Quiet Day

Lydia has been sick since Christmass. She is not feeling well, swollen throat, aches all over, etc. Not good. Saturday was deemed 'quiet day' by executive order of... well, me. I decided that Lydia needed a day to rest some. Now those of you that know Lydia... lying around resting is for those of lesser genetic makeup. Germans do not lie around!
It began with taking the kids to D&W for some groceries. Now I was not too excited about a cart full of kids, along with a list in one hands and a Starbucks mocha in the other, but we made it through. When I got home I noticed that I do not buy as wisely as Lydia or think family. I think like a college guy at the grocery store. I guess that is one other reason she is great! We then made arts and crafts for a good part of the afternoon. We made dolls and glasses and monster teeth and glasses and other fun things.
We colored and stickered and taped and glued. Anna bade this ballerina. I am not sure about the square jaw though.
Here are all of them in their crowns. They thought this was super cool!
Owen had me make multiple pairs of glasses in diverse colors. I cannot imagine where that comes from!
Watson got some new specs too, but they were a bit too small.

It was a nice quiet day. Lydia still does not feel well, but she will not get another quiet day- unless she hires someone to do it!

Some Watson Pictures for Your Enjoyment

Here are some Watson pictures for your enjoyment. I have been somewhat negligent because we have been putting the files onto Lydia's laptop or into an external hard drive and they are not as readily available. Sorry. I will try to do better. So today, I took my flash drive and took some things from Lydia's laptop and transferred it to mine. Yeah! Watson pictures.
He is a very happy baby. His personality is great. Lots of smiles and coos. Anna and Owen were quite happy as babies as well- but Watson seems to have a very optimistic outlook on life.
Now, he is not the skinniest of our children. Actually he weights at 4 months what Anna weighed at one year. We are comforting ourselves with the 95/95. He is 95th percentile for weight and height. There would be serious issues if he was 95/30!
He has been trying to roll over and show us his abilities. So far he gets stuck on his fat rolls! When he is on his stomach though- he really enjoys it!
The boys love to snuggle and nap.
What are we thinking? Who knows... we will see what kind of little guy you will grow up to be.

Today It is Fulfilled

Today marks the end of Shawn's 6 year vacation. Welcome home. Now let's get back to work.

Meet Wyatt and Hannah

Anna and Owen have been playing with their cousins all day. They really love to have other kids to play with. Hannah lost her head at one point, but Anna got it reattached. The moral of the story? If your parents won't take you to see your cousins, just make them out of construction paper.

A Nicey Icey Saturday

Today was quite chilly in the morning. We woke up to a home at 48 degrees. The heat sometimes likes to sleep at night and needs to be aroused manually. It was cold, even by our standards. We got it going after a couple of minutes. The morning moved on. The kids played while Lydia prepared some things for the Lord's Day. Anna suggested that they go outside and play for a while, which was fine by us.
So Anna, Owen, and Samson all headed outside for some fun in the blowing snow. They went on the slide and climbed a tree. They made snow angels and all the other things that kids love to do in the snow.
Lately they have liked taking sticks and writing in the snow. They make pictures then the sticks quickly turn into guns. They shoot the house, trees, the dog and sometimes each other, even though this is off limits (we shoot things and animals, not people). They played some more.
I continued writing a sermon while Lydia was baking something chocolaty in kitchen. After a while I heard a slight gasp from the kitchen. Lydia commented that Owen did not have his gloves on and, of course, we don't want our children to lose their fingers. She also informed me that he was running around out there BAREFOOT.

Wow.

Cold.

Bizarre.

Closed Until December 12th

I am completing my semester at Puritan Reformed Seminary. There is a lot to do between now and December 12th. I am closing until then. Of course, our children are all well and there will plenty of pictures coming after then.

Sit back, enjoy some good coffee, and watch this a few more times! That should keep you entertained until then!

If First RP had a Christmas Pagent...

If my church had a Christmas pagent (and we do not, nor will we) I am sure that this would somehow be included. Me, Brian, James, and Mark doing a jingle bells ditty!

What Thirty is Like

Well, I am now 30 years old. What is different? Well, not much.

I had a nice birthday. I got some cards in the mail and a Lowes gift card from my parents... I am sure that Lydia suggested it. She has been asking for me to repaint the bedroom for a number of months. Now it will get done. Heidi got me some coffee and a new Starbucks cup. I love it. Irma and Lawrence sent some cash. That is always appreciated.

Bill and Paige Kamp (who are expecting in May) volunteered to watch our 3 little ones on Tuesday so that we could go out for a birthday dinner. We took them up on the offer and went out to Olives in East's Gas Light Village. It was a great time. We had Martinis and Mushroom Crostini as an appetizer. For dinner I had Tenderloin Napoleon and Lydia had Garlic-herb marinated steak. It was wonderful! The conversation was adult and the company was splendid! It was a good way to bring in my third decade.

From there we walked to Starbucks for some hot chocolate. We talked some more and really did not want the evening to end. Of course, with small children you cannot be away for long! We picked up the kids and headed home.

On my proper birthday (Wednesday) we did not really do anything. I had class in the AM and prepared for Bible study that I was teaching in the evening. We took a short break for a Mangiamo pizza for dinner, and then it was time for me to go to Bible study. Lydia made a delicious blueberry cake and a chocolate cake to send with me.

At Bible study Ray and Linda sang happy birthday in Dutch and Ray and James sang it in German. We also sang the 30th Psalm in commemoration of my birthday. It was a good night there.

Today (Thursday) was class and writing as usual. I got the mail at 5:20 and to my surprise there was a package addressed to Lydia. I opened it and found a splendid birthday gift! She got me a book that I have been looking for for about a year. I have NOT been able to locate a copy and was hoping to not have to pay $100 for it! She got it for me! The book is Sketches of the Covenanter Ministers, 1888-1930 by Owen F. Thompson. She found a minister in Kansas (Rev. Ken McFarland) that had two copies and was willing to sell one to her.

This is the follow up book to Glasgow's History of the Reformed Presbyterian Church that Ray and I wrote the introduction for upon its reprinting. What a great gift! It takes a very special wife to search long and hard for a bibliophile's gift. What I could not do in one year, she did in one quiet month of searching and emailing. It is good to start my 30th year of life with a woman who knows and loves me so much. She loves books and fine food too, of course.

Happy Birthday

Today our precious Anna Grace turns four.

Happy birthday, honey.

A Nice Weekend; A Nice Week

Tante Heidi was here this past weekend. We all had a nice time. We did those things that we always do: coffee, Target, watch a movie with the kids. We also had a really nice conversation at Carlos O'Kelly. We love those times.

Of course, we forgot to tote the camera along with us- but be assured: we were all present. Not much has changed, except Heidi is toting a new hair color. She has gone much darker and lost the red and blonde highlights. It is a different look for her. Anna liked it a lot (and we all know that she has good taste).

Since she has left we have been looking forward to heading out for the week with Brian to good ol' Corry. We are going there for the National Day of Thanksgiving. Of course, in modern terms that means turkey, gluttony, football, turkey, and more football. It is nice to be with the family doing what we all do well together!

This year we are adding a Turducken to the menu. My dad and I have been planning on it for months! It is going to be great! Anna turns 4 on Thanksgiving as well. It is amazing how quickly they grow up! We will also be going to the Meadville RPCNA on the Lord's Day. I believe that is one of the congregations without a pastor right now.

So we wait for Wednesday to take our trip. Here are some things we are doing in the meantime:

Anna and Owen continue to run their used car lot in the dining room. They have been playing a cars and dolls combo game together for awhile. I wonder how a Barbie could get inside of a little Matchbox car... oh well, imagination is a good thing.
Sedgwick continues to be suspicious that we are leaving him. We have talked of Brian going with us which means that he has a new sitter for the week. Who could it be, Sedgwick wonders? It is a whole pack of Lannings with Evie at the lead. We all know that she has power and authority over children and pets. She will do just fine!
And I have been reading away. Here I am reading an article by Rowan Williams, the Arch-bishop of Canterbury on the Arius and Athanasius debates. Personally, I think that Ach-Bishop Williams is a bit off of his rocker (he claims to be a Druid and a Christian at the same time), but his historical analysis of this debate is quite good.
While reading to Watson, he was amazed that there are people who believe that the Son of God was created! Watson's reply: "There was not a time when the Son was not!"
I know, little buddy. I know.

We look forward to some time away from Grand Rapids. Family, friends,fun, furkey, fand Fanna's firthday. Foo fould fask for fore?

COVFAMIKOI Psalm Sing

James Lanning found this video on the web. It is one of the many 'family worship' times at our presbytery's annual family conference. You can hear what 350 (although there were 600+ people at the conference) people singing acapella psalms sounds like. I look forward to the International Conference in July in which over 1100 RPs from all over the world will be here in Grand Rapids!
It is Psalm 144.9-15:

I will sing a new song to you, O God;
upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
who gives victory to kings,
who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.
Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;
may our granaries be full,
providing all kinds of produce;
may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
may our cattle be heavy with young,
suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;
may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!
Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!

Is this the Opinion Line in the Corry Journal?

Is this really news? Can you imagine really caring?

Two Dog Night?

Any visitor to our home knows that we are not wasting our hard-earned money on heating this house. We recommend that people wear socks and a few layers of clothes when they are here.

Side note, I remember my dad telling me about one of tenants who ran up a heating bill that was more than his rent for the month. When he went to the apartment to confront this person on his need to keep the apartment over 75 degrees, the tenant answered the door in an undershirt and shorts. Needless to say, my dad put a lock box on his thermostat without haste!

So how do we recommend that our company stay warm? Lydia and both lend out sweatshirts, socks, and wraps to our frigid guests. But what do we do? We have dogs to help heat our sleep. The old story goes like this- when it is cold it is a one-dog night. If it is unbearably cold, it is a two-dog night. We rarely are too cold in bed.. it is getting out that is chilly! But, it seems that Watson has no need for both Sam and Sedgwick. Old fat Sam is warm enough for him!

Ellie Vedra is Home!! Praise the Lord!

The Chapbook Cafe Beginning the Chilly Months

Winter is coming and that means hours of lounging in book stores sipping lattes. It also means reading magazines for free and parousing children's books that we will not purchase at the bookstore, but order off of ebay. So is the ways of a free economy. Owen enjoyed a mocha-steamer, also known as hot chocolate.
Anna also enjoyed some hot chocolate, she only drank about half of hers though. She is a tiny thing and is not able to drink 12 ounces of yummy delicious hot chocolate. (Owen, of course, was able to drink all of his!)
Here Owen is reading Parson Avery's tales of Thomas on the Island of Sodor. At one time, Rev. Avery wrote the Thomas stories as a way to promote Christian virtues.
Anna and Owen also played at the Thomas Table. It is the first time that we have been to Schuler in a couple of months. The Thomas display had 3 8x11 signs warning of all the recalls because of lead based paint. I thought that they should stop doing recalls and just set up the Thomas section under the headings of 'regular' and 'leaded'.
We enjoyed a good cookie with our drinks as well. Chapbook has GREAT chocolate chip cookies, but the cakes are never too great. The atmosphere is very nice there though- big pained windows, stone fireplace, chess players, good art on the walls. It is one of our favorite hybrid bookstores/cafe's in town (not that there are too many to choose from!)
Lydia always looks through a pile of books. She usually leaves with a list of ISBNs that she will look on Amazon and Ebay for over the next couple of days. A week from now we will begin receiving packages from the letter carrier. The residual effects of a nice mocha have lasting implications!
In the winter I get a double mocha. In the summer I usually get a mocha smoothie. Today was the usual. It was quite tasty and gives enough energy to write into the night!
Watson was quite the darling. He slept the whole time. I am sure that if he was awake, he would have been offered a mocha too!
In time son, in time.

Little Watson Watches Papa Write A Sermon

Anna has informed us that Owen and Watson are going to go to papa's school when they are bigger. She claims that they can be preachers and that she can be a talker. Here I have explained, in simple terms, some of the steps to move from exegesis to homiletics. I am not sure how interested he is though.

Klackel Farms

I have been meaning to post these for a couple of days and Blogger was not cooperating. Tante Heidi came up last weekend and we had an awesome time. It was very low key- a lot of hanging out time, watching Planet Earth (which comes highly recommended), and playing with the kids. Of course, she brought a boat load of toys and gifts for the kids. They loved it!

On Saturday we could not decided to break out the lederhosen or the flannels. We chose the flannels and headed out to Klackel Farm for some autumn fun. It was a nice trip to Greenville, very sunny and bright- and windy.
We were greeted by the mayor of Greenville who welcomed us to the Farms. He assured us that there was plenty to do: hay rides, apple picking, cider mill tours, races, games, and tons of fun!
Watson was less than impressed. He thought that sleeping through most of it would be the appropriate thing for a 6 week old to do.
Anna and Owen raced around the track. They needed a lot of help. These little tractors are steel and VERY heavy. I am not sure how a 4 year-old could peddle them.
Here is Lydia and Watson picking apples. We picked Jonagolds which were so tasty. Owen and I both ate two while picking.
Here is Owen with his little treat. Notice he does not fool around- one in each hand! Let me assure you that we were given permission to eat as we gleaned. The only rules were no throwing apples and don't abandon your children in the orchard and pick them up at the end of November.
For some reason, Anna was able to stuff the most apples into her 1/2 pint bag. I bet she got 3 or 4 more than the rest of us!

Here the kids are petting a donkey. There was this 'petting farm' there that a bunch of strange-o types were running. They had giant cockroaches and beetles and spiders- all the things needed for a petting zoo! They even had those giant African cockroaches for sale at $5 a head. That is all anyone would ever need- an epidemic of roaches bigger than the dog for the price of a venti latte with an extra shot of espresso!
They also had these little barrel rides there. One of the Klackel boys was pulling this train around on his tractor. Anna did not want anything to do with this! Owen thought that it was the coolest thing ever.
Here is Heidi again. She is trying to escape from the children. I guess she was trying to get them lost in the maze. We were going to try the corn maze as well- but it was like 5 acres of maze. No thanks.
As we headed back to Grand Rapids we stopped at the famous Rosie's diner for an olive burger and a shake. No body told the new owners, but 'homemade olive dressing' is not sliced olives. It was good anyways. It is always interesting to go to a diner and see what the future was supposed to look like 50 years ago. Lots of steel- too bad the future was all plastic.
We all rested on the way home... except me.... I drove instead.

It has finally reached us here in west Michigan. Last week was 89 degrees. Today is roughly 50 degrees. The leaves are falling- soon we will have a blanket of snow. Home bound is close at hand.

Today when Lydia was making lunch I heard the camera being used. I looked around and told Owen to put the camera back. He obeyed cheerfully and this picture was what he took: it is kind of funny seeing his view on our lives.
Watson is finally smiling at ME. Me...Nathan....Nate....ME... I have been the one that Anna and Owen smiled at when they were teeny-tinys- but this kid seems to like Lydia WAY better than me! She looks at him and he smiles brightly. I look at him and he grimaces and requires a hand off to mama.

Notice the good cheeks. Where would a kid get such chubby cheeks? Must be some new flaw in the gene pool? Any rate, Anna thinks they are more than kissable!

Owen is the nap master these days. Lydia and I were just discussing how Anna quit taking naps one day and has only taken a handful since. This little guy is told to lay on the couch and within 5 minutes he is sawing logs.
Here is another one of Anna with Watson. What a sweet helper.
One more of the cheeks and a cheeky grin for mama!
Aunt Heidi is coming today and we will have more pictures from this weekend soon. We are not sure if we are going to German Fest or that Klackel Farms? Any suggestions? (And yes, we have lederhosen for the kinder.)

Opa Meet Watson; Watson, Opa.

Opa and Oma Malysa came to visit on Tuesday. Oma was here with Tante Heidi when Watson was born, but Opa had not met him yet. Of course Princess Molly wanted to come and to see him as well. We had a really nice visit, despite Oma not feeling well.
Here is a nice family picture. We took Molly for a walk and Owen and Anna walked her. They loved it, of course!
Molly's eyes are not good these days. She is about 17 years old! What an old brat. We love her.
Here is Larry with Watson. Watson was quite content and sweet the whole time.
Here is Oma with little Owen and Molly. We really think that Owen is quite cute, but his grins look so mischievous.
We have a few more pictures that Larry sent. If I have time, I will put them up as well... I think Heidi is coming on Friday too?? There will be some pictures there as well, I am sure!