My baby is Seventeen!!!

Are you ready for this? Seventeen pictures of an incredibly handsome boy.
Turns out I scanned my pictures in HUGE so that is why blogger was uploading so SLOW yesterday. Silly me. After I fixed them it took no time at all.

What is better than to see "my guy" sleeping with our "little man". Precious.

I love this picture! A long day at the beach wears a little man out.

Last picture as a single child. Maybe why he is still smiling.

What a great big brother.

Oh he wanted this race track bad! Those are his cousins to the left of him.

Zack's first time on the MSU football field with daddy. Mark was being recognized for being on the Rose Bowl '88 team.

"Come on Anna, let's go hunt something."

Fast cars and maracas what more could a little boy want?

You better believe mom hid those duck whistle when we got home.

Look. I have proof that he does have a soft spot in his heart for Kaylyn.

The guys in deep concentration. The girls... being girls.

Hey there. Look at me.

Isn't this a great picture of my men?

Pinned!

This picture just melts me. Look at those eyes. I love this guy!

The serious hunter pose.

Way to go Zack!

Well there you go a sneak peek of the last 17 years with one wonderful guy.
I love you Zachary!
-Mom

My baby is 17 today!!!!!

Blogger is being incredibly slow uploading pictures so I will have to do his birthday post tomorrow. Now it's off to bed.
Smiles!

Under attack

I am so frustrated. Because of the snow days the Middle school hasn't been able to have their Valentine's Party until yesterday. They hired a DJ for the kids and had a party for the kids for an hour and a half after school. When I picked up Kaylyn from school she was so excited because she won a "prize". It turns out the DJ gave out 3 cd's to the "best dancers". I should add that school intentionally doesn't call this a "dance" because they don't want the focus to be on dancing. I was considering not letting the girls go because I don't think middle schoolers need to be "partnering up" on a dance floor. It just isn't age-appropriate in my belief and it is asking for trouble. I discussed my concerns with the girls and they agreed to no dancing with boys.

Back to the "prize". It was a cd containing 18 songs from various artists. My first question was "how is this legal" there are copyright laws against this. Then Kaylyn informs me that the DJ told her she had to make 4 copies of it and share it with the four other girls that were dancing with her. WHAT!?!? Now he wants us to break the law?

Things were busy last night so I told her she couldn't listen to the cd until I can get online and get the lyrics for the songs. We don't really listen to secular music so I didn't recognize any of the songs but I did recognize some of the artists and I was very concerned.

This morning while the kids were getting ready for school I looked up some of the lyrics and about choked! Now, I have learned that some artists have "clean versions" of their songs so that they can be played on the radio and the lyrics I found were most certainly not the "clean versions" but still. I listened to the cd and compared it to the lyrics and they were still awful. It is all about sex. I am only going to list one of the titles and I am going to try to type it in a way that it doesn't come up in a search but to give you an idea it was from Sn00p D0gg's new album and the name of the "clean version" is $en$ual $educti0n but the original version's name is $en$ual Erupti0n and the lyrics are basically the same. I was absolutely appalled.

So where was I first thing this morning you ask? I was in the principals office showing him the lyrics of 5 of the songs and giving him this wonderful "prize" back. He had no idea that the DJ handed these out and had the same concerns that I did. The teacher that was in charge of the party and hiring the DJ was out sick today so he wasn't able to discus what took place with her right then.

When Kaylyn came home from school today she did tell me that the principle called her into his office to get the names of the other 2 girls that were given cd's and he told them to bring them back to school so that they could be destroyed and explained that if you are caught with pirated music you can get thousands of dollars worth of fines. Which he knows first hand because his son's college roommate got a $3000 fine just last year for this very reason.

So where does that leave us? I don't know but I do know that I feel Satan is on the attack and I don't like it.

Still not sleeping but not 'cause of the dog...

Hubby is snoring again. I feel bad for him because it is obvious that he is not getting a good night sleep. He is constanly waking himself up but doesn't remember it come morning. I am ready to turn my sewing room into a spare bedroom.
Any one got any tips to get hubby to stop snoring?
I need my sleep.
Smiles!

Dog for sale - Cheap!

I feel like I have a new born in the house. Gunner got us up no less than every 2 hours last night! How do the kids sleep through a coon hound crying? At 4:45am I finally just stayed up because by the time I got him back in his coop I was wide awake anyway and since dear hubby has a snoring issue I wouldn't have been able to go back to sleep anyway.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the big 'ol hound dog has a big 'ol tummy ache. I found a half eaten stuffed animal in his coop. I sure hope whatever it is passes before tonight!

Than to add to that both Zack and Anna were up during the night with bloody noses. Zack's first at 12am then Anna at 3:45am. We are completely out of toilet paper now and have resorted to napkins. Is that too much information?

I guess we weren't supposed to sleep last night. Poor Mark gets to go to work all day on very little sleep. I will be heading back to bed as soon as Libby gets on the bus. Hopefully Gunner will be catching up on his sleep also.

Smiles!
Tired in Michigan

Yeah! They have school today.

Current forecast:

Partly Cloudy

-3°F
Feels Like
-3°F

But do you think she will zip up her coat?


At least she has her snow pants and boots in her backpack.

Smiles!

Yet another snow day.

This has to be some kind of record. The kids just finished mid-winter break so they haven't been in school since Valentine's day. It is just crazy.

Stay warm.
Smiles!

Pixie Stix will get you in trouble every time.

I was going to cut Melissa a break and not post this video of her since it was taken without her permission, BUT since she keeps supplying my children with Pixie Stix I figured it was fair game!



Enjoy the Oompa Loompa dance.
(sorry for the terrible lighting)
Smiles!

Excited mom alert!

Zack is breaking records and people are starting to look...

(Click on the image if you can't read it.)

(or go here to look for yourself)

This link was sent to me this morning by a college coach that was at the meet last night when Zack broke both the HS shot put record and the HS weight throw record.

He placed 2nd last night at a college throw and out threw every college student at the meet. The 1st place thrower was a 24 year old Lithuanian man who is going to start throwing for GVSU. He was throwing "unattached" (as in not throwing for any particular college at the meet) which is how Zack has to throw also. Zack placed 9th with the weight throw, competing against all college guys and this is only the second time Zack has thrown the weight.

Exciting times!

Smiles!

100th Post - Happy Valentine's Day

Wow! Y'all are making me have to think. I was expecting more like, "how many brothers and sisters do you have?" this is great. I think. Thank you for all your questions. I will do my best...

Mel's World said...

"What is your biggest pet peeve?"

The first one that popped into my head is peanut butter. You see my lovely children tend to leave it on everything when they use it so when I come back to the kitchen I find it everywhere. I was considering banning it from the house but thought that was a little harsh.

Happyhome said...

"If you were a type of coffee, what would you be? Mild? Medium? Robust? Dark roast? A little nutty?"

This one is hard because I don't drink (don't care for) coffee. My kids would probably say a little nutty.

Cherdecor said...

"My comment and question for you is, besides the Bible, what book has influenced your life the most?"

There are so many good books by great, God-fearing people out there and I love to read. The one that sticks out most to me is by Elizabeth George "A Woman After God's Own Heart". I go back and re-read this book often. I wish I had found it earlier in my role as a wife and mother because it is about getting your priorities in line. It is a wonderful resources for wives and mothers and I highly recommend it.

Melissa said...

"If you could have one full day to do whatever you wanted to do, what would you do?"

More details like with or without kids and by myself or with a friend would have helped me choose this one so I guess I get to pick. I will pick without kids and with Mark. First out to breakfast at Beans to Brew. Gotta have my Chai. Then we would do a little shopping maybe pick out one complete outfit including jewelry and shoes of course. Mark has really good taste when it comes to shopping so it is fun to go with him. Some of my favorite outfits he picked out. Then an appointment at a Spa for a Hot Stone massage and a manicure. Then get cleaned up and dressed up and go out to a fancy restaurant for dinner. It sounds wonderful just dreaming about it.

jennwa said...

"What is your best childhood memory?"

Growing up I lived on a mile long driveway that my Grandparents and my Uncle and Aunt also lived on it. My Grandpa bought a huge piece of land and gave each one of his kids part of it to build on. Christmas mornings after we opened our presents at home we would all head over to my Grandparents (the ones I have blogged about lately) house for breakfast and presents. It was such a fun time to spend with my cousins and to get spoiled by my grandparents. Then when we were done with presents and the adults were cleaning up, us kids would all go back to each others homes to show each other what we got from Santa for Christmas. One specific Christmas that stands out is when my Grandma, instead of giving us a gift, gave 3 of us girls a pattern to make pj's and fabric and had us spend the weekend with her and she helped us make our own pajama's. Wasn't that a great thing for her to do?

Terri said...

"What has been your most favorite vacation that you've ever taken?"

This would have to be when we took the kids to Tennessee over Christmas. We rented a cabin in the Smokey Mountains and spent our Christmas there with just the 6 of us. It was hard to think about being away from our families for Christmas but the memories we made far made up for it. It was the most slowed down relaxing Christmas we have ever had and the kids keep asking us to do it again. We also spent a day at Dollywood and took the kids the Dixie Stampede for dinner one night. Christmas Eve we went to a little church in the mountains. It looked like the kind you see on puzzles. A little white church with a big bell steeple nestled in the hillside covered in snow. There were maybe 30 people in attendance so we stuck out like a sore thumb but they went out of their way to make us feel welcomed. It was wonderful.

Mari said...

"Where did you and Mark live when you were first married and when did you move to A-town?"

When Mark and I were first married we lived on the south side of Zeeland in a trailer park. After about 2 years we bought a ranch house on the north side of Holland in Rose Park subdivision. We got really lucky with that one. Mark's brother lived in the same subdivision and his son did the paper route. The lady that had owned the house since it was built had passed away and Scott mentioned to us that it looked like they were getting ready to put the house on the house on the market. They were selling it on their own but agreed to let our Realtor do the paperwork. It was the cleanest house I have ever seen and in excellent condition. Even the rafters in the unfinished basement were free of cobwebs. The family accepted our first bid even though it was less than what they were asking it was the most we could afford.

Beth said...

"Do you have any phobias?"

Yes I do, and recently I found out that I am not the only one with it, a friend of mine from church, Maria, just told me she had this phobia too and she didn't even know at the time she was telling me that I did also. We both got quite a chuckle out of it. It is the fear of my vehicle going off the road and into deep water. Think about it. I have 4 kiddos, how on earth would I ever be able to get them all out of the vehicle in time. Then think about when 3 out of four of them were in some kind of child seat, oh my goodness I am glad we are past that stage. This phobia is getting better now that we have a pool and my kids are all really good swimmers. About a year ago we actually had two girls drown in a deep ditch full of water on a road I travel all the time because they could not get out of the car. How awful. I used to drive a full size conversion van and that gave me a little more peace of mind knowing that the front end was heavy and would sink first and I could get all the kids out the double doors on the back of the van. When we sold that and got a suburban my peace of mind wasn't so good because you can't open the back of the suburban from the inside. By the way, Maria showed me a tool that she keeps next to her seat that will cut through a seat belt and break through glass. I need to get me one of those.

Just Another Day In Paradise said...

"How long did you date Mark before you knew he "was the one"?"

I still don't know. JUST KIDDING! We met in the summer and by October I knew. I had two previous boyfriends tell me that they love me and all I could do is reply with silence. I know, how terrible for those boys. I just couldn't say that without really meaning it. The first time Mark said it to me I said it back imediatly and was kinda shocked that it had even come out of my mouth. I remember my mind spinning with thoughts like "oh my goodness I really do love this guy".

Jennifer Partin said...

"Do you put your sock's and shoes on:

sock,sock,shoe,shoe?
or
sock,shoe, sock shoe?"

You are goofy aren't you! Is this going to be used against me in some sort of social adaptation test? I put both socks on and then go to the back closet and put on both of my shoes. Did I pass?

Patty the lurker said...

"I know you love being home but what would your dream job be? It doesn't have to be practical maybe something really out there,something you always wanted to do."

Wow Patty, are you asking me to dream? Let me think. I love to sew, knit, crochet, craft so I think my dream job would have to include that. But then again I also love being around babies. How fun would it be to just hold all of the new born babies at a Hospital while the mom's are sleeping/recuperating. Oh that would warm my heart! So there you go, can you bring my two loves together for me into the ultimate dream job?

Dave and Jenni said...

"If you had to choose a different place to live, outside of Michigan, where would it be and why?"

I absolutely love living in Michigan so this is hard. I did get the chance to visit California when Mark was playing in the Rose Bowl and it was gorgeous. My favorite place that we visited while we (Mark's folks, my mom and her sister, and me) were there was Balboa Island. I think that is where I would pick, California, as long as it was away from the city and near the ocean.

Bonnie said...

"How did you get into blogging and what is your favorite part about it? uh yeah, that's two questions, is that ok ??"

I got into blogging out of a curiosity of what some of the woman at church (Mari, Cheri, Brenda, Julie) were talking about. My favorite part about it would have to be finding so many Christian woman living all over the world but still working through the same issues that we can all relate to, learn from, and grow from.

Nise' said...

"What is the one thing you don't want us to know? No, just kidding.
Do you have a favorite TV show past or present? Favorite Movie?"

The first question gave me a good chuckle! I think my favorite TV show would have to be Extreme Home Makeover. I guess it is my love of rooting for the underdog and seeing so many different ideas of how to decorate a home. The favorite movie is hard for me because a lot of the ones I like I would love if they would just clean up one or two parts of it. It is a bummer that they think they need to add the trash in order to get people to watch them.

Tonja said...

"If you were to pick out your most favorite. most comfortable clothes to wear...what would it be? Head to toe...need not match!"

I love me a good pair of jeans so jeans are a must if it is cold out. Now if it is cold out side I have to layer up on top in order to be comfortable. I love these camisoles for my first layer and own many different colors of them. I wear them to bed also because they are just so comfy. On to the next layer, anything long sleeved that fits well but doesn't pull at the shoulders. Now if it is warm outside I like to wear jean skirts that must reach to my knees and these tops. Shoes for summer are my Teva flip flops that I think they stopped making so I don't know what I will do if they ever break. In the winter I am often found in my brown lace up Skechers.

Laura said...

"What one book (besides the Bible) has made a significant impact on your life?"

This is pretty much the same question as Cheryl's so I will list some of my favorite books.

Pretty much anything by Beth Moore
"Lies Woman Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
"Love and Respect" by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
"Sheet Music" by Dr. Kevin Leman
Fictional Favorites include books by:
Karen Kingsbury
Francine Rivers
Terri Blackstock
Angela Hunt (however a couple of them are a bit hard for me to wrap my brain around)

A Stone Gatherer said...

"How did you and Mark meet?"

This is one of those questions I panic over when my kids ask me and I just say at a friend's house. This is true but the part I leave out is because I wasn't making good choices. Mark was 3 years ahead of me in school. He went to West Ottawa and I went to Hamilton. His friend was also friends with my girlfriend's older brother. It was the summer before my Senior year in HS. I had been hanging out a lot at this friend's trailer because he lived on his own and he always had a party going (Know where your kids are going and call them now and then on a land line to make sure they are where they say the are). The first time we met there was an instant attraction for both of us. He asked me to go for a walk to talk because it was loud in the trailer. A storm was coming in and we were watching the lightening. We dated from that night on. Bad choices but God still blessed me. Mark proposed to me the next summer and my parents were against it because they felt I was too young. I truly believe that being engaged to Mark kept me from making a lot more bad choices in college. He really grounded me. I love that guy!

Sarah said...

"What is your favorite cookie recipe?"

I do not like making cookies. I am too ADD to focus long enough to finish it through. I put the first batch in the oven and then I am off to do something else and before I know it I have burnt cookies. If at all possible I put the cookie dough in a bar pan. I usually just make the Toll House Cookie Recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag.

Joanne said...

Joanne forgot to ask a question so I will take the opportunity to share something random. 10 years ago my parents took all of their kids and grandkids on a trip to Branson, Mo. While we were there my two sisters and I went bungee jumping. Crazy! If you are wondering... NO, I will never do it again. I love roller coasters but that was beyond what my brain could handle. I didn't have that hard of a time stepping off the platform it was the awful feeling I got on the way down. WHAT DID I DO?!?! I AM GOING TO DIE AND MY KIDS ARE WATCHING!?!?!

Chad and Tammy said...

"What is your favorite color?"

Purple. Has been as long as I can remember. I also collected bears when I was younger. My first year at college my sweet Father sent me candy and a balloon in a purple mug that had bears all over it for Valentine's. Isn't that cool?

Praise and Coffee said...

"My question is, if you could live anywhere else besides here in West Michigan, where would it be?"

Since I already answered this one I will think of my second choice. I think I would be heading east to the other ocean and pick Maine. I am just intrigued by the charm of it but I have never been there. I am living through Kim on this one. Wink.

So now for the lucky winner....


Here are your random numbers:
9 - 14
Timestamp: 2008-02-14 02:17:42 UTC


Wait a minute! Why are there 2 numbers you ask?
One is for my 100th post and one is to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Surprise!

Congratulations to Cheri and Nise'!

I will let Cheri have first pick since her number is first and then I will mail out the other gift to Nise' as soon as you e-mail me your address.

Happy Valentine's Day!
Smiles!

A Meme from Mari.

5 Favorite Blog Posts Meme

I was tagged by Mari of My Little Corner of the World to do this fun meme.
Here's the rules:
Go back through your archives and post the links to your five favorite blog posts that you’ve written.But there is a catch:

Link 1 must be about family
Link 2 must be about friends
Link 3 must be about yourself
Link 4 must be about something you love
Link 5 can be anything you choose

Post your five links and then tag five other people. At least TWO of the people you tag must be newer acquaintances so that you get to know each other better

Link #1 - Family - Pictures of the ones I love.
Link #2 - Friends - This post about a game at Youth Group, seems appropriate since the word friend is in the title.
Link #3 - Me - A Meme about me.
Link #4 - Something I Love - Seeing my kids helping eachother.
Link #5 - Anything - I get such a laugh at these pictures I had to include them.

Here are the 5 bloggers I am tagging: (Don't feel obligated if you are being tagged for too many of these!)

Hope from Monkey Giggles

Jennifer from The Ramblings of a Crazy Woman

Melissa from Mel's World

Angela from The Potter's Hand

and Beth from A Mom's Life

Trying to stay warm.

Smiles!

I will be closing comments to my 100th post give away later today so stop over if you haven't had a chance to yet.

I'm a "Cool Chick" Melissa says so.

Look at all these wonderful awards Melissa of Mel's World gave me...

Lovable Blog Award

Spreader of the Love Award

Pay If Forward Blessings Award

You Rock the Crib Award

I am going to follow suit and pass them on to all the people listed under the "Blogs I Visit" on my side bar. Because I appreciate all of you!


I am happy to say that my blog is Family Friendly. Is yours?

Don't forget to go to my previous post to enter in my 100th Post giveaway.
Smiles!