We are so proud of...

our niece, Allison. She is a first grader at Hilton Head Christian Academy. Every quarter, HHCA gives awards to one student in each grade who best exemplify the character trait of the quarter. For the first quarter (HHCA started in early August), Allison was chosen as the First Grader who best demonstrated "Reverance."

Here she is with her award and her cute new haircut:

It's especially cool since this is Allison's very first quarter at HHCA!

Hebrews 12:28 "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverance and awe,"

Allison told John's parents and sister that she thinks she won because "We aren't supposed to talk in line during fire drills or in the hallway. People always try to talk to me, but I don't talk back to them."

Quote of the Day

"The traffic in the Detroit area makes Grand Rapids look like Walnut Grove."

- John Gregg, as we were detoured for the second time in two days last weekend

More Labor Day

Here we are in the big woods of West Branch, Michigan, resting from a walk. Thought it would be nice to show Mom and Dad once in awhile.

Labor Day Weekend...

Since I am so timely with this blogging stuff...

John, Maren and I joined my parents in West Branch, Michigan, at the cabin of a friend of theirs (the music director of their church and organist at our wedding). We had great weather and everyone had a great time - mom and I hit the outlet mall, Dad and John golfed at a course called "The Dream" and Maren got to play in the most adorable child size cabin and make us meals. She is quite the hostess!

Last Weekend of Summer

It could snow at any minute, so we all enjoyed the last official weekend of summer...Maren enjoyed spending Saturday with Bunny and Grandpa Jensen and John and I enjoyed the beautiful weather at the UM-Penn State game in Ann Arbor.

We had a great time tailgating with Trudy and Andy Kortes from Cleveland (and the Kortes family). Trudy is a good friend from Farmington High School. They are all MAJOR Michigan fans. I sang "The Victors" and cheered for Penn State. Plenty of love to spread around...John did NOT sing "The Victors." :)

See ya, Bubbie

About a month ago, Maren started referring to her pacifier, which we have always called paci, as bubbie. We don't know why, although I'm guessing she heard it at daycare. She is a bubbie addict, but we try to keep it in check only giving it at naptime and bedtime. Although...she gets it for long car rides and more since she's been sick. We are trying to cut back on the addiction.

This morning, I told her that we would need to leave bubbie at home and not take it in the car to school. I put the bubbie on the kitchen counter and as we walked to the door, she turned and said "See ya, bubbie!"

It's my laugh of the day :).

Listen Up!

Here she is, telling us both what she thinks (shocking, I know).

Dinner Time

This was the same day she got tubes...unaffected by surgery and back to her normal self.

First Haircut!

The time had come...Maren looked like a sheepdog...Tuesday, September 11...ominous

Michelle who has cut my hair for six and a half years, gave her the trim...

Maren did great, as long as she had a snack in hand.

The final product -

Shout Out to Craig's List

I will admit that I'm not the most tech savvy person. We've been trying to clean out a bit of excess in our basement and I took a few things to an Ebay Store, which turned out to be an exercise in frustration. By the time Ebay takes its cut and the store takes its cut...I'll be surprised if we make any money. Plus, much of what I took was rejected as "won't sell on Ebay." My theory is - people buy random stuff, you just have to put it in front of them.

I was nervous but in the end very pleased with using Craig's List in Grand Rapids. No fees, the buyer picked up and paid cash.

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/

We may never have a garage sale again!

Totally Tubular

Hurrah! Maren's ear surgery went well according to the doctor yesterday morning. It was amazingly speedy (maybe ten minutes from when I left the room after helping hold her while anesthetic was administered to when the ENT gave us the report). She was a bit groggy yesterday, took a long nap and went to bed at 6:45. But other than an aversion to getting ear drops, she is doing well.

First Sentence

Maren has been babbling for months and saying many two-word phrases, such as "My Daddy", "Up, please!" and "Mommy's seat," etc. The daycare workers have told us that she's said things like "I can't get it" when reaching for a toy, although we haven't heard her say sentences like that.

On Labor Day, we got take-out from Applebee's for dinner and she had chicken strips and fries. She's had one french fry in her life, unless they serve them at daycare (I don't think so, although occasionally they serve tator tots). Of course, she wanted the fries more than the chicken, so we bargained on bites of chicken for bites of fries. Suddenly she said "Mommy brought fries!" We had her repeat it again and again, and no doubt, she was saying "Mommy brought fries!" So, we will chalk this up as an acheivement, in spite of the reflection on my ability to serve nutritional food.

Maren's Music

The Laurie Berkner Band! I'm not sure how we would get through a day without Laurie.

http://www.twotomatoes.com/site/

A couple of favorite songs -

"Pig on Her Head"
"We are the Dinosaurs"

I am attempting to get a YouTube account to post the videos, but I might need a PhD in "webology" to do it.