Happy Day Mikaila!

Happiest of Days to Miss Mikaila!

Mikaila and Tom-Cat - July 2011

Mikaila - July 2011

The Gardener - July 2011

The Cross Stitcher - July 2011

Mikaila and Rob - July 2011

Happy Day!!!

Mikaila and Quinten - June 2004

Mikaila and Family - July 2006

Mikaila, Kristi, and Quinten - July 2007

Mikaila - 2009

Mikaila - November 2010

Hello to all from Michigan(:

This year I joined Science Olympiad, so I'll be competing in different events at statewide competitions throughout the winter. I'm doing Forensics, which requires me to solve a crime using techniques that actual scientists use, and Disease Detectives, which has to do with food borne illnesses. I'm pretty excited(:

Michigan Science Girls

But as with any sort of extra curricular activity, there's fundraising. In this case, we're selling pies.  There are lots of different kinds, the only problem is transportation, so it'd actually be a donation.
Pies are $9 each, and we're supposed to sell 20, and I've sold 8. They're so we can go to the Clio Invitational over by Detroit in January. It's an overnight meet, and it determines whether or not we make it to State. If we make it to State, it opens up a lot of opportunities for us students. So all in all, it's a for a great cause. (:

If you'd like to donate, please make checks out to Allendale High School Science Olympiad.

The deadline is November 22nd.

Thanks bunches!

--Kierstyn(:

October 2nd is a Special Day

Happiest of Days to double-digit Q!

And what better way to celebrate an anniversery than a U of O Football game!

Mikaila, Krisiti, and Quinten - Summer 2007

Chuck and Barbara - December 1962

First Day of School 1967 and 2010

September has rolled around once again...

and once again it's time to go Back to School.

Matthew will begin his freshman year at the U of O later this month, while Jack is starting his first year of school as a Home Schooler.

Eddie and Beth - Sept 1967

Mikaila -Sept - 2010

Mikaila and Quinten - Sept 2010

Quinten - Sept 2010

Thank You! It was a Good One.

Happy in between the holidays. Just thought I would share some moments from our day (actually just the morning). I also wanted to send big thank yous. Auntie, I absolutely love the Santa! He is perfect and unlike any of my others. Tom was impressed that he was real wood. Beth, the books are great. Quinten has already asked to read the Hockey one with me. The first dog one is very cute too.

Lex, love the Honora (but how can you go wrong with Honora?). Shirts good for Kierstyn, but the look on her face when she thought you gave her the electronic crossword was priceless! Mikaila liked her books, but she will probably "borrow" Quinten's, too. Again thank you all.

Notice that our pets are very involved in the holiday celebration. Murphy spent most of his time sleeping under the tree. But once we started opening gifts, he and Abby were right there watching.

Afterwards, Murphy found a box and slept the rest of the day in the box. I'm still trying to clean up after it all. Tom took this picture when we had opened everything. Yes, I got a new garbage can (Tom had broken the lid on the old one) but lucky for me there was another gift inside.

Mikaila's Birthday Wish

All week Mikaila has said she would like snow on her birthday. It started to snow last night and it was forecasted that we would get 3-4 inches. Instead this is what we woke up to.

10+ inches !!!!! With more snow showers during the day.

The birthday girl was happy, although school was canceled so her class cupcakes will have to wait.

Good snow for snow angels.

Happy Birthday Mikaila!

Wishing you the Happiest of Days Mikaila!

December 2003

August 2005

Champions!

Just wanted to let everyone know that Mikaila's team the Tulips won their division championship last Saturday. Today was Quinten's division championship tournament. The Tigers won the first game easily, but had to pull out a nail-biter for the title. At the bottom of the third they were down 10-3. Two innings later they came back to win it 10-15. Quinten was played first base both games and also hit a triple! He got on base every time he was up.

We are very proud of both them. I was too busy cheering to take pics. Sorry.

Life in Michigan

Well reading about all of the gardening going on in Oregon, I thought I'd post some pictures of what my garden and yard looks like here in Michigan (since none of my extended family has ever been out here. Hint, hint)

View from my front door.

Below are pictures of our backyard. Tom built our deck last year and we can't believe how good it turned out.



.

This a view of my raised beds. Quinten, Mikaila, and Kierstyn all have a bed that they plant. We are also growing peas and potatoes. The big bed on the left is our "Oregon Garden." We planted nasturtiums, zinnias, and bachelor buttons all from memories of loved ones in Oregon.
We also have a garden plot out by the pond with popcorn, pumpkin, and watermelon.

We have also been busy with the all American past-time. Kierstyn has just finished up pitching for the JV softball team for the Allendale Falcons. It was a long season and and the ended up 14-14. She was one of 2 pitchers and we are very proud as she is only a freshman. She continues to be a straight 'A' student and is in the middle of studying for finals. School finishes up this week.







Quinten has been playing machine-pitch baseball. He loves it! Actually he loves just about any sport. His great-grandmother would have been so pleased. He is remarkably good at which ever sport he tries (hockey, baseball, soccer, etc).
Mikaila plays machine-pitch softball. Her team is not near as into it as Quinten's team, but she sure loves to slide. She has many hobbies like reading, writing stories and illustrating them. She also has been known to compose a song or two.

Lastly, I am now in limbo after graduating from my program and trying to find a teaching job. Late spring not such a good time to be doing that. Oh well, better get going. Take care all.