Ship Tours

Now that the ships are docked, we are welcome to tour them for free. The girls were so excited to go today. Unfortunately, the big, the Mackinaw, was not giving tours until this evening, but we were able to go on the other two. After visiting the USS Midway aircraft carrier last year, these boats seemed tiny! There were pretty cool though and we enjoyed the tours. I was also amazed at how young some of the Coasties looked! Some looked much younger than me, and I'm only 24. I also wondered if the Coast Guard has a rule that any young man who wants to join has to be good looking, 'cause I saw some pretty hot guys today! =)No pictures though, that would have been too obvious.

Watching the Coast Guard Ships Come In

A Very Big Day

Psalm 49:18-19

Though while he lived he counted himself blessed- and men will praise you when you prosper- he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of life.

Being Creative

Sam gave me a magazine about 101 ways to decorate for under $100. One idea was to put votives in small holders on a short pedestal candle stand thing and surround it with colorful bracelets. Well, I used my fun blue dinner plate, three votives, and some funky bracelets I found at Target. What do you think?!

Livi

My new little "niece" - Olivia Nicole.

Kids, kids, kids

Last Week

I'm in

Well, I made into my new house on Saturday. Jeff, Adam Montambo, Adam Schaap, and Tony moved all the boxes, furniture, etc. while Sam and I cleaned. We got everything done about the same time the guys got all my stuff packed so we all left together for the new place. You should have seen the line- up. Three cars and two trucks with trailers. Praise the Lord, we were able to get everything in one trip. When we got there the guys unloaded the vehicles while Sam and I started unpacking. Trish and Silas pitched in a helped carry some stuff in. I unpacked and rearranged furniture for several hours on Saturday and a couple on Sunday. Trish came over after church last night to help hang pictures and clocks. It looks pretty good. I still need a few things, but it's ok for now. Soon, I promise, I will have pictures up. But if you really want to see my new place, you'll have to come visit - I have a guest room!

Psalm 49:16-17

Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases, for he will not take anything with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.

I'm Moving! Again!

Tomorrow I have some family members coming over to help me relocate. I am moving from Ferrysburg back to Grand Haven. Good times. This will be my very first place all my own. Obviously, I do not want to post my new address on the Internet for the world to see, so if I have not already emailed it to you let me know and I will send it your way. Snail mail is still a most welcome sight, though email is certainly more convenient. My new place will be next door to two of my closest friends - Tim and Trish. Like my current accommodations, this place has two bedrooms, one bathroom, a large basement, and a garage. Unlike my current accommodations, it also has a great deck and backyard, and a big kitchen. Woohoo! Since I don't want to waste the good space of my new kitchen, I decided it's high time I buckle down and learn to cook. More importantly, I better learn to like it! That might be a challenge... Anyway, I am moving and I am overjoyed at the thought of it.

Evacuation Plan

You know that huge bruise I got playing soccer a couple Sundays ago? Well, this past weekend it was hurting such that I could not stand or walk on it without horrible pain, and the big lump on it was not going away at all. So, Jeff said he would do surgery on it and get all the blood out that was under some layer that wasn't supposed to be stretched so much. The surgery was called an "evacuation of a (something) hematoma" (I can't remember the kind of hematoma). I was not really happy about that, as you can imagine. And I did not want to be put to sleep during the procedure. But, I had the IV, the anesthesia, everything. It was ridiculous. Mrs. Muri was my post- op nurse, which was very nice. Oh, and one of the nurses working with Jeff on the surgery thought I looked familiar, and she said I looked "sort of like Dr. Anhalt's wife." Ha! I told her Sam was my cousin, and we all had a good laugh. My leg still hurts today and I can barely walk, but I should be better soon. At least it should be better for walking down the aisle in Karin's wedding!

Psalm 73:25,28

Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none on earth that I desire beside You. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may delcare all your works.

Girls' movie night and Jack's birthday party

Some years ago several of us "girls" started having movie nights at Trish Garner's house. The first time we watched old sci-fi movies - The Day the Earth Stood Still and The Thing That Lived Under the Sea. Then we did a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers night, a Princess Diaries night, and a Wives & Daughters night. This past Friday we watched North & South, which, like Wives & Daughters, is based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell. For those of you who don't enjoy "bonnet movies" I would not recommend it. But we loved it. Such a sweet story with a most satisfying ending. Feel free to give suggestions for our next girls' movie night! We like anything...

Jack turned three today. On Saturday we had a Spiderman birthday party for him. Probably 3/4 of the gifts he received were Spiderman related. But some of his favorites were the Woody, Jesse, and Buzz Lightyear dolls (do you call them dolls if they're for boys...action figures maybe?!) I think Grace was not so happy that she didn't get to open presents, too.

Yeah, it hurts.

It is really big and has a lump and I can barely walk on it and I don't sleep very well at night, but other than that I'm great!

Cookies!

ready to bake!
we're good...no shells got in
not too close to the edge!!!
lots and lots and lots of swirly chocolate chips and
dark chocolate m&m's make our cookies the best
Charlie and me workin' hard (Syd actually took this picture!)
enjoying the fruits... I mean, cookies...of our labor. Yum!

picking poisonous berries so no one else will pick them and eat them

the bike horn makes a great berry dish
it's too hot to ride
yes, I am a big time stinker!

Friend Day

Taylor playing with the hose...we were trying to fill the kiddie pool
Charlie, Taylor, Sydney, Noah cooling off with popsicles
in Aunt Sandy's pool with Monica and Gwendolyn
Cindy and Amanda...fun isn't just for little girls!
homemade shakes from Aunt Sandy

Ok, ok..I learned my lesson!

Yesterday I played soccer in the afternoon with the Sides family. No one else was wearing shin guards, so I decided with just a few of us we probably wouldn't be playing too rough and didn't wear any shin guards either. Part way through the game Austin and I were going for the ball and I got his foot in the leg, right on my "bad" spot. Hurt like the dickens! Then I trapped a long, hard ball from Justin in that spot and wanted to scream, it hurt so horribly. I just tried to jog it off and played for more than an hour after that. It was bruising and painful, but I went to the beach to swim for a bit before going home to get ready for church. At home I put it up and put some ice on it, then went to church. By the time church was done I was either going to cry, scream, or throw up, the pain was so awful. Never felt such pain in my life. It was agony to stand on my right leg. I wanted to talk to someone after church, but had to sit down while I waited. Kenzie, Aunt Cathy, and some others were standing around and asked why I was grimacing and groaning, so I showed them my leg. I made a comment, only half- seriously, about going to the ER. Aunt Cathy offered to take me, and with the way it looked and how badly it hurt, I decided to go. While I was there the pain continued, I got x-rays, Jeff came to look at them, and they told me it wasn't broken. Phew, just a bad bruise. I could be limping for several weeks, and it is still swollen, but nothing compared to last night. That was pretty much disgusting last night. I can walk on it today, though it is a little painful still. Really, I am fine and feel a little silly for going to the ER. Oh well. You probably would have too if you're leg looked like it had a baseball stuffed inside it! Needless to say, every family member I have talked to today has given me a hard time about not wearing shin guards, and Uncle Rick has threatened to get me a pair for birthday, Christmas, etc. from now on. You know, I'm not the only one who does stupid stuff...mine just is more obvious than everyone else's!

2 Chronicles 20: 10-12

But now here are men from Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whose territories you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt, so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us, by driving us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance? O, our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.

WANTED:

Any dishes with this pattern. The platter belonged to my great-grandma, and I found two plates at an antique shop. Keep your eyes open at yard sales, antique stores, and your grandma's kitchen...if you find any dishes, get 'em for me. I'll pay you back; I don't care how much they cost!