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Finally I have up loaded all my pictures from Spring and Summer 2011 so here goes what we have been up to. The best part of up loading pictures is the reflecting time! Three things come to mind as I look back on May-July...1. My husband is an amazing man, I am so blessed. 2. Our boys make us laugh every single day, I am so grateful. 3. I have the very best friends, I am so thankful! God is good, Life if Grand.

Little Leagues

Colton and Brady played coach pitch baseball this year. We were, once again, SO lucky to have great families and friends play on our team, JR also coached. The rockhounds were always the first team to show up, the entire team was there at least 30 minutes early every game and nobody ever missed a game, they were one dedicated team! We ended the year with an ice cream party at Frosty )! We played another year of U6 Sailor Soccer on the red team. We played with the same team as last year, awesome and fun group. Our team really improved over the last 18 months they played so great this season, our team splits up between u6 and u8 next year. We will miss the families moving up! Our kiddos miss the deadline by 6 months so JR will coach another year of u6...YAY=) Youth sports are the best.

June 2011

I LOVE SUMMER!! We have been just a little busy this summer doing things we really enjoy as a family. This has included camping at Whiteriver with the Houle's. Best Memory - the raccoons got in the Houle's cooler and ate all of their food! Grandpa Terry scored us four tickets, a parking pass and a Tiger's Den pass, we had the best seats to the Detroit Tigers game. Best Memory - THEY WON! The boys took backyard pool swimming lessons at Mr. Steve's. Best Memory: Brady passed into the deep end, Lilly did too. Colton has the best back float ever, he beats his mom. Jarred is playing and practicing football, hockey and baseball. He is tutoring a little boy who lost his mom this fall named Xavier. Jarred is working at Grandpa Terry's store and mowing lawns. Best Memory - Xavier is a sweet sweet little boy, Jarred has went above and beyond with him, right now they are at Jarred's 7 on 7, Jarred got up early, picked him up and he gets to hang with the big guys today...Super Great. We have also got good use out of our season passes to Michigan's Adventure.

Traverse City/Marathon?

Memorial Day Weekend we spent in Traverse City with great families camping and running the Bayshore 10K. I was able to watch two of my running buddies finish the Bayshore marathon as well. Best Memory - Running the last three miles of the Marathon with Lori! I hope to soon know what it feels like to run miles 23-26 but from what I saw, they are emotional ones. Lori teared up as she called out my name when she noticed I was there and ready to bring her in. I had ran the 10K, jogged back to the 23 mile marker and waited for her, she was there before I knew it. Lori is such a strong run, I admire her abilities. After she finished we walked back to mile 25 and waited for Jolynn, she did awesome. I am so proud of her finishing her first marathon and holding strong the entire way. They have both been supportive running partners, looking forward to many more miles. It was this day that I got a little bug of my own...to do my own marathon. I do not enjoy running by myself so my first order of business was to find a partner. Kathy Hellmann (my half marathon partner in prego, yahooo...but puts a little damper on marathons!). I ran my first long run with Jenni and Shannan, 8 miles, it felt great and so good to run with them. They are running the Chicago but that is closed so I looked to Detroit. Much to my surprise J.R. actually offered to run it with me, now that is dedication!!! He has even agreed to run it at MY pace. He is training and we are both up to 10 miles. Its good for us both. Leah has also been bit by the bug....she has not committed yet, but I look forward to her doing that some day very soon...so...hopefully Detroit 2011Marathon here we come!!
The rest of our weekend was a blast with some of our favorite camping buddies including the Johnson's, Anderson's, Nicklash's Hower's, Tindall's and more!

Spring Break 2011

When deciding what to do on spring break, I just really so badly wanted to see some sunshine. After such a very long winter and so many cold days in a hockey rink I think we all were longing for warm weather and that big orange thing that sometimes comes out in Michigan. With JR taking a new position it was difficult for him to get all the days off for our summer camping adventures and a full week in April so Grandma Ohime was so very generous to offer to help me take the boys to Florida and on top of that she let us use her timeshare, it was awesome!!! We had the best of times. I can not count how many people looked at me like I had lost my mind when I told them I was taking my mom, my three boys and Jarred's friend 22 hours in a car to Florida just to see the sun. Well in my mind it would be worth it, and it was!! Really it was not all about the sun, it was about memories, I love vacations for the memories. I grew up vacationing mostly with my grandparents and I think some of those moments are what brought us to be so very close together over the years. I want to provide those type of memories for my children and vacationing is one of the ways we can all enjoy eachothers company...and that we sure did. We tried to accommodate everyone's desires once we were there. The first day was spent by the pool (mom happy), two days were spent at the ocean (Jarred happy), one day at Animal Kingdom (B and C happy), one day at Magic Kingdom (who is not happy at Disney World?!?!). We missed Dad but sure enjoyed Grandma's help and company. It was a vacation for the memory books. The looks on Brady and Colton's eye's during the Magic Kingdom parade were priceless. The character dinner was perfect. Our days at the ocean could not have been any better and the big shocker...the ride...the drive...the 22 hours there and 22 hours back...no big deal!! The big boys were great when it came to driving so I could take a break and the little guys were just plain great in the car.So glad we were able to go, so very blessed to spend these times with family.

Jarred Turns 16!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh boy....this day sure did sneak up on us. I don't mean just this week, month or even year, I mean I can not believe it has been 16 years sense the good Lord blessed me with my oldest son. WOW....amazing. It's been an amazing 16 years when I look back on all the changes that have taken places in our lives over past 16 years all I can do is smile a great big smile=)))
We had a party with some very special people who have played a special role in Jarred's 16 years all of which deserve so much credit for who he is today and for who I am as well. We celebrated with Gram and Gramp Stearns, Aunt Linda, Bob and Linda Swanson, Leah and her family, Terry and Lori, the five of us and a couple of Jarred's high school friends.
MUCH to Jarred's surprise he was showered with gas money for his CAR!!!!! What more could a 16 year old ask for??? Pretty darn lucky but more importantly SO LOVED!

March 2011

I like to post at least once a month.I noticed when finally finding time to update on our spring break trip that the last post was in Feb.!! Hmm...March...where did you go? What did we do? Well Colton and Brady took swimming lessons at the YMCA in Grand Haven, love that place. They also skated for Shoreline at Lakeshore...have a love hate relationship with that place...its so cold even in July=) But its what my guys like to do...thats the love part. they continue to make GREAT progress at school, what they can do and what they say blows my mind on a daily basis, usually in a positive way. They also continue to be eachothers best friends, sometimes so many weeks go by without getting together with anyone else their age outside of school and daycare, due to our busy schedules, but they could care less because they have eachother. The bond between the two of them just amazes me and I pray they will be forever best of friends. Oh and Brady had plastic surgery on his face to try and improve the massive scar and indent from the ER stitches after his fall into the Johnson's fireplace, not into the fireplace but on the ledge!

Jarred finished up his Varsity Hockey season and started JV baseball. He loves baseball, I see a pattern here....Jarred loves to do whatever sport is in season=) We love that about him. Keeps us on our toes, never boring around here. So that brings me to my next post....