Scott - he just had to!!

And there you have it - Scott's mind at work again on how he can out do what his wife. The kids really enjoyed it!! I guess my challenge to you is - Who can out do Scott? I want to see pictures!

What did you do today?

Alex, Riley and I built some snowmen. What a great day! What did you do today?

Annual Shopping Trip

Every year we (my mom and sisters) pack it up for an overnight stay for our annual shopping trip. I was so excited to go this year (i missed last years)! It was so different though - Amy and Betsy live in DC so they were not able to come and Sara had a funeral to go to on Saturday so she was not able to make it. That left Michelle, Katie, Mom and I. It was so much fun. We have a tradition of taking a picture before, during, or after the trip. This picture is of us near Ikea in Canton - at a Tim Horton's with our box of Timbits (funny at the time). Overall I think Michelle and Mom accomplished the most in Christmas shopping and I think Katie and I accomplished the most in shopping for ourselves and kids. We laughed and cried (that is laughing until we cried). What a great time.

I am ready for next years trip already - HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET ALL OF US TOGETHER.

FALL BACK A LITTLE

Well I see I am a little late on the fall blog. Fall is definitely my favorite season. I love the smell of dried or burning leaves. I love being outdoors in the mid 60 degree weather! There are so many memories I can remember as a kid in the fall time - playing in the leaves and of course Halloween. I wish I had a scanner so I could show you some costumes of some Halloween pasts. Instead here is my update on us this fall.

It starts with our new house - Isn't it so awesome in the fall! I LOVE IT!

I had to throw this picture in - Alex fishing in the pond with his new fishing pole - I think he is confused if he is to be a fisherman or a cowboy!

CARVING PUMPKINS WITH AUNTIE SARA

Alex's mean pumpkin

Surprise!

LIGHTS OUT

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HALLOWEEN at Church

Alex, Chase and Maddie - Chase's mask kinda scared me

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THE LEAVES

Maddie in her own world - she raked her own leaves and did not know I was taking pictures

Alex, Maddie and Zach

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MAKING APPLESAUCE

I decided to do some canning of applesauce and apples for apple crisp. I went up north to my moms house - FUN

SUSIE HOMEMAKER - :)

My mom working hard

Oh and then there is Alex - my mom gave him a huge - and I mean huge sucker - here he is when he was finished - A STICKY MESS - not sure if he is mad that it is gone or that I am taking his picture - Either way - he makes me laugh!

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Give thanks to the Lord for HE is good - His love endures forever!

STILL HERE - MORE TO COME

Just a note to say hi to all my fellow bloggers. I am happy to say we have internet now and I will be updating my blog after the weekend. I have the BIG GIRLS SHOPPING TRIP tomorrow - so excited!!

Here is a new picture to look at for the next few days. Doesn't my sister do a great job?!?

Happy Birthday Alex!

ALEX IS FIVE!!
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I can not believe how big he is getting! And Oh Man - Turning the big 5 was so exciting! For weeks - or should I say months he has been asking - "when is it my birthday?" and on his birthday yesterday - he made sure to tell everyone!
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He has been a busy birthday boy - We had a party last Sunday with other family members who had birthdays.

Alex, Aiden, Jessica and Scott's Dad
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The pinata was the hit of the party!!

Alex's turn

All the cousins waiting to get a turn
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Then Yesterday - He had his birthday celebration at School with all of his friends and teacher. I had so much fun watching him and all his excitement!

The Chimp sang Happy Birthday - I will post a video soon!

The Birthday Star

He has been into the Star Wars and I know how much he loves books - SO Scott and I got him - A DK book of all of the Star Wars - It will take him months to page through it


This book goes everywhere now!

Even got Maddie to look at it with him!
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Alex then of course could not wait for his Chuck E Cheese Birthday party with the rest of his cousins and grand parents!
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The party was for the small and BIG alike!


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This is Alex at the end of the night - 2 seconds after getting in the car on the way home from Chuck E Cheese:

Overall - I think He Had A Great Birthday!
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We all love you Alex!
You are a precious GIFT FROM GOD!!!
God BLESS you with MANY MORE BIRTHDAYS!!

Love

HAPPY 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

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September 19, 1998

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September 19, 2008

Then...

Now...

What a beautiful day!!

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Scott and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary. As my mom and sisters would say - I was like a girl going on her first date! I was so excited to spend some time with Scott out in South Haven. Since we have been back from South Africa we have hardly seen each other (which is completely different than seeing him 24 hours a day in Africa). And then I was thinking - DO I STILL GOT IT! 11 years later am I the women he fell in love with?!

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We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast in South Haven. It was so nice. This is the hors doeuvres that they served to us while we looked at menus of restaurants near by.

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South Haven

SUNSET on the beach

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Scott once asked me What is love? (He was not sure what to say when I confessed my true feelings for him one day in 1997 - I never wanted to be the first one to say I love you to a boyfriend). I think you can define love by what we are - our lives together. We have been greatly blessed! 2 lovely children - Maddie 7 and Alex 5 - an awesome adventure of living in Africa - and the list can go on and on..
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A gift for a 10 year anniversary is to be aluminum, tin, or diamonds. I got all three!


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You say what is that? - 10 aluminum roses handcrafted by Scott (coke cans, jolt cans, a mountain dew can, and barbed wire).
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This is the card that was with it (+/- a few stuff)(hope you don't mind Scott):
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I couldn't decide what to get you for our anniversary and apparently they say you are suppose to give either tin, aluminum, or diamonds. So I did all 3. The aluminum coke cans are red so that you know I will always love you and to remind you of our adventures in South Africa. Tin is a metal which is strong but sometimes can be weak and fragile. The tin vase represents the strength of our marriage with the realization that there are things that could easily weaken it. Finally, the "diamonds" that the flowers are planted in represents the value of you and our marriage to me. Our marriage and you are a huge part of what defines me and they both mean the world to me. You and the kids keep me humble, make me feel loved and needed daily and give me a great purpose for living.

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I knew I loved this man for a reason!!! He used to write these lovely sentimental notes when we were dating and it is nice to see him still writing them! I love you Scott!!
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Here's to another 60 years or so!