Summer 2010 project...

... one of them :)

This is how Dad's arbor is going! He started this project at the beginning of the summer with lots of doubts from lots of people... but like most things he plans, it worked out great!

It kinda looks like it's dying, although the fruit is doing great.

cantaloupe

Neat, huh? I think it's pretty neat that we actually have squash and cantaloupe hanging over our deck!

Little boys and summer

Summer's here and things are getting crazy! With only a little over a month left until fair, we're starting and finishing projects (and everything in between ☺), working with animals.... and overall having lots of fun!

This week our cousin, Christopher is going to be here with us for a few days, and we're all very excited. :)

Today it looks like we may get a break from the heat and have a thunderstorm.... fun! :)

What else is going on.....?

Here's a quick story from this morning:

We were all in the kitchen peacefully getting breakfast and getting ready for the day when Ian announced:
"There's a bird in the pool!"

We looked out the window and sure enough, there was live bird in our baby pool on the deck. It was flapping around and couldn't get to the step.
Mom picked the bird up with the top of an aquarium cage (I guess we didn't have anything better....) and was able to set it on the deck... but then the bird's foot got stuck in the cage top. We tipped it over and were able to get the bird onto the deck, but of course... it couldn't fly or walk. Then, Mom decided to move it to somewhere where it wouldn't get more wet, because it's supposed to rain. She put it in a bucket and set it under the raspberry bushes, wet and tired. I wonder if it will live.....

We don't have any pictures because the camera is dead right now.... sorry.



The reading program at the library is underway and the boys want to be read to constantly (especially Ian ☺). That's a good thing I suppose!

Well I need to get going on another busy, exciting day! (Then again, every day here is exciting.) ☺

~Marissa

Elaina's birthday!

Yesterday was Elaina's birthday! She's eleven now and growing up so fast! I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful sister! She is a joy to the family and a blessing to me!
Thank you, God, so much for my little Elaina!

With love,
Andrea

Spring Planting--Lettuce

We planted lettuce today..... spring is coming soon!

Dad's planning on moving it outside in about 4 weeks.... I can't wait to eat fresh lettuce again! :)

MY NEW CAMERA!

Here's some pictures from my new camera! Thank you Grandma and Grandpa so much for getting it for me!! i love it!

my boots! haha I just thought this was fun :)

Sisters ♥

Marissa and Seth went out to shovel the driveway! :)

Thank again Grandma and Grandpa!! I love you both so much!

Happy Birthday, Seth!

Today is Seth's 4th birthday!

This little boy has been such a tremendous blessing to our family the past 4 years. One of his greatest characteristics is his almost constant smile. He is such a joy to have in our family.

Seth also has an incredible amount of energy! He loves to wrestle with his brother and RUN! He can also spend hours doing legos, playmobil, and drawing. He can make almost anything out of... almost anything!

Other things he likes to do are sing, read, say the alphabet, and cook (he calls himself our "cooker boy").

We love you, Seth!

Our Little Helper

This afternoon all of the girls went out and when we got back we found Ian mopping the floor! He hadn't even been asked, he just decided that he would be helpful. :)

He is so thoughtful!!

Christmas!

We are having a wonderful and relaxing Christmas break and hope you all are, too!
Some things we've been doing....

Visiting with friends...

Elaina, Ian and the rest of the kids in our church sang a couple Sundays ago. It was so much fun to watch them! :)

Ian and Seth doing some necessary trimming.... :)

Of course we have been playing in the snow, too!!!! YAY!!!

We've also been baking, spending time with family, playing games....
Elaina, Ian and Seth have been spending a lot of time playing with Playmobiles!!! Fun! :)

I hope everyone had a wonderful CHRISTmas!
~M~

Celery

Seth enjoying Dad's celery.

YUM!!

Michigan November

It has been an incredibly mild November so far in MI! We are so thankful for the wonderful weather this late in the year. :)

Andrea's leaf photography

Seth and Frisky

Ian!

My brothers are so much fun. :)

Well... so are my sisters.

~M~

BJU '09

I got back from the Bob Jones University High School Festival in South Carolina a few of days ago and am finally getting around to posting about it. :) We had a wonderful trip and God really blessed our group. The group was lots bigger this year which was great! We had a ton of fun. Here are a few pictures from the trip....

The first picture of the week taken at a rest stop. I almost squashed the poor bug thinking it was a stick. Stick bugs are so neat!!!

North Carolina = Beautiful!
God shows His power and majesty through His creation.

Liesl and Danielle in NC

In the gameroom at BJU playing Dutch Blitz

I played a harp solo....

...violin solo...

...and piano duet (this picture is the me part of it...hehe).

David and Liesl practicing on the stage because.....

...they got 1st place in string ensembles!
If anyone remembers from the BJU post '08, they got second last year.
For BJU, getting 1st is really good-- there are a lot of super talented people there from all over the states.
Good job!

~Sisters in Christ~

Liesl and Danielle

Danielle, Amber and Rachel

Danielle and me

Amber and me

Rachel and Amber

~Friends are amazing!~

The whole group the day before we left.
If anyone remembers from last year... we had 8 people, so this was really neat!

What kept me going on the way home--sugar!!!!!!!!!!
Well.... almost... I didn't stay awake quite the whole way. Driving 16 hours after a week at Bob Jones made me tired.... :)

Thanks for your prayers. It was so exciting for me to see how God worked through this week. It was fun, stretching, short, a great learning experience, somewhat scary, long, tiring.... an awesome week!


~Marissa

For Aunt Robbie....

... you said you like candid photos!
We did not pose these! :D

This was the only one that almost worked... but Seth is making a funny face. Haha... oh well!!

~M and A~