A Piece of Kate: 2012

We watched Jackie on Friday, Tara and Adam went to the ultrasound, healthy baby but they couldn't tell if it was a boy or girl! He/She must be taking notes from Jackie. On Saturday, I went to the cave downtown Holland, it was pretty cool....especially if you like carving things like I do. Got some good ideas, not I am ready to start carving!

Post Family Farm

Remember This?

When we lived in Grandville, I remember going to the Towne Club Soda place and filling up those wood crates with pop. I haven't see it in forever, and then last weekend when we were up at Stony Lake there is was Towne Club! Of course I got one and it was just as good as I remember. Then this weekend, I was at walmart and it was there too....So if you like Towne Club now you can go get it. In honor of the Lions win today...I recommend the Honolulu Blue Cream Soda!

Moving Day!

Adam and Tara and Jackie are in the process of moving....here are a few pictures from this weekend!

Suckers @ Church

When my dad was the preacher at Woodhaven Reformed Church in Byron Center, he always did a children's moment and then handed out candy before the sermon. He doesn't do that anymore, the kids go to children in worship, but I have become known around the church as the one who has the candy. Usually it's sucker and smarties, sometimes around Halloween I can find other candy in bulk. Today at church Jackie had a sucker, her mom wasn't there, and it was the only way I could think of to keep her quiet, I had already tried everything else (book, coloring book, crackers...you get the idea!) She liked it and it kept her quiet, she was a little sticky though. Sorry Tara, I hope you feel better....if anyone needs some church candy, come say hi before church like all the other kids.

Not Much New....

Not much is new...working as much as I can! The dry weather means that not much grass is growing. Luckily the last few weeks there has been some weeding and odds and ends to do. A few weeks ago we took Jackie to the new splashpad in Jenison @ Maplewood Park. She loves water! Sometime she reminds me so much of Grandma Jackie! She would have loved watching Jackie at the park. I miss her a lot in the summer, especially when the Tigers are playing well, she would always call and make sure that I was watching!

For my Aunt Cheryl....more VBS Video!

A new Fav!

Look what I made this weekend....with a little help from pinterest, my dad and mom! The picture is from pinterest, I haven't taken a picture of mine yet...but I love it in my house!

VBS

VBS--Chillin with God

It's VBS week @ Community Reformed! I am in the skit and this year I will be dressed as a Yetti! The theme for the week is chillin with God....however I don't know how chilly it will be with this heat wave! I think I will be more of a sweaty yetti! It's always a fun week, and it usually goes by really fast! Stop by and check it out....6:15-8:30!

Jackie

Somebody is worn out after feeding the ducks, playing at the park, and going to Costco this morning!

Teach Your Kids to Be Grateful

My mom sent me this on an email this morning, I thought it was good so I shared it with my third and fourth graders, and I thought I would share it on my blog for all you moms who read my blog! It came from Ann Voskamps blog. (A Holy Experience) She wrote 1000 Gifts. 3 Reasons Why to Teach Kids to Be Grateful The research can only support Scriptural Truth: 1. Better Attitudes: Children who practice grateful thinking have more positive attitudes toward school and their families (Froh, Sefick, Emmons, 2008). 2. Better Grades: Gratitude in children: 6-7th graders who kept a gratitude journal for only three weeks, had an increased grade point average over the course of a year. 3. Better Caring: Children who kept gratitude journals were more sensitive to situations where they themselves can be helpful, altruistic, generous, compassionate, and were less destructive and displayed less negative social behaviors… And if We Don’t Practice Gratitude? On the other hand, research shows that youth who are ungrateful are “less satisfied with their lives and are more apt to be aggressive and engage in risk-taking behaviors, such as early or frequent promiscuous activities, substance use, poor eating habits, physical inactivity, and poor academic performance.” Why does gratitude do all of this — how can it, really? Because we were made to live in gratitude to God, giving glory to God. All research from: Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier

Congrats Kim!

Kim Spradlin won Survivor Monday Night! I know Kim, we worked together at Noah's Ark. It was so fun to watch each week and see her win. I am so proud of her. When I looked at my Facebook yesterday it seems like there were congratulations from all of Noah's. I remember being on a guide training trip in the mountain with Kim. We were bored and both like to play ball, so we started to pick up rocks and throw them at trees...who could throw the fastest/hardest. I think at one point we even got a stick and started to play ball! I knew she was going to excel at some of those challenges. Sometimes I think it would be fun to be on a show like that...and then I watch all the drama going on outside of the challenges and I say to myself...NO WAY! Congratulations Kim! I wonder what she will do with a million bucks?!?

Tulip Time Flash Mob

Source: youtube.com via Ruth on Pinterest

All My Fountains--Chris Tomlin

Tiger Game

My mom and I went to the Tiger game on Saturday. It would have been my Grandma's birthday this past weekend so we went in honor of her. It was my mom's first trip to Comerica Park, so it was fun to show her around. It was a balmy 39 degrees when we first got there and I think it warmed up to 43 during the game. The game wasn't the greatest, the score was 8-0 at the end of the first inning, but we still had fun!

My New Favorite Show

My new favorite show is Duck Dynasty! If you haven't watched it, check it out on A and E (channel 25 in Holland), Wednesday nights @ 10pm (or you can watch it anytime on demand). It is hilarious! These two characters are my favorite, Phil and Uncle Si. The show is about this redneck family who has built an empire on duck calls. Last night I caught a rerun that I had never seen before, Si and Phil went to school to talk to the kids for career day. Si starts by asking if any of the kids know what "nam" is....you can only imagine where it went from there. The teacher had to cut him off when he started talking about and amputee being drug off into the woods by a bengal tiger. Phil taught the kids how to clean a duck, and in an eighth grade class with a lot of girls, that went over about as well as Si's version of the Vietnam War. What would you do if these guys showed up at your kids career day?

A Few Pictures from Jackie's Party and Easter

Easter Bunny is Coming to Town

Easter Hip Hop! -- powered by flowgo.com

Next Friday (6pm-8pm) and Saturday (10am-2pm) come visit me as the Easter Bunny at Tip Toes! My sister bunny will be there this week Saturday from (10-2) also!

Phil Wickham True Love

Heard this song this morning and liked it so I thought I would share it!

Amelia Bedelia Came to Third Grade....

For those of you who don't know...I am working as a long term substitute teacher in a 3rd grade classroom. It has been a lot of fun, 3rd graders are very different from middle school students! They are very sweet though! Today was a big day, Amelia Bedelia came to school today. March is reading month so in honor of that Amelia came and read us a story, Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping.

Wilted Lettuce

Last night I picked up my Great Aunt Fran and we headed over to my Aunt Cheryl's house for two reasons. First, my cousin Abby had her baby this week, Ava Jayne! She is a adorable! The 2nd reason was for an annual spring tradition....WILTED LETTUCE. It's an old Dutch Recipe. To make you fry up some bacon, (save the grease for later), hard boil some eggs, and boil some potatoes. Mash the potatoes by hand, add some finely cut lettuce, add the bacon and the eggs, and then add some of the bacon grease and a lot of vinegar....mix together and serve. I like extra vinegar on mine, and so does Aunt Fran. As Aunt Fran would say, that was "Mighty Good" or sometime she just says "Lush" It was fun to see her this weekend and hang out with baby Ava. Cheryl...start getting your hat ready The Derby is May 5th this year!

Ready for a Bike Ride?

I can't help but smile when I look at this picture!

Jackie Jean and Jackie Rae

Jackie Jean

Jackie Rae

Thinking about Grandma today! She would have loved this sunshine and warmer temps! It's been two years! I remember talking to her on the day she went into the hospital. She was reheating ribs for dinner and going out to shovel (she didn't want the "old" people in her neighborhood to do it). I am sure she had her light blue boots on that she was so proud of! Miss you lots Gram!

She would have LOVED the fact that our family is growing....Austin, Jackie and Ava on the way!

Sometimes we look at little Jackie and can't help but think of Grandma! Yesterday she was so funny, belly laughing, and making faces, I can't help but see Gram! She'd be thrilled to know that Jackie's birthday this year is on Opening Day for the Tigers...I'm wondering if she had a little something to do with that. No worries Gram, I will make her a Tiger fan yet.

As I try to think of how I end this blog post, I remember how she always ended the letters that she would write to me when I was out in Colorado....

I am Kate Stouten and I approve this message! Now I think in honor of G-Ma (or Jacquelina as she referred to herself online) I should go buy a lottery ticket or some baseball cards...or mabe both! :-)