Random tidbits

Things have been quite busy around here lately. Ray just got home from work so mommy gets a few moments of "me" time. :) I figured I'd give you all an update on what's going on around here and other random tidbits.

• Trevor has figured out that the volume/channel and other buttons are on the side of the tv. You may be in a middle of a show and bam it's on something else.


• Trevor's personality has grown leaps and bounds within the past few weeks. He's such a little talker. The terrible two's have set in as well. His new thing lately has been to say "soon." "I'll go wash my hands soon." In other words I'll do it when I'm ready. :)




• Gretchen is going to be a great mommy some day. She just needs to realize it's not time yet. No more yelling and spanking Trevor.


• I've watched Cars enough in the past few weeks to cover me for the rest of my life. Trevor wakes up in the morning and from nap time and wants to watch Cars.


• Gretchen deems it necessary to collect every princess thing made.


• I'm finding it more and more difficult to watch tv with the kids when every commercial is trying to sell them something.


• I'm trying to explain the difference between wants and needs with Gretchen. It's quite difficult.


• I made some bars last week and realized that we go through at least one 18 oz jar of peanut butter a week! Peanut butter sandwiches for the kids and Ray takes them to work most days. Good thing Kroger's had them on sale and I stocked up.


• After having dogs for 6 years, I think I'm more of a fish/turtle owner. I'm tired of the dog hair. Maybe a cat in the future.


• Gretchen is more like me everyday and it's SCARY!!
  


• Everything has to be green for Trevor. Green silverware, green glass, green shirt and green candy. It's all about the tractor color.


• Trevor informed me Saturday morning that he wanted yellow pants for Christmas. He yelled at me again this morning about yellow pants. Crazy kid.


• Ray is working full time at ITC and then going to the rv company for a few hours to help them out which means he doesn't get home til supper. Last week he worked at ITC for 42 hours and then Glacier Bay for 19. I think the kids are handling that better than mommy.


• Gretchen is learning that mommy doesn't buy everything, only if it's on sale. She knows about the yellow and blue signs at Meijer's.


• Trevor loves cheese. I was making supper and he informed me he needed cheese. I gave him some; he ate it and then told me his hand was empty, he needed more.


• Trevor loves to give kisses and hugs. He also tells him stuffed animals that he loves them but refuses to tell Ray, Gretchen or me that he does.


• My kids give the best hugs and kisses!!


• Trevor loves to listen to Keith Urban at bedtime and nap time. At nap time he has this unbelievable ability to know when the CD is over and cries bloody murder as if someone has stolen his music.

Trick-or-Treat

Cinderella (with her Lilo pumpkin) and turtle (with Mator)

It was a chilly evening. We only made it around the block but the kids' bags were half full. They were thrilled and had a blast. She had to put the Mickey Mouse gloves on once we got back to Ray's mom's house.

Time to try out the candy.

Hurry up dad!! Open up that candy.

Good ol'e candy corn. YUMMY!!

Silver Beach

Last Sunday, we ventured up to St. Joseph, MI for a beach day. The kids have never been to a beach and Trevor loves playing in his sandbox at home. We decided since it was going to be over 90 it would be a perfect day for the beach. The water was a little chilly at first but felt great anyways. The kids loved the waves. We spent most of the time in the water jumping over the waves.

This is sand I know exactly what to do with this stuff. I love it!!

You can't go to the beach and not get a sandy bottom. Mommy also got a nice diaper full of sand too. :)

Look at the waves, mom. Let's jump again.

Building together peacefully; a nice change.

It was a nice, relaxing day at the beach. Gretchen is ready to go again. :)

Mr. T turns 2

First off we are all okay. No one has fallen off a cliff; we've just been busy. At the end of June we had a garage sale at our house and now last week and this week it's at Ray's mom's house. Tomorrow the fair starts and the kids are excited about that. Saturday Ray and I get some much needed us time. We're going to Chicago for our BIG concert (Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker and Vince Gill.) We're both thrilled about that. And now on to the exciting pictures. Mr. T turned 2 on the 6th of July. Here are his pictures.

Just look at those big blue eyes. :)

He loves his tractors.

Trying to look innocent.

Concert Time!!

Once again concert season has rolled around. Ray and I skipped out on it last year but thought we'd try it this year. We received tickets to a nice outdoor amphitheatre as a wedding present and love returning there. It's just outside Chicago so there's not the headache of dealing with all of the traffic. It also gives Ray and I a chance to have an evening to ourselves. That's a rare opportunity for us.
Saturday night was the 1st concert of the season. Julianne Hough and Blake Shelton opened for George Strait. We were actually able to get there before Julianne started. We normally arrive shortly after the first person starts. When we purchased the tickets we didn't realize how close the seats really were. They are fantastic seats - Row W - 23 rows from the front. It was a good concert to say the least!!

A blurry Julianne Hough

Julianne Hough again

Blake Shelton

Blake Shelton again. We didn't realize how tall he was.

The man of the show Mr. George Strait.

Warm weather + playing outside = happy mommy

As you can tell by the title, the weather has been wonderful the past few days. This gives me a chance to take the kids outside and run off some energy. This is much needed.
Yesterday we got out the gator and took turns driving around the backyard. Mr. T was so excited to drive.

He's still working on his steering ability. Notice he's heading towards the bushes and flowers.

The gator is stopped and sister has run away. She wants to make it known that she didn't run over the bush. I wasn't able to get a good picture of her screaming and yelling about how Trevor ran over the bush and daddy isn't going to be happy when he gets home.

He's checking out that bush he has now ran over - making sure it's still there.

I think the look says it all. Oops!

The gator is back out of the bush and he's ready to drive again. I happy to say the bush is okay too. :)

Miss G and her caterpillar. She loves watching them crawl over her hands.

She found about a dozen yesterday morning. They are temporarily in a container but won't be staying much longer.

He's hiding under the slide waiting for sister to come by on the gator. He's planning on scaring her.

Still waiting on sister.

Starting to get a little impatient with her. She's taking too long. He did manage to scare her and it was pretty good too. What a little boy!!

ups and downs

It's been an interesting week here in the Van Daele household. Some days the ups and downs are just like this crazy Indiana weather. We had a few warm days last week and were able to take the kids out to enjoy them. However, the warm days don't last long enough for them. The warm days have now turned back into cooler spring days and the kids are antsy to get back outside. You know it's really bad when Trevor goes to get every one's shoes and hollers at the door. He soon understands that it's chilly when the sliding door gets pulled open and settles for downstairs instead.
Gretchen, well, she's been quite the handful lately. I thought 4's would be easier than 3's but I don't know who I was kidding. Miss Bossy for sure. She's always making sure that Trevor is playing with a toy in the appropriate way and not stealing toys from her. Some days the mornings are great and by afternoon I'm ready for bedtime. She has outgrown "nap time" so I settle for letting her "rest" in her room with a movie. Some days I think it's more rest time for me than her.
Last week a young couple from church gave birth to a little girl whom they took home from the hospital and assumed was healthy. That all changed for them in a matter of 48 hours. Their life was turned upside down and she was taken to Riley's in Indy. She is now in the Methodist Hospital awaiting more surgery. This has hit a soft spot in our household. With this situation and another family from church losing twins about 6 months ago, we realize how very special and miraculous it is that we have 2 very safe and healthy children. Especially Miss Gretchen. There are days that are rough and there are days that are great, but we must learn to take them all in stride. Being a mother isn't easy and no one said it would but there are days that I just look at my children in amazement. It's just amazes me what they can do and how and why God put them into each of our lives. Trust me there are lots more hugs and kisses being passed out in this household lately.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

We must say a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Aunt Carrie. She's the big 30!! That's alot is what Gretchen told me this morning. :)

Aunt Carrie holding Trevor.

Aunt Carrie and Trevor at Christmas time.

Aunt Carrie holding Miss Gretchen.

Miss G and Carrie discussing clothes.

We all love you and Gretchen is waiting for her playdate. :)

the President

As most of you know, Obama came for a visit Monday morning. Ray and one of his sister's friend had waited in line on Saturday morning for tickets. Thankfully they only waited 3 1/2 hours and were able to get tickets. They ran out of tickets 30 minutes after opening the doors. WOW! Monday morning we dropped the kids off at Ray's mom's house and made the venture over to the local high school to watch him. We weren't like some of the crazy people that waited 6+ hours to get inside; we waited 45 minutes. A very chilly and windy 45 minutes I must say. Grandma had the TV turned on for the kids to watch Obama arriving and then speaking. We were told Trevor kept hollering "mommy" and "daddy" at the TV. He was really looking for us in the gym. No such luck for him. We got pretty decent seats for only waiting a short amount of time.

The secret service on top of the school. I have to say that was one of my favorite parts of the day.

Ed the RVer introducing Obama.

The secret service gathered in a corner. And yes, the one lady is on her Blackberry and was for most of the time.

Ray's favorite part was seeing Chuck Todd from NBC.

Once Obama was done speaking, we hurried back into our car and drove over to US 33 to watch the motorcade go speeding by. I must say the minutes before he came flying by is the deadest I've ever seen 33 as far as cars go.

Miss G turns 4

A little update on our lives in the past few weeks. Miss G turned 4 on the 4th. The poor girl was worn out with all the unwrapping she did at Christmas time, that she wasn't in the mood to unwrap her birthday presents. She finished opening some of them the following morning.

She loves to color!!

Mr. Entertainer needed in on the action too.

The next evening the kids had to test out one of Gretchen's birthday presents. Trevor wasn't too sure about this coloring on the tub walls. Mommy says "no" to the other walls. Once he understood it was okay, he loved it!!