Saturday, April 7, 2012

Spring Break

We didn't head anywhere spectacular or warm like some..but that's okay we had pretty descent weather here in good ole' Michigan!  Some would don this a 'Staycation"...I call it life!!  Who came up with the idea that every time a kid has a school day off we have to take them somewhere,  I think it probably reared it's ugly head with the revolution of mom's going to work.  The guilt of not spending days with our kids made us feel better when we would take them to Chuck E Cheese or Bowling or McDonalds or to the mall....we all feel better about 2 parents that work full time....when we have a new pair of shoes or have seen the latest movies. or have season tickets to the Griffins.  
Now, it was not my intent to slam working parents ....not in any way!  I'm guilty of all of the above too.  Trent is proof of that..in the morning he wants to know where I'm going to take him for the day....even when we do go somewhere..he wants to go again after dinner.  
In my day..we spent all day playing out side, building forts, washing windows, hand washing our cars, mowing the lawn, watching TV (all 3 channels!), doing dishes, weeding the garden & riding bikes!  I probably complained a fair amount about the jobs that I had to do....but in my maturity I can look back and appreciate the life I had ...I had a great life!!!!!  We saw few to none movies, we never went to Chuck E Cheeses, we did bowl occasionally (excluding 4-H) and I never went to a Hockey game or to see the Harlem Globetrotters!  We spent most Friday nights home watching Lawrence Welk and Love Boat/ Fantasy Island on Saturday night!! 
I had parents that loved me and two sisters that kind of did! I wouldn't have changed a thing if I could...I was blessed...no doubt!
WOW that was a rabbit trail!  Sorry about that!
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Trent had gotten tickets for his birthday to a Griffins hockey game.  We attended on a Saturday night...and they won!



On Tuesday, we went to the Dove free movie with Grandma Linda....we saw Chipwrecked....very cute!  I purchased some Moroccan oil (that needs a post all of it's own!!!)

On Wednesday we and every other sole in GR headed to the John Ball Zoo....it was packed but God provided a front parking spot. Trent and I moved along quite quickly as we didn't have a stroller to navigate! 
reading the sign 
"hey, don't take my picture!!" 
Chimpanzee exhibit..my personal favorite!  They weren't feeling very entertaining this particular day but we could see them up close! 
This was the Grandpa..he was sunning himself on a rock 
chimp skull 
playing around! 
'owning the wooden train' 
playground...just hanging around! 

On Saturday the KC Fall Festival Committee sponsored a Easter Egg Hunt.  I don't have a great picture of Trent..I was helping at the prize table! 
They had 250 kids attend!  Here is the line waiting to redeem their tickets for a prize/candy 
We had a good week!  Thanks for checking in!!!

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Trent's Day....

Last Saturday, Trent participated in the AWANA Games at Comstock Park HS.
For those of you not familiar with AWANA..it's a Wednesday night church program.  This particular event is where area churches compete with other AWANA programs.  They compete around a circle in very specific games.  Trent also competed last year. It's for 3-6th graders.  Here he is sitting with his team waiting for the events to start.... 
preparing to play in the Bean Bag Swap 
getting ready to run the Sprint Relay...that's 3 laps by a 3rd or 4th grader..one heat.
I was biting my nails off..so nervous for him! 


the photo finish...
he actually took 3rd...but just by a bit did #2 beat him (coming from a mom!!!) 

4 way tug 


Balloon Relay
he's so cute!! 
all their hard work and perseverance paid off...
they brought home a first place!!! 
Trent and his metal.... 

Then at night we had Upward Basketball closing ceremonies...here he is with his team & coach.

The one good picture I got during all his games 
Trent with another metal!!! 
that's all folks....

Friday, March 16, 2012

He's got the Life....

Trent's birthday was in February...but his birthday keeps on giving!
One of his gifts, from his Grandparents, were tickets to the...Thunder Nationals...Monster Jam Monster Truck Show.  That's important stuff to a 10 year old boy!!
The nice boy he is....he let Steve & I go with him..isn't he sweet...or does he know who will by him snacks? 
right on the finish line!
little happy with the shutter!

and every boy needs a sword from the Monster Truck show...hahaha!
Donut competition
Here is High Maintenance....the only girl driver.
She wiped a donut like nobodies business...round and round and round and round and round ....
and then she shot confetti and glitter out of the back
Graver Digger had his 30th anniversary this year....he tried to beat her-he really did...that is until he blew his engine...BAM...he's done for the night..RIP Grave Digger!!  Pretty sure GD was 'suppose' to win this competition!
Oh and did I mention the the only girl driver won the donut competition?  Oh and did I mention that she won the Freestyle too?  Did I say she was a girl?
We had a fun time with Trent..he such a fun kid!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

The Weeks Happenings!

About 3 times a year we have a 'small group' with our AWANA girls. During those times we do something special with the girls.. sometimes they bake something, make jewelry, play board games...whatever we can do to spend some one on one with our group! We had one 2 weeks ago...which fell right around Valentines Day.... convenient huh....my thoughts exactly..CHOCOLATE!!!
We taught the girls how to make chocolate spoons..you know, the kind that you use to stir your coffee or hot cocoa and we made some chocolate heart candies with molds.  They had great fun making a special treat for their parents or special person in their life!
The other leader, Judy Hall didn't make it in any of the pictures..but she made them all hot chocolate. 


They are a great bunch of girls...we enjoy them every Wednesday night! 
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For Trent's 10th Birthday he wanted to go roller skating.  We went to an area rink..Roller Fox...for  Thursday night open skate.  He invited 4 buddies...Dolan, Carson, Eli and Abel.
Here's what it looked like... 
Carson & Trent trying to get the hang of it 
opening presents 
Carson 
Tyler and Alisha 
Pizza and Pop 
And of course a little Air Hockey 





Trent 
Some Hokey Pokey Action 



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God new what he was doing when Steve and I met so many years ago....he's the only guy that would put up with all my shenanigans!
I have appliances issues..lets just say I like them to run right!  Steve has soldered, rewired & fixed more appliances than I can count...he is the master of repair!  Somethings probably shouldn't have been repaired....they have outlived their life span! 
My latest project for him was my Kitchen Aid mixer.  It was dripping oil where you insert the beater.  Most normal people would just wipe it off..Oh but not me!!!  Steve came in the kitchen last week to me taking the mixer a part...."Whoa Whoa Whoa what are you doing!?"  "I'm fixing my mixer!"  Steve said "oh no you are not!"
Well today was the day to figure it out.... 
apparently the grease around the motor had liquefied.... after consulting with a local repair shop and YouTube..we decide to clean off the excess grease and reassemble it.... 
And NEVER remove the screw looking knobs on the side of the mixer..they are NOT screws!  They are brushes (not hair brushes...motor brushes)  Well I removed them from this hole and we couldn't get them back in...we did eventually get them in but one is semi-broken.  The question is--why did they put a slot in the top of the screw if they didn't want them out?.....it was begging to be unscrewed!! 
The repair man in my life!  Oh honey thank you!  What would I do with out you?!!