New York!

I'm in New York City this week attending the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education.  I'm staying right in Times Square and having a wonderful time.  The conference is great and I'm even finding some time for Vintage Shopping and Cupcakes!  Tom joins me tomorrow (yea!)

My first Vintage Store in NYC!

Magnolia Cupcakes in Rockefeller Center.  I make their Vanilla Cupcakes for all occasions...they make them better!

View at night from my room (looking away from Times Square)

Amazing tea shop in Greenwich Village

Seriously amazing, look at how they weighed out the tea!

Dinner in the Village...beautiful and delicious!

Flying in to the city!

View from the room (Times Square)

Washington Square in Greenwich Village

A hint of summer!

Last week our moments of beauty included a few hints of summer....we can't wait!
Tom mowing the lawn.
A trip to the Library to play on the computers and pick out books (just like summer vacation!)
MICHIGAN STRAWBERRIES.  There is nothing better.  Anywhere.  What a surprise to find them at the Farmer's Market in May!!
Abby had a tooth pulled and we went to Capt. Sundae as a reward! 
Not often I put a picture of just me on the blog.  I got sweet new hair color...it's called ombre....lighter at the ends.  Love it!
Noah shopped at the West Olive Nursery with his First Communion gift from Auntie Martha.  He was overjoyed with his new Japanese Maple, Hydrangea, and even a dogwood for Grandma Mosher (they will care for it together)
Some extra joy on the long weekend....
Noah building legos, Tom watching, and the girls, Ernie, and I snuggled on the bed. 
"look mom, triplet ducks"
Noah experimenting with a new flavor of ice cream (he hopes Hudsonville will select it!)
The girls planting impatients (we planted our garden plot too!)
C'mon summer!  We are ready for you!

Play Everyday!

Last summer I got a great necklace from my parents that says, "Play Everyday"  I love it, and try to live that way each and every day.

Tom had to go back in to work one evening last week so the kids and I drove to Grand Haven to play at 'daddy's park' and enjoy a picnic dinner.  It was wonderful!

Wednesday the Holland Farmers Market opened for the season.  It's always a sure sign of summer and a happy day.  Although it does bring a tear to my eye as I shop without the kids, missing the days of pushing the triple stroller and counting down to the summer days that we can go together!

Abby got a new lego set that she had been saving up for since April (with a little help in the form of bribery for the 'dives' she did at school swimming lessons last week).  She and Sophie played with it every moment they could (even when they should have been getting ready for school or soccer!!)

Thursday night Kate and I enjoyed a great dinner with 5 of our 6 kids.  Both of our husbands (and one of Kate's kiddos) were out of town.  The food was amazing, the sun was shining, and we all had a blast!

I worked 'math groups' in the kids classroom for the last time of the year last week and just loved seeing Noah and Sophie sitting shoulder to shoulder in their group.  Yes, they were assigned to the same group, but they sat like that by their own choice. 

The weekend was full of playing!  I took the girls to the beach (water temp 54) while Noah played with a friend.  The girls swam and built sandcastles for a couple of hours.  We visited the Holland General Store on the way home for ice cream cones.  That 'joy' picture is one of my favorite of all times. 

The kids played happily together at Kollen park over the weekend for almost an hour.  At this age when they all have different interests, it warms my heart to see them like this.

I wish you time to play this week!

Girls Soccer Season

Abby and Sophie wrapped up their soccer season on a warm sunny morning today!  Both girls played offense together for 3 of the periods!

Abby (Pink shorts) and Sophie (purple shorts) running down field.

Abby with a 'boot'!

Sophie kicking around the defender.

Sophie kicking down field.



Abby's GOAL (see the ball flying past the goalie!)



Abby's smile after her goal

Sophie's boot (see the ball at the treeline!)

Abby getting around the defender

Abby, Sophie, and Ella.  They have played soccer together since age 4 (and been in the same class).  Best Buds!

Beauty in the small things

Every week I feel like that collage is my favorite...this week was no different!
Early last week the kids had a 'fog delay' at school.  It was a perfect morning to stay in our jammies, enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and snuggle....leaving the dishes in the sink (they can wait!)
Tulip Time was in full swing the kids marched in the parade on Thursday and we enjoyed Dutch Chocolate on our toast (and even waffles) several times!
Sophie cooked an amazing dinner that we all enjoyed (Italian skillet with black beans and veggies).
On one of my jogs last week I looked out to Lake Mac and saw beautiful sailboats...I love our neighborhood!
Friday night we enjoyed a dinner at Grove in EGR with Laura L. (thanks for watching all 5 kids Bill and Joan!), it was SO much fun.  This dessert is my 100% favorite of all time. 
Saturday afternoon Tom had a beautiful bouquet of Gerber Daisies delivered to our house for Mother's Day, it was so thoughtful! 
Saturday evening on our way home from my parents house we looked West and saw a beautiful pink sunset beginning.  It was nearly 9:00 so we weren't sure we'd make it to the beach, but Noah kept reassuring me that we would so I kept driving!  He was right.  We got to the beach just in time for what has to be one of the best sunsets of all time.
The blooming Rhododendron in our back yard is a gift each spring!
The kids came home Friday with beautiful cards and gift bags decorated with love.  Inside the bags are the most amazing clay "Dr. Seuss Style" houses from art class.  They have been talking about them forever, I was SOOO excited to finally see them!  (sorry, I'll snap a pic of the actual houses for next week!)

What a beautiful week.  I am blessed. 

Dutch Fun!!

The kids marched in the Kinderparade on Thursday.  They looked darling all dressed up!  So fun!!

They've got talent!

Today the 2nd graders put on a talent show at school.  It was so fun to see our kids, and the rest of the kids share their talents!  Our kiddos had quite a fan club present:  Grandma Mosher, Grandma and Grandpa Bonnema, Aunt Laura, Mommy and Daddy!  It was wonderful!

Noah and two friends demonstrated throwing and catching the football.

 This was an awesome catch!!

 Abby, Sophie and two friends did sign language to "America The Beautiful"  It was amazing!

 They even painted their own shirts!

Family, Friends, and Fun!

Noah and I ran his first 5K on Saturday morning!!  We finished in 31:01 and he was an all star!  So proud of him!!  Laura and  Ben ran the 10k that started right after we finished, so fun to see them!!

Last week was full of preparations for the big First Communion Party, but we also found time for some wonderful moments!
Monday night we curled up to read Harry Potter in our bed.  Reading together is one of our favorite times of the day!
Tuesday I surprised the kids by stopping in on their class field trip downtown Holland.  They were learning about measurement at the Holland Aquatic Center.
All of the kids love to read, but Abby is the one most likely to be found after lights out reading away.  The night I took this picture, she asked really nicely if she could, "Please finish the book...only a few more chapters...."
I love it when my kids play together, one day last week they spent about an hour 'sanding' this log with rocks.  It was hilarious, and so amazing to see them playing together.
Wednesday night was warm and sunny (what happened to that weather) so we headed to Capt. Sundae after soccer practice!
Noah after our run!!
Sophie's beautiful haircut...she wanted to go a little shorter and get her feather out.  Abby wanted to keep hers long.  It did make me a little sad, their first 'different' haircuts, but also proud to see their personalities/independence. 
Laura and I made homemade cupcakes from scratch Saturday afternoon, it was so fun!! 
Of course, all this led up to the First Communion on Sunday (see the previous post).  What an amazing week.

A Beautiful Day

Today we celebrated the kids 1st Communion.  It was a beautiful day full of blessings and laughter.  We treasured the amazing time with family and friends.  This was a day none of us will ever forget! 

Laughter

This week beauty (and laughter) was all around! 
Early in the week I walked in to the family room to find Ernie perched on our coffee table.  First standing, then sitting....hmmm?
I filled an entire journal with my #1000+ gifts this week!  Exciting to start a new one!
The kids are learning about measurement at school and came home one afternoon excited to keep it up at home!  They all built paper airplanes and used my sewing measuring tape to measure the distance their planes travelled!
Tom surprised me with flowers!
Sophie found this necklace at Target this week and had to have it...so bright and cheerful!
Noah and I wrapped up another great week of training for our 5K on Saturday May 5.  He is doing so well!!
Saturday the girls played one of their best soccer games ever!  In this pic they are both playing offense, which was so fun to watch!! 
Noah had a dream come true this weekend...he was able to participate in a football clinic at MSU before the spring game.  He got the new QB (Maxwell)'s autograph (as well as others) and even 'took a knee' for a talk with Coach D'Antonio.  Truly a day he will never forget!! 

Busy times around here getting ready for the kids 1st Communion this coming weekend. Tom is a painting machine!! We are so excited to celebrate with family from near and far (Pasadena and Florida!)!!  Can't wait!