Sam the,um..what?

I had to include this picture because it was so funny. Sam came out one day wearing a ski tube scarf as a mini skirt and a monkey for a belt with the ever cool rocket jammies shirt. Pair it with a 'tough' face and it is a'la mode!

Mechanical Engineer?

Sam likes to take things apart. In the time it took me to make and egg and toast for Samuel's breakfast, he had somehow taken apart this clock to the point I could not get it together again...we had to wait for Machiel.

'Honeybirds' (Hummingbirds)

We had a lot of hummingbirds so I decided to hang a feeder. At one point there were 6 of them one early morning and they were fighting over the feeder. Funny that there are 4 places inwhich a bird can sit and feed, but this particular one was very stingy! Samuel calls them 'Honeybirds', I think it is cute :) I accidently put the pictures out of order but it is within about an hours worth of time..see the difference in the amount of feed in the feeder?

First Day of School!

David started 3rd grade this year at Noah Webster Academy and Sam started preschool. Both love school and are doing very well!

Horsing Around

This was Sam's first day on a 'two-wheeler' with training wheels. As you see David still does a lot of imagination play. He made that cape out of an airline blanket.

We moved to a small house in the backyard of the home of an older couple. The backyard is so large that the children have lots of room for playing and there are lots of different fruit growing in summer and fall. There are apples, nectarines, peaches, pears, and grapes galore, every kind you can think of! I was busy making lots of jam, applesauce, canned fruit and pastries :) I thought this video was great of the boys playing one morning :)

Fun at Lagoon

Sam really loved the SeaPlanes. He gives a thumbs up, showing he is ready for take off!

As you can see David thought some of the rides were too 'baby-ish' for him. He got to go on almost all of the really big rollercoasters. One in particular that he went on with Dad and would not go back on with me. Machiel and I traded places 1/2 way through each day so David could go on big rides and Sam could go on kiddie rides.

This past summer we went to Lagoon Amusement Park for 2 days. We had lots of fun riding on the rides and playing at the water park.

It's Been Awhile!

So, loads of stuff has happened in the last 9 months. We had to move again :/ The owner decided he wanted to sell the house we were living in, first without telling us. We found a nice little place to rent, very close to Machiel's work, temporarily for about 9 months until we leave for sabbatical to Germany. Now we are packing to leave on May 13. I will sum up really quick. David started 3rd grade this year at Noah Webster Academy. This is an excellent Charter school. I do not receive phone calls or notes home saying he is playing with things in his desk or sneaking reading books. He is kept busy and challenged and has a most amazing teacher! Sam started preschool this year; he gets to be in the same class as his cousin Weston. He goes to the same preschool that David went to, Mrs. Steele's preschool. She is a friend of ours and Sam loves it! We had many visitors this year. My Dad was here, Maartje came, my Mom and more friends and family. I started Polynesian Dancing and I LOVE IT!!! I am told I am a very good dancer and have a natural talent for it :) Machiel is still working at UVU and will do research at Georg-August University in Göttingen, Germany 2011-2012.