We are alive!

Okay, so I know that I am a total slacker. It's part of me, so most of you are used to it! Anyway, we are here, and things are going just fine with us. Nothing super exciting to update you on, just letting everyone know we are still kicking. Kaya is super excited for kindergarden in the fall. We are also excited, but nervous and in denial as well. Her school is a charter and has full day kindergarden. It also has combined grades, so K and 1st are in the same classroom, 2nd and 3rd, and then 4th and 5th. Therefore she will be there for hot lunch, etc, etc, etc... all the things I can not imagine my baby being old enough to do! It freaks me right out. She will be at before and after school care right at her school, so we are hoping that is going to be a perfect fit for our family. Changes coming our way very quickly in that department. Yikes!
Otherwise, my job is going well. I got a new position in February, and am finally getting settled into it. I enjoy it a lot. My whole caseload is now made up of only people who are casemanaged by a local mental health agency. All of my new applications are coming straight from inpatient mental health stays. It is definately interesting at times, but it is very gratifying advocating for and providing services and resources to these people who need my assistance. This population of clients is completely different than my previous caseload and I am enjoying the change a lot.
Jer is still working here and there, and making ends meet. He works quite regularly for a Custom Woodworking shop, but they have not officially hired him in yet. They are not quite steady enough to call him an official employee I guess. They are giving him quite a bit of work though which is nice. He also still has the job fixing fitness equipment and game tables. That is oncall status only though, but pays off at times. We frequently have a mower, motorcycle, jet ski, or some other random item in our garage being fixed too. Thank goodness we have friends who need his skills! :)
I guess that is us in a nutshell. I am going to Jimmy Buffet in 2 weeks, and Blissfest is in 4 weeks, so summer plans are coming up! yeah! Also, I bought myself a new camera! I love it, but have no idea still how to use it very well. I am learning, but wish I knew someone who was willing to work with me for not much money and teach me some things. I am looking into online classes, but unless we win the lottery there is no college in my future. So... If you win the lottery, keep me in mind! :) If you are reading this I love you to pieces and hope life is going great! I am going to try to do better at updating!

Goodbye preschool...

It is hard for me to believe that time has gone this fast. My girl graduated from preschool today, and starts kindergarden in 3 months. I am afraid these 3 months are going to go by way too fast! She is so excited to go to her "big girl" school in the fall. We got to visit there again this week, and we picked what teacher and room we want her in. So, it is official!

At her graduation they sang 6 songs for us. It was so cute! Kaya is a singer, and loves to be the star, so it was just her thing. She was right on cue, not missing a beat. These days are sure precious!

Her with her teachers, Ms. Perla and Ms. Nicole.
Kaya and mommy.
My girl in her room.
Kaya and her friend Charlie. So cute!

Here is one of the songs they sang for us on video. I love it, and hope you do too!

Happy 4th Birthday Kaya!

It is so hard to imagine that my baby is 4 today! It has gone way too fast. She had a fun filled day today. She asked everyone for a mermaid for the bathtub. This is what she wanted, and finally got! It was by far one of her favorite gifts.

So proud of her new Ariel.
Mommy and Kaya. Oh the memories of 4 years ago today...

Daddy and Kaya on the carousel at the mall.
My poor baby got her ears pierced for her birthday. Here is the fresh picture of the aftermath...
Grandma Sterk got 2nd holes put in her ears too, so the two of them are showing them off for us. They even got matching stickers. The crying honestly only lasted a minute. She was fine after the initial shock wore off.
After that ordeal we went to Build A Bear. It was her 1st time there. She had a good time.
She picked out a bear, and here she is making a wish on his heart before she stuffs it in him.The finished product, and now 2 stickers!
And here is one proud 4 year old showing off her earrings. Happy Birthday my beautiful Kaya Raine!

Field Trip to Robinette's

I got to go along with Kaya on her field trip to the apple orchard. I even got to ride the bus with them. It was so much fun! I got to be the chaperone for Kaya and Mackenzye. I loved this big apple even when I was a girl!

My girl in her blue hood listening to Mrs. Robinette talk about the apples.

Throwing her apple in the machine to make cider.

Mommy and Kaya on the bus on the way back to school.

Mommy-Daughter Day Out.

I took Kaya to her very first movie at the theatre today. We saw Aliens in the Attic. At first she was all excited about the movie, and especially the popcorn and slush, but then she said she was scared and wanted to leave. Eventhough we bailed out early we still had a fun day together.

The blue slush ended up getting poured down into my couch when we got home too..

First Day of Preschool.

Today is the first official day of preschool, although Kay moved up to this new room a couple weeks ago. She was so excited to bring her backpack to school! It is amazing how the small things bring such delight to children.

I think it is so funny how big her backpack is on her!
I am really having a hard time with the fact that she is already in preschool. I can not fathom where the time has gone. She is such a big girl now, and growing so fast still. She learns something new everyday, and just absolutely amazes me.

Friends.

Kaya loves playing with Ani. Ani is Jeremy's friend Mark's daughter. She is a year older than Kaya so Kaya thinks she is awesome!

Last weekend of the year at Big Star...

Our car rolled 50,000 miles on it on our way up to the lake.

The water was pretty cold for my liking, but Kaya was in it a lot this weekend.
She even swam out to the swim dock again with Auntie Karen.
Watching the sun set on the dock with Grandpa.
Shucking some corn for dinner with Grandma.
Napping with Daddy. So cute to me.

Awww.
Grandpa was doing his exercises and Kaya had to join in. Luckily I had my camera handy!

We had yet another great summer with the Sterk's up at Big Star. We just love getting away and spending some quality time together as a family. We appreciate that they allow us to come take over their place so often.

Time for the Hudsonville Fair!

Kaya absolutely loves going to the fair. It is one of those things that she brings up throughout the year asking when it is going to be. The Sutter's came again too, so she had someone to ride the rides with. Going on a helicopter ride. Last year she cried on the rides, this year she loved the rides!Her favorite ride has always been the carousel though. Watching the moto-cross races.

Ouch!

Today I got a phone call at work that Kaya's eye was bleeding pretty good. It freaked me right out. They wanted one of us to come look at it to make the call that she was alright. I guess when it is on their face, they like the parents to come take a look at it. Jer ended up being closer to the school, so he went and checked on our girl. It wasn't deep enough for a stitch, but it is going to leave a nice scar. Someone in her class apparently hit her with a bucket. I know who the someone is too... thanks to a kid with a big mouth. :)

Camping at Shelley Lake

The last few summers we havegone to Shelley lake camping with the Sutter's. It is a small rustic state campground just south of Bitely. It is a nice secluded spot on the lake, and we just love it!

Kaya and Kaleb talking business, or romance...

Swimming. It is only in the sixties probably too. We tried to fight them on it, but they won.
Kaya caught this little toad. I just love that she loves nature and animals and is not afraid. I love this picture too!
Kaya holding Dylan.Abby feeding him a bottle.

A princess at the blueberry farm.

I picked Kaya up from school today to go pick berries again and Ms. Perla had done her hair all up special. It even had glitter in it!!

Jen and Eli came with us to pick this time too.
All the cousins playing duck duck goose. All of them jammed in the back of the car on the farm.
Here is the hair!
Meet Medusa! It was not much fun taking this all out of her hair.