Beautiful Breezes

What a beautiful day today was.

Big white puffy clouds mixed with a sea of blue.

Soft breezes blowing through my house.

A perfect day for reading in the hammock, or sitting on the deck having a great conversation with an old friend.

The kind of day that you wish would replay over and over.

In my mind this is the day that God perfected. I am so happy that I could enjoy today.

I am blessed...

Sessions School House

I love all things old. I love history (even though I failed my Civil War class in 9th grade...that's a whole other story). I love all old buildings. I try to imagine myself back in the period of time when the building was at it's pinnacle. So when we found this great little school house, it was love at first sight.

This is Sessions School House. Built in 1847 it is the oldest cobble-stone building in Michigan. It was built on Alonzo Sessions property, hence the name Sessions School house.

Alonzo Sessions had a hard life in his early years. He was born to a poor family in New York. He was a good student and ended up being a teacher for a few years before he left his native state, to walk on foot to Michigan. His interesting life leaves me wishing that I had known him. He had 13 children with his wife Celia, all of whom he wanted to have a good education. That is why he built a school house on his property. He was a very stern man, but one who commanded respect. He was said to be a pessimist in the measure of men's characters and motives. He was an honest man, a man who's views did not waver. He farmed 800 acres and became a very wealthy man. At his death he was survived by his wife and 7 of his 13 kids. There is so much more to this man that I wish I could write about.

I really wish this place was open so we could see the inside.

This next picture is my family trying to take a picture like they did back when this school was built. The clothes don't give us away or anything.....

Blessings!!

A Little of This and That

Women in her 30's, shoulder length wavy light brown hair. She deals with pain and takes pain meds. She has a white cat that doesn't know how to use a litter box (my opinion, that is one of the most disgusting things I can encounter), and the cat still has it's front claws. The women loves popcorn and peas. She hated to vacuum. Who is she??

I have said that when I clean a home, I get to know the homeowner better than their best friend. The above info is just a small sample of what I can learn about a person, even though I have never even met them.

Friday I walked into a condo that I had to clean for a local credit union. This property was a foreclosed home. This women wasn't overly dirty. I have seen worse, much worse. But there were still aspects of the home that left me speechless.

First, I don't understand allowing your cat to pee all over your home. There is another house that I clean that the cat in that home does the same thing. It is gross, nasty, smelly, disgusting...I could go on, but I won't. I don't know what you have to do to teach a cat to use the litter box, but have mercy, do something before it ruins your home.

Second, grab a vacuum, it does wonders for the cleanliness of a home. Especially if you own an animal. I know that I am extreme, but my vacuum usually comes out everyday. I have an animal, therefore there is hair and dander and dust, so love your home a little and vacuum.

Third, clean your tub drains. When you are washing your hair and it falls out and collects in the drain, throw it out. That is a great place for bacteria and germs to start growing, not to mention that your drain can't function properly. Cleaning hint.... When you take your shower, take your cleaning products with you and clean the shower while you are in it. The steam from your shower breaks up the soap scum and makes cleaning so much easier and faster!

When I leave my home, I always think about how I left it. Just tonight, Kev and I had to run out right after supper for a quick hour. My kitchen was a mess. I had just baked bread and cookies, my dishwasher was running, my sink was full of dirty dishes (I am a firm believer in the research that states it is cheaper to run your dishwasher than to wash dishes by hand...) I have stuff on my counters that I am in the process of packing for our vacation. The kids had toys out, it was a mess. When we got back, I found there had been a delivery on my dining room table. My mess was seen before I was able to clean it up. Yikes! So my house isn't perfect all the time, more often than not it isn't perfect, but I would hope that when it comes time to move from this home, the person who comes behind me to clean, will not be able to tell much more about me than.... she loved her vacuum and took care of her home. Just my random thoughts...

In Other news... The kids had there first karate testing this past Saturday and I look forward to showing some of those pictures. It was a long morning, but I was so proud of how well they all did. Also, my beautiful niece was baptized on Sunday. As always she was beautiful in her white gown that her Momma wore when she was baptized.

Can't wait to watch this little one grow.... but not too fast because I love this baby stage!

Thinking that's all for tonight, ready to hit the pillow, tomorrow is another busy exciting day!

Blessings!!

VBS

My kids look forward to it each year. We count down the days until it's time to go to VBS. Last year it was Tyler's first time and believe me when I say he did NOT want to be there without me. But he made it and everyday he did better and better and by the time the week of VBS rolled around this year, he full of excitement and brotherly knowledge for Jilli's first time.

It was a little heart wrenching leaving all three kids there this year, but a little exciting for me too. What would I do with all my time??!! Three hours everyday, is a lot of me time!

If I had any reservations as to how Jilli would do, they were completely eliminated when I took her to her teacher and she turned to me and said "hug and kiss?" I complied and then she said "bye Mom." That was it, no tears this year, just 'bye'.

Every year the church has a VBS program, so that all the parents can come and see what they have been learning. Last year when they had their program, Tyler just sat and didn't sing and do hand motions. This year he told us he would be different. He worked hard to learn the motions and the songs so that we could watch him at the program. We even made a big deal out of video taping him during the program.

You kind of have to look for Micah he is sitting next to his friend Matt.

Looking forward to next year!

Blessings!!

Tooth Fairy

There was one other momentous happening while we were at Holland State park...

Now you see it....

Now you don't...

Tyler lost his first tooth!

But then the tooth fairy didn't come that night because Jilli was awake all night and scared the tooth fairy away. Poor Tyler had to wait until the next night when we were home and he was back in his own bed, so that the tooth fairy could come and go without anyone seeing her...

Blessings!!

Holland

Back in June (yes, I am that far behind), we always take a week and go camping with Kevin's cousin's family. This year we decided to change it up a bit and instead of going to our usual campground we went to Holland State Park.

Disclaimer.... not one of my most favorite state parks. We were in the wooded section, which is better then the beach parking lot (literally, thats where you camp on a parking lot... not my idea of camping). It also didn't help that we had to set up in the rain, pouring rain, and that we *cough* forgot to fill up our fresh water tank before we parked the rig. Our lot had a big sticky pine tree that was just intent on wanting to rub down the side of our trailer as we were parking it (Kevin was kind enough to help the state park trim that tree up). I was also not a huge fan of the fact that the main road in Holland was right on the other side of the tree line, which made for lots of street noise. I know, I know, I sound like a picky camper.

Even though I was not a huge fan of the campground, I am a fan of the family we were camping with and the activities that we do while camping.

One of the activities we did was ride our bikes to Tunnel park. It was a couple mile bike ride, once there, the kids would play on the toys and run down the sand dunes.

I even took a turn running down the dunes...

We also hiked up to a look out. You had to climb lots and lots of stairs. Here is the view that you saw at the top.

If you look close enough you can see the channel (not a photographic masterpiece, but it gives you the idea). Then you have to walk all the way back down the stairs...

As always we take a picture of all the kids during one of our activities, here is this years

Pretty much we spent every day at the beach. It was my first time at Holland State Beach and really the first time I have been to a public Lake Michigan Beach since I was in high school (lets not do the math on that one). I have to say that I am glad the kids were more interested in swimming and playing in the sand than looking at the people walking by. Have Mercy, some people need to learn how to pick a swim suit based on their body type, not their dream body type!

There was even time to do some fishing (not my favorite thing to do), that is why we only fish when Daddy is with us.

There was one disappointment during the week.

A big storm was moving in, the sky was getting dark. The ranger came around and told us that he wasn't telling us to leave, but that there was a bad storm coming and that we needed to be prepared for it. The storm had produced 75 mph winds. This particular storm blew out windows in the Sears Tower. Kevin was hoping to see some pop-up campers roll in the storm. We prepared as best as you can, and then waited for the storm to hit. The sky was black and bubbling and there was a big wind gust, but nothing that worried us, there was a ton of flashes of lightning, but it was all to the south of us, we didn't even get much thunder. It rained a little and then it was over. So much for a good storm. It totally missed us.

Between you and me, I was glad that it missed us. I don't mind a good storm and some rain, but I can do without the 75 mph winds.

Blessings!!

Ice Cream Faces

Were has the summer gone? Here we are fast approaching the end of August and it feels like summer is on the brink of being over. Thank goodness, we have had such a lovely summer. I know there are some who don't like it this hot and I could do without the humidity. But man, this sure beats last summer when I was wearing sweatshirts in July!

I wish I had even an hour a day to write about all we have done this summer, but it seems like my days are packed so full, and by the time I get to have some computer time, I would rather just go to bed. But... I am going to do my best to get caught up on what we have been doing, even if the posts are short and sweet and to the point.

On one of our many trips to the lake this summer I took a few pictures of one of our favorite past times.

Eating Ice Cream!! I can't think of a time in my life where ice cream wasn't a part of it. When I was little we would take the mile long walk up to Richmond Corner for ice cream. When we visited our family out East we always had to go to two different Ice Cream stores. Friendly's and the Barn. Just the other day my bro sent me a text with a picture of an ice cream sunday that was straight out of our past. I was drooling, it was called a Jim Dandy and it was 5 scoops of heavenly bliss.

The tradition lives on... my children are all lovers of ice cream. We have certain ice cream shops that we have to visit every year.

I am in awe over all the different kinds of ice cream and how each of us chooses such different flavors. It reminds me how different we are all created. We all have taste buds, but we don't all like the same things. Just one of the random thoughts that go through my head...

I wish I could show you a picture of Romeo eating his ice cream, but sadly we can't give him ice cream anymore, so I will include a picture of him riding home with us after all of our ice cream faces had been cleaned and our sticky fingers had been wiped.

I think he was tired...

Blessings!!

I'll Be Back...

I'm sorry for the lack of blogging..... I have been on a two week rest and relaxation hiatus. I will be back to real life again tomorrow :-(

I will look forward to blogging like crazy since my SIL is probably bored out of her mind at work and is cross with me since I haven't been blogging :-)

Blessings!!

The Big Day on the Big Stage

The Big Day finally arrived. This Momma was all nerves and Jilli was all excitement. We were up early to make sure we had enough time to get totally ready and not be late. We managed to get a bun in Jilli's hair for the second time (an amazing feat to be sure). Make-up was applied, much to Jilli's delight, mouse costume was wiggled into and we were off to to check her into her class for her moment in the spotlight, her time to dance on the big stage.

When I dropped her off, there were many little girls upset because they were scared, they didn't want their Mom's to leave them or they just didn't want to dance on stage. Not my Jilli, she was all smiles, she couldn't wait for her turn, she had no problem leaving me behind. I on the other hand managed to do what I do best at times like this.... cry.

I went out front of the auditorium and waited for the rest of my family to arrive. Uncle Timmy and Aunt Melissa even came in town for this special day.

We all found our seats and patiently waited for the recital to start... I of course was trying my hardest to keep the tears at bay and did a good job of it until the lights went down. Then it was all over.

Thinking back to how this little girl wasn't even supposed to be born and how she wasn't going to have hands and her feet could have been clubbed.... and here we were waiting to watch her dance for Jesus.

Her moment arrived, her class was brought out on stage, the girls were all smiles, just like at the rehearsal (sorry no pictures were allowed during the performance). The music started and the girls started dancing.

Then it happened...

I don't know the name of the move, but the girls were supposed to put a hand on their hip, hold the other hand out and kind of skip towards one side of the stage, then turn and skip towards the other side of the stage. Well.... Jilli did just what she was supposed to, but she never turned to dance towards the other side of the stage. She danced right off the stage. Later when I asked her why, she said "because I never saw my teacher dance the other way." Side note... Her teacher was behind the curtains on the opposite side of the stage that Jilli danced off of (she couldn't have seen her teacher b/c she was looking the other way).

Then after what seemed like forever to me she danced her way back on stage and received an enthusiastic applause. She never lost a beat and went on to finish the routine. I ended up laughing so hard my sides hurt and of course I had tears running down my cheeks. It was so precious!

After the recital was all done, I checked her back out and we went to find our family, I asked her how she thought she did and she told me she did great! And I agree, she did do great!

I am not sure why I don't have a picture with Ama and Pop Pop giving her a hug, because they were there cheering her on too.

And I am also not sure why I don't have a picture of Aunt Laurie giving her a hug, or Uncle Paul and Aunt Nadia, because they were also there. But I do have a picture of Donal.

Hugs from the most important person in Jilli's life??

But of course, her Daddy... and even though he moaned and complained and kept threatening to get up and leave as soon as Jilli's dance was done, he stuck it out and I think..... he liked it (but just in case he put any of his crazy idea's into motion, I had his Mom sitting next to me to keep him in line :-)

Lets not forget Jilli's little ducky friend, there were hugs for her too.

It was one of those special times that will forever my etched into my heart.Love you my Little Sweet Cheeks!!

Places..Places Everyone!!

Dress rehearsal, excitement flowing from hundreds of little girls. Waiting patiently (and some not so patiently) for their turn on the Big Stage. Lights lighting up the stage where my little mouse awaits the start of her music.
And they're off..... Jilli was all smiles, she was in her prime, loving every beat of the music.
She was awesome, remembering all the moves that her teacher had so patiently taught them.
Cutest little mouse ever....At least in my book.
And when the song was done, and I went to go get her, she asked if she could do it again. I told her that tomorrow was the big day, the day she would perform again in front of hundreds of people, the day she had been waiting for since her first dance class.

Then we found her little buddy, the ducky, and this Mommy couldn't help but take a picture of these special girls.

Blessings!!