what you do to keep your kids busy...

It is very simple...you let them dig a big hole in your back yard. This is Nate and Engie with our neighbors Aiden, Ryan and Megan. Nate has dug a very large hole (Nate yells when I call it this, because don't you know, it is a "construction site") in our back yard that could trap a small animal (or a small kid). I really can't even believe we let him do this and tell people we know about it. But, it has been the best play activity in a long time, albeit dirty. He digs a little deeper each day and has gotten really good at using a real shovel...unfortuanately he has gotten too good at it... soon it will be filled in with new grass seed. If you hear wailing and screaming and you live 1/2 way across the world, it will be Nate when he learns we can't always have this hole (construction site) in our yard!

Labor Day

My parents visited this last weekend and we had loads of fun. Kristi and Tom are building a pool and so they have this big pit of sand in their back yard, it is every little boy's heaven on earth. Nate literally played for the whole day their this weekend. We went up to Pentwater and did the doon rides and went to the beach. Here is a picture of my family at the beach at the doon rides.

Grandma and Grandpa Wisselink Visit!

Well Nate turned the accomplished age of 5 last week, his mother turned the young age of 25...um um..yeah that's it that's the ticket (anyone remember Sat night live in the 90's?). Kevin's parents were here to celebrate with us and we had a grand time. Kevin's dad patiently played building toys for hours on end with Nate. We did mostly fun stuff around home.

Here are some pics of those events.

Go Carts, frog jumpers

Here are some pics of our trip to Craig's Cruisers with family this weekend.

Fun Day

So, for our anniversary gift Kevin keeps telling me weeks before that I am going to love my gift. I didn't even know what I wanted let alone what he might know that I want...thinking in terms of things, anyway. So, on our anniversary he gave me a card that announced with cash a day away, he would take the day off and I got to do what ever I wanted! What a load of fun and something I really wanted. This Thursday I planned a day with friends, I left early, picked a New York Times, read every page, without having to be interrupted! I met Deanna, Tracy and Delia for coffee and sweets at Wealthy Street Bakery, and from there and got pedicures, met Rhonda had lunch. We even enjoyed some fancy drinks, which reminded us we need to not have two cocktails at lunch again...
Then did some relaxing shopping in downtown Holland. We leisurely did what every we wanted and had a load of fun! I came back to a quiet house (with all the laundry done...I know what a great guy!)
Now we (by we I mean Kevin, and my verbal support) are finishing the trim in the basement, when we get a little farther I'll post some pictures. Well best be off to get the chilen's to bed, and then we can watch the Last King of Scotland. Anybody watch it...hopefully good.
Until later

Folks we have a walker

Engie is 16 1/2 months and now walking. My sister is friends with a Physical Therapist and happened to be at a birthday party while they were watching Engie. The physical therapist said Engie is strong enough, just has a larger bottom, so it changes her center of gravity, so it makes her want to sit all the time (who can't identify with that!). At that party she started walking, seeming to disprove any fears of the adults there, and when we picked her up that evening, Tom and Kristi informed us "you have a walker!" So, much for staying home so you don't miss those moments! Ha ha, just kidding, it is all a process, she is slowing transitioning from crawling to walking, and it has been so interesting to hear everyone's comments, one wise stranger told me, "it is really good for them to crawl a long time, it helps with sensory integration, they feel and touch every thing".

Nate is a big time into sand toys, mainly bulldozers and playing building roads. He has made up the term "section man", which is the men that stand around while they are building the roads and he tells the other guys what to build and do next. Thanks to our neighbor boy Aiden, they spend hours playing outside, they are having a great time!