New Year’s Eve welcome 2009

We had a wonderful time ringing in the New Year with the Badovinic family. Some of you may recall Dan was best man at our wedding and Amy was chief of making things run smoothly. Amy also teaches at KCTC with Clint. Abbi was at her mom’s but Caelun had a great time playing with Thomas, Patrick, and Grace – Dan and Amy’s kids.  We chatted, ate LOTS of wonderful Mexican food, and toasted the New Year with alcoholic and non- alcoholic champagne- and apple juice of course for Cae.

 

Dick Clark is on the TV

  

My social little boy was running and laughing almost continually. Can you believe he is this lively at 11 p.m.?

   A nacho dip mad by Thomas for the occasion- I think that is a Star Wars character in the chili powder- cool huh?

 

  Patrick hangs out   Caelun joins him  Cae visits Amy

Everybody just hanging out.   Clint and I were snuggling on the couch- Cae came and joined us. Grace and Thomas hide while Clint opens the champagne for fear of flying corks!

Is the coast clear?

  The bottles are opened and no one is injured. Dick Clark and all of us say Happy New Year!

Welcome 2009

Curing Cabin Fever

   We are all feeling some cabin fever with all the snow of late. My dad gave me money for Christmas and Clint found this great deal close to home.  The Holiday Inn Express at 131 and M6 has this indoor water park.  It isn’t as big or elaborate as Great Wolf Lodge but it also wasn’t the price.  Clint found a great deal the day before New Year’s Eve so we took advantage of it.  The room was great- equipped with a mini-kitchen which is always awesome for us- we aren’t big fans of fast food. Abbi said the big water slide was “coolio” which I think means she liked it. Clint and I both went down it and it was pretty cool. Cae liked the little kid section.  Our only complaint was the water was a little cold.  The first life guard didn’t mind if we kept dunking the kids in the hot tub to warm them up any time their lips started to turn blue.  We went to the room to eat, came back, a second life guard was on duty, and said the kids couldn’t be in the hot tub at all. We then used the shower to warm up but it wasn’t the same.  We had swam most of the day at that point any way so it was okay but really the water is a bit cold.  They have birthday party packages and I am trying to decide if we would care if the water was a tad chilly in June for Abbi’s birthday.  What you want for swimming in January doesn't necessarily apply in the summer. We will see.  At any rate we had a good time, broke some of our cabin fever and got me some much needed humidity. Thanks dad.

 

 

Clint takes Cae in the kiddie pool with the bubblers

Abbi joins them

   

Mr. Independent

Ready to go down the slide- dad is ready for the catch.

 

“Abbi – this seemed like a good idea”

  

“Okay it was a good idea! Let’s do it again!”

Mommy takes a turn

    

“Can I do the slide again?”

 

Such a lovely tongue.  We are going through the tongue sticking out phase- yes dad I know it is coming back to haunt me.

 

The “coolio” slide and Cae trying to warm up in the shower.

 

The kids wrestle around back in our room.

 

My bets are on Abbi.

Home away from home.

A day at Meijer Botanic Gardens

We decided with all the crazy snow and ice it was time to utilize our family membership at Meijer Gardens for some green and humidity. They still had their trees from around the world exhibit up. I posted the two favorites of Abbi. I also took some gratuitous pictures of flowers. I am missing my garden his time of year but no worries the seed catalogs have started to arrive and Clint and I are religiously pouring over them. The kids seem to enjoy the green and the warm. I hope you all do as well even if it is vicariously. We do have a family membership plus one so if any one wants to join us when you are in town let us know.

Caelun – of course- ventures off the path.

Abbi ever the doting big sister corrals him.

“Look how big- that pot is as big as me!”

Snack break.

Abbi pushes Cae-Cae around.

The train!

Clint admires the replica of downtown Grand Rapids made all from botanicals.

Abbi’s favorite trees- The continent of Africa

Mexico