Monday, April 20

weekend with the malefyt's

Friday, Saturday and Sunday was a fun-filled few days with Joel and Gina. Friday night, after we were basically snowed-in all day...literally...Drew didn't have to work because of the massive snow storm that hit! Drew was getting cabin-fever and so we headed over to Joel and Gina's. We ate some chips and cheese and just chilled.

On Saturday, I went into work only to have the power go out for 1.5 hours. I was sent home because the powere wasn't scheduled to come back on until 11am, and the minute I pulled into my driveway, Brigette (a gal from work) called me back in becasue the power had turned back on. oh yay! I worked until 1pm and came home. We took Joel and Gina out to the Wash Park Grille and then got some drinks at Reiver's. By 10pm we were all a bit tired, but decided it would be great fun to head over to J and G's and have a sleep-over, since the next day the guys were going fly-fishing and the gals were headed to Boulder, CO just to hang! Boulder=hippie town...for sure!!

just smokin' reefers right on the street...just kidding...but they may as well have been. these street-players had some talent!
diggeridongs
could've been on America's Got Talent! This guy could sing!!
good 'ole Olds

Wednesday, April 15

just sign me up for "Better Homes & Garden"

I've been doing some odds & ends projects around the house lately and Monday was very productive. Drew and I have been living without curtains in our closet/extra bedroom as well as in our bedroom since we moved in. Let's just say, it can be a bit awkward at times ;) Anyway, I went to Home Depot and bought a 72" blind for our living room (I wouldn't recommend hanging it alone!!), took down the curtain rod and put that in the closet, and hung curtains in our room.


I also bought some things to start our garden. First we have to till some mushroom compost, then lay the treated wood (16 ft by 4 ft), and then we lay the soil. I started the seeds in a mini greenhouse and in about 3 weeks or whenever they sprout, we get to transplant them into the soil!
here is the mini greenhouse with all the little peats of soil and seeds inside
the different plants that we'll have are:
tomatoes
onions
beets
peppers
squash
cucumber
spinach
lettuce
garden bean
dill
cilantro
basil

okay, now out of the plants in bold, can you match their seeds in the pics below?
1.2.3.4.5.

Tuesday, April 14

what happens in mexico...

Before I start ranting about how amazing our trip to mexico was with the whole family, you can take a look at my shutterfly account at evieinthout.shutterfly.com to see all the pics.

Top 10 things about the trip (not in any particular order):

  1. Speaking spanish with the natives
  2. Jamie scared out of her mind to go snorkeling...and loving it in the end!
  3. Dad...enough said!
  4. Ashlyn becoming my best friend for the night after buying her a stuffed animal pink dolphin...who said money can't buy love?
  5. Parasailing--This is a story in itself: We had to take seadoo's into the ocean to get to our boat (not a big deal right? there's more...) Kevin, Jamie, Drew, Taylor and I were going to parasail and Ashlyn and Olivia were along for the ride (mom, dad, nick, julie and eva in town at this point so we had to take the girls). Jamie gets the first ride with Taylor and Ash. They get to the "pick-up area" and just wait; meanwhile Ashlyn is bawling and there is a mexican boy who doesn't speak any english driving the seadoo. they get in...Ash still bawling! He picks up Drew and me. Then Kevin. Olivia is sound alseep as they are pulling up to the boat on the seadoo in Kevin's arms and the guide grabs her by her life vest and just HOISTS her on up. She cries. Anywho...you get the point...we all had to go back too!! haha. Needless to say, the view was insane!! Taylor went in the middle of Drew and me and J and Kev went together. I was so impressed with how relaxed Tay was...while I am sitting there gripping the hooks for my life!
  6. Deep Sea fishing--Julie, Nick, Drew and I went to Playa del Carmen to slay some fishies. While we were strolling, we saw 4 GIGANTIC sea turtles (about 450 lbs said our guide, Juan), a bunch of flying fish, the bluest water I have ever seen, and on the end of Drew's line a....wait for it...35 lb Amber Jack fish. Nick fought a fish all the way to the surface and Herminio (other guide) let is slip. BUMMER! Juan filleted the fish right on the beach and we ate it 30 minutes later in a restaurant for only $15.
  7. Taylor reading aloud to me...very impressive!
  8. Hahaha....you had to be there but...Del Lago, one of the restaurants, put on a show...let's just say it should have been pg-13!! There was a LOT of booty shaking!
  9. Seeing how much livi and Eva are growing up and TALKING!!
  10. Spending time with some of the most important people in my life for an entire week...nonstop...what a blessing!! ...mom you weren't mentioned...but, just being with you is enough.

I could honestly go on and on, but I gave my top 10. It was simply spectacular. And now, top 10 pics (or some of my favorites):

Wednesday, April 1

home...home on the range...

I went home to Michigan last weekend for my cousin, Jennifer's wedding. It was anything but relaxing, but everything enjoyable! I flew in Thursday to have the rehearsal and dinner at Mangiamo's. Friday was the wedding. Jennifer looked absolutely gorgeous.

jenny getting her makeup done by tiffany
all smiles.
I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Richard Griffen!!
Saturday I hung out with Mom & Dad DV, Jaime, Julie, Steve and the gals. It was so great seeing everyone again. I now have 3 sisters-in-law that are pregnant. Jaime is due in 6 1/2 weeks now. She and Steve will be heading to Ann Arbor to deliver because the baby has hypo-plastic left heart syndrome. This means that the left ventricle in litte Sam, the baby boy's, heart is under-developed. They need some major prayers especially in the next few weeks.
Saturday night I went over to eat some pizza and hang out at J and Kev's house. The girls were mowing down on some cookie dough...entire hands dunked in the big bowl.
all she wants for Christmas are "her 2 front teeth" (Makenna)
they all gather around the bowl of cookie dough...so cute...I think J got 8 cookies our of it still!
Sunday I went to church and then the In't Houts got together for some good eatin' (of course). At about 4pm I got to go meet up with my girlfriends!! We went to Lora's home for some Sunday coffee and yummy coffee cake (thanks shar!). I am reminded that no matter the distance, good friends will always remain close. I enjoyed sitting back and listening to the hilarious stories shared. Back at home (9pm), the aunts and uncles were gathered around our kitchen table to share the last night with their dutch cousins, Rita en Ina. They were, of course, eating...herring, buns, cheese, dips, chips...dropjes...

Monday I ate breakfast by Opa and Oma, took their car to Mom DV, went to the mall with her and Makenna, and then back to Opa and Oma for lunch before my flight. As you can see, it was busy busy busy...but SO fantastic to see everyone.

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