Christmas Programs 2011

This evening we had the Christmas program at church led by the children. The title was: "The Pathway to the Birth". Carter was a little Shepherd boy and the girls read scripture and sang the traditional Christmas hymns. The picture of Carter above is him ringing his yellow bell during "Go tell it on the mountain". He was supposed to watch his teacher and ring his bell when she rang hers, but he rang it throughout the entire song.....and after.

Above: Carter was sitting by his friends but was moved soon after the program began. We asked him why and he said "She just bringed me over there."

The day prior to the church program we had Grandpa and Grandma over. We were feeling a bit ambitious Saturday morning so my mom and I started some baking. The kids had a hard time focusing on our task, but did come back occasionally to help out. We ended up making: star cookies, peanut butter sandwich cookies, almond bark dipped pretzels, cut out cookies, peanut butter bing bars, and peanut butter cup cookies.......WOW.

Grandma was teaching them the proper way to roll out the cookies and why it is important to use flour to get it not to stick. Grandpa was full time dish washer.

The big joke of the weekend was that Carter just calls them "the grandpas". I asked him if he wanted to come to the store with me and he said "I think I will just stay home with that boy Grandpa." Later, he was introducing Brittney to them he said "There is one Grandpa, and where did that other one go". Too funny.

On Thursday night Hailey and Taylor had their school Christmas celebration. Taylor sang songs with her kindergarten class and recited Luke 2. Hailey was then in a production of "A Miracle on Main Street" It was an impressive production put on by the 1st, 3rd, and 5th graders. They had some many songs, dances, and lines to learn and did such a good job.

Above is a picture of Hailey, Taylor, and their car pool buddy Abby.

Below is a picture of Hailey with some of her 3rd grade class members.

Taylor and Jaclyn

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

A Miedema/Brouwer sleepover!!!
Gingerbread Train by Hailey and Taylor

The kids each with their own tree----2011

My Tree!!!

Carter is FOUR!

It was a pirate party for our big FOUR year old!

I can't believe where time has gone, but my baby boy is 4.

He really understood his birthday this year and enjoyed every minute of it.

He got to celebrate with family over Thankgiving where he is always spoiled by his aunt, uncles, grandpa, grandmas, and cousins. Then again with his friends at home.

He loves toys and has such a wonderful imagination. His favorite things continue to be: Tom & Jerry, Batman, Match Box cars, Dinosaurs, Swords, Boats, and Pirates.

He is such a joy to be around!

We are going to work on him staying in his bed all night, but in all honesty I would miss him if he didn't sneek in every night.

His sisters love him beyond his comprehension.

He is such a blessing and we love him so very much!

Isaac and Carter

Josh, Carter, and Stella

Avery and Carter

You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!

A Happy Thanksgiving to you! We traveled to SW MN again this year to celebrate God's love in providing for us another year. We have so very much to be thankful for. How can we be so very blessed?

Following our Thanksgiving Feasts we found ourselves out on the Zeinstra farm with a Red Rider BB gun. I'm not sure why Mike thought this was a good purchase, but he made it none the less. The kids spent hours shooting at empty pop cans and listening to the BB whiz through the air. Fun fun. They giggled when they remembered Ralphy on The Christmas Story wanting a BB gun and his mother replying "you'll shoot your eye out". Luckily this one came with goggles.

Kindergarten Party

Above is a picture of Taylor and her classmates at her Fall Social. Taylor was a big hit with Hailey's costume.
Taylor has a wonderful group of girls in her class. She continues to to well in kindergarten and is getting her cast removed on December 7th!

Happenings............fun & not so fun

This is Taylor's new look for the next month or so. She was doing some gymnastics in the living room resulting in a bloody nose and a spiral fracture of the 3rd metacarpal. Thankfully there was no surgery required for proper alignment. She handled it all great!





Michael, Brittney, and myself were invited to the Bethany Christian Services Gala last Saturday night. It was a fun event and for such a wonderful cause.

Trick or Treat-----2011

OH look!!! Someone left me a nice present and it's not even my birthday.

Just kidding! Hailey made up her own costume this year. It was a hit!

The Newton Ave gang.

Isaac & Carter= Batman

Katrina=Vampire

Olivia= Pirate

Hailey= Present

Taylor=Super Woman

What a group!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carter Graduates from Speech!!!!

Carter had his final day of speech last Friday. His intelligibility was beyond 80% in general conversation; he has come a long way in a year. They made him a crown and he insisted on wearing it for the rest of the day.
Carter and Miss Chris.