the sick germs have invaded our house....

been a couple days....the sick germs have invaded our house!!!

but, weekend: brielle went ice skating again and LOVED it, got her own pair of skates this time!!

: Braydon: tried Skiing for the first time, LOVED it! but was exhausted after his 6

hour class.

: Beckett: just our funny little thing, her big girl furniture arrived, I think she would

much rather keep the crib and be the baby.

The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA

We had a great time this past weekend in Hot Springs, VA at The Homestead Resort. This is our second year going, and we had more fun than last year. We were blessed to go again this year and spend some time with both the Bellone and Galietos families. We enjoyed a weekend of swimming, going to the all natural hot springs (the same ones that Thomas Jefferson used to dip into), ice skating (quickly a new favorite activity for Brielle), bowling, tubing, etc. The kids were exhausted each night after very full days of activity. We also got to see Abbie this past weekend as she came down to help us with some evening dinners. The kids got a chance to hang with her while Brett and I went to dinner with the adults on two different nights. I also had the opportunity to go clay disc shooting for the first time. I really enjoyed it, along with the time with Brett.

We both comment on how much the kids are growing up and how these trips are becoming more and more enjoyable again as they can do more and less of our day is spent around planning a nap.

traveling home...airport style...

we had a long day of travel to get home from Virginia, which included a 90 minute van ride, and then two flights, with a 2 1/2 hour layover in Chicago at 7pm. the kids did so well! Braydon saw these pay phones in the airport and promptly referred to them as "the old fashioned phone"...makes me laugh!

a couple pics from this past weekend....(ice sculpting contest in holland)

Family Picture on the giant Ice Chair in front of the Apothecary Shop.

some of the sculptures....it was a little warm for the event, but

some of the sculptures were just so cool! the detail was awesome.

one of our favorites.

not prompted by us at all, the kids asked for this

picture. cute, huh? this is on the corner next to

JP's coffee shop in Holland.

hard to believe it is Winter

with weather like this, it is really hard to believe it is January 9, 2012. I walked Brielle to school today, and then brought scooters when I walked back to pick them up. We played outside for almost 2 hours this afternoon. The sun was amazing, something I know we are lucky to be having right now (i remember those gray winter days as a kid). Sometimes I like to believe that God is just being really nice to us this first winter in Michigan and giving us a slow start to what things are really going to be like. Either way, I will take the sunshine as some true warmth from him and soak it all in!

How could this be.....

We were in Holland on friday night for the Ice Sculpting Contest (pictures to follow) and stayed the night in the "painted house" (as bex calls it). Saturday morning I took Maggie for a walk down to the beach and then around the neighborhoods. The mere fact that I could walk with barely a coat on, no hat, no gloves and still be plenty warm in January is crazy! We keep telling the kids that there will be snow, we moved to Michigan afterall. This has been a crazy season, I have a feeling a lot of snow is still waiting for us in January and February.

Needless to say, I loved the walk. That walk always makes me think about everything, and anything. We are so blessed and we have so much, we sometimes just forget to take it all in as life gets busy and complicated. I mean, how lucky can we be....to have a retreat like that to go to, and then to be able to take that walk down to this beautiful place. We have a retreat to head to for a break, for a change of pace, and family time. I love it!

The Grand Rapids Childrens Museum

One of my resolutions for 2012 was to try more things with the kids, explore more and to try to be more in the moment with them. This past year has been such a year of change and we had so much going on that I think I forgot to take so much of it in. The kids did great, but I do feel like I spent a lot of time getting the house ready to sell, then packing the house, moving the house, and then unpacking the house, and finally getting the house in order to live in. That is a lot of time. So, when we moved to Grand Rapids, I joined the childrens museum as one destination for some additional fun. This has been a great outlet for us, and I have often taken Beckett on her own when the other two are in school. I just love hearing her caring on in conversation for 1-2 hours while we play, discover and learn new things. On occasion, Brielle comes with us too before school and then the girls really get into make believe play. It is so much fun to watch!

and time to start 2012 at school...after a long 2 week break!

the first day back to school after break...

first day back to school after break. as i was helping braydon get ready this morning, he very seriously said to me: "mom, can I tell you something? you seem kinda excited about today....are you? are you excited to have me out of the house again?" i replied with: "braydon, I am excited...i am excited for you to see your friends again, to have recess, and to go to school" he looked at me, big grin....boy, he is getting smart. :)

I have to say, it cracks me up....he is a smart little guy. it is not that I was super excited for him to be out of the house again, but the routine and structured was definitely welcomed. I love breaks, i love vacation..but with little kids things start to spiral out of control. If you have nothing planned, you find yourself wishing the day away...hoping for a nap, a whine free moment, or happy playtime. I have to remember to enjoy these moments because before I know it, they will be gone. Braydon is 7 afterall....what happened to that little guy who used to babble his way around the house, mumbling little phrases to himself and then run to me for a big bear hug. It goes really fast, people tell you that....but you never believe it until you are going through it.

OUR FIRST SNOW.....1/2/2012

We had promised them that moving to Michigan would bring more playtime with snow. We have had such a mild winter so far, no snow even appeared for Christmas. So, you can imagine how excited they were when we woke up this morning to this small blanket of the white stuff. Braydon and Beckett were outside before 9:30am....anxious to jump in. This is really the first year that Beckett can "play" in the snow, and she was so excited! Brielle did join later, but was sleeping during these pictures.

2012 begins

CHEERS TO NEW BEGINNINGS, AND THE START OF A BRAND

NEW YEAR. WE SAY GOODBYE TO NEGATIVE OF 2011 (THERE WERE A LOT OF POSITIVES TOO!) AND SAY HELLO TO THE BRIGHT FUTURE OF 2012!!