Finally .. Summer!

Not sure why they felt it necessary to wear life jackets while jumping on the tramp... goofy boys!

Yeah!  It's summer break!  It's Monday morning and I'm relishing this time that we get to just play without rushing out the door (of course here I sit blogging!).  The living room is already filled with cars and tractors as the boys have rediscovered many of their toys, Lydia is down for a nap and one load of laundry is done.  I love this feeling - 3 months of "mom" time! 

Rudi

Our "vicious" watch dog!

Rudi was constantly on my lap.

Always claimed his own chair when we were outside or camping.

Sitting in his chair again.

Yesterday was an extremely rough day!  The night before we had taken him in to the vet because he was dragging one of his back legs.  The vet encouraged us to leave him over night there so they could observe him through the night.  Both Luke and I thought that he'd be okay after getting some anti-inflammatory medication and he'd be home today.  Well, yesterday morning the vet called and said that it hadn't help and had actually gotten worse.  Rudi didn't have control of his legs and couldn't control his bladder (a very bad sign).  Two options, surgery (in Detroit) that would be really costly or put him down...

Rudi has been with us for 7 years.  We got him from my Grandma VanderZwaag before she passed away.  He immediately became our "first" child as Luke and I were thrilled to have a dog.  Every day Rudi and I would take naps together on the couch (during the summer) and then go for walks (of course that all ended when kids arrived!).  It was great having companionship during the day while Luke was working.  Rudi was extremely spoiled and definitely kept us busier.  From the start he was a dog that would just sit by you.  He was a lap dog who would play if you wanted but was perfectly content to just sit and watch.  Of course when kids came Rudi lost a bit of his "rule of the roost" but he sure did love laying by the kids when they were babies.  I have a picture (that I can't seem to upload) of Rudi, Jackson and I all napping when I first came home from the hospital after having Jackson.  Rudi was amazing with the kids - he never bit them and would definitely "let us know" when they were crying.  Through the years he continued to sit or follow me through the house.  It was always kind of nice when I was up nursing to have Rudi sit by my feet (although sometimes he would jump up on the chair to sit on my lap with the child I was feeding!).  He was my shadow.

So yesterday we had to make the decision to put him down.  Probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make!  Of course I hated the idea of taking his life but when I saw him after school I knew it had to be done.  Rudi couldn't move from where he was (even when we rang the door bell... something he always got excited about).  What kind of life would it be for him to just sit there!  So we said goodbye and then Luke and I took him to the vet to be put down.  It was comforting to have him sit on my lap the entire ride there and then we were able to pet him when it happened.  So peaceful and quick ... yet broke my heart!  Rudi was a member of the family and will be missed so much!  Even tonight as we were walking through the house there are memories of him all around.  Lots of tears, lots of emotions during one of the most emotional weeks of school.... saying good bye to a class, meeting a new class and getting all that end of the year stuff done.   The worst so far was waking up last night.  Every time I woke up I would get out of bed and think Rudi would follow and then more tears would come.  Goodness, I know he was just a pet but this is so much harder then I thought it would be!

Last Day of Preschool

Last week Thursday was Jackson's last day of preschool.  I can't believe that the year has already gone by for him.  Although he still remains our extremely shy boy, he did make some new friends.  Thankfully some of those friends will also be joining him at Hamilton Elementary next year.  And now he's developed such an interest in learning.  Yeah!  Last summer he didn't want to work on anything related to school and now he loves working on "school" stuff.  We're so excited for him to begin kindergarten next year! 

Such a big guy!  He was so proud to have finished school - he wouldn't let me forget his picture!

Jackson and his best buddy Ben.  The two boys go to daycare together and were in preschool together and have become the best of friends.  One of the teachers who started halfway through the year thought they were brothers because they were always together!

Whitecaps

Fun night at the Whitecaps!

Even Lydia liked it ... Mom was a bit tired after a long week at school

Friday night, just the 5 of us journeyed to the Whitecaps game.  It certainly was odd just being the 5 of us ... surprisingly it wasn't too crazy!  The weather was gorgeous and the boys were in heaven watching baseball!  (they are definitely taking after their dad!).  I'm thinking we'll be back at some point soon!

Tulip Time

Brendan and Dad watching the Dutch Dancers.

Big smiles in front of some of the tulips (there weren't many!).  Can you find Brendan in the background?

Who would want to take pictures by the tulips when you can take them by statues???? Odd boys....

Time to go home....

An more statues...

I love the cheesy smile:)  This little one makes us laugh constantly!

Yeah!  3 kids all together... but not really looking.

Wow... we are busy with 3!  But I have a picture proving that I do actually hang out with the kids.  Usually just Dad makes the pictures:)

Soooo excited for the parade to begin (even though we got soaked from the rain!)

And this is why we go to the parades... the boys LOVE them!

Happy

Lots of smiles from Lydia as she has begun to love playing (biting) her toys.

Lydia if my first child that just loves rolling all around the floor ... the bad part is that you really have to watch what's on the floor!

3 reasons to smile!  I was trying to get a picture of Lydia and the boys decided they wanted to get in the picture as well ... Lydia didn't like having to wait for them (by the way, that's Brendan's new "cheese" smile)

We put these PJ's on Brendan this weekend and realized how much he's grown - they were so tight!  But we love his little diaper butt ... looks like he did too!

Yesterday at Sunday School Jackson had to draw a picture of what makes him happy on one side of the paper and what makes him sad on the other side.  On the happy side, he drew a picture of me (love!) and on the other side he drew a picture of a spider.  As we asked him about it, he told me that I always make him happy .. (sigh).  As the end of the school year draws near and the craziness of ending the school year begins, I always feel that sense of frustration that I can't be 100% at anything that I do ... being a wife, mom, teacher, friend, etc.  It seems especially difficult this year as things just keep piling up but talking with Jackson yesterday made me realize what I truly value most and how blessed I am to be the mom of these 3 precious children.  One of my favorite moments of the day is when I walk in and see them at the end of the day - the boys come running toward me and Lydia gives me one of her huge smiles.... and that makes me happy:)

Lil' Dutch Kids

Even though Tulip Time is a couple weeks away yet, I've been anxious to try to get downtown to try to get some pictures with the kids by the tulips.  As a good Dutch girl, I have forced my children into costumes each and every year although they've fought it each time!  The other night I thought it might be a good idea to just see if the costumes fit them and try to get some pictures just in case they do what they do every year and refuse to wear costumes downtown.  Although it was a struggle - I am MORE stubborn than they are so I ended up winning the battle.  Forgive the cheesy grins as I had just said "smile if you want to eat at Froggy's" (their favorite restaurant). And Brendan's dirty face ... he had just finished eating and we decided to just fight the battle of getting the costume on rather that adding the battle for wiping his face off.   Jackson is wearing Luke's costume from when he was a kid, Brendan is wearing one my mom made for Jackson and Lydia is wearing the costume that I wore as a kid.  Lydia's is a bit big this year but I'm sure she'll grow into it for next year and maybe then the hat will fit her.  Hopefully we'll actually get downtown to see some tulips this week because I have a feeling there won't be many left come Tulip Time.