2017

Wow, 2017 is DONE!  What a great year for our family.  Nothing earth-shattering, just a year that I've truly enjoyed who I am and where God has me.  I love being a wife and mother, and I'm trying to soak it in as much as possible.  We've had so much fun together as a family - from the everyday moments to the special times.  Yes, the kids drive me absolutely CRAZY sometimes and I think I'm going to lose my mind (or I'm pretty sure I already have), but at the end of the day there's no where else I'd rather be. 

We had a slower than normal December, but still packed with plenty of activities.  It was so refreshing to enjoy the holiday season at a more reasonable pace than what we've been able to do in the past!  Early on in the month I took Logan on a date.  He had just gotten a cookbook, apron, and chef's hat for his birthday, so he picked out a recipe he wanted to make, we went to the store to get what we needed, then brought everything over to my parent's to do the cooking there.  It was a nice, special time for both of us.  We made a homemade vanilla pudding and Grammy and Papa were our taste-testers.  It was great!

The next weekend Caleb and I went on a date.  They had earned a reward for a crazy day we had the Sunday before (long story), so I took him to Wal-Mart to buy a new sled, then we went to Charlie's Dump to go sledding for awhile.  So fun!  It was super windy and cold at the top of the hill, so we only lasted about half an hour.

It was Levi's turn the next weekend, and I failed to have any good ideas, so I took him to run a couple errands and that was a mistake - oops!  It's nicer if the time out is more focused on that individual...  I'll have to come up with something for next time!  Mike gets the next round, so we'll see what he does.  :)

Every year our church does a Live Nativity that a couple thousand or so people in the area come to see, and this year our family was able to help.  What a great way to get the whole family (almost) involved.  On Friday night Mike and I were greeters for the indoor Bethlehem Experience, and Caleb and Logan were dressed up as townspeople in there.  Sunday night Mike directed traffic, I was a narrator for the outdoor Live Nativity, Caleb and Logan were in the Bethlehem Experience again, and Levi was even able to join them for a little while.  I hadn't planned on being a narrator, but they needed more people in that area, so I figured I'd just go where needed (despite being nervous)!  It really went well, and my parents, Eric and Lea Anne and kids were in my first group, and they were very nice to me.  :) 

On that Sunday we were busy straight from morning to evening, and the kids were troopers (hence the reward I mentioned earlier).  We went to the 8:30am service then Sunday School, as usual.  After that it was off to Wendy's for a quick lunch.  Thankfully we were able to drop Jackson off to nap at Mike's mom and stepdad's (and borrow their vehicle as our van was acting up), then the rest of us headed off to Grand Rapids to attend our friend Jose's baptism.  Attending a Spanish speaking church was a good experience for the kids.  :)  Unfortunately we weren't able to stay for the meal afterwards as we had to get back for the Livy Nativity at our church.  So, we quickly headed home to change clothes, then went and picked up Jackson, then it was back to church for the rest of the evening!  It was a long day for all of us, and the kids really did great with it all. 

That next week I had the opportunity to attend a communication skills class in Grand Rapids.  It was for three days in a row, and just let me say, I AM SO GLAD I DO NOT COMMUTE TO WORK EVERYDAY!!!!  Even if we had good weather (which we did not), I would not want to do it.  The worst was the second night on my way home  - what should have been a 35-40 minute drive took me and hour and a half.  It was a good class, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to attend, but I was glad when it finished and I could get back to normal at home.  And, Mike was glad, too.  :) 

The following Saturday was our Krol/Van Beek Christmas.  Crazy having all those people packed into a condo!  It's so fun seeing all the family that we don't get to see enough of because we're all spread out.  Yet, because it's so crazy will all those people, at the end I feel like I didn't really get to talk with anyone!  Just little snippets of conversations here and there until we get interrupted for one reason or another. 

For our last Bible Study before Christmas we got together and those that had memorized John 1:1-14 were able to recite it to a partner and receive an ornament as a reward.  :)  I am so glad that I was able to do it!  Scripture memory has always been difficult, so it felt like quite an accomplishment to memorize a whole passage like that.  So far I've been trying to keep up on it so I don't forget it - we'll see how I do...

Then it was time for Christmas Break and we have had SUCH a wonderful time!  It's time for school and work to start back up tomorrow, and I don't want it to!!  I think Jackson and I might have a hard time tomorrow with everyone else gone.  :( 

Christmas Day we celebrated as a family at home in the morning, then went to my parent's to play games in the afternoon.  We had a blast playing Tractoropoly (my dad creamed us), and then some of the guys played chess and ping pong.  I think Caleb beat my dad and chess and came close at ping pong.  :)  The next day Mike, Caleb, Logan, and I went to see the new Star Wars in the theater.  (Levi and Jackson were able to hang out at my parent's.)  Wednesday evening was the greater Steenwyk party at my parent's.  Jackson was quite the little party animal.  He sure loves being around lots of people and is not shy!  Thursday evening we went out as a family to Rainbow Grill (gift card + $1 kids meals!) - sometimes meals out with the kids aren't so enjoyable, but they did great.  And, we ran into my Uncle Don and Aunt Mary (who were at the party the night before), and Jackson was happy to see Uncle Don.  :)  Friday evening, in the midst of getting a lot of snow, Mike and I went out with my parents for an S & K Farm Christmas Dinner.  Actually, we got a lot of snow all week and Mike has done several hours of snow plowing.  Sunday evening for New Years Eve we went to play volleyball with some others at Jamestown Baptist.  The adults had fun playing, and the kids got to run around like crazy people.  :)  Almost the whole time Jackson did great, until the very end he was wanting to run onto the volleyball court.  :) 

I've been doing a lot of rearranging in the house over the last couple months, and it seems like I'm finally getting things more settled.  My office (what was Jackson's room) has really come together, the Lego Room (my old office upstairs) isn't such a disaster anymore, and of course Levi and Jackson have been settled in their new rooms for a while now (Levi in with Caleb and Logan, Jackson in Levi's old room).  I cleared out the guest room upstairs, and got our bedroom more in order, too.  Mike even cleaned his closet!!!!!  :)   Ahhhhhhh.....  Now if I could just get the kids to keep the basement decent.  Ha! 

I don't want to make this post any longer, but I have GOT to do a post soon on Jackson's latest.  He is such a hoot right now.  Gotta soak it up!