Playtime

This past weekend there was a lot of time set aside to just PLAY! Both time for mommy to go and "play" with her girlfriend up north on a crazy canoeing trip and the kids to try their hands at fishing and spending time at the park!

It is great to have weekends like this, I look forward to them. They are simple times and nothing fancy is usually required. It makes good memories for the kids that they will remember for a lifetime and well that is what life is all about....making memories!

I had fun on my trip and it is already scheduled for next year...boy there are some stories, but alas what happens in Baldwin stays in Baldwin! I was so excited to hear that Tob took the kids to the fishing derby and remembered to bring the camera! I hope that everyone took some time to play this weekend!

Movin on Up

Well we have now passed another milestone...my sweet little Emmah is now a 2nd grader. I'm not sure who told her she could continue to grow, but I guess this is something I will just have to adjust to!

She had her Celebration on Learning at school on Tuesday night and it was GREAT! She sang some songs, recited some poems, and got to show off her hardwork on her animal report and habitat. (Her animal was a Komodo Dragon)

It was fun to see her performing and showing off! I love all the excitement she has for these types of events, I guess we may have a little performer on our hands!

Capture

I have decided to give this a try and since I have a new camera this should be easy right???? WRONG!!! This weeks I had to chose 1 photo, really 1, only 1! Well this one is my favorite, and it was really hard to pick, let me tell you.



This is a picture of my daughter and her great grandma, who she is named after! It will for sure be a keepsake photo!!

Aunt Marcia's

Well we spent the day yesterday hanging out with family up near Baldwin at Aunt Marcia's cottage. It was loads of fun, and Jake couldn't wait to get up there...so much so he wore his helmet for most of the car ride there in anticipation of his four wheeler rides (his favorite from last year!)

We held the first annual Brown Duck Race....in which Uncle Caleb was the winner! We ate garbage can turkey with all the fixins and enjoyed the company of everyone who was there. We also added to the celebration by throwing a surprise 60th Birthday party for Aunt Marcia. She was totally clueless and that made it all the better!!

All in all it was a great day! It is these kinds of days that we remember the most and look forward to again next year.

"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the BIG things"
-Anonymous

Graduation

I can hardly believe it has been a year so far, but it has. Jake is now officially graduated from Preschool and moving onto Kindergarten. Is he really that old?? It was great to watch how much he has grown and learned over the last year. He is quite the character, and will definitely keep us on our toes!!

An Empty Spot

As spring moves into summer we enjoy all the beautiful weather, the end of the school year activities, and all that spring sports and family time has to offer, but there is always an empty spot.

As you watch your daughter play soccer, whizzing and whirling around the other players...there is an empty spot.

When your son makes the goofiest face and explains to you that if you want that new car all you have to do is have daddy take you to the new car store...there is an empty spot.

As you prepare for you son's preschool graduation and the BIG move to Kindergarten...there is an empty spot.

When look around your yard trying to decide where to start...there is an empty spot

Something needs to be sewn, or you have a new project you are dying to try, but there is that sewing part....there is an empty spot.

Since Mother's Day that empty spot has become a very large spot. I have struggled to look beyond it, but it is always still there. It is a spot that will never be full again. They say it will get better with time, but how much time?? I know that I will truly never forget, but sometimes I hold onto trying to remember. I want my children to know every story, every joke, and every wonderful thing about their Memah so amoung tears I share the stories, the jokes, and the wonderful truths that were my mom. I hope they can carry her with them just as I do every day.

And though she is not here in person, I know that really she is there for every special moment that we share, she is the sunshine on an otherwise dreary day, she the flower blossom that has somehow still survived living at my house, she is the delicious treats I make for special occasions, and raindrops when I am feeling blue. I love you mom...

Tip Toe...

Ahhh it's that time of year again where the beautiful tulips blossom and fellow Hollanders put on shoes made of wood and strange multi-layered outfits...Yes my friends it's TULIP TIME!!

This year was interesting since Emmah had the opportunity to march in one of the parades. And boy was she excited! Sadly this lame mom only got one picture of her actually walking, but I do have some of her and Jake in their costumes. That makes up for it right?? So for you out of towners, and locals who just love to see my little "dutchlings" here you go: