On to Kindergarten!

Henry finished Young Fives May 19 with a trip to Timbertown with his class and teachers. The weather looked iffy but ended up decent and the kids had a great time having lunch, playing, feeding the ducks and enjoying one last day together. He really had a great class this year with an amazing teacher and wonderful teacher assistant. Both Henry and I are slightly in mourning that his year is finished...he's glad to be on to Summer, but already misses his teachers and friends. He's also excited, but nervous to go to a new school next year.

Henry's Class this year (9 girls, 2 boys) :)
Ashley, Julia, Emma, Lee, Chloe, Baylee, Henry, Autumn Mae, Kayla, Yasmin and Elise

Henry and Johanna chillin' on the bench by the water. I had to watch Jos like crazy!

Henry's amazing teacher for the past two years, Mrs. Zwart. She's the best!
Mrs. Mulder, the teacher assistant for the past two years. She's great too!

Henry finished Young Fives May 19 with a trip to Timbertown with his class and teachers. The weather looked iffy but ended up decent and the kids had a great time having lunch, playing, feeding the ducks and enjoying one last day together. He really had a great class this year with an amazing teacher and wonderful teacher assistant. Both Henry and I are slightly in mourning that his year is finished...he's glad to be on to Summer, but already misses his teachers and friends. He's also excited, but nervous to go to a new school next year.

We are so happy with our decision to send him to Young Fives this year. We have no regrets and think that this year was a good growing, maturing and learning year for him. Next year he will be in all day, every day kindergarten and he definitely seems ready.

We struggled with anxiety with Henry this year and had him tested for a few things including ADD, ADHD, Sensory disorders and anxiety. The only one that came back as a definite issue was the anxiety which wasn't surprising at all to us. We have implemented different strategies right now and he's actually been doing very well lately. We are aware of what we need to do when his anxiety gets out of control and hopefully will be able to help him keep things in check.

Henry also continued to go to speech classes twice a week this year. He was pulled out twice a week for about 30 minutes each time at school. He has really enjoyed working with Mrs. U the last three years and will really miss her. She has also been a blessing to us, helping Henry with his speech development. He still struggles with beginning sounds and transposes some letters so he will definitely continue to have speech therapy next year. We are so blessed that the schools offer such great services for him!

Henry is such a wonderful kid! He's sweet, loving, sensitive, helpful, caring, creative, artistic and his attention to detail is amazing! He loves Sammy, loves to draw, grew two flowers from seeds with care and love, watering them and moving them to the sun daily, he is amazing with Johanna, addicted to the iPad and a crazy whiz at math. I love him more and more every day!

Tulip Time 2011

Another Tulip Time is in the books here in Holland! We had another fun week that was even better because of beautiful weather!

We started last Saturday by going to Veldheer Tulip Gardens with my parents, Joel, Kelly and Mila, Rebecca, Joshua and Luke to buy wooden shoes for the kids. Johanna and Joshua wanted nothing to do with the wooden shoes so we decided not to get them any this time, but Abigail, Henry and Mila each got a pair.



I didn't get Hanks a costume this year and even though he could have fit into last year's costume, he really didn't want to and I didn't want to push it. :) Mila is wearing the costume that we had made for Abigail eight years ago that she and Johanna both wore.

This girl really, really is something else!

The gang...you didn't really think that we'd get a picture with all six of them looking, did you?

Luke...11 months old and still a love.

On Thursday Abigail marched in the parade again. It was 80+ degrees and super muggy but the kids still loved marching and did great!
Abby (7), Bebe (6) and Sylvie (4) before the parade.Abby and part of her class before the parade started. Notice how they don't look like they are going to die of heat exhaustion...yet!
Abby and her "boyfriends" Henri, Theo and Sam. She loves these guys-they are great friends!

Walking in the parade...next to Henri of course!
Abigail and Max VanVliet. Joa and I have pictures of these guys together every year from the past eight years. We always say that we'll show them at their wedding!

Thursday night I had the night off so we went downtown for junk food. Henry really wanted to go to the carnival so we gave in and bought wristbands for Henry and Abby to go on the rides.

They loved the swings! Henry did this one twice he liked it so much!


Johanna was too little for any of the rides (except the carousel which she could go on with a parent but would end up costing $6!) so we pacified her with a lemonade instead. She loved it!

Abigail's last ride (twice!) was Pharoah's ship. She loved it! She was scared at first, but then was all smiles as the rode it the second time.

I didn't get the traditional tulip pictures this year. Partially because Henry didn't really have a costume, but also we were just pretty busy this week. I'm okay with it though since we got some other great pictures!

Mother's Day Tea

Henry's Young Fives class had a "Mother's Day Tea" this week at school. All the moms got dressed up and joined their child for songs, crafts and tea on Tuesday afternoon. It was such a wonderful, fun afternoon. It was so great to see how Henry has grown this year...he is so ready for kindergarten! A year ago we were so undecided on whether to send him to Kindergarten or Young Fives and we are so thankful we went with Young Fives. He has truly grown this year and we have all been blessed by his amazing teacher! He only has four more days of school left...I don't know who's more upset - him or me!Singing one of their favorite songs. They would do a Bible verse in between each song. So cute!

"Skin-a-ma-rinki-dinki-dink, skin-a-ma-rinki-do, I LOVE YOU!"

This was the beginning of a craft we did. It started with his handprint on a piece of paper.

And ended up a flower that we made together. I loved creating with my awesome artist!

The tables set up for our tea party...so fancy!

This is one of the adorable things that Henry made for me. So darn cute!

Each place setting looked like this. The folded doily has a tea bag inside. There were mints in the container in the upper left.
Henry opted for pink lemonade over tea...no surprisingly at all. :)
The kids made these adorable flowers for their moms. He was SO proud of it...and should be! I love it.

What a wonderful day with my incredible son!

Easter 2011 - Part 2

We had a great day celebrating our risen Savior on Easter Sunday! We had a wonderful church service and then headed to my parents' house for lunch and an Easter egg hunt. The day was beautiful so the eggs were hidden outside. The kids had a blast searching for eggs...especially trying to find the special ones that had money hidden inside!

Henry found the most eggs I think.

Miss Sassy-Pants

Comparing baskets

I really don't think that these two could be any cuter together! They are so fun to watch!
In the evening we went to YoYo and Papa's house for another hunt and more to eat! The kids loved their Easter baskets from YoYo, especially the huge stuffed bunnies that they got!

My stinkin' adorable girlsStill hasn't outgrown the finger sucking

Easter 2011 - Part 1

This year the kids and I made Easter Story Cookies. Abigail and Henry are at the perfect age for something like this and they really understood what we were doing. Here's what we did and what it represented.
First we read John 19:1-3. After Jesus was arrested, He was beaten and mocked. We beat peanuts with a mallet to show how Jesus was beaten.
Then we read John 19:28-30. When Jesus was on the cross He got thirsty, but they only gave Him vinegar to drink. The kids smelled the vinegar and we poured it in a bowl.
Next we read John 10:10-11. Eggs represent life. Jesus gave His life so that we could live—forever! The kids poured in the eggs.

Next we read Luke 23:27. Jesus’ followers walked with Him as He carried the cross. Many of them cried because they were so sad. The salt tastes like tears. I guess I missed a picture of this but we put in a pinch of salt.
Next we read Psalm 34:8. The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus loves us! The kids poured in sugar.
Then we beat the mixture (without the nuts in it).
Notice how white the mixture is. We read Isaiah 1:18. Jesus is pure because He never sinned. When He forgives our sins, He makes us pure.
We folded in the nuts then read Matthew 27:57-60. We put teaspoons of the mixture on a cookie sheet. Each mound represented the rocky tomb where Jesus was laid.
Lastly we read Matthew 25:65-66. We put the cookie sheet in the oven and turned the oven OFF and “seal” the door with a piece of tape.

The next morning the kids checked the oven. They pulled off the tape to check the cookies. They cracked them open and they were hollow, empty, just like Jesus' tomb! I missed a picture of this because they checked them before I was awake. So bummed I missed a picture, but glad they were excited to check them out.

It was neat to hear them tell other people about the cookies and what everything represented. I love being able to do these kinds of projects with the kids since they are at such a perfect age.