Lloyd's Installation Service

We had such an incredible Sunday for Lloyd's installation. We had a wonderful worship service, a great meal together as a church family, and of course an amazing football game to watch:-). My parents were here for the event as well as all of Lloyd's immediate family.

The Sunday school students played the hand bells to call us to worship. It was so neat!Auntie Christine and Nathaniel get a little bit of candy.Anika poses with Auntie Rachel.Our family on the special day!

Andrew makes a great first impression by attempting to chug the ranch dressing - who was watching that kid anyway?Anika and Mommy enjoy some lunch.Lloyd was blessed to be joined by Pastor Jim Boer of Faith Church in Holland, MI (His long time mentor and friend) and Pastor Al Helder the interim pastor who is passing the reins to Lloyd.

Blocks!

Andrew received these blocks as a Christmas present from Nana but we waited until we were in the new house before we assembled them. Boy, are they a hit! Anika will stack them as high as she can before Andrew comes plowing into them. (They have been a source of laughter and tears. You can see Andrew in the background of the first picture trying desperately to run full force at the blocks.) They have given lots of delight to young and old. Even the "young-at-heart" among us have gotten into the game of how high, how sturdy, how elaborate, how. . . we can make a tower.

Note: In the following pictures, Andrew is taking a nap:-)

Lil Helper

Andrew can't be left out and when he saw grandpa under the sink, he naturally assumed he would be a welcome helper. (Without that diaper, he would be sporting some serious "plumber's crack!")

Good friends!

Before we left, my dearest friends - Candace, Dana, Hester, and Linda - surprised me with a good-bye kidnapping. We hung out, laughed, cried, and they gave me the most beautiful quilt. Linda just sent the pictures so I'm getting it up on the blog. What amazing people! (The quilt now graces my bed in the new house.)

The New House

For those who care, I'm posting some pictures of the new house. (Warning: There are tons of pictures here so feel free to skip this post!)

Entry:

(We need to get a table for the Bible - this moving box is serving a double purpose as furniture!)

Guest Half Bath:

Guest Room/Office: Living Room/Dining Room:

Kitchen/Family Room:

Master Suite:

Kid's Bathroom:

Anika's Bedroom:

Andrew's Bedroom:

Nursery:

Playing Outside

I'm going to like the weather here in CA. The kids and I have been able to play outside. I'm still a bit blown away that I can step outside my door and pick oranges to eat. They are incredible:-)

Here the kids are enjoying their birthday gifts from the Jensens - golf clubs and a baseball tee.

Moving Out/Moving In

Hello, again! We are safe and sound and reasonably settled in Ripon, CA. My mom was invaluable in helping me get the house unpacked and my mother-in-law was invaluable in taking the kids for a week so I could get the house settled. I would have posted sooner but one of the losses in the move was our card reader (I probably threw it away with all the paper the packers use to wrap things.) Anyway, some picture for you all!

Good-bye, Sunnyside!Hello, Ripon!