Grandpere

Today, Valentine's Day, is my dad's birthday. In honor of his birthday, I thought I would do a quick post all about him. For those of you who don't know my father personally, you should know that he is a very unique individual. He is eclectic in all things, and he is a frequent (as in several hours a night) eBay shopper. This means that he winds up with very different items in his office, generally because my mom doesn't want most of it in their home.

On Saturdays, my dad often asks Lauryn and Kaden to work with him at his office for a few hours in the morning. Lauryn is his minion and Kaden is his yeoman. They are very proud of these nicknames and will announce them to anyone. When they arrive at work, there is a checklist waiting, and the checklist always includes a trip to the post office and/or some type of work with the mail. It also includes a trip to Zeeland Bakery for donuts or cookies. At the end of their work day, my dad pays them. Usually, they get a coin of some type for their work. They also get paid in unique items. These items have included, but are not limited to, a coin purse made out of a dead frog, several arrowheads, a dinosaur tooth, a burgundy wastebasket, and large chart paper. Thankfully, he occasionally asks us if he can give them something large, and I have recently refused a few things. Like deer toenails. (Picture the bottom half of four deer legs with the hoof still attached.) On Super Bowl Sunday, we had a family birthday party and this was an actual conversation that occurred in my parents' kitchen.

Grandpere: "Kate, can the kids have a nose bone?"
Me: "A nose bone? Like a human nose bone?"
Grandpere: "Yes, it's from a cannibal."
Kaden: "Yes, Mommy, a nose bone from a tamel."
Me: "No, Kaden, not a camel, a cannibal. And, no, they cannot have a nose bone from a camel."
Kaden: "Mommy, I want a nose bone from a tamel!"
Me: "Kaden, it's not a camel nose bone, it's a person nose bone, and that's gross."
Kaden: "Oh, tan I have it anyway?"

Somehow, I don't think these conversations take place at other people's birthday parties, but that's why I love my dad. Once, in second grade, I took a dinosaur bone for show and tell. Who else gets to do that? Plus, the kids have a great relationship with their grandpere, and that's what really matters.

Happy Birthday, Grandpere! We love you!

Snow Day!

Today was a snow day for much of West Michigan, and we had a blast! I woke up just thanking God because I had been at my breaking point last night thinking, "I just need a day...just one day...to do what needs to be done around here." And I got it! Thank you, Lord!




Since our driveway was filled with 18 inches of snow drifts, Troy spent much of the morning outside shoveling and the kids joined him. It was so cute! I took a few pics, which you can see, but then I jumped in the shower, so I apparently missed a great photo op when Troy buried both the kids to their necks in snow. Oh, well. You can't catch them all, and it was nice to shower with just one kiddo in the house.

Because of this beautiful, wonderful, much-needed day off, I've decided to include for you the Teachers Top Ten Reasons to Love Snow Days:
10. Staying in pajamas all morning.
9. Showering during the day, while the sun is up.
8. Eating a hot breakfast instead of a protein bar in the car.
7. Not having to pack a lunch.
6. Cuddling your baby after feeding him breakfast instead of immediately tucking him in beside your husband and dashing out the door to work.
5. Taking a nap while the kids nap.
4. Kissing your husband (more than once) after you have both brushed your teeth.
3. Listening to all the neighbor kids play in the snow, and knowing that your kids are rollin' in it too.
2. A four day work week.
And the number one reason to love snow days???
1. Playing four games of Sequence for Kids and Candy Land in one day with the ones you love!

So maybe that doesn't apply to all teachers, but it is certainly what I loved about my day.

Just so he doesn't feel left out, I decided to throw in a pic of Greyson. He is just learning how to crawl, and he is so cute. Right now, he only crawls backward on the kitchen floor because it is so slippery, and the other night he got stuck under the dining room table. Poor guy. He was all upset and fussing until I got out the camera. Then, he started grinning and hamming it up. I love that little one!

Finally Up and Running

Well...after about three hundred different backgrounds and font colors, I think I finally have the blog the way I want it to look. So...I am ready to share it with others! Although it has been over a month since I have started this blog, I am really excited to start sharing some of the fun things we've been up to. It is late on a Monday night, I just finished some homework that is due tomorrow, and I am waiting up for Troy to get home in the next hour or so. Therefore, don't look for any additional pictures or posts before this weekend, but I'll try to get some out soon. Yea! I can't believe we're finally ready to go on this! Thanks for your patience with me!