Love Of My Life

Eight Years Ago today..July 29, 2000...I married my best friend. God brought us together and life has never been the same. So much has happened in the past eight years...and I thank God I have Mark to share it all with. That day was so special and so much Fun.

Mark~ Happy Anniversary and I love you for who you were then and who we are together now as parents and as Husband and Wife. You are "The Love of my Life and I'm so glad I found you".

CHEERS TO EIGHT WONDERFUL YEARS..Full of Laughs, tears, hugs, kisses (and a little arguing :) :)

BEAUTIFUL...

Sunsets on Lake Michigan are AMAZING....

This is what Hallie thinks of this day!! :)

Weekends go so fast...

We spent the weekend in Grand Haven...it was a beautiful one! Mark's sister and her husband came out on Saturday afternoon to hang out! We had a lot of fun.

This is Addi's favorite spot to stand!

Aunt Laura holding onto Addison so she does not go overboard :) !

Uncle Ty Relaxing....

MOMMA DADDA Look at me too....

Addison decided she needed some attention since Big Sister was stealing her show by doing cart wheels and dance moves! Last night the girls were playing in the lawn...As you can see Addison was a dirty mess. I went to get my hair cut tonight and apparently Addison had some ice cream with chocolate chips :) :)...Nope a bib was not used :)!! Oh well luckily it is just play clothes. WOW that girl needs a haircut. The "party" in the back is way out of control!! Should I cut it or leave it?????

GO CEDAR, GO CEDAR GO.....

Yes I gave in...Hallie Begged to be in it so here she is!! Our little cheer leader! She cheers on Tuesday and Thurday Night for the little Flag football players! It is really cute and Addison enjoys watching big sister jump and clap!

A month long Birthday Celebration comes to an end...

This is the desk Hallie got from Mark and I. The Chair is from Nana (she sanded and painted this very cute chair)!

This fun chair is from uncle Craig..for her NEW Play House. She is wearing that shirt because she had her Worship Arts Camp production this night and had to wear it :)!

Here is the Play House that Grandpa Neil built. We need to add the finishing touches, but it is so fun for both Hallie and Addi.

This is one of the outfits Uncle Brandon and Aunt Brandy gave Hallie..Cute clothes! Thanks to Everyone! Hallie received so many nice gifts and cards.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!

Here are a few pictures from Hallie's birthday party which was also celebrated with Aunt Laura and cousin Joe's birthday this past Sunday with Mark's family. She received many nice presents. Grandpa, Grandma, Great Grandpa and the Horjus family gave Hallie A Soccer net, scrap book and supplies!! She is officially a scrapbooker!! :)...This is the cake Hallie wanted. Pretty cake but did not taste as pretty as it looked. Grandpa and Aunt Nancy you make way better cakes than Family Fare!! :) Aunt Laura and uncle Ty gave Hallie a Skip- it...So much fun Grandma even showed us how to do it!! She was pretty good! Hallie has really gotten the hang of it over the past week. She also got a neat pen and stickers for her scrapbook. The kids enjoyed playing soccer with Hallie's new goal. Uncle Jason, Aunt Michelle and kids gave Hallie a Desk Lamp. It is Lime green with a little organizer as part of the Lamp! Super Cute! It looks awesome in her room. She also got lip gloss and nail polish! Thank you to all of you for the wonderful gifts. Most of all, thank you for coming to our house to celebrate Hallie, Laura and Joe's Birthdays! It was fun! We missed having the VanEerden's (couldn't make it because of chicken pox). Also we missed the U.P. Jones Family...We love all of you!

ADDISON TAKES A RIDE

Check out our little tuber!! She loved this. She was not REALLY tubing...Mark had her in the tube and he would let her float away and then pull her in real fast. As you can see she was screaming and squealing in excitement!!! "This is so much fuuuuun"!!!

"I better hold on, here we go again"!!

"Thanks DAD, That was so much fun"!

Boating with a Friend....

Hallie brought her friend Kyra out on the boat on Saturday! She loved having someone to play with. Hallie has known Kyra since she can remember. They grew up together going to My mom's house for daycare. Kyra is one year older... They had a lot of fun together and were sad when the day ended.

On the Big Day!

Hallie's birthday was on Tuesday the 8th of July. After her cheer leading practice we had the grandparents over for a little party. Hallie got to open her presents from Mark and I and some gifts from her Grandparents. We got her a desk and a new book bag for first grade. The desk is so cute and I will post pictures later. She got a chair for her new desk from Nana and some desk supplies. Grandpa and grandma gave her some more beads for her jewelry making and some goggles for swimming. The big gift will be coming on Sunday at the Big Birthday party with Mark's family!

Holding her beads.

Addi wants in on the action!

"Thanks Dad for my desk, I had NO IDEA"!!!!

Happy SIXTH Birthday HALLIE MARIE

Hallie Marie arrived July 8, 2002 weighing in at 5lbs 9oz 19.5 inches long. Daddy called you "long and lanky"! But at your two month check up you had doubled your weight! Below are some pictures from Three months to Five years! Hallie when Mom was pregnant with you I dreamt of having a little girl! I so badly wanted a daughter!! Daddy was not real sure about the whole parent thing...until you wrapped your tiny little finger around his in the delivery room. At that moment you entered into his heart in a very special way. Dad says that the love he has for you and Addison is the kind of love you do not know that you have until you become a Mom or Dad! God gave us you... a perfectly healthy baby who quickly began walking at 9 months and then flew right through the toddler stage. Before we knew it we were buying you your Dora backpack for preschool and then putting you on a school bus for kindergarten! God is so AMAZING! He has big plans for you. It has been so special for Dad and I to watch you grow into a sweet,caring,energetic and loving girl! Your love and care for God, your family and all of those around you is a very special quality God gave you! On this very special day that God had chose to bring you into our lives we are reminded of his love and of the miracle you are! Hallie we love you and are so proud to be your Mom and Dad! Happy SIXTH birthday! Oh and more thing Hal~ do us a favor and slow these years down..they are going to fast! :)

3 months

6 months

9 months

18 months

TWO YEARS OLD

THREE YEAR OLD SWIMSUIT GIRL!

Three years old

FIVE YEARS OLD. Taken in Kindergarten! Five Years Old in this picture, and now you are SIX....Time has gone so fast Hallie "bean". We Love you and wish you a WONDERFUL day! Sorry about a few missing pictures. I took pictures of pictures :)..so some I couldn't get to turn out..12 months and 4 years..it was midnight I was tired!! :)

Die Hard Boaters

Mark and Hallie spent the entire weekend on the boat! They spent both Friday and Saturday night on the boat. Addison and I went home. I really would have like to stay bbut my sleep is important and I would not have been able to sleep. There just is not enough room for all of us! Saturday morning I picked them up from the Marina and we went to breakfast. We spent the day on the lake and at the pool! Again another beautiful day on Lake Michigan! My crazy family even went swimming in 66 degrees.. Addison loves the water. She was not sure about the tube!

A natural born WATER GIRL!!

On Sunday we swam in the pool again and spent most of the afternoon on the lake! Then we pulled into a slip at the Municipal Marina in Grand Haven. We wanted to go the the W.O.W. service. This is the Worship on the Water. Every Sunday they have different guests and this noght it was a Chrildren's musical. Hallie was dancing and singing!! She loved it! After that we tied the boat up at our Marina and headed for home! What a weekend! Three full days with my husband was truly a blessing.

A Weekend FULL of fun!!

We Started our 4th of July weekend with a parade in Ferrysburg near the Marina. It was a beautiful morning and the girls were "full of energy". Hallie woke us up at 6:30am and was ready to go!! Addison was excited because Hallie was! After the parade we went to the Marina and grilled some lunch and swam in the pool. We decided to take a boat ride family joined us later. Later Marks sisters Michelle and Melissa and families came out to swim and eat dinner and watch the Grand Haven fireworks. It was a Great time. The kids were going strong all evening. Hallie and Zack were buds. Makalynn and Alyssa stuck together (WOW do they have imaginations) too cute! Cole and Addison walked around begging for food...and they managed to get very dirty!! Alivia was an Angel. She slept and ate...very good baby. It was a fun time! Thanks for joining us ! Spending this time together really means so much to Mark and I and the girls! Hallie is still talking about it! We love you!

Addison is telling Daddy to look at the sky!

Hallie and Zack ~good friends!

Cole and Mommy watching the fireworks.

Sunday..Family Day

Sunday June 29th, we decided to head out to the Marina after church. We went swimming and played on the playground. After that we grilled our dinner, ate and headed for home!

Addison swims!

Hallie swims!!

Addison takes a break with her favorite treat..licorice!

And one more time down the slide before we head home! Another weekend has come to an end! Thankfully next week is a short week with the 4th of July!!

A DAY WITH OUT KIDS....SERIOUSLY!!

Saturday my mom took the girls for the day! Mark and I went to lunch and then for a boat ride! We hung out on Lake Michigan for the afternoon. Below are pictures of Mark being CRAZY! He jumped in to the Lake! It was freezing! He is wierd!!! We noticed a storm coming so we headed back to the Marina. We arrived there just in time! After that we decided to drive around a little. The storm passed and we went to Kirby Grill for dinner on the deck! After dinner we went for a walk. It was really nice to actually have a full conversation from beginning to end!! Thanks Mom for taking the girls! We really appreciate it! Not just for this day but for all the times you are so willing to take them and excited to have them! We know they love it too!