magical

We had been on a countdown for 65 days for our family trip to Florida and now we've already been back for a week.  And I think I actually want to go back worse now than before we actually left!  We had such a great time.

I'm mostly going to let the pictures speak for themselves.

First of all, we thought it'd be best to leave Emmy behind.  And we were very glad that we did.  It was much easier on us.  But I'm sure that this will be an issue someday when she's old enough to understand so we will just have to go again sometime.

Poor Emmy is obviously clueless here or else she would be crying!  But she had just as much fun camping with her uncle Matt, aunt Katie, and cousins (and sleeping in a bathtub!) than she would have had in Florida.

Our kids experienced their first airplane ride!!  They were so excited for this.  Charlie had been asking almost everyday for weeks if that day would be the day for flying on the airplane.  Most of us wore comfy clothes but Ruby had to travel in a dress, of course!!

Natalie and Charlie were quite excited when we were taking off but when I was encouraging Ruby to look out the window, she preferred to keep coloring her princess picture and she would just look me in the eye and say, 'Mom, I know!' like she had done this a million times before!

We got to our 'Florida House', Fantasyland, and went to the closest fast food place.  We were all ready for dinner.  Afterwards, we all got in the water. And by that time, it was dark. The place was so gorgeous at night.  The girls loved the lazy river, all dimly lit, and Charlie loved the pool and splash pad.  We all said throughout the weekend that we will have to stay here again.

We went back to our villas that night and mom and dad had put together Disney goody bags for all the kids, complete with bubble gum, drawing pads and crayons, lipstick, and cash!! 

The next morning, we were DISNEY WORLD bound!!!  All 18 of us had coordinating shirts, again thanks to mom and dad, and the little girls had their princess gowns.  Ruby stayed in hers the whole day at the park until just before we left.

Then a monorail ride into the Magic Kingdom!  Another first for the kiddos which they loved!

Disney was decorated for Halloween!  So fun!  But it made me a little sick, the park was only open until 7p that night with our park tickets :(  From 7p on, more people started pouring into the park for a special trick or treating night.  How fun would that be, too?!

Our kids did amazingly well that day!  We had some teary eyes from Natalie and Ruby after the princess show because neither Rapunzel or Merida were performers.  So we had two girls that were very concerned that their favorite princesses weren't there.  And Charlie was crying while he had to be peeled off of the carousel (which is weird since we can do that at the mall!).  And I'm not going to lie, I had some tears in my eyes as well... but tears of joy of course!  Seriously, I was so excited to be here with our family!!  And I think our kids enjoyed every moment of the Magic Kingdom experience.  We rented a stroller and each kid took turns riding in it.  And it was 90* which also meant we were filling up our water bottles at every drinking fountain we crossed.  We went to the park on a Friday which made for a relatively 'small' crowd of people.  We hardly had to wait any longer than 20 minutes for a ride.  Although the wait times for meeting the princesses were quite a bit longer than that!!

Our family's favorite Disney princesses are Merida, from Brave, and Rapunzel, from Tangled.  It was so cute to see Jordan obsessed with making sure our girls got to meet these ladies.  We went to the Magic Kingdom 8 years ago and we had a much different agenda.  But this year, it was all about our kids!  And meeting those princesses lived up to every expectation we each had.  The girls were starstruck!  It was definitely a highlight to the vacation.  And I decided after meeting them that I, too, want to be a Disney princess.  No joke, I want to work at the park and pose with little kids and act like I'm a real princess.  But that dream will have to wait until the kids are grown up and out of the house.  So maybe the role or Elinor (Merida's mother) or Mother Gothel (Rapunzel's 'mother') will be more suitable?  I'll take what I can get!!

The girls both went on their first rollar coaster rides, too!  And while Jordan and I did those couple roller coasters with them, Charlie went on 'It's a Small World' with grandpa and grandma.  And he can't stop talking about it.  They said it was pretty hilarious how he loved it so much!  It was just such a great day.  

The next morning, we got out to the pool asap.  We got out to eat and Ruby used the bathroom about 15 times that day, but other than that, we were in that water all day long.  I was thinking that I'd lay out, or even just sit on a lawn chair, but I think I was in that water just as much as my kids.  We had so much fun.  And it was a blast just hanging out with all of my nieces and nephews.  They all get along with each other so well.  Even my lazy river rides were always with the kids and not exactly relaxing.  But FUN!  And every time mom went on the lazy river, the grandkids tortured her by pushing her under the waterfalls and making sure the fountains thoroughly blasted her.  We got pizza that night and everyone went to bed 'early'.

And then we were on our way back home.  To the airport by 6:30am and back in Grand Rapids by noon.  Our family slept pretty much the whole flight home and we were able to just chill out the rest of the day.  And now, I'm afraid I want to go back to Disney more than I did before we even went!  Of course, we didn't get to see it all... that wouldn't have been possible.  So we've got to get back to show our kids the rest of it.  The weekend was magical!  Plus, we owe Emmy a trip there now, so we will be back in the next couple of years!!  

Jordan and I have been wondering when and how we'd be able to do a trip like this for the kids (it's so expensive!!)  We have been wanting to go so bad knowing that the three oldest kids are at such perfect ages.  And then mom and dad made it happen.  They are beyond amazing... even if they hadn't taken us to Florida!  We are so blessed by their love and encouragement.  They are young at heart and have such a spirit of adventure.  I hope they enjoyed it even half as much as we did!  We are so thankful!  Dreams really DO come true!!  This trip was magical!!

score!

We had a big weekend!

Friday started out with a field trip to Cranes Orchard with Ruby's class.  I love going to school with my kids!  We picked some extra apples while we were there and Ruby was so proud of the apples she picked.  I think one of her primary love languages (at this time) is in gifts.  She just treasures things!  Her nightstand is just full of little items that each have a special meaning behind them.  So when we got home, she got a big glass container from the pantry, polished her apples, and neatly stacked them into the jar and made room for it on her nightstand!

That night, we went to downtown Holland. Natalie participated in the Live Mannequin event taking place... her second year to do so.  Last year she was a Joker (the theme being 'card games') and this year she was a mouse turning into a coachman for the Cinderella story (the theme being 'books').  What a blast!  She loves to act, mostly as an animal but even when she's replaying a movie.  She is very detailed and animated!

Saturday morning, we had Natalie's second soccer game.  We didn't know how this was going to go!!  She was all geared up and ready to start playing when they checked the girls' ears for earrings that would need to come out!  NO!  Natalie does not like her earrings to be changed.  There is always one ear that gives us trouble.  So of all things, she starts panicking over it.  Jordan's mom quickly stepped in and got them out (once again, the game was waiting on Natalie!!).  And she got out there and played!  She went after that ball and did great the entire game!!!  I think the other parents were even cheering her on!  We were so relieved and excited!

Saturday night, Heidi, Crystal, and I crafted!  Such a great time!  I always have an agenda, it seems.  I grabbed some stuff before heading over there and it was delightful to sit and chat and craft!  I started making a garland for some autumn decor, and then moved onto a headband for Emmy.  I need to schedule craft nights in more often!

And today, Sunday, we attended our very last service in the 'old' Engedi Church building.  I love this church of ours!  I look forward to worshiping there and coming back home with something to think about that carries me through the week.  There are so many amazing women that I have met through this church.  Many have become great friends.  In the afternoon, we helped transfer stuff to 'Newgedi'.  And my prayer is that God would fill that space with His grace and goodness, that it would be a lighthouse in the dark, and create even more stories of hope.  That it would 'advance the kingdom revolution of Jesus worldwide.'  So blessed to be a part of such a loving community.

school and soccer...success

We are two weeks into the school year.  And just as I predicted, I miss the girls.  But I am so happy for them to be going, too!  They just LOVE school!

Going to school for Ruby is the most natural thing in the world for her.  She is excited everyday but she just walks in those doors and hardly ever looks back at us.  On the bus ride home, she doesn't need Natalie to sit with her, she sits with her friends.  She rolls her eyes at me every afternoon when my enthusiasm suffocates her.  She's a lot more chill than I thought she would be about this school stuff.  She's even letting me dress her!  She hasn't let me pick out her outfits since she was in diapers (and I wish I were joking!). She. is. wearing. pants.  We haven't seen her in pants, well, since she was in diapers!  She still insists on accessorizing all on her own, though, with the occasional barrette in the smack-dab-middle-of-her-head, two headbands at once, or the fake glasses that she sneaks into school (that required the teacher to call me about since Ruby told her, 'yes they're real, they help my eyes to see better', which she cried about when she came home that day!)  And as if she needed any kind of boost to her confidence... Ruby's teacher shared with me that when her students were settled down, a little boy held up his hand and announced to the class that he had told Ruby that he thinks 'she's the most beautiful girl he's ever seen'!  No joke!  When I asked Ruby about this later, she smiled and then teased that after he told her that, she kissed him on the mouth!  Oh boy, we thought we had our hands full before she went to school....

Natalie is loving first grade!  She's an old pro at school now, of course!  Whereas last year we learned that she would 'stand in line' during recess (a line consisting of only herself to which I bribed her with $2 to make a new friend on the playground - and she did!), this year I can spy on her when I'm dropping Ruby off.  And guess what?!  She plays!  Today she told us that she gets chased by boys.  And she also shared who her secret crush is and that she chases him and pulls his shirt (which is a big deal... it's common ground with holding hands when you're 6!)  Natalie is also playing soccer, her very first go at a sport.  It's been going well... it had been going well.  She's been improving at practices but then we had her first game.  We were encouraging her to warm up before the game but she wouldn't have anything to do with it.  And then it was time for the game to start and she started crying.  I ended up carrying her across the field to her team so the game could start.  I didn't know what to do!!  Jordan was telling me to just pack up the fam and go home.  But I really felt like she had to do this.  I don't want to live vicariously through my kids but I never did sports when I was young because I was too insecure.  This is a commitment and she's going to follow through with it.  But I was fighting tears myself.  There she stood not knowing what to do and what made matters much worse is that all the other kids have been playing for a year or two already. I'm already absolutely dreading the next game.  So for the first quarter, she stood in one place, sometimes surrounded by kids kicking the ball around her, sometimes completely alone.  Sad, sad, sad!  The second quarter, she sat out by us.  I was gentle with her and reassuring.  She said she'd get out there again if we'd buy her a horse!  Once again, I walked with her to the coach and she finished out the game.  (So happy the coach didn't make her sit out the game even though at the time I was wondering if that would be best.) Her tears were gone by the end of the game and she began to turn her body toward the direction of the ball but without leaving her exact place.  Success anyway!  It was so hard for me to let her be out there so vulnerable :(  But I was more proud that she stayed out there when that was the hardest thing for her to do than if she would have been the most aggressive player on the team.  Courageous, she was!  And I was so proud!!  And I know that she was too because she wasn't bothered by her 'performance' but happy to be done and was actually looking forward to the next game!  Wha...?

Charlie has been enjoying some more one-on-one time with me in the afternoons.  He doesn't miss his sisters at all.  He is such a momma's boy lately.  He helps me in the garden, keeps me company wherever I am, we read books, and yesterday we napped together while Emmy slept.  Then the girls come home and he has to compete for my attention again.  Emmy requires extra attention these days, too.  She is fast and into everything!  She loves music and loves to dance.  She throws her head back to laugh, fake cry, or to initiate 'hit the ditch'. She gets me up once a night for an unnecessary feeding but then we cuddle til the alarm goes off.

These last couple of weeks have flown by!  But such FUN times again.  I love to hear about the girls' days and to have some structure and routine again.  I just absolutely love everything about this time of year!

back to school

A bittersweet time for me.  Natalie is a first grader and Ruby is in Young 5s.  They are both ready and anxious but I am going to miss them like crazy.  There have been a few moments of chaos with the kids that I have caught myself getting eager for this day but as soon as I think it, I take it back.  They're so young yet!  Thankfully, Ruby is only gone for the afternoon but she still has to ride the bus.  She's only FOUR, though!  Where did the time go?!  I've been very weepy this past week.  And yet it is such a riot for us, too!  The girls have been counting down the days, they are just so excited.  The girls and I had a great time shopping for school clothes and supplies one afternoon (now I understand how much fun my mom used to have when we'd do this!) and they have been double-checking that they have everything packed in their backpacks for the day.  Jordan and I rode the bus with Ruby since she will be taking it home everyday.  She loved it and loved meeting her teacher.  She is so ready.  Natalie loved her teacher as well and the structure of the school year is going to be great for all of us.  Natalie has started up soccer practice as well.  This is all so new to us!  But such a blast. 

The girls each had a great day, they told us.  Natalie was up bright and early and got on the bus like a pro this morning.  She was excited to see some former classmates in her new class and loved her teacher.  I held Charlie close on the walk back to our house and he assured me that he won't grow up as fast!  I gave Ruby two options of what she could wear for the day and when she came out of her room, she had put them both on... sleeveless shirt with a skirt over and under a smock and sparkle leggings!  When I dropped her off at school, she slipped into the classroom behind the teacher and went directly to the whiteboard we had drawn on at the orientation and she got to work!  Charlie played hard all afternoon with the neighbor girls just as he and his sisters have done all summer.  I think he really enjoyed not having his sisters around!!  Ruby squeezed me tight when she got off the bus and I learned that her and Natalie had sat together along with their good friend/babysitter, Molly.  Natalie locked me out of the house while Ruby was squeezing me... our of love, of course :)  So glad that this first day went smoothly and hoping that there's not as rough of a transition as there was last year with exhaustion induced attitude!

Jordan especially loves the 'back to school' scene since he was home-schooled.  He is very impressed with the school and I am too.  I just love our city!!  And even though I'm sad to let them go, it is equally as exciting to watch them learn and grow.  We are so priveledged to live in this country where we can receive an education and so blessed that our kids are healthy and have grown up to this school-age.  So proud of my girls!!