new pictures

Hayden, me, Jeremy and Nile at Iowa Speedway

Aubrey at the pool

Jeremy and Hayden at t-ball

Memorial Day Weekend

I hope everyone was able to enjoy some extra family time this past long weekend. We had a great weekend with lots of fun activities.

Friday started with taking Hayden to school for his zoo field trip day. Then Nile, Aubrey and I went to a few garage sales and Fareway. Then home to clean the house really well. Jeremy got off work a little early so he headed down to Tracy with Nile to mow at his parent's church. Aubrey and I headed off to school to pick up Hayden and then to a few more garage sales. I had great luck finding some really cute things for Aubrey and a few things for Hayden too. We were hoping to have a fire that night but the weather didnt cooperate so we went to Applebees with Papa Larry instead.

Saturday morning Hayden and Daddy had their last t-ball practice while Nile and I headed to a few more garage sales until it started to rain pretty good. After lunch we all enjoyed naps since we knew we would be up late at the Knoxville races. Jeremy's parents came up after supper to stay here and watch Aubrey while the rest of us went to Pella Corp night at Knoxville. We all had a great time at the races and had fun going to the pits afterwards. Aubrey had a fun night with Grandma Cathy and Papa too!

Sunday we had church, lunch, naps and then the weather turned out nice so we had our fire and roasted hot dogs and made smores.

Monday we slept in, enjoyed pancakes for breakfast and then played outside some. After lunch we headed to the Pella pool for opening day. The boys had a blast and didnt want to leave. The water was still pretty cold but it was still fun. Then home for some rest before the first t-ball game of the season. Hayden did a great job at his game getting two hits without using the tee and getting a few outs while playing first base. The game was especially fun because they played Hayden's best friend Aidan's team.

Today is Hayden's last day of Kindergarten, I cant believe how fast this year has gone! We have had so many changes in our family this year but we are thriving and enjoying every minute God gives us. I am really looking forward to this summer since we have a pass to the Blank Park Zoo and just got our summer pass to the pool. This fall I will have a preschooler and a first grader!

Count down to Summer break

The countdown has officially be going for a few weeks but we are now on the last full week of Kindergarten for Hayden. I am looking forward to letting everyone sleep in - myself included! Only 5 days left. Pella had two snow days this year so they are making them up this Friday and the Tuesday after Memorial day.

Not sure what our plans will be for Memorial day with Jeremy being off work too. Hopefully it will be nice this weekend and we can get outside in the backyard and have a fire. I have had smores ingredients in the pantry for too long!!

Back to the Kindergarten topic. We have been very blessed this year for school. Hayden had two fantastic teachers - Mrs De Jong & Mrs Visser. We feel very spoiled to have had such great teachers for our oldest child's first year of big kid school! We have been very happy with Lincoln school too. I have taken Hayden to school in the mornings with Nile and Aubrey riding along and Jeremy had typically picked Hayden up after school since it is right after he gets off work. I will pick Hayden up on his last day since they are getting out 1 hour early.

So hears to having all my chicks together again during the day. Hopefully I can survive the summer since it is my first one home full time and I am taking my first class at Iowa too. So far that is going good. Almost ready to turn in my first paper out of three and take my first test out of three. I guess I will not better how I am doing after I get those done and graded.

Zoo day

my babies :-)


the boys' favorite animal

prairie dog!!

Yesterday wasn't the nicest of days outside but we decided to take a trip up to DSM to go to the Blank Park Zoo and do a little shopping. I was fortunate enough to take advantage the groupon for the zoo earlier this year so we are hoping to get a lot of use out of our family pass this spring, summer & fall.

It was raining off and on they way up but it wasn't too bad once we got there. The zoo is doing a lot of updating right now so there is a lot of construction going on but we had fun walking around and seeing the animals that were out. I am very excited to see all of the changes later this summer when they are completed.

We had a minor incident while walking through the indoor animal areas. If anyone knows me very well they would know that I have a huge fear of birds!! This may sound silly to some of you but I just cant help it - they really freak me out!! We had walked all the way through the indoor exhibits but there were two blue bird creatures blocking our exit. Due to my "concern" for my children we had to back track all the way through to get out. Then we were on our way to Jordan Creek to hit the mall, Costco, Red Robin, Kohl's & Target. The kids were all actually really well behaved and we all had a nice time!

Tulip Time 2011

after the kids Klompen Classic fun run

my Dutch babies!

my beautiful family getting ready to enjoy the lighted parade

Hayden riding on a float with some other boys in his Kindergarten class

waiting to walk in the baby parade

I am finally getting around to blogging again after the craziness of Tulip Time and Mothers day. Last Wednesday night we enjoyed the decent weather and Jeremy and I walked in the Klompen Classic. The boys have been running in the kids fun run before hand so we took them to that again this year. It is so much fun to watch all the kids running the 2-3 blocks. Nile wanted Jeremy to run with him again this year so I was watching for them but Nile was ahead of Jeremy so I didn't get a picture of them running. Then we were watching for Hayden in his group and he never can! Jeremy went over to the finish line to make sure we didn't miss him, but then a volunteer walked up with Hayden where we were standing. Apparently he fell down shortly after the start and scrapped his knees up and didn't get to run. This launched a huge meltdown. He was upset that he didn't get to run and said it was his favorite part of the night, etc. I think all the good Tulip Time treats he got with Grammie and Hot Rod Buddy while I was walking helped his mood. I had planed to take Aubrey in the stroller for the walk but it was too windy and she already had a runny nose so she stayed with her brothers and Grammie and Hot Rod Buddy.

Jeremy and I walked the 5k is 51 minutes and I jogged the last few blocks with the boys. It is such a fun way to start off the Tulip Time festivities and they announced it was the largest 5k in Iowa!!

Tulip Time was extra busy for us this year since Hayden is now in school full time. He had school till 11:20 AM Thursday and Friday and then he had to march with his class on Thursday afternoon and Friday afternoon he was on the future bergermister float. He really enjoyed being about to take part in both of this activities. I decided Friday night that it might be fun to take Aubrey and the boys in the baby parade Saturday since they all had costumes and looked so darn cute in them. I was able to track down a costume for myself at the last minute. I love all the different costumes and think everyone looks great in them until I look at myself in the mirror!! Oh well, it is just for fun right?! Nile wanted to be a "hander outer" so we went through the Easter candy and brought that along to hand out to some kids watching the parade. Nile decided he didn't like this shortly after we started but Hayden enjoyed it and I am sure the kids who got something did too! Saturday night the boys rode in a fancy new truck from Pella Motors that my dad was driving pulling a float. It is so cute to watch them just wave the entire time! Like I said this was a busy year for us. Aubrey really enjoyed watching the parades and waving, yelling, clapping and dancing. It was also fun to see her in her costume since it is one my mom had made for me when I was little!

Mothers Day was beautiful weather! We started the day by skipping church since we didn't have Sunday school (shame, shame) and heading out to the campground to eat breakfast with Jeremy's parents. After that we came home and got cleaned up to go to Pizza Ranch for lunch with the Rozenboom crew. Then on to my parents house for coffee time. Needless to say we didn't eat much for dinner that night! Nile decorated a card for me the week before at Sunday school and Hayden made some great presents for me at school this year so I got some of the best homemade presents ever!!

All in all it was a great week and I am looking forward to it again next year!!

Blessing!

Allison