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!!

Bowling

This year for New Year's Eve we decided to do something a little different. We took the kids and went out for pizza and then bowling with Ray's mom, step-dad and sister. This is the first time either one of them has been to a bowling alley. It's the first time since we've been married that Ray and I have gone bowling. It might be something we do a little more often now that bowling alleys are smoke-free.
Trevor was all about watching the ball go down the lane and than the pins falling over. He just thought it was great. He probably dreamed about balls that night. Gretchen was a little skeptical at first. Ray helped her the first time and she cried once all the pins fell down. She got a strike the very first time. Thanks daddy! :) After watching a few of us bowl, she got the idea. Soon she was rolling the ball down the lane all by herself. There were a few gutters in there but she was having fun. By the end of the night she was asking me if we could go next weekend. I'd say the night was a success.