Ziffy Whomper

This was an orange colored plastic sled; had a picture of a skiing penguin dressed in winter duds. It had two side handles and at the front end was a loop to tie a string around so you could drag it back up the hill. Very cool.

This is the description that I found when I googled Ziffy Whomper. I've been thinking about this 80's sled ever since my friend and I were discussing Christmas presents for our kids. She got her daughter a sled. It got me thinking. I remember getting a sled every year for Christmas. It was usually from Meijer Thrifty Acres (I mean Santa). The ultimate day was when we (and all of our closest friends on our country block) got a Ziffy Whomper for Christmas. We wrote our names across the top with a black Sharpie marker to not get our sleds confused when we met up at the local hill dubbed "Big Daddy."

I think it was a very small window of sales and excitement but we were in on it. Do any of you remember the Ziffy Whomper?

Elf

This year with aunt Kate the Elf.

Last year with aunt Kate the Elf.

I think his head was bigger last year! Jake loves aunt Kate.

Helper

It was the perfect weekend to stay indoors! Rarely do we stay home the entire day on a Saturday. Scott made the only trip out and that was to get our Christmas tree. We spent the day rearranging the living room, listening to Christmas songs, decorating the tree, snow blowing the driveway (Scott), drinking coffee (me of course), and eating (me again). Why is it that when it's cold outside I find myself non-stop eating? Wouldn't it be great if calories didn't count when it's cold and snowing?

Jake was a HUGE helper. He took the ball of lights and shoved them into the tree. He is also good at taking the ornaments off.

Birthday

Today is My Mom's birthday! I didn't get her a birthday present because I just couldn't find the perfect gift. So here is a tribute to her on my blog. She is the best Mom anyone could ever ask for. I don't know what I would do without her. If I need something, she comes running and expects nothing in return. When it comes to pleasing others, she deserves an "A". Not only is she a great Mom, she's an awesome Grandma. Jake is blessed to have her! And so am I. If I ever moved away, I'd have to take my Mom with me! Fortunately, I'm not going anywhere. Happy birthday Mom!

Flu: Part 2

Survived? Um, little did I know what was to follow my previous post. Jake was on the upswing on Friday but I wasn't ready to take him out visiting people in his Monkey costume. So, I decided to go hang out with my Mom. I left her house at 9. I was going to spend the night but Jake was not settled for some reason. Scott was gone up North for the night w/my Dad and uncle.

I woke up at 1 a.m. on that same night with an intense pain in my stomach. I sat up and the pain got sharper. I ran to the far bathroom (not wanting to wake Jake) and that is where I spent the next 4 hours. At 5:27 a.m. (I was trying to wait until 5:30) I called my Mom in tears. "I need you to come over now!" I was laying in the hallway outside the bathroom before my call to her. I laid down because the room was spinning, I was sweating, and I thought I was going to fall and knock myself out. Of course, My superhero Mom came over saved me. She had to be at work at 9 a.m. so Aunt Vicki came over to wait until Scott (who was summoned home) arrived.

Here is what followed on Saturday/Sunday:
9:15 a.m. My Mom was sick at work
2:00 p.m. Scott got sick
9 p.m. Dad now sick
next morning: Aunt Vicki's friend who was over on Friday was sick

This sucker was violent and contagious! I'll spare you anymore details other than to say I don't know if I've ever experienced any flu like this.

My poor mother is the township clerk and this could not have hit her at a worse time. She has been so busy with this election. She gets a special award for enduring all of it. I hope she is able to relax after today, get better, and feel stress and sick free.

After getting sick one last time last night, sore abs, sore back - today was much brighter! That was until my Jeep wouldn't start and had to be towed to the auto shop.

Survived

For those of you who know me, I don't handle gross things very well. You name it and I get queasy- needles, smells, stories of needles or smells, etc.

As of before last night, we have been fortunate enough to not have had a stomach flu stricken child. That ended at midnight last night. Jake woke up crying covered in puke. Scott flipped all the lights on and called for help. It was in poor Jake's hair, ears, pajamas, and crib. I'm almost getting sick writing this. Gagging all the while, I filled the tub. Scott got the laundry started and we got out the spare sheets. Of course he gets a dirty diaper immediately after his bath and clean pajamas. After being up awhile he seems to be doing better. I take him in his room and he immediately gets sick again. All over me this time. How did all that come out of a little boy? Repeat cleaning process. More laundry added to what's already going. Next attempt at laying him down seems to be going better. 10 minutes later, more crying and more puke in crib. Repeat cleaning process. More laundry. 2 a.m. Scott goes to Meijer for pedialyte. 3 a.m. Jake finally goes to sleep until morning (oh wait, it was the morning).

I knew something was not right yesterday when he didn't squeal when seeing his breakfast. His appetite was gone for the day which is not like him. This morning he was back to his self when he saw his toast w/peanut butter - screaming with delight. It makes me smile every morning.

I know...it's all part of having kids and it comes along with the unbelievable blessing of being a parent. In my head I can hear the veterans saying....ah, I've been there! I'm not looking for sympathy. I can just now add it to my list of ah, I've been there. And I don't care to be there again anytime soon!

Naughty

Need I say more?

Sunday

Despite the on off rain and high winds, we found some open windows of sunshine to get outside! I know that this weather is a precursor of what's to come and we wanted to get outside while we could. Apparently we weren't the only ones who wanted to be outside. Mt. Pisgah's new boardwalk was filled with people on Sunday afternoon. Of course, what is a good hike without pronto pups to finish it off? I opted out of the corn dog and Jake and I shared a pickle on a stick.

Jake is now walking everywhere and he thinks he's the big man on campus. He now loves to play a little hide and seek. He goes in the other room and we sneak up on him. He screams and throws his hands up in the air and runs into the next room. The process is then repeated and more intensified. He makes us laugh!

Mt. Pisgah

On Monday night, we planned on soaking up the last bit of blissful weather and walking the pier at Holland State Park. We detoured and decided to climb the new boardwalk up Mt. Pisgah. The new project was just completed last Saturday and is surely to be a popular spot in Holland. Of course we forgot our camera in the car. We plan to go back in about a week when the colors have peaked. It's also an added workout if you strap Jake in a backpack on! I can't wait to take my Dad out there. He climbs Rosy Mound in Grand Haven with some guys from work every day during the week. His legs are made of steel and he could definitely out climb me on any given day. So Dad...maybe I've found my new found challenge - to beat you! Watch out.

Fall

Jake got to see his cousins this weekend. He was surrounded by girls! We had such a good time. We spent yesterday at Post Family Farms in Hudsonville. We had a hayride out to the pumpkin patch (stopping at the corn maze on the way - thanks for leading the way Sydnee). Another highlight was the fresh made donuts. YUM!

I love the last picture. These goats stand at the top of this wooden structure waiting for food to be cranked up. Kids can fill the tin cans w/food and turn a handle and watch their food climb it's way up to the awaiting goats. The amazing thing is the small planks that connect the platforms that these goats walk on. I would've paid for the $6 wristband just to see this debut.

Bundle Up

Jake and I went for an early morning walk this morning. I always think he looks so old when he wears a hat. As much as I love summer, I really do look forward to putting the hoodies on and snuggling under a blanket.

I'm glad I went for this exercise jaunt this morning. The day brought forth some unplanned emotions. A 7th grade boy from Harbor Lights was killed on the way to school today riding his bike on Riley Street. There were a lot of tears in the school today. Please pray for these students, teachers, and the family of this boy.

Following the lunchrooms, I met with a former middle school student of mine. She is the coolest girl who has had a lot of heartache in life. She told me today that there is not a day that goes by in her life that she doesn't think of her Dad that ran out on their family several years ago. The upside of this conversation was that she loves Jesus and knows that God is her ultimate Dad!

When I have days like these it makes me hold Jake a little closer and be thankful a little more!

Coffee anyone?

So this morning Jake started our day at 5:30 a.m. He was particularly rambunctious today. Into EVERYTHING! He's obsessed with pushing the buttons on our T.V. We've tried all tactics to get him to stop. If the bathroom doors are left open he lifts the toilet seat and has splash time. On a daily basis he eats as if he's been deprived of food and Caveman comes to mind. Trying to get ready in the morning is not getting any easier. The final straw this morning was when I was writing a check and turned around to see my son standing at the kitchen trash can, face covered in coffee grounds. Yes, his fists were full and he was chewing awkwardly and making faces. I screamed and scooped him up while trying to do damage control. My Mom watched him today and she said that trying to change his diaper was like wrestling an alligator. I told her that it might be the coffee he had this morning!

This past week

• On Tuesday Jake got his first official haircut. The curls are gone! He did pretty well. He now looks like a little boy and the baby stage is officially over. Of course I didn't have my camera.
• I continued on my diet but last night Scott and I went to G.R. and I caved on every account - appetizers, dinner, and dessert. Tomorrow is a new day.
• We got new phones on Saturday. No more NEXTEL! As much as we wanted the iPhones we decided we can settle for the Sprint Instincts (a knock-off of the iPhone). So far, we're having a lot of fun with them!
• Jake got his halloween costume from Aunt Kate. Looks like he'll be a monkey this year. It's appropriate because he loves bananas. He eats one everyday. I can't wait for Halloween.
• We attempted to take Jake's pacifier away this weekend. It wasn't very well thought out though because he was staying at Grandma and Grandpa's house on Saturday and we weren't going to make them go through this. Maybe we'll try again later this week.
• Scott turned 32 on Wednesday. We went out for dinner with family and a couple friends to celebrate his birthday!
  

Fair

We had such a fun day today. Grandma and Grandpa picked us up this morning after church and we headed to the Allegan County Fair. We toured the animal barns, had lunch, and people watched (enough said). Scott and Grandpa got suckered into paying $1 to see a 75 lb. rat. To their disappointment it didn't look like a rat at all. It appeared to be a giant rodent resembling a hamster. For some reason my favorite barn is the cows. I think their cute for some reason when they're all cleaned up and shiny. I like the light brown ones with a block head and wrinkled neck. As much as I love them, I felt zero guilt for eating a fat burger the night before. My least favorite are the chickens. I have a secret fear of the Asian bird flu. After strolling through the aisles of these cluckers, I do get disgusted by eating a chicken breast. Jake was very intrigued by it all. He fell asleep in the car before we even got out of the parking lot (o.k... the parking field).

A Weekend Home

It's good to be at home this weekend. Finally a Saturday that we could go to the Farmer's market and casually walk downtown without being in a hurry. Scott played golf this morning and Kate and I ventured out this mid-day. Apparently there were hundreds of other people who also had the same idea. We bought tomatoes, peppers, onions, apples, and peaches. The tomatoes were huge. My favorite thing to eat these days is a piece of toast w/mayo and salted tomato slices. If I had the motivation I'd make some bacon also.

It's good to slow down and love up this weather!

Cereal

I'm in love with Chocolate Chex cereal. I've tried many others that have attempted to add chocolate to the so called healthy cereal and they don't compare . I've even told Scott that I have this fear that they will stop making this cereal. When I didn't see it at Meijers the other day I thought my nightmare was coming true. Thankfully Target saved the day. I tend to crave sweet things late at night and this is the perfect alternative to ice cream (which is what I really want).

I've even had Kate make me the recipe that comes on the side of the box. She brought these special treats to the Tiger's game. They were oh so delicious.

Now, I've come across this recipe! Mmmmmmm. Mom, if you feel like making these for the cabin this weekend - you have my permission! I might suggest making a double.


Chocolate Chex® Caramel Corn Bars

Treat the kids to a crunchy new snack combining Chocolate Chex® cereal, pretzels and popcorn neatly packed in a bar. Yum! Prep Time:10 min Start to Finish:40 min Makes:32 bars

Ingredients:

4	cups popped Pop•Secret® Light butter flavor microwave popcorn (from 3-oz bag)
4	cups Chocolate Chex® cereal
1	cup pretzel sticks, coarsely broken
1/2	cup packed brown sugar
1/2	cup light corn syrup
1/3	cup butter or margarine
1/4	cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation Directions:

-1.	Microwave Directions: Butter bottom and sides 13x9-inch pan. Remove and discard unpopped kernels from popped popcorn. In large bowl, mix popcorn, cereal and pretzels; set aside. In 2-quart microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, corn syrup and butter uncovered on High about 2 minutes or until boiling, stirring after 1 minute. Pour over cereal mixture in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Press firmly in pan. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered 30 to 60 seconds or until chips can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over bars. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.
1.	Butter bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan. Remove and discard unpopped kernels from popped popcorn. In large bowl, mix popcorn, cereal and pretzels; set aside.
2.	In 1-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar, corn syrup and butter to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat.
3.	Pour over cereal mixture in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Press firmly in pan.
4.	In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered 30 to 60 seconds or until chips can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over bars. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.
Microwave Directions: Butter bottom and sides 13x9-inch pan. Remove and discard unpopped kernels from popped popcorn. In large bowl, mix popcorn, cereal and pretzels; set aside. In 2-quart microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, corn syrup and butter uncovered on High about 2 minutes or until boiling, stirring after 1 minute. Pour over cereal mixture in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Press firmly in pan. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered 30 to 60 seconds or until chips can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over bars. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

1 Serving: Calories 80 (Calories from Fat 25); Total Fat 3g (Saturated Fat 1 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 70mg; Total Carbohydrate 13g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 7g); Protein 0g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Exhausted

These last few weeks have left us feeling wiped. Our awesome trip to Colorado brought us home feeling tired. A few days later and not yet recovered we found out that Scott's Grandpa wasn't doing well. He passed away this past Saturday. The past few days have been a time of sorrow and celebration. Yesterday's funeral was a sweet good-bye that left us coming home very emotionally drained. We picked Jake up at my parent's way passed his bedtime. At 2 a.m. he woke up crying. His breathing was shallow. I insisted on bringing him to the E.R. 3 hours later, we left the emergency room with an upper respiratory infection diagnosis. Another words...keep an eye on him, there's not much we can do but let him work it out. After getting to sleep at about 5 a.m., Jake promptly woke up on his schedule of 7 a.m. This mama and dada are not functioning well on only a few hours of sleep last night. Oh, did I mention how busy this week is? We have a chicken BBQ tomorrow? Scott is simultaneously frantically trying to squeeze in time in his classroom.

My eyes are heavy tonight and I'm looking forward to bed. I have a feeling that Jake is going to have a restless night of sleeping. I can hear him having a hard time breathing well through the baby monitors. I'm ready to catch up on sleep but as I look ahead to next week's busy week - I don't see it happening! I feel like I keep passing Jake off to other people and it's making me have a lot of mom guilt these days.

I wish that I could magically create one more week before school starts and put nothing on the calender but time with family. Would anyone else be up for that? Just one more week please! Summer...please don't go yet. I hardly got to see you.

Cluck Cluck

Community Chicken BBQ

Friday, August 22, 2008
5:00pm - 7:00pm

Dinner proceeds to benefit Youth for Christ

Call 616.392.1479 for BBQ Tickets

Come see Kate and I working hard at serving up some good eats downtown Zeeland! If you don't have time to pick up a ticket at our office, just come! We should have plenty to go around. We'd love to see tons of people. Mention my blog and I might even give you an extra squirt of whip cream on your strawberry shortcake.

We're Home!

The bus rolled back into Zeeland on Friday night at about 7:30 p.m. We had a great time. Someone asked me my favorite part. Without question it's watching the kids see the mountains for the first time. There were some kids who had never been out of Michigan. They were fighting for the front of the bus when we finally got out there. I always love when their taking pictures through the dirty window. I want to say the mountains aren't going anywhere - you have all week to capture them. But I don't, it's too fun to watch them in awe. I'm not sure how anyone can deny God during these times.

I'm going to try and post some video of the kids soon. The flip camera was great to have on this trip. Now I need to make sure and download it!

Picture 1 - The view outside our tents.
Picture 2 - Noah climbing Bob's Rock.
Picture 3 - Our group of Middle School students.
Picture 4 - Pretending we're on vacation.

Did I mention that on the trip out there the air conditioning broke? Oh yeah, there are no windows that open on the bus either. Kids were passing out sleeping from the heat. We were being pressure cooked in Nebraska. The heat outside was about 100 degrees. Can you imagine what it was inside that bus? This is the last I want to talk about this part of the trip. Thankfully it was fixed for the way home. It stunk at is it was. My Chaco sandals might have had something to do with the smell.

Tick Tock

I always do this. "By this time tomorrow we'll be..." in Nebraska! "By this time next week..." we'll be home and sleeping in our own bed. Does anyone else do this?

Well in less than 10 hours we'll be loading the bus for Colorado. I won't sleep much tonight. I'll have checklists running through my head. I always think of something that I still need to pack. Then I think will I remember this in the morning? As much as I'm not a morning person and depend on an alarm clock, I never need one the day we're leaving on a trip. I notoriously wake up like a minute before it's going to go off. Is that weird? Aren't our minds an amazing thing?

I need to go to bed. Maybe I'll finish watching the Tigers. They'll put me to sleep. Gary Sheffield has to go. Hey...how come nobody is wearing their chef hats now?

Confession

The house next to ours is for sale. It is actually a foreclosure. I was sad to see our neighbors lose their house. Talk about seeing the effects of the economy first hand. He lost his job and they just couldn't make it.

Here's my confession. When I see prospective buyers come by I do a quick first impression synopsis. If I don't like what I see I send our 100 lb. dog outside. He has a bark much bigger than his bite. With that said, there has been this young couple coming by frequently to look at the house. I make sure and keep Jackson inside. I then make an unnecessary trip out to the mailbox to smile and wave.

I know this is all uncalled for. I can't help it. I want to feel safe sending Jake out to play.

1st Birthday

Jake turned 1 on July 10! We celebrated big time on that Saturday. He napped perfectly in the morning and guests arrived at 11 a.m. The dismal morning weather broke just in time for our cookout. I had big plans of making Jake a one year video but I am having computer woes. I need to get more memory on this baby so it can perform to it's capacity. I simply need an overhaul on the laptop. Add a new laptop to my list of wants. Oh yeah, I'm supposed to be posting about Jake's birthday. He ate his birthday cake with zero hesitation (no surprise). Later he got sick (no surprise). We're so thankful to everyone who made the trek over from near and far!

Colorado

In just a few short days YFC will be taking a charter bus out to Colorado, Noah's Ark outdoor adventure camp. We'll be taking about 25 middle school kids and 5 adults. Scott is coming too. He has 3 West Ottawa boys going. I think there should be a special spot in Heaven for us middle school workers.

As much as we're looking forward to the trip, I'm not excited about leaving little Jakester. I could cry just thinking of it. I know that it will be harder for me than Jake! He'll be in good hands with Grandmas and Grandpas.

I can't believe the prep going into this trip just on the home front. Making sure there is food in the fridge for out of town Grandparents, food for jake, all clothes washed, sheets cleaned, bag packed for other Grandma and Grandpa to pick up mid-week, Jackson to the kennel - picked up from the kennel, oh yeah...and pack our own stuff.

If you think of it, pray for us. I can't wait to be on the bus heading out of town. We're going to have such a good time. Most importantly, I hope that the kids can soak in God's creation and appreciate His beauty!

ice cream bowls

Zak's ice cream bowl keeps the ice cream cold, while the outer melamine shell prevents the cold from transferring to the hand that's holding it.

How cool is that? I love surprises. We got 2 of these in the mail today. This awesome pink and another in orange. Our Aunt Helen from Indianapolis sent these to us thanking us for our hospitality at Hamlin Lake. Maybe it's also because I've been coveting these bowls ever since we visited them last year.

This is a great gift for ice cream lovers!

Knitwit

This is who we call Knit for short. He was given to Jake on his 1st birthday from Grandma V. Jake randomly loves on Knit. He freely gives him kisses and snuggles him while patting him on the back. If you're inspired you can find out how to make one here. They really are a piece of work.

One Year Old

This little guy celebrated his 1st birthday last week! He's such a little dude. These pictures were taken a few weeks ago by Lynette Bell. She did a great job!

4 Generations

Here they are! Robert Griffin Sr. (Paw Paw), Robert Griffin Jr. (Papa), Robert Scott, and Jakob Robert. 4 generations of Follett men.

Today we spent the afternoon down at Nana & PawPaw's House. We had them all to ourselves and totally cherised our precious time together. Jake went swimming for the 1st time. I'll upload a video of that next.

I am so happy that we got this picture today. I downloaded the 6 pictures I took. I found something wrong with everyone. Someone wasn't looking, eyes closed, Jake's tummy was showing. I was bummed. Then I found ONE when I went through them again. A precious little gift from God.

Treat

Today I met a couple of my students downtown. Let's just say it was awesome. It started with the Mom providing transportation both ways. Then the girls insisted on buying me coffee. We laughed, talked about camp, the school year, and then we moseyed through the stores. For all the times I complain about lack of parenting, I should call these Moms and tell them what great kids they have. I've been trying to do that lately when I see parents. I hope someday that someone tells me that my son is respectful, polite, and a joy to be around.

Bite me

10 times on the face. Grandma feels bad because the mosquito feast happened at her house. It's nothing a little Caladryl, cortaid, and tylenol can't fix. I'm glad we live in town and those buggers aren't invading our backyard. Aunt Kim took this picture while she was up this weekend.

Intense

This is why I love the Flip camera.

South Haven

Picture #1 - Trying to get a picture of Jake and myself. I'm usually not in the pics. You can see how well it went.

Picture #2 - I don't like this sand between my fingers.

Picture #3 - I love this hat.

Free Gas

After golfing 9 holes on Saturday afternoon with Tim and Stacey we went to Crazy Horse. After dinner our waitress came with a basket filled with envelopes. If you spend $25 you get to pick one. Scott drew an envelope that said we got to pick a gas can off the ceiling! Although we didn't win the grand $250 prize we did get $25. We'll take it! We got to keep the gas can too (bonus). The contest is still going and tons of prizes are still left. I love this local restaurant. They are super generous and have been so willing to give back to the community on several occasions. Thank you Crazy Horse for making the pain at the pump a little less painful.

Crawling

While I don't have any video or pictures to prove Jake is officially crawling - but he is! In the last week he has moved from being able to scoot and roll everywhere to getting up on all 4 and conquering the house. It's off to the store tonight to buy a baby gate. You might be asking why we don't have one yet. Our stairway is exceptionally wide and all those nice looking pressure mount wood gates are all too narrow. I've googled, asked around, and googled some more to only find the eye sore ones in extra wide. But an eye sore is the price we'll pay for a child not falling down the stairs. I can't believe how quick he is. As much as I looked forward to him crawling, getting ready in the morning is a daunting task. Any suggestions out there?

Twice

I know a lot of us meet people that are in tough situations. Sometimes certain individuals affect us more than others. Today was one of those days where. Twice I wanted to kidnap a young person out of their situation and just fix it. I wanted to bring them into my own home and provide a safe place. A place where normal conversations happen and conflict is dealt with rationally. A home where Christ is the center and love from an adult is unconditional. Daily I feel more than ever I'm overwhelmed with student's parents who can't provide a stable environment for their child. I'm tired of it. It's draining.

Today was a first for something though. Just when I thought I'd seen and heard it all I experienced somthing new. A girl whom I have been building a relationship with in the school lunchroom finally has begun coming to our after-school drop-in. She's a tomboy and a touch aggressive for a 6th grade girl. She's sweet nonetheless. Today she decided to steal a skateboard on her way out the door from the coat area. After a number of tip-offs I got to the bottom of it and got a young man's skateboard back (which had already made it to the other side of town). Here's where the first comes in. Her mom calls me and demands a conference call with me, the girl, Mom, and Dad. What?? After the girl crying hysterically, mom screaming, and dad (who's at work) trying to get a slurred word in, I finally wrapped it up. It ended with the girl apologizing, mom slamming the phone down, dad giving the dad speech, and me giving the you've got such a bright future ahead of you/you can't steal speech.

Typically I add these all too common unstable family moments to the list of "What in the ?". Today, was one of those days where I can't get Mom's communication tactics out of my head. It's not fair.

After coming home the last thing that I felt like doing was cooking dinner. So off to The Curragh we went. Part deux - our waitress was a former student from youth group. I hadn't seen her in years. 3 to be exact. She since has had a baby that she gave up for adoption (mature decision), recently divorced, denounced her mom, and been homeless. Did I mention that she's 19? Lastly, guess where she's currently residing? 3 doors down from my house.

Um God...what is my role in these situations?

Grueling

At mile 10 I vowed that I would never do this again. The 25K Riverbank run that is. I could feel every muscle in my body screaming. My foot was in severe pain and is still killing me this morning. But, I finished! This 3rd time participating in this run was the hardest for me. Maybe because of the extra pounds I'm still holding on to from Jake. I'd be happy to let them go though. They just don't want to leave me.

I decided that my favorite part of the Riverbank is the bonding. My faithful training partner Kate and I crossed the finish line together. We bonded as a group pre and post race. Matt, Duane, Sarah, Jodi, Kate, and I all rode together in the YFC van and exchanged many stories that only couldcome from race day - other people's bloody nipples, peeing in the woods, encouraging people, chaffing....the list goes on. My favorite happened to be that there was no more toilet paper in the portables. Um...do you know what happens to people after they run for long distances? Enough said about that.

With all of that said, it's an experience that is unforgettable and I'm pleased that I accomplished my goal - to finish! See you later Saturday haunts.

Thank you to all of you who pledged me money for Youth for Christ! I will publish totals later.

Are you kidding?

This is what my doctor came back with after checking out my foot. Um...are you kidding me? One week before the riverbank run and my left foot is in severe pain. From the ball to the heel it feels like someone took a hammer to it. I have not come this far to not run. So I guess we'll have to make room in our queen size bed for thine boot. Plantar Fasciitis is the official diagnosis. Does this warrant any extra sympathy pledges for YFC?

Tulip Time

These pictures explain it all! The fun has just begun.

team YFC

back
front

There's still time to sign up with our running group for the Riverbank Run. You can participate in the 5K, 10K, or 25K. We just ask that you raise pledges for YFC! You'll also recieve this cool t-shirt (designed by Jeff Dykema - one talented guy), family dinner the night before at the park by City on a Hill, transportation to Grand Rapids on race day, and the chance to win an iPod Nano (for the highest pledge raiser). It's going to be so much fun!

If you can't run, you can still help by pledging me! Let me know if you need more information.