Another Chapter

Year in Pictures

2011-05-26T18:17:00.000-07:00

Wow it has been a long, long time. I enjoy blogging but have realized that I just don't seem to fit it in to the chaos of life right now. So instead of all the words, we will tell life in pictures...

April 2011

December 2010

October 2011Commander Samuel

"Woody" aka Liam

September 2010
Very exciting day in the Clark household. Liam's first day of preschool and Samuel's first day of Kindergarten.

August 2010

In August Mike and I were able to get away for a long weekend to Vegas!

July 2010
In July we visited the Dells. Aunt Angie, Uncle Caleb and Deacon were able to join us. We had a great time playing in the water!

Happy Birthday Boys!

May 2010

Samuel's preschool graduation

April 2010

LiamSamuel, Liam, Addison, Ruby

Silly Boys

2010-02-22T10:12:00.001-08:00

Saturday morning I had a photo shoot at the house and had the white background set up. Before my client arrives I had a few minutes to capture a few snapshots of my two rowdy boys. As always they were eager and willing to be little models. Here are the results...Samuel showing me how high he can jumpSamuel attempting to look cute and innocent. Cute? Yes. Innocent? No.Liam being as silly as can be.

Liam being his cute self...always a ham for the camera.

Who knows why we both have our mouth open...

Never a dull moment around here.

Playdate

2010-02-14T09:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am fully aware it has been long ago when I updated this blog. What can I say, life has been a bit busy. I am sure I could go back and put up images from the time that I have missed but that seems a bit overwhelming right now. Instead we will start with yesterday...

Samuel has been begging Mike and I for quite a while now about having some of his friends over to play. Although his list consisted of every boy he knew we narrowed it down to three. We invited Brysen, Rayce and Lucas over for a few hours of boyhood fun. There was lots of blasting, lightsaber playing, running and laughing. Overall I think all the boys had a great time, Liam included. Here are a few pictures I was able to snap amongst all the chaos. I am pretty sure a morning like yesterday is what the future hold for Mike and I as parents and that makes me smile! Off to start planning the next...

Christmas Tree Hunt and Breakfast with Santa

2009-12-09T14:19:00.001-08:00

Here is last weekend in a few pictures. We went out and cut down our Christmas tree and had breakfast with Santa!

Hot chocolate all around...Searching for the perfect one...
Scary man with a very sharp object
Here it is!
Craft time while we wait for Santa to arrive.

Samuel was very willing to sit on Santa's lap this year and tell him all about the Star Wars Legos he would like him to bring. No tears from Liam. He still wanted to be close to daddy but did tell Santa he wants a baby doll.

2009-12-09T12:09:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Potterville Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-19T20:21:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday we took some time out of our afternoon to go over to Potterville to the Pumpkin Patch. We joined a lot of Mikes family and let the kiddos wear their costumes. Here are a few pictures...

The whole gang (Liam, Samuel, Addison, Lainey, Ruby, Kasey, Evan)

Lainey-bug

Kasey devil

Evan-sauras

Monster Ruby

Kitty Addison Rooster Liam
Clone Trooper Samuel

We had a great time. The boys ended up with pumpkins and donuts! A pretty good day...

Cousins

2009-09-25T06:29:00.001-07:00

Over Labor day weekend Angie, Caleb and Deacon were in town for Tara's wedding. It was crazy to see Deacon after only seeing pictures for the past three months. He is defiantly grown up and is a big boy now! Despite the weather we were able to capture a few pictures of the cousins. Here they are.
Samuel 4 years old, Liam 2 years old, Deacon 5 months old I look forward to many, many more years of fun and lots of pictures to go along with it.

A Week Full of Firsts

2009-09-12T13:16:00.000-07:00

This week was a busy week around our household. Tuesday marked the beginning of a new school year for Mike and I. Samuel started 4 year old preschool on Wednesday and had his first soccer game this morning. We are all a bit tired and wondering how the rest of the busy fall will go. Here are a few pictures of Samuel's firsts this week.
First day of school

First soccer game

You can purchase any of these prints through out smugmug account here.

Branch County 4-H Fair

2009-08-17T13:53:00.001-07:00

Last week was the Branch County 4-H Fair. Wednesday morning I was able to take the summer school kiddos I have been working with so Mike and the boys joined us. We made it through all the animal barns and stayed far away from all the rides, games and fair food. They loved it and we all got our fill! Mike was left in charge of the camera...here are some pics!

Tower Family Visit

2009-08-16T18:42:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago we were so excited to welcome the Tower Family to our little family farm. It was so nice to spend the afternoon with them and be able to reconnect after being gone for so long. It is amazing that the world just kept moving while we were in Seattle. It is hard to believe that thier kids are getting so big and that nearly four years has passed.

Anyway, we had a great afternoon together. The kids played so nicely together. There was lots of playing, swimming and even a bit of a rescue! We also were able to have a great dinner together before it was time for them to head back. We look forward to being able to come up and visit them again soon.Thanks for visiting us Tower family! Lets do it again soon!

Tunnel Park

2009-08-01T20:46:00.001-07:00

Last week we headed up to Tunnel Park to meet some friends of ours. We are actually connected because Mike and Ron worked together back at Grandville where Mindy additionally subbed. Mindy and I became connected through our love for photography. You can check out some of her awesome work here.

Mindy was able to capture some great family pictures that you can see here. Additionally I was able to capture a couple before my camera died on me. I am not sure why they are all of Liam, probably because Samuel was too busy getting soaked. Anyway, we had a ton of fun and will be hitting the beach again soon.

Birthday Parties

2009-07-26T17:17:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we celebrated the boys birthdays with one big party. We had all the family and friends over for a day of playing and eating. The boys love being outside so they were thrilled to have their party in the back yard. We had all sorts of fun including a bounce house, a huge sandbox, a swimming pool and a pinata. The adults also were able to join in the festivities with horseshoes, ladderball and cornhole. Here are a few pictures from the day.
The pull string pinata. Mike thought it wasn't a real pinata unless you hit it with a bat. I thought it would be safer for a kids party! The kids still loved when the candy fell out.
The boys loved opening gifts and would get so excited with everything. Liam loved his bubble mower. He opened it yelled "bubbles!" then looked at me and asked "ME!" When he was told that it was for him he raised his arms up and yelled "yeah!"

I also decided that instead of spending a ton of money on special cakes that I would try to do them myself. Mike and I had a ton of fun planning and decorating the cakes. The boys loved them. I believe we have established a new tradition.
Liam's Elmo Cake
Samuel's Star Wars cake

We ended the evening with a bonfire complete with Smores. Lots of fun!

On each of the boys individual birthdays we also had dinner with my parents, swam and had cake. They also got a few presents that night. For some reason I don't have pictures of Samuel's but here are some of Liam's. We had lots of fun celebrating the boys birthdays this year. Happy Birthday boys!

2 Years Old

2009-07-20T05:37:00.001-07:00

Where or where does time go? 2 years old already? How did that happen?

It is crazy to think that it was already two years ago that we were pleasantly surprised with Liam. I am sure the number of sleepless nights over the past few years has clouded my memory but here is how I remember it.

Liam-

On the 19th, your daddy and I were awaken by Samuel who didn't believe in sleeping in past 5:30am. Daddy let me sleep for a bit but I was pretty uncomfortable. I asked him to stay home from work that morning just because I "felt funny." We walked up to the Starbucks to grab a cup of coffee and see if I would feel better. I didn't. It didn't feel like labor, at least not what I remembered from your brother. I decided to call my midwife and ask her a few things. Once we were talking she thought that we should stop in to make sure everything was fine. We headed down to see her around 11:30am.

As soon as I walked in the office, she smiled at me and said something along the lines of "you are in labor. " I figured she was crazy because this certainly was not what I recalled from previous experiences. She checked me out and congratulated me since I was going to be having a baby that day. I remember thinking she was still crazy and that I was not having a baby, Nana didn't arrive until tomorrow night! We went to the beach and spent some time playing in the sand and throwing rocks in the water. Actually daddy and Samuel did that while I battled the contractions that had started and were coming harder and much more regular.

After lunch and another conversation with the midwife, we dropped Samuel off to Jen and Tucker and headed home to rest. You let me sleep for a whole three hours before you figured we should get the party started. Around 8:00pm that night Jon and Annie came over to stay with Samuel so we could go to the birth center when we needed to. Around 10:30pm we decided it was time.

Your labor was much smoother and controlled than I had expected. Daddy and Trish were great coaches for mommy. We spent lots of time walking and relaxing in the tub. Around 4:30am you decided it was time to meet the world and shortly after at 4:46am you did. You surprised us all by being a little boy since mommy was certain you were going to be a girl. Daddy and I were so happy to see that you were healthy and so alert. We spent some time checking out all your fingers and toes while we decided on your name. We also were able to call our family and announce your arrival. Most of them were sound asleep since it was only 1:46am in Michigan.

You started eating and responding right away so after only three hours we were able to head home. Daddy and I were so eager to introduce you to Samuel. We were home around 8am and spent the morning just watching you. Samuel was fascinated with you and wanted to hold and kiss you nonstop. It was a great beginning to this incredible journey.

only hours old

still one of my favorite first moments

one year old

enjoying your first cake

Quite an adventure it has been. Together we have lived in three different houses and traveled from the west coast to Michigan. Mommy has learned that there is someone in this world who may give her a run for her money when it comes to stubbornness. Daddy has discovered that two boys is a lot of fun. We have begun to figure out the precise juggling of two year old independence, thirty year old opinions, combined stubbornness and a bit of spontaneity. Although daddy and I thought we should have already had all this figured out we are realizing that the second time around is really just as much of a learning curve as it was on the first go.

I continue to learn more about myself each day that I raise you. I have learned that there is just as much room in my heart for you as there is for your brother. I was scared that I couldn't love two people the same but from the moment I held you for the first time I knew there was room. You challenge me to be a better mom each day. You continue to amaze me with your compassion, your love for animals and your desire to be independent. Your beautiful blue eyes can stop me dead in my tracks, especially when they are sparkling and paired with that cheeky smile only you have perfected. There is also nothing that compares to a Liam hug. The way you wrap your little arms around my neck and squeeze with all your might. If I am lucky I even get a little grunt. It makes me realize how the little things are what really matters.

I know this next year will be a good one for us. I look forward to watching you grow into an independent little boy. I know you will continue to amaze me each day and remind me of what really is important when the day is done. I hope to be as good of a mommy to you as you are a son to me. Just remember that mommy is always ready for one of those Liam hugs. I love you little man!
Happy Birthday!
love, mama

Family Camp

2009-07-07T13:31:00.001-07:00

At the end of June, we enjoyed a weekend away at family camp. The boys had a blast. Our good friends the Wischmeyers and the Millers were also able to join us. It was a weekend filled with warm sun, good friends and lots of laughter. We spent the majority of our time at the beach. The kids (and fathers) all played in the sand and water. We went on family canoe ride, did arts and crafts, ate smores and caught fireflies. It was a great weekend away and a super kickoff to our summer.

4 Years Old

2009-07-06T05:27:00.001-07:00

It is so crazy to think that today my baby turns 4! What in the world happened to the last 4 years? When did Samuel go from a dependent, quiet little newborn to a very independent, active 4 year old boy? Wow, time flies when you're having fun!

I thought it would be fun to look back at each of his birthdays. It is amazing to remember him at each of these times and realize how quickly he has grown up and how fun it has been to be part of it all. 1st birthday

Celebrated at a park in Bothell with friends.
Elmo cake and decorations

2nd birthday
Little Gym in the morning then celebrated at the same park in Bothell with friends.
Mickey Mouse cake and decorations

3rd birthday
Celebrated at Uncle Doug's lake house in Coldwater with family
Cars birthday cake and decorations

4th birthday
Celebrated at his house in Coldwater with family and friends
Star Wars cake and decorations

Samuel-
Wow, I can hardly believe that it was four years ago today that daddy and I held you for the first time. You were such a blessing to us and we were so eager to start life with you. I remember those first few days. We survived on little to no sleep, ate Krispy Kreme donuts and Yesterdog chili cheese dogs and spent all day holding and walking with you. Nothing else in the world mattered to your daddy and I because we finally had you.

Not much has changed. We still survive on little to no sleep some nights, enjoy family pizza nights and spend whatever time you will let us snuggling with you. Still, nothing in the world matters because we still have you.

It has been amazing watching you go from a little newborn to a rough and tough four year old. You are such an amazing little guy and each day you make me smile and laugh. Lots of days you also make we want to pull my hair out, but for today we will forget that! You have grown into such an independent, gentle, compasionate and loving little boy. You have so much generosity and trust in your heart it reminds me of what is important in life. I love the way you embrace life, how you play and live with such determination and energy and how each night you remember to say your prayers.

This year the big thing has been Star Wars. I think daddy introduced you to it for not only your benefit but his. I love watching you and daddy play Star Wars Legos and how you both are so comfortable snuggled together watching the latest episode of The Clone Wars. You have such an imagination and you seem to be able to build a blaster or light saber out of anything (even chicken nuggets). You spend most of your days battling the droids and protecting our universe. You believe that the bad guys can be blasted away with a flick of your wrist and a bit of spit from the sound of the light saber. Just remember to always be one of the good guys.

Thank you so much for the past four years little buddy. You have taught me so much. I have learned much more about patience then I had bargined for. You have taught me that I can love someone unconditionally and with all my heart. I am a better person because of you. These four years have been rocky as your daddy and I have learned how to parent, how to discipline and how to follow through. Thanks for sticking with us. I hope this next year brings you more laughter, more joy and more happy memories.

May the force be with you commander Samuel.

Love you bunches-
Mommy

Let There Be Chickens

2009-06-16T10:59:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was an exciting day on the Clark Family Farm...the chickens arrived. After much preparation we were ready to bring our little egg layers home. We have 14 hens and 1 rooster (Fred). They will begin laying at the end of August and for the next two years we will have about a dozen fresh, organic eggs each day. We will be giving eggs away to family and friends so let us know if you want some!

The boys were so excited about the chicken and have been talking about them for a while now. I was not able to be here when they arrived but Mike captured these first pictures. Liam (our little animal lover) was so excited. The chickens are a bit timid now but are warming up to having the boys around. I am guessing by the end of the week they will be eating out of thier hands. I guess there will always be excitement around here.
The hen's laying boxes

The roost (made out of old tree limbs)

The boys with great grandpa John. Yes, Liam is that excited.Fred the Rooster

The girls

On another note, we also have our garden underway. We were thrilled when we saw the amount of land we have and knew right away that we wanted to have a garden. We have all sorts of veggies planted...tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, peppers, romaine lettuce, broccoli, squash, onions, chives, dill and parsley. We are looking forward to a summer filled with fresh veggies.

Garden with the hen house in the backgroundRow of tomato plants

The garden

So if you are every in Coldwater stop by the Clark Family Farm...

Last Day of Preschool

2009-06-08T07:08:00.001-07:00

Last week was Samuel's last day of 3 year old preschool. He has really enjoyed school this year. Miss Lisa has been an amazing teacher and Mike and I feel so lucky that Samuel was able to experience his first year of school with her. Samuel has learned to love school and learning. He is already looking forward to 4 year old preschool next year. He will be at the same place with many of the same kids and a new teacher. I am sure he will do great!

Here are a couple of snapshots from his last day. Some of his buddies (Kaden, Samuel, Chase)

The whole gang!

Samuel getting his certificate from Miss Lisa and Miss Michelle.

Quick Update

2009-05-31T05:10:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a long while since I have given updates on the boys so I thought I would fill you in quickly...

Samuel just finished his first year of preschool at Sonshine Kids. He loved school and did so well. We are so proud of how grown up Samuel is getting. This fall he will be starting soccer and is very excited that daddy will be coaching! Currently Samuel loves singing, counting and anything to do with Star Wars.

Liam is quickly approaching 2 and all that comes with it. He is becoming a very independent and stubborn little boy. He definatly has some of his daddy's acting talent, he can even turn on the "you broke my heart" response. Liam is starting to talk a lot more now which has made life a whole lot easier on everyone.

I know they were quick but at least you got something. In the next couple of days I will post a few pictures of Samuel's last day of preschool and tell you all about it. For now the tears still come when I think of it...soit will have to wait!

Preschool Progam

2009-05-29T05:13:00.001-07:00

Last week Samuel had his final spring performance for preschool. If you remember the Christmas concert did not go so well. He sat on Miss Lisa's lap in the aisle and would not go up front. As you can see that was not a problem this time. He marched up front and sang his little heart out.

Afterwards, we went with some friends (also fellow preschoolers) to get ice cream. What is a spring concert if it is not followed by ice cream!

Little Quiet Branch County

2009-05-13T16:55:00.000-07:00

Oh where have we moved!?!

Yesterday was an exciting day around here. Mike got up and while making the morning pot of coffee noticed a car parked in the middle of the field. He figured it was a bit wierd but went about getting around for the day. When he let the dog in and was heading out the door he noticed it was still there and it appeared as if there was someone in the car. He called the police to report it and headed off to work.

At 7:15 I woke up to flashing lights outside the window and quickly realized that there were 3 cop cars blocking the entrance to the neighboring parking lot/field and that there was an additional three parked near the car. The police were taking a lot of pictures and writing down quite a few notes. About noon the crime scene investigators showed up and began digging a bit deeper. Around 2:30 they removed a body from the car and the car was hauled away around 4. Mike was questioned by a detective last night about exactly what he saw and the timeline that everything happened in. They also asked if we had heard or saw anything suspicious!

So far it is reported that they are treating this case as a homicide and more information will be released after an autopsy is done. I will admit that I am a bit unsettled and a bit more cautious around the house. I don't feel like we are in danger or anything but am a bit creeped out by the fact that a body was found less than 500 feet from my house. Here we thought we were moving to a quiet, little boring town in southern Michigan. Who knew!?

For more info...
http://www.wwmt.com/articles/coldwater-1362416-body-tuesday.html
or
http://www.thedailyreporter.com/homepage/x1194169550

Sunshine...Family...Ducks

2009-05-04T11:28:00.000-07:00

Well the weather has seemed to finally turn around here in Michigan. This past weekend was beautiful with blue skies and lots of sun. On Saturday we went up to Lansing to see some of the Clark family. We also collected two car loads of "stuff" that was in storage at Mike's parents. I don't know how we possibly lived the last four years without it.

On Sunday, we had a family cookout at my parents to celebrate Grandpa John's birthday and Nana's birthday. Liam is obsessed with the ducks and geese that are often in the pond behind their house. After lunch, Papa took the boys out to feed the fish and the ducks. They had a blast. Nate and Matt (cousins) were also there and entertained the boys for most of the afternoon. We completed the afternoon of fun with rides in the golf cart. I can't wait until summer!

A new adventure

2009-04-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry posts have been so few and far between lately. I have been a bit busy working on starting my own photography business. I have finally decided that it is about time that I start living out my passion. Over the past year of so I have found that not only do I like phototgraphy, but it is where I come alive. I have discovered that there is something within me that is only accessible from behind a camera. A feeling that it is all worth it, everything. I have realized that through photography I am able to capture those precious moments in life that I long to hold onto but that seem to pass so quickly. Recently I have grown restless, it is not enough for me to only capture moments of my boys. I want to share these moments with others. I want to give others these memories to hold onto forever, so jenn clark photography was born.

I still feel like I am very much in the beginning stages and to be frankly honest a bit terrified of where it all may take me. I just know that in this moment if I don't run after what makes me feel alive I will never be content with what is left. So I am putting it out there, holding on and enjoying the ride. I would love for all of you to ride along with me. So, check it out. Let me know what you think. I would love any input you could offer, good, bad and even ugly. If you see it worthy, please pass it along to others and spread the word, jenn clark is a photographer!

Here it is www.jennclarkphotography.com

Deacon Robert

2009-04-18T10:07:00.001-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of welcoming my new nephew into the world. Angie was a rock star and delivered him naturally and drug free after less than 12 hours of labor. He is a healthy and alert baby boy. We are so excited to have him here!

Deacon Robert
April 17, 2009
7:32pm
9lbs 4oz

20.5 inches

Spring?

2009-03-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

Well the weather here is getting tolerable. There have been several days when the sun is shining and it is warm enough to be outside. The boys love heading out to play. They run and run and run. Samuel loves riding his bike around the drive and in the field. Liam loves chasing the dogs, looking for the cats and playing with his truck. Here are a couple of pictures of the boys outside playing...finally!

running away from mommy

sometimes they love each other...sometimes

cheesy as ever!

playing soccer or picking clovers?

riding bikes together

looking and waiting for the catsThese days of nice weather have reminded Mike and I how nice summers in Michigan are. We are looking forward to spending lots of time outside this year. I am sure that will translate in to lots of pictures too!

Lately

2009-03-05T18:01:00.000-08:00

Sorry we have been so sporadic recently. I have been really busy the last couple of weeks working on some of my photography. I have found that I really, really, really love photography and am currently deciding what that means in life. Since the beginning of the year I have had four shoots all with either friends or family and have both loved doing it and am getting good results. So what does it all mean...???? I will keep you informed. In the meantime, I thought I would share a bit of what has been consuming me over the past month.

Enjoy~

Rock On

2009-03-02T07:39:00.000-08:00

This video is pretty old. If my guess is correct it would have been sometime in November. Anyway, I found it the other day when I was loading videos from the other camera and thought I would share.

Rock On from Mike Clark on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday Jen

2009-02-28T07:34:00.001-08:00

Hope you have a great birthday today! We miss you tons and wish we could be there to celebrate with a little Indian food and a game of Settlers. I might even let you win since it's your birthday and all! Have a good one!

Happy Birthday Jen from Mike Clark on Vimeo.

The Clark Clan

2009-02-27T13:13:00.001-08:00

This past weekend we celebrated Ruby's first birthday. It may have been the first time that we had all six of the kids together. Here are the kids I kept referring to as the Clark Clan (even through two have the last name Puck).

Samuel and Liam (Mike's boys), Tristin and Evan (Sean's boys), Addison and Ruby (Kate's girls)

Happy Birthday Ruby

2009-02-26T10:50:00.000-08:00

Today is our niece's first birthday!
Happy Birthday Ruby!

Hope you have a great day!

So Helpful

2009-02-20T04:58:00.000-08:00

I noticed the last few posts have featured Samuel. Don't take that to mean that Liam isn't in full force around this house. The other day I needed to shower and Mike was busy so I took Liam in the bathroom with me. I was hoping he would entertain himself with the shampoo bottles and I would be able to get a quick shower in. He entertained himself alright. This is what I opened the shower curtain to see.

I still don't know who caused most of the problem, Liam or Wrigley, but know that together they had some fun. Liam was so proud of their mess and thought that I should be pretty proud of him. To say the least, he hasn't been a guest in the bathroom since.

(No, I don't shower with my camera. I did go and grab it right away though)

So Sweet

2009-02-16T10:27:00.001-08:00

On days that are really rough I have to pull these pictures out and remember just how sweet they are. The other day Samuel feel asleep on the couch and since I don't have pictures of him asleep since he was a baby I figured I better take the opportunity. Makes you just want to cuddle up next to them.

My Handsome Little Boy

2009-02-05T09:14:00.001-08:00

The other day Mike designed and built a backdrop stand for me. I have been looking at them and couldn't fathom spending the close to 200 dollars for it then the fabric or paper on top of that. After looking at what I wanted we figured we would try to build it and did so for $30! Yeah for us.

Anyway, the next day I wanted to play with it and try some stuff out. Samuel was very cooperative and tolerated me for about half an hour or so. I ended up with some pretty cute pictures of our handsome little boy. Here they are...Backdrop I am eager to try with a newborn...

Samuel explaining that he is 3 1/2 years old now but he still does just 3 fingers

Tough guy

Cute as ever

His favorite, probably daddy's too.

Legos

2009-01-26T18:39:00.001-08:00

One of the things Mike has been looking forward to since the time we found out we were having a boy is Legos. As a kid, Mike loved playing with Legos and couldn't wait to re-live those fond memories with the boys. Samuel has had Duplos now for awhile and we figured he was probably ready to start entering the world of more complicated Legos. A few weeks ago, Samuel and Daddy built thier very first lego spaceship together.Samuel was very excited and did a great job. He sat patinetly, looked at the directions, found the pieces he needed and attempted to put them in the correct places. Mike had to help make sure they were snapped in and in the end they were successful.

I think they are officially hooked.

Snow

2009-01-21T11:26:00.001-08:00

One new experience for both the boys this year is the snow. Of course this also means snow pants (which Samuel adorably calls pants coat), boots, coats, hats and mittens. So far it has really been too cold to be outside for more than a few minutes but the other day after we picked up daddy from work we played for a bit. The boys were so excited but soon realized how cold they would get and decided that another day would be better. Here are a couple of pictures of our moments outside. Hopefully it will be a bit warmer soon and we can introduce the sleds!

18 Months

2009-01-20T10:40:00.000-08:00

Liam John-

Today you turn 18 months old. Eighteen months ago you entered our lives and nothing has been the same since. Was it only eighteen months ago that daddy excitedly exclaimed, "It's a boy"? Was it only eighteen months ago that Samuel became a big brother and mommy was once again outnumbered in the household? Where did those eighteen months go?

In the past eighteen months you have gone from being my little baby to my little boy. You have developed into a little boy full of imagination, curiosity, wonder, and energy. You bring so much life and entertainment to your household. From your crooked little sly grin to your rolling belly laugh, from your glare out the top of your eyes to your belief that you really do disappear when your eyes are close, you make us laugh.There are so many things I want to remember. I want to remember that your favorite thing to do right now is brush your teeth, at least 10 times a day. I want to remember how blue your eyes are when the sun hits them just right. I want to remember how you smell when you get out of the bathtub and how snuggly you are first thing in the morning. I want to remember how appropraitly you sign "please" especially when you really want something. I want to remember that you are always up for a graham cracker, granola bar or banana or how you just know that I am trying to hide something green in a spoonful of applesauce. I want to remember how much you love animals. I want to remember the smile that you give when you do something on your own or the sparkle in your eyes when I return to pick you up. There are so many things I want to remember about you right now and so afraid of how quickly I know I will forget.

I want you to remember that you are my special little boy. That each day would not be complete if I didn't share it with you. That my favorite thing to do is to watch you grown, watch you discover things for the first time and feel the pride in you becoming more and more independent. I want you to remember that I will always come back for you and that I will always be here whenever you need me. I want you to remember the way it feels to do something for the first time or how good it feels to laugh until your belly hurts. I want you to remember that even with your eyes closed, mommy can see you.

Today not only marks the eighteenth month of your life but today marks a very significant day in our country. At noon today, with you asleep in my arms and tears rolling down my cheecks, I witnessed the inaguration of our 44th president, President Barack Obama. Today is a day that I am so proud to be an American, to be part of a generation that has come together to say enough is enough, a generation where an Aftican American man is given the opportunity to lead the nation. I will always tell you that you can do whatever you want to do and that you can be whoever you want to be, today I say that with a little more confidence, a little more faith and a little more truth.

An eruption of cheering filled the air today as President Obama took oath, today people are dancing in the streets, gathering at parties, and celebrating. Today I will hold you in my arms and honestly whisper to you while you are sleeping,
you can truley be whoever you want to be buddy.

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
'Cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are

And if you want to live high, live high
And if you want to live low, live low
'Cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

You can do what you want
The opportunity's on
And if you find a new way
You can do it today
You can make it all true
And you can make it undo
you see ah ah ah
its easy ah ah ah
You only need to know

Well if you want to say yes, say yes
And if you want to say no, say no
'Cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

And if you want to be me, be me
And if you want to be you, be you
'Cause there's a million things to do
You know that there are

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
'Cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are
You know that there are
You know that there are
You know that there are
You know that there are
-Cat Stevens

Love,
Mommy

Cold

2009-01-16T06:03:00.001-08:00

It is really, really, really cold here.

Mike has the day off today, not due to snow or ice, but due to the fact that it feels like it is 31 degrees below zero. Burr. It is so cold that when you go outside it takes your breath away and your nose hair instantly freeze. Poor Wrigley has been outside twice this morning and came in both times and peed in the house. Guess I wouldn't want to go into the freezer to pee either.

It is suppose to get a bit warmer this weekend. I think they are predicting tomorrow's high to be 22 degrees with light snow and Sunday to be 21 with snow. Although it is very cold the sun is shining which seems to make everything a bit better. Especially when I can sit in my cozy jammies with a hot cup of coffee, inside my living room with the sun shining brightly.

Stay warm today...

First Haircut

2009-01-07T18:53:00.001-08:00

A few days after Christmas Mike and I decided it was time...time for Liam's first haircut. I absolutely love his curls and was so sad to see them go but with winter and the amount of time he spends in a hat we were fighting knots and frizzy hair constantly. I had my camera on hand for the big event so here is the story in pictures.

Before

Prior to going in I asked Liam if he wanted to get his hair cut. He quickly responded "NO" and put his hands over his head. We weren't sure how he would do but we figured we should try it. He willingly set on Mike's lap, put on the apron and was ready for action.

He was a bit curious about it all and spent a good portion of the time watching what she was doing in the mirror. He didn't really mind the water or her combing his hair although he wasn't to found of the clippers.
A few tears were shed and the binky was required to make it through it all (that is for Liam I mean) but overall a great experience. He was very pleased with himself afterward and was happy to give me a grin to complete the photo album.
I have to admit that I was pretty sad for a few days. He looks so much older to me now and reminds me a lot more of what Samuel looked like at this age. It already appears that the curls will be returning. His hair is growing in much fuller and thicker now also so we shall see. All in all he is still the cutest 17 month old I know.

2008 In Review

2009-01-04T17:41:00.000-08:00

So we spent some time reflecting and remembering 2008. I thought it would be fun to share our highlights through both memories, events and pictures. Enjoy!

January

Samuel is potty training
Liam learns how to sit up
It snows...a lot...in Seattle February

Whole household gets extremely sick
Discovery of "Charlie bit my finger" on You Tube
Katelynn comes home
Ruby is born
Everett is born
We get out of Seattle for a few days to rest with our small group March

Samuel reads his first book independently
Uncle Mike visits

April

Mike turns the big 30
Samuel discovers his shadow
Liam stands independently
Blog goes private
Samuel learns there is a difference between grass and salad May

Liam gets teeth
Tulip festival time
MIKE GRADUATES
The whole family visits
Samuel has his first opinion about his hair

June

We camp at Gold Basin
Samuel conquers his first fear
Many, many walks around Green Lake
Boys eat their first corn dogs
Mike gets his tattoo

July

Samuel turns 3
Liam turns 1
We miss Hannah for 4 years
We celebrate 7 years of marriage
We play at Great Wolf Lodge
We buy a house we have never seen
We go on a final camping trip with Zera
Jenn gets her nose pierced August

We say goodbye to Seattle
We travel over 3000 miles to Michigan
We enjoy three weeks traveling the beautiful country
We say goodbye to our beloved fish, Lance.
We arrive in Michigan to see our new home and wonder what we have done

September

Samuel starts his first day of preschool
Jenn becomes a gym addict
Liam walks full time
Kasey is born
Samuel dances in the rain in his underwear
Samuel learns to ride a bike
Liam drives his first car
Jenn turns 30

October

Mike gets his first colonoscopy
Grandpa Steve turns 60
We adopt three cats
We participate the family traditons November

The season's first snow
We move into our new house
We travel to MN for Thanksgiving

December

We buy a puppy
We enjoy our first Christmas in our new house
Both boys are terrified of Santa
Samuel has his first Christmas program which he refuses to participate in It was a good year but I will admit that I am really glad it is over. Hopefully our 2009 will go at a much slower pace and we will be able to spend a lot more time together.

I'm not tired...

2008-12-23T04:08:00.001-08:00

Whenever there is a mention of sleeping or resting in our house Samuel's immediate response it "But I'm not tired." He could be yawning and nearly falling over because he is exhausted but he insists that he is not even remotely sleepy. Knowing he still needs a nap most days, I often spend well over an hour fighting with him before he finally falls alseep. This gets really old really fast. So about a week ago I said fine. He didn't have to sleep but he still needed to take a rest in his bed for an hour. He could sing, read books, tell stories, whatever he wanted as long as he was laying in bed. He agreed and we set him up with about five books. For the first 20 minutes or so I heard him going back and forth from this bed to his bookshelf. Then it was quite. Fully expecting him to be either in the bathroom or in the spare room messing arond I went up to investigate and this is what I found. So much for not being tired.I was estatic. No more fighting but still getting a nap! Yeah maybe we were on to something here. That lastest until bedtime when he realized what we were up to and refused to look at books in his bed or anywhere else for that matter! On to the next trick...if I could just figure that one out.

The Best Christmas Pagent Ever

2008-12-18T18:40:00.001-08:00

Last week Mike and I had our first official school Christmas concert. Samuel's preschool class participated in the St. Paul School concert. He had been practicing his song for about a month and was so excited to shake the bells up on stage. The day of the concert Samuel kept telling me he didn't want to go, that the big kids sang too loud and he didn't want to sing. After negotiating with him for several long minutes it was time to head in. He walked up with his class but refused to go on stage, instead he sat on his teachers lap in the aisle. Stage fright? Sensative hearing? Who knows...either way we know we will have many many more years of Christmas concerts to attend!

6:30 am

2008-12-17T07:06:00.001-08:00

Our house is usually up and moving bright and early. The other day I grabbed my camera and captured everyone about 6:30am. Here is what we are up to...

Mike getting ready for work...

Samuel "fixing" things...
more like getting into everything he is not suppose to be in...

Liam watching whatever was on Disney...

Wrigley taking her morning nap...

Bailey taking over our bed attempting to stay away from Wrigley

And I was taking pictures while attempting to finish a cup of much needed coffee.

Breakfast with Santa

2008-12-08T06:53:00.001-08:00

Well the Christmas season has officially begun. This month is going to be filled with family get togethers, lots of delicious food, presents all around, trips to see Santa, driving around to look at lights and lots of Christmas carols.

This year is pretty exciting since Samuel is so into Christmas. He is really curious about Santa and just exactly how he will fit down our chimney. We have the conversations at least once a day that Santa is magical and will be able to go both up and down the chimney with the presents! He is also worried about the reindeer landing on the roof and falling because it has snow and is slippery. Oh the worries of a three year old.

This weekend we kicked off the Christmas season by going to have breakfast with Santa and pick out our Christmas tree. At the breakfast the kids ate and were able to make some Christmas crafts. Both Samuel and Liam were pretty excited when Santa showed up and quickly got in line to see him. Samuel has been talking nonstop about seeing Santa and telling him what he wants for Christmas. But when the moment came the excitement turned into anxiety and neither Samuel nor Liam wanted anything to do with the big scary man in red.

Samuel hid behind Mike and Liam clung to him with all his might. Once they moved away Samuel started yelling to Santa what he wanted. Pretty cute! Maybe next time we will be a bit braver!

We then headed out to pick out our tree. We found the perfect tree which now resides in our living room. More pictures to come...

Wrigley

2008-12-06T18:05:00.001-08:00

We would like to welcome the newest addition to our house...

WRIGLEY!Short story...We went out to buy a Christmas tree and came home with a puppy. She is a lab mix and is about 8 weeks old. The boys adore her and are constantly following her around the house. She loves to sleep and play and seems to be quite a chewer.

Long story...Today we went out to buy our Christmas tree. On the way we had to stop at the local farm story (yes we have a local farming store) to pick up some saw horses on sale. I dropped Mike off thinking he would run in, grab them and we would be on our way. He came back out within a minute and said I had to grab the boys and come inside. Thinking it would be Santa I agreed and we headed in.

When we went in there were 5 puppies for sale. Now we have been talking about getting a second dog for some time now and actually turned a Goldendoodle down a week or so ago. We wanted to get a young puppy and Mike preferred we get a dog from the humane society or something similar. So these fit the stipulations. I feel in love right away and the boys were so excited about the possibility. We decided to get what we needed, leave, get our tree and think about it until we headed back through town.

After picking out or perfect tree we headed back to choose our puppy. We chose Wrigley from the 5, got the rest of the much needed puppy items and headed home.
So far so good!

Flip Flop

2008-11-20T08:56:00.001-08:00

This past weekend one of Samuel's friend (and cousin) had a birthday party. Both boys were invited to go to a gym about 40 minutes away. Since Mike was working on the house, I took the boys and we all had a great time. They were able to run and play for about 45 minutes before we took a break for pizza, ice cream and presents. They then were able to go back in for about 15 minutes. Both boys loved running around and playing. Here are a couple of cute pictures of the little monkeys!

concentrate...balance...stay on the beam

The Liam scoot...notice the tongue.

Watch out mommy!

Liam was finally about to push Samuel around.

First Snow

2008-11-19T11:14:00.001-08:00

Well the snow has started to fall here in Michigan. Although we have only had a small amount and it has already melted, the boys are both excited to see it. Samuel wanted to put on his rain boots and head out on the deck right away. Here are a few pictures. A few of many more this season I am sure!

Today I Miss Seattle...

2008-11-12T06:09:00.001-08:00

Today I miss Seattle. As I was looking through some photography sites, I spotted the MHGS bookmark on our toolbar and clicked it. There is a video that was created over the past year at the top. Even though I have seen it several times, I clicked it to watch it yet again. After about a minute I found myself crying.

Seattle holds such a dear and precious place in my heart and in my story. The three years we spent there were not only transformative for Mike and for us as a family but for me as in individual. I began to hear my own voice and began to believe that it is a voice of strength and beauty. I began to believe in my heart and trusted that my desires and passions are worth pursuing.

Seattle was home. Looking back at the pictures I remember the comfort I felt there. A place where my voice was heard. A place where I didn’t have to explain my thoughts and people just seemed to get it. A place where a crazy passion was not critiqued but served as an inspiration and a starting point to begin dreaming. A place where what matters to me most, also mattered to others. A place that I called home.

When we moved back to Michigan we knew Seattle would be dearly missed. We knew that there would be a void left by the friends that became our family there. We knew that we would miss all the walks around Green Lake, the wine parties, the Settlers games, the Zera night and the Sunday afternoons. And yet we chose to leave. We chose to head back to family where the boys could be close to grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. We chose to take what we had learned about ourselves and our world and desired to create our lives here. We chose to say goodbye in the hopes that we were saying yes to a new chapter in which we would continue to journey together. We chose what, as a family, we thought would be the best decision for all of us.

I still believe in our decision. I love the way family can light up the boys faces. I look forward to having the boys close to family this Christmas and am eager to see how life begins to play out as we establish our routines and rituals here. I desire to reclaim the passions that once fueled my daily routines. I look forward to finding those passions in me that make me desire more, that make me want to make the world a better place for my boys.

And yet today I cry because today is one of those days that I just really miss Seattle. I miss the comfort and the friendships. I miss the routines and the life we had established together. I miss the beauty of the mountains and the comfort of a latte on a rainy afternoon. I miss the understanding of a listening ear and the encouragement of a friends hug. I miss the strength and beauty I felt within myself. I miss the values I found in the diverse culture and the realizations of what really matters. Today I miss Seattle, a place I still find myself calling home.

Halloween

2008-11-02T16:59:00.000-08:00

Well the boys had a great Halloween. This year Samuel dressed up like Scooby Doo and Liam was Scrappy.

Our activities started last Saturday with the Coldwater parade. The boys loved the fire trucks, police cars and costumes. They also were pretty excited about all the candy. Samuel then got to wear his costume to school on Thursday for his party.
Friday night after dinner, Mike, the boys and I headed out for a little trick or treating. Samuel caught on within the first five minutes and was jogging from house to house. He made sure he was saying trick-or-treat and thank you. After turing away from each house and heading back to Mike and I he would declare, "Mommy, I said thank you!" It was pretty cute. We were out for just over an hour and the boys seemed to enjoy themselves. Although we all had a good time I am grateful that Halloween only comes once a year!

Fall Fun

2008-10-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

The other day I took the boys to the park so they could play in the leaves and I could take pictures. The weather was perfect for a fall day. Here are a couple of my favorite shots of my little munchkins.

Goulke Sunday

2008-10-20T07:48:00.000-07:00

Each year my dad extended side of the family get together to make Goulke. We have been doing this for as long as I can remember. Goulke originates from Czechoslovakia where my great grandmother is from. It is a pastry of sorts but often feels like a "rock" in your stomach. The dough is prepared beforehand and as a family we "stuff" them before we cook them. We stuff them with many different things including poppyseed, prunes, raspberry puree and even chocolate. They are then boiled, rolled in butter then sprinkled with poppy seeds. I know it sounds crazy and it is, but it is tradition.

As part of the day we eat a good meal, play a little football, watch the Lions lose and take a family picture. Here are a few of the pictures from this years event.

To see the rest of the pictures click here then look for the folder with Glouke Sunday pictures.

New Friends

2008-10-20T04:50:00.001-07:00

So we gained a few extras along with our house, kittens. For the first couple of days that we were there we would spot our curious visitors for a few moments before they would run under the fence. Being the animal lover, I gave them food and wouldn't you know now they love us!

Turns out the boys love them and have taken on the role of feeding them each time we visit. Samuel loves collecting their dishes, filling them with food, delivering them to the cats then watching them while they eat. Liam also adores them and loves cuddling with them. He will also chase them and peek at them through the fence. Mike might not admit it but he likes them too. He looks for them and has even been caught cuddling .

So here they are...This is Spook. He got his name for both his color and his temperment. He is a bit skiddish and is just letting us get close enough to touch him. We generally have to bribe him with food but he is starting to warm up to us.

This is Doodle. She is by far the friendliest. She started off a bit skiddish but now lets us pick her up and even lets both boys pet her. She usually appears within minutes of us getting there and hangs out int he field while we are working. Yesterday I left the back of the van open while I was unloading and guess who jumped in! Guess we will have to watch her!

So this is our latest addition. As we were leaving yesterday we spotted a second black cat about the same size as Spook. We have also seen another calico from a distance. I guess they are telling their friends about us. Maybe someday I can be the crazy cat lady! We shall see...

Mornings

2008-10-15T04:43:00.001-07:00

Mornings around here are pretty relaxed. Since the boys are both early risers we have plenty of time before the rest of the world is awake. We usually lounge around in our pj's, eat breakfast, watch Noggin and just spend some time waking up. Some days the process has to be hustled so we can get Samuel off to school other days we can take our sweet time. These are a few pictures from our relaxed Monday morning.

Sleepy

2008-10-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

Well I guess we are working Liam too hard. Since we have been working many nights at the house, we usually don't eat dinner until later in the evening. By the time we eat the boys have generally already eaten and getting ready for bed. To keep Liam contained so we can all sit and eat without chasing him we will put him in his seat and put on Noggin. The other night he was rather quiet and when we looked over this is how we found him. He had given up and decided to fall asleep right in his chair. After a few minutes of cuddle time with Nana it was off to bed for him. So cute...

Hello Seattle

2008-10-07T14:48:00.001-07:00

Fast Update

2008-10-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

Wow it has been awhile since I have gotten a post up. I thought I would just quickly fill everyone in on our last few weeks here.

We have been busy, busy, busy. Mike working full time and at his internship two nights, Samuel in preschool two mornings a week, Liam and I at the gym , doing the errands and keeping up with everyone. Here are a couple of highlights from the past few weeks.

For two of the past weekends we celebrated Mike's dad's 60th birthday. The entire family went up to Lansing the weekend of his birthday to have dinner together. The family has exploded with kids lately and the dinner tally was 13 (6 of them being kids 5 and under). We had a great time and did a fantastic job distracting Steve from the fact that the following weekend was the surprise party. So the following weekend we headed up for the big surprise. It was a ton of fun. We pulled it off without him ever having a clue. Mike and I also got to spend a night together without kids. We realized that both of us have spent nights away from the boys but we hadn't been away together. I think it is a habit we will have to partake in more regularly.

Last Friday, Mike had to undergo a little "procedure" called a colonoscopy. Going into the surgery we were all a bit nervous about what they would find but everything turned out fine. He colon is perfect and he should be in the clear for awhile. It was great to interact with him after surgery. He was a bit loopy from the meds and entertained me well. We are just so thankful that everything is good and he is healthy!

A few weekends ago the town had an Apple Fest. There were arts and crafts type booths set up throughout town, games for kids, lots of apples and cider and fair type food. We spent a few hours walking around and enjoying some family time. Here are a few pictures of the boys playing at a nearby park.

Overall things are going very well. The house is coming along and we hope to be moving in the first of November. I will update the house blog soon with some new pictures of the place. I will try to be a bit more regular with keeping everyone updated!

Bikes

2008-09-16T14:24:00.001-07:00

We have had a couple of really nice days following the massive rain storms. We have made the best of them by playing outside each afternoon. Both boys love being outside and getting into everything. Here they are enjoying yesterdays sun. Liam loves this car. He will open the door, climb in, sit down, pretend to drive, get out, close the door and push it to wherever he wants to go. He will then repeat the process over and over.

Samuel has two new bikes at Nana and Papa's. Here is in on one of them. This one is a bit harder for him and something he can grow into. He loves the tricycle he has and will ride it to the end of the road and back over and over. He also is willing to wear his helmet but most times by the time he makes his way back it is falling off. Guess we better figure out how to get it a bit tighter.

Trash

2008-09-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

Liam has been quite the handful lately. He is into everything! If he isn't trying to get downstairs to get to the cordless phone or the computer mouse, he is in the laundry room getting into the dog's water. Walking has slowed his pace a bit but since he is pretty steady on his feet now he is getting faster everyday.

A few mornings ago I was attempting to get Samuel dressed for preschool while Liam was playing with cars in the living room. Not a minute later as I am getting Samuel's shoes on I round the corner to find Liam picking through the trash. Apparently there was a really cool lid and straw in there that he wanted to play with. He was so proud of himself I could hardly punish him! What next...?

Fun in the Rain

2008-09-09T19:42:00.001-07:00

This past week we got hit with a big rain storm. Samuel wanted to go out and play so we let him. Since Liam was sleeping in the bedroom we didn't go in to get his swimsuit, instead he went in his undies. He thought it was great!

The water came up to mid calf on him. It was really pretty warm since the day had been hot and the asphalt served as a heater. It was also coming down pretty hard as he was playing. We let him run around and jump in the water for awhile before having to come back inside and get dressed.

Cousins

2008-09-04T08:44:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, Samuel and Liam got to spend some time with their cousins. On Saturday, Addision came down to Coldwater to spend the day with us. Samuel and Addison were so excited to see each other. That lasted for about 20 minutes before they both started arguing and fighting with one another. By the end of the day they were getting along like siblings! I think if one would have said the grass was green the other would have argued that it was purple!

Despite some crankiness we had a great day. We spent time playing out around the pool, getting ice cream and playing at a local park. It wasn't long after Addison left that Samuel was asking about here and when she could come and play again!

On Monday we made it up to Lansing to catch up with all of Mike's step-siblings. We had a dinner at his dad's and let the kids run wild. There were six of the eight grandkids there ranging in age from 4 days to 5 years old. We played soccer, hide and seek, and tag. It was a small glimpse at what Christmas for the next 18 years may be like.

Here is the newest addition to the family.
Kasey Aaron Ellis

Congrats to Scott, Erin and big brother Evan!

First Day of Preschool

2008-09-02T10:52:00.001-07:00

Well, today was the day that Samuel has been waiting for, the first day of preschool! We have been preparing him for today for the past three months. Talking all about preschool, visiting his school and his teacher, talking about sharing and telling "preschool stories." Although I thought he was pretty prepared I didn't know what to expect.

This morning he woke up at 7 and came running up the stairs talking about preschool. He was eager to eat breakfast and got dressed without a fuss. He even wore a button up shirt without complaining. After a couple dozen pictures we loaded up and headed out. He talked nonstop in the car, explaining to me how he was going to say hi to Miss Lisa, how he was going to eat a snack and how he was going to share with his friends. He was ready!

We got to the school about 5 minutes early. As soon as we walked in the door we were greeted by the pastor of the church. Samuel instantly hid behind my leg and refused to talk. He wished a good day to Samuel and we headed to his classroom. He eagerly hung up his backpack and headed into the room. He hesitated for about a second then saw the dress up area. He walked over, grabbed the police helmet, put it on his head and headed over to say hi to Miss Lisa. Since he appeared to be doing great I said my goodbye and headed out.

Once I hit the car I had the realization that I just dropped by baby off for his first day of preschool. I felt a twinge of sadness but was more overjoyed and excited for him. I then realized that I had only one kid for the next two and a half hours!

When we went to pick up Samuel he was sitting (yes sitting) with his class. He yelled "Mommy!" then ran over to give me a big hug. He told me all about his new friends, his new playground, what he had for snack and that he wanted to go back again.
I don't think I could have asked for a better first day for him.

Fun in the Pool

2008-08-28T05:35:00.000-07:00

Well the weather in Michigan has been beautiful since we arrived. It is much hotter than we are use to. Mike and the boys have been in the pool nearly everyday. Samuel loves swimming by himself (with his ring of course) and is getting really quick at getting around. Liam loves splashing around and playing with daddy. Here are a few pictures from yesterdays afternoon swim.

Updates

2008-08-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

I feel the need for quick updates on everyone...

Mike started work at the BISD on Monday. He walked into a classroom that hadn't been cleaned all summer and appeared that whoever was there last left and never came back to put anything away. To say the least it was a bit overwhelming for him. So far he has been through a lot of trainings and meetings, gotten great advise from people who either work with him or have worked in his position, has set up the physical structure of the classroom and is beginning to figure out curriculum, level systems and whatever else he needs before Tuesday. He also meets with Bruce for his internship tonight to talk over the details of that. I think once school starts and he gets into the swing of things everything will even out and begin to feel a bit more manageable then it currently does.

I have been spending most of my days with the boys. We have frequented the gym a few times where I get to work out and the boys get to play in the supervised kid area. I have also done lots of running around looking at things for the house, getting ideas for the remodel, buying school supplies and helping both Mom and Mike with setting up their classrooms.

Samuel is as crazy as ever. He starts preschool on Tuesday and will be going half days two days a week. He is so excited about it and wants to hear preschool stories every night. He talks a lot about he new friends and all the things he will be doing. During the day he loves riding his new cars or bike outside. He also would be in the pool nonstop if he was allowed. He is becoming quite the little boy with all the things he says and the mannerisms he is developing. Notice the toe nails in the picture below. Sonya, his babysitter and Uncle Mike's girlfriend, introduced him to nail polish. He was so excited to show me when I came home. Very cute!
Liam has probably had the biggest change. He is walking! He still prefers the crawling since he is really fast at it, but is walking like a champ now too. He will easily go around the living room from chair to chair and has even attempted larger hikes as well. I think the other day I counted 39 steps before he sat and crawled the rest of the way. He is also signing and talking a lot more. He can sign please, more and all done now. We also figured out when he yells what sounds like "da da" to us he is really yelling at Samuel. Very funny!
Because his curls are so cute...

Bailey is doing great. She traveled extremely well and is seeming to enjoy Michigan. My parents also have a chocolate lab, Coco, so Bailey has a friend 24/7. She still spends most of her day sleeping as far away from the kids as she can. She is loving the big deck where she can lay and sun herself. We have not yet introduced her to the new house since there are staples and carpet tack strips laying out. We will soon. I am sure she will love all the land to run through.
There is a quick update on some of our lives. I will try to keep everyone a bit more updated in the future!

The New Blog

2008-08-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

So ladies and gentlemen...here it is. The new Clark Family blog. It is the same address just a different layout and name. All our old posts are still there and can be found in the archives on the bottom. The blog will also remain private.

In addition, we have started a separate house blog, Under Construction. This blog is intended to serve as a journal for us as we move through the process of the remodel. It will keep track our our progress and experience. There will also be plenty of before, during and after pictures. You can link to it here. You can also always find a link on the right side under Friends Who Blog.

Enjoy!

Day Fifteen...Sullivan, IL

2008-08-23T18:26:00.001-07:00

Our last stop was in Sullivan, IL to visit with Mike's relatives, Grandma Randol, Cousin Jasmine, Uncle Bruce, Aunt Gail, Cousin Caleb and Cousin Luke. Mike and I have not seen them in over five years which of course means the boys have never met them. We arrived mid-afternoon and were able to spend the evening visiting.

Liam loved Jasmine. They played together for quite a bit. Lots of laughs!

Samuel loved watching the fish in Grandma's pond.

Grandma, Mike and Liam

Grandma and Samuel

Grandma, Samuel, Liam and Mike

Final stop...Coldwater, MI

Day Twelve through Fourteen...St. Charles, MO

2008-08-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

Heading to St. Charles was probably one of the most anticipated stops of our trip. We were going to visit our good friends, the Dinkins. I have known Trish and Roxy since our first November in Seattle. This past December they made the move away from Seattle to the St. Louis area in order to be closer to family (I guess we can relate).

Samuel had been talking about going to see Roxy for the twelve days prior and told us that he was going to yell "Roxy!" and run up and give her a big hug. As we pulled up he did see her right away and did yell . The hug took a bit more warming up but by the end of our time there they were arguing like siblings. Good times.

While in St. Louis we had a great time. We loved catching up with Trish and Paul and meeting Everett for the first time. They introduced us to a new store, H&M, that I am now officially in love with. I didn't even shop for myslef, but Samuel and Mike got lots of back to school clothes. We also went to the zoo, played at the park and enjoyed spending time together. Here are a few of my favorite pictures of our days there.
Liam hanging out at the zoo.

Samuel and Roxy playing with thier "baby rocks."

Everett...all smiles

Two peas in a pod. This was a few hours after arriving. We were heading to the park.

Playing at the park.

Liam and Everett getting to know one another. Yes, Liam's feet are that dirty.

Samuel and Roxy at the zoo.

"Mommy, I love St. Loius."

Trish, Paul, Roxy and Everett...
Thanks so much for letting us stay with you. It was great to see you all and meet your new little guy. We are so thrilled that we are closer now and will get to catch up more often! See you soon!

Day Eleven...Mt. Pleasant, IA

2008-08-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

Nothing much happened today. We took off from Angie's around noon and had about a five hour drive to Mt. Pleasant, IA. We were able to drive most of it straight with only minor pitstops for bathroom breaks. We ended up arriving around dinner and were welcomed by The Pizza Ranch. We had one in Hudsonville when we lived in Jenison so were thrilled to see it there. After dinner we headed to the hotel and settled in to watch Michael Phelps win another gold.

Sorry no pics today.

Day Ten...Burnsville, MN

2008-08-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

The rest of our time in Burnsville was great. We visited a local park with the boys and spent time relaxing around the condo. We were able to get our laundry done, consolidate into one suitcase and rearrange the van so we had more room. Here are a few last pictures of our time there.

Day Nine...Burnsville, MN...Como Zoo

2008-08-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

Today was another laid back day. We all slept in and spent plenty of time in our jammies. Once we all got around and Angie got home from work, we headed over to the Como Zoo. It is a great little zoo with quite a few animals.
They also have a little carnival area. Samuel was thrilled about the rides and being the suckers we are he got to ride a few. He had to ride all these on his own and was so excited. They were all a bit more intense then the rides at the Mall of America and he loved it.

Race cars

The initial drop scared Samuel a bit but once that was over he loved it.
Lots and lots of laughing!

Aunt Angie and Samuel on the train

Samuel loved driving the fire truck. They could also ride on the back and squirt water but he wanted to drive both times he rode it.

This was the most exciting ride. I was hesitant to let him go thinking he would freak out but he loved it. I can't wait to take him to Cedar Point next summer!

Liam was no thrilled to have to sit and watch all the action. I think he would have been on the rides if we would have let him.

When we were finished we headed back to the house to pick up Daddy and Uncle Caleb for dinner. We all enjoyed a great dinner at Olive Garden. After getting the boys in bed we all were able to enjoy the movie Vantage Point before finishing our evening with the Olympics.

Tomorrow will be our last day here. We head out Friday morning for a night in Iowa before visiting our friends, the Dinkins, in St. Louis.

Day Eight...Burnsville, MN...Mall of America

2008-08-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

Well, we will be in MN for the next several days. Lots of laundry, cleaning out the van, reorganizing packed materials, resting and gearing up for a few more days in the car. While we are herewe will get to play some. Tonight we all headed over to the Mall of America.

I had never been there and wanted to check it out. I also had a great coupon for Gymboree and Samuel needed some back to school clothes. We wanted to limit our time so we headed over after dinner.

Samuel thought it was great. He rode a few rides with Daddy. Here they are on some of the favorites.

The train ride

Deigo's bus

After going to two select stores the boys played in the Lego store before we all made a pit stop at Cold Stone. By then we had all had enough. I can't imagine that I will ever care to go again. It was crazy busy and way to many stores to take in all at once.

Day Seven...Burnsville, MN

2008-08-14T08:51:00.000-07:00

Pretty laid back day of driving. When we got up we checked out the weather and realized that it was suppose to rain near the Badlands all day. Instead of driving back 20 minutes to rain we decided to forge ahead and try to get into MN tonight instead of tomorrow.

The boys did great. They seem to really be getting use to being in the car. Liam slept and Samuel watched The Incredibles yet again. We made a stop for lunch at Ruby Tuesdays. We then rode for a few more hours before making a quick pit stop for a potty break. We had dinner at KFC (not recommended) then pulled into Angie and Caleb's around 9. Overall it was a pretty uneventful day.

R.I.P. Lance

2008-08-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

Well, I (Mike) had intended on making a series of posts titled "The Lance Chronicles"...but alas that won't be happening. I know, you're probably all wondering who "Lance" is. Lance was a dear friend, a member of our family, he meant much to us over the years...Lance, was our fish.

Before we left Seattle, we tried with all our might to give away Lance, we even considered releasing him into the wild (Green Lake that is). Then I had an idea. What if we just brought him with us? So, Lance traveled with us from Seattle to Minneapolis, where he now is "swimming with the fishes."

So this post is written in memoriam of dearest Lance. Here are a few photos from his final days with us. May he rest in peace.

Lance in Eastern Washington's 100 degree heat.

Lance at Flathead Lake, MT.

Lance in Glacier National Park.

R.I.P.
Lance Armstrong Clark
circa September 2006 - August 11, 2008

Day Six...Kadoka, WY

2008-08-11T06:40:00.000-07:00

Although the boys were both up early and Mike and I were exhausted after driving until 3:15am, today was a great day of travel. We had a very slow start, not checking out until about 11:00am. We started driving with the hope of going about an hour and a half to two hours before stopping for lunch. Both boys rode well and we made a pit stop around 1:00.

After lunch at McDonald's and play time in the kids area Mike and I saw a very comforting, extremely desired sign. It was like a beacon in the night. We were pulled in it's direction and before we knew it we were ordering with huge smiles on our faces. Ahhh....Starbucks...

Back on the road, both boys fell asleep within about fifteen minutes. Yes! Our hope was to make it to Wall, SD where we would take a dinner break and do all the touristy thing there. We were then only going about another hour to Kadoka, SD for the night. Yes, we already had a hotel room reserved (we learned). Our hope was to drive through the Badlands National Park on the way also.

The boys slept the entire three hour drive! We did hit some pretty crappy weather and ended up driving most of the time in rain. For a bit of fun Mike and I decided to count the number of Wall Drug signs we saw on the last 43 miles of the trip. We ended up seeing a shocking 70! We did have dinner at Wall Drug and did walk around. Samuel was a bit creeped out by the "people" sitting on the benches and was very hesitant to get close. He did love the outdoor animals but hated the big T-Rex, especially when it roared. We ended up resting there for about two hours.

We then decided to head straight for the hotel since the weather was still pretty bad and it would be getting dark soon. Since we are a day ahead of ourselves we will be going back to the Badlands to do a drive through before attempting to make it to Souix Falls tonight then my sister's tomorrow.

As far as health...Mike and Liam seem to be much better. Samuel went all day yesterday without a fever but did get one right before bed. He has also been refusing to eat much because he says it hurts his mouth. We are guessing it really is hurting his throat. We will have to see how today goes. I have continued to avoid it all.

Day Five...Sheridan, WY

2008-08-10T09:28:00.001-07:00

Yes, you read it correctly...we are in Wyoming. Not necessarily by choice but here none the less.

Yesterday morning we decided that instead of camping for another night at Glacier that we would spend the morning driving through the park then get on the road heading toward Aunt Angie's. No one slept well camping, the boys both felt pretty cruddy and Mike and I did not want to spend two days in the car driving 8+ hours. We figured by leaving the day earlier we could take the hours to Minneapolis and split them into four days instead of three. So we headed out.

We made it though the park in great time. We stopped and had lunch at a little cafe in St. Mary's. The Park Cafe was recommended by Tucker and is said to have the best pie. Since it was nap time the boys were a bit done so we had a quick lunch and took our pie to go. Once on the road we discovered why we were told to stop. In that moment we wished we would have bought an entire pie.

Life was good, both boys were asleep and we were getting ahead our our planned route. Then we hit this.

It started as rain and quickly moved to the worst hail storm I have ever witnessed. It was hitting the car so loudly that we thought we would surly end up with dents. Mike and I couldn't even hear one another over the pounding. We figured we were doomed and the boys would be screaming any minute. Amazingly they slept through the entire thing. Thank God for training with sound machines.

After the rain and hail stopped we ended up with a beautiful countryside to drive through. We decided at that point that we would make it to Lewistown, MT and evaluate how the kids were doing.

We hit Great Falls, MT and stopped for dinner. We then put the boys in their jammies and figured we would make it a few more hours. We hit Lewistown around 9:30pm. Both boys were asleep so we figured the two hours to Billings, MT would not be a problem. We sleepily pulled into Billings at 12:15pm. The first hotel stop had a sign saying they didn't have any rooms so we headed to the next one. I took a deep breath realizing a bed was only a few moments away...or so I thought.

So apparently every hotel in Billings was completely booked. We called around for about a half hour before realizing that this was true and that we were without a place to sleep. To say the least we were frustrated, tired, and ready to give up. So our options...sleep in the van, find a place to camp, or drive to the next city. Since the first two were not options we called Sheridan and found a room at the Best Western.

Two more hours in the car. We pulled into the hotel at 3:15am. Both boys woke up and figured it was time to play. We quickly got in our room and hit the pillows pretty hard. 3 hours later after sleeping for 9 hours Liam was up...so were we!

So to say the least we are tired today. We are planning to head to Wall, SD to have lunch then explore the Badlands. We may then up in a hotel pretty close to there so we can all get a good night's sleep tonight.

Day Four...Glacier National Park

2008-08-10T09:12:00.001-07:00

Wow, it is beautiful here. This morning we woke up and headed up to Glacier National Park. We found a great campsite at Apgar and set up camp. After lunch and a frustrating attempt at naps, we decided to head out and drive about halfway through the park to a place called Logan Pass.

The drive was stunning. We found most of our time spent in awe of how beautiful the mountains were. We made a few pit stops along the way to get out and look around. As evident from the picture above, Samuel is not feeling well today...the sickness continues.

Once we made it to the pass we got out and went on a small hike down a boardwalk. The scenery was breath taking. Here are a few of our favorite pictures.

Samuel was thrilled about all the snow but not so excited about getting cold or wet.

We also saw some of the mountain animals. No bears but both mountain goats and bighorn sheep where around. Some even crossing the road in front of us.

So the journey continues. The boys are both doing a lot better in the car but are both struggling with health right now. They both have had fevers on and off for a couple of days and seem to be pretty out of it at times. Mike is feeling back to par and so far I have been able to avoid the bug. Keep your fingers crossed!

Day Three…Bigfork, MT

2008-08-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to wake up this morning and know that we got to stay put. Mike actually got up with the kids so I could sleep in. It was wonderful! It is amazing what a good nights sleep can do for you.

Today we are planning on hanging out around here. We headed into the village this afternoon and had lunch at a little café. We then walked around the little shops and stopped for ice cream before heading back for nap time. Tonight we may go down to the beach and take some evening pictures. We then have the newest expansion pack (Traders and Barbarians) to try tonight. Yeah!

The boys are both asleep right now and Mike is getting ready to go into town to find internet access to update all of you on our whereabouts. Although Mike is feeling a bit better overall, Liam now has a fever and is a bit cranky. Oh the joy of a stomach bug while traveling 3,000 miles.

Next stop…Glacier National Park

Day Two…Bigfork, MT

2008-08-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

Overall our second day of travel went much better than the first. Our plan was to drive about four hours to Bigfork, MT where we would be staying with friends Jen, Tucker and Katelynn at their family’s lake house. The plan worked.

We left Post Falls at about 11:00am on Wednesday. Liam had just woken from a nap and within about a half hour Samuel was sound asleep. We drove about two hours and stopped at a little roadside diner to have lunch. After running around a bit we got back on the road for the remaining leg. Driving around Flathead Lake was beautiful. We made a pit stop for some pictures and then arrived in Bigfork about 6:00pm (time change to Mountain Time).

Mike is still not feeling up to par. His fever is gone and splitting headache has subsided but feels “like I swallow a box of nails” every time he eats. He is going to Google search for a diagnosis as soon as he gets internet connection.

We ended our evening with dinner with the FitzGeralds, three kids in the bathtub and a great game of Settlers. Good times. It is so nice to know that for the next several days we are not stuck in the car driving for hours.

Day One...Post Falls, ID

2008-08-05T22:28:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it...barely. Through our first day of travel that is. After running our last minute errands, we finally departed Seattle this afternoon about 1:00pm. The plan was to drive about five and a half hours to Coeur D'Alene, ID and camp for the night. That was the plan...

So after having lunch and heading out Mike started to say he wasn't feeling well, flu like. I drove a bit, he slept, Samuel slept and Liam rode quietly. This lasted for about two hours. We decided to make a pit stop, stretch, and get some ice cream. Getting back into the car, we started up The Incredibles hoping for another few hours of peace. We made it about a half hour from the Idaho line when everything fell apart. Liam was hungry and tired, Samuel was mad about his movie, Mike was still feeling sick and now running a fever and I was exhausted.

We crossed over the Idaho state line and decided that camping was out of the question. We ate dinner at Denny's then grabbed a room at Sleep Inn in Post Falls. After wrestling everyone into the room we finally got both boys to sleep and Mike decided to also head to bed while I updated everyone on our day.

So, not the day we were hoping for. Not a very encouraging start for any of us. Hopefully tomorrow Mike is feeling better and we can get an earlier start. We only have about a four hour drive to Bigfork, MT where we will be staying with Jen, Tucker and Katelynn for a few nights. We will then spend a few nights camping in Glacier before heading out for three long days of driving. Wish us luck!

Today We Leave...

2008-08-05T07:30:00.001-07:00

In the next couple of hours we will be departing this beautiful city we have called home these past three years. I have many posts regarding our departure, the friends we spent our final days with and ways we have chosen to mark our ending here, but for now those will have to wait.

Today, we leave Seattle and for that I am sad. I will miss this place, these people. There are many, many memories that will flood my thoughts over the next several days, weeks, months and years. I will hold onto these memories with all my might. I don't want to forget this place, these people. My life has been changed and will forever be changed by these people, this place.

Today, we leave Seattle and we are sad.

Our Final Camping Trip

2008-07-24T22:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went on our final camping trip here in the great state of Washington. We headed back to Gold Basin which has been our camping headquarters for the last three years. We spend the weekend with our good friends, the FitzGeralds and the Belks. Samuel and Liam had Katelynn to play with and Bailey had Hannah (Belk's dog). It was a good time had by all.

We spent time eating great food, hiking to Borgman Lake, sitting around the campfire, making homemade ice cream and laughing with friends. The kids did great during the days and as expected at night. Here are a few highlights through pictures.The whole gang.

Jen, Tucker and Katelynn
Anne, Paul and Hannah

Mommy and Liam playing by the river.

Daddy and Liam hanging out at Borgman Lake.

The boys exploring.

Cheeky boy.

Early the morning of Liam's birthday, Daddy took him down to the river. They got to spend some quality time together playing in the rocks!

We left Gold Basin Sunday so thankful of the memories we have from there. We will miss our camping trips there where the boys spent hours playing at the river, getting dirty and being "just boys." The ice caves, Borgman lake and Mt. Pilchuck will always hold special memories for all of us. We look forward to telling the boys all our stories of our times spent there.

The Place We Will Call Home

2008-07-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

So...we bought a house!

During this past trip to Michigan Mike and I began entertaining the idea of buying a house in Coldwater, being able to live in it over the next year while we fixed it up then either remaining, reselling or using it as a rental. So we began calculating, looking and decided that if we could find the right deal we would go for it.

Then we told my dad. Give him a mission and he was off. Being a small town, my dad knows one of the guys at a local bank that is in charge of repossessions. He made a call and found that there was a house that was not yet on the market but that might be something we would consider. My dad went and saw the property and took over 60 pictures. We then chatted over the phone a lot, virtually walked through it room by room and made lists of things we would need to do to live in it. After many hours of conversations with multiple people we decided that we would be crazy not to consider. So we made an offer and it was accepted.

So...we own a house...in Michigan...that we have never seen! Crazy!
The property is about 1.3 acres and has a three bedroom/1.5 bath house, an additional 1 bedroom/1 bath guest house, a three car garage, a huge storage shed and lots of yard to run around in. We are thrilled that it has lots of mature trees and space for a garden. We have also found out that under the carpet there are hardwood floors. We are really excited about the project we have ahead and can't wait to actually see it!

So..we own a house!

Birthday Fun

2008-07-22T00:07:00.000-07:00

With the boys birthdays only being two weeks apart we had lots of opportunity for lots of birthday fun. It all started with a birthday party in Michigan. We then had a birthday party in Seattle, a trip to the Great Wolf Lodge and two weekends of camping! Since I am so far behind with blogging you will get it all in pictures...

Michigan

First paddle boat ride with daddy!

Samuel liked the speed boat much better this year!

Opening presents in Lansing.

Camping Trip #1
Liam and his first rock climbing experience.

Daddy and the birthday boys!

Mommy and the birthday boys!

Dirt!

Chilling by the water.

Mr. Adventure crossing another bridge!

Great Wolf Lodge
Nana and the birthday boys!

Buckets of water...

Samuel going down the slides by himself. He ended up going on the big ones too!

Liam loving the water!

Getting sleepy...
Have to have a break.

Samuel and Daddy going down the slide together.

The boys loving the water!

Get 'em!

WET!

Good times...

More pictures of camping trip #2 to come along with anything else that is still on the camera!

Liam Turns 1!

2008-07-21T23:49:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Liam!

Can it really be true? It is so hard to believe that our baby is already a year old. It really feels like just yesterday we found out we were expecting and began to prepare for another little one. Time sure does fly.

A year ago yesterday, Liam blessed the world with his presence. After an good pregnancy and amazing delivery we were shocked to find out we had a second baby boy. I instantly fell in love. From the beginning Liam has been an amazing baby. He slept well, ate well and just enjoyed life. He was generally happy, easily entertained and overall content to go with the flow.

I always worried about loving a second child as much as the first. I wondered if my bond would be the same, if I had enough love to go around. The instant I held him I knew. I knew that I would adore him, I would light up at the sight of him, I knew that I had enough and that I would be enough.

I love the gentleness we have witnessed in Liam. He is so curious and desires to be independent but sticks close to mom and dad. Lately we have begun to see a bit more of Liam's personality. He is going to be the younger brother who is sneaky and a bit of a stinker. As soon as Samuel is out of the room, Liam will go for Samuel's most treasured toys and a huge smile will spread across his face as he realizes he is into something he shouldn't be. Liam adores Samuel and wants to do everything he does. He is generally pretty close behind as they tornado through the house. I am so excited about watching them grow up together.

I am not even going to begin to guess what the next year will be like for Liam. I am amazed at how different the boys are and how much I love that. I love watching Liam discover life. I adore him in every way and am so honored to be his mom. Whatever the next year brings you can bet that we will discover it all together.

Happy Birthday (my not so baby) Baby Boy!

Samuel turns 3!

2008-07-06T23:20:00.000-07:00

Well, our little guy is officially three! It is so amazing to think about the past three years and all the wonderful memories we have. Samuel continues to amaze me each and every day and I still adore him, his dimples and his gentle spirit. In the past three years I have laughed more authentically, cried more fully and truly learned what it means to love unconditionally. It has been an amazing roller coaster ride that I would jump on again in a heart beat.

I remember the day he was born. Holding him, so little, so innocent and so perfect. I remember thinking that this love is really what living is for and promising him in those moments that I would always be there. He was our little miracle and I was never going to let go. The last three years have taught me so much about parenting, love and letting go. We have watched our newborn baby grow into a curious infant, adventurous toddler and an active little boy. I am so proud of the little boy that he is. He is so full of life (and energy) that is contagious. His smile can light up a room and his dimples melt your heart.

Samuel still loves his cars more than any other toy. He will play for hours lining them up, driving them around and reenacting scenes from movies. His love for puzzles and books has continued to grow. He still blows me out of the water in a race to put a 24 piece puzzle together. Samuel has also become a little explorer. He loves being outside and hunting for special treasures. He collects rocks daily and brings mommy flowers whenever he can get away with picking them.

Samuel is a great big brother. He loves Liam and is constantly watching out for him. They play well together when Liam is doing exactly as Samuel wants him to. I am so excited to see their relationship grow and hopefully develop into a lifelong friendship. Liam adores Samuel and is constantly trying to copy everything he is doing. Samuel is generally very patient with Liam and eager to help him do it "like a big boy."

I can't even begin to imagine what the next year of life will bring, but one thing I am sure of is that it will be filled with many memories, much laughter and moments in which I just want to freeze time and remain here forever. I can't wait to see what Samuel will be like at 4!

Happy Birthday Little Dude!

New Name...

2008-06-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

With our Seattle days coming to a close we will be choosing a new name for our blog. Life in Seattle just isn't fitting anymore. So to have a little fun, I thought I would take input on what the new name should be. You can submit your ideas by leaving them as a comment. You can also submit as many different titles as you wish. Depending on the number of entries, Mike and I will choose the top runners and place a poll for people to vote on the final name. So, have at it!

Picnics and Corndogs

2008-06-29T09:47:00.001-07:00

With Mike being home and the weather being as beautiful as it has been we have been spending a lot of time outside. The other day, Samuel had a picnic lunch on the front lawn with daddy!

I also introduced the boys to corndogs a couple of weekends ago. They loved them. Samuel was so excited that there was "a hot dog hiding in there!" Both boys ate the whole thing! Liam loved it so much he wanted to chew on the stick when he was done! Great fun!

Wading Pool Fun

2008-06-29T09:37:00.001-07:00

With summer in full force we have been spending a lot of time at the wading pool. It is a short 10 minute walk from our place. We generally walk down and spend an hour or so wearing the kids out before we head back home for naps. Here are a few pictures from our past couple of visits.

The Countdown Begins

2008-06-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

Since the majority of you all know, I will make it short and sweet.

We are moving back to Michigan, Coldwater to be exact.

Mike is currently in his last class and finishing up his remaining papers. I am closing out my time at work and the house is starting to get packed up. We will departing Seattle on the 5th of August and making a two week journey back across the country with key stops at Glacier National Park, Minneapolis and St. Louis.
It is amazing to think that our three years here is Seattle is over. I am still amazed how this place has grown on me and how sad I am to let it all go. Although we feel we need to be in Michigan near family it does not make the saying goodbye any easier. We have both grown to love the city, the culture and the diversity it holds and the friends that we have made here. These people have been through three of our toughest years with us. They have watched us grown as individuals, a couple and parents. They have struggled with us and held us up when we could no longer stand on our own. They have truly become our family here and saying goodbye will be one of the hardest things I have ever done. I am really scared to do so.
So why are we going? We still ask ourselves this often. If it were just Mike and I we probably wouldn't, but as parents we feel it is a sacrifice we have to make for the boys. We want then to know their family, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. And yet we know that this is the only life they have ever known. We will not only being saying goodbye but helping them to do so also. Another tough job ahead.
Although there is light at the end of the 3,000 mile tunnel I am sure there will be many times that we feel in the dark, cold and alone. I am sure there will be many tears as we drive away from the mountains we love and as we struggle to embrace all the change. There will be culture shock as we move back to the Midwest and small town living. We will reacclimate to a place that we left three years ago. We will return to this familiar place yet are such different people we are unsure of what that will mean. We anticipate the difficulty of navigating life and remaining true to the beliefs that have become so clear to us in our time here.
Mike said it well recently. It is like being on a really good weekend retreat. You come back so full of life and energy so excited to tell everyone all about the experience. Then you just can't explain it. They don't understand the impact it has been. They just don't get it because they were not there doing it with you. It is like that, only it has been a three year retreat.
And that feels big.

Me Too, Woody!

2008-06-22T09:22:00.001-07:00

Buzz and Woody. Good Buddies!
Game time. Checkers!
"Me too, Woody!"
"No, only two."
Buzz and Woody. Good Buddies!
Playtime. Seesaw!
"Me, too Woody!"
"No, only two."
Poor Jessie.
"Hey Jessie." "Want to play?"
"Yay!" Play ball.
Big swing. Big hit.
"Run Buzz!" "Run Jessie!"
Going. Going. Got it!
Good play! Good buddies!

Old, New, Red, Blue

2008-06-21T22:51:00.001-07:00

Old truck. New car.
Red truck. Blue car.
Shiny and bright.
Dull and brown.
Day on the highway.
Night in the town. Dirty car.
Clean car.
Nice car. Mean car.
Drive fast, fast, fast.
Drive nice and slow.
Cars ride high. Cars ride low.
Tires are big. Tires are small.
Piles of tires. Short and tall.
Wheels rolling on the ground. Cars and trucks drive all around.
Beep. Beep.

An Afternoon at the Park

2008-06-20T22:09:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago we took a little walk over the Green Lake to feed the ducks. Although all the signs are posted requesting people not to feed them, what mom could resist the giggles and smiles of a two year old thrilled to do so. So...we did! Oh well!

Samuel loved it. I have not heard him laugh quite so hard in awhile. He kept getting very nervous as the ducks would come close to him. From the friendliness of the ducks you could tell we were not the only people that broke the rules. Several ducks came right up to Samuel and were attempting to take the bread right out of his hands. He would end up just throwing the entire piece at their heads. It was great!

We went through a lot of bread in a very little amount of time. The ducks were full and Samuel was thrilled. On our way home we stopped off in a grassy area so the boys could run around and play a bit (Honestly I just wanted to take some pictures, but don't tell). So we played before heading home for naps.

Sometimes they pretend they like each other a bit.

Watching Samuel run circles around us.

Peek a boo!

"Look Mom! A stick!"

The Art of Stick Picking
"Liam, this is how you do it!"

"Wow Samuel, I never would have guessed!"

The perfect stick.

"Mom, are you done with that camera yet?"

"Here are my teeth! They make me fussy!"

Brothers!

Rites of Passage

2008-06-17T16:00:00.001-07:00

Recently Samuel experienced two very significant rites of passage.

I. Overcoming a Fear

While camping, we were able to stay at a spot on the river. We knew Samuel would spend hours playing in the river and throwing rocks into the water. Shortly after arriving, Mike and Samuel discovered that someone had begun to build a small rock bridge over a portion of the water. They decided to work on it and finish it so they could cross the little stream. Samuel collected big rocks and together they completed the bridge.

Once the bridge was completed you had to cross it. Well, Samuel made it about half way and started to panic. Although Mike was right behind him he wanted to either go back or have daddy carry him. Mike asked him to take a deep breath and look how far he already was. He then explained that he could do it and that daddy would be there. After a bit of persuading Samuel agreed to try and keep going. He made it all the way across and when he got to the other side, exclaimed "I did it!" A very proud moment for mommy and daddy.

II. Peeing Outside

Also while camping, Samuel made the step into boyhood where peeing outside becomes ok. After going back and forth from the nasty outhouse several times, Mike taught Samuel how to pee in the grass. He thought it was hilarious. He caught on rather quickly and amazingly had to go to the bathroom every few minutes. Every once in awhile we would look over and catch a glimpse.

Oh...the joy of watching boys grow up!

Camping

2008-06-17T15:33:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago we went on our first camping trip of the summer. We headed up to our favorite campground, Gold Basin, off of Mt. Loop Highway. We found a great spot on the river that had a ton of grass for Liam to play in and a beach area to keep Samuel occupied. Jon and Annie joined us for the day on Saturday. We had a great time just hanging out, taking a short hike and enjoying some delicious passion pockets! Although we froze the first night and got rained on the second we had a great time.

Daddy and Liam hanging out by the river.

Thumb wars...

A break along our hike.

The whole gang...

Grant and Jon having some heart to hearts.

Bailey even joined in on the fun.

Parks

2008-06-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

One of the things we love doing is going to the park. I think we would be there everyday if we didn't have anything else to do and if the weather would cooperate. I am not sure when we did what but here are a few pictures of our last several trips.