Kat's Korner

Giving Thanks

2012-01-27T08:31:00.001-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving in St. Louis this year.

Asher builds a model car with papa.

Papa gets cookin'!

The kids get busy with some crafts.

Asher's Official Birthday

2012-01-27T08:15:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos from the OFFICIAL big day! (We had his party the weekend before his actual birthday). Ash requested BBQ ribs for his birthday dinner. Aunt Kathy came over, and we spoiled him rotten with gifts.

Everyone licks the chocolate icing off the candles.

A Playmobil knights and dragon set!!

A Crayola glow/drawing set

A PaperJamz rockstar guitar ... this is the gift he REALLY wanted! Now, he can jam with Gabriel.

Playing knights and dragons.

What a ham!

All kinds of Randomness

2012-01-27T08:01:00.000-08:00

Here are a few random photos taken in November.
I got the chance to visit my sister. We met in Chicago and stayed at a swanky hotel, and had a blast just browsing through downtown together. If I hadn't been so stinkin' sick, it would have been a lot better, but it was still a great time!
Also, Nate and I attended his Christmas work party in November.

Me in the Windy City. It was actually quite pleasant while I was there. At least the FIRST day ... it was in the 50s. The day I left (this photo was taken on my walk to the train station) it was only 40 or so. Brrrr!

Me and Gret at Lego land. Mostly, we took this photo to make my boys jealous. We're so mean!

A random photo of Katrina.

Me and Nate, on our way to the JohnsonRauhoff Christmas party.

Decorating Dad

2012-01-27T07:50:00.001-08:00

Nathan fell asleep watching football. This was how he woke up. Rhylah, the mischief maker, had been busy! Here are the facebook comments! (There were 14 "likes")

JANET ORTEGON: What, no lipstick? No sparkly eyeshadow?
KATHY HUSTER: The balloons are a nice touch
JESSICA SKEEN: Too funny
CLAUDIA STAUDE: Way to decorate daddy, Rhy!

Asher's 6th Birthday Party

2012-01-27T06:29:00.000-08:00

I'm still two months behind in my blogging, so here are the long awaited photos from Asher's 6th birthday. We had all his school friends over for a party. They had SUCH a blast! I can't believe he's six already!

Mom with the cake!

Everyone sings to Asher.

Party games! How tall a tower can you build with 20 marshmallows and some toothpicks??

Blow the ping pong ball into enemy territory to win! No hands!!

How many 6-year-olds does it take to make a pizza??

Making pizzas!

Pretty Princess

2012-01-13T13:38:00.000-08:00

In November, Rhylah discovered my wedding crown in the big chest of keepsakes at the foot of my bed. She begged me to let her wear it and to curl her hair and make her look beautiful. (I told her she's always beautiful, but she insisted!) So we had a lot of fun playing dress up. Although seeing these photos makes my heart ache ... in the blink of an eye, she'll be all grown up!

Cafe Harrmann

2012-01-13T13:32:00.000-08:00

So, I have to say it. The best coffee in town is made in MY kitchen. Nathan whips up a mean cappuccino whenever I get the craving. It is sooooo yummy!

Headband Cuties

2012-01-13T13:28:00.001-08:00

My mom started an Etsy store, and one of the things she makes are these adorable little knit headbands. I found a pattern and begged her to knit me and Rhylah a matching set. They turned out SUPER cute!!

Me and my Mini Batman

2012-01-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

Here are Lucca and I at the downtown Halloween fest. I made a tiny cape and mask for him for the occasion. He was adorable!

Trick or Treating

2012-01-13T06:32:00.000-08:00

Our crew!

Trick or treating at the Coars' house!

Snakes! I hate snakes! Nate is in his traditional Indians Jones garb.

Cutie pie!

Me and pirate Asher. This is his third year as a pirate! (not consecutive however)

Gabe went as Harry Potter ... the big excitement was that I bought him some wash-out hair dye so that he could really look the part!

Carving It Out

2011-10-31T18:33:00.000-07:00

It's pumpkin carving time!!
I always love this night! Time to pick out the best patterns, light 'em up, and bake the seeds with butter and salt! This year, Gabe carved his out for the first time. Using the tools in the pumpkin carving kit we get every year (safe little miniature plastic saws and such)... I think he did a GREAT job on his phantom!

The kiddos were SOOOO excited to get going!

Daddy gets to work cutting off the tops of the pumpkins.

Asher pulls out the guts of his pumpkin ... ewwwww!

Ash tries to mimic the scary face of his jack-o-lantern.

Asher's pumpkin was by far the scariest.

Rhy's was the "cute flying cat." I can think of very little LESS cute than a flying cat, but it was the most innocent pattern in the book. :)

Gabe had the scary phantom face and he did it all by himself!

All of our merry pumpkins, twinkling in the dark!

Trick or Treating Down Town

2011-10-31T18:16:00.000-07:00

The downtown businesses had an evening of trick-or-treating a few days before Halloween, where kids could come down and get free candy from outside all the quaint little shops and stores. there must have been a couple thousand people packed onto our scenic main street. It was INSANE! Here are just a few shots ... and yes, my dog is wearing a mask and a cape. I made it for him myself, at the last minute, using my handy dandy sewing machine. :)

Class Trip

2011-10-31T18:00:00.000-07:00

This week, Asher's Kindergarten class (of five boys) went to a pumpkin farm. They had such a great time. The boys took a hayride, played in a corn maze, and got to pick some pumpkins. Rhylah and I tagged along for the fun of it!

Kale, Isaac, Ash and Rhy on the hayride.

Asher and Kaeden on the hay ride with Mrs. Kern, the teacher they ADORE!!

Isaac, Asher, Kaeden, Jared ... Kale's sister and Kale ... all with their pumpkins.

Rhylah and Asher ... so sweet!

Making music with instruments made out of gourds! Asher had SUCH a great time with this.

Making silly faces in front of the T-Rex! Five boys means a WHOLE lot of silliness!

Asher and Isaac on the hay ride.

Asher with his pumpkin.

Rhy with her pumpkin.

Hallow Him

2011-10-31T17:48:00.000-07:00

Every year, Trinity Lutheran Church in town hosts an event called Hallow Him. It's a way to kick back and celebrate Halloween, keeping in mind that Christ is still front and center. We love it! There's hayrides, bouncy houses, face painting, and SOOO much yummy candy and pizza. What's not to love??

Outside, on the porch, before we leave for Hallow Him.

Rhy and her best buddy, Abigail.

Rhy got her face painted. We waited in line FOREVER for it, but she was stubborn and didn't want to go do anything else.

Rhy and Asher with the crafts they made.

Pumpkin Farm

2011-10-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

Every year we drive around everywhere, looking for the perfect pumpkin farm. The idea of the "perfect" farm has been ingrained in our heads since we lived in Wisconsin, and actually DID go to a perfect farm every year. Medium sized, family oriented, cider and a craft barn, a hayride, and a cut-your-own-pumpkin field. We have yet to find that here. This year, we ended up at a small, road-side farm/stand. It was tiny, but after a day of hunting, we were more than ready to settle for small. And the kids didn't care. They still had fun picking out their pumpkins.

Asher finds his perfect pumpkin.

Gabe is so serious as he searches through the pumpkins.

So many to choose from!

THIS is the one!!

More Holter Visit ...

2011-10-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

Abbie fell in love with our pooch, Lucca. And he snuggled right up to her every chance he got!

Cousins!

The Acorn Theater in Three Oaks ... I just love the sign.

Cousins, in order of height AND age.

Gabe and Seth, only about a year apart, had SUCH a blast on this visit!

Driers butcher shop in Three Oaks ... has the sawdust on the floor and everything! We love their mustard.

Visit with the Holters

2011-10-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

Nate's sister Shea and her husband Mark and their kiddos, Abbie and Seth, came for a visit last weekend. We had SUCH a blast. On Saturday, we spent the afternoon in Three Oaks, shopping and wandering around town. Then it was on to Grand Mere State Park, where we went for a short hike. Mark got these awesome photos on his camera. Mine, which are much less stellar, will be on the next post. :)

Me and Seth check out the shells and rocks on the beach. He found an Indian bead, and I explained how my great-grandma used to collect those in the gravel after it rained. He was pretty thrilled with the stones and things he found!

Our troops, hiking over the dunes at Grand Mere.

Love this shot of my Rhy girl.

Abbie and Asher clown around in the water. Ash got soaked, of COURSE.

Abbie jumps a wave.

Awww ... uncles are a great place to rest your noggin when you're tired!

Happy 4th Birthday, Rhylah!

2011-10-31T11:45:00.000-07:00

Rhy recently celebrated her 4th birthday. I can hardly believe it. I remember Gabe being four. Four is the year of ten thousand questions a day. The year of moving from toddler-hood to true "kid" status. It's the year you become independent, learn to tie your shoes and not pee your bed at night. It's a landmark year. :)
My mom and dad got to be here for the occasion. Rhy's BIG gift this year was the Loving Family dollhouse by Fischer Price. It was awesome to see her open it and get all excited setting it up.

Opening up presents first thing in the morning is delightful!

Opening the dollhouse ... the BIG gift from mom and dad.

SOOOOOO excited!!

Love this shot of daddy holding back her hair.

Lots of pretty clothes from grandma and papa!

Make a wish!

Gotta suck the icing off the candles!

Fall Visit: Part 2

2011-10-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

Can't get enough of the face paint! Rhy and Syd dressed up as soon as they got home from the kids museum. Then they did what any princess in silk dresses will do ... some swinging and gardening!

Just an oddball shot of our dogs being lazy on the driveway during a warm fall day.

Fall Visit: Part 1

2011-10-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

Gret and Syd came for a visit in late September. We had SUCH a blast! Here are a few photos.

All the nieces and nephews with their great Aunt Kathy outside the Curious Kids Museum in town.

LOVE this shot of Rhy and Syd.

Rhy and Syd go on the air.

Hello! Is anyone listening?

Picking apples at the indoor apple orchard.

Waiting to fill the apple cart.

Rhy and Syd work Mission Control to help the rocket blast off into space!

Rhy and Syd work on each other in the pretend ambulance in the kids museum.

Bumble Bee Girl

2011-10-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

Rhy is going to be a bumble bee for Halloween this year. Once I finished making her tutu, she spent a good hour or so "buzzing" around the backyard and getting into character. Too sweet!

FOOTBALL!

2011-10-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

Gabe played football for the first time this year. And while I was constantly nervous (about him getting hurt) he did fantastic, and loved every minute of it. He played for the St. Joe rocket league. They only had six games this fall. They lost the first four but won the last two against Lakeshore and Eau Claire.

Asher is the epitome of the kid brother trying to get in on the action. Here, he's looking longingly toward the field.

He's so grown up!

We were thrilled that my folks were able to see a game, as well as my sister and her daughter. Here, Auntie Gretchen visits for a game.

Gabe got braces recently. I can't get used to it!

Asher shows off his missing tooth ... his first one!

Sept. Hike

2011-10-25T10:28:00.001-07:00

Just after school started, we went on a hike at Grand Mere State Park. Here are some shots!

Playin' Bride

2011-10-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

These are old photos from this past summer when my folks brought my wedding dress up for me to store. Rhy of course, wanted to see me in it, which I graciously did. The veil was her favorite part, and after she saw mommy get dressed up, she put on her own white dress and I let her play around with the veil. Gabriel was watching us and rushed to his own room. In a moment, he was back, dressed as a groom. Too sweet!

First Day of School

2011-09-06T07:06:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of school!
Asher started Kindergarten, half days, and Gabe is a big bad 4th grader! I can hardly believe it, because I REMEMBER being in 4th grade and it doesn't feel like it was THAT long ago!
Asher was so puffed up and proud of himself, referring to himself as a Kindergartener all morning, as he reminded me how old and responsible he's getting to be.
Rhy did great as well. I thought she might get upset at being left out (For various reasons, I decided not to start her in 3K this year), but we came home and "did school" together ... doing some workbook pages, painting together, and working on her shapes and numbers. She had SOOOO much fun with good old mom. And we had a cup of tea together (which, let's face it, you just can't get at regular school!) and then we played dress up together where she got to pick out a dress and shoes for mom and deck me out in her jewelry and crowns. (No photo of that folks, sorry...)

Asher is SOOOO ready to get back to school!

My boys!

Gabe is looking so very old, and very cool!

Rhy holds Lucca, who is fending off the fall chill in his groovy new sweater.

Asher finds his new locker, with a little help from mom, and some supervising by Rhylah.

Stashing his Ninja Turtle backpack in the new locker!

Gabe picks out his own locker and puts his gym shoes inside. The boys classrooms are right across the hall from each other and their lockers are only a dozen or so apart!

Love these shots of the boys walking into school together for the first time. Asher always had preschool in the afternoon, but now, in Kindergarten, he'll get dropped off with big brother in the morning!

The boys of 4th grade!

"moooooom! Quit taking photos of me! It's sooooooo embarrassing!!"

A busy 4th grade classroom. Gabe has Mr. Farrand this year (the guy in the blue shirt, standing by the door), and he's excited to get the year underway!

Gabe at his newly selected desk.

Trip To Ludington: Part 3

2011-08-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

The highlight of being stranded on a remote bike path, waiting for rescue, is that it gives you an opportunity to explore. Me and the kids climbed a great big dune while we waited for Nate to return with the repair kit for the bike tire. Once we got to the top, a sweeping vista of beaches, dunes and a far-off glimpse of Sable Point Lighthouse was visible -- it was gorgeous!
We finished off the day by going for a swim in the local river. It was quite shallow at the point we were swimming at ... only just below knee-deep almost all the way across. Even Roxy joined in the fun and swam toward Nathan. She's truly an old water dog!
After the swim, it was time to pack up and go home, though we all wished we could stay a few days longer. But we had an amazing time! It just goes to show, that every once in awhile, it's great good fun to act on your whims and be spontaneous!

Nate works to fix his flat tire. What a guy!

Rhylah and Asher at the top of the dune.

Big Sable Point Lighthouse at a distance.

Swimming in the river.

Trip to Ludington: Part 2

2011-08-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

My kids would've made awesome gypsies -- they thrive around a campfire.
We cooked hot dogs and then marshmallows -- and of course, everyone has their own way of doing things. Gabe likes his food charred. Ash likes his rare. I like mine lightly toasted.
Afterward, we sat around the fire and watched the millions of stars come out. It was incredible. Then I told a classic campfire scary ghost story and enjoyed watching Asher levitate about 2 feet out of his chair at the end of it. Priceless! He kept begging me to tell it again and again, but I just laughed, not wanting to scare him TOO much!
The next morning, Gabe and I biked to the river, only about a 30 second bike ride, and tried our luck at fishing. I caught my first bass EVER! And on my first cast of the morning! He put up a good fight, my pole was definitely bent over with the effort of it. We carried him back to the tent, very excited with our "kill". Nate was a champ, hauled out a knife that would make Crocodile Dundee jealous, and gutted it. Then he cooked it over the fire. It wasn't bad eating, but I think I prefer trout.
The next morning, we took a bike ride on a gravel trail for a few miles to reach Sable Point Lighthouse. It was breathtaking! On the way back, we got a flat tire, so that was our adventure for the morning. Nate quickly rode back to the car and grabbed a repair kit and brought it back. Problem solved!

Here is Miss Rhy in her jammies and hoodie, getting ready for bed, but staying warm at the same time!

Our campfire.

There's something so cheerful about a campfire.

Me and my catch. Next time, I'm hoping it will be Gabe who hauls home the big fish!

It really was 14 inches! Handy to have a cooler with a ruler on it!

Look at the size of that mouth!!

Here is Sable Point Lighthouse, which we reached after a half-hour bike ride.

Trip to Ludington: Part 1

2011-08-29T13:02:00.000-07:00

We decided to be spontaneous this past weekend. I said I wanted to see Ludington, which is about 2.5 hours north of us. Nate said, "We should camp!" Thus began our grand adventure north.
Let me begin by saying that after three years of living in Michigan, we have seen very little of the state. Probably because we live in a resort town. So this was a big deal for us. We also hadn't been on a vacation all summer long, so we figured we were due.
First off, we headed for the state park, one of the most popular in the mid-west. Due to a stroke of luck, or divine intervention, what normally would require a six-month in advance reservation, ended up taking five minutes: They'd had a cancellation! You know you've lucked out when even the park ranger seems shocked to be able to let you in!
The campground, while very crowded, was lovely. A picturesque little river ran through the park, full of people on floats and fishermen. We spent our first afternoon checking out Ludington and then headed to set up our camp site. Such a blast!

Here is a cool old car outside an antique shop in Ludington.

The kids smile before eating lunch as we arrive in downtown Ludington.

In Ludington, we visited the lighthouse off the pier in Lake Michigan. It was quite windy with high waves. Lucca's ears were flapping in the wind, which was hilarious, even if you can't really see it in the photo.

The lighthouse at the end of the pier.

Breezy Asher lookin' cool!

Big water on the pier.

Me and Rhy at our campsite, getting ready to torch some marshmallows.

Me and Nate and the smore I just made.

Lucca was freezing for most of the evening. He burrowed right into my hoodie and was happy to sit there, like a joey in a kangaroo pouch.

Me and Lucca get ready to cook a hot dog.

The perfect marshmallow! It's a talent!

When not in my hoodie, Lucca snuggled in his blanket on Nate's lap.

Asher cooks a marshmallow!

Gabe prefers his mallows completed torched.

The Moments we Memorize

2011-08-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again. Harvesting and Canning!
And this year, I'm even more grateful for it, because there was a point, this past spring, that I thought there might never be another season of harvest and canning -- at least not one enjoyed with the same people around me.
It's not that I care THAT much about canning... no, it was more about the time spent with my Great Uncle Carl. He's in his 80s and almost passed away from complications with pneumonia a few months ago. I remember sitting by his bed in the hospital, when he was completely out of his head, and praying, telling God that he had the "wrong little old man" and that it wasn't time for Carl to go yet. Imagine telling God who to take and not to take. I realize now, the audacity of such a prayer. However, audacity is the last thing on your mind when you're presenting your arguments to God. It's simply a plea.
Well, God, in his so very merciful and wonderful, mysterious ways, answered my prayer. Against all the odds, Carl recovered. And this spring, I'm enjoying the small moments I can steal here and there, spending time on the farm with him when I can. Things that used to be mundane, have now become special: something as simple as walking through the vineyard with him while we taste-test the sugar content of each grape -- watching his face light up when he realizes the Einset and the Mars seedless grapes are already sugary sweet in mid August ... Or just reaching through a peach tree to grab the fruit that he has nabbed from the top branches and passes down to my waiting hands, where I stand in the summer sunshine below the ladder.
I tuck away each moment, to take out and examine and appreciate later. We never know when these moments will be the end of a million similar moments. And that is the heart-breaking truth I learned for myself last spring. And time will not catch me unawares again.
Blessings, rich indeed.

Uncle Carl picks some peaches. The harvest was sparse this year, but one tree didn't give up. We scoured the branches for every peach we could find!

Several bushels wait to be filled.

Carl hands peaches to me through the trees. I'm so glad he's here with us this year and doing so well!

Asher munches on a peach ... one of his favorite farm treats!

Rhy reaches for a peach.

Rhy also loves the peaches!

Me, up on the ladder.

Gabe picks a peach.

Here I am, looking tired after the harvest, but ready for a full afternoon of canning! I put up 10 quarts of peaches, and six or seven large jars of peach jam. Then I froze another several pounds.

Here is "THE BOOK" --- my canning, go-to journal. I keep directions for everything I do, along with the exact date that I canned specific fruits each year and what I tried differently. I'd be lost without it!

After all of this, Uncle Erv generously let us help ourselves to his corn crop. We came away with over 100 ears of corn, which we blanched, sliced off the cob, and froze in the freezer. It was sooooo sweet, the kids kept stealing corn as I was working. I ended up having to just stop and fill up little bowls for them to keep them away!

More Summer Fun

2011-08-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

On Aug. 19-20, Nate's sister Courtney and her family came to visit us in St. Joe. It was the first time they'd seen our house and experienced some of the local sites.
We started the weekend by grabbing some Jets pizza and heading for the beach, where we watched the sunset and enjoyed a picnic. The next day, we headed to the farmer's market, narrowly avoided a rain storm, and then headed back out when the sun cam out again. The kids played in the fountain and we came back for BBQ ribs for dinner! It was such a fun time! We also found out that Courtney and Ramon are expecting their third child! We can't wait to meet him or her! (photo above: Gabe, Ash, Mason, Bryce and Rhylah sit on the cannon on the bluff during a drizzly farmer's market last Saturday morning.)

My Rhy girl playin' in the fountain.

Here is what the fountain looks like when the BIG cannons go off every ten minutes.

Daddy and his girl.

Bryce and his mommy.

The boys, acting goofy as ever. :)

Rhylah wasted no time getting Bryce, who is almost two, dressed up as a prince. I love the necklace ... poor boy. :)

Rhylah on the carousel.

Gabe is a blur on a Michigan horse.

Asher is the dark blur in the center, barely visible as he rides the carousel.

The Local Swimmin' Hole

2011-08-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

Nate and I always say to each other that when you live in paradise for three months of the year, it's so easy to take it for granted. So true.
We spend two to three nights a week down at Silver Beach, or Tiscornia Beach. These endless summer days of sunshine and water are so relaxing, the kids play and I get to read a book or two, it's amazing.
So I decided to take some photos the other day as we were frolicking in the waves. The water was PERFECT ... only about 1-2 feet deep, with endless medium sized waves and no rip current ... it was like one of those wave pools at a water park!

Gabe and Asher are planning their attack on the Lake Michigan waves ... a large inflatable lizard may be involved ...

Rhy poses for me on the beach. This is her new "go-to" pose, with one shoulder lifted ... not sure where she picked that up!

Pretty girl in the sparkly water!

Gabe takes a wave.

Silly boys! Asher is certainly the king of goofy faces.

I love this shot! Check out our lighthouse in the background!

Check out the muscles on that boy!

Rhy stays mostly in the shallows, which I like. In the background you can see the awesome new blue beach tent grandma and papa Staude got for us! We LOVE it!

Rhy takes a ride on the floaty lizard!

Take me to the Fair

2011-08-19T05:40:00.000-07:00

We always LOVE going to the county fair every year. This past Tuesday, Nate took a half-day at work and we trekked down to the county fair grounds. Gabe entered a piece of artwork this year, his starry night painting, and it was such fun to see it hanging up! We ate TONS of food ... funnel cakes, corn dogs, caramel corn, lemonade, philly cheese steak sandwiches, bloomin' onions . . . and on and on! The kids got to ride unlimited rides and Rhy especially had a blast. It was the first year that's she's ridden some of the faster kiddie rides.

Here she is in the flying elephant ride. The first time she got on a ride, she sat there with her head lowered between her arms so that she couldn't see anything. But by the end of the ride she was looking up and smiling. Then we couldn't get her OFF the rides! The best was the small roller coaster ... she laughed and giggled soooo much while getting pulled around that little track--it was so sweet!

Love those braids!

Gabe got to ride his first fairly large roller coaster. He enjoyed it, but said it made him a tiny bit nervous. You couldn't tell by the grin though!

Asher rode alone on his last ride, which was one of those that spin so fast you feel like you're gonna be sick. He giggled like a lunatic through the entire thing. Figures!

Gabe and Ash on the classic Tilt-a-whirl. I love their expressions here!

Here is a zoom-in on their faces, because it's just too funny!

This is the a blurry shot of the bunny that Asher took one look at and said "That bunny looks like a Papa!!" I guess because of the bushy, beard-like face???
The kids laughed and laughed over that.

This llama was busy licking his way out of his cage, BOTH days that we were there!

Asher and Rhylah take a break between rides to smile at mom.

Once A Bear, Always A Bear

2011-08-18T18:00:00.001-07:00

Gabe had his very first football practice last week. This was a HUGE event, not only because Gabe had been looking forward to it so much, but because poor mom had to finally realize that her boy is old enough to participate in "manly" sports that involve tackling. Ugh.
That was hard for me, until his third practice, when they actually tackled, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I guess my head was full of images from the NFL, but these kids don't carry nearly the "umfph" that those guys do. Gabe came out of that practice practically giddy.
We also got braces this week, so he's had to adjust to wearing a mouthguard around a mouth full of metal. Fun stuff! It's been quite a week for my Gabriel!

Gabe is the one in the bright blue shorts!

This is how sweaty and tired he looked after his very first practice ... quite a difference from baseball! Just a little more intense!

Little brother had to try on all the pads and the helmet of course. This one I have NO trouble picturing on a football field someday! He's a tough little cookie!

Random Stuff

2011-08-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

Rhy, giving me a smile at Gabe's first football practice in August.

Rhy, giving me a scary face.

My mom made an adorable sweater for Lucca. He'll need it come winter time ... it gets quite drafty in our old, Michigan home!

This is Gabe's interpretation of Van Gogh's Starry Night. He entered it in the County fair this year!

Sewing Along

2011-08-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

Along with learning to paint this summer, I've also been learning to sew. My awesome mom bought me a brand new machine, and I've been painstakingly working my way through a few patterns, learning the lingo, and most of all, learning from my mistakes. I love it SO much, mostly because it's kinda like putting together a puzzle, but with a more use-able end product! Here are a few of my creations!

A fun, vintage apron I made for myself ... this was my very first project and I made a matching apron for Rhy.

Okay, yeah, this isn't a sewing photo ... this is just a cute photo of my dog. :)

My next big project was a dress for Rhy, which I think came out pretty good. My favorite part was the flower headband.

I think she looks like Alice in Wonderland in this photo. And Lucca is her "Dinah." :)

More Fourth

2011-08-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

My parents and my sister all visited us on the Fourth of July this year. We had a fantastic four-day weekend. We rode the carousel, ate gelato, played at the sprinkler park, and of course, had a phenomenal picnic on the beach before the fireworks on the 4th!

Gabe and Ash act goofy at the sprinkler park.

Rhy and Syd run around the sprinkler park.

On the carousel!

Rhy really likes gelato!

Sydney looks silly after eating a cupcake with red frosting. Too cute!

Fourth of July

2011-08-16T05:23:00.000-07:00

Puppy Love

2011-07-11T09:52:00.000-07:00

As of late June, the Harrmanns have a new member of the family.
Lucca, a chihuahua, fell into our lives out of the blue. A friend of ours got a puppy, and upon seeing him, we found out his litter mate was still up for adoption, and even better, a FREE adoption. Roxy hadn't done so well when we tried to adopt a bigger puppy several months ago, but we decided to give it another go.
And I must say, Roxy has done SO well with Lucca! I think maybe she doesn't realize he's a dog, because he's so small. But we've even caught them playing together out in the yard on several occasions. This was shocking to me ... and great to see! The kids love him too, and Lucca is never in need of a lap to sit on or someone to give him smooches.:)

Playing with Roxy, who ... although she looks unwilling here ... actually enjoys the little nipper.

Napping with Nathan, who really likes the little guy.

Napping with me in his favorite spot, curled up under my neck or on my shoulder. He likes to be as close as possible and greets us every morning with numerous licks and nips to the ears and neck.

Gabe sits by his new little buddy after baseball practice one afternoon in June.

We named him after one of our favorite towns in Tuscany, Lucca, which we visited on our 5th wedding anniversary. It was a very quick stop, during which we climbed to the top of a crumbling stone tower, out of which grew a magnificent, HUGE tree. After that, we darted into a cafe to grab an espresso, but then had to literally run through the ancient town to make it back to our bus in time. I suppose there's no reason to tie a dog to these memories, but they were great memories and we liked how the name "Lucca" rolled off the tongue. :)

With his new tiger toy that looks like Mizzou's tiger ... very appropriate! It's so hard to find toys little enough for him!!

There's never a shortage of kisses for Lucca!

Roxy watches with interest on the day we brought Lucca home.

Again, in his favorite spot, behind the neck. Chi's love to burrow, so they love any enclosed space that makes them feel warm and snug.

Rhy has a different idea of "warm and snug" that includes Lucca playing baby in her stroller. I love the look on his face here ... "HELP ME!"

Pretty girl, all dressed up, with her furry baby!

Stawberry Fields Forever

2011-07-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

Nate took a week of vacation in mid June and we spent most of it doing fun things around home. One afternoon, we decided to go pick strawberries, since it's that time of year again, and make strawberry jam. We had such a blast, even though it was nearly 100 degrees! And we got an entire flat of strawberries for only $16!

Big Girl Bike!

2011-07-08T07:26:00.000-07:00

On June 17, at age 3, Rhy had her first try on a BIG GIRL bike! Her old toddler bike broke, so we let her try out her bigger bike, which we scored at a police bike sale for $10. Soon enough, she was peddling after her brothers and chanting "I'm a BIG girl!" as she rode in circles on the driveway! Way to go baby girl!

On the Farm

2011-07-08T07:11:00.001-07:00

Early Summer on the farm is a lovely place to be. We took a wandering walk through Uncle Carl's property in early June and shot some photos of the kids and the flowers.

Sweet Rhy with a bunch of rye. Ironic, yes? :)

I couldn't get over all the wildflowers -- so much yellow and purple, like an explosion of tiny, colorful stars all over the grass.

All my kids picking rye from the vineyard. They were determined to go home, pound it out and make bread. That didn't happen, but it was still fun to watch them.

The very last of the spring asparagus was still shooting through the ground in early June. It's sooooo good to just pick it right out of the ground and crunch into it. So sweet!

A birdhouse my grandfather built that still hangs in my great-grandfather's (now belonging to my great uncle) farm.

So many flowers to pick, so little time!

Trying Something New

2011-07-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

I've been playing around with paint this summer. I expressed a wish, a few years ago, to someday take a painting class. This summer, the Krasl art center in town was offering a class. I thought it was too decadent to sign up for, but Nate, being such an awesome guy, signed me up for it without telling me. So for Wednesdays in June, I enjoyed two hours in the evening playing around with paint. Here are a few of the creations I came up with.

This is Tosi's, the coffee shop my family loves to visit.

This is the Dairy Korner, another landmark that the Harrmanns love -- Cheap ice cream cones and just a short walk from our house, you can't beat that!

Finally ,this is a blurry shot of Lake Michigan just off the shore of Silver Beach last 4th of July. I love how the lake looks like a sea of floating lights and the lighthouse glimmers ... I just HAD to try and paint it!

Random Cuteness

2011-07-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

Here are some random photos from this summer, where my kiddos were being especially sweet and photogenic. :)

My cuties downtown St. Joe, enjoying the new farm animal statues that the city put on every corner.

Rhy plays with her best buddy Abby. Their favorite game is dress-up of course!

I caught Ash and Rhy watching TV like this the other day. I thought it was just so sweet!!

Last Day of School

2011-07-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

Here are my kiddos on Gabe's last day of school. Next year, Asher will be in Kindergarten and Gabe will be a FOURTH grader! I can hardly believe it. And yes, my baby girl is tattooed in the first photo. But they are just temporary tattoos. :)

End of Year Fun

2011-07-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

At the end of the school year, Gabe's 3rd grade class went to the Potowatami zoo in South Bend. We took Ash and Rhy along as well and had a great time.

Three cuties on a turtle.

Asher brushes a goat. He was scared of the goats last time, so this was a major improvement.

Going on a pony ride!

Yee haw, cowboy!

Getting Crafty

2011-07-02T06:48:00.000-07:00

I decided to get creative and make these fun little herb garden tags from some oven-bake clay I found at a craft store. They came out much better than I hoped!

Memorial Day

2011-06-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

Once again, I'm behind on my blogging, so I'm still catching up on stuff that happened in May. We had such a blast when my sister and her family came to visit us for Memorial Day. Rhylah LOVES LOVES LOOOOOVES it when cousin Sydney comes to visit, because they are only three months apart and Syd is the closest she will have to a sister. We had a blast taking in the sights of our small town ... I always love a good excuse to do that whenever we have company!

Asher dressed up as a cowboy for Sydney ... the outfit is about three sizes too small, but that doesn't seem to bother him.

The Uncles drawing ninja turtles and trying to mimic their funny faces. This is the crazy stuff we do once the kids go to bed.

My and my Rhy girl at lunch at the Stray Dog in New Buffalo -- FANTASTIC restaurant.

These girls were pretty much side-by-side the entire weekend.

All of us at the table.

Silly Asher making one of his characteristic goofy faces. What a ham.

Rhy has overcome her fear of the carousel ... or the "carrot self" as she calls it.

Me and my baby girl on the carousel. I love that at least one of my babies still needs me on this ride.

Rhy eating ice cream at Cabana's.

Love this shot of Asher and Sydney.

Goofy boys doing what they do best ... being goofy.

All of us enjoying a Memorial Day picnic on our new patio!

Last Day of Preschool

2011-06-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

This year, Asher finished up preschool. Next year, he will be a full-fledged kindergartner. We finished the year with a picnic at Eaton Park ... last year, it was sunny and hot ... this year, the parents were all crowded around the barbecue grill trying to keep our hands thawed out. But we had a fantastic time eating, playing and eating some more. After all, who doesn't love a church potluck in any form!?

Asher and his teacher, Mrs. Kern. He ADORES her. Luckily, he'll have her again next year for kindergarten.

Boys eating their picnic/potluck lunch. Hot dogs! YUM!

How many kids can you fit on one play structure? It's debatable! Poor Rhylah had barely figured out the art of walking the lily pads when 15 more kids decided to give it a go. :)

Kaden, Luke and Asher . . . buddies through and through!

All smiles.

Show me your best pirate face, matey!

Mom and her big boy!!

Baseball Fever

2011-06-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

All of the Harrmann boys are playing baseball this summer. Which means the our household has been hit by baseball fever . . . BIG time.
Gabe has had a fantastic season as a Cardinal. Not only is he playing on the team of his dreams, but his team is 5-3, which isn't a bad record. Nate is helping out with coaching.
Gabe's playing short stop and third base and has already hit a home run this year. Last night he hit a triple. The guy is a hitting machine.
Asher LOVES being able to play just like his big brother. He's in the instructional league which is held every Saturday afternoon for 8 or 9 weeks. He's doing great at hitting, catching and throwing!

Asher walks purposefully to his very first baseball practice ever. He was SOOO excited!

Taking some at-bats in the batting cages. Asher did AWESOME smacking that T-ball around!

My slugger . . . Gabriel!

Gabe and his dad. Nate is an assistant coach this year, which has been great fun. Gabe loves having his dad for a coach. He thinks it's "Totally cool!!"

Miss Rhylah at baseball practice.

Smooching with daddy.

Three cuties.

New Patio

2011-06-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

We used our "uncle sam" money this year to put in a new patio. It might just be the best thing we've EVER done to our yard! Previously, we had a cute little garden sitting spot back in the corner, but it was full of crumbling bricks and overgrown vines. So we ripped it out and dug a REALLY big hole in our yard. Two yards of sand and one yard of gravel later, it was time to put in the pavers. Mom and dad were here to help for most of it.

My handsome hubby taking a quick break to smile at the camera. He worked his tail off!

Working, working, working. I lost track of how many wheel barrows of dirt and sand and gravel I carried. It was incredible.

Sitting on my brand new deck!!

Our new Katie Brown copper fire pit.

Eveyone sitting on the deck ... it's chilly, but nice to have somewhere to sit outside, FINALLY!

Nate got an early father's day present this year, a brand new grill!

I moved my wisteria to the back garden, and used the extra bricks from our old patio to do raised beds this year.

Easter 2011

2011-06-01T07:09:00.000-07:00

This should have been posted a month ago . . . what can I say, I'm WAY behind on my blogging lately! We had the pleasure of having my folks up for Easter this year. It was SUCH fun having family up for a holiday!

The Michigan Harrmanns on Easter Sunday.

Rhy finds her hidden Easter basket, in the downstairs shower.

Rhylah digs into her Easter basket. She got a princess coloring book, princess paper dolls, some play jewelry, some play dough,a Rapunzel book, and LOTS of candy!

Gabe finds his basket, in the front hall closet, hidden under a coat. (We have to make it hard for him!) He got an awesome lego/Star Wars ship, a strap for his guitar, and a Michigan Chillers book, plus lots of candy.

Asher found his basket on top the shelves in the living room. He got an iron man helmet, a super hero coloring book, some action figures for his Bat cave and a Toy Story 3 book, plus lots of sweets to eat!

My three cuties on Easter! I dressed them alike this year ... they all wanted to do it, and I figured it will probably be my last chance to do this!

Rhy gets busy wearing her new jewels and coloring princesses!

Easter Eggs

2011-05-08T15:56:00.001-07:00

This is posted a bit late, but better late than never!
Easter was really late this year; it fell on April 24. We were going to go to St. Louis, but then gas prices skyrocketed to over $4 a gallon, and so we decided to stay put and put in a patio instead. Then, a big surprise, grandma and papa Staude decided to come and visit us for the holiday!
Here the kids are working on their Easter eggs a few days before Easter Sunday. We tried a new kind of dye kit this year that put a metallic shine on the eggs using colored foil and tacky glue. The overall effect wasn't that dazzling however . . . I think regular dye works the best. But we still had a blast. Although it was the first year ever, where Gabe did one egg and then wandered off, too bored to finish. Sniffle!

First Hike of 2011

2011-04-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

My husband's brother Keith and his wife, Katie, came to visit us for the weekend. We spent the morning at Grand Mere State Park enjoying weather that was FINALLY in the mid 50s. It was a fantastic morning.

Here's the view from the top of a very VERY tall dune.

While Keith and Katie's dog, Maddie, was digging a hole in the sand, we decided to have some fun with a pair of sunglasses.

These strange shells were attached to a piece of driftwood on the beach. Very cool!

Rhylah on the trail.

Rhylah was climbing the tree and having lots of fun. Don't worry, we were right there to support her, just in case!

Sweet Rhy.

Nate swinging on a low-hanging tree branch ... do boys ever grow up? I don't think so! :)

Me and my Rhy baby.

Me and my sweetie.

Three cute kiddos on a log of driftwood.

Keith and his lovely wife, Katie.

Auntie Katie and Rhylah.

All the Harrmanns, sittin' in a tree!

Climbing and climbing and climbing some more.

Nate carved the date in a big piece of driftwood on the beach.

Asher, looking cute as can be, next to the log after Nate carved the date.

Random Fun

2011-04-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of fun in the last couple of weeks. Here's a quick recap.

Rhy threw a tea party for her dolls over Spring Break. Here they all are! Asher and mom joined her shortly after this picture was taken.

We went for our first fishing trip of the season in April. It was super cold, but fun!
We also had a picnic with fresh strawberries. Yum.

A boy and his fishin' pole, on the good old St. Joe River. No luck today, but we're gonna try a new location soon.

Asher was SOOOO excited to inherit the Spiderman pole. Too cute.

The boys practiced their casting in the backyard all afternoon.

Roxy fell asleep the other day while sitting up. She's such a lazy dog! Here, she's using the coffee table to prop up her head.

After cleaning out the garage, Nate made a tepee for the kids to play in. They were thrilled of course.

Belated Birthday Photos

2011-04-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

I had a fantastic 32nd birthday at the end of February (this post is VERY belated). To celebrate, we went to IKEA and spent a lot of money on stuff for the house ... mirros and light fixtures, rugs and curtains ... things that just make the place look cozier. Nate got me a sheepskin rug to put by the bed. I named him Ollie (since he must be Swedish, coming from IKEA). It's DIVINE to sink my feet into my fluffy new rug every morning. It makes getting out of bed during the cold Michigan winters SO much easier.
My sister was able to make the trip up on my actual birthday, and we had a great time. For dinner, I had pan-seared sea scallops, made by my honey. He also made a mushroom risotto that was out of this world!
Then my sister made me my first birthday cake in YEARS! It was red velvet and was SOOOO yummy! What a fantastic day!

The weekend before my birthday, we drove to Chicago to go to IKEA, my new favorite store. Here we are! The kids somehow don't look as excited as I do, do they? :)

New curtains, and a new light fixture for my bedroom, were just some of the things we purchased.

Birthday cake! My first one in years! It looks like it's gonna go up in flames!

My lovely sister and me!

Photos From February

2011-03-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

An Ice Time Downtown

2011-02-17T06:56:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was the annual fire and ice festival in St. Joseph. They start the weekend with a bonfire on Friday night, where apparently, they put a huge slab of ice in the fire. Supposedly, it's amazing. While we didn't make it to the bonfire, we did manage to scoot down on Sunday after church, and see the final results of the ice carving contest. Of course by then, temps had warmed up and the ice was dripping away. But we still got to see some cool stuff!

My monkeys!

Say cheese!

A horse carving.

A groovy dragon outside the Chocolate Cafe was just about one of the last sculptures still intact in the warming weather.

Gabe, hamming it up.

Winter on Lake Michigan

2011-02-12T13:51:00.000-08:00

My hubby trekked out on the snow and ice the other evening and caught these awesome shots of the North Pier Light encased in ice and snow. Just gorgeous! Winter might be harsh in Michigan, but it's a beautiful kind of harsh!

Birthday Celebrations

2011-02-12T13:01:00.000-08:00

Gabe had a fantastic 9th birthday. He had his very first sleep over. This was an educational experience for us as parents as well! He picked his two friends from baseball and Trinity, Max and Zane, to come over. The boys went sledding, made their own pizza, (both of which, at least one of our guests had never done before!) played their Nintendo DS's, ate TONS of snacks, watched Harry Potter IV, and stayed up till at least 1 a.m. Gabe had an absolute BLAST!
For his actual birthday, he got lots of goodies from us, including a Toothless the Dragon figure from the movie "How to Train your Dragon" that has a three-foot wingspan. He also got a "bone-napper" dragon to go with it. We also got him Boggle, and and ipod shuffle, which ended up being not compatible with our computer, so we took it back and exchanged it for Madden NFL 2011 for the Wii, which he loves.

The Dog that Wasn't

2011-02-12T12:53:00.000-08:00

Well, we came SOOO close to buying a second dog recently.
We found a cute little white mutt up for adoption at PetsMart and got to keep him for a week. During the week we realized that our older dog, Roxie, was not keen on having a puppy on her turf. It was really sad, because he was the cutest, most well-behaved puppy you could imagine. We were all kinda broken up about it. But here are some photos ... so that you can see for yourself how cute little "Wyatt" was.

Snow Play

2011-02-12T11:34:00.000-08:00

These are just a bunch of photos from our family playing in all the winter snow we've gotten over the past month or two.
We like to all go out and monkey around, as you can tell! One afternoon, we utilized our sand castle making skills and used buckets to create a snow fort. It was incredible!

More Christmas Photos

2011-01-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

My mom and dad with all their grandkids.

My parents.

Me and Gretchen open presents.

Pretty girls in pretty dresses!

Rhy all decorated with her princess "gear." :)

Nate got a very cool kitchen cleaver/knife from my folks ... it will be great when he cooks!

Ash got a Buzz Lightyear laptop from Grandma and Papa.

The Jamesons!

The Harrmanns!

There's a Christmas walk on old historic Main Street every year, where people dress as all the different Santa Claus's of the world etc. Here we are, enjoying the walk and meeting the Scottish Santa.

Trying to keep warm on a COLD night on Main Street!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

We had a fantastic trip to St. Louis for Xmas this year. These are just a few of the many photos that I took. I'll probably have a whole extra post with grandma's photos as well! We left on a Tuesday morning (Xmas eve was on Friday) and headed south. Nate bought an extra cool hitchy-ma-thingy that hooked onto the back of our car and held a ton of extra luggage. He was pretty excited about it. :)
On Christmas Eve, we enjoyed our traditional feast at grandma and papa's house. Nate made potstickers and we had raw beef and onions, shrimp, cheese and sausage and a TON of other yummy treats. Aunt Kathy came with us and it was SOOOO much fun to have her along and share our Christmas with even more family! We had a fantastic holiday!

Asher performs as a shepherd in his school program at Christ Lutheran, just a few days before we left for St. Louis. He did a great job!

Nate does an amazing job fitting all our STUFF into the car to head south.

All the kids packed in and ready to go!

Rhy gets bored in the car as Roxy looks over her shoulder.

Asher opens a gift on Christmas Eve.

Brothers!

Unwrapping presents!

Rhy got a 3.5 foot tall Rapunzel doll from Aunt Kathy, and a matching dress for her, from me and my mom. She was SOOO excited!

Gabe got Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Mario Kart from Aunt Gret and Uncle Leon.

Playing with toys on Christmas Day while waiting for a super yummy dinner.

The kitchen was busy with people chatting, cooking and helping out.

Dad made an amazing cured ham that took six hours to bake. It was sooooo good!

Everyone sits down to dinner at Gret and Leon's house.

An English tradition, we all opened crackers after dinner.

Each one included a paper crown that HAD to be worn!

The day after Christmas (it was a white Christmas, if you can believe it!) we all went sledding and such a fun time! I'm not sure what is going on in this photo or why Nate is grabbing my dad's ankles ... I think it was a sledding chain.

Dad and Leon, being goofy.

Everyone trudging back up the hill.

A tackle of Harrmanns/Jamesons.

Gabe gets a face full of snow.

Dad and Aunt Kathy went sledding for the first time in 40ish years.

My handsome sledder being funny.

Gretchen and my boys go for a sled.

After Christmas, and back home, Rhy plays with her new doll.

Trim up the Tree

2011-01-08T08:48:00.001-08:00

Here are some fuzzy photos of us decorating the tree and the house. You'll have to forgive the out of focus quality of some of them ... my camera is better at taking photos outside.

We made a new advent "wreath" this year out of a log. I couldn't find a wreath that I liked, so Nate drilled some holes in this birch log and we were ready to go!

Random Rhylah

2010-12-07T05:55:00.000-08:00

Here are some random shots of Rhy from the past month.

Dressing yourself up with random items from your dresser can be great fun!

Drinkin' hot cocoa ... through a straw.

Stickers from your godmother on your baptism birthday ROCK! I'm not sure why she decided to decorate her nose with them ... I think maybe she was just so tired as she zoned out watching DORA, that she probably didn't even notice what she was doing.

Christmas Tree Hunt 2010

2010-12-05T13:47:00.000-08:00

We went to Bredewig Acres to get our Christmas tree today. We were going to go yesterday, but decided to hold off until the snow struck today ... it makes for such picturesque photos!

My boys take time out to tackle each other in the snow. Boys will be boys.

Gabe had a blast making snowballs.

Gabe gets a snowball in the face. I didn't want to post this, because it looks so terrible, although all the boys were laughing afterwards. But Nate and Gabe made me promise to put it up, because they think it's so "AWESOME!" So here it is. :)

Rhy carefully made a snowball, just like the boys, and sneaked up behind the boys to throw it at them. However, her aim was several feet off the mark, and she ended up falling on her butt in the snow. The boys had no idea she had even tried to get them. Poor girl! :)

Me and my Rhy girl.

Lookout behind you Asher! You're about to get a snowball in the noggin!

Daddy and Rhy walk out into the deep snow, in search of the perfect tree.

My handsome hubby by our tree.

The Harrmann tree for 2010 -- a Douglas Fir ... $38.

The boys watch in fascination, as daddy cuts down the tree.

Nate solves the problem of the lack of tree carts.

WHEN CHRISTMAS TREES ATTACK!! Yes, we were feeling silly, can you tell?

It takes all three Harrmann "men" to haul in the tree. ... men return from the hunt with their "kill" :)

By boys.

By the barn.

Asher takes aim.

Asher takes a snowball fight break by the barn at the tree farm.

My three kiddos!

Asher's Birthday

2010-11-22T07:13:00.000-08:00

Asher had his first EVER birthday party this past weekend. He turned five on Sunday, and we celebrated by inviting all his little guy pals from school over to the house for a Toy Story 3 -themed party. They had a BLAST! You'll have to forgive the quality of the photos. I was single-handedly running things since Nate was out of town (although he arrived home just at the end of the party, so he didn't miss out on all of it!). Luckily, Gabriel was my videographer, and we got a lot of cute footage of the event.

Party guests enjoy chocolate cake and ice cream.

Mr. Ash was at the head of the table. He wore his blue paper crown, which he got at school, for most of the event.

opening presents.

Viking gear from "How to Train Your Dragon".

The only person who loves that movie more than Asher is Gabriel, who wasted no time trying it out.

Still goofing around with the presents while dad shoots some video.

Gabe the Basketball Star

2010-11-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few blurry photos of Gabe's first game! They beat St. Paul's, Stevensville. My camera battery died at the game, so I'll try to post better photos later.

My Little Spooks

2010-11-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic time trick or treating last night on Forres Avenue.
Gabe was a creepy phantom ... he got SO many compliments from people on how cool and scary his costume was. Ash was Woody the cowboy from Toy Story. Rhy was a priness of course. Enjoy the photos! Most of them are of Rhy simply because the boys took off so fast, and stayed a full house ahead of us most of the time. I guess we're just old slow-pokes!

My three little spooks.

Walking down the street. I love how Asher is blazing a trail through the neighbors nicely rakes leaves. That's so Ash.

Rhy grins, ready to trick or treat!

Handsome Indiana Jones accompanies us, to keep us safe from rolling boulders, giant spiders and other hazards. :)

Indy and his princess.

Trick or treating!

I love how you can see how busy the street is here ... Forres Avenue was PACKED!

We ran into SO many people we knew. Here is Rhy and her best buddy Abigail, also dressed up as a princess.

Rhy and mommy

Gabe looks super scary as he trick or treats!

Formerly cute pumpkins made SCARY!!

2010-11-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

We had to wait until Halloween DAY to carve the pumpkins this year, due to the fact that Nate was out of town, and didn't get back till Sunday, and I wasn't about to do it all on my own. (Although, for the record, I ended up carving all of them except Asher's spider/web ... I blame the Packer game for that.) :)

The boys rip into their cute orange gourds.

I absolutely LOVE Gabe's face here ... priceless!

Rhy gets ready to clean out her pumpkin. She ended up not doing it. What? A princess dirty her hands? I don't think so!! :) Dad ended up called in for pumpkin gut clean-out patrol.

This is my quickie pumpkin this year ... the puking pumpkin. Yeah, yeah, I know ... sort of juvenile, but it was easy (and BOY were my hands aching after carving Rhy's bat and Gabe's scary clown). And the boys got a kick out of all the pumpkin vomit. Lovely. I aim to please.

All four of our scary pumpkins. (Nate didn't carve one for himself) You can tell that Gabe is getting into the scariness of the holiday this year. Not only was his costume scarier than usual, but his fanged clown pumpkin seriously disturbed me as I carved it out for him. True, it's a pattern, but YOWZA! Rhy was easy, she just wanted any bat we could find. :)

Trip To Jollay Farms

2010-10-31T19:53:00.000-07:00

Asher's Preschool class took a trip to Jollay Pumpkin Farm last week. Rhy got to tag along, and she actually fit right in with the other kids. It was so cute, to watch Asher insist on holding her hand as he kept tabs on her throughout the day! The kids took a hayride out to a field, where they picked out a small pumpkin. Then it was back to the barn to watch apple cider being made and have a snack!

Going on a hayride ... still holding hands.

Cute little hand-holding.

Entering the field of pumpkins. Actually, the pumpkins had already been harvested, but the people at the farm scattered loose pumpkins about so that the kids could feel like they were "picking" one.

Finding that perfect pumpkin.

So excited!

Ash finds his!

My two cuties!

The three of us.

Finding our Pumpkins

2010-10-31T19:35:00.000-07:00

Later in the day, after our hike (see post below ...) we found a cute little pumpkin farm. We had a blast picking out pumpkins, apples and seeing ducks, turkeys and other barnyard critters!

Mom helps the kiddos decide on the perfect pumpkin.

Rhy picks a pumpkin. This little white one is the pumpkin she ended up with.

Mom picks a pumpkin!

Asher with a small pumpkin. He ended up choosing a much bigger one! :)

Farmyard friends!

Rhy gets tired and wants "up!" with Aunt Kathy!

Impromptu Hike

2010-10-31T19:21:00.000-07:00

One weekend, late in mid-October, we went on a drive thru the Michigan countryside with our Aunt Kathy, just to see what we could see ... and hopefully scare up a good pumpkin. We had a wonderful day, and one of the things we enjoyed was a random hike in the woods. Here are some photos of the hike, with photos of the pumpkin patch to come ...

Leaf Play

2010-10-31T19:08:00.000-07:00

One of my kids' favorite fall activities is making a leaf pile ... especially a leaf pile right under the tree swing. It doesn't even have to be a BIG leaf pile, as long as there is enough to roll in, tackle each other in, and throw in each others' faces. Ahhh, childhood!

The boys tackle each other in the leaf pile.

Swinging girl!

The boys are in that leaf blizzard ... somewhere!!

Visit with Family

2010-10-31T18:56:00.001-07:00

Here are some photos from our visit with family while they were up here the weekend of Rhy's birthday. We spent a day in Saugatuck, enjoying the Fall colors. It was WONDERFUL!

The cousins climb a tree.

I love the texture in this photo!

Nate and I grabbed some gelato while the kids weren't watching, and sat on this park bench to enjoy it!

While lounging in the park, I got a lap-full of kiddos!

Papa flies Rhy

More flying ...

Four cutie pies.

Belated Birthday Pics

2010-10-31T18:24:00.001-07:00

Forgive my game of catch-up here as I post a few entries of photos that I'm behind in posting! First, some more photos of Miss Rhy's third birthday. My folks were in town, as well as my sister and her daughter. So we got to have a big family dinner on Friday night. I made homemade chicken enchiladas and Rhylah had a blast opening all of her presents. The highlights were a Twisted Disney princess barbie, a Belle princess barbie and an Aurora princess dress from grandma and grandpa, plus much, much more! She made out like a bandit!

Rhy and mommy

Such cutie patooties!

Sydney and Rhylah ... what a team! :)

The traditional shot of mom with the birthday cake!

Blowin' out the candles!

I just LOVE this smile on her face as Ash and Gabe reach for candles to lick.

Opening presents!

Belle Barbie!

A few extras

2010-10-25T15:56:00.001-07:00

Here are a few extra shots from Rhy's photo shoot.