Weekend Recap 3 of 3

Sunday (May 24) I had the 1st anniversary of my 29th birthday.
Okay, Okay I turned 30. There I said it. Happy Now?

It started very, very early too! After staying up way to late. After sleeping in the tent to let the cool air help Darth Vader aka Bryceton breath easier, we realized he wasn't very comfortable. So around 4:30 am we headed off to a small town called Coldwater, OH (the closes ER) & we spent the next 3 hours getting observed after Bryceton had a shot & a breathing treatment. What fun the ER was!
We made our way back to my Grandma's house around 8 am, just as some of the family was getting ready for Sunday school, Matt, Bryceton & I crawled into the queen size bed with Emmersyn & headed off to dreamland. I think that was the best sleep I had gotten all weekend & when I woke up it was only 9:30 am. Time to start the day!

Since we were not able to get to church we sat around & socialized with some of the family that also didn't make it to church. Once family started coming home we decided to make our way down the road to were my Grandpa & my Uncle Donn are buried to pay our respects. My aunt Grace & my uncle Luther helped everyone remember by decorating the head stone with M & M garland (long story, but wonderful idea) & Emmersyn had written both Great Grandpa & Great Uncle Donn notes expressing how much they are Loved & Missed. Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about them.

The rest of the afternoon was just hanging out at the farm, playing yard games, paddle boating on the pond, and goofing around just having fun & so much more.

The Yarian's version of "Beverly Hillbillies"

The Great-Grand Kids that were visiting this weekend

Matt did think he had to give me a birthday gift of throwing me into the pond, which I had an idea this was going to happen I just thought it would be my uncles not my husband.

As you can tell he didn't feel bad about it either. Matt ended up jumping in too. The water wasn't too bad as long is you stayed within 4 feet of the surface, further down than that it was cold. The kids all enjoyed playing in the water, feeding the catfish & catching frogs.

Adam a friend of the family also brought a couple of his horses for us to ride & that was a lot of fun since it has been many, many years since I have ridden.

We headed home first thing on Monday morning & it rained all the way back to Iowa.

I had a great relaxing weekend & birthday.

So a recap: 9 hour car ride, Grandma's, bon fire, Nursing home in Toledo (breathing treatment), Toledo Zoo, Uncle Paul & Aunt Melissa's, Grandma's again, Coldwater, OH hospital ER, Grandma's pond, hillbilly golf, goof, horseback riding. 9 hour car ride home. What a weekend!

Here's the whole Dan Clan (minus Jamie who stayed home)

Weekend Recap 2 of 3

Saturday (May 23) after going to bed at 3:30 am 6:30 am came really fast. I think I only blinked & it was time to get up. This is how things go when we visit Ohio since we are seeing family we only see maybe twice a year.


Bryceton also woke up this morning with this wonderful thing we call croup. Since I didn't pack the nebulizer & meds that we give him to possible catch the croup before it becomes croup, we looked at all our options. 1. The ER in Coldwater 2. call my aunt Melissa in Toledo to see if she has a nebulizer we could use.





We picked calling my aunt. She did have a nebulizer all we needed to do was get the meds. I called the pediatrician & he was able to call the prescription in to a Wal-mart close to my aunt & uncle's house. So we hopped into the van & headed 2 hours North. Once we were their the rest of the family headed to the Zoo & Matt, Bryceton & I headed to the retirement home where my aunt work for a breathing treatment. After the treatment we were off to catch up to the other 15 family members that were at the zoo. Everyone had a lot of fun.









That evening we headed over to my aunt Melissa's & uncle Paul's house to grill out, play cards, & have a few drinks all while the kids ran around & had fun. Bryceton seemed a lot better after the breathing treatment, but before we headed back to Celina, we gave him another just in case.


Since there were 26 of us together they also surprised me with a cake & card for my birthday. They sang both versions of "Happy Birthday" and my Uncle Paul also passed down a shirt that states: "Growing Old is inevitable, Growing up is Optional!" At this time I wanted to thank my Cousins Jacob & Joshua for helping me "Smell" the cake. It smelled wonderful & I will get you back!! I had such a great time & wanted to thank everyone again. (More pictures will be coming if I can get it to work.)

Weekend Recap 1 of 3

This past Friday (May 22nd). Bryceton had his last day of preschool. This picture is of my good friends, Melissa & Heather's vehicles along with my car, they way it has been for the last 4 years at the preschool, all in the same spots. After I picked him up at 11:30 am he & I went & picked Emmersyn up from school. Matt was home by the time we got home & we decided to get on the road.
The car trip was a long on & thankfully no major issues to worry about. Since we left at 12:15 pm from our house we arrived at my grandma's house in Ohio around 10:00 pm (11 pm Ohio time). This trip usually only takes 8 1/2 to 9 hours, but with a few extra bathroom stops & a lot of cops out we kind of took our time.
The trip consisted of 5 movies: "Underdog", Meet the Robinson's", HSM 3, Night at the Museum, & "Transformers Animated". We also read books & enjoyed watching the world go by.
These pictures are of the kids as we turned down my grandmas road. Of course both fell asleep within 15 miles of her house.
We arrived safely & with a 15 min nap under the kid's belts they had second wind. We then headed down to the bonfire, had a couple of drinks & caught up with my Aunt, Uncle & Cousins. Bryceton lasted until Midnight, Emmersyn until 1:30 am & Matt until 2:30 am. The next thing I know is that it is 3:30 am (O time) & we are all heading to the Toledo Zoo at 8 am.

That will be 2 of 3

He's a Graduate

Tonight we closed the door to another chapter for Bryceton...

The invites went out & tonight was the night.

He completed/Graduated from preschool, this is such a bitter sweet time. I am so glad he's taking the next step, but on the other hand I 'm sad to see this part of our lives go.

I have been with the preschool since it started four years ago. Emmersyn was in the 1st class, then the second, now Bryceton has finished with the last two. I know we will miss the preschool & the staff that works there.

The friendships that we have made will last a lifetime & though we are all heading off in different ways I know that we will stay close.

Bryceton had a wonderful year with his teachers Mrs. Bobette & Mrs. Vicki. He grew really close to both of them. Mrs Darcy also helped out in his class at the beginning of the year all have been great.

At the program tonight Bryceton's "Monkey" class preformed the poems "Way up high in the apple tree.... They also sang us four songs: "Heart, Heart, Giving my Heart to Jesus", First you Plant the seed in the ground,", "Tooty Ta" & "Five Little Monkeys". They even had the audiences participation in "Tooty Ta". After the songs all the students were presented with their Certificates and alphabet books.

Bryceton is so proud of himself & we are all so proud of him too. Even though I think he is still growing up too fast.

She did it!

On Sunday Emmersyn did it... She decided to get her ears pierced.

Emmersyn told us Saturday night that she wanted to get her ears pierced. So Aunt Danielle, Bryceton & I went with Emmersyn to the mall. When we got there she helped pick out the earrings that I was going to get (I have both ears double pierced now) & she pick out the ones she wanted.



I had to go first so I could let her know if it hurt. Which of course it didn't. After I was done it was her turn. She jumped into the chair grab the bear & there was no looking back.




She wanted to make sure someone was close enough to hold hands with (I let Danielle do that) so I could take pictures. One, Two, Three & it was over.

Emmersyn looked up at me as the tears filled her eyes & said "Mommy that DID hurt". I gave her a quick hung & told her "It was over" & to smile for the picture. Danielle then asked if she wanted to pick out a pair of earrings, that way she was ready when she could change them (in 3 months). Emmersyn forgot all the pain (within 2 minutes) & was excited to get some earrings.

She said had they pierced them one at a time she would have never gotten the second on done. She did great & I am so proud of her.

Tulip Time!

Last weekend was the annual "Tulip Festival" in Pella. So we waited for the storm to past last Friday evening & drive the 1/2 hour to Pella. Once we got down there we again waited for the down pour to stop, it was only 10 minutes or so. I love having the channel 8 Doppler on my cell phone!

After the rain & the minor street flooding, Pella was buzzing with activity.

We walked through many of the shops, got goodies from the bakery, jerky from the meat market & other yummy food throughout town. after walking around to see the flowers we bought stand tickets to watch the evening program. They introduces the "Tulip Queen" and the court, street dancing, signing & more. It was a wonderful program. To end the program they of course washed the street in true Dutch fashion. The kids enjoyed it.
During the street dancing the would ask people from the audience to join in & how could I say no, after telling the kids to take a chance & try something new. So there I am, It was a lot of fun & the young man dancing with me helped out a lot with the steps I needed to make. Matt & the kids enjoyed me out dancing..

After the rain the evening got chilly (really chilly) so we ended up not staying for the entire parade under the lights, next year we will make sure we stay for the entire thing, since this will hopefully become a fun family tradition.Matt, the kids & I are getting a lot better at taking pictures with my cell phone!

I think they all turned out great. I am thankful to have it with me at all times.

Is anyone out there?

The kids enjoying a malt, oh the joys of summer!

I was just noticing that I haven't had any comments lately so I don't even know if anyone is out there reading any more. So if you are out there please feel free to leave a comment I would love to hear from you.

Take me Out to the Ballgame

The other evening we decided to take the kids to an Iowa Cubs baseball game & we all had a great time. This is the 1st game Bryceton had been too & the 1st on Emmersyn remembers going to.With gloves on hand we sat just off the home plate on the 1st base line. The kids had decided that they would catch a foul ball (even tho daddy stated he had been to many games in his 30 years & had never gotten one). Sure enough the kids did end up getting a ball that came our way, Thanks to a guy who caught it on a bounce & gave it to them. He made their day. Now it is just convincing them that they can share the ball, which now has both of their names written on it .

Heather do you remember the little girl that was terrified of "Cubbie Bear", look at her now. My how time changes things. This was a great family night for us & we can't wait until we can do it again sometime.