"I'm Still Gracie!"

My Baby Girl Turns 3 Today!!

Every day, for the past week, she has asked if it's her birthday yet.  So this morning I said, "Grace, today's your birthday! You're 3 now! With a smile on her face, she said, "But, I'm still Gracie!"  Yes, she is, and I wouldn't change one thing about her!

 She loves to laugh and have fun.  She brightens my days and reminds me to smile and be happy. If I'm not smiling or look upset, she takes my face in her hands and says, "Mommy, are you happy?"  And while most of the time I'm not upset, she reminds me that I need to look happier more often and smile at her more.

 Cupcakes are her favorite!!

She keeps me on my toes, and each day is a new adventure!

 ~She loves to have her fingernails painted~

 

 ~She loves to be outside and get dirty~

 There's not much she is afraid of, and she is willing to try anything!

 I wish this picture would have turned out better!! She is sword fighting with her Great Grandpa. I included the picture, anyway, because it warms my heart and makes me smile!  I'm so thankful that my children are able to spend time with him!

 ~Her favorite pose~

 ~Her favorite dog~

~Her favorite car~

This is what she wanted for her birthday!  No, she is not getting it.  But I'm glad that she dreams big!

Grace is such a blessing from God, and I can't imagine our lives without her!!

When we were getting Grace's pictures taken, the photographer asked if she was our angel or our princess.  Grace is our angel and our princess, with a little (or a lot) of firecracker thrown in.

Happy Birthday, Grace!

We love you!!

Hard To Say Goodbye

Yesterday, we had to say goodbye to Chloe, one of the very best dogs I have ever known! The house won't be the same without her!!

Grace's 2nd Birthday Party

I decided to make the cake instead of buying one. No, I did not make this cake. My idea was to make a boring, flat, ordinary cake and put this Dora doll on top. But then Nana got involved, and this wonderfully awesome castle cake was created!

Blowing out the candle

Admiring the cake

And finally getting to eat the cake

Present time

Aunt Patty is hilarious!

Great Grandpa watching Grace open presents

"Is she ever going to be done so we can play with those presents?"

Landon and Luke still waiting patiently; Lexi taking pictures

Yes, Uncle Ben, Landon needs a doll house, too!

On the way home from Lafayette that weekend, we took a detour through the countryside and visited some covered bridges from the 1800's.

Summer

These are some random pictures from the summer.

Umm...I don't know what to say...multitasking?

Yard work

A rare moment of calmness and sharing markers...

ok, that moment is over...now back to normal.

Poppy and Chloe on the hayride in the cold rain at Old Settlers

All nine grandchildren, Katie, half of Nana's face, and a couple extra boys ready for the hayride.

Joseph getting on the bus for his first day of Kindergarten

Gull Lake/Air Zoo

I have so many things to post, and I am going to make an attempt to catch up with a marathon of posts. I guess I should start back in the summer (well, probably from last Christmas, but I'll just go back to the summer for now)!

In June, we planned a week-long trip to Gull Lake. We've been wanting to do this for several years, and this year we finally did it. We arrived on Saturday afternoon and settled in for a great week. Jon and Katie arrived about the same time we did on Saturday. Then Ben, Kaletra, and Landon joined us on Sunday. We woke up to a beautiful sunrise on Sunday morning, but the day quickly took a turn for the worse when we learned of Mitch's accident. Dad and I took off for Indianapolis after breakfast, and then returned to Michigan on Monday evening. My goal was then to try to enjoy the rest of our vacation and leave the rest in God's hands. Dad returned to Lafayette EARLY Tuesday morning, but came back on Thursday so he could take the boys fishing as he had promised them. In the time he spent on the road that week, he could have driven to Florida! We did enjoy the rest of the week at the lake, and we can't wait to go back next year!

Beautiful sunset on the lake

Joseph enjoying a tow from Nana in the kayak

Grace and Luke enjoying the water

The boys are getting ready to practice casting with their fishing poles

Look at the concentration on that face!

Chloe kept chasing the floating thing on his line. He thought that was great!...until Chloe actually got it and pulled it off.

AIR ZOO
Doug found this great Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, and it was FREE!! We did have to buy tickets for the rides, but the kids had a blast!

Showing off their treasures from the gift shop


The first time Doug rode with them, but this time they were brave enough ride by themselves.