Congratulations Auntie Jenn and Uncle Brian!

Married September 30th 2006 

Our little sister....

In just a few days our little sister will be Mrs. VanOosten!!! Yay!!! Congratulations, and we're praying for you guys!
Eric, Marya & Evan

guess who...

This is my first attempt at a photomosaic. Even at this size, you have to blur your eyes a bit to see what's there... 

No room at the inn!!

Yes, we are completely booked up here at Hotel Renkema. Our distinguished guests include the ever-famous world-travelling Mr. Dave VanBreda, whose stay is an un-defined length. The most recent guest is the soon-to-be Mrs. VanOosten. She is currently on a 2 night stay. Including the permanent residents of the hotel (2 adults, one baby, and a cat) we are currently fully booked. But we do have some openings coming up in the next few weeks. For your entertainment, there is an adorable little boy (who knows how to say "night-night" and "down").

Another One! (tooth that is)

 

Idea - Christmas names...

Just a thought, since we haven't come to a consensus yet. Maybe for just this year, we can assign names to people (not secret) because it's too difficult to figure out without all getting together. For example, with the Renkemas, we have the girls switch names and the guys switch names. And to make it easy, we could assign by age: Mom has Sarah, who has me, who has Jenn, who has mom. Eric has Steve, who has Brian, who has Dave, who has ERIC.

This way we can still have a decent amount of time to look for gifts, without having to wait for a secret drawing (that CERTAIN PEOPLE would forget all about!!!).

Any thoughts??
Marya

Judah's New Tooth!

Hey! This 5 month old baby can now roll over and can chew your finger with zest! 

Open House

Common upstairs and see our apartment!


This is our living room.


Our living room from a different angle.


The ugly part of our livingroom.*


The view out of the 'ugly part' window.


From the living room to the dining room.


From the kitchen to the dining room.


From our dining room to the kitchen.


From the hallway to the kitchen.


From the back room to the kitchen.


The back room.


Bian's office (it's too small to get a good picture of).


Going upstairs to the bedroom.


Back of the house.


Front of the house.



*We only call it the "ugly part" because of the flooring. We're hoping to find a nice area rug with which to cover it.

Hope you liked the tour! David's the only one in the family who has actually seen it for real.

Names for Christmas

Brian and I have absolutely no clue who we got for christmas this year. I'm not really sure what should be done about this, there's really no way to figure out who we have except by asking everyone else who they have, and I'm getting the feeling that that wouldn't go over well. In the intrest of not leaving this until November to deal with, what can we do? We can guess who we have, and we'll probably end up having a few folks who don't get anything then.

Welcome Home David!

 

Grandma Comes to Visit

 

Reuben's Self Portrait

Reuben decided this week that he would begin drawing. This is his first drawing of person ever! He is very talented as you can see. He also sees himself as a pretty cute "thing". 

Anyone Remember This...?

Teaching Important Life Skills

These two just love their Daddy time. Nadine is especially attentive to the proper method:) 

Our new apartment!

Soo, this last week was a fabulous week indeed. Brian and I got a fabulous apartment in a beautiful section of downtown - a five minute walk away from our pastor (which is important, after all) and a ten/twelve min walk from First CRC. We sign the papers tomorrow and take posession on August 1st. I'm so excited! Here's a few pictures of the outside of our place - we have the second floor/attic.





Our street:

Another Doctor's Visit

We went to see Evan's doctor yesterday. He's pretty much convinced that Evan has asthma, and the little guy was wheezing pretty heavily yesterday. The doctor gave us some more medication to control the swelling in his lungs, which should work in about 5 days. Apparently this medication may increase the appetite....I asked if that was even possible with Evan!! He is still such a happy little guy...even after a big coughing fit, he's all smiles! I wish I could post you a picture, but I'm not familiar with these computers at school.

THose vanBreda Genes...

There is definately a little bit of their Daddy in these monkeys.

(This is Sarah... and you thought I was joking about blogging these babies:) 

One Year Old!

So your nephew/grandson is now one year old. He has been happy and giddy ever since you all were over for the party. He is so smiley - even at the babysitter's! He takes long naps there and is the centre of attention because he is the youngest. He has recently learned how to sign "Please" when he wants more food. We told the babysitter about this, and now he signs "please" when she's having her own lunch too - even after he's been fed!!

He is currently on inhalers because the doctor thinks he may have asthma. We have to give them to him twice a day and he doesn't enjoy it very much. We'll see the doctor again soon for a possible diagnosis. His weight gain is great now. He even has a little tiny gut!

It was great to have you all over for his birthday and we hope to see you soon.
Marya, Eric & Evan

The Influence of Veggietales...

Reuben: Daddy, I was thinking... [starts to sing] "I was lying in my bed..." and I was thinking that we should go outside!

What's worse than Disney's revisionist Pocahontas?

I found this at our local library...

Click on the picture to make it bigger. 

Nadine and Reuben

Reuben: La la la...lalala laaaa la la la laaala la-

Nadine: Hi Reuben!

R: Nadine. I'm singing a song. La la lalaaaa la la laalala...la l-

N: Hi Reuben!

R: Nadine! I'm singing! Laaa la lalala lala la la la-

N: Hi Reuben!

R: Na-dine! I'm singing! La la laaaa...lalala la-

N: Hi Reuben!

R: Nadine, please stop saying "Hi Reuben." I'm singing a song. La la la l-

N: Hi Reuben!

R: Daaaaddy! I'm trying to sing, and Nadine keeps saying "Hi Reuben!"

Me: Nadine, Reuben doesn't like it when you say that, and Reuben, why don't you try singing somewhere else?

R: [walking away to the bedrooms] Lala laaa la la la la....

N: [following] Hi Reuben! Hi Reuben! Hi Reuben! Hi...

My First Review!

I've had my first review of one of my blogs!

...Granted, it would have felt a little more affirming if it was for The Answerman, the one with all the hard work and research, but I'll take what I can get.

Steve takes a picture from his front room daily and posts it at his blog. I find that satisfying and humane. At 1/125 of a second per day we get to view a slice of life in the suburbs of common decency and care.

I had no idea I was this deep...

Judah Johannes

The vital stats:

Name: Judah Johannes
Birthday: 4:52 am March 26, 2006
Weight: 6 lbs 10 oz
Length: 20"
Hair Colour: Red
Looks Like: Reuben
Interesting trivia: Born with water intact. According to the
midwife, it means that he will never drown at sea. *whew!*

Getting Ready...

Well, we've plastic-wrapped our bed. We've got the herbal bath mixture prepared and frozen. We've got separate bags packed for our kids, as well as instructions for each of their routines. We've got Plans A, B, C, and D. We've got the baby's cradle assembled, and clothes ready. We've pre-registered at the hospital, just in case. Our (new-ish!) freezer is stocked with delicious suppers prepared by Sarah (and one or two by me).

All we need now is the baby....

Disappearing Snow

What with all this warm weather and all, we're down to just 1/2 an inch of snow in our backyard. Boo.

Humour

You really have to read this webpage. It's an interview with a search engine, specifically "Ask Jeeves."

Maybe it's because I've had a really long day today, but I laughed so hard I was crying, and my cat came and sat on our couch just to stare at me as I was giggling.

*whew* :-)

-Steve

Collingwood (but I wouldn't)

Well, we've returned from our time-share special up in Collingwood, and had a great time! It started out very dicey, as we left to Exeter to drop off the kids amongst warnings of freezing rain blanketing the entire southern Ontario region. Halfway to Exeter, it started to pour, but it was okay, 'cause the temperature was plus three.

We quickly unloaded the children, then took off in a vaguely northwestern direction following the incredibly detailed and confusing directions of Google Maps. We discovered something kinda neat-- did you know that it can still rain when the temperature is minus 5? It just means that the ice builds up faster on the vehicles and roads. Funny thing, though, we didn't see any cars in the ditch on the way up. It's as if there's a line in bad weather that makes even the most cocky drivers say, "Well, okay, now I think I should drive slowly and safely."

Anyway, we made it, and our van was just covered in ice. We even had to stop twice just to bang the ice off the wipers. Our check-in lady was very nice (and had a big, big, almost freaky smile), and sent us off with our key-card to our room.




























Our room. The promotional guy giving us this deal over the phone that was a timeshare but not, assured us that our room would have:

• two bathrooms
• a fireplace
• 28" flatscreen tv
• kitchen suite
• jacuzzi bathtub
• living room

Basically what you would conjure up in your mind when you pictured the presidential suite from the movies. So exciting!

Our first warning should've been that there was no elevator up to our 2nd floor room. The resort was in the 2nd year of a $16 million renovation, and our room was in the old section. We slid the key-card through the doorknob and stepped into a small room with two twin beds, a dresser, a tv, and a bathroom. Oops.

I went straight back to the nice smiley lady and told her of the situation (apparently the nice salesman promised some things he shouldn't have...) Anyway, she talked to some people, and within 5 minutes, we were on our way to an off-site condo that had all of the above amenities, plus a heat lamp in both bathrooms. Wahoo!














We spent the first day of our three day/two night stay just giddy at what happened, and what kind of a place we were staying in! We ate an unhealthy supper of prepared chinese fingerfood heated in our fully equipped kitchen, then in the morning ate a free breakfast buffet prepared by a professional chef (big, freaking waffles). As a storm gathered itself around us, we watched the olympics, took baths, read books, and enjoyed not hearing children for just a couple of days.

We ended our stay with another nice salesman attempting to soft-sell us a $30,000, 50 year membership to the whole group of resorts that ours belonged to. He took us to the new section of the resort to show us a typical condo we would be staying in around the world. Wow. It was like our condo on polished crystal and marble. Somehow we still managed to say no...

Anyway, we made it back to Exeter inbetween storms around 5:30, where I was presented with the most disgustingly original birthday cake I've ever seen, made by Rachel and her boyfriend.

-Yes everything was bought new
-Those are melted Tootsie Rolls

All in all, a very nice weekend.

Look Upon My Works, Ye Mighty...

Yes, I have done it. Call me "Plumber Steve."

I have tackled the toilet, and emerged victorious. I have taught it its place-- I leak, not it. After replacing the gasket between the tank and the bowl (the flash of pinkish-red, look hard- it's there!), it thought it could best me by springing a new leak from its feeder pipe, but it was not to be.

With the words of advice from a Home Hardware (Home of the Handyman, Gary, actually) employee I valiantly and courageously removed the feeder pipe, and replaced it wth, that's right, a brand-new pipe. But not any pipe. No siree. This ersatz plumber was not satisfied with the status quo. This new pipe is a flexible pipe.

You can expect to hear of "Steve's Plumbing and Teaching Services" any time soon, I think.

I'm dreaming of a White Boxing Day!

So we had a nice little snowfall overnight, and today really feels like Christmas (which is handy, because we are doing our presents today). Santa already brought Evan a stocking full of little presents, but the wrapping paper was much more fun to play with/eat.

I took a picture of my lovely new piano and I'll have to get some help this week to post it so David can see it. You are all invited to come to visit and try it out!

Merry Christmas!

I hope that you are all celebrating a joyous Christmas! I hope that the weather will cooperate with everyone travelling--rain at this time of year is not so great, and we don't want freezing rain! I will be going to Stoter's for dinner tomorrow.
Love you all, and I'm looking forward to next week when I can see all of you again. Can someone please bring a web cam so we can use it for David?

MOM

Just a thought----if you have a gift for dad, why not put it in a gift bag, rather than wrap it. It will be easier for him to open it that way.

I'm coming home!

Unfortunately I woke up at 6am this morning. this is unfortunate because of the fact that I shan't be sleeping for the next thirty hours. I was hoping to get a little more sleep to prepare. Oh well. See you soon!!!

Addendum #1

Hello everyone! Just thought that I would add a bit to my list--I've called it addendum #1, because there may be more....:-)

For Dad--socks
chocolate--something that is soft and smooth--like the chocolate oranges

For me--some new mugs--not too big

Hope you all have a good week!

Brian's List

Hi everybody!

I've been encouraged to post a list here too. There are all sorts of things I'd like and they can be found here. But most of the stuff there is either silly or ridiculously expensive, so I'll provide a truncated list here:

1. Kitchenwares:
good knives or even a good knife (new or used, but sharp)
a family-sized soup pot (new or used)
an electric frying pan (prefer used, sans teflon)
vegetable steamer (new or used)
a hand-held-blender thingy (these are rarely in good condition when used)

2. Sportinggoods:
Cycling jersey (I think sized small, i'm never sure)
Snowboarding Socks
Bicycle computer
Snowboard Wax

3. Carstuff
Carnauba paste wax
Winter floor mats
Map Book

Disclaimer: List may be edited or appended at any time without notice. Any questions of clarification should be first directed to Miss Jennifer who possesses excellent taste.

Mom's List

Hello all!
Stephen just sent me some instructions, so I'm checking to see if it works!

Dad's list:

He hasn't said yet, but he needs a few long sleeved knit shirts, with a collar and a button opening (I think that is a polo shirt).
Pictures in PLASTIC frames, because they can end up on the floor and break

I'll let you know if I think of anything else.

My List:
Pedometer (I really did think of it before Marya!)
Some nice lotions-- like Chantilly or Vanilla Fields
Christmas CD of the Canadian Brass
CDs of good choral music
Offers to do my pictures!

That's a start--perhaps I'll post more later!

Love you all!

How to post on the blog...

Very first, click File at the top of this screen, then click on New Tab (if you're using Firefox. If you're using Microsoft Internet Explorer, press ctrl-N). Type www.blogger.com in the address area there. Now you can go between the two screens (blogger and gmail) by clicking the tops of the tabs (or with IE, the two windows).

1. At Blogger.com type in "[censored]" as the username, and "[censored]" as the password.
2. At the Dashboard screen, click "New Post"
3. Fill in your title, and type your message.
4. Click "Publish Post"
5. The next screen should say something to the effect of "Publishing new post. This may take a while if this is a large blog."
   
6. Finally, it should tell you that the post published successfully, and display a list of options for you-- view blog (in a new window) edit posts, make a new post, etc

Let me know where anybody gets hung up!

Steve

Eric's list

-Team Canada (Hockey Team) black Nike baseball cap
-pair of Mastercraft vice grips
-CD "The OC Supertones" - Faith Like a Child - Christian Bookstore
-Superman Logo T-Shirt XL
-Puma NHL Retro Ringer T-Shirt - size XL - team Edmonton Oilers (page 69 of Sears Wishbook)
-"Darwin Awards" book

Marya's List

Yay! I think it worked!

-flannel pjs
-pedometer
-scrapbooking markers
-gold paint pen
-christmas decorations for around our house
-one of those big exercise stability balls

One more practice, then our Christmas list...

I really hope that this text shows up this time. I don't know what happened last time, but I'm not going to spend the time typing our lists if they don't show up.

Jenn's List

Updated December 7
I can't really think of anything that I want right now. I want to be back in Canada.
A gift certificate for Ikea would be nice (though I know, it's impersonal) because I don't know yet what I need for my apartment in Hamilton....
Hmmm.... Games... Fact or Crap, Flinch, Phase 10 Dice game, Outburst....
I don't really know what else I need or want. Hmm.... A job would be nice.
Check back for more updates. Or ask Brian, Maybe he knows something I don't know...
--A long (knee length or longer) black Woolen Pea Coat, preferably with a belt.

--by the by, as I was searching for games that I'd like I found this quote: Be the first to reach 500 points and win the game! in referenc to UNO. So as I figure it, I had a good 10 year winning streak when growing up....

Sarah's List

Sarah
- large square paper punch - around 2.5 to 3 inches big.
- "Natural Alternatives to Vaccination" zoltan rona md
- subscription to Mothering magazine (I'll pay the difference)
- heat embossing gun
- black driving gloves (size large)
- haircutting scissors

Ideas for the kiddies:
Reuben will be getting a "My First Leap Pad" (garagesale find) for Christmas, so any book other than Winnie the Pooh would be a nice addition to his interactive literary learning experience

It Snowed!

I woke up this morning and everything was covered in a thin layer of snow!!!!! Yeay!!!!! On the other side of the coin I've been under the weather the entire weekend with a headcold and I've been coughing loud enough to raise the dead. It always seems that during the end of the session I'm run down and I start feeling a little ill. Oh well, we'll be getting a holiday in 27 days.

Just seeing if it works...

Commodore Memories...

My siblings (and the select few who had the strange opportunity to play the C64 game "Lazy Jones") will most likely appreciate this song file.

It brings back so many memories...
-catch the red balloons to kiss the girl at the top of the ladder
-avoid the janitors and night watchmen!
-dream about strange grey-shaded men in overcoats and fedoras walking around
-peeing in the broom closet (didn't know the games we played were so realistic, didja, mom?)

Sufjan Stevens

For those who haven't heard, the latest entry into the underground folky-type music is Sufjan Stevens. His songs are absolutely amazing, and his sound is sweeping university campuses.

I'm not a huge fan of downloading, but I can't find his christmas music anywhere to purchase on the net, but you can download his three albums at this site: http://www.chattablogs.com/quintus/archives/019666.html

I'm also not a huge fan of christmas music (I find it often overproduced, cheap, and of poor "artistic" quality...) but this stuff is great. I can listen to this.

Give it a shot-- if you don't like it, you can always delete it!

Steve

Christmas stuff

Hi all! So, about getting Christmas presents for eachother this year, what do you all suggest? I don't really know what people were suggesting last year cause I wasn't planning on being around so I didn't pay attention... I'm pretty much gonna put it out there that I'm just gonna find something that I think that my person would like cause I'm in Japan and I think that it would be a poor thing to do to pass up the opportunity to get something unusual or unique from here... but as for the price? $15? $20? $100? Who has any input on this? I'm cool with whatever gets decided, though I've already bought something for my person. So, speak up, all!

Steve's Christmas List....

(Last update Dec. 4)
List subject to updates without notice

Steve
Neodymium (rare earth) magnets

Gyroscopic and unique tops

An OED

High-power LED flashlight
-3+ bulbs
-hand crank (optional)
or
-LED reading light (so I don't bother Sarah while I'm reading in bed...)

- Graphic Novels (you can get'em used on Amazon.ca)-"Daredevil Visionaries" and "Ronin" by Frank Miller (or pretty much anything by him, Sarah can tell you if I have it or not)

-Video Hound Movie Retriever (2003 or later)

-CDs
--Michigan by Sufjan Stevens
--Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Dave can tell you what's good...)
--Orchestral Game Concert IV (info found here) (it's actually unavailable in Canada, Jenn's the only one with a chance of being able to pick it up, as it was only released in Japan....)
--Pretty much anything by Bruce Cockburn
--- MIESKUORO HUUTAJAT (Men's Choir Shouters) (hard to find, but it'd be great to have...)
"was formed in 1987 in Oulu, Finland, by a group of young men who clearly had nothing better to do." The choir currently consists of about 30 people in black suits, white shirts and black rubber ties who shout some of the most beloved tunes in the traditional Finnish songbook. Their version of The Star-Spangled Banner sounds like Aki Kaurismäki directing a choir of Marines. Truly odd

Just Chillaxin'.....

On Friday, I had to teach north of Exeter, so I dropped off the kids at Sarah's parents' place in the morning, and after school, Reuben and I took a dip in the hot tub, surrounded by snow.

Isn't he just the best looking 3-year old around? (Takes after his dad...)

I'm Googleable!

I'm finally googleable! Google has at last followed MSN and Yahoo, and acknowledged my blog's existence.

Yay!

I feel so.....accepted.... : )

Steve

Happy Birthday!

OK, everybody--all together now!!!!!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happpy Birthday dear DAVID!
Happy Birthday to you!

Did you hear that, David? All of us singing together???
Have a wonderful day!