Sweet Surprise

June 29 started off just like any other day. I was invited to a friend's house in the morning for what I thought would be a nice quiet get together for the two of us. When I drove into the driveway I spotted many vans already parked and a big birthday banner on the garage with balloons and all! I was super surprised to walk in and find about 15 ladies and all their kids shouting, "Happy Birthday!" This was my first ever surprise party and they definitely got me! Two of my friends, Christina and Lorianne, threw the shindig together.

Below is a picture of Lorianne and me.

What a wonderful morning! But the excitement wasn't over yet. I drove home and I walked into the house and found Zach had baked me a cake while I was away! We had a great afternoon together. Thank you to everyone who called, e-mailed and sent cards. You helped make this birthday very special!

Ahoy!

Zach and I were invited to spend an afternoon on a boat with some friends. We happily accepted! Below is a picture of our sturdy vessel.

Our new friend, Adam Eisinga, came along for the ride. He stayed with us for the weekend because he is a candidate for the co-pastor position at church.

There's nothing like loung'n while touring the shore of Lake Erie.

Captain Zach greatly enjoyed steering on the great open water.

Twins!

We're an Auntie and Uncle again...and again! My sister, Anne, gave birth to two beautiful babies. I had the privilege of meeting them since I was in Grand Rapids babysitting Pieter and Sarah while Anne was in the hospital. Matthew and Rachel were born on June 24, healthy and beautiful. Congratulations Anne and Dave!


Pieter, Sarah, Mom, Dad, and I had a fun time playing together. We went to a playground one morning and had fun exploring.


I definitely didn't think this one all the way through...almost there!

Zach and I painted a chair for Sarah's birthday.

We spent most of our time splashing around in the pool together. Pieter swam on his own for the first time- Go Pieter!


Grandpa and Pieter relax'n it up in the pool.

We celebrated the birth of the twins with ice-cream cones by the pool.
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One of the things I look forward to when coming to town, is connecting with friends. My dear friend, Adri, and her daughter, Siena, were also in town from Missouri so we were very happy to see each together.

Another great friend, Jules, came over for some fun in the sun too.

Pieter, Sarah and I all slept at Grandpa and Grandma's house. We wore matching pajama shirts to bed. Here we are, bright and early, posing for a morning picture.

Golf Gals

Zach and I golfed in a tournament to help raise money for the school. It was a huge event with prizes, games, and a delicious dinner. Below is a picture of one of my teammates. She chipped her ball into the hole from where she is standing! It was amazing. We were screaming and jumping up and down after that shot! (We forgot to follow the "golf clap" etiquette).
It was a beautiful day with a lot of sunshine, which is wonderful if you are smart and prepared with sun-screen...not so wonderful if you are like Zach and me and you just figure you will be fine. We played on separate teams, so later in the afternoon I spotted my red-faced husband walking toward me (on the positive side, his teeth looked exceptionally white). We both got fried on our arms, legs, neck...basically all of our exposed skin. We were in some serious burn pain for a while afterward but hey, we now have fabulous farmers tans to show off. After 18 holes, many, many lost balls, and some fun cart driving, we were ready to call it a day. Well done ladies!

Green Thumb

We have a small patch of soil in the front of our house intended for a flower garden. When we moved in some ladies planted many beautiful flowers and it looked wonderful! Since then winter has come and gone, followed by a wet spring, which turned the garden into a jungle of weeds. A few weeks ago I gutted the entire thing. It was looking pretty bare so I thought it was time to test my green thumb and see what developed. I went to a nearby greenhouse, bought some marigolds, picked up my helper, and went to work.
Chris and I are deep in thought pondering the best way to arrange the flowers.
Are our thumbs green yet...?
Chris was a great help until he noticed my soccer ball in the yard. After that discovery, he was M.I.A.
The before shot....
...and after shot!! It is a bit puny, but it will do for this year. And I think I detect a greenish hue on my thumb...oh wait, it's just a weed.