Sickies

Seems as though it was our turn to get the flu.  Starting a little after half-time for the Super Bowl Carter starting getting sick.  Michael and I were both shocked at how quickly Carter started feeling sick.  We haven’t been around anyone who was sick, and we are selves have been feeling fine. So, sure it was a bit shocking.    I so dread seeing my babies sick. You get that sick feeling in your tummy that just says, “Oh, I would much rather it be me.”  Especially when they aren’t able to communicate to you what hurts.  But, Ohhh, how I love the cuddles and snuggles I get from sick babies.  Love, love, love cuddling (go figure physical touch is one of my love languages)

Anywho, Carter starting feeling better on Monday, but you’ll never guess who came home from school feeling yucky on Tuesday?  Yep, Josh!  Seems he  caught the bug. Then it was my turn, and last but not least, Michael got it and probably the worst of it.  I worry about him the most  because of his weak immune system.

We missed A LOT of work, and school this week.  Not fun! 

We’re all feeling better now, and have hopefully avoided society long enough to not pass the bug on.

Carter trying to sleep on the floor…

Carter slept quite a bit this week on the couch like this…

Josh on Tuesday night, when he started feeling yucky

Hmmm, Carter must be feeling better?!

I think they’re both feeling better now!  Yay!!

I would show you pictures of Michael and I feeling yucky, but trust me you are  better off.  ;)

 

 

Weekend at home

Michael and I treasure our weekends, especially the ones that we are able to spend at home as a family.  Sometime it feels a bit selfish to stay home and mostly because weekends are the best opportunity for us to invite friends over, or go out and  explore Southern California (which we do all so often, LOL).  But we really enjoy the calm, slow family weekends. I always feel revived, calm, and complete after a weekend at home with my boys.  Sure we “try” to get some of those house projects checked off the list, but for the most part it’s games, trains, cars, trampoline, etc… I LOVE these weekends, and this weekend was one of them.

Carter reading…

Carter giving Josh hugs

Josh showing how much he loves those hugs

Michael happily trimming our fruitless Mulberry back with his new chainsaw

Some things you’ll often find Josh doing on his own…

Coloring Superheroes, and crossword puzzles

and playing his favorite word game. He loves to sit and do puzzles that make him think, especially spelling puzzles.  He does a great job of sounding each letter out and making words. 

I have to show my fun purchases this week, because I just love them.  Thank you so much Mom & Dad DeJong. 

For Christmas M & D gave a Sample fragrance set of 8 different perfumes from Sephora.  Inside is a card that you fill out once you have had a chance to try out the 8 different perfumes, and take it into Sephora for a full size bottle of your chosen perfume. 

I chose…

and I was finally able to get my new Crockpot.

Fun!

 

 

A New Purpose

When I first started our blog it was with the hope of helping out of state family stay connected…you know all the things that are hard to say over the phone.  I thought I would be more committed to posting, but when you everyday life just seems so ordinary you don’t see any reason to post.  Yet, I try to remind myself that our ho-hum days are fun and interesting to our families and friends.  Even with that said, a friend said something to me the other day that made me realized that I have been blogging, or lack of blogging, for all the wrong reasons and this I made me very sad.  She said, that I should post and my boys wouldn’t regret it.  I can’t thank her enough because even though it made me very sad to think of all the moments that I’ve missed, it made me happy to know that it’s never too late to start.  So I hope that with a new found purpose our blog will be a way to write our memories, or everyday moments that Michael and I, or the boys can look back on and treasure…a public journal or memoir, per say. 

 

 

 

Thankful

Alright, so I may be the world’s most inconsistent blogger.  SORRY!  Would it help if I told you I have over a dozen drafts just sitting there.  So it’s not for a lack of trying, it’s more, “is this post worthy” whatever that means. 

There has been one consistent think with my drafts…Thankfulness. 

NO. This year was anything but easy. YES. Because of the challenges this year posed, I have a lot to be thankful for.

Now how do you show how thankful you are: I have considered blogging a list of things I am thankful for, writing a letter to each person I am thankful for, making each person something personal or special, and some other ideas.  I finally decided to pray.  Pray for each and every person I am thankful for each and every day.  Now, I can stick with that, and I have (Go me).

It seems scary to say, “I am thankful for Michael’s diagnosis”, but honestly it has allowed us to see life through different eyes.  Never EVER would I say that I didn’t appreciate my marriage, children, family, or friends. Yet I just love the way I have slowed life down and can sit and just reflect on how lovely my life really is.  I just can’t say enough about my husband and children.  Sure they may drive me crazy now and again…like leaving the bathroom door open (josh), but geesh, I would be crazy if they didn’t. 

But enough about my family, everyone already knows how in love I am with my three boys.  This post is to finally say, incase you didn’t already know, just how thankful I am to each and everyone of my friends (you know who you are :) ).

Thank you so much for your unending support throughout this year. All the walks, coffee dates, chick flick nights, family dinners, and watching the Bachelorette evenings.  I can’t say enough how much comfort, and love you have shown me.  It’s been tremendious in my walk with the Lord, and filling my heart with grace, joy and thankfulness.

I just laugh thinking back to some of the fun that filled 2010, but as much as I enjoyed 2010, I think that 2011 is going to be something incredible…maybe even mostly doctor free.

 

 

Happy Anniversary

Today 6 years ago I married the love of my life, my best friend, my soul mate, and the only person that laughs at my jokes :).

Here are a few things that I love about my husband, Michael Glen:

1. He loves God
2. He has so much love and respect for his parents.
3. He never lets a day go by without letting me know how much he loves and appreciates me. ( I know, I know, what can I say…I’m sooo loved.  It’s okay, you can be jealous, but find your own man :))
4. Josh and Carter are everything to him. 
5. I love how much Josh and Carter adore their dad! 
6. He truly loves being a Christian school teacher, and even after 9 years of teaching he still has an incredible love and passion for the job and the kids.
7. He has a heart of gold.
8. He never talks negatively about anyone…never!
9. He is a great listener… or maybe I’m just a great talker (hmm, I might have to think about that one…kidding :))
10. I know that no matter what happens to me, no matter what  crazy thing I say or do, he will always support and love me.
11. He chose the best job ever, really…I think the rest of us are just jealous that we didn’t think of it first. 

Many of our friends know how much I adore my husband, and words can hardly describe how much loves and adores so many people he is surrounded by.  I know that I am truly blessed to have such an amazing life partner and can’t wait for what the rest of our lives together hold.  Love you, Babe!  Thank you so much for loving me and loving the way I drive you crazy!!

 

I’m still here…

trying to figure out where to start since so much has happened since I last updated. 

Hmm, I’m thinking that pictures will tell the tale.  Sooo, here it goes…

Starting with two sleeping cuties on our way back from the beach in Holland

Cascade/Ada 4th of July Parade

Ice Cream with Abe, Anna,  & Simon

 

Simon Triezenberg enjoying his Superman Ice Cream.  Isn’t he such a cutie?

Carter loves sand boxes

Meijer Gardens

Josh and Nathan Super Heroes

Sweet Ava!  They just don’t get any cutier!

 

Saying Goodbye is just so hard! 

It always amazes me how hard it is to leave our Michigan friends!  We love and miss you all! 

and after that….

Oceanside with Mike’s brother, Randy and family

Playing Play-doh with friends

Okay, I better get off the computer…Mike’s already finished his bowl of ice cream. 

Toodles :)

Vege-sort of-tarian

 

Mike and I have made a huge change in our diets lately, and we are both loving it.  It seems that about a dozen doctors visits in one months’ time can give you a little of a kick in the behind to start a  healthier lifestyle.  Crazy, but I wouldn’t have thought we had an unhealthy lifestyle, nor did the doctor.   We just decided to make the change for ourselves, before a doctor or our bodies told us too. 

Mike was asked to give up dairy for two weeks; and no more happiness (for you Brian Reagan fans).  Mike is a VERY understanding and even tempered guy, but when you take dairy, really just ice cream, out of his diet, well you could say he was just a LITTLE peeved.  I’m pretty positive that the Doctor didn’t know of Mike’s nightly bowl of ice cream.  But Mike being the positive and problem solver realized that the doctor would understand if he left just ice cream in his diet.  Hmm, I wouldn’t if I was his doctor, but who am I to argue.  Luckily, dairy has been introduced back into his diet.

I really enjoyed finding dairy-free recipes, especially for a husband that loves comfort foods.  I ended up finding a lot of vegetarian recipes, or recipes that I was able to make some adjustments too, but all in all we all enjoyed the meals, and we have continued to make them.  I can’t say that we only eat vegetarian because we don’t (I’m German and Italian; meat is just part of most every meal).  But veggies by far the main ingredient in most every dinner.  LOVE IT!

Hopefully I will have the time to post a picture along with a recipe of two.