December 2023

 

Hard to get the kids cooperating for a picture

Enedina and Abel- newly married

Family pic

Splash Lagoon in Erie, PA

Cousins with their arcade winnings

Sibling rivalry

Cousins playing in the hotel pool

Stephen as baby Jesus (with the Harvey's)

Stephen as Joseph, Lexi as a shepherd

With Tim and Jenny

I Am Academy's Black Gala

Presents with the Jongsma family

New bike

New jersey

She was crying because she was so happy to get a Switch

Julia got an Enhyphen (Korean boy band) CD/picture book

Isaac got new Nike's

Stephen enjoys Christmas dress up days at school

Merry Christmas!

-Dad and I went to Handel's Messiah at Calvin

-Stephen, Isaac, Caleb and Nate went to the Grand Rapids Gold basketball game (one of Stephen's bday presents)

-Isaac played the prelude on the organ. He was nervous, but did a great job.

-Isaac and Lexi played on indoor soccer teams

-Stephen and Lexi's Forest School classes presented at Hope College regarding their class projects. Lexi's was about trees and fungus and Stephen's was about water quality and macroinvertebrates. 

-Nate and I attended I Am Academy's Black Gala fundraiser. The theme was Harlem/1920's. It was fun to dress up and support the Academy's work in the community.

-Stephen and Lexi were in our church children's Christmas program. This is the last year that Stephen will be in it. He came full circle as he was baby Jesus when he was a newborn and in his last year he was Joseph. 

-Enedina and Abel were married on Dec 15 at the Grand Rapids courthouse. They chose the Fuji Buffet for the celebratory meal. Nolbi, Ruth, and Naomi then spent the weekend at our house. We are happy for Enedina, Abel and the kids!  

-Caleb had 3 weeks off for Christmas break

-Stephen did a HC basketball camp on Saturdays in December

-We did our family Christmas on Christmas Eve. It was fun to see the surprise on the kids faces with the gifts they received. We opened gifts with the Jongsma's on Christmas Day

-We drove to Splash Lagoon in Erie, PA with Colleen's family. The cousins had fun going off together at the waterpark. We went to the arcade, played games and went out to eat at Applebee's- a fun couple of days.

-On New Year's Eve, Julia went to Leila's house. The rest of us went to the Stielstra's house and had a euchre tournament. Stephen and Lexi were the youngest and they held their own. We are thankful for the adventures of 2023 and are looking forward to 2024. 

November 2023

 

Thanksgiving pic

Grandparents with the grandkids

HS friends reunited 

Rodi, Enedina, Nolbi, Abel, Naomi and Ruth

Girls enjoying Ruth's bday present

Keira and Lexi

Caleb's home for Thanksgiving break!

Julia went on the Young Life weekend retreat

Practicing in her favorite pajamas

New Nintendo Switch game

Happy 11th Birthday!

-We bought a new furnace and air conditioner, I know exciting

-The Soul Kids boys had their sleepover/campout. 

-Julia joined the cooking club at school. They meet once/month after school and try different recipes. 

-Nate and I saw Tina-the Broadway musical. 

-Nate and I attended the Greater Holland Area Young Life Fundraiser. We were introduced to YL way back in our NY days. Our friends Glenn and Becky Cook are Young Life directors. It is encouraging to see Julia becoming involved in YL and we learned more about YL's work in the area at the fundraiser. 

-We celebrated Stephen's 11th Birthday! He chose strawberry shortcake for his dessert. He received the Switch Mario Wonder game and 4 tickets to see the Grand Rapids Gold basketball team. Stephen has grown much taller this past year. He loves to watch football and musicals. Stephen has a high emotional awareness-he pays attention to how people around him may be feeling. Stephen is doing well in school and is enjoying being the oldest grade at school this year. He started playing the clarinet this year. Stephen brings joy to our family and we love you! 

-We celebrated Thanksgiving with Tim/Jenny's family, my parents and Enedina's family. We hosted at our church again. The space works out very well there for our large group to eat, but also for kids to run around. We celebrated Ruth's 5th birthday while we were together. Mom had fallen a couple of weeks before the holiday and had spent some time in a rehab facility. Thankfully she was able to attend Thanksgiving with us! And it was nice to have Caleb home for Thanksgiving break. 

October 2023

 

Dad's 70th Birthday

Stephen (stormtrooper), friend Patrick (Vader) and Patrick's brother

Lexi (inflatable dino), friend Emma, and her neighbor friends

Isaac's Homer Simpson pumpkin

Isaac and Levi

Backpacking in IN

Grandparents Day

Celebrating Nolbi's 10th birthday

Dinner party at the Gabrielse

Church girls campout

Trunk or treat at Pine Creek

Display at my school-love how it turned out

Ready for her choir concert

Sister love

Freshman year HOCO

Fractured elbow

-Lexi decided to play violin for the 4th grade orchestra. The orchestra director presented to the 4th graders and whatever he said, Lexi was sold. She is so excited to learn the violin. The 4th grade orchestra is before school two mornings/week. And because she is playing violin, she can now stop piano lessons. She was not sad. 

-Stephen fell onto his elbow on the school playground cement while catching a football and fractured his elbow. He had to wear a cast for 4 weeks and was not able to finish his soccer season-that was hard for him. And I am tired of being a frequent flyer at the orthopedic doctor's office with our boys. 

-Stephen decided to try a musical theater class at Avalon that meets weekly during the school year. 

-Isaac went on the band/orchestra retreat. The director was begging for parent chaperones, so I went along to help. It was a very late night, but overall a good experience. 

-Julia had her first homecoming dance! She had fun and went to Applebee's after the dance with some friends. 

-We celebrated my Dad's 70th birthday! We love you!

-We watched the His Little Feet choir perform at our old church in South Haven. It was good to connect with the directors again and see friends from our S Haven days.

-Julia had her first choir concert. She likes the director and is happy to be in a choir with students who want to be there. 

-HC had fall break, unfortunately WO did not. Nate took Isaac, Stephen and Lexi backpacking with the Gabrielse in the Deam Wilderness Area near Bloomington. Stephen was nervous about backpacking with his cast, but thankfully they had dry weather. 

-Caleb had fall break and was home for a couple of days.

-We did our first Soul Kids girls sleepover/campout. It was fun, it was exhausting, there was a mouse in the room and the girls had a great time. 

-I received my first jury duty summons, how exciting! But, I was never called in. 

-There was a freak snowstorm on Halloween and the kids went trick or treating with their friends. 

September 2023

 

He did too many headers for my liking..

John Oosterhouse, Jacob Tinholt, Isaac

Homecoming Dance

Stephen/Nate's soccer team

Isaac got to watch Cardale play

Stephen liked being the goalie

Lexi likes being on offense

Pic with the grandparents

Happy Birthday Nate!

Some beautiful evenings on the lake

-During Labor Day weekend we went to Gun Lake for a day with some friends. I think this is the 3rd year we've done this? It's always a fun day of boating and relaxing together. 

-Stephen and Lexi played Rec soccer. Nate wanted to coach Lexi's team, but they had too many coaches for the girl teams, but not enough for the boys- maybe next year Lexi! Nate enjoyed coaching Stephen's team. It was fun to watch Stephen and Lexi play soccer again.

-Isaac made the JV soccer team. He prefers to play offense, but the team needed him on defense. Isaac played all game/every game. His team had a great season and thankfully no injuries for Isaac! 

-Caleb finished his shoulder PT and saw the orthopedic doctor. The Dr emphatically said no to shoulder surgery. If Caleb has about 4 dislocations, then they will talk surgery. The benefits of surgery just don't outweigh the costs at this point. Caleb was relieved to hear that. He needs to continue his PT exercises on his own and just be smart about his physical activities. 

-Nate and I are leaders for our church's Wednesday evening children's program-Soul Kids. 

-We went to HC's homecoming football game. Lexi and Stephen like running around with their friends, Julia caught up with some HC friends and Isaac played in the pep band. Isaac also went to the homecoming dance with a bunch of friends. 

-Caleb turned 19 and this is the first time we did not celebrate his birthday with him. It's hard to believe he is in his last year of being a teenager. We are so proud of the man he is and we love you Caleb! 

-Lexi started up weekly Mandarin lessons with Lexus again. Lexi is also taking piano lessons. Now that Stephen is playing the clarinet at school, his piano lesson days are done. He is not sad. 

-Nate and I got season tickets again for Broadway in GR. We saw Funny Girl this month.

-We celebrated Nate's 44th birthday! He cares deeply for others and is generous with his time. He has weathered many changes at work and I see the energy he puts forth there. Nate loves me and the kids well and is all in. We love you Nate! 

-Julia tried out for WO volleyball and was really close, but did not make the team. She was disappointed, but she got to know quite a few girls from volleyball practices before the school year began. 

-Julia began attending WO Young Life club