Day 3...and counting

Naaayyyyy, clop clop...That means "is it time for lunch?" We have a new language in the Vink household. Some may find it hard to decode, but if you are going on hearing it 24/7 for 3 days now, you tend to pick it up rather quickly. There are many sounds I didn't even know horses made, until Josie transformed into "Girl Spirit". No, her name is no longer Josie. In fact, Josie doesn't even exist anymore--according to her. Her new name---Girl Spirit. Girl Spirit no longer uses the 2 legs God gave her, she uses the "4" legs God gave her. She no longer eats like a beautiful girl, she now laps up her food, chews her cud, and shakes her head when trying to dry off the water she rubs on her face. (Girl Spirit needs a bath you know). My beautiful girl no longer eats with her hands, b/c horses don't have arms and hands. Down goes the face into the bowl and up comes Girl Spirit with a face full of Mac and Cheese, naying and stomping. Is that similiar to the belch meaning "it was very good mom?". Our conversations are limited with her, since no words come out, just naying and shaking of the head, and stomping of the feet. The only words she has said the last 3 days are, "say hi Girl Spirit"--and reluctantly, we have to say "Hi Girl Spirit". Then we get a nice little brush up against our leg by her head, and she is off on all 4's again. Such an affectionate horse we have!! Anyways, I AM ABOUT TO LOSE MY MIND OVER IT!! Writing this, I am sort of chuckling a bit, but will it ever end? She has played the horse game for about 2 years now, but never this engrossed in it. I don't know what to do--do I give her the option of stopping Girl Spirit or getting punished--I feel that is condoning her wonderful imagination, but I don't know how many more days of this I can take!! Has anyone elses kids done this? Serioulsy, we are on Day 3--where do these kids come from?? Sometimes I think God is playing a silly little joke on me! 

Twins?

I was going through our old pictures on the computer today , and came across these of Josie and Tessa. I must have thought that standing up by the dishwasher was cute or something, b/c I have one of each of them. (Although the one of Josie is a fleeting memory, I do remember taking the one of Tessa -my mind isn't that bad yet.) Anyway, the ironic thing is , after I started looking harder, I realized that they were both at the exact same age when I took these photos--both were 7 months old. They both have that elated look on their faces of , "look mom, a new trick!" It's fun to see how they all resemble eachother. If history repeats itself, my baby will be walking in just 2 weeks!! I'll keep you posted.

Engine, Engine #9

Yesterday was storyhour at the library. The local firemen showed up and let the kids explore the fire engine, and talked about fire safety, which by the way, I learned our house is way not fire friendly. I think I have some work ahead of me.
The second picture is the kids with their neighbor buddies, Grace, Maddie, and Taylor.
I guess I do venture out once in awhile, don't I.
 

Nothing Noteworthy

I really have been lacking in the blogging lately. I think this is just a stale, dormate time of year for us. The fun of summer camping trips and beach trips are over. The anticipation of school starting has come and gone. Even though Fall is my favorite time of year, I am having the anxiety feelings of winter coming right around the corner. The Vink household does not do well with winter. I think all 6 of us (although this being Tessa's first official full winter with us; she may improve the odds--we'll have to see) have that thing called "seasonal depression". I am already starting to feel the boredom of staying in this house and seeing the sunrise (yes, my kids are up at 6:30 every morning), and seeing the sunset, without once getting out the front door. Our big outings these days are the 10 minute trips it takes into Byron to bring Elli to and from school two days a week. Thys and Josie live for those days--is that sad or what? The constant fighting between kids has begun, which I tell myself is totally understandable. I sometimes wish I had an equal to beat the crap out of on days I was extremely bored too. I dread the question, "so, what's new?" Does anyone else feel like their answer to that question is always so redundant? "Oh, not much". And I can honestly say that not much is new right now. Hence the lack of blogging. I need to just start taking pics of the kids fighting, Tessa's poopy diapers, kids roaming from room to room, me doing Sudoku, Thys in high heels, Josie crawling around neehing like a horse., Elli dressing and redressing Barbies, ......b/c my friends, that is "A Day In The Life Of ME".

Critter Barn

This morning, Elli and I --along with her pre-school class--went to visit the Critter Barn in Zeeland. This is such a cool place to go to with your kids if you havent been before. Loads of animals and everything is hands-on. Elli surprised me by being very brave and touching almost every animal there. She got to feed many of them and learn about them as well. We even got to milk a goat, which made me a little squeemish!! Give it a try--highly recommended.

 

Scary, Evil Thoughts!!

I love the age that Tessa is at right now. It's a scary age for me. Let me clarify. I am not a huge tiny baby lover. The unpredictability of it all does not do well with my "scheduled" personality!! So, when my babies get about 9-10 months old, the age I adore, I start to get scary, evil thoughts. "How about one more?" For that split second, my brain waves become a tangled mess an they play that dirty little joke on me. I actually admitted these scary thoughts to my girlfriends the other night, and am glad to know that it is not only MY brain that is acting this way. I was giving Tessa a tubby in the sink the other night, and I found myself thinking, "there are not going to be many more times that she will be able to fit in the sink." and --BINGO-- there is was, that scary, evil thought. Good thing it faded just as quickly as it came. And, good thing for modern medicine, so that those scary, evil thoughts can't get the best of me!!
 

Funny Girl

Funny story. All day today, Elli kept coming up to me and telling me these "matter of fact" statements. She was completely serious and thought she was telling me something that she had just discovered all on her own. After awhile I began to chuckle, b/c it struck me that she REALLY thought she was "teaching " me something. Here is a sample of the statements I heard ALL day long:
1. Mom, I know why they call 2-wheelers, 2 wheelers. Because they have 2 wheels.
2. Mom, I know why they call a living room a living room. Because its a room and you live in it.
3. Mom, I know why they call a doll house a doll house. Because its a house for dolls.
4. Mom, I know why they call go carts, go carts. Because they are carts and they go.
5. Mom, I know why they call Go Diego Go, Go Diego Go. Because Diego goes.
6. Mom, I know why they call it the Wiggles. Because they wiggle.

After I told Dean this story, he said that I should have stumped her: Elli, why do they call a kitchen a kitchen? Why do they call it a kitchen? Hmmm--may have to google that one. (I'm sure Jenny already has!!!--Google Queen).

Anyway, this just struck me as funny today. All that hard earned tuition money--see what they learn in pre-school already. And who said that kids don't necessarily need to go to preschool?

I've Been Tagged

I am new to this whole tagging business. I have never heard of it, and saw that it was going around and thought that I had avoided it. But, thanks to Michelle (thanks)-here it goes. I have to list 5 weird things about myself (I don't know if I can shorten it to just 5).

1. I LOVE to change poopie diapers. The messier the better. I think it is the whole satisfaction I get when I am done. I am a visual type of person. I like to see my progress and how clean their little bums look after it is all cleaned up. Or maybe the fact that I have done it probably 50 thousand times by now that I am totally immune to it.

2. Before I go to bed at night (no matter if it is 2am.), I have to have EVERYTHING in the house picked up and put in its place. I think I got this one from my mom. Dean thinks it is O.C.D. (hmmm). From the bathroom to the kitchen to the living room, everything has to be put away and picked up.

3. I am addicted to cutting my kids toe and fingernails. I am a freak about seeing white on them and dirt in them. They all know when it's nail cutting time. They all line up in a row and I just go down the row--first toenails and then fingernails. I have come to believe that they like it (hehe).

4. I have a weird stress reliever. I bake. If I get stressed out, the first thing I feel I have to do is whip up some cookie dough. The problem is, is that once the dough is done and I have had a few bites, I don't want any. Dean doesn't eat cookies, so guess who ends up eating them just b/c she is too dutch to have cookies sitting there going bad?

5. I am repulsed by apple pie, unless it has ice cream with it. I cannot stand plain apple pie, but if it has ice cream with it it is my favorite dessert. I could eat loads of apple pie ala mode--but plain, I could not take one bite.

i haven't figured out the whole putting someone's name in highlights thing yet, so i cannot pass on the tag. Which I'm sure is just fine with everyone!!

Elli's First Day of School!!

As I write this, my little girl is at her first day of preschool. She was so excited this morning, hence the waking up at 6:45 this morning--ouch!! I think I was asked at least 15 times this morning if it was time to go yet. I let her pick out her own outfit this morning, which I was a little nervous about what would actually be the outcome, but I think she did extreemly well. When we got to the school, she immediatly started playing with a little friend from church--Kayla--out of the 14 kids in Elli's class, 11 of them go to our church!! Kinda nice for the kids, since they are all familiar with faces already. Her teacher, Mrs. Pat, is a wonderful lady and very inviting.
I think Thys and Josie are having "Elli Withdrawl" already. They cried the whole way home from school, b/c they thought that I left Elli. They are sort of roaming around the house right now, and feel lost without their "activities director" (A.K.A.--Elli). I am not too emotional, I think seeing the excitment and pure delight in Elli's eyes this morning, makes me realize that she is going to absolutly LOVE school, and how can a mom be sad about that!! 

Mia Hamm?--Umm, not quite yet!!

Elli had her first (ever) soccer game this morning. Imagine 8 four year old prissy girls all trying to run after a ball, without any sort of soccer training. Actually, most didn't even know what a soccer ball was!! We parents, thinking our kids just love to do the things that we were interested in as kids right?---Wrong!! Yeah, Dean has been trying to practice with Elli the last few days, and we thought that she really had a "talent". We thought we were ahead of the game on this whole soccer thing. I think Dean had this vision of our daughter being the "star" player out there this morning. (I should have just reminded him of her mothers athletic ability-or lack there of!) But...I think you know what is coming next.....Just a little rundown of how things REALLY went. Seven out of the eight girls broke down in tears (yes, Elli was one of those 7). I overheard at least 5 of the girls tell their parents they didn't ever want to play soccer again (yes, Elli was one of those 5). Six girls wanted their parents to come onto the field and play FOR them (yes, Elli was one of those 6). Four girls sat down on the grass while the game was going and started looking at the lines painted on the field (yes, Elli was one of the 4). All 8 girls sprinted their butts over to the snack table after the game was done (yes, Elli was one of the 8). And I think all the dads walked away shaking their heads and realizing that their little "angles" were not ruff and tuff Mia Hamm's. ( at least not yet---). They looked so darn cute though. And that is why a girl plays sports right?--for the cute uniforms---hehe

Game On

There is a new game around our house!! Can you guess what it is? Tessa came up with the rules, and actually the whole objective of the game for that matter. These are the rules: (according to Tessa)

1. Have mom set you in the dining room (room furthest from the stairs) with toys all around you. Before mom can realize that you are missing, haul butt to the stairs. (which I have found to be quite easy when she is distracted by like 3 other little indians screaming in her face).

2. Once you are at the stairs b-line it for the top as quick as you can. (If mom catches you before you reach the top, game over). Try to have it down to--lets say--30 seconds max.

3. Once you reach the top (assuming you were successful with not getting caught, or not plumeting 10 stairs at a time), do a little "happy dance". This consists of stiffening your whole body while on you
your stomach and letting out a triumphant battle cry!! It must be triumphant, b/c you have not only outsmarted your 30 year old mother, but have also gotten past the other midgets in the house without them tattling on you.

4. After you feel your battle cry is perfected, then peak your head around the corner of the wall (at the top of the stairs), and say "mamamamam". If it is still early in the morning, mom is usually quick to respond--later in the afternoon--you may have to wait a few minutes or more.....

5. Once you see mom at the bottom of the stairs, turn right around and haul to the end of the hallway--battle cry here is recommended again.(mom NEEDS to know what you have accomplished)

6. Mom usually catches you pretty quickly--again the whole am/pm thing to think about here too--you then are brought downstairs again, and to the corner of the dining room. Surrounded by toys, and midgets to distract you.

7. Game on!! Repeat steps in order.

Tessa's Stats: on Thurs. 9/7/06
-attempted a win 22 times (no lie--mom counted)
- 20 sucessful trips
- 1 plummet
-1 failure to make it all the way up (mom caught me on stair 3--it was 9:00 am---note time).

( I had to include a pic of Tessa's wonderful "thunder thighs" in this blog. I think she is subconsciously trying to get rid of these by obcessively exercising. I blame them on the DNA she got from her dad, b/c what mom wants to pass on that genetic trait----).

A few more pics:


 

Vink Annual Camping Trip

We have arrived safetly home from "The Vink Annual Labor Day Camping Weekend". We go camping only one time a year (and at the end of the weekend, we know why). We left Tessa with grandma and grandpa, which made camping a little more enjoyable. We went to Holiday Park campground in Traverse City this year. A very awesome park, and highly recommended. We got to swim in the lake, play on the beach, play on the playground, go into Traverse City and walk around the marina, eat lots of smores, get nice and dirty, throw a few tantrums, and ride bikes till our legs were about to fall off. They kids loved it and Dean and I can admit that the years are getting easier and easier (thank heavens). Although the kids had this notion that for some reason the trailor was our "new home", and we were going to live in it from now on--can you imagine?


 

HELP ME!!!

I should just insert my face into this picture, b/c this is exactly how I am going to feel this upcoming season. I just got done reading an article in The Grand Rapids Press regarding the up and coming fashions. I knew I shouldn't have read it. I new right from the title--"Look Cool For School". Now I am totally depressed. So they say the new fashions are basically what I wore in the 6th grade. Tight jeans, preferably with zippers at the ankles--(just what I need, something to show off every little "leftover" I have after 4 kids-and who called up the 80's hotline?). The tighter the ankle on your jeans the better (ok, there goes the 4 new pair of jeans I bought with flare legs last winter). Ballet type flats (that would be fine, if I didn't buy like 3 or 4 pointy toe boots last year since that was the style). Leggings under mini skirts to go along with those flats. (don't they realize that it snows in Michigan, and some of us have to haul kids in and out of the house--I would fall right on my butt, but I guess I would have that mini skirt to help pad the fall huh?). Multiple layers on top of more layers--preferably longer shirts with shorter vests over the shirt (so in other words, the hotter the better, which = the sweatier and more odor to go along with the odor of formula spit up on everything I own already--lovely picture).

So I am now declaring.... 2006: The year I lost all fashion sense. I have wondered for some time now, at what age do you make that transition from "hip" clothes to, I guess I will just say "mom" clothes? I still feel like I could walk the halls of my old highschool and no one would know I don't belong (although my mom told me, ever so boldly, "Umm, I wouldn't say that."--thanks for the boost mom). I liked the fact that I owned a few pieces of clothing that high school girls would be envious of. I like to think that others looked at me as a "hip mom". Well, I guess the fashion industry made that decision for me--thanks!!

I cannot get myself to believe that I will squeeze me left thigh into those skinny jeans, or sweat my head off with 3 shirts on just for fashion. (although that would be good if Tessa spits on the top shirt, I still have 2 "reserve" ones). It is depressing me to see those 4 new pairs of flare, distressed jeans sitting in my drawer (that I honestly was looking forward to wearing this winter--since I thought they were SOO cool), those 3 pairs of pointy toe shoes, and to think that according to the fashion world--I am OUT!! So, no longer that image in my head of the hip, instyle, envy of teenagers 30 something,--no, I am now (and probably always will be from here on out) a few steps closer to this photo! Depressing--...

I Take My Family For Granted

I have had one of those weepy days. One of those days in which you could burst into tears at any given time for no apparent reason. It started last night, when I found myself surfing the blogging world, and came across a blog. www.tebspage.blogspot.com. I don't know how I came across it or who any of these people are on it, but I found myself engrossed in this woman's life. A 30 year old attorney with a 9mo. old son. She started a blog to show off pics of her family to other family members (my reasoning for starting mine), and a few months into it, she got stage IV melanoma cancer. Her blog then turns into her journey with cancer. I have not been able to get her out of my mind all day. Her courage and strength that she shows through her entries is amazing. I keep thinking that this woman is MY age--30. Here she is facing this terminal illness, with a loving husband and child--this could be ME!!
My life seems to be mondane, and dreadfully boring at times. Not being able to go out in public by myself during the day with the kids seems to be wearing on me. I feel myself getting shorter and shorter with my temper lately, and for what reason? Who knows! Reading this woman's blog, I think the weepieness (Not a word, I know) came from knowing that I have not been TRULY thankful to God lately for the situation/family/time that HE has put me in right now. I think I have just been dwelling on the selfish things--MY boredom, MY lack of adult converstation, the feeling of never any ME time, ... Instead, I need to focus on the blessings of 4 wonderful kids, that at one point in our lives we didn't think we would ever be able to have. A husband who surpasses anyone elses (sorry ladies-) who doesn't mind me going out any night after he comes home from work b/c he knows I NEED to just "get out". Kids who are out of this world vivacious--a quote from Dean sums it up, "You would never want to take the spirit out of our kids, but boy would you like to shut it off at times". I need to feel lucky to have healthy, rambunctious kids!! A husband who I can honestly say, makes me feel just as beautiful now-and at times even more so, after 4 kids and 8 years of marriage, as he did when we first met. I need to realize that ALL that I have been given--the good and the bad--comes from HIM!!! B/c ALL of this could be taken away--it is not mine to keep. I have taken the family that God has given me for granted. I have gotten caught up in the day to day living and giving, that I have not even sat back to enjoy my kids at the ages they are at.
Again, I think in reading this women's blog, I realized that I could put my name in any of her entries--30 year old mother with a wonderful husband--but.....would I have been as optimistic or as strong? Would my entries read like hers? Would I be facing death at my doorstep as bravely as she? And I think the thing that has made me weepy, is not knowing.

Holy Cows

Dean and the kids have this Sunday night tradition of going on a "woods walk". There is this awesome trail around the pond in our backyard and every Sunday night they venture out to become the next explorers. It always consists of stopping to feed the cows about half way through and finding something interesting (or at least interesting in 3 and 4 year old minds) to bring back to mommy. I have grown to LOVE this "woods walk", not only b/c I see the kids eyes light up when they get to have time with daddy, but selfishly I love being in the house all alone--which happens about 30 minutes out of the week!! I love the fact that Dean takes time to look at flowers or sticks or anything else that interests them. If it were me, I would be hurrying them through, not stopping to look at anything, b/c I wanted to just "get it over with". I have never been into nature. I would be the one that always ran to the end of the hiking trail and would just wait for the rest of my family when I was growing up. It would always annoy me that they would stop to look at every piece of moss or flower or anything else that I felt was insignificant. So, I appreciate that Dean takes his own sweet time to let the kids wander and enjoy nature. And, it also gives me more time to myself!!!

3 Years Old!!

We celebrated Thys and Josie's 3rd birthday last night. I cannot believe that they are 3 already. We had a big party with family, cake and ice cream, and then had a bondfire out back with smores---the kids didn't fall asleep until 11:00pm (I wonder why). Josie is obsessed lately with pink flamingo's (or fladingo's, as she calles them), hence the flamingo cake--thanks Jenny for the awesome cakes you made!! We played "find the flamingo" in the yard--which was a big hit also.
I thank God daily that he gave me these 2 precious miracles. They have been such a joy to have around. They have given us many stressful moments, but more joyous ones to count.

Sudoku

Well, I have found my new passion. I eagerly wait till 11:00am every morning, for my new best friend to drop off the Grand Rapids Press so that I can quickly open it up to the Lifestyles section and begin to indulge in this new passion. Yes, it is called Sudoku. If you haven't yet tried this "puzzle", I will warn you right now--it is highly addictive, but will stimulate those dormate brain cells--try at your own risk!!