Last Set of Photos....

There is a little place in Holland, MI called the Dutch Village. It is a made up little village where you can take the kids to learn about a Dutch community. We had fun one morning taking the kids there to play and explore. Here is our last set of vacation photos!

They were allowed to walk goats around the property. The goats were very stubborn.

The kids could hold the bunnies.

Sam loved the goats.

They demonstrated the making of wooden clogs. Did you know that they wear many pairs of socks to make the clogs fit well? The girl in front of us wore 10 pairs!

Third Set of Photos

Lunch at the diner in downtown Holland - sister in laws

Sam got an ice cream cone with a face on it!
Pronto Pups... thank you grandpa
Aunt Lindsay and her educational skills... she is a fabulous teacher that just got a job in Michigan... which is a miracle since Michigan doesn't hire many teachers!

Second set of Five Photos

Collecting acorns on the front deck....

Laundry time... have to do laundry while there!
Out for breakfast one morning at a Dutch restaurant...

Grandma changing Elle

Ellen taking a bath in the old tub

First Five Photos!

My friend Sharon from DC came out on Monday to play with her four kids. Here is her son Micah and Rita. They just LOVED playing in the water together.

This is her baby Eva. She is four weeks younger than Elle.

Nate's sister Betsy holding Ellen one night before bed. Ellen slept very badly and Nate and I were up about four times a night. We stayed in the cottage by ourselves and the rest of the family stayed at another family cottage down the street. It was nice because we didn't disturb everyone else and our kids slept through the night despite Ellen's restlessness.

Sam was tuckered out every night. He shared a room with Ellen.

This is Ellen at the rest stop... I have never used one of these in a family restroom and it was hilarious to see her in it! They are actually very useful. When Grace is sick of holding her, I use this little seat!

Lake Michigan

Don't Ask, Don't Tell (Volume 11)

Bob, our plumber, was fixing our kitchen faucet....

Blog Name Change

I am working on changing my blog name. I have some ideas. Let me know if you think of anything catchy!

First 100 - Year Two

Six of my friends and our 17 children went to Waynesboro, VA for the opening of a Chick Fil A on Tuesday evening. It was a very memorable time. We stayed in a Super 8 the night before and woke up to have some fun! Here are some photos that show the festivities.

Here we are during the raffle at 5:30 AM. When we showed up to this small town in Southern VA, we couldn't believe that there were more than 300 waiting to camp out to be the first 100 in the restaurant. This has become very popular and a huge event for college kids and Chick Fil A fans everywhere. Because of the large amount, a raffle was drawn. I was picked - number 91 out of the 100. Three of my friends were not picked and went home with their families (very similar to what happened last year in Fairfax, VA on my 30th birthday!) That was disappointing. My good friend Donna (tall, thin, wearing the Joes Maternity Jeans and holding Ellen in the photo) was not picked and that was especially sad since she just moved to Colorado. This was the last hurrah.

This was later in the day after tents were set up. This is a guy who brought his flat screen TV to play video games all day.
This was a group of funny women who dressed to the nines in cow outfits.

Pack n Plays in the drive thru lane. The atmosphere is such a blast. Everyone is laughing and running around and talking to each other - my type of event!

Sam on the scooter.

Ellen taking her bath.

The next morning we woke up at the crack of dawn. See the beautiful Shenandoah mountains in the backdrop? We live close to such beautiful areas!

Sam (despite the photo) was in LOVE with the cows. No fear at all. He was tired in this photo (taken at 5:30 AM) but this cow woke him up in the morning which was hilarious. He wanted to kiss the nose.

The end to a fun adventure... time to nap!

Funny Things They Say (Volume 1)

Yesterday Grace (6) was looking in our sticker drawer. I asked her what she was looking for and she told me she was looking for the stickers with the bells. I later figured it out... the "stickers with the bells" are stamps.

Rita (4) walked upstairs last weekend and just REEKED of cologne. Nate keeps his cologne high up in his closet in the basement, next to the play room. The kids are not allowed in his closet. We asked her what she was doing in the basement and she kept saying (lying) "nothing." Finally we got her to say that she did go into daddy's closet but only because the door "flashed open." She then proceeded to tell us that the cologne dropped and bounced on its own and that is why she smelled. Nate and I were trying to be so serious but couldn't help but laugh at the big elaborate story. There is no way she smelled so strongly without putting it on herself.

Sam (2) called an alligator a dinosaur yesterday.

Heart on my Latte

I got tickets a few months ago to go to the top of the "Pencil." The girls have been wanting to do this and fly a kite on the National Mall. It was pouring rain so we just did the monument. We learned a few interesting facts. The Washington Monument is 555 feet tall. George Washington died at the age of 67 from a throat infection (because there were no antibiotics back then). Rita learned that drawing is not allowed on the Washington Monument. Grace learned you cannot walk down the stairs and if you did, it would take 1-1/2 hours (according to the tour guide - quicker if you are Nate.) Sammy learned that each state donated a stone to the monument and some states donated more than others.

And seriously I had the best latte that I have had in years at Chinatown Coffee. I noticed it was made from milk from Trinkling Springs Creamery which is a glass-bottled-type-organic milk and that foam was perfect with a little heart on it. Nate goes there a lot during the day.

Free Dinner

Block Party

About two months ago, I started a quest to have a block party. The kids were so excited and I got my 2 close friends (neighbors) in on it. We got the signatures of the 22 houses on our block and were able to shut down our street on July 3rd with barricades. It was so neat! The kids could play in the road, we put our tables and grills out. We even had a firepit in the middle of the road. We had about 60 people come (including kids) and made some wonderful memories. It is amazing to have all of the neighbors out at one time mingling. There are some interesting and fun people on our street. Apparently in our little town, it is the "thing" to have block parties as this week there are already barricades up on the street over.

Weekend Getaway

We decided last minute to go away for the fourth. We went to Southern Virginia and stayed in a mountain lodge. It was very memorable and a nice change of scenery. This is the view from our room.

Freedom!
Creek... it was so clean!

Restaurant Week for Kids

In DC, there is an annual week where children are welcome to come to the popular 4 and 5 star restaurants for a special priced menu. You pay the price of each child's age. Above the spy museum is a fun restaurant called Zola that Hollie and I took our girls to for the evening. It was a good time and the girls enjoyed being Fancy in a Fancy restaurant.

Can you see what this is? It is a homemade strawberry ice cream and a strawberry mold on tapioca pudding with shortbread and mint leaves. Alphabet soup... big hit!

Big Boy Bed

Furniture Updates!

I recently posted some furniture finds that I got at a yard sale and wanted to update the blog with the results of the furniture re-do. Here they are...

Sam's big boy bed... the comforter is from my favorite children's consignment shop in town ($15!)

This is the headboard. I have yet to find a fabric that I like to put in the middle of each square so I am going to keep it as is for right now. It is a dark navy although the photo makes it look black.

This is the lingerie chest that was yellow and gold... purchased for $10! I saw the potential!

Ellen's new Pottery Barn crib... read my old post for the story on this.

The beautiful dresser where Sam's crib was located. I just love the lines of this dresser. I had to special order pulls for it online as it was an awkward size.