Cruise

 We are going on our very first cruise ever in about a month and a bit-- the end of Feb. We will be gone for 7 days on the boat and 2 more in travel days. We will be going with Jacob and Audrey! YAY! The itinerary is Belize, Mexico and other places warm and cozy. CANNOT wait. But i will miss Walter a lot. 

 So it has been about 12 years since my last post!! lol. The boys are now almost 30!! Jacob is married to Audrey and has been for about 3.5 years now. The other two are in long term relationships to people we also love-- Erika for Noah and Drew for Micah. They visit us often at our cottage. Heck yes! We have a new cottage! Well we got it in 2022 October. It is Dave's family's cottage. What a mess it was to get it, but worth it! Jacob and Audrey live in Holland, Drew and Micah in Flint and noah lives home with us. Erika comes over lots. :) 

We have 3 dogs right now. Walter our Golden retriever baby-- age 3. Roland is 11 and Ez is 9. They are sweet fellas-- yes all boys. I retired last year after teaching for 35 years! I write curriculum for an SEL company and i nanny once a week for a little one named Crew-- he just had a baby sister named Lily, too! Great family! Dave is still at Rylee's Hardware. We just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary. We are learning more and more about what makes each other tick as we get older. I would say I understand him better now and love him even more than I did when we got married. 

Mom died in January but she was ready. She had Alzheimer's and was nearly 90. It was her time and she was so ready. 

I hope to use this blog more now that i found it back. See you soon!

College life

Oh dear, bad blogger lady.  Oh well.  2013 and much of 2014 proved to be my least favorite years of my life.  😞. Moving on. Jacob is off at Indiana Wesleyan university.  He loves it there, no shock at all. He has always been Mr. School. Jacob got himself a girlfriend.  Her name is Audry and she is a nice young girl.  He is very happy. Noah is off at Calvin.  He is. So very independent there. He does his own laundry, he's gotten a job and he seems to like it there.  He almost never comes home, but he texts a lot and he is really growing up.  Micah is still home with us.  He is taking courses at GRCC. He really seems to like it and he gets quite a charge out of some of the students there.

Dave is still at Rylees and I am stil at grps at stocking school.  We got a new puppy this past summer- Roland.  He is a cutie.  :)

New position

Well I did it!  Finally!  I interviewed and got a position at a new school-Stocking Elementary.  I am SO excited to take my colleagues Katie and Jessica with me.  And, and, AND I get to work with my all-time favorite principal JoAnn.  We are starting up a new school together.  It actually felt really good to interview and get a position- like I did it on my own merit, not just because I had enough years to move where I wanted to go.  So now I am trying to split my things from Congress things. 14 years is a long time to differentiate materials!

Micah's headaches finally went away.  Those months were the most brutal time for me as a parent.  Someday I will blog about the whole experience, but not yet.  Just know things are not always as they seem with your children.  I learned a lot about parenting this year.

Boys are officially seniors now.  Um. Time.  Stop. Now.  Please.

2013

It is already April.  It has been raining here like crazy.  All of the rivers are flooded and many of the lakes are too.  The Grand and Rogue Rivers are past flood stage and even West River drive was closed due to flooding for a time.  2013 has not been my most favorite year so far.  We found out hat Noah has a heart condition known as WPW syndrome and Micah has been suffering through headaches for two months now.  He has missed so much school; my heart just aches for him.  Jacob is healthy as a horse and continues to love his stage work.  We paid our house off in February only to have governor Snyder take most of that payment back in fees, insurances, and other unfair taxes.  I guess it is a blessing to have the house payment off our plate- one less thing to fret.  I know 2013 will get better, I just know it.  God continues to be good.

Christmas Eve

Sitting here as a family watching It's a Wonderful Life.  Boys are really watching it this year, they act like they have never seen it before.  I cherish these moments with my favorite boys right now.  Even though they each take turns being a pain, they are really great kids.  No one ever tells you how much fun children are at this age.  I try not to think about them leaving for college, but maybe that stage of our lives will be grand too.  I am so praying this is true.  I can make myself downright teary even thinking about them flying the coop.  Time just flew for me and these boys.  Just yesterday they were just learning to walk.  It would be so much easier it i didn't love them so much.  Sigh...

Well it is Christmas Day here tomorrow.  It seems to come sooner and sooner each year!

Cross camp

Noah and Micah are at cross country running camp this whole week.  Jacob was up at grandpa's cottage for a few days.  The house was QUIET.  Can't say too quiet, but it gave and I another taste of how things are gonna be in a few more years.  We went to The Twisted Rooster.  Yum!  I got. Twisted Mac and Cheese and Dave got steak.  Both were delicious and the we got campfire s'more cheesecake.  Sooooooooooooooooo soooooooooo good.  So.  Then I went to Target to get teaching goodies.

Yesterday Dave, Jacob and I went to the Whitecaps.  Fun night with dime hotdogs!

A nice break from kids, but will ready for them all to come back on Friday.  :)

Sec. Of state

Going to get permits tomorrow. This has been the most difficult part of parenting for me thus far. So scary! I love being home this summer. I am enjoying being able to keep up on housework. The boys are at a perfect age. They crack us up daily; they also make us crazy daily!

Driver's Ed??

We are in the middle of driver's training right now.  2 of my 3 most precious cargo just left- with MICAH in the driver's seat!  I was just buckling him in like yesterday!  This is so scary to me, but I pray for them each time they leave, so I know they will be okay.  Soon it will be my turn to drive with them- hmmm...  Our summer is going well, seems like just yesterday it was Christmas.  I so enjoy being home with our boys in the summer- they are continuing to grow into fine young men. 

Trip to Oregon!

Dave and his dad are on a cross country trip to Oregon.  The boys and I are holding down the fort here at home.  This makes for a lot of rushing around for mom, but the boys are holding their own and pitching in with some of the chores.  We have all forgotten to feed the dogs for the last two days.  Oops!  But other than that all is smooth sailing.  It is stinking cold here still in the merry month of May.  38* this morning!  The year is almost up for school and I have some huge decisions to make. 

April

Wait, how did this many months go by again without a blog from me...  Well we are in April now, day 3.  Dave and Jacob are up north with Grandpa Carpenter burning things and otherwise bonding.  I am home with the other two guys.  Junie B is sitting next to me, poor little thing has bladder stones :(  She has to have bladder surgery next week and I am soooo nervous about that.  Jacob is playing baseball this year at first base for GRCHS, I hope he does well!  Noah and Micah would not even try out!  Oh well!  I am still teaching first grade and trying to make a good decision about next year's placement.  Dave is still holding down the fort at home and doing jobs at school and church.  It is spring break right now and it is cold- of course.  We hope to go see a movie this week- True Grit.  We should also do some other fun things- we will see!

Thanksgiving

Well, we have just put another Thanksgiving in the books.  We had over 30 people at Thanksgiving yesterday, including a 4 week old baby- our newest member Nicholas David.  The boys were very good young men.  They ate what they were supposed to and said thank you at all the right times.  No outside play because of rain, but they wrestled on the floor  a bit with their big boy cousins.  Today we shipped Noah off to Wisconsin to a cross country race.  He just got GRCHS trophy for most improved runner 25 min. down to 19 min. for a 5K.  I am very proud of him, and of all the boys.  They are all holding their own in a very difficult school.  Their grades are not perfect, but well above normal and we are proud of them!  Just had parent teacher conferences and every single teacher told us that we have the nicest, most hard-working boys.  So I am immensely proud of them and happy to think that we may be doing something right.  So just sitting here now watching Batman cartoons and listening to Jacob slurp his hot choco!  It just started to snow a wee bit here...just in time for Christmas!

Weekend in November...

I am beginning to feel somewhat like an empty nester.  Noah on a bus trip to 3 Oakes for a cross country meet of his friends on the team.  Micah is at a weekend Rocket Launching event Three Oaks!  Jacob is sitting here eating waffles.  So not quite empty.  :)  The three of them are loving the social aspect of school and they are all keeping up academically.  :)  Whew!  Noah probably loves it best of all---go figure! 

I love my new job as a first grade teacher.  What a great gig I have going this year.  I am so nervous it will all end and I will get a little hellion in my room, but for now- I love it!  Yesterday we painted fish and it was great!  Of course it helps that I have an aide AND a student teacher and only 21 kids!  I love that part!  Don't know what I am going to do next year.  Don't know if I can truly leave my home of 12 years.  Sigh...I wish things could just stay the same. 

High schoolers

Oh heavens!  High school starts in one week.  Notebooks and pencils have been bought.  New shirts and jeans have been washed and hung.  New shoes still need to be found, but for the most part we are physically ready.  Emotionally, I am trying to pretend it is all just a really bad dream.  I know that they have to grow up and I know that they have to move on in life, but I also know that high school is just one step closer to when I have an empty nest and 3 grown up boys.  However, I also plan to totally enjoy these last 4 years I have with my boy children before they turn into men children! I have been loving watching them play their chosen sport.  Noah is running cross country and Jacob is playing soccer, both for GRCHS.  Micah has joined a Rocketry club that he really seems to enjoy.  I must say that I continue to like these 3 boys no matter what age they turn into- even teenagers!  ;)

I have taken on a new job as a first grade teacher...what am I thinking!?  I am vacililating between being scared to death and totally excited!  I have a great new room and I am loving organizing it!  :)

June before school is almost done...

Sad/mad today...you know when things just don't go your way?  I want to be a two year old and pout and scream and have a little fit over it all.  But I won't- at least not in public...or probably even in private. 

The boys graduate from middle school this week.  I don't know if I can stand it.  I would not like to send them to high school, thank you very much.  I get a little weepy thinking about it all.  So I will just stop thinking at all...  We went out and bought 3 of everything for the graduation...3 shoes, ties, pants, shirts, socks, belts...the whole nine yards.  They will be the most handsome guys at the graduation I am sure.  And, let me tell you...they are gorgeous.  It is like Dave and I took the best of the both of us and God put it together to make these most amazingly cute boys.  I may be a little prejudiced though. :) I love them so so much.  I just hope and pray continuously that they will continue to make excellent life choices.

MAY DAYS!

May, already. Where is the time going? I tell you! We now have 3- 14 year olds in the house and it is crazy here for sure. We also now have 7 chickens...well make that 6. The dogs got one of the chicks last night, there was lots of tears and gnashing of teeth last night- not mine.




School is making me a little crazy right now but I think it always does this time of year. Dave is working for the government as a census working for the next couple of months- it sure would be nice if a job like that could become permanent. He is also still working as a custodian for church and school...yes we are both very busy right now. The boys are playing baseball on the Rockford Christian Middle School team. They love it and so does the coach (their dad). :)



I am going to teach summer school this summer-crazy right. Maybe I won't need to teach after school next year then... a girl can hope. :)



Hmmm...heading to bed now. Sleep tight!

First day of spring has brought us snow! Can you believe it?? I am so enjoying the boys at this age. We have an appointment at an endocrynologist for Noah in May. I think he is great just as is, but he is thinking he is height challenged. It doesn't make it any easier when brothers are growing by leaps and bounds! Jacob is wearing a size 12 shoe and has outgrown his mother by an inch or two. Micah is growing like a weed too. His voice is dropping too. :) Ah puberty. :)

lights on and everyone is home!

Lights up on our tree, thanks to Trish Cutler! She showed up in church today with a pack of replacement bulbs after reading my facebook status. What a great lady! :) Boys are going to their first middle school church party tonite! They are very excited and I am happy for them. They went to another middle schoolers birthday party last night and the mom told me I have such nice, polite boys. That felt so good to hear that. Today I am going to go shopping for my mom, mother-in-law and sister Kim. Yikes!

Dave is of course watching football- the Lions, who else!

Hey, how did it get to be almost Christmas again. The boys are turning into little men now. Jacob's voice started changing and he is wearing size 12 shoes! I think that is big enough thank-you! He is about an inch taller than me at 5'8 or so. Micah is also really starting to grow. He is growing out of all his pants and he is in men's size shoes as well. He has surpassed Grandma Kitty in the height department- a proud day for him. And, he can lift me up! He loves this. Noah is still waiting for his growth spurt. He will get there we keep telling him. He is not being very patient so far.

We just lived through the blizzard of 2009- come on...ridiculous little snowstorm that it was! The boys got a three day snow day...but not me! Nope...I braved the blizzard! Many of my students however did not. I had attendance of about 12 of 23 kiddos on Wednesday and 15 of 23 on Thursday. BTW my class is a dream this year. I am looping and loving the growth I am seeing in my students.

So just got back from shopping for Christmas. I love this time of year!! Our tree still has no lights on it. hmmmmm....maybe we will just go green this year.

spring break

Well this spring break has proven no different from many others. It is too cold and the boys want so badly to be outside. Maybe next year we will go someplace very warm... Jacob and I are watching The Wilderness Family. I love that show. It brings back such good memories of when I was an elementary student. Jacob is getting a kick out of it too. He likes most movies anyway as long as I watch it with him. Noah and Micah are playing Roboblox on the computer and Dave is downstairs watching the Tigers- probably lose again... Oh dear...the bear is about to kill the whole family...on the movie don't ya know...

Alright I am off to another part of life... See ya soon.