Dinosaurs like CANDY!!

Halloween was fun with Jacob. The Sunday before we had trunk or treat at our church and all kinds of festivities. There was games inside the gym with inflatable bounce house and fun house. Jacob won all sorts of Prizes. Michael submitted Chili to the Chili cook off competition, and won. Can you believe it? Pretty much Michael tried to make the chili as hot as he could, putting everything in it he could, including jalapeno pickle juice. We are pretty sure he couldn't duplicate the recipe even if he tried. It was funny to see people's reactions when they tasted his chili. Some would say this isn't hot, and so get a bigger helping, then a little while later say" My mouth is on Fire." However he won, even with the anonymous voting. He was very proud of himself. After the indoor festivities at the church, the trunk or treat started where Jacob got all sorts of candy, went on the a hayride like 2 or 3 times and partook in the bonfire. It was a fun evening. Jacob kept telling me that he liked being a Dinosaur, because he like to scare people. He would roar. It was such a cute innocent roar, but of course everyone would make a reaction and he would giggle.
Then to actually trick or treat on Halloween, we pretty much just went around to family that lived in the area. Much different than what we would have if we lived in Indy. In Indy, we would have just taken Jacob around our nice little Neighborhood subdivision- and he would have made out with much candy. But In LaGrange, it is more spread out. He had fun. It was so cute. He was so proud to be a dinosaur and he would say. Trick or Treat, Dinosaurs like CANDY!! It was adorable. Being that it was only family that we rung the door bell too, he wasn't as shy as he is sometimes. He still made out with too much candy that we will probably be eating for weeks.
The funniest part of the evening was driving back from visiting Aunt Julie's house. We were on a country road- that actually is probably traveled more than others, and there were two dogs in the road (being a little promiscuous). As Michael was driving up to them, they were not getting out of the way. They actually stopped what they were doing and then the little beagle dog decided to walk right at his jeep. Michael had to pull the car to a stop. The Beagle still didn't move, so In the middle of the road, Michael gets out to chase the dog away. The beagle being a smart dog goes around the vehicle and perches his paws on the ridge of Michael's door that he left open. I start to yell at Michael who is laughing thinking that there is no way this little dog could jump up into his big Jeep. We were fooled. The beagle then proceeded to jump up into the Jeep with Jacob and I and then decided to lie down in my lap. Not sure what to do, I am screaming/laughing. I have a dog on my pregnant belly and am strapped in with my seat belt. Michael is laughing so hard, he isn't helping much and Jacob doesn't know if it is a good thing or bad thing and starts crying. However Once we finally get the dog out of the car, we take off and see the dog running after us, and Jacob kept saying, "where's my Doggie?" Oh only in our little town would something like that happen. :)

To overload Jacob even more with Joy, we decided that evening to visit Grandma and Grandpa Sherck at Pokagon State park inn (they were there on a little get away- but said we could bring Jacob over for a swim in the pool). Jacob loved swimming in the pool. He had so much fun with Daddy. He kept asking me to take pictures of him swimming. He really is my little fish. He didn't quite understand why I wouldn't swim with him at first- but being that I don't think my swim suit would fit appropriately, I decided that It would not be the best thing for me in a public setting. Especially since I don't have a maternity swimsuit and am not going to buy one for one night. :)

Here are a few pictures of our fun Halloween activities!

Swimming at Potawatomi Inn with Daddy

Walking up to trick or treat

Roar- Dinosaurs like CANDY!!

Playing games at Trunk or Treat

Getting ready to trick or treat from the trunks of people's vehicles
Riding on the Hayride with Bo (Shrek), Kennedy (ballerina) and Aunt Michelle

Fall and helping grandpa

So the dishwasher broke and started to leak into the basement. It was so cute, as soon as grandpa started to get out his tools, Jacob ran over and got his tools out to help. Hopefully, he will learn how to fix things up for us around the house from Grandpa because he doesn't learn it from daddy!

Fall is so much fun to play outside with Jacob. Michael is really interested in playing Frisbee golf whenever he gets a chance, and Jacob loves to go along. Whether it is at the park or just in our back yard.

He is learning so much, we can't put much by him anymore.

Oh and by the way did you know that Wendy's is McDonalds girlfriend. That now makes two acceptable fast food resturants that Jacob will let us eat at. :)

using birthday present

Michael got tickets to the AVP sand volleyball tourney in Muskegon MI for his birthday. I got him two tickets, and he would have taken me but with the sickness I have been feeling, I was okay when he said he was taking his friend Nate and Brian. He had a great time. Took lots of pictures and had lots of stories to tell. I am glad he enjoyed his present. Hopefully he learned a lot of things to help me out with coaching volleyball this year. Call me crazy I know, I committed to it before I knew I was pregnant. Luckily I have a great husband that enjoys the game and the more he learns the more he can help. Especially, when I am not feeling so hot.

Celebrating Daddy and Matt's Birthday

Jacob Loves Birthdays! He was so excited that Daddy's birthday was soon. Of course, Daddy shared the blowing out the candles with Jacob. Jacob even picked out his own present for Daddy. Mommy tried to talk him into something a little different, since it was a little more than what she originally wanted Jacob to spend on daddy, but couldn't say no when Jacob picked out Wii Sports Resort for Daddy. They love playing it together. Daddy didn't need all the party hats and stuff, but Jacob insisted.
Birthday Dinner for Daddy! Note the Doodlebops party hats, left over from Jacobs party in February! Crazy!!

Uncle Matt and Daddy (Michael) share the same birthday, so we try to get together to celebrate sometime around their birthdays. This year- they didn't have much say in what we did and with the distance and time constraints we met for an afternoon in Fort Wayne. Not being at home where the kids could be contained, we did a Kid friendly activity. We met at The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, and then to Chucky Cheese for a birthday dinner! How fun to celebrate a 28 year old and a 23 year old.

Hope you Enjoy the pictures from our fun day!

Uncle Matt is really just a big kid. Poor aunt Lindsey was just shaking her head the whole time

Jacob was getting a little tired at the end of the day, but was still going strong- He loved the play train, but we didn't make it in time to actually ride the train.


Ruthie was not sure she liked the animals being so close- even if they are not real

The Kids were spoiled, they got to go on all the exersions. The Log ride,pony rides, and feed the giraffes. It is just too bad they missed the train ride too.

Malachi and Rachel on the pony ride

Jacob- That kid loves horses, Maybe Grandma and Grandpa will have to get one for their house so he can ride it.

The kids liked the eggs just as much as Uncle Matt

It was an educational trip

Brian wasn't sure how long he wanted to stay in the African Drum section. But the kids loved it

Malachi had the best seat in the house- atop his father's shoulders

Feeding the Giraffe. Daddy had to help, It was hard to lean over for the little giraffe that wanted to eat The kids found a place to rest, or they may be trying to find a place to camp to stay the night.

I have a picture of Me doing this at a young age.

The games at Chucky Cheese were also a hit. I think the kids were in overload.
Jacobs version of Skeeball

On another note: I was able to make it through most of the park in Hot August without throwing up, but Well Chucky cheese got the best of me. I do have to say, at least I was able to enjoy a good time with my family. A sign that this may be a little better pregnancy than it was with Jacob. However, it is hard to explain that in the restroom to parents afraid of H1N1 that I am just pregnant and not sick. :)

dunes fun

We went to the Dunes with the Youth group. We were afraid it was going to be a rainy, cloudly day, but it ended up being a beautiful day. Even though I tried to stay as much in the sun tent as I could so I wouldn't dehydrate myself more than I already am. We all came home a little pink, even with 50spf sunscreen reapplied many times.

We had a ton of pictures on our camera, which usually happens when we are around the youth. Someone takes our camera and at the end of the day we have a bunch of fun pictures. More than I feel like taking these days. Here are a few.

Jacob my little fish, loved the water. I wasn't sure how he would feel with the waves, but he was okay. Got knocked down once, but after being picked up and reassured by Mommy, wanted to stand in the water again. The waves were a little rough. It started out as a yellow flag day and ended up as a red flag day. We enjoyed it anyways.

Jacob played a little game with the waves and sand- he did it for hours-

I was quite bored with it

Carissa and Jacob loved the sand




Editors note: I just realized I never hit post to this,so the date is when I actually did it. Can you believe it?

July update

I am getting caught up, As I am typing this, it is currently still July.

Jacob loved fireworks this year. He enjoyed them last year, but this year he was really into them. He loved the little poppers, that you throw on the ground. He calls them bam bams. He would used them for the start of his races, since he loves to run. He would say, On your mark, get set, and then wait for Michael to thrown one to the ground. He then couldn't wait for the real fireworks, his daddy bought. He kept saying, more Bams please.

My parents were camping over at Chain O Lakes state Park, so we decided to join them one night. It is always fun camping, even when you aren't feeling the best. Jacob is a natural camper, he knows right where the playground is, and loves going on walks (especially with his daddy- which usually leads to the camp store where he gets ice cream). Jacob even went on a paddle boat ride, and loved the water, however we were sure the boat was going to sink since we were over the weight limit with 4 adults and Jacob. With it starting to rain on the 4th and me not being able to keep much food down, we decided to head back, but my parents and the Fry clan they camp with stuck it out and came home later. At Chain O lakes over the 4th they have activities for Kids, on the 4th they had a bicycle parade, and everyone decorates their bikes in Red, white, and blue and they go on a parade through the camp. Jacob was so excited to see the parade, he was afraid we were going to miss it. It was probably the longest parade I have seen there, and my parents camp there almost every year. Jacob wants to be in the parade next year.

Also in July, I had a School Nurses Conference at Turkey Run State Park Inn, since the School was paying for my stay at the inn for 3 nights and the conference got over at 4 each day, I thought I would bring Michael and Jacob along and they could have fun during the day and spend time with me in the afternoon. Not to mention, It is really nice to have Michael drive because I get very nauseated in the car. Jacob and Michael had all kinds of adventures while I was in the conference. They enjoyed swimming everyday, pony rides, playing games in the game room, and the nature center. My hope to enjoy some of the activities after my conference did not plan out as well, since I was so tired from the conference and felt very green especially after supper, but it was nice to have them around anyways, and hear their adventures. They did reenact the pony ride for me and I was able to enjoy the pool with them one time, so the idea wasn't all lost, just not as planned.

Jacob is such a little fish, He never wants to get out of the water, and will swim in any weather

And of course daddy is a wonderful water playmate

We weren't sure if Jacob would like the pony ride or be scared, he has pet ponies and sees them all the time, but never rode one before. (Crazy since we could ride one for free up here about any time). Anyways, He loved it. He couldn't wait to ride the pony and did not want to get off. He wanted more rides on the wonderful pony Goldie.

Jacob also enjoyed the LaGrange county fair. He loved the animals, and the jumping rides. We stay really long at the fair and only went once, but then again, LaGrange county fair isn't that huge. However, unfortuately for Jacob it was a little shorter than he would have liked, but what can you do when you have a mother who feels sick all the time.

Grandma and Grandpa was going to take him the the Elkhart County fair which is much larger, but after they got soaked watching the parade they decided to return home to dry off. Jacob didn't mind the rain, He loved the parade, and kept shouting "Candy Please." For a rainny parade, he sure made out okay. We are thinking we don't need to do trick or Treating when you get this much candy from sitting watching parades. The cutest thing that happened was when Jacob saw a bus coming in the parade, he yelled"Papa your bus, Papa's bus," He had to make sure Grandpa knew a bus was in the parade because Grandpa drives a bus during the school day, and Jacob found it.

lagging behind (Part 3)

June:


Michael and I celebrated 6 years of Marriage on Fathers Day. Knowing that our actual anniversary would be difficult to celebrate as we celebrated Father's day, Michael had planned a little weekend Get-A-Way for us to Chicago to celebrate.


Well before I go any further I should explain that Michael and I gave our parents another special gift. The gift of expecting another grandchild. We were hoping once I found out I was pregnant that this pregnancy would be different from the last one, but in June showed since that it wouldn't be much different. So our weekend away from Chicago, was fun, even with the puking in public bathrooms, cars, our hotel room, resturants,etc. Michael had business on the way out there, and with me not feeling too well, I didn't mind I just slept in the car. Besides not feeling well, we did enjoy a nice movie together (we haven't been to the movies in a long time), walked the magnificant mile, ate at the bottom of the john hancock building, ate cheesecake from the cheesecake factory on Navy pier while watching fireworks, and slept in each morning (one morning not even leaving the bed till noon). My husband even brought me Breakfast in bed. It was so nice to get away, even despite the illness. We just wish we didn't have to travel. I am sorry I don't have any pictures to share from our little adventure, but they probably wouldn't be posted anyways, since I was very green.



Fathers day was great. Jacob and I gave Michael Breakfast in bed, with a little help from my brother Brian, since cooking food is a little nauseating to me. We spent the afternoon, with family, just chilling. My Dad is a great dad, and has been helping me out tremendously this summer with Jacob, since I don't feel up to running after a 2 year old and feel like I am letting him down. It is nice to have him home for the summer too. Michael is an awesome dad. Jacob loves playing with him. It is so cool to see them interact. I know Michael will be great with this new little one on the way too.


In June is also Brian's (my brother) birthday. Since he is home from college for the summer we decided to celebrate. Chris, Rachel, Malachi and Ruth came up to enjoy the party. Jacob had so much fun playing with his cousins. He gets so excited when he knows they are coming up.

Feeding time at Grandmas when all the grandkids are present

Chris, Rachel, and Brian took the kids outside to swim in the kiddy pool. Jacob thought "Hmm, I could use this float from the slip-n-slide to relax"

But Ruth fit much better

"Now what are you goind to do with my slide, Ruthie?"

Malachi decided to stay out of the pool drama and relax swinging

We also found out what happens when Jacob's aunt and Uncle come to town and spoil him with Icecream, before supper, then about an hour later let him have icecream cake. Jacob was crazy, and wanted to "March the Porch" for hours missing his bedtime a little. He litterally said " I march the porch" and would march in a circle around the front porch. It was kinda cute, because Ruthie would sing, I'm in the Lord's Army. But Jacob continued even after Ruthie was done singing and had left for Muncie.