The Ruiter Family

Almost as if Weston Found an Old Friend

2011-06-02T23:54:00.000-04:00

I came across these pictures from when we were in Erie at the zoo over spring break. Weston and this ape (baboon...orangutan...whatever) sat and looked at each other for at least 2 minutes. Then at about the same time they both walked away. It always makes me smile.

Holden's First Movie

2011-02-11T19:37:00.000-05:00

Holden wanted to make his own Thomas video so he played out the following story, he was telling it as he went, but the audio isn't very clear.

A Little Snow Goes a Long Way!

2011-01-02T21:10:00.000-05:00

When Addie got up this morning she was so excited that, "winter is back!" So Addie, Holden and I went out to play for a little while after church today. Once we got out there and realized that we did not have enough snow for a snow tunnel, all they wanted me to do was pull them in the sled (since it didn't go down our mostly grassy hill). We got a new camera for Christmas so I figured it was the perfect chance to check it out.

Happy Birthday Weston!

2009-12-10T13:35:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe that our baby is 1 already!

He's such a fun little guy, with LOTS of energy and smiles.
Weston's walking and talking (okay, he says mama, maema (grandma), dada, and peez (please - I want that!)...these do technically count as words!).

He is ALL boy as he is constantly climbing, wrestling with his brother and he LOVES to play with anything with wheels (tractors, cars, trains, purple barbie convertibles, etc...).

We have been so blessed by Weston this past year. He is truly a joy to have in our home and we look forward to seeing continue to learn and grow in the coming year.

O Christmas Tree....

2009-11-30T13:41:00.002-05:00

We enjoyed our annual Thanksgiving weekend outing to the Tree Farm to pick out our Christmas tree. While there was no snow this year, there was plenty of MUD! The mud in combination with Weston's new found love of walking, NOT being carried, made for a "fun" time for all! Always an adventure, the truck broke down on the way to the farm, so we ended up taking the van...not as much fun for the kiddos (or dad), but we enjoyed our time just the same.

Family Picture

2009-11-28T13:45:00.001-05:00

Well...we attempted to get a family picture this month. Thanks to our good friend Holly, along with her 3 kiddos, for their excellent job on getting everyone (almost everyone) to look at the camera and smile!

"I'm so sick"

2009-11-02T13:48:00.005-05:00

It's been quite rainy and gloomy around here, which I'm convinced makes sick kids feel sicker. They've been cooped up, coughing, wheezing, sneezing and snotting....but I still think they're cute nonetheless....

Addie the cowgirl, Holden wearing triple pairs of underwear (just in case!) and Weston with beautiful blue eyes to help offset the green boogery nose!

Halloween Fun

2009-11-02T13:42:00.004-05:00

The kids enjoyed halloween again this year. We "made the rounds" on Saturday night, and topped it off with a "halloween party" at Aunt Sherri & Uncle Bob's on Sunday (really a birthday party, but they wore their costumes so Addie decided it was a halloween party!)

Addie was a self-designed ballerina.

Holden was Thomas (what else, right?).

Weston was a froggie (that costume is still cute the 3rd time around!).

We enjoyed trick-or-treating at grandpa & grandma's, the mall, granny & great-grandpa's and Kendra & Kiara's house.

Addie did a great job not eating her candy, and at the end of the night she traded it all in for a new princess barbie!

Holden's 3rd Birthday

2009-10-24T23:25:00.001-04:00

It's hard to believe it, but Holden is 3 years old already! He LOVES Thomas the Train (anything Thomas...trains, books, videos, hats, etc.). He also enjoys painting, playing outside, singing & dancing (twinkle toes).

He had several birthday celebrations this year, and he enjoyed them ALL!

Painting Pumpkins

2009-10-21T22:00:00.004-04:00

Mama's choice...let's PAINT pumpkins this year!!!
The kids were more than happy with this option.
As you can see, everyone involved took this very seriously!
Weston wasn't too happy to be WATCHING! Maybe next year Buddy!

We may still carve our bigger pumpkins....we'll see ;)

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-21T21:53:00.004-04:00

We finally had some great weather & made it to the pumpkin patch.

We enjoyed a hayride, picking out our pumpkins, petting farm, pony rides, pumpkin train rides & more. Weston's favorite = BIG BOY on the pumpkin train, Holden's favorite = "pictures in the face-hole things" (see picture below!); Addie's favorite = pony ride.

Grandparents & Family Preschool Night

2009-10-20T22:02:00.004-04:00

Addie had a special open house at her school last night. She got to invite her Grandparents & family to see her school, classroom and special art projects. She enjoyed introducing us to her teacher and some of her friends, as well as showing us around her school!

Teddy....

2009-10-20T21:57:00.003-04:00

Holden wanted me to give a shout-out to his cousin Olivia in NC...
He got to see Teddy this week!

Whenever the topic of a puppy or pet comes up Holden says....
"I don't like puppies....I don't like kitties...I ONLY LIKE TEDDY!!!!"

Addie's first day of Preschool

2009-09-15T21:24:00.002-04:00

Addie had her first day of preschool today. She was quite excited to explore the room and meet new friends. When asked how her day went, she said TERRIFIC! Then she informed me that she'd invited one of her new friends over to our house! We are so excited that she has this opportunity and anticipate God's working in her life this school year.

Back in the Saddle

2009-09-10T08:19:00.004-04:00

Addie was back in the hospital again for a week last month...this time she was there to start her Special Diet! We pray that this diet helps control her seizures, as well as gives her more energy and stamina. She was such a trooper. She wasn't allowed to eat "real" food for over 3 days, and she took it like a champ. Although it's been a tough few weeks, we praise God that she is transitioning well.

Her time was pretty uneventful (this is a GOOD thing!). She enjoyed her special prizes for eating her "magic meals," visits from the boys, playing with the therapy dogs, crafts of all kinds & even making new friends.

Ready or not...

2009-09-10T08:08:00.007-04:00

The item of the week is the toilet...last week it was the bathtub, but he has clearly moved on to "better" things. I know, you're all saying "keep the bathroom door shut," and I do agree...However, with a newly trained Holden, our bathrooms around here are in constant use as Holden can "make things happen" whenever he wishes in order to get a treat from his "poopoo box." Needless to say, he & Addie aren't too worried about keeping the door shut!

Don't worry, just to keep us on our toes, Weston still tips over the plant here & there, and he still LOVES to eat paper...books, newspaper, magazines, bills...whatever you are holding in your hand or whatever he can pull himself up to & sneak off the table, sofa, ect...

No matter how much one thinks that she has "Weston proofed" the house, he never ceases to find more things to get into.

Nursemaid's Elbow

2009-09-08T08:01:00.002-04:00

As if we needed more excitement around here...Chris & Holden were playing last night, doing their usual routine of flips and tricks, when Holden's lower arm/elbow joint popped out of socket. Daddy & Holden had a fun trip to urgent care. We were grateful for the doctor who immediately knew what the problem was and popped Holden's arm back in right away.

I've omitted all the info about how Holden cried & cried, as it was quite a painful experience for him! We pray that it doesn't happen again!

Boats & Blueberries

2009-09-02T07:52:00.004-04:00

Olivia & Audrey came up to visit from North Carolina a few weeks ago. Our time was packed full of excitement, just right for those 4 and under. We spent time at the cottage...swimming, tubing & fishing. We went blueberry "picking" - term used loosely as for some (Olivia)- blueberry eating may be a more appropriate term. We also went to the children's museum & more. We miss you already & can't wait to see you again soon!

On the GO...

2009-08-02T22:07:00.000-04:00

Weston is officially a moving machine. He goes up, over and all around! Over this past month, he has quickly moved from crawling to pulling himself up & he is now beginning to cruise the furniture.

Holden is often found bringing his toys upstairs & playing with them at the table so they are "out of reach." Addie prefers to play with her polly pockets in her room with the door shut! Watch out big brother & sister....here I come.

Tubing Fun

2009-07-30T15:10:00.000-04:00

We finally got out tubing this summer. I'm not sure who enjoyed it more the kids or Chris & me!

Happy Birthday "lil" Grandma

2009-07-27T15:02:00.000-04:00

We celebrated the "lil" Grandma's birthday by visiting her at the cottage. Addie & Holden each picked out a few small gifts for her and made special birthday cards explaining their gifts...How do you justify a small nerf ball, a pizza cutter & a first aid kit? Grandma "LOVES" playing catch with us, the "lil" grandma (& grandpa) "LOVE" to eat pizza & "now if I burn my feet on the hot sand at the cottage the "lil" grandma will have boo-boo bandaids to help me feel better." These were for GRANDMA right???

Happy Birthday Grandma! We LOVE you!

Ice Cream with Grandpa!

2009-07-18T14:36:00.001-04:00

Holden & his Grandpa (aka the "lil Grandpa") have a lot of things in common, one of those things being their love of ice cream. When there is a limited suppy, things can get a little "ugly" when the two are forced to "share!" As you can see, grandpa did get a few bites of this one!

At the Car Wash...

2009-07-18T14:28:00.002-04:00

A weekly event around here this summer has been the Car (okay, VAN) / Bike Wash. Addie & Holden wash their bikes while daddy washes the van &/or truck. I always try to make sure we do this on Saturday evenings so that everyone gets an extra bath for church on Sunday!

The Watering Shoe

2009-07-06T14:44:00.002-04:00

Part 1

Part 2

Read to Me...

2009-07-02T14:15:00.003-04:00

Holden has continued to LOVE having a little brother around...One of his favorite things to do is to read to Weston (when he can get Weston to stay still & OUT of his trains!).

Shipshewana

2009-07-01T14:05:00.005-04:00

One of our fun day trips this summer was a trip to Shipshewana. We all enjoyed an authentic Amish horse & buggy ride, a carousal ride & the kids had fun riding real ponies & petting farm animals. Chris & I enjoyed walking through the flea market for some "adult time." However...one child (not naming any names) wasn't quite in the mood for a nap (as usual)!

Yum-Yum

2009-06-28T23:12:00.003-04:00

Weston is lovin' just about any baby food or cereal he gets...his favorites are currently squash, prunes & oatmeal (in any combination!). As long as it's daddy feeding it to him, he's usually pretty happy!

Pump it Up

2009-06-28T23:10:00.002-04:00

Enough said!

Summertime cowgirl

2009-06-28T23:07:00.003-04:00

Addie's cowgirl costume has changed a bit...out went the "Princess" and in came the "Daisy Duke!"

Movie Feater

2009-06-28T23:02:00.003-04:00

The coolest place seems to be our basement, so the kids have been making their own "Movie Feater" in the evenings. Yes, we are working on the /th/ sound this summer! Hopefully in a few months, we'll all be able to say "Movie THeater!"

It's been hot up here in Michigan lately...

Brothers....

2009-06-28T22:52:00.004-04:00

One of Chris' favorite movie lines is "Brothers don't shake hands, BROTHERS gotta HUG." (From the movie TOMMYBOY).

This truly applies to Holden & Weston. They just can't get enough of each other... Here are some pictures. (I have a few cute videos, but need my talented husbands help to make them blog-worthy!)....

The Little Grandma & The Big Boy Pants

2009-06-26T22:17:00.004-04:00

Lucky for us, Holden started to show "interest" in wearing his big boy pants just before the Little Grandma invited him to spend a few nights at the cottage with her...She worked a miracle and WA-LA...Ho-man came back just about potty trained!!!
THANK YOU LITTLE GRANDMA!!!

**Sorry...no pictures yet, as they weren't really appropriate =)

Crazy Crown Head

2009-06-26T22:12:00.011-04:00

Weston wants to give a shout out to his big cousins Olivia & Audrey in North Carolina....just to say thanks for the lead on the Crazy Crown Head. Many a Glupker has sucked & chewed on his crazy crowns...Weston has now joined the ranks.

**Sorry the video is sideways...I'm new at this video stuff, just turn your head or stretch your neck =)

Water Logged

2009-06-26T22:02:00.007-04:00

With all the HOT, beautiful weather we've had lately, we've been spending a lot of time up at the cottage. The kids LOVE the water. It's fun to watch their creativity in the water. Addie pretends she's Ariel and reenacts "The Little Mermaid." She also loves to run and jump off the end of the dock to her daddy. Holden loves to fish with his Spiderman pole (for HOURS), run in the sand and play with the boats in the water. Weston is very content to sit on the beach under the umbrella and watch his brother and sister and the boats go by while he plays with his own toys. It was a joy to listen to Addie say to herself as she played "This is so much fun," "I love this," and "This is THE BEST!"

The Cabin Experience

2009-06-16T13:33:00.004-04:00

Holden and I went to the cabin in the U.P. over Memorial Day weekend. It was his first trip so he had a lot to learn. We visited our friends the Folkersmas, Mackinac Island, and hung out at Rudyard Township Park. Holden loved it even though the bugs were so bad at the cabin you couldn't even go outside. It was so bad that our first night there we had to sleep with the sheets over our heads to keep the mosquitoes off. I guess a pretty big swarm of them must have gotten in when we were bringing in our stuff.

Tulip Time Parade

2009-06-15T21:56:00.005-04:00

We met the Big Grandma and Grandpa at the Tulip Tome Parade even though it probably was a little to cold for the kids. Everybody loved it runny noses and all.

Weston even demonstrated his ability to fall asleep anywhere. I think you get the idea.

And of course where ever large masses of people gather, Elephant Ears can't be far behind

Update: New Sandbox

2009-06-15T21:32:00.007-04:00

This goes way back to April so bear with me as I try to catch you up on a few of the springtime highlights.

We finally built a sandbox for the kids during Spring Break. Uncle Aaron, Grandpa and Holden were a huge help. You can see some of the progress in the pictures. We moved about six yards of material out of the sandbox with shovels and wheelbarrows and them six yards of sand back in with shovels and wheelbarrows.

The kids started enjoying is right away. They can spend hours out there playing.
Addie thought a beautiful flower would be a great additition to the sandbox. Maybe this wasn't quite what she had in mind, but the loved it until Holden wanted to water her.

New Blog Background

2009-04-16T11:43:00.002-04:00

In honor of planting season, the 3-2 boy-girl ratio in our house & the fact that my husband has put up with a rather obnoxious girly blog the past month, I changed our blog background.....

If only they had a Thomas the Train/Princess/Burp Cloth/Diet Coke/John Deere combo, then we'd REALLY reflect this house & it's personalities!!!

Happy Easter

2009-04-16T07:49:00.003-04:00

We enjoyed a full day of celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord on Easter with family and friends. We began with our annual Easter Breakfast at church, followed by being in the 2's & 3's nursery with 16 kiddos for 2 hours (all of whom where pumped up on their Easter basket chocolate). We then went to Granny & Great-Grandpa's house, followed by Grandpa & Grandma Ruiter's. It was a great way to end Chris' spring break. The kids have had quite an adjustment getting back into the swing of things, and Addie reminds me SEVERAL times a day..."I miss my DADDY!"

Easter Egg Coloring

2009-04-16T07:40:00.003-04:00

We did our annual coloring of the Easter eggs on Saturday. It's always a joy to have to have 6 cups of dye & a very inquisitive 2 year-old. Holden found it a lot of fun to color his fingers...all different colors. Fortunately none ended up on the floor. It has been a joy this year to see the kids understand why we celebrate Easter, and be able to verbalize why it is such a wonderful day!

Weston and Holden

2009-04-03T22:21:00.001-04:00

Weston is growing up fast and Holden is really loving his new playmate. A month ago Holden would hardly notice Weston, but now that Weston is alert and responds to him he loves it.

The Circus

2009-03-08T16:05:00.002-04:00

A couple of weeks ago the circus was in Muskegon and the little Grandma and Grandpa invited us to come check it out. I wasn't expecting much, but was really impressed by how great it was. The kids loved it and were able to go wander around the rings before and after the show.

Summer Come Soon

2009-02-21T19:51:00.002-05:00

Since it is about as far from summer right now as it gets, Addie and I went into the archives and brought out a couple of our favorite pictures from the cottage. We're hoping we can get back to the beach soon.

Scrapbook Store

2009-02-21T15:02:00.002-05:00

My husband just informed me that a scrapbook store "threw-up" on our blog. While he was at it he said, "No, maybe a baby shower blew-up on it." "Our family is 3/5 male..." I admit that this background may not completely fit our family, but I'm having fun playing around with different backgrounds, and I don't quite feel like going through and changing everything again. Sorry if it's overwhelming!

Weston

2009-02-16T07:57:00.009-05:00

Weston is growing like a weed. He had his 2 month check-up last week, and weighed in at over 13 1/2 pounds! (Still a full pound less than his brother & sister were @ 2 months, but we don't compare ;)). He's starting to coo and smile a lot, and his older siblings are much more interested in him now that he "interacts" a little bit!

Chris was trying to get him to talk for you on camera...

When you need a friend....

2009-02-16T07:55:00.003-05:00

Ho-man decided he needed a friend last night. When I went to check on him in bed, here's what I found...Not too soft or snuggly, but a friend no less.

Happy Birthday Addie!

2009-02-16T07:47:00.006-05:00

It's hard to believe that our little girl turned 4 last week. She has had a rough year, no kiddo should have to experience what she's gone through as a 3 year-old. Her strength and resilience continue to amaze us. She has not complained or felt sorry for herself through all the seizures, hospital stays, blood draws, doctor visits and tests of the past year.

Our Addie is a creative, caring, outgoing and beautiful little girl. She has such an excitement for life and people. She brings smiles to our faces & tears to our eyes. We can not wait to see how God uses her and these experiences for His Glory!

We love you Addie!!!

Sorry Dad!

2009-01-28T16:44:00.004-05:00

Since the day he was born, Holden has been dressed in John Deere Green. He has gone to the tractor store to "look around" on several occasions. He rides daddy's little tractor & goes for rides to look at tractors & combines whenever he can. His father has unapologetically taught him how to farm the carpet in the basement. Then all of a sudden, Holden woke up one day obsessed with Thomas the Train. I could see the look of despair on Chris' face.

Don't worry, Holden will still look for tractors & combines. He loves to go to the tractor store & he'll wear his John Deere Green. However, when given the freedom of choice, he clearly chooses his Thomas Pajamas, Thomas Train to play & sleep with and Thomas books & movies at the library. Don't worry daddy, I'm sure he'll come back to his roots some day!

Beautiful Ballerina

2009-01-18T14:44:00.005-05:00

Addie began ballet class this past week. She had fun getting dressed up, but she is still a little concerned about where her "prince" for her dance with is, as the class is all girls!

Our Guitar Heroes

2009-01-18T14:39:00.005-05:00

Aunt Lynn got Guitar Hero for Christmas this year, and she was kind enough to have us over to play. The kids loved it & really got into it...too bad they have their mother's sense of rhythm, but they still look good trying!

Disaster Prevention

2009-01-06T12:24:00.007-05:00

Holden has proved to be a rather creative and challenging thinker over the past month. This has particularly kicked in since we added Weston to our family. We are trying to stay one step ahead of him. In the past couple months, he has shown interest in using the "Big Boy Potty." We have tried to encourage this. However, he has recently begun trying to be independent with self-cleaning as well. I mean to say that he goes into a private place, actually anyplace other than the bathroom, to do his "duty." Then he takes off all his clothes, diaper included, gets the wipes and tries to take care of things. He has found that the best and most private time to do this is during nap time and in the middle of the night. So, on a number of occasions, we have gone to check on him, only to find him completely stripped & a poopy mess...We have attempted a number of things to deter this activity, and this picture shows our recent disaster prevention for night time. Yes, we realize he looks like a goober, but its better than cleaning him up at 2 am....

Speaking of goobers...

A Taste of Christmas

2008-12-31T18:46:00.005-05:00

This Christmas was pretty busy. We were able to keep it to one party a day for five days. The kids did pretty good, but by the end of the week there were pretty tired. Here are a few of the highlights from the Grandparents' Parties.

Ruiter Family Christmas

2008-12-25T19:21:00.005-05:00

Our tradition on Christmas Eve is to celebrate with the immediate Ruiter family. We always enjoy a gourmet meal, prepared by Chris' sister Kim & her husband, Dean. This year we had Indian cuisine. The kids enjoyed playing with their cousins and exchanging gifts. We are so fortunate that everyone lives close enough to do this every year. We are also grateful that we made it there & back safely, as we have had a plethora of winter weather & snow this past week.

Summertime

2008-12-19T22:34:00.003-05:00

We got about 10-12 inches of snow today. It was pretty nasty for most of the morning. This is a picture at about 3:30 when it was just winding down.

I had this video around from this summer in case you are from Western Michigan and got dumped on today. We aren't supposed to get snow again until the blizzard this weekend. :-)

Christmas Program

2008-12-15T10:08:00.002-05:00

Every year at church our 2's & 3's sing "Away in a Manger" & "Jingle Jingle Happy Bells" in the Children's Christmas Program.

We were so thankful that Addie has been doing well enough that she was able to participate. She sang all the words and stood & behaved beautifully for the songs, this alone brought tears to our eyes, as over the past 6 months we've wondered if she'd get her personality & skills back. We were very encouraged by her behaviour last night & praise God that she is doing so well right now.

Needless to say, Holden brought tears to our eyes for an entirely different reason.
This year Holden was the only boy there, typically he has 3 or 4 other friends to sing & dance with, but this evening it was Holden & the girls. The girls all behaved beautifully. Holden is definitely staking his claim as the middle child, and he will not go unnoticed. The video speaks for itself.

Adjusting...

2008-12-13T12:44:00.007-05:00

Many have asked, "How are the kids?" I thought I'd do a quick update, which is best summarized by the pictures.

This is still my favorite picture of Weston...the look on his face says it all. Where am I? What's all the commotion about?

This picture summarizes Holden's philosophy right now, "Get while the gettin's good!" No one is watching....right?

Addie is doing her best at being a big sister. Despite intermitent melt-downs, she is loving having Weston around. She likes to hold him, and we're working on saying "I'm done now, please take him." As opposed to throwing, rolling or dropping him with no warning. Mom & Dad are quick, but not that quick! You can see the subtle look of mischief in her eyes...

2008-12-08T14:19:00.009-05:00

Weston Henry Ruiter

Born :12.7.08 4:29 A.M.

8 pounds 10 ounces

20 inches

Fall

2008-11-07T18:47:00.009-05:00

How great is it to be out in the yard with the kids in November. The weather allowed the kids to play outside in the leaves a few different days this week. Addie was determined to dig a tunnel and all Holden wanted to do was run the leaf blower.

Holden was even able to get a little business done while he was out there.

This last shot has to be my favorite of the bunch. I think it is such a great shot. Now you just have to figure out if it is Holden or Addie.

So Addie's tunnel didn't really work... She loved it anyway. ;-)

Princess-Cowgirl & The Monkey

2008-11-01T13:54:00.010-04:00

For the past several weeks, Addie has been determined to be a Princess-Cowgirl for Halloween. She has had a definite picture in her mind of what it would entail, and every few days or so she would reveal another part of her costume. In the end, she ended up with her princess dress, necklace, gloves & shoes; horse-on-a-stick; and cowgirl hat with a tiara attached. She was quite proud of her costume.

Holden, on the other hand, refused to choose or try on a costume (could it be because he knew that they were all hand-me-downs?)... UNTIL....he realized that wearing a costume & smiling cute while saying "dick-or-deat" meant that EVERYONE gives you candy.

As we walked around the neighborhood, both kids were really more interested in all the other kids and their costumes. Addie was determined to find the "lady-bug's house." Every house we went up to she said "Is this the lady-bug's house?" (A little girl had come to grandpa & grandma's dressed as a lady-bug earlier in the evening & Addie really wanted to make friends with her.). Holden's repeated observation was "Those kids are running...I better run too!" Holden was really disappointed when we were done. He hung out by Grandma and Grandpa's door greeting all the older tricker-treaters hoping anyone would take him with.

It's amazing how innocent he can look when he wants to. For instance, when he is creeping towards the door. I think he is even doing the "look nonchalant," whistle in the first picture.

Either way, its pretty obvious that they even out did Uncle Josh and Aunt Bethany's costumes this year. Don't worry guys there is always next year.

Birthday Boy

2008-10-30T13:12:00.005-04:00

Our little man turned 2 this past week. It's hard to believe the things that he is doing and saying. He is literally a "little man."

Thanks to Grandma Glupker (aka the "little grandma") for throwing him a nice party on his birthday, complete with balloons, hot dogs/mac-n-cheese, and grapes & strawberries -- all of Holden's favorites!

We were also blessed in that Addie had one of her best days in several months.

Our Dancing Queens

2008-10-26T22:45:00.002-04:00

Fall around our house is a great time for so many reasons, but the most important of these is the return of "Dancing with the Stars." Addie fell in love with the dancing, great costumes and judging last year and thrives on it still now. The unfortunate part is that Holden has gotten the fever as well. As you will see Holden has latched on to the whole pageantry of the event as much as the dancing

As you can see I still need to work on my footwork. Think of it as a work in progress. Oh well... there's always next year.

Holden's Bible Verse

2008-10-19T14:21:00.003-04:00

Holden has started "Big Boy" Sunday school and now gets to do great activities and learn Bible verses. His favorite so far has been Psalm 95:3 "The Lord is a great God." I think part of that was the awesome craft that he got with it. He loved waving the signs all over and telling us all the things that God made as part of his creation.

He really wanted to thank one of his teachers, Aunt Chris, for all the hard work she did to make the craft. (I'm pretty sure the only thing Holden did was put the stickers on the side of the cup)

Cousins

2008-10-11T21:18:00.002-04:00

Addie has gradually been improving over the past few weeks. Earlier this week, Grandma Ruiter (aka "The Big Grandma") was coming through town with the kids' cousins, Aiden & Elena. Elena is one of Addie's favorite playmates in the whole world, as she is older & does a great job entertaining her. Anyhow, they stopped by for a short visit and this just made Addie's whole week!

"Great" Aunts!!

2008-10-11T21:12:00.004-04:00

We are truly blessed to have such wonderful, supportive family & friends. This past week, we (I) were (was) particularly blessed by the kids' aunts, Aunt Kim & Aunt Sherri. Last week, Aunt Sherri came & played with the kids & stayed with Holden while I went to a doctor's appointment (see picture). This week, Aunt Kim (I forgot to take a picture) came and played with the kids while I cleaned and prepared the nursery for the new baby. She brought my favorite soup as well!

Thanks Aunt Kim & Aunt Sherri! We love you!

Business is Good

2008-10-11T20:54:00.002-04:00

Holden has been using the computer a lot lately, but I guess we never realized how serious he had gotten.

The Mosquito Bandito

2008-09-28T23:53:00.005-04:00

We made our annual run to the "Pumpkin Store" (you know, the place where somebody is getting rich selling pumpkins for $5 that he got by the ton.) The kids did pretty well, mainly because we only let them out of the car for a few minutes.

After the huge rains we had a couple weeks ago the mosquito population has been unbearable around our house. We can only play outside for a few minutes at a time because the mosquitoes start carrying the kids away. I even got this picture of Holden mid swat.

Holden never really knew what mosquitoes were until the past week and a half. He really gets it now.

I spoke too soon...

2008-09-28T21:25:00.004-04:00

Addie decided to give Holden some of her "easy" puzzles, so she & Chris brought them down to Holden's room & put them nicely in the drawer for him to find later. Guess when he found them??? This is what I found when I went to check on him...

...Again, he always ends up nicely tucked in his bed, sleeping soundly.

Holden's Big Boy Bed

2008-09-21T19:21:00.004-04:00

These past few weeks Holden has decided that he does not need to stay in his crib. So, we decided that he was ready to transition to his new room & big boy bunk beds downstairs. Yes, this means that we now have 2 monitors...Addie's on my side & Holden's on Chris'. We're thinking that when the baby comes, we'll have to have a shelf labeled with a monitor for each child.

He is doing pretty well...He wasn't too keen on the idea the first few nights when he tried to get out, but so far he always ends up sleeping in his bed when we go down to check on him.

I've included a few pictures of the week's progression!

I Love to Play

2008-09-15T13:21:00.003-04:00

We are back home. Addie is transitioning to another med change. Pray that this new med is the one that controls her seizures.

U of M (Day 2)

2008-09-12T20:24:00.003-04:00

The video pretty much speaks for itself...

It makes for a long day when Addie is only allowed out of bed for potty breaks.

We got a lot of information from the doctors today, we will probably even be going home tomorrow (Saturday).

U of M (Day 1)

2008-09-12T07:53:00.005-04:00

We had an entire day to get Addie settled, she did pretty well considering the first thing they did was hook her up to the EEG before we ever even saw "our" room. Her EEG also did a strobe test to check for her reaction to the light, you can check that out below.

Notice we said "our" room, as we are currently sharing with 3 other kiddos! The accommodations really make Calvin's dorms look like luxury suites. We were really spoiled at Spectrum, but never even knew it. Addie has already tested all the bed controls, call buttons, and light controls. The food service is pretty efficient, they always ask, "Is this all for the patient?"

Once she was in the room she cuddled up in her blanket and relaxed pretty well until her new friend Saddie showed up.

Gator Repair 101

2008-09-07T14:45:00.002-04:00

Holden has been working on his gator more lately than driving it, which is good, because he does not really get the whole idea of steering yet.

Fun at the Fair

2008-08-25T14:22:00.010-04:00

Every year we do our best to take the kids down to the Hudsonville Fair. The food and animals are a big hit, but nothing compares with the tractors. It seems a little pricey to spend $11 for a gyro and a Mountain Dew, but if it is only once a year it's worth it (okay, it's twice, we usually go to the Ottawa County Fair as well).

Holden really wanted to try out the rides, but when we were there on Monday they were still setting up. He has a great pitiful face, but there wasn't a thing I could do.

The most important part of the fair every year is getting to sit on every tractor there. I try to discourage them from getting on any that aren't green, but they don't really get the whole idea of brand loyalty yet.

Grandpa even got into the act a couple times!

Holden is hooking up to some piece of equipment.

It is always fun for the kids to watch the tractor pulls to, once they can sit still for more than 12.5 seconds I might actually pay to watch it from the grandstands, for now, it seems pretty cool for them even if we are watching from the dumpster outside the fence (give me a break, I just spent $28 on dinner).

Aunt Bethany this shot is for you ;-)

Thanks Uncle Aaron

2008-08-16T18:28:00.003-04:00

Uncle Aaron stopped by the other day with some gifts for the kids. I think from now on his gifts are getting screened.

I think the kids enthusiasm speaks for itself, but Beth and I are still getting used to getting whacked and seeing our little "Starlet" running around the house.

Thanks Uncle Aaron and Aunt Lynn

Holden's Haircut

2008-08-14T14:34:00.007-04:00

We decided it was time to get Ho-Man a haircut when his aunt started calling him her favorite "Girl Nephew"

As you can see it was getting pretty shaggy!!!!!

I took him to Jude's Barber shop where he loved all the TVs, but only sat still when the fruit snacks were coming one after the other.

We can't decide what style we like more. The "Quick and Casual" look or the "Hot Date Night" look. Chime in and help us decide.

Addie's Flower Garden

2008-08-14T14:17:00.003-04:00

Truth be told, I didn't use any weed & feed on the lawn this year so we have developed a few areas (acres) of clover. Addie found the one out in the front yard this week and loved picking flowers for anyone that would accept them. Holden even got into the act when he found out he was allowed to go that close to the road.

Holden's Vacation

2008-08-11T14:30:00.011-04:00

This past weekend Holden was able to go on vacation while Mom, Dad and Addie stayed home. He traveled with the Lil Grandma and Grandpa to Uncle Josh and Aunt Bethany's in Erie, Pennsylvania and then on to visit his cousins in North Carolina. All he can talk about is watching his Bible song video in the car on the way home. After looking at the pictures Beth and I figured he had a pretty good time, which isn't to hard as long as you feed him. (It will be obvious from the pictures.)

What did Holden do in Erie?

Eat!!!!!

What did Holden do in North Carolina?

Eat More!!!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for making sure he was well nourished on your trip!!!

Photo credits:Photos 1,2,3 Bethany Glupker Photos 4,5,6 Aimee Glupker

Great Shot

2008-08-03T21:29:00.002-04:00

When it comes to taking pictures, sometimes Holden just gets it. (See picture below)

On the other hand, this is what you get when you ask for his best smile.

The Most Expensive Shoes: EVER

2008-08-01T20:08:00.004-04:00

We spent a couple hours at the Children's Museum the other day. It went great except for one thing-I forgot Holden's shoes. So a quick 25 dollar stop at Payless on 28th street netted Ho-Man a new pair of Diego Shoes. Be sure to look for them in the video,

McNuggets at the Park

2008-07-27T12:31:00.001-04:00

The kids love nuggets on the go (I don't mean in the back seat this time).

Some of our Favorite Pictures

2008-07-25T15:15:00.002-04:00

Aunt Bethany was great enough to send some pictures of the kids from the 4th of July. I thought I would share some of our favorites.

Addie's EEG and Reward

2008-07-25T14:37:00.007-04:00

Life with Epilepsy does not seem like a huge adjustment for Addie, Its her over-protective, touchy parents that are the difficult part.

One thing that Addie has been amazing about are doctor's appointments, tests, and blood draws. A couple of weeks ago we had to go to get some blood drawn and after waiting in the waiting room and seeing a few other people go in she said, "When is it going to be my turn?" We hadn't even told her why we were there...

Last week she had to have a 24-hour EEG. We had to go to the hospital during nap time to get the EEG attached and she had to wear it for 24 hours. She was awesome. She did even better than Beth and I. They glue 24 probes onto her scalp and she never even cried when they put then on or took them off.

Her borrowed four pound turtle backpack

Addie called it her "Ponytail of Many Colors"

Getting it all taken off.

Addie does not usually bribe very easily, so we typically don't even try. This time Beth and I had been so nervous about how she would do we told her we would go straight to the cottage if the EEG went well. Since Holden had already been up there for a couple of days with grandma, we thought it would only be fair.

In the world you will have trouble, but be courageous-I have overcome the world!
John 16:33b

Practicing our ABCs

2008-07-22T18:14:00.004-04:00

The ABC song has always been one of Addie's favorite, but now Holden has been loving it at bedtime. They end up singing it anytime anywhere.

It Takes Two to Tango

2008-07-21T16:02:00.003-04:00

This is my first attempt at working with video on the computer, it is pretty rudimentary, but is still somewhat amusing.

JUNE 2008...

2008-07-16T19:10:00.004-04:00

It's hard for me to think about last month, June 2008, without a great deal of emotion. On June 5, our beautiful daughter, Addison, had 3 grand mal seizures. We spent the following 5 days in the hospital with her. She was diagnosed with epilepsy. This has been the most difficult thing that Chris & I have ever experienced...watching your child go through this and not being able to help or take it away. We are so grateful that we serve an all-knowing, all-powerful God who knows exactly what He has planned for Addie. It has been, and continues to be a tough realization, but we know that God is in control and He will protect her.

We were home for 2 weeks and then she experienced 3 more seizures. The doctors have adjusted her medications again, and we pray that Addie will quickly be on the correct dose of the right medication for her in order to stop the seizures.

We are so thankful for all of the prayers, encouragement and support that we have received from our family, friends, church family, etc. We are blessed to both be home all summer to attend to Addie at this time.

Holden has been quite a trooper as well! He has been somewhat "shuffled" between home and grandparents houses. He adjusts well, and actually seems to really like the attention!

MAY 2008...Busy, busy, busy...

2008-07-16T19:05:00.003-04:00

This month was a busy month with school wrapping up, Chris coaching track and me not quite feeling as well as I'd like!

Addie had her first dentist appointment this month and Holden's vocabulary exploded, as he is putting together 3-4 word sentences!

One highlight of this month was having family visit over Memorial Weekend. We had a great time playing & even had a large family picture taken!

APRIL 2008...Road Trip

2008-07-16T18:56:00.013-04:00

What a fun month we had. The highlight of April was our trip with Grandma Glupker, aka "The Lilgrandma," to Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

In Pennsylvania, we visited Uncle Josh and Aunt Bethany. A highlight of this trip was seeing a number of other long-lost relatives at the Erie Zoo (see pictures!).

After a few days in PA, we loaded up and headed down to North Carolina to visit our cousins Olivia and Audrey, as well as Uncle Chris & Aunt Aimee. We enjoyed playing with them in their new home, going to the Children's Museum & we even attempted a "Storytime" at their local library. Needless to say, Holden was kicked out of the class almost before it began b/c he couldn't resist the stage! Olivia, Addie & Audrey LOVED it though (thanks Aunt Aimee & Uncle Chris for making such a nice couple in the front row, while mommy got to chase Ho-Ho & claim him as her own!).

We also found out this month that we are expecting baby #3. It's been a little rough as I was "quite ill" and Addie & Holden don't slow down for that! Addie's initial reaction was not exactly positive, as she just kept saying, "but I already have one - Ho-Ho, that's ALL I NEED (or can handle?). We assured her that this baby will be a "new baby" and not come out as a 28 pound 18 month-old!). Now she is very excited, and she is just sure that the baby is a girl.

Catch-Up!

2008-07-16T18:54:00.003-04:00

Well....what can I say? I think it's time that I get back on the blog wagon & play a little catch-up! It's now the middle of July & I haven't blogged for 4 months! Much has happened in our family over the past 4 months...let's see..........

Kids Night!!!

2008-03-18T19:18:00.007-04:00

Our Byron Center McDonald's has kids night on Tuesdays. They have $1.50 Happy Meals ("4 Happy Meals please") and crafts for the kids. The craft tonight was a bunny mask for Easter. It ended up being more of an adult craft, but turned out well anyway. The kids didn't want to wear them until they saw each other then couldn't stop laughing.

It wasn't until we were leaving that we saw they had blue bunny parts for boy masks. Sorry Holden...he liked Addie's princess tiara better than his pirate toy anyway.

Needless to say, as Beth left for volleyball she reminded me that between the ketchup and the Carmel apples it should be bath night.

Thanks Honey

Daddy Time

2008-02-26T20:52:00.003-05:00

It has been so cold with our snow this year we have not had any good chances to get outside. Since it has been staying light a little bit later we had a pretty good chance this afternoon after dinner. Addie had four things to do on her list; sled ride, snow angels, snowman, and a snow tunnel.

Mission (almost) Accomplished!!! (it was to cold to make a snowman, the snow wouldn't pack)

RED SAUCE!!!

2008-02-25T22:15:00.004-05:00

It's no secret that Holden LOVES red sauce...Anything with red sauce is his favorite. Ketchup...plain or dipped, spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, you name it. If it's red with a tomato base, he loves it.

That's the background to the "situation." The "situation" would be that something that Holden has been eating or doing doesn't exactly agree with him. By this I mean that the culprit goes straight through him. Resulting in another not so pleasant "situation" several times a day. In addition, a somewhat painful "situation" also develops on his bottom.

So, being the proactive parents that we are, we thought this was possibly caused by the extensive amount of red sauce that he tries to consume (quite successfully, might I add). Therefore, we stopped giving him red sauce a few weeks ago. The poor little guy has been literally BEGGING for the stuff. After having lasagna followed by leftovers of lasagna a couple days in a row - in front of him - without allowing him to have any, we finally gave in to just a "little" bit of the good stuff...

More birthday fun...

2008-02-25T22:03:00.009-05:00

Addie just loves her family! We enjoyed celebrating January & February birthdays this past weekend with the Ruiter side. Addie is beginning to appreciate others' birthdays in addition to her own. It is always a special treat when her cousins, aunts, uncles & grandparents get together!

Don't forget about me!

2008-02-10T20:58:00.001-05:00

Holden does his best to keep up with his big sister. He even shows interest in her interests, as pictured here!

Birthday Girl

2008-02-10T20:24:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe, but our little girl is now 3 years old.
She is all of 3 and all girl!

Her top 3 favorites are:
1. Crafts
2. Princesses
3. Dora

Our Top 3 favorties are:
1. Her hugs & kisses
2. Her praying & singing (Praise Ye the Lord...Hallellujah, Row-Row-Row Your Boat, This Little Light of Mine, etc.)
3. Her imagination - when playing alone she acts out and tells the most elaborative stories no matter what she's playing with - dolls, food, animals, crayons, etc.

We tried to let her pick what she wanted to do on her birthday, and in true 3 year-old form, she just kept saying "open presents!"

So, we helped her decide.
After daddy made pancakes for breakfast, we headed to the children's museum because Addie has been asking to see the Bob the Builder exhibit. Both she and Holden had a great time. Following the museum, she picked corn-dogs and ice cream for lunch. That evening, Grandma Glupker took Addie, Holden & mommy out for dinner, as daddy & grandpa had plans.

Several of Addie's family & friends called her for her birthday. Everytime someone said "Happy Birthday Addie," she replied with "Happy Birthday to YOU too!"

What a blessing Addie is to us. We pray for her continued health and safety, and moreover that she grows to be a godly woman who loves & serves the Lord!

Snow Day Hats!

2008-01-31T13:09:00.000-05:00

With all the winter weather, mom & dad have each had 2 snow days. While we have certainly enjoyed these days, the cold blizzard-like conditions have meant increased "family" time - at home, INSIDE, with only so much to do! The novelty of ALL the toys & even the new Christmas toys has seemed to have worn off.

It has been a joy to see the two of them use their creativity and imaginations.

One morning at breakfast, Addie announced that her pajamas looked like a space suit. She needed to make a space helmet/mask out of her craft supplies. She (with a little help from dad) did a pretty good job!

Holden has decided that EVERYTHING is a HAT. It doesn't matter what - his sister's pull-ups, bowls, buckets...you name it!

Addie has spent her time building spaceships, forts & race cars out of couch cushions & blankets with her daddy.

And Holden has spent his time (when not creating new hat-wear) demolishing his sister's creations, thus often resulting in a wrestling/screaming match!

Christmas Pictures!

2008-01-05T21:24:00.000-05:00

Christmas 2007

2008-01-05T15:00:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that the holiday season has come and gone. The tree is down and the decorations have all been put away. We had a wonderful Christmas, which lasted about 2 weeks, with a number of family members and friends.

We were all healthy this year, and we were able to attend a number of family parties - Ruiter & Glupker immediate family; Ruiter, Walthorn, Glupker & Kietzman extended families; gathering with friends on New Years Eve; and our own immediate family Christmas on Christmas morning. We are overwhelmingly bless by God to have such a loving and caring extended family all around us!

A few highlight for Addie: She is our little princess. She enjoys playing dress-up, reading her "Bible Stories," playing with dolls, dancing and anything DORA. She is now able to identify her capital letters consistently, state her birthday, and tell the entire story of Jesus' birth in detail (thank you Grandmas!). Okay, she does much more, but you'll all think I'm just a proud, bias mommy =) She enjoyed playing with friends & her cousins this Christmas, and she really missed her "other" cousins Olivia & Audrey who weren't able to make it home for Christmas.

A few highlights for Holden: He is our little (okay BIG) BOY. He is all boy! He loves tractors, balls, ELMO, and chasing his sister. His vocabulary is expanding every day (daddy's favorites are Combine and Tractor - yes, they are accompanied by the correct sound effects!). Our little climber, he is either on the run or climbing onto the kitchen table...His holiday stitches are out & the boo-boo is healing very nicely, but he'll definitely have a scar to go along with his story!

Ho...Ho...(Ho) & the Seashell

2007-12-26T05:08:00.001-05:00

After enjoying a peaceful Christmas morning at home, opening presents and enjoying time with just our family, we loaded up and headed over to Granny & Great Grandpa's to celebrate Christmas with the extended Kietzman family. This is an annual tradition, with the most common danger being the slick, wet stairs upon entry to the basement...that is until this year.

We made our timely entrance at 1 PM. Feeling good because we all made it down the stairs without falling (I'm not kidding!). As is the tradition a number of us sat in a large circle downstairs, with the children running around inside the circle of adults adults looking on.

Exit Daddy to the next room to get some yummy holiday grub, while mommy sat and watches the little ones play. Reenter daddy.

Enter the seashell (not by the seashore, but on the coffee table in granny's basement). This looked enticing to little Holden (Ho-Ho, as those who love him call him), as he'd been told a few times to leave the presents alone. He began to play about with the seashell in hand.

Exit mommy to the next room to also get some yummy holiday grub. Just as I pick up my plate to begin, I heard such a clatter & looked over to see what was the matter. When what with my wondering eyes should I see? But a child full of blood and a husband a flee-ing.

Anyhow, I wont embarrass myself by trying to make this cute.

Somehow, Holden had fallen on the SHARP seashell (no, we didn't realize it was sharp until now) and sliced open his forehead. I was in quite a panic & my husband was in a state of near-passing out, (Neither of us was calm, Chris was not cool, and I was not collected) so, thankfully Grandma Glupker escorted the 3 of us to urgent care (and, no, for those of you keeping track this is not our first time).

To make a long story short (or longer), in addition to his presents, Ho Ho received approximately 26 stitches - 13 inside & 13 outside - on his forehead on Christmas day.

He was quite a trooper. I think the urgent care doctor asked 4 or 5 times (seriously) "Now how did he do this...a seashell?" Yeah...I can see it's that time of year here!

Winter Wonderland

2007-12-24T12:56:00.000-05:00

Addie made her first official snowman (with daddy's help) this past week. She was quite proud of herself. After making the body, she was insistent that her snowman have a carrot nose! Mom provided the carrot nose & cookies for the eyes, while dad found the other pieces around the card.

Holden tries for alternative methods of warmth while helping mommy do the laundry!

While daddy loves to play outside in the snow, mommy prefers to stay nice & warm & cozy inside during the lovely Michigan winters. Both Holden & Addie enjoyed helping me make our annual Peanut Butter Balls for all their teachers at church. Addie is getting quite good and rolling the "balls," but she much prefers the peanut butter pancake! Don't worry...we all washed our hands - several times!

Catch-Up!!

2007-12-10T14:10:00.000-05:00

Okay...It's been a while since I've updated so I thought I'd try to quickly update on our happenings since I last wrote!
We've had a fun and busy month! Some highlights have been our trip to North Carolina to visit our new niece/cousin, Audrey Elizabeth, for Thanksgiving, Addie getting her ears pierced, Holden running & falling & climbing & falling & running & falling & climbing & falling & on & on....

Cousins!

Bling Bling!

Who Me??? Black & Blue What?