Recent happenings

Broadway Musical Bunco
Big Bear. CA

Lauren and Brynn in Big Bear, CA

Lauren and me at Miramar Lake

Nick's 9th birthday party

Palm Springs with the Brouwers, Jansmas, Browns and Jongetjes

Our Offspring- Palm Springs

Brynn's first pedicure

My stars of the Spring Program- Grass and a lamb

Nicholas shooting his BB gun in the backyard with Lauren

Finally an Update!

Well, I finally have downloaded my camara pictures onto my computer- haven't done that since September, so I thought I'd share a few pics and blog a little. It's been an eventful last 4 months, most noteably my mom had uterine cancer surgery and we are so thankful that the biopsy results of surrounding tissue came back negative, so no further treatment is needed for that. I thank God for that. I had a busy fall taking a class and working 3 days a week. My class is done and I'm looking forward to a little less hectic schedule now. Nick and Brynn have been loving school, and make our lives interesting. I don't have a lot of time to write right now, because Lauren wants me to come outside and help him with some yardwork. It is a beautiful sunny San Diego day in January. We went to the beach yesterday since it was in the 70's and had a marvelous time. Hope you are all well!

At Arlan and Amber Roest's house NYE- looking at the full moon.
Brynn and Amy

Petting the sting rays at Sea World- our last trip of the year on December 30

Christmas with the family- Lauren's side

Nick and Brynn after their school Christmas Concert

Making Christmas Cookies together

Lauren and Brynn as "Cleopatra" for Halloween

September Days

Brynn and Mikayla at the 1st grade picnic at school.
BODIES Exhibition at San Diego Natural History Museum

ON Johnny Appleseed Day, Brynn insisted on wearing this Spaghetti strainer for her pan on the head. :-)

Fun in the fall leaves (our front yard)

Cousin Garrison's Birthday party- Singing happy birthday at the top of their lungs.

Doing Pedicures with Mom

Doing our pedicures in the kitchen sink

End of Summer

Last day of Summer Vacation together at Bates Nut Farm
Luau day at Camp Calvin- my Hawaiian Kids

Nick and Lauren at San Elijo State Beach

Sea World

I love sitting around drinking coffee on a Saturday morning! With nothing that needs to be done until Nick's soccer game this afternoon. It feels great to just have some time to myself. Lauren's off running, Nick is playing video games, and Brynn is playing with her dolls in her room. I think we all are enjoying doing our own stuff.

Nick and Brynn are back in school and loving it already. They both have awesome teachers. As they are getting older I am trying to let go a little more and let them experience their own lives. It feels awesome to know that the other people influencing their lives are people who love God. It makes it worth all that tuition money. They come home talking about values and ideas from their teachers that I love to hear them understand. They are learning to be servants, and already looking out for the underdog. My biggest hopes and dreams for them are to be true lovers of God.

San Clemente Beach

Brynn and Grandma Jongetjes

Cousins
Brynn, Greg, Gabe, Nick and Garrison
Amy, Lauren, Gil and Gwyn (Lauren's sister)

Me and my honey

Enjoying the View
Gabe and Brynn

We camped at the beach with Lauren's family this weekend and had a great time!

Summertime in So Cali

Nicholas and Lauren went fishing at Lake Wolford. Nick is great at casting his line! They rented a little boat and tooled around for hours.

This is the bluegill that Nicholas caught. Brynn wanted to have her picture with it. It was pretty tasty!

We camped for 5 nights at Carlsbad State Beach. Nick went surfing for the first time, and caught some great rides! Lauren was pretty proud of his little surfer!

We did a lot of scootering down the road at the campground.

Many great family memories made- here are my favorite peeps hanging out by the campfire.

We had a great time with our friends on Lauren's 37th birthday. Everyone brought their kids, and they had waterballon fights in the backyard, played in the spa, and made a tornado thru the house, while we enjoyed good company, tri-tip, sat around the firepit, and generally just loved hanging out with our awesome friends!!

Lauren and his pals. - Arlan Roest, Troy Brown, Jim Jansma, Lauren, and Steve Katje

June Celebrations

Disneyland with Mom and Dad, and the Dyks

Laguna Beach with the cousins

Grandma DenOuden's 90th Birthday Party