A Strange(r) Visit

We went caroling with our youth group last night, riding on a decorated hayrack around Sully, and surprising some older folks with a poinsettia and Christmas music.  The following is a video of us surprising our kids and their babysitters.  Brian is dressed as Santa Claus, and the kids aren't quite sure of him at first.

Going to School

This will be our family's last fall that none of our children will be attending school. Next year, Ezra will be nearly five, and will likely go to preschool. Though I admit I'm not up on what age is best, and if it is best for a child to attend preschool, and all that. I'm assuming because he will be five next fall, but will not be old enough to go to kindergarden because of the date of his birthday, he will be old enough to go to preschool.

But, today Ezra and Elliot went with Brian to the school's opening activities, which involves a chapel service. Even though we don't have children in school, we enjoy participating in our local Christian schools activities, programs, and graduations. Our love of the Christian learning community comes from the influence it had on our lives, and was deepened this summer after watching the casket of an 18 year old daughter of our church be carried by young men from her 8th grade graduating class of the Christian school they attended.

At the same time, we enjoy the camaraderie of the athletic events of our local public school.  It was fun to take the three boys to watch the homecoming parade last fall, and I'm looking forward to seeing all the classes on trucks and wagons, decorated in their school colors again this fall.  I also enjoy seeing the lights from the public school football field, just across the street (and don't mind the loud, obnoxious souped-up trucks that speed away after the game is over).  There is something really special about the small-town Iowa community supporting the local school, and the kids learning in a community there.

So these photos are premature, but will be fun to compare to the day that, Lord willing, Ezra and Elliot are both in school, and attending their first chapel services..  And you could have guessed, when they got in the truck to go with Brian, Zach threw a fit, because he wasn't going too.  I'm sure that will be repeated in a few years.

Here they are making shadows in the morning sun, while waiting on Brian.  Ezra started it, Elliot follow suit, which is how it usually happens.

Underwear Dance: The Remix 2

Elliot is starting some potty training, so I thought I'd pull this video of Ezra out of the archives.

The Middle Child

Has a hard time adjusting to the season change.

Almost picked a Tulip last weekend, illegally...behind the Scholte house.

Loves his gumboots, and his fork lift.

9 months + 2 yrs + 3 and a half = three punks

Today I got some pictures of the three boys on our lawn.  The two youngest desperately needed haircuts.  I didn't realize how bad it was until I shot their pictures today and looked at them on my computer after they were in bed.  Thankfully, we have a resident barber (dad and an electric shaver), which means not only can dad preach, kill a turkey, make neat-o snacks, and sort hogs, but he also cuts hair. 

I've posted the post-hair cut photos at the end.

Ezra in front of Brian's parsonage office door. 

Zachary on the verge of "hockey hair," a style often sported by hockey players, or Canadians, or Canadians at Dordt who played hockey.

Elliot's stink-eye.  This is his signature look.

There was no way they would sit still and look nice for a photo, so I gave them Oreo Fudgies.  It will probably be this way when they are teenagers too.

And the post hair cut photos...

Zachary looks more like and Iowa farm boy than a Canadian (sorry brother-in-law Rob).

Silly Brothers

"Do it again, Zachary!"

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December Fun

Here are a few photos that I haven't gotten around to posting that are from last month.

Two little boys showing off to two big boys at one of our friends' homes.

Elliot evaluating the swimming pool situation, while clinging to one of his Christmas presents.

Elijah, Anton, Ezra, Elliot and Zachary at the pool.


Ezra really loved swimming. He went down the slide over and over again. This picture shows that this wasn't just a slow-poke slide, either!

After a Day of Fun

After running, packing, shopping, swimming, resting, going down the slide, swimming again, snacking, swimming again...little Elliot just couldn't finish his pizza.

A little video of what many of us might feel like after the holidays...

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He eventually fell asleep in Brian's arms, and then slept on Aunt Suzanne's lap until it was time to take a bath and get PJs on for bedtime.

Taking a Break

Wise quotes from Winnie the Pooh:

“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"”

“When having a smackerel of something with a friend, don't eat so much that you get stuck in the doorway trying to get out.”

“Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it.”

Another Four Wheeler Driver

We've got another four wheeler driver. At first, Ezra was excited. Then he decided it wasn't fun to share a pretty special toy with a little brother, Elliot.

You can see Ezra's first four wheeler drive here

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Three Month & Three Year Pics

I shot three month and three year pictures last weekend while in Grand Rapids. The backyard of the Buys' house was beautiful, and the boys were too. :)

Lord, grant me patience to deal with my blessings

Zachary is growing quickly - two and a half months already. There have been several times that I think, "I can't wait until they can all walk themselves," or "next summer maybe I'll just have one in diapers rather than two..." I am looking forward to days that aren't so busy with feedings, diapers, baths, sweeping under high chairs, hauling car seats and cleaning up messes.

Countless times we've been told, "we miss the years when the kids were little," or "they went so fast." Right now I don't feel like they are going very fast, or that I'm going to miss them. In a way I think the testimonies from other parents help remind me to be thankful for these days as best I can. And, photography helps me capture moments that I can't fully appreciate right now because of being worn out, but will later.

Last night I overheard a grandparent-aged couple say, "Wow, that is a busy family," and a person respond, "Busy, but blessed." It was another good reminder.

A Tree on a Church

Today I had an entire hour to myself, with all three boys sleeping. This is very unusual. I usually don't know what to do with myself. But, since the house is clean and ready for family coming into town for Zachary's baptism, I read a book. (I'm reading Open Secrets when I do get moments to read).

Ezra woke up first, and asked me to help him with a puzzle, but I told him I was having quiet time and asked him to do Legos by himself for awhile. He is very good about leaving me alone when I ask him. Lately he is really into building churches with legos. Generally it is a square with a tall tower of legos on top. Sometimes he changes things up and the tower (steeple) looks like stair steps of Legos on top.

After playing by himself for a good hour, he ran into the living room proud of his newest project, which he calls "A church with a tree on top."

It may seem kind of silly, but I think it is pretty special.

Pulling a Wagon

Last weekend Ezra got to watch a tractor pull a stuck combine out of a muddy rut with a chain, so this week he has been pretending to pull things with his toys and strings. Tonight when I came home he, Elliot and Brian had rigged his four wheeler with this outfit...

Near the end you can hear Ezra say, "I love it daddy!"

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Six Weeks Old

Ezra 2.5, Elliot 15 months, Zachary 6 weeks
"If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?"

Family Outing

Tonight we had our first outing as a family of five. We grabbed dinner at "Iowa's Best Burger Cafe" five-and-dime on the interstate, and continued north for a picnic at Rock Creek State park. They really are good burgers, even though the gas station looks rather sketchy.

We went into the hospital one week ago tonight to have Zachary. Tonight he was sleeping in this position in his car seat, which happens to be just what he looked like on the ultrasound before the C section. They called it "OP Tranverse," (sunny side up and sort of cross-ways) which is what caused my labor to stop progressing.

I love how Ezra's shirt is stuck in his Cars underwear.

Iowa is a beautiful place to live.