Preparing for Opening Day

Thursday, October 1 is opening day of bow hunting season, and Ezra and Brian were gearing up last weekend. Because Michigan's government is about to shut down, Brian is going to buy his hunting licence tonight, just to be certain.

Best wishes on the season, Brian!

Playing Guitar

Eeboo Toys for Kids

Finding quality toys kids can be so difficult. So often they are cheaply made, manufactured in china, lack quality artistic ability, and end up on a garage sale after a few years. They are constructed for appeal in the store, but fail to stand up to the activities of a toddler. And so ugly! (The farm animals are so unatural looking and ugly.)

I still remember my favorite toys as a child - a puzzle of pigs in an apple orchard, triangular colored wood blocks that fit together, that tubberware shapes ball thing, and of course, tractors (remember when they were made of metal and not plastic!)

Here is my toy test
1. Is it artistically appealing?

(Would it look good laying on the floor of my living room?)
2. Will is stand up to a toddler?
(Could it be brought outside, drug through the dirt and clean up well?)

3. Does it encourage creativity?

(Will it encourage healthy growth and keep them engaged?)

eeboo toys is a company that I have found that does a great job making high quality toys for kids. The company has this to say

eeBoo is about producing beautiful, useful and well-made products for children.

Using only the original art of well-known and well-loved children's book illustrators we create vibrantly original toys and gifts that hopefully children will affectionately remember.

They sell them in Grand Rapids at Schuller Books, but there website helps you find a location close to where you live. Here is there website: http://www.eeboo.com/startpage.php

And sometimes all they need is a tubberware container, a spatula and a few rocks from outside!

A picture of Ezra playing Memory (we play with the right side up for now. :)

Savoring Summer

Lake Michigan is one of the best features of West Michigan. Kirk Park in Ottawa county is our favorite beach, because it is rarely busy. (And that is where Brian proposed in 2004). We have memories every summer of our trips to the Lake, sometimes even enjoying a family's cottage. Here are pictures of two trips this summer. We hope to get another in yet!

Family Picture

Brookside is celebrating 50 years of ministry this October. Brian and I will be singing Fernando Ortega's "Great is Thy Faithfulness," at the celebration service on October 11.

A book of the church's history is being put together with pictures, so here is an attempt at a family picture we took today for the pastor's section. I think it'll do. (Thanks Hannah for doing a great job of snapping the photos and getting the kid's attention!)

Three Month Pictures

I took Elliot's "official" three month pictures on our lawn with his blanket that grandma made.

He is really growing quickly!

Talkin' Big

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com