Adventures!

Last week was full of adventures!
I was in DC for a wonderful conference and enjoyed an amazing Indian lunch, a reception of the Capitol (in the fog), and an amazing tea bar at the conference hotel.
Back home in Holland my dad enjoyed a before school breakfast with the kids (and me) on Friday morning.
The kids jogged ~2 miles during their school fundraiser Friday afternoon (so thankful for a flexible enough schedule that allows me to attend many of these events)
Saturday after the football game my parents, my aunt, the kids and I headed to ArtPrize in GR.  The kids really wanted to see the winner....it was a nearly 3 hour process of getting through the art museum...but well worth it! 
Noah spent the night with a friend Saturday night and under the careful watch of the parent, learned how to shoot a bow (sigh).
During the slumber party the girls and I enjoyed a little quality time at Qdoba!
Special hot chocolate with special Sophie Grace. 

Football!!

Lots of football around here these days!  Friday night the Rocket Football teams were recognized at the West Ottawa Varsity Football game.  Noah loved having a special evening with grandma and grandpa Mosher and me!  (Tom was a deer camp)  Saturday morning Noah's team scored their first touchdown of the season (Tom drove back down for the game)!  It was very exciting, despite the rain/sleet!!  The final score was 6-6, but it was still a 'victory' for our team! 

End of September!

Blessings from the last week in September!
A homemade pop tart for an after school snack!
Abby gets to change her earrings for the first time! 
Abby and Sophie NOT watching Noah's football scrimmage in Allendale :) 
Sophie knitting a poncho for her American Girl Doll.
Sophie playing at the park on a Friday night!
I even took a turn on the swings!
A break for Kilwins while waiting in line at the GRAM during Artprize with my friend Amy!

Love.

Computer problems kept me from posting this collage (from last week) earlier.  Last week we cherished:

• homemade peanut butter cookies after school. 
• A beautiful rainbow (two actually) on our drive to school Tuesday. 
• The girls are doing a free acting class at the library on Tuesday afternoons, I particularly love the quiet time doing homework and reading with Noah. 
• Clean towels all folded and put away
• Sophie's laughter during dinner (and always)
• quiet reading time in the chair with Abby and Ernie
• Noah's football game
• First annual 'Appetizer night'.   A student in my First Year Seminar wrote about a family tradition she had growing up that involved a family room dinner of all the frozen appetizer they were NEVER allowed to have followed by a movie and ice cream.  We loved shopping for these 'naughty' treats (Abby:  " Mom, why is everything in our cart frozen?"  and Mom:  "What do you think mommy would have said if you would have asked for these foods on a 'regular night'?  Kids:  "NO WAY!!")  It was super fun, though left me with a bit of a stomach ache!  :) 
• Starting a list of 'Newbery Award' potentials being read by each member of the family

Blessings!

Blessings

#1853 3 kids in new converse
#1854 Sunshine coming in my new office window
#1855  Happy Memories in my minivan (lots of state park stickers!) 
#1856 My new Sienna
#1859 A praying mantis found by the girls at Hope
#1862 Saying "yes" to time at the park on Saturday afternoon
#1865  a day of Urban Agriculture in Detroit with my First Year Seminar

Blessings!

Noah's first game

Noah's first football game was this morning.  They lost, but Noah had some great blocks and they had fun!

The end of an era

Lots of trips to the State Park over the years.....

The trunk I loaded the triple stroller in to more times than I could begin to count.  And filled with groceries.  And filled with suitcases.  And loaded with chairs for sports events......



The seats we buckled baby car seats in to.  The seats we buckled toddler seats in to.  The seats they buckled themselves in to for the first time.  The seats they sat in without carseats for the first time.  The seats my kids sat in for just about every single trip and drive for their entire lives. 



The van driving away for the last time!