Category: Family news/Updates

This past weekend we also had Darcy’s wedding near Novi. Now for the first time in a long time, Dave and I actually got a hotel near the wedding and Papa was nice enough to come down and stay over with the kids.  Dave and I both took Friday off of work. I got my hair done and bought a new dress (I think Dave showered and shaved, lol).  The kids were happy to see us off and really could have cared less that we were gone. I’m going to say that means they are well adjusted.

The wedding was lovely, though it was at a place called Plantera (like a large beautiful greenhouse), but for some reason I thought it was at a Planetarium.  It was not and Dave was annoyed as he was expecting a light show.  For some reason I’m terrible at taking photos at events so I only have 3 to share.  Oh well, it was a lovely night, we slept in the next day and had a great breakfast before heading home.

Unfortunately it was raining with thunder and lightening, so Ajax’s last game was cancelled. He was pretty bummed out so to cheer him up we bought Ghostbusters the movie.  We sat in the living room eating tacos and candy, while watching the movie. It was great.  Kids favorite line that they keep repeating: Back off man, I’m a scientist.  Maybe next year for Halloween we can do a family costume of Ghostbusters.  I’m in.

Halloween one of our favorite holidays!   This year we did a little advance planning and actually bought costumes a few weeks before Halloween (which meant Noomi had ample opportunity to be a ninja at every turn).

Both Dave and I took the day off from work and were able to squeeze in a morning parent-teacher conference and then worked both kids’ holiday parties.   During Noomi’s party she sang along with her class and even did the hand-gestures that went along with the Halloween song.  This was the first time she has ever participated in such a demonstration and we were so proud.

The kids tracked through the neighborhood during the parade led by the High School marching band and then afterwards we rounded them up and headed home to carve pumpkins.  Somehow in carving pumpkins the seeds and guts got everywhere (covered both kids, the wall, the floor, everything), but they were both quite impressed with their mad skills.

Grandma Mary and Grandpa Gordy came over to help hand out candy, eat chili, and watch the kids freak out on their sugar high.  This year Ajax went trick-or-treating with a friend up the street, which meant Noomi was running behind them trying to keep up.  Noomi made it almost to the front of the neighborhood before tiring out.  At that point I carried her all the way home while she yelled and called to every person we passed, HI I’m Noomi! Remember me!

Ajax, Dave and his friends kept going and even hit up the second neighborhood behind us.  This year Dave actually remembered to bring a flashlight as they tromped through the woods.  Ajax got an incredible load of candy this year and was very proud of this fact.

Overall, an excellent evening, though the weather could have been warmer.  But that’s how it goes… Michigan.

It’s officially Fall and cold and rainy. It’s Michigan.  It’ll most likely snow on Halloween.

On Saturday we were up and took the kids to swim class.  Ajax is getting better at backstroke and Noomi is really working on her kickers/pullers.  She can flip over quickly and float on her back.  Both kids love swim class and are really becoming comfortable in the water.   I’m pretty sure I’ll be pressing them to join the swim team when they get older, lol.

After swim class Grandma Dara and Papa came over and we all went trick-or-treating in downtown Williamston.   The kids had fun, saw a lot of their friends, and of course, got a lot of candy.  It was in the mid-40s, so by the time we got home everyone was pretty cold, so we made some hot chocolate and ate a bunch of junk.

On Sunday we bummed around and went for a hike in the woods. It was a little cool, but so beautiful seeing the leaves changing colors.

Last Saturday we had a bit going on!  The kids had swim class in the morning (they are doing great!) and then we went shopping.  Ajax had a soccer game in town and then we headed to South Lyon to my cousin Laura’s house for a cousin Halloween Party!    The kids carved pumpkins, busted open a pinata, and ate junk food for hours.

We had a bonfire and the kids piled up sticks and then played dark tag around the yard.  They had so much fun and it reminded me of times when I was little with my cousins.  They also had little glow sticks and I remember being a kid and throwing them up into the air and having bats swoop down at them.  Well, I shared memory with the kids who immediately launched the glow sticks into the air and almost into the fire.  Overall, an excellent time!

Today was anti-bullying day and with the drama in town surrounding the School Board’s policy it was definitely needed!  When we stand together no one stands alone!

Well we’re headed into October and right on schedule our Garden City home is up on the market.  It took a bit of work to get it ready to show after the renters left, but luckily we were put in contact with some excellent contractors.  We did a final walk through with Jim and were amazed at how nice the home looked.

Ajax insisted he remembered the home, but we have our doubts. He was after all, only three when we moved.  The kids had fun walking around the house and exploring outside.  We spoke with our old neighbors, who couldn’t believe how big the kids were now.

After the walk through we ate dinner at Dave’s favorite restaurant, Bangkok 96, on Telegraph and Michigan Ave.  The kids were picky, but Dave and I ate a ton.  After that we realized it was rush-hour, so we decided to kill some time by exploring Harry’s Army Surplus.  We didn’t think about it, but both kids had a pop with dinner, so they kind of freaked out in the army store with the toy guys, gas masks, deactivated hand grenades, and cool old army helmets.

A bit ago Noomi and I headed to Detroit for a wedding brunch for Ms. Darcy.  The location was a bit deceiving as it wasn’t in the greatest area of town and from the street the address looked like a brick abandoned building.  Hesitantly we turned down a side street to go around back and the place came alive with valet parking, an outdoor band, and people dancing and sipping mojitos.  We were, of course, hesitant and confused, but nonetheless turned over our keys to the valet.  The food was great, company was great, and of course everyone is excited for the wedding!

During dinner tonight I gave the kids a little interview!  Here it is –

Ajax (age 8; 3rd grade):

• If you could live in a house shaped like anything, what would it be?  A big diamond. I think that’s like a cool design for my house. There would be support beams on the sides. Invisible support beams.
• What do you think is in outer space? I think there’s um, aliens. Maybe like wreckage’s of alien space ships.  What do you mean by aliens?  I mean creatures in space.
• Where is the most wonderful place you’ve ever been?  I honestly don’t know.  Oh the ocean, the ocean!  Liked that there were shells everyplace!  And you stand where the waves are, so that they are pushing against you.
• What are you good at?  Running.
• What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you? I love you. Who says that? You do (Noomi – that’s cause she’s our mom).
• What is the worst smell in the world?  Max’s farts. It smells awful; I almost barfed, it smells like rotten and smelly eggs.
• What do you want to be when you grow up?  A Scientist. What kind? Wait no a miner. What do mean by that? I want to mine in a mine-shaft and like, find gold.  No wait, I want to be a farmer.  I want to farm potatoes, corn, and beans.
• What’s your favorite song?  We Will Rock You.
• Favorite band? Queen
• What is love?  It’s when someone likes another person. How does it make you feel? Happy.  (Noomi -they kiss and marry).

 

Noomi (age 5; Kindergarten):

• If you could live in a house shaped like anything, what would it be?  A circle. Because so we can push the house and make it roll.  Everybody would roll it, push on that side- Whosh!!
• What do you think is in outer space?  It is spaceships, aliens, stars, the sun, the moon.  And then space people. That’s all 6 people.  Guys that go into space. Ajax – like astronauts? Noomi, yea.
• Where is the most wonderful place you’ve ever been?  It is Papa’s house.  Because I get to see Mabel.  Mabel is my favorite dog there.
• What are you good at?  I’m good at drawing.
• What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you? I love you. Ajax- who says that? Noomi *tapping my foot with her finger* this girl right here-  Mrs. Indish.
• What is the worst smell in the world? Toilets.
• What do you want to be when you grow up?  I wanna be a piece of a hot dog (she provided no further explanation).
• What’s your favorite song? Momma loves you.
• Favorite band? Queen.
• What is love?  If a boy and a girl and they are rushing to each other and they love each other and they kiss they get in love.
• Who is your hero?  Ajax. Why ? He’s funny and all the time plays with me. All the time does fly mode.
• If you were invisible for a day, what would you do?  I would turn invisible and I would just make myself get lost.  Like go at the playground without even asking my mom.
  • Ajax – I would haunt people.
  • Noomi – Actually I’d turn invisible and go into people’s houses and take stuff. Noomi that’s stealing dude. Oh never mind. I’m just gonna rush up to the clouds and touch the sun.

Believe it or not September has skipped right along and we’re now into October.  Kids are enjoying school.  Ajax has been focusing on improving his handwriting and Noomi is working on letter sounds and heart words.  She’s having a bit of difficulty recognizing that individual letters make up words, and words make up sentences, etc.  But we’re working on it.  Both kids are doing amazing in swim class and both were just bumped up a level.

This weekend was pretty quiet, like most Saturdays the kids had swim, then we went grocery shopping.  Afterwards Noomi had a birthday party and then after that we had dinner over a friends house.  On Sunday we made a big breakfast and then went hiking in the woods.  Ajax had a soccer game in Eaton Rapids on Sunday and after that we grabbed a quick dinner before heading home and into bed.

Weekend recap!

Week two was better than the first.  Kids seemed to accept the new routine.  Noomi loves riding the bus and has started getting into her classroom routine.  I guess the first few days of school she refused to stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance.  But the teacher recently emailed me and said she finally joined the class (something Noomi had proudly told me as well when I picked her up from school).  I don’t have much to report about Ajax’s class as the kid tells me very little.  He said he likes his teacher, she seems nice.  That’s about it, lol.

On Saturday, both kids had their swim lessons.  They are both doing great!   Ajax can swim and is working on the backstroke.  Noomi can now float on her back and is getting the hang of swimming.  After swim class we did some grocery shopping, had some lunch and then zipped up to Owosso for Ajax’s first soccer game (hes’s #17).  Grandma Dara and Papa also came down for the game.  Ajax did great his first game, he was goal keeper for most of it and all the kids really seemed to have a good time.   At the end of the game, one kid asked, wow who won!?  Ajax’s team won.  Noomi had a blast playing with the other kids during the game, but wasn’t too interested in watching it.

After the game, we found some garage sales and the kids were thrilled to find some Transformers and action figures for $1.  They used their own money and were so excited with their finds.  Noomi picked our family movie of Feival Goes West, which I haven’t seen in over 20 years.

On Sunday, we all slept in, made a big breakfast and then did some general cleaning and work around the house.  The kids did their chores and then played outside.  Other than that it was a pretty quiet day.