Sweetest Pumpkin

This is the sweetest little pumpkin I've ever seen. :)

Family Vacation to the U.P.

We went up for our family vacation this year...okay make that we went to the U.P.  For all you non-Michiganders that stands for the Upper Peninsula.

We loaded up the car Wednesday night and took off Thursday morning.  We decided to make Mackinac City our stopping point for the day and cross the bridge on Friday.  Joel had booked a hotel, but they actually called us saying they were closing so we got moved to another hotel for the same price, but this one had a little water park included.  It was so great.  When we arrived in Mackinac, our first stop was the bridge for some photo ops and then headed to our hotel.  Kyper loved the shallow pool.

Anja at one of our pit stops.  (Actually I think we only had  one stop--we have rock star travelers!)

Kyper set up in the back seat--it is perfect we put the chair down in the front of him, so we can set the computer up there and create a bench for his toys using the pack and play.

Anja, happy to be out of the car, by the Mackinac Bridge

Family photo with the bridge

Momma, Kyper and Anja under the bridge.

Daddy and his kiddos.

Anja liked the lazy river at the hotel.  I think they went around at least 5 times!

Kyper enjoying wet hair

Tim, Melanie and Judah joined us on vacation.  They got to the hotel right before supper on Thursday night.  We had adjoining rooms, so it was a perfect set-up and we were able to play cards while the kids slept in the other room.

Friday morning, we hit the water park one last time and then headed out.  Kyper was pretty excited about crossing the bridge...but I think Joel was more so.  We headed straight north to the Sault Soo Marie to see the Soo Locks Friday afternoon.  Most of us got to see 1 freighter lock through.  Joel stayed longer and saw 3 go through.  We also walked downtown.  Not a ton open since it really isn't peak tourist season in the U.P. but I got one or two souvenirs. (just ask Joel...he always ruins his Christmas surprise)  We ate out that night at a place Joel remembers going to a lot when he was younger--Antlers.

Crossing the bridge

Tim and Judah anxiously awaiting a freighter

Anja and Momma

Kyper watching the big boat lock through

Anja chilling at the hotel.

Saturday, we went to Tahquamenon Falls.  It was so nice!  We really couldn't have asked for better weather.  We started at the Upper Falls and then Tim, Judah, Melanie, Joel and Anja hiked the 4 mile trail to the Lower Falls.  It would have been 8 miles round trip and we didn't think Kyper would be up for that., so Kyper and I met them with the van at the Lower Falls. I know they had an enjoyable hike and I also got some great one on one time with Kyperman. We  colored in the van for a long time and also went out and explored a bit of the Lower Falls while they were hiking.  We found a little dock and Kyper threw sticks in the water.  I told him I loved hanging out with just him and a little later on he returned the sentiment and told me that he was having fun being with me.    I think it was some needed momma/Kyper time.  The other crew felt bad for me, but I wouldn't have traded that time for anything.  I also told him he was a good big brother and asked what he liked best about being a big brother.  His answer: waterfalls.  Okay so we were looking at waterfalls and maybe it was too deep of a question for a 3 year old to answer. :)

Upper Tahquamenon Falls

Family Foto Op

All smiles on Dad's shoulders

Kyper thought Anja looked cool doing this

My little hiker girl (North Country Trail sign)

Tim and Judah aka beavers

Kyp at the lower falls

Lower Tahquamenon Falls (this is one of Joel's artsy fotos capturing the flow of the water)

Point Iroquois Light

Tim cooking dinner in the hotel parking lot

We returned home on Sunday, but not after stopping by the Locks one last time.  On our way home we also stopped at Frankenmuth.  Bronners, a huge Christmas store is there.  Neither of us had ever been there and we wanted to look for a First Christmas ornament.  Since it was on our way home, we decided to go for it.  We made it a fairly quick stop, but you could spend a long time in Bronners just looking at everything.

Kyper and Anja (I promise she is in there) with the Locks behind them

A Freighter in the distance

Judah and Kyper by the prop

It was a great vacation!

New Page

I was told the other day that I need a place to put down some of the cute and funny things my kids say, because I won't remember when they are older.  What a better place to do this than my family blog.  This way I have them down and can look back at them.  So, I created a new page (tab on the top of the blog).  If you wish you can check it out from time to time to see them.  If not that is okay too.   I wanted to point this out mainly to family and close friends that are interested in funny things that specifically my children say.

A Walk in the Woods and more

Joel had off on Saturday.  It is absolutely wonderful when he has a day off, I especially like days off where we really don't have to travel anywhere.  We were both able to sleep in until 8:00am.  Kyper did wake up at 7:30, but we just turned a cartoon on for him and got him an easy breakfast and headed back to bed for a half hour.

Have I bragged about my baby, yet.  No, okay then I will.  (Skip ahead if you could care less.)  She seriously slept through the night on day one.  (I count 4/5 hours stretches through the night at the beginning.)  Well, she has now gotten into the routine of bedtime between 7 and 8 and sleeps until 8 on most days.    She is 75% for height and 50% for weight at about 14 lbs.  She is a very calm baby for the most part and has just recently started really giggling. I love that sound.  Besides a little heartbeat, giggle of a baby has to be one of the best sounds ever.  I don't care who you are, mom or not, dad or not, the giggling of a baby has to make your heart melt just a little. :)  She is a super star nurser, which is a much better experience the 2nd time around. (In my humble opinion it is because I am way less stressed this time and she was able to start way sooner after delivery than Kyper did.)  I'll leave that subject at that.  We just started her on rice cereal and are now increasing it to 2 meals a day and in a few more weeks she will probably get it in the morning as well and get her first taste of fruits and vegetables.

Now, I feel like I maybe should give an update on Kyper too. (again, skip ahead if you could care less, I know sometimes mommy blogs are boring to those not related.)   He is growing up before my eyes.  He now goes to Children's worship during church and Story Hour on Wednesdays during Coffee Break, not nursery which is just free play.  He is getting used to the structure and I hear from the teachers that he does really well, although dropping him off is sometimes another story.  He is going through a little clingy phase--at least I hope it is a phase.  (Joel and I may be doomed though, we were both homebodies.) Once he is there he has fun and he tells me about it afterward.  He actually memorized his first bible verse this week. ("In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" Genesis 1:1)  Now, if he can get over his shyness and say it to the teacher.  They sing Bible songs, but Kyper tells me he just listens.  Although, I'll hear him singing when we are home.  He is almost potty trained--any advice on how to get a 3 year old over the fear of pooping on the potty?  (Again, that is all I'll say on that subject.)  He had a well child check up a few months ago and it is the first time I don't remember him crying at the doctor's...he was so brave and didn't even cry when he got poked.

Ok, I got a little sidetracked.  Like I said, Joel had off yesterday.  He ran errands with Kyper in the morning and did some stuff on the honey-do list (to be fair, he puts things on the honey-do list too.) We also had some time to take the kids for a walk.  We live in the city and there aren't many wooded paths, but Joel found a short one in between two shopping areas that is only like 2 minutes from our house.  So, we took the van and parked by a coney island.  We had taken Kyper's bike along, so he could bike.  It was so great.

3 Phillips strolling through the woods, can you believe this is just 2 minutes from our house and in between two busy shopping areas?!

I do not normally like pictures of myself, but I like this one.  A) I have lost some weight B) I have a cute new haircut that only takes me 5 minutes to do)

Picking some wildflowers

We got a ways ahead daddy aka of the photographer, so I told Kyper to hide behind the tree and shout boo when dad passed.  He didn't quite get the hidden part.

Anja and the wildflowers Kyper and I picked.

Kyper and the ducks.  Those ducks were big and well-fed probably by humans due to the fact we could get quite close...

Just not too close

The wildflowers I picked and the leaves Kyper picked plus his pumpkin.

Our day ended on a good note too--with our small group.  What a great Saturday! 

Now, I am trying to enjoy a relaxing Sunday.  (It was a little crazy at church since our small group was in charge of cookies and coffee), but now both kids are napping and I have some peace.  Joel is at work.  I also get to go to ALIVE (our church's middle school group) tonight, so that will be fun.

Happy Campers!

The campsite

Happy campers

Joel set up the tent in the backyard.  It took a few days, but he finally got a day off, so he and Kyper camped in our backyard.  We even had a campfire.  Kyper was so excited!  He actually went to bed super well in the tent--maybe we should set it up in his room and it will solve all our bedtime drama?  ha.

Recent Happenings

Joel has been rotating through the Neuro ICU.  Most months when Joel has short call during the week, which means that wen he is on-call on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, he is only at work until 9:00pm and then can come home.  If he is on-call Friday or Saturday, he is on-call overnight.  That is super nice, because it means I will get to see him every week day even on call days.  The reason they do this, is due to how they organize nights.  Joel will have to do four weeks (2-2 week blocks) on night-shift this coming year.  All that to say, Neuro ICU is a little different--he is on-call overnight every 4 to 5 days.  I have to day, I don't like not having him home to help with bedtime, but it is pretty nice to have him around early afternoon.  He is normally able to sleep at the hospital for a few hours when he is on-call, so he only sleeps a few hours in the morning/early afternoon.  Since, this means he has been around some weekday afternoons we have had the opportunity to do some fun things with the kids.

First up, the zoo.  This trip we took Kyper' best friend, Frank, along.  The kids had a lot of fun.

Frank and Kyper popping up in the Prairie Dog exhibit.

Kyper talking to a prairie dog

Posing with the turtle statue after seeing all the reptiles.

Watching the gorillas

The polar bear swam while we were there!

Second up, the village.  There isn't to much to say about the Village.  We rode the train and the carousal.  We also watched the glass blowers make a glass bowl.

Anja and I

Kyper and Daddy

 Another fun thing we did was go to Eastern Market.  We did this on a Saturday when Joel had off and my parents came out to visit for the weekend.  We have lived in Detroit for a total of 6 years and just did this.  I think we will go back; it was fun.

Kyper and the big pumpkin

Kyper and Grandpa Herk