Appointments and Donuts

Diana recently had to have a doctor's appointment in Kalamazoo and didn't really want to go alone. Since I have to use my vacation time by the end of the year or I lose it, I took a half day off so we could go together. We coordinated with my parents to come and pick up the boy from school and hang out with them for the afternoon. That meant that Diana and I could have ourselves a much needed 'date' together! Sure, a doctor's appointment is a weird date, but the fact that we got a whole afternoon together without having to worry about the boy? That sounds like a date to me!

The appointment went well and was done so quick that we realized we could be home in time to actually call my mom and cancel. Or... we decided to take our time and enjoy our freedom! We took the scenic route back, making a stop or two so we could really enjoy our time together. We got a much needed chance to chat, joke, and hold hands (sure, we've been together for 15 years, but it still gives me a thrill to hold her hand!). We stopped at Sweetwater Donuts and got ourselves a little donut hole treat. Knowing we would be picking Ledge up from my parents, we got each of them a donut treat too, as a thank you. We picked up our boy and got talked into staying for dinner. All in all, a very lovely day with my favorite people (especially that cute one behind me in the booth!).

Library VR

A few years ago the Allegan Public Library made a huge renovation to their building, more than doubling its size. This allowed them to offer so many more programs and activities, which are an awesome addition to the charm of our little town. Ledger and I spent a lot of time at the library as he was growing up, taking advantage of their different kids programs and amazing books. In the new addition they added an incredible tech room, it's got huge top of the line drawing tablets, 3D printers, and VR sets! When it first opened, 8 year old Ledger thought it was so cool, unfortunately there was a restriction to go in there: you had to be 10 years old. Poor fella was crestfallen! Over that summer he must have sweet talked the librarian in charge there, because he would let Ledger come in if there wasn't any other kids in there. Ledge had so much fun playing with all that stuff, especially the drawing tablets. We went a dozen or more times that summer and he loved every minute!

It's been a while since we stopped by the library, so the other day when he suggested it I was delighted at the idea. We've recently had some free time, so we've gone a couple times in the past week. He makes a quick b-line straight for the tech room! He still likes the drawing tablet, but now that he has one of his own at home, that doesn't quite hold the sway over him that it used to. Instead, he's all about the VR! There are a couple of games that he really loves, one of them he was telling me about has something to do with monkeys? I don't know, but he loves it. He spends an hour or so in there while I find a good graphic novel and find a cozy seat until he comes and finds me, ready to go home because the VR made him motion sick. Poor guy gets sick, but still wants to play!

Horse Play

One of the ladies that Diana works with also has horses and barrel races them. What? That's awesome! So, of course, she asked if she could come and watch some time! It just so happened that she was going to be having a competition coming up. Well, we made plans to attend. Diana was talking to Miranda about it and she was interested in going too! Lissa was visiting this weekend and was pumped to check it out too. The four of us, Diana, Lissa, Ledger, and I, met up with Miranda and Frank at the stables it was taking place at, and had a grand old time watching the competition.

All of us loved to see the different participants try to do the different horse events. Ledger, of course, was much more interested in the potluck table in the stables... He found another kid there and made a friend. We cheered along for an hour our two, but then it was time to go out for dinner. We filled up at the Mexican restaurant in Gobles, which is always delicious. Ledger and I headed home while everyone else wanted to go to the apple orchard to pick some apples. Overall, we had a lot of fun!

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My First Day

Movin' on up! I quit my last job recently. I had been unhappy there for quite a while and was looking for something else. The last time I had to go in after a full day to cover a 12 hour night shift because someone called in, I started actively looking for a new place to work. You know, one that actually has enough staff willing to stay because they like it... Anyway, I was looking online for a few months and finally found a place that was interested- and it just so happens to be here in Allegan! When I got the job offer, I was thrilled! I waited a little bit before I told my old job, since I wouldn't be starting for three weeks after I accepted the offer due to their training schedule. I put in to use all my vacation time, and after it was accepted, then I submitted my two week notice. It worked out perfectly because I was able to have a week off in-between the two jobs without missing a week of pay.

Getting ready the morning of my first day was a bit exciting. It's always a big nerve wracking getting ready to jump into a new job and a new environment, but I had heard so many good things about the place from people who work or worked there that I wasn't too worried. Of course, I had to get a picture before my first day- the third in the family in the last two weeks! Ledger started a new school year, Diana returned to work after the summer off, and now I am starting a new position as well. Both of them are doing great and loving the change, so I am hopeful that I will find the same positive result of the change!

Share A Favorite

I've been working hard these past several years to instill in my son a firm love of movies and especially going to the theater. I've taken him to basically every single kids movie that's been released in the last 6 years, plying him with candy and popcorn. You know, just basically associating positive things with the theater going experience. I've also been exposing him to some of the family movie classics from when I was growing up, like 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids', and 'Flight of the Navigator' (both of which he loved, by the way). As he is growing older I am trying to navigate when to show him some of the 'bigger kid' movies. Recently the theater forced my hand by rereleasing 'Jurassic Park' on the big screen for it's 30th anniversary (gah, I'm old...). Well, I guess that means it's time for Ledger to be welcomed to the Park!

Jurassic Park was a very important movie for me growing up, I was already obsessed with movies by that age, but this one was such a big cultural event that everyone seemed to be excited for it in a way that hadn't happened since 'Batman' in 1989. In preparation I read the novel by Michael Crichton, so my little 13 year old self was ready and eager! It came out the summer between middle school and high school, so I was exactly the right age to be sucked in and love it! On the Friday it was released, my friends and I made sure to get tickets to the first showing of the day so we could be the first ones to see it. We loved it, of course, and when we were leaving the theater, there was actually a local news station there to interview those who saw it first. My friends and I gushed about how amazing it was and actually ended up on the 5 o'clock news because of it! Over that summer we went on to see it six more times in the theater. It was kind of like one last hurrah of my childhood before we became high schoolers, so needless to say, the movie holds a very special place in my heart. And now, I am able to pass some of that joy down to my son as he watches it in the theater for the first time! Oh- and it's in 3D!

We made a special father/son day of it and had a good time chatting and being silly on the way there. We loaded up on snacks, and experienced the magic in the theater together! Did he like it? yeah, but not as much as me. I'm ok with that; he doesn't have to love the same things as me, but I want to at least provide the opportunity for him to. In the end, even if it didn't blow his mind the way it did for me and my friends at his age, at least we had a great afternoon together doing something fun!

Labor Day Family

 Time again for a good ol' fashioned Sunday dinner at Mema and Papa's! Labor Day always signals the end of summer, and for three decades of my life, that meant the last weekend my parents were out at Sandy Pines. Since they sold their place out there, I still feel a pull to get together with the family for one last summer fling! Mema felt the same way, so she invited Tim, Jill, their kids, and the three of us over for a big summer feast.

It was really great to catch up with Jaidey; it was the first time seeing her since she went off to college for her freshman year. She shared how much fun she is having and how she is doing adjusting to college life.

First Day Dinner

Knowing full well that it was going to be a stressful day for Ledger, we had planned to get a special celebration meal for dinner after his first day of school. It being a big day for Diana too made it all the better. It's a good thing we planned on something special because Ledger needed it. Diana and I walked the the middle school to pick Ledger up at the end of his day and when he came out it was pretty clear that things did not go very well... He was not happy at all. He didn't really want to talk about it, so I handed him his scooter and he took off as fast as he could toward home. Oh well. Diana and I watched him scoot off into the distance and just enjoyed our own little walk home. When we got there Ledger was a little more open to talk about the day. He was happy to see all his friends and meet a bunch of new ones, but he was so mad about his locker! He shared his frustration about having to try and open the lock on the locker and how he failed time after time. Poor kid, those twist combination locks can be really tricky! We assured him that he would quickly figure it out and by this time next week he would have gotten so used to it that he would be able to do it without even thinking about it. He was skeptical... Fortunately we got to finish the day off with some delicious pizza and pasta from the Hut, which made everyone a little bit happier! 

Diana's First Day

 It was Ledger's first day of school, but it was also Diana's first day of work! Last year she joined the staff at Ledger's elementary school as one of the recess and lunch room helpers. Even though she wasn't sure she would, she decided to go back this year! Ledge wouldn't be there anymore, but she still wanted to help out. There were a few times over the summer where she contemplated not going back, but she figured she would at least give it a try. We had to cut our traditional 'first day of school' breakfast tradition. Usually we go out to a sit-down breakfast place to celebrate Ledger's first day of school- without him! This time we had to opt for a quick McDonald's drive-thru breakfast because she needed to get home and start getting ready. Since we take a 'first day of school' picture, we are also in the habit of taking 'first day of work' pictures too! She got all dressed up and ready, took a good deep breath, and off she went! You are going to do great, honey!

Hmm... This is weird, now I'm home alone. This doesn't happen very often!

First Day of 6th

The start of the summer was a hard one. Both Diana and Ledger struggled with saying goodbye to elementary school. Closing a chapter in his life was a challenge. The reality that he no was no longer an elementary school student was weird and he didn't like the prospects of summer without all his friends. Sure, he quickly got over it and loved the freedom of summer, so it wasn't that big of an issue. But now, here he is, ready to start the next chapter as a middle schooler. Yikes- he's getting so big! 

We all three woke up together and got him ready. It had been a while since he was up and at 'em for breakfast! I got those good ol' waffles ready and he played a little bit on his tablet as time drew closer. He got his clothes on for the day and, of course, I had him go outside the front door for the annual 'first day' pictures. Once he was ready, we hopped in the car to bring him to school. 

We had gone to the school's open house last week to get him familiar with the place, but it was such a maze that we left more confused than when we arrived! But at least Ledger got to see his locker, walk through his schedule, and see his classrooms (and friends). We pulled up to the school, making sure we were nice and early so he could talk with all his friends and everything before class started. He walked to the door, ready to start his big 6th grade adventure, making sure to look back and wave at his loving parents before going in the front door as a middle schooler.

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Movin' On

And that will be enough of that. When I initially took this job I was really excited- I was moving up the corporate ladder! Where I worked before I had kind of gotten as high up as I was going to go, so if I wanted to keep moving up I needed to go somewhere else. This job afforded me that opportunity, unfortunately it was not a good fit. The 45 minute drive each way, the all consuming stress of the job, and the near constant fear that someone would call in and I would need to drop everything to go in and cover them. Finally, after 18 months of trying to juggle all of that, I decided enough was enough. It was a difficult decision because I really liked my boss, but I like my sanity and wellbeing more... I've lost almost 80 pounds while working there, and it wasn't because I was working out or eating better, it was purely due to stress! I submitted my two week notice and a heavy weight was lifted instantly off my shoulders! Ahhhhhh! I appreciated the opportunity they provided, but it's definitely time to move on. Goodbye!

Meanwhile...

The family was out having a great time spending a few days at Michigan's Adventure, but what about that furry little fella we left behind? Well, he was having an adventure all his own! We booked a dogsitter for her through a dogsitting app. The family that he was going to stay with was only about 15 minutes from home, so that made it really easy! I dropped him off the night before we left because it was going to be too early of a morning to bring him then. The place he stayed was nice and the family was fantastic! They showed him so much love! One of the kids had a birthday party while he was there and they even included him in the festivities. It was so fun to periodically get a picture from them of the fun Wiggins was having as we were at the amusement park having a great time ourselves! When we came home and picked him up they told us how much fun he had- and based on the pictures, I believe them!

Check out the pictures they sent us here! 

A Michigan's Adventure Adventure!

With the summer winding down, Diana's mom and David wanted to get together for one last time. David wanted to do something a bit special, and boy did he! With Alanna and Tavish in town, we were all invited to Michigan's Adventure for a couple days! Yes please! David was splurging on us and paid for two day admissions for all of us as well as hotel rooms so we could stay together for a couple nights. Wow, he really spoils us, huh?

We headed up there nice and early on a Wednesday to meet them up there. We got going on time but everyone else was running a little late, so we decided to stop and get some breakfast. It was a bit of a fiasco, but we got back on the road and made it up to the park right around the time they opened. About 15 minutes later everyone else showed up and we made our way into the park.

Mom and David had rented out a cabana in the waterpark area, so we headed over there to check in first. Along the way we walked past a bunch of different rides and the boys got more and more excited with each step! After we got them settled in, we went back out and finally got a chance to go on the rides! We started with the corkscrew roller coaster and hit each and every ride along the way. David had sprung for the 'fast pass', so we were next in line on almost every single ride we went on! I think the longest wait we had was about 3 minutes. He spoiled us so much! The boys were amazingly brave, riding every single one in the park- better than both of their moms... We went back to check in on Mom and David and got some food to eat, then we went right back out into the park to finish the rest of the rides.

By the end of the day were were all exhausted and shell-shocked by the wooden coasters, so it was time to check in at the hotel. We settled in and ordered some pizza. After that, everyone was ready to call it a night and went to sleep. 

The second day was the water park! Diana wasn't feeling very well and Mom & David had planned a day together in town, so it was just Alanna, the boys, and myself. We had a great time getting wet and doing the water slides! At the end of the day we went back to the hotel and I had to leave to go to work the next day, but the rest of them were able to stay one more night. They took advantage of the pool in the hotel that night and went to to the sand dunes the next day- which they all loved!

Everyone had so much fun- what an amazing way to finish out the summer as a family! Thank you again, David for spoiling us so much and getting a chance to have such a great time together!

(More pics: 1, 2, 3, 4)