Seven Years Old

Excited to get a new scooter
The panda cake
How are there so many candles on that cake?
For dinner he requested pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage- he knows how to eat!

Happy Birthday Caleb! For the past week I have been calling him a 7 year old and he would emphatically say, "No, I am still 6." Now he is more than happy to be 7 and told me it might take awhile for me to get used to that number. :)

He brought a birthday treat to school today. I made 5 blue cupcakes topped with a toy bug and 5 pink cupcakes topped with a toy ring. (Nate helped me realize I don't need to make an extravagant birthday cake and an extravagant school birthday treat for the kids!) Caleb requested breakfast for dinner which always makes me happy too. I was a little surprised when he picked the panda cake. I thought he would go for something like a pirate ship or dinosaur cake. However, he enjoyed seeing pandas at the Atlanta zoo and he likes Kung Fu Panda (even though he hasn't seen the movie!). I must note that I cringe whenever the kids pick a cake that requires alot of red or black frosting- those colors are so hard to make! Caleb received a new scooter, flashlight and work gloves from us. He also received some toy army men and a Veggie Tales devotional book. I record their gifts here so I have gift ideas when our other children turn 7!

Tonight I considered making a comment to Caleb like, "Seven years ago I labored for 18 hours and was so excited to finally meet you." But, I was afraid that would bring lots of questions! Exactly when should kids start learning about how babies enter the world??

We thank God for the blessing of Caleb. He is a smart, athletic, compassionate and kind-hearted boy. It is a joy to watch him master new skills. I feel like we're embarking on a new life stage- the grade school years. We've changed his bedtime to 8 pm instead of 7:30 pm when the other kids go to bed. I kept insisting he needed to be in bed early because he gets up at 6:30 am, but he would just lie in bed awake until 8:30 every night. So now he gets to read with us on the couch before bed without any sibling interruptions- kind of nice. We also finally bunked the boys' beds. (Actually I wasn't so nervous about Caleb on the top bunk, I was nervous about Isaac crawling on the top bunk and falling out!) I'm sure we'll be making other changes as we realize Caleb is no longer a "little boy" but a regular "boy" now- nothing little about him! We pray for many more birthday celebrations with Caleb!

Backpacking

I don’t write here very often, but since this is “DeMaster Stories,” I’ll add another tale.

Caleb and I got to spend some quality Father-Son this week in the woods on a backpacking trip. We spent two nights and three days up in Manistee National Forest with our friends, another 6-yr-old and his dad. We hiked on the North Country Scenic Trail along the Manistee River. I learned how to fly-fish, and the kids had fun exploring, hiking, cooking over a fire, eating marshmallows for breakfast, and sleeping in the woods. Our tents stayed dry at night despite the thunderstorm the first night. There were lots of animals to see including bald eagles, a hognose snake, deer, red-headed woodpeckers, crayfish, frogs, tadpoles, and all sorts of bugs. I even heard coyotes and owls at night. The boys were pretty tired by the time we dragged ourselves out of the woods on Friday. They both did a great job hiking! Of course having your dad along to carry most of the gear helped. :) It was a memorable trip, and we hope to do more in the future.

On a more sour note, Caleb had a touch of poison ivy from last week that spread all over his legs the second night in the woods. He has been feeling pretty miserable ever since. Hopefully it will start to heal up this week.

As you can see, it was cold & rainy the day we left and I was wearing every piece of clothing that I brought to stay warm.

Caleb recently learned to ride a two-wheeler. He picked it up very quickly, even though he has been very nervous about learning. It's times like these that I feel so proud of my kids!

Signing off as your guest blogger - Nate

All he wants for Christmas...

...are his two front teeth! (and a Zhu Zhu pet)

Caleb now has a big gap in the front of his mouth. I think it is pretty cute. He is also working on another bottom tooth. I think he wants to see how many holes he can have in his mouth!

Achievements

Wildflower Garden
Caleb receiving one of his THREE awards

This posting will be about some recent achievements in our family. After much research, procrastination, more research and manual labor- our wildflowers are planted! We bought them from Hidden Savanna which specializes in Michigan native plants. The owner was really helpful as we tried to figure out what needed to be done/bought. We bought 9 different species of wildflowers which came out to about 100 plants. I was impressed at how quickly we got them planted. Nate installed the fence because we have crazy rabbits here and we do not want our investment eaten overnight. The flowerbed is sparse, but in a couple of years it should look great- if we can keep the plants alive!

Tonight Caleb's school had Academic Awards Night. We received a letter stating Caleb was receiving an award and we should attend. We had no idea what to expect and Caleb didn't either. He received 3 awards! Outstanding Academic Achievement in Spanish, Music and he received the top honor of Overall Outstanding Academic Achievement for his class. Now I realize this is kindergarten we're talking about and it seems a little over the top to give such awards, but I have been impressed with the work kindergarteners do these days. We are just plain proud of Caleb and how hard he has worked this year! Way to go buddy!

Spring is in the Air

Possibly Caleb's first note from a girl
Swinging high
Isaac giving Julia an underdog
Looking cute for church

So I think Caleb received his first note from a girl. That little piece of paper fell out of his backpack. Caleb said it had been in there for a couple days. I asked him if it was from Katherine D. and he said, "I don't know, I think her Mom wrote it." Uh, I don't think that is her Mom's handwriting. Caleb didn't seem too interested in the note, we just said Katherine must think he is a good friend. :)

Nate has been working hard on our backyard. We are putting a flowerbed along the back of our property. The goal is to plant native wildflowers that like the shade. I'm kind of stressing out about what types of plants to buy and how many, so I am procrastinating as long as possible. :)

Cuteness

Caleb could go to work with Nate
Caleb said his parts so clearly and loudly
Caleb was a narrator for their play, "Goldilocks and the Three Bears"
Getting ready to take a bow
Looking adorable in her Easter dress
So cute in his new vest from Grandma
Look at our handsome boy!

Caleb had his kindergarten program today. The program showcases what they have learned this year. It is fun to watch little kids sing and recite lines. There are always kids who scream/sing. There were a couple little girls doing the screaming thing. I was having flashbacks of my sister in her kindergarten program. :) We are so proud of Caleb. He was nervous about performing in front of a lot of people, but you couldn't tell! He said his lines clearly and loudly- it was cute. I got a little teary watching him. I remember when he used to be shy and quiet in front of people. He has grown so much. We love our little munchkins!

Spring break

Julia loves water tables and was sufficiently soaked
The boys experimenting with water pressure
Cool little fountain
Look at those mountain climbers!
Family bowling
Julia really wanted to bowl, but she still had fun watching
Did someone call a plumber?
Isaac's method resulted in balls going very SLOWLY down the lane, but he knocked pins down!
Caleb practiced throwing the ball instead of rolling it
Watching my cousin Tyler's baseball game at Calvin
My cousin Scott (also at Calvin) and his girlfriend, Jenna, met us at the game


We had a fun spring break at home. The week started with Isaac having his annual allergist appointment. He is allowed to start trying apples again- yay! He was very excited to eat applesauce that night. :) He will have a blood test done to see if he is still allergic to milk. If the test is negative, he can do a "milk challenge" this summer. The challenge is done in the allergist's office and they slowly give him milk products to see how he handles it. The doctor seems fairly confident he will outgrow the allergy either this year or next. We're praying!

Nate was off on Monday, so we all went to the Curious Kids Museum in St. Joe. It is not a large museum, but the kids always enjoy going. We ate dinner at the Texas Roadhouse which the kids think is great b/c they can throw peanut shells on the floor. The boys don't like to eat the peanuts, they just like to peel them and give the peanuts to Julia.

On Tuesday, I took the kids to story hour at the library. I tried to convince Caleb that he would be bored, but he insisted on going. I think he just wanted to see what Isaac talks about every week.

On Wednesday, we met some friends at the Fennville Children's Museum. This one is even smaller than Curious Kids, but that is ok with me. It is basically one room so it is possible to keep an eye on all 3 kids.

On Thursday, we met some friends at our church gym and let the kids run around. It was nice to be able to chat with other Moms and let the kids be crazy. We then took the kids bowling that afternoon. Bowling was the one thing Caleb wanted to do during spring break. I had the highest score, but that might have been b/c we were using bumpers....

On Friday, we went to Dash and Splash at the gym and had some friends over.

Today, we went to my cousin's baseball game at Calvin. Caleb seemed to really enjoy the game. My cousin Scott and his girlfriend met us at the game. Julia wasn't so sure about them at first. Jenna let Julia play with her phone and she was then Julia's new best friend. :) It was fun to catch up with Scott for awhile. We talked with Tyler briefly after the game. I resisted the urge to embarrass him at the game and talk about how I held him when he was a baby and sang, "Welcome to the Family," at his baptism. :)

Some other news from spring break is that Caleb is learning to tie his shoes! He was practicing again in the car tonight and he seems to have it- so proud of him! We are also looking for a (used) new bike for him. He's going to learn how to ride a two-wheeler next. It is so rewarding to watch him master new skills.

Caleb is bummed that spring break is over, but he gets TWO spring breaks this year. We are leaving for Florida in one week! We are going to visit Nate's parents in Ft. Myers. It is hard to believe it is 90 degrees there, what does that even feel like?

Caleb and Mom's Excellent Adventure

Nothing like a self-portrait
The main Christmas tree at the Museum of Science and Industry
Very cool locomotive
The toy train set-up was really neat
For Grandpa J: Tree in honor of the Stanley Cup winners- The Chicago Blackhawks!
Chick just after hatching- probably one of Caleb's favorite exhibits
The South Korean tree
In front of the German submarine from WWII
Look out for the tornado! There was also a lightning display- a little too real and loud for Caleb's liking.
The Netherlands tree
Field Museum- Tyrannosaurus Rex bones!
Creepy little robotic dinosaur
T-rex is going to eat you!
The triceratops wasn't as scary
You can see Caleb in the background- he did not want to get too close to the T-Rex!
One example of the huge display of real/stuffed animals at the Field Museum
Elephant near our table at the Rainforest Cafe

On Monday, our family was supposed to go to the Museum of Science and Industry. Isaac came down with a terrible fever on Sunday and was not better on Monday. Julia also had a cold and was rather crabby. So, Nate made a huge sacrifice and stayed home with Isaac and Julia. Caleb and I made the trip together. We spent about 4 hours at the Museum of Science and Industry and we had a great time! I hadn't been there since I was a child. I also wasn't sure if the younger kids would enjoy this museum. I think Isaac would appreciate most of the museum and Julia would have fun just walking around. Caleb and I didn't do the coal mine tour or the submarine tour. I think both would be too dark/loud/scary. We'll take the kids when they are older.

We then went to the Field Museum. Again, I hadn't been there in years so I was curious as to how family friendly it is. Caleb has been saying for a long time that he wanted to see dinosaur bones and we finally saw some! There is a T-rex display and it is very impressive. However, that is only dinosaur bones display. One of the special exhibits was the robotic dinosaurs. Caleb was a little nervous, but he probably could have spent much longer just sitting and watching the dinosaurs move, grunt, roar, etc. We had the option to see a 3-D movie about T-rex, but it looked scary even to me! So we passed on that. The only other part of the Field Museum that kids would like is the animals exhibits. There is a large area of real, stuffed animals from around the world. I'm glad we visited this museum, but we'll wait to take the kids when they are older and can appreciate more of the museum.

We then went to the Rainforest Cafe in downtown Chicago for supper. I had never been to this restaurant so I was curious if it was as good as all of the hype. :) It is a fun restaurant and Caleb enjoyed seeing all of the robotic animals on the walls. Later in the evening my cousin informed me that there is a Rainforest Cafe at the Grandville mall. What?? You mean I don't have to drive to Chicago just to try the restaurant?! Oh well. :)

After supper we drove to my grandparents' house and spent the night. One of the main reasons for this trip was that my cousin and her husband were in from Atlanta. We only see each other once a year and it was great to catch up with them again. This was a memorable and fun experience with Caleb and I am so thankful we could do it!

Happy 6th Birthday!

Opening his bow and arrow present (the arrows are nerf-tipped, no worries)
Steph, Julia, Jenn and Ryan (by the way- they are expecting a baby in April!!!!)
Tim and Jenny
Caleb, Isaac and Cardale with the Superman birthday cake
Caleb and Nate have matching hats now! Go Packers!
The Candy Cottage cake for school
Isaac came up with this fort by himself
Ahh, they are playing nicely- take a picture!

Caleb turned 6 years old yesterday! After church we had a little party for him. My parents, siblings, and the Winebrenner's came over. Caleb wanted pizza for his birthday meal, so we had pizza for our Sunday dinner. :) The adults enjoyed chatting and watching some football. The kids had fun playing with Cardale. It is so cute to watch the boys play together. This past Saturday marked the one year point since Cardale moved out of our house. Cardale is doing so great. Ryan and Jenn are perfect parents for him. And, they are expecting a baby in April! God is good! I made Superman cake for Caleb this year. It doesn't look like the traditional Superman logo because I based this one off a shirt that Caleb loved to wear. He likes the design, but decided he doesn't like the chocolate frosting on it that he requested. :) Caleb celebrated his birthday with his classmates today. I have a "Birthday Cakes for Kids" book and Caleb asked me to make the Candy Cottage Cake. It was an easy cake to decorate and it turned out cute. Caleb's classmates were excited to see candy all over the cake! He has 19 kids in his class, so the cake was polished off. I enjoyed meeting Caleb's classmates for the first time. They are cute kids, but I'm glad Mrs. Carey is the teacher and not me. ;)

We are so proud of Caleb. He has matured in so many ways. He loves to learn and ask questions. He is always paying attention to things around him and taking it in. (A good reminder to watch how I act!) He loves having us read to him. We also joke that he has secretly learned to read, but doesn't want us to know. He started reading last year in Young 5's, but mostly 3 letter words, etc. The past couple of weeks we have noticed him mouthing words in his books and has read some more difficult words to us. We sometimes look at each other and say, "How does he know that word?!" He does so well in school. He has a memory verse every week now and memorizes it easily. We're happy that he enjoys learning so much!

Caleb is also an awesome big brother. He and Isaac really hit it off this summer. They played so well together that I often found myself saying, "Enjoy it now, it won't last." :) Caleb also gained a sister this past year. He is great with Julia and still likes to pet her hair sometimes. :) If Julia is upset when there is a babysitter here, she'll often go to Caleb for comfort. So cute.

I pulled out a home video today of when Caleb was a newborn. My first thought was, "I looked horrible after giving birth!" I remember feeling horrible too. :) My next thought was, "How has 6 years gone by?" They have been 6 amazing years and we thank God for the gift of Caleb!