Getting ready for my va-cay!

So much to do.
So little time.
One bathroom cleaned.
Living room dusted.
Keeping on top of laundry and dishes.
Grocery shopping done.

One more bathroom to go.
Vaccuuming to do.
Straightening the kitchen.

Packing.
Making lists.
Getting the boys ready.

Love this time of year.
But so much work.

Exhausted before I even arrive!
But it's a good thing. :)

My Mother's Day Gifts

I got the surprise of my life for Mother's Day!

Most of you know I have been taking baking/decorating classes and practicing like crazy...and DREAMING of going into baking full time one day...

So...

My husband said to me...
"What baker doesn't need a Kitchen Aid Mixer?"

I love it.

It is amazing.

I don't know how I've lived without one so long!

Then...

I had discovered this little gadget in a magazine and online.

It's a cake pop maker!

I have been wanting to attempt cake pops next...but all of my baking friends have told me they are quite messy!

With this little gadget, all you do is fill the holes and presto!

Instant cake pops!

All you have to do is decorate afterward!

Thank-you hubby and boys!

You really surprised me!

I love you all!

Nate's first baseball game!

This was Nate's first baseball game!

He decided out of the blue this year that he wanted to play.

He has never so much as picked up a ball and wanted to play catch, so it really caught us off guard when he announced he wanted to play!

I am so happy that he decided to try something new and he is giving it his all.

He gets confused sometimes.

He doesn't understand everything.

But he doesn't get discouraged.

He just asks questions and keeps on trying!

I am so proud of him!

(Here's silly Ev hammin' it up for the camera!)

Geeg and Papa were here at his first game to cheer him on!

Nate is number two.

Do you see him?

There he goes!

Batter up!

Nate got two hits and a run.

They won their game 4-1!

Awesome job Team Yellow (Mead Johnson)!!!

We're proud of you all!

Tulip Time Part 3...KinderParade

Thursday was the Tulip Time KinderParade.

Evan marched again with the Zeeland High School Marching Band.

This is the parade where all the local children participate with props and traditional Dutch clothing.

Some of the local children.

I love the sunflowers.

One of the floats.

Our band!

Zeeland High School Marching Band.

Our color guard girls.

Love our band!

Only managed to get the back of Evan this time...my camera froze up!  Eeek!

Loving the May poles!

Thursday was even hotter than Wednesday.

It was pretty miserable.

Jam and I managed ok...with the help of some Kilwin's ice cream...

But...

Poor Nate...

He doesn't handle the heat too well.

It makes him cranky, LOL!

Oh well...a good time was had by all.

Only one more parade to go...the MuziekParade is the grand finale.

Again...

Happy Tulip Time!

Tulip Time Part 2...VolksParade

Wednesday was the VolksParade.

The kids all had half days of school on Wednesday and Thursday for Tulip Time.

Evan marched in all three parades...

The VolksParade

The KinderParade

and

The MuziekParade.

They start the VolksParade with the traditional "street scrubbing" with everyone wearing traditional Dutch costume.

Mom and dad came up for the day to see Evan march in the parade and then to see Nate's ballgame that night. 
Smile dad!

Both Wednesday and Thursday were unseasonably hot for May.

And that led to a bit of "whining" from Nate, LOL.

Geeg teased him and said he's now referred to as...

"Diary Of A Whiney Kid".

I always love the colorful flags at the beginning.

The governor of Michigan...Rick Snyder.

Zeeland's Cityside Marching Band.

Mr. Good does such an awesome job with our middle school kids.

I personally think the middle school has always sounded as good (or better) than our high school!

Some of the floats...

More floats...

And a few more...

And the reason we go to the parades...

Zeeland High School Marching Band.

Evan is still playing his trumpet.

We're very proud of him.

Here they come!

I see Evan back there!

There he is!

Do you see him?

Cool Ronald McDonald entertained the crowds as well.

Hudsonville Dairy.

These guys are so cool.

They dance choreographed little routines in the streets, playing their spoons and scoops.

Doing "Sound Off" rhymes.

It's pretty neat.

Cityside's 7th grade band.

They are pretty great too!

More floats.

I loved the bear on this float.

He talked and growled about Tulip Time.

He was pretty cute.

The End!

We couldn't have asked for better weather...

Well...

Maybe a little cooler!

But hey, we'll take it!

Happy Tulip Time!

Tulip Time '11...Part 1

Tonight we went downtown Holland for Tulip Time.

We started off our evening...where else?

The food venders!

Who can resist all that greasey festival food?!?

I even heard one lady on the sidewalk say, "Well there goes my diet for this week!"

Here's Nate enjoying our funnel cake together.

Funnel cakes are one thing we can all agree on and enjoy.

Here's Ev enjoying his portion.

Evan was eyeing the deep fried pickles and steak sandwiches.

Nate was just dying for something to drink.

I had my eyes on corndogs, onion rings, fries, and cotton candy, LOL!

(We didn't get all that...we just enjoying "sniffing" it all!  We just got our funnel cake and took a bag of cotton candy home.)

Sometimes I think this is what heaven must smell like!

After stopping off at the "Sandcastle" toy shop for a bit, we went down to Centennial Park.

We walked around for a bit and looked at the tulips and Nate did a little pose for me in the street scrubbing girl's outfit, LOL!

My little "Natina".  Hehe!

The boys always give in and let me snap a few pics every year.

They are so nice to humor me.

Me and my babies.

I'm glad they'll still hang out with me every once in a while.

(As long as there's food involved I can usually bribe them, LOL!)

They both decided to get a little silly and pose in the Dutch Dancer frames.

A couple little ducks stopped by the fish pond for a swim.

In all the years we've gone to Centennial Park, I don't think I've ever seen a duck in there!

About 15 minutes before they were supposed to begin, they cancelled the Dutch Dancing for tonight (bummer!) due to severe weather.

It started raining just a bit, which is permitted, but once the lightening started, they had to call it quits.

We were bummed but we had a fun night out anyway and are looking forward to the three parades later in the week.

Evan will be marching with the band.

We are just praying for good weather!

Happy Tulip Time!

"I'll love ya more!"

Nate was trying to convince Evan to do something for him...

Nate:  "Come on...please...I'll love ya more..."
Evan:  "Ewww...yuck...ya grosser!"
Nate:  "Ok...I'll love ya less...please..."

LOL...guess ya had to be there...it was pretty funny!