Oct 29 2010
If it’s fall in Grand Rapids it must be time to go to Robinette’s apple orchard for a hayride, cider and donuts.
Ride the bus!
Wheee!
With Papa, ready for the hayride
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Oct 29 2010
They waited two hours! Luckily Bruce joined me at the bookstore to entertain them while I held a place in line. This next picture shows how they spent much of the time in line.
They had paper and pencils under there.
Jan Brett drew one of her characters on the spot in front of the audience
Someday the kids will fully appreciate how awesome this was. She's like the rock star of picture book authors.
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Oct 29 2010
We didn’t make it to most of the ArtPrize events, but we did take a trip to the Meijer Gardens in late September which featured some of the entries. The first one we saw, a giant red steel ring, Sam lept into immediately. We shouted, “No!” Until we noticed the sign that said, go ahead and touch it. So, he did.
Sam having a full-body artistic experience
Of course I prompted him to do this, and of course it's obvious. Of course, it's also cute.
Avery loved this door, just her size, going into the Children's Garden
Sam in the treehouse
Avery in the treehouse
This is a .model of the Great Lakes. The kids are playing in Lake Huron, here. Actually, Sam is in the Straits of Mackinac I think.
Yep. That's one big ole' horse. This was built from plans by Leonardo Da Vinci but he could never get enough material to do it in his own time.
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Sep 08 2010
Look how big he's getting! See below for the last two years
First grade
Kindergarten
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Aug 30 2010
Grandma Ringstrom collected on her annual Mother’s Day present and we all headed to the ballpark to watch the Whitecaps play the Great Lakes Loons. Great game, lots of exciting plays including two homeruns. The Whitecaps are fighting for a playoff spot, so there was a lot at stake. Sadly, it was the hottest day of the year (literally, they said it on the news that night). Lucky for us, our seats were shaded by the luxury box overhang (hooray for rich people) but as it was, we were melting. But we had fun anyway, the Whitecaps won, and the kids got to run the bases afterward with Papa (it was Grandparents Day).
The gang (minus Kris, the photographer)
Mmmm, chocolate ice cream!
The girl loves her chocolate. Not a drop on the dress! (I was vigilant with the napkins.)
The Ringstrom Boys
The Ringstrom Girls
Baseball is exhausting! (Maybe he's praying for a cool breeze.)
Can you imagine how tired the people actual playing the game must have been?
Sam, Avery and Papa rallied to run the bases, though
Missed the high-five picture. Avery rounds third.
Go Avery! Head for home! Go Papa! Slide! (We put her in tennis shoes for this part, instead of sandals)
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Aug 30 2010
How had I never been here before? It was amazing! The “lake” was shallow (behind the buoys anyway) and no waves to speak of, so Melissa and I could relax on the sand and watch the kids play without fretting about undertow or riptides or any such thing. The girls wanted to play at the splashpad so we split up some of the time. Sorry to say I somehow missed getting a picture of Matthew! Well, he’s in the library pictures from the earlier post (and I missed Keala in that one, so…)
Sam and the girls fill buckets with mud
Avery loved the water table so much she tried to climb inside it
She looks like trouble here, doesn't she? Cute trouble at least.
Friends
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Aug 30 2010
We went to the grand opening of the new library. It’s amazing! I’m sorry to say though one of my first thoughts when I looked at all the great toys in the kids area was I wondered how long they would be there or if they would start to disappear when little fingers got a hold of them. I dearly hope the community takes care of this gorgeous new facility and keeps it looking great for generations to come.
What's a grand opening without balloon animals?
Matthew and Sam, best buds since preschool. They met, in fact, at the old library
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Aug 30 2010
We went to the fair in Cadillac, and of course did all the usual fair stuff: looked at animals in a smelly barn, got queasy on the rides, and ate overpriced junk food while rock from the 80s blared from the speakers. In other words, the kids had a blast.
There really are kids in there, trust me. Bob didn't ride the whirling strawberry alone. (Though I'm sure he really wanted to.)
Sam's favorite ride
Pony ride! Avery's first time.
Sam's other favorite activity. The funhouse...
From left: Erin, Annabelle, Kaeleigh, Sam and Avery
Oh, the joy of chocolate ice cream
hee hee hee
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Aug 12 2010
The sisters with niece, nephew, and nephew-dog
Sisters
We replicated our classic adolescent through-the-hair-glare. Mom's FAVORITE.
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