40 years...

My parents celebrated their 40th Anniversary in October. We *their children and grandchildren* had a party for them in November when my brother and his family were down from the U.P.
Our other gift to them was a family photo shoot...because it has been a LONG time since we had gotten a really nice family photo.
Here are some of our favorites!!

It's been a L...O...N...G time !!

I have really been a bit of a blog neglector for the last few months. Not reall by choice...more by necessity...or rather more by...the computer was struck by lightning, rendering it absolutely un-usable.

A lot has happened in the 4+ months that we were without daily internet access. I will try to catch you up with a lovely bullet point run down...

• June 19, Storms hit, lightning takes out VanKoevering family computer...many basements are flooded around West Michigan, and complete roads are washed away.
• July 3rd, the VanKoevering family heads up North to the VanKoevering cottage for the holiday weekend...lots of swimming, fishing, kayaking and smore making!
• July 6-10, Shannon has a whole week off of work...and spent time at the Nienhuis cabin, and with Tami and the kids out a Sandy Pines...and just relaxing =]
• August 6, we spent a wonderfully fun day at Michigans Adventure with the whole Nienhuis family * minus Cam who couldn't get off of work =[ *
• August 7-9, we spent the weekend up at the cottage with our friends the Woodards and Katsmas...deep fried turkey...card games...swimming...boating...fishing...and LOTS of laughter.
• August 19th...Shannon's birthday...she turned 30 something...and her husband brought her the most beautiful bouquet of flowers...so loved she is =]
• Labor Day weekend was spent up north at the cabin...very quiet, very relaxing
• September 8th...the girls go back to school...Tate into 8th grade, Quinn into 6th grade and Haidyn into 3rd grade.
• September 16th...Cam and Shannon have been married for 14 years =]
• October 1-4...Shannon and her mom travel to Washington to visit family and sight see...great time!
• November 7...annual VanKoevering girls photo shoot.

So...there I think that about sums up the goings on since my absence began. I have NO idea if any of my hand full of "loyal" readers still check in here, or if they have given up on me completely.

Next up...Christmas greatings from our house to yours...stay tuned...we may just get a little crazy and creative this year??

Washington ~ October 2008

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

the U in JesUs...

Before U were thought of or time had begun, God stuck U in the name of His Son. And each time U pray, you'll see it's true, you can't spell out JesUs and not include U. You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name, For U He was born; that's why He came. And His great love for U is the reason He died. It even takes U to spell crUcified. Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand He rose from the dead, with U in His plan? The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew, and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U. When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension, He felt there was one thing He just had to mention. "Go into the world and tell them it's true that I love them all - Just like I love U."

a night out + a New Kids on the Block concert =

AN ABSOLUTE RIOT... that's what :)

When I won tickets to the NKOTB concert...I could never have imagined how much fun it would be...or how much I was needing a good girls night out.

The people watching was a blast...fishnets and high heels...more cleavage than I care to have to see...butts that become billboards...(Tami I know you are laughing)...all in all it was a bunch of 30 something women...acting like we were teenagers again...and LOVIN it!

*and when you add Donnie Wahlberg...and his very super delicious rear view...well...how can you not have fun...SERIOUSLY!!

My children think I am a major loser for thinking these guys were/are "cool"...they can't believe that I was SO very in love with them...(especially Donnie) 20 years ago.

just because...

just because it may just be one of the most beautiful places God ever created...

and then when I see a picture like this I think...wow...He made it even more beautiful today!

I just had to share!

the economy in the eyes of a 7 year old...

Our family...I'm sure like most families in the country...is trying very hard to watch our nickles and dimes.

We are firm believers that our children should not be shielded from the fact that times are tough. We are very upfront with them when they want to do or get something...most of the time they end up paying for the majority of whatever the thing or activity is. We are firm believers that even at 7, 11 and 13...you are more than capable of working to earn money for the things you want to do. We were not handed everything on a silver platter...and our children are never going to be "those" children. (don't act like you don't know a few).

So...the other night Haidyn was hungry...and I was going through all of the options of what I could make for dinner. She of course said no to everyone...and said "can't we just go out for dinner?" I told her that we really don't have money for going out, especially when I have plenty of food in the house. I told her that she would need to pick one of the choices I had given her.

So, Cam and I are sitting on the couch waiting to hear her response...and she says "are we in a scarcity of money?"

why yes...that is a very good way to put it.

another in a long line of "where does she come up with this stuff"

Brittany's random picture challange...

I have a teenager

I have so many random pictures

I always wondered what I would ever be able to do with them

and then...

a Random picture challenge...

ask and you shall receive

So...here is one of the more random of my random pictures...

my daughter(Tatelynn aka T bug) and her friend(Chloe) wrote each others name on the other ones foot...

and really what is left to do after such a activity but to

take a picture...

to see other random pictures visit Brittany's blog at 4 little men and girly twins!

(well true to form I did not read or follow the directions...SORRY! This is not from February 2009...it is not the first picture from the first folder of anything...and it is of one of my kids, and another kid who is as close to my own as they come...I should probably have read all the way through before posting...but I didn't...so enjoy my randomness anyway :)

March 1, 1996...

So...this post is a few days late...but on March 1 the child who made me a mommy for the first time turned 13!! Holy Crap!! Do I really have a teenager??? When did that happen??? I don't feel old enough to have a teenager!
I was thinking that if the first 13 years of her life went by in the blink of an eye...the next 13 probably will too! YIKES!!!


Just think of all the things that will and may happen in the next 13 years...

• she will get her drivers licence (scary)


• she will graduate from high school


• she may go to college


• she may graduate from collage


• she may move out of the house


• she may get married


• she may have children

Unbelievable...

But for now...she is 13 going on 30...trying so hard to grow up faster than she should.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TATER!!

I look forward to having a front row seat to the rest of your life!!!

Cupid visits Michigan...

Apparently he did not learn his lesson last year???

11 years ago...

on a day equally as beautiful and warm as today...

Quincey Hope entered the world at 5:20pm.

I remember walking into the hospital and thinking how awful it was to have to spend such a beautiful February day...stuck inside having contractions! But...in the end we had our sweet Quinnie Hope!!

Happy Birthday Quinn

you've really grown into a personality all your own.

You're almost the strongest willed child I have ever met...
but...you always manage to impress me with how caring and kind you can be...
(when you want to).

Where have the years gone???

are you ready?

Ready for what you may wonder...

...ready to laugh of course.

Get ready for it...you may need a tissue or two.

Take a few deep breaths...

this good laugh will be courtesy of Haidyn...(were most laughs in this house come from)

So...

she came home from school, and proclaimed...as serious as could be...


"Mom the warthog saw his shadow, so we are going to have more winter!!"


OK...so if you can stop laughing for a second...really think about that...

aren't you glad you got the tissues??

Enjoy the 6 more weeks of winter!

Dang warthog anyway!!!

February...

Ok...so that totally crept right up on me. Does it not seem like just...yesterday we were ringing in the new year??? Why must time fly by?

Well...I have several times over the last few weeks thought of several great things to blog about...and then life happened...and I didn't sit down and blog about them. And...do you think that I can remember those great things now...of course not.

So...I will just post something funny...and maybe I will remember the great things
soon!

You might be from Michigan...

If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling
through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food
will swim by, you might live in Michigan.

If you're proud that your region makes the national news 96
nights each year because Pellston is the coldest spot in the nation, you
might live in Michigan.

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March,
you might live in Michigan.

If you instinctively walk like a penguin for five months out of
the year, you might live in Michigan.

If someone in a store offers you assistance and they don't work
there, you might live in Michigan.

If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle
of his forehead, you might live in Michigan.

If you have worn shorts and a coat at the same time, you might
live in Michigan.

If your town has an equal number of bars and churches, you might
live in Michigan.

If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone
who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Michigan.

You know you're a true MICHIGANIAN/MICHIGANDER when:

1. "Vacation" means going up north on I-75.

2.. You measure distance in hours.

3. You know several people who have hit a deer more than once.

4. You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.

5. You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging
blizzard without flinching.

6. You see people wearing camouflage at social events (including
weddings).

7. You install security lights on your house and garage and
leave both unlocked.

8. You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows
how to use them.

9. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a
snowsuit.

10.Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are
filled with snow.

11.You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter
and road construction.

12.You can identify a southern or eastern accent.

13.Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next
to your blue spruce.

14.You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age.

15.Down South to you means Ohio.

16.A brat is something you eat.

17.Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole barn.

18.You go out to fish fry every Friday.

19.Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost.

20.You have more miles on your snow blower than your car.

21.You find 0 degrees "a little chilly".

22.You drink pop and bake with soda.

23.Your doctor tells you to drink Vernors and you know it's not
medicine.

24.You can actually drink Vernors without coughing.

25.You know what a Yooper is.

26.You think owning a Honda is Un-American.

27.You know that UP is a place, not a direction.

28.You know it's possible to live in a thumb.

29.You understand that when visiting Detroit , the best thing to
wear is a Kevlar vest.

30.You actually understand these jokes!!

IT'S TODAY...IT'S TODAY!!!

Tonight...8pm!!!

Please do not disturb!!!

Blessed...

In more ways than one...
I came home today to find...

• my husband outside cooking steaks on the grill
• came inside to find potatos baking in the oven as well as garlic bread
• the dishes were done
• the laundry was folded

I don't know what they want from me...

But...they just might get it!!!

a year in review...

WOW...

What a year it was!!!

• we got older
• some grew taller
• some grew wider
• some successfully attempted to grow somewhat slimmer
• Cam was layed off for two weeks (but worked the rest of the year!!!)
• Shann worked in the greenhouses for the last year (sadness!)
• Shann graduated from Davenport University
• the girls finished 6th, 4th and 1st grade
• we spent the 4th of July in the U.P.
• Shann started her job at Metro Health
• the girls spent a week at camp
• Tate spent a week in Washington DC
• 1 baby was born
• the girls started 7th, 5th and 2nd grade
• teeth were lost
• teeth grew in
• construction was completed on the Nienhuis cabin
• Cam and Shann celebrated 13 years
• there was much hunting...and much fishing
• we battled many a mouse
• we spent much time with family and friends
• we were loved
• we loved
• we stressed (some more than others)
• we laughed (a lot)
• we cried
• we took steps forward
• we took steps backward
• and...through it all we did our best to trust Gods plan for our lives

And now...we look forward with great excitement
to what the Lord has in store for us in 2009!!

Happy New Year to you and yours!!!