he did awesome!
Tanner and Reid were quite the cheerleaders and when we finally came in, Reid said, "Andrew, you did some great bike riding out there." I thought it was so cute!
Mike said that when Andrew got it and was riding on his own he had the biggest smile and was giggling because he was so excited.
Our big bike riding boy!

We live at the back of our neighborhood and Andrew can ride around the loop by the vineyards while I watch him from the driveway. He's having so much fun bike riding on just two wheels!