Girls night out

Eric had cub scout pack meeting right after work on Wednesday, so the girls and I decided to have girls night out. We went out to dinner and then got chocolate cake the the Chocolate Cafe. Afterwards we had to make one more stop by our old friends, Bessie and Jessie. They got sold at auction on September 10th, so who knows how much longer they will be downtown. Eliza was so sad. She really wanted me to buy Jessie for her. 

My new job!

The big news of the week is that I signed a contract to work for Andrew's University in Berrien Springs teaching in their nursing lab for 6 hours a week. They run a BSN nursing program with about 100 students in the program. About 30 students are admitted the fall of their sophomore year. They also have a Masters of Nursing Education Program.
I will be working in the lab helping students pass off skills on Monday and Wednesday from 1-4 pm.  The other great news is that Eliza can go to the preschool/daycare that is in the same building as I will be in while I am at work. It think she is going to like going to work with me.
So we will have our mornings free together all week now, and then on Monday and Wednesday Eliza and I will go to Andrew's University. Gretta is going to ride the bus home to her friends how on Monday's and Wednesday's.
I think it is going to work out great!

We can't believe our eyes the bunk bed pieces finally came!!!

Friday afternoon we opened the door to find the bunk bed pieces we were missing finally had arrived. It only took 12 weeks at at least 100 phone calls to Berry, but they finally arrived. Gretta has enjoyed sleeping on the top bunk and I am thrilled you can finally move around in their room.  Yeah! 

Sounds asleep in their beds.

Apple Picking with Nana

Nana came to visit us for a few days from Idaho. We went apple picking on Friday morning. The trees were picked over, but we still found some apples and had a great time. 

Thanks Nana for coming to visit us. Thanks for the purple tutu's too!

Apples

Eliza and I went Apple picking on Friday. We are headed to make apple sauce tomorrow with our MBA friends, so we needed to get apples. We picked 1 1/2 bushel in about 30 minutes. Eliza sure liked helping. 

She liked it so much I am sure we will go back again. 

For dessert tonight at our house we had hot apple pie. Wish you all could have joined us! It was sure good!

BSU vs Toledo

Friday night we got in the car right when Gretta got off the school bus at 4:10 and headed to Toledo, OH for the BSU football game. It took us about 3 hours to get to Toledo and we made it to the game just in time to see the opening fireworks. People in the mid west sure do love fireworks! 

We also ran into Dallen Ashby a boy I went to HS with. It was crazy to see him after all of these years. Also one of our MBA friends, Graham Orme. 

The girls were so excited and we had a fun time sitting in the BSU section. It reminded me of all of the fun times I had with my dad rooting for the Broncos. 

We were on ESPN too. Gretta is sitting behind the guys, but you can't see her and Eliza is on Eric's lap on the side that isn't showing. Oh well. 

The Broncos won It was a fun night. 

Nina and Pinta

Replicas of the Nina and Pinta have been parking along the St. Joseph River all week. I took the girls down to look at them and we had a nice discussion about Christopher Columbus. I can't believe they sailed of into the unknown in such small boats!

Park Day

We had a nice time enjoying the fall weather at the park this week. 

Eliza's first day of preschool

Eliza started preschool today. She actually wasn't that excited. She wanted to show off her new backpack and have a water bottle like Gretta, but when we went to leave she told me again how much she didn't want to go to preschool. I left her crying, but when we got back she had had a fun time. She already told me she doesn't want to go on Thursday. It might be a long year. On the other hand she had dance tonight and did great. She loved it!

She has really grown up since last year! She keeps telling me she is a big kid now! She really is!

Hanging out with Daddy

Saturday I attended a 5 Stake Regional Leadership training for Relief Society in Lansing most of the day, so it turned into a daddy-daughter date for Eric and the girls. The training was really good. Sister Barbara Thompson from the Relief Society General Presidency spoke to us. I also ran into April Shipley who was a great friend from age 3-11. I didn't know she was in Michigan. She moved here in February. She lives about 4 hours north of me, but it was still fun to run into her. 

It was a Spirit filled meeting.

Saturday turned into a nice day and Eric took the kids to play at the beach and go to the beach Kids' Museum. I guess every time the girls would swing up high they would say, "This is the best day ever". So I think they had fun with Eric. 

Gretta loves to put on my shoes and show off. 

Saturday night he took them over to a friends house to watch the first 1/2 of the BYU football game. Go Cougars! To bad the game didn't turn out great, but they sure had fun anyway. 

Eliza

Eliza has missed having Gretta home in the afternoon to play with her. I am just not that much fun as a playmate I guess. Plus I made her go to the store and run errands. On Thursday she told me no more stores. She has been begging to go to the Kids' Museum, but since summer is open the one by the beach is only open Thursday night and Friday and Saturday. The on the bluff is under construction and won't open to the 21st. So on Friday I took her to the Kids' Museum and we had popcorn by the carousel. The a nice family was leaving and had an extra token they gave to us, so she got to ride the carousel. She was so excited!!!!

At school

We followed the bus to school. Here she is coming off. 

Walking with her friend, Maren, into class.

The inside of her classroom and her teacher Mrs. Lange. We took snack for the first day. She said they sang her a song to thank her and she really liked that. 

She had a great day! The only hiccup was that she told them she was riding the bus home even though I told her I was going to pick her up. She was so excited to ride the bus with Maren she forgot I was coming. So when I showed up and saw her teacher, but not her I panicked. Her teacher ran and got her off of the bus. She still is begging to ride it home tomorrow. I haven't decided yet. They drop her 1/2 mile from the house in the afternoon, not right at our driveway. 

As for her days she said they read books, went to recess and had snack. She didn't give us many more details about class. I heard a running dialog about recess, but not much about class. 

Hopefully she will be as excited tomorrow.

Gretta's First Day of Kindergarten- Off to school

Gretta was so excited for Kindergarten today that she was ready 2 hour early. She even got up and took her own shower. I helped her blow dry and curl her hair (Which she usually won't let me do.) and painted her nails. She was so excited about the new outfit Nana sent. 

Here she is waiting at her afternoon bus stop at 12:20. At the noon pick up they pick her up right at our drive way. 

Eliza was quite sad that Gretta was going to leave her for the whole afternoon. She is sad about the whole thing. We had mom- Eliza time, but I am not quite as fun as Gretta.

Eric even made it home to see her off. 

Eliza making sure she got one last "huggy kissy" 

She got right on and never looked back. She sat behind the driver with her friend from church, Maren. 

I can't believe she is so old and grown up!

Thank you Nana!!!!

We got home from Anna and Gabe's to find a package on the front door from Nana. The girls were so excited about their new tutu dresses. Eliza said, "This is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen!" She LOVES tutus! They have pretty much worn them all the times since they came in the mail. 

Thanks so much Nana!!!! You're the best. 

Thanks Bartoo's

The kids enjoying breakfast together Sunday morning. 

Thanks Bartoo's for such a fun trip! Since it only took us 6 1/2 hours to get home on Sunday we are even more excited for our next trip to visit you. We sure hope you make it our way for Thanksgiving. 

Gretta and Eliza loved playing with their cousins!!!

Visiting the Bartoo's

Friday we got to Rochester just before Gabe got home from work. Once Gabe got home we headed to Chuck E Cheese for dinner. The girls were so excited. We don't have  Chuck E Cheese close to us. Jackson loves Cheese's too! This is the only picture I got of the whole night, but we had a great time. 

Then Saturday morning the kids enjoyed watching TV in their PJ's together. They had a slumber party in Jackson's room which was also fun for them!

Saturday the weather didn't corporate, so we headed to the SPAM Museum for an indoor activity and then Culver's for lunch. 

Jackson wanted to be in his own picture!

Did you know it only takes 60 employee's to produce all of the SPAM in the US. They have sold over 6 billion cans since starting production and Honolulu Hawaii is the #1 consumer of SPAM.

Here are the kids trying out their assembly  line skills. I think they better go to college!

Then in the afternoon since the weather still wasn't good we headed to the House of Bounce. The kids had a ball!

Gretta is quite the dare devil!