Kris & Leanne's Spot

Hats

2010-03-25T08:22:00.003-04:00

I've REALLY needed a creative outlet for a long time now... seems that work always comes first... but as summer approaches and grading papers comes to an end I JUST may find I have time to CREATE!
I grew up in a home where gluing pipe cleaners to construction paper and making little dolls out of yarn and foam balls was the norm. It's time to get back to my roots.
So I whipped up this hat and one other in about 30 min at my mom's house the other day... It is a VERY shabby version of that hats that I hope to make this summer.

Cute?

cuteness.

2009-11-06T21:32:00.000-05:00

For You Moms & Dog Owners Out There.

2009-10-04T09:23:00.008-04:00

Have you heard of this blog? http://www.dooce.com/
It's been around for awhile - I discovered it this summer.
It's too cute.

Check it out.

29 weeks!

2009-08-04T14:32:00.001-04:00

Never thought I'd actually be doing this... but I couldn't help it. Meet our little girl... just 29 weeks. :)

summah time.

2009-07-13T18:05:00.003-04:00

I'm a bad blogger.
Thought I'd add a few pictures of OUR LIFE lately.

Above: Hot husband.
Below: Had a baby shower. I can't believe I'm having BABY SHOWERS! It's too weird.

Above: Baby bump - Sneaky picture taken by GRANDMA!
Below: Typical Elk Rapids vacation behavior.

Had another great time up north with friends. (We have cool friends). Is Ella the cutest or what?!

Crazy Saturday!

2009-05-10T14:01:00.002-04:00

A rainy, cool, and windy race MORNING turned into a beautiful afternoon. Kris ran 21 min. FASTER this year than he did during last year's 25K Riverbank Run!!!! 2:05.

Then after a quick shower and wardrobe change it was off to his graduation ceremony.

Congrats Kris My Love! You're amazing.

Names...

2009-04-28T09:11:00.000-04:00

Although we have a LOOOOOONG way to go before we meet our little belly dweller... I can't help but think and think and think about what to name him or her... And I can't come up with a name that I REALLY love.
So I guess what I'm saying is... Any ideas???
I'd love to hear 'em.

- Lea

our trip to the islands.

2009-04-12T10:14:00.006-04:00

It was one of those vacations you NEVER wanted to end. Right after we got home I wanted to go back.
Snorkeling on our first day in the keys... can you tell by the intense glow of our white skin? :) Kris met a sting ray on this expedition.

Kayaking through the mangrove forests... it was so beautiful there are no words to describe it.

It was so great to spend so much time with Andy and Sadie and their girls. Got to spend a lot of time with Tim and Sarah and their kids too!

We already can't wait to go back.

Heaven.

2009-03-13T20:40:00.004-04:00

Kris said, "God must really love our kids because he keeps on taking them to be up there in Heaven with Him really really fast."

We found out this afternoon that baby "B" didn't make it. Which was a total blow - after having seen the little buggers heart beating 2 weeks ago... it was terribly tough news to take.

The good news is... Baby "A" is doing really well! :) So far... (It's so hard to be positive after so many disappointments).

What do you think those little tiny babies are going to be like in Heaven? Anyone who's ever had a miscarriage probably wonders that at some point. :) I can't wait to meet ours!

Grace and Peace.
- Us.

2 plus 6 equals 8!

2009-02-25T16:34:00.002-05:00

We already have a pretty big family... with 3 dogs and a cat...

This fall it's going to get a whole lot bigger and a whole lot crazier.

Kris and I watched and heard two tiny little hearts beating this morning on an ultrasound monitor. Do you realize what this MEANS?!

Twins.

Of course now we're just praying that these two little people stay healthy so that we can meet them both!

Thank you thank you thank you for all of the prayers. We love you.

We're Special.

2009-02-12T15:21:00.004-05:00

To mention here that life has been a little crazy for the two of us lately would be the understatement of the year.

Kris and I have had a little taste of what feels like science fiction in the last few months - And have survived it all BEACUSE first of all we've leaned heavily on God, our Rock, and secondly because we have been blessed in life with THE most incredible family and friends any two people could ever dream of being surrounded by.

Many of you already know that the two of us have wanted to add human babies :) to our family for over 3 years now... and it wasn't until this last fall that we found out it wasn't 'just going to happen' for us like it had for so many of our friends.

So after a lot of prayer and advice from the cool people we surround ourselves with, we took the plunge and decided to try our only real option for a Kris+Leanne miracle: InVitro Fertilization. Google it. Crazy stuff.

So here is a picture of what I like to call our little "embies" (embryos)... I think this picture was taken after about 24 hours of existence. CRAZY!
We found out earlier this week that at least one of these little miracles decided to stick around! (positive preg. test)
Later this month we find out if both of them stuck around (twins?)... or just one. Either way - Kris and I are beyond excited and a little shell shocked.

Blessed,
-Us

You're awesome.

2008-11-28T14:09:00.000-05:00

... Just thought I'd let you know.

Isn't he cute!!!

2008-11-01T15:41:00.000-04:00

just cute pictures :)

2008-10-07T20:29:00.000-04:00

Meet Charlie

2008-09-25T05:03:00.003-04:00

He was Jonathan's dog... and Jonathan couldn't keep him anymore... so... Meet Charlie.
We love the little guy but are not positive yet if we can keep him - 3 dogs is a little much, even for the DeYoungs.
Know anyone who is looking for a running buddy? :)

Research.

2008-08-05T20:09:00.002-04:00

If Kris looks confused... it may be because he is.

I don't think women are 'understandable'.

Murals

2008-07-27T10:43:00.002-04:00

If you've ever thought about having a mural painted somewhere in your house... I have a friend that has a mural business doing JUST THAT! She's amazing.... Her most recent project is right here... a nursery - she painted the WHOLE room! It looks awesome.

I added a link to her website (under construction) on the right.
Cool huh?!

48 Hours

2008-07-16T07:55:00.003-04:00

Got to spend 48 hours up north with the family. Kris had to stay home and go to class :(
Are those two fuzzy pups the cutest things you've ever seen?! Boe and Lacey.

Sunset on the bay... It was absolutely beautiful.

It was only a matter of time...

2008-07-08T20:44:00.001-04:00

Dakota and Maggie got skunked...
Don't let this happen to your dogs. :) ... or your kids for that matter.
STINKY!!!!

back alive.

2008-06-27T19:48:00.001-04:00

finally.

2008-06-14T08:24:00.004-04:00

Just a few pictures from the year that ate my life up. It was a good ride... But now that its over I'M SO HAPPY!
Above...? Pajama day with my seniors.
Below, End of the year party in a pool. We're so excited to be almost done!

Holly and I during the prairie burn. smoky!

Monster kept me alive many days. Here on a field trip with David - one of the coolest.

A small piece of our staff... kicked butt in volleyball. :)

May Days

2008-05-24T08:50:00.009-04:00

Kris and I had a Mother's Day feast over at our place.
These are our very proud mamma's. :)

... The bird feeders behind our house continue to be a source of entertainment on the weekends. Seriously, who needs cable when you have young dare devils risking their lives for a single golden nugget of corn... Drama! .... yeah, he jumps. sometimes misses.

It was a rare occurrence... We got to spend some time with the Spanding family down here from Gay-Town. Ella finally got her birthday present! But... like most one year olds, the ribbons and package the gift came in was WAY more fun to play with.
.... And as you can see, Kris is wearing his Riverbank Run T-shirt. He wore it for 3 days straight after that race... :)

Chester got stuck up there.
He was so embarrassed.

Does Anyone Have a Wheelchair Kris can Borrow?

2008-05-10T16:12:00.007-04:00

Before...

After...

My cheerleader Momma...

Kris didn't end up spending time with the official race paramedics like I thought he might.... Although, he is having a hard time walking now... And really might at least need crutches for a week... Apparently this was some kind of macho I-have-to-prove-my-manliness thing that he had to accomplish. And DID! With a pretty darn good time... 2:26.

I don't need crutches because I've actually been training for this race since January... And the hard work paid off... I felt absolutely great!... the whole time! It was BEAUTIFUL out!
I finished at 2:30 (Which was my goal). YES!

It was really fun to train for the race with my friends from work (and Kris ofcourse)- Now we just need to keep running so it stays fun!

If you're bored...

2008-05-04T19:35:00.006-04:00

Kris and I have recently had to put in a bunch of time working on WEBSITES for the classes that we teach at school. SO! If you're just "surfing the web" ...and you're bored ...and you're even SLIGHTLY interested... check them out! Here are the links:

"Mr. D's Pad"
http://kristopherdeyoung.googlepages.com
"Earth Keepers"
http://deyoung107.googlepages.com

"Go for the Goal"

2008-04-03T08:45:00.004-04:00

Kris had it stuck in his head that he would run with me last weekend... I needed to do 12 miles.
This probably would have been fine if he had been training with me all along... OR even if he had appropriate running shoes... but he hadn't and he didn't. The shoes he ran in were purchased in 1999... And as you can imagine, they were WORN OUT!
But Kris HAD to do the 12 miles anyway... no matter what he had to run in. Just because he said he would run 12 miles.

I know... I don't understand it.

At about 0.3 miles Kris knew it would be a tough go - the blisters had already started to form...
At about mile 8 Kris had run out of steam (only 4 more miles to go!) AND he was "running on needles"
When we finally stopped running we noticed the blood leaking through his shoes....

The following images may not be suitable for all blog viewers.
Viewer discretion is advised.

It's Thursday and Kris is still extremely sore.... he is still limping.
But if you ask him - I'm sure he'd say he'd do it again.
"I said I would run 12 miles, and I ran 12 miles" - Kris

here goes!

2008-03-16T08:28:00.002-04:00

so i guess i'm a runner now.
since... january i've been training for the river bank run on may 10th...
i'm thinkin' ill run the 25K.
.... so to those of you who have always told me i could probably pull something like this off... thank you. i'm going to give it a shot. i've become slightly addicted to the open road. its really strange.
ok, so now that our blog readers know... i can't back out.
here goes... :)
- Lea

We have a new hobby...

2008-03-02T08:44:00.004-05:00

Kris and I are officially nerdy bird watchers...

About 3 weeks ago we thought it would be cool to buy a bird feeder for our backyard since we have all these big windows that stick out into the woods... we had no idea that the birds who would visit the feeder would become our new obsession. (And I'm afraid that after last weekend, Kristi Catt is obsessed now too).
We know the birds by name... we know their personalities... which ones are bossy, which ones are "pigs"... Pretty soon we'll be identifying them by sound and annoying you with little facts about that particular species...
And, we highly suggest everyone who reads this blog to go out a buy a feeder for your hungry backyard birdies... but careful, you too just might get hooked.

(...this must mean we're 20 somethings going on 60 something.... )

Pretty

2008-01-27T11:49:00.000-05:00

Sick of the snow yet?
I say... "not yet".
Kris says... "I'm ready for spring".
What's your vote?

christmas morning.

2007-12-26T13:31:00.000-05:00

CHI-town

2007-12-14T05:29:00.000-05:00

Took the train to the windy city last weekend - Walked EVERYWHERE, drank lots of wine, spent time with old friends, and shopped 'till we dropped. It was EXACTLY the little break that all of us needed. :o)

Koda Cloning

2007-12-01T20:14:00.001-05:00

Koda is shedding.
A lot.
I brushed her for 35 minutes today.
And behold, a clone was born.
Equal in size, we are now the proud parents of Koda #2.
Kool.

- Topher

we love our friends (part 1)

2007-10-28T09:05:00.000-04:00

we love our friends (part 2)

2007-10-28T08:55:00.000-04:00

Hi!

2007-10-20T15:59:00.000-04:00

The word "busy" does not even begin to describe our lives lately...
I (Leanne) spend about 12 hrs a day or more at school... and then go back on the weekends. I've been known to tell some people that this job is slowly killing me. :o) In short, working at the Academy is your typical first year of teaching on heavy doses of "steroids". The teachers I work with are incredible and most of the time we just sit around and tell funny stories until tears are rolling down our cheeks... It is exactly the kind of therapy we all need at the end of the day.
Kris has been busy with "house stuff" - painting, moving furniture, unpacking and cleaning... Thankfully he is now in his 3rd year of teaching and is therefore a little less busy with school work. But he IS working on that Masters degree... and loving every minute of it (heavy sarcasm on that last one).

We love living in our new house... we honestly don't know what to do with all of the space! It's been fun to watch our kids run around the fenced in backyard looking for lost turkeys and small mammals. Thankfully they haven't slaughtered any... yet. :o/

Our amazing families and incredible friends have been keeping us afloat ... they've been a HUGE HUGE help with everything from baking us cookies to hauling big boxes around.
Until next time...
- Us

Labor Day Fun

2007-09-03T19:29:00.001-04:00

...the countdown.

2007-08-25T17:52:00.000-04:00

It's hard to describe how excited we are to have our own place again. The closing on our new digs was finally scheduled for September 7th. Thanks Mamma D for letting us crash at your place for the summer!!!

almost there..

2007-08-12T14:04:00.000-04:00

you asked, and here they are... just a few more pictures of the progress.
we had NO idea what the front of our house would look like... picking out the siding is scarry, but we love how it looks.

this is our favorite room of the house... our sunroom. it sticks out into the jungle that is our backyard and is nothing but windows. a future napping and reading spot for sure.

and... for those of you who were fortunate enough to view our "fireplace" on DVD at the Norwood home... you'll be happy to know that THIS fireplace produces actual flame.

just about 4-ish more weeks until we get to move in. :oD
you can sign up for sleepovers here on the blog - no deposit necessary.

3 months.

2007-07-29T20:39:00.001-04:00

... there are countless reasons why being a school teacher is such a rewarding profession...

Three of our favorites...
June... July... and August.

Green.

2007-07-21T19:08:00.000-04:00

"God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars." - Martin Luther

To anyone who has time for a little reading in their life... PICK UP THIS BOOK! The author spoke at Mars Hill a few weeks ago... and has a CRAZY story to tell. Seriously. And in my opinion, sometimes he gets a little nuts but because of his book we have to reimagine the way we live......

.....because sometimes God takes you to places in your life that you never saw coming, we are on a one way path to becoming even more "green" than we thought we were.

"God's beautiful earth will not be saved by words or good intentions. IT will be saved by humble, anonymous acts like turning off the lights, hanging clothing on the line, bicycling to work, and planting trees. People who are grateful for God's abundant gifts, people of faith who are not afraid to be held accountable for care of His creation, will save it." - Dr. Matthew Sleeth

How Ex-siding

2007-07-17T16:58:00.000-04:00

Siding is finished.

So drywall is done. It's mudded.

Man is it going fast! We enjoy daily going out to see our new home's progress, it is so much fun! Can't wait to move in!
- K

East Bay

2007-07-10T08:36:00.001-04:00

Year 2 of the July 4th vacation with people we love.

Jonah filled his diaper with sand like it was his mission in life.

Spent a night in Traverse City... It was yummy. Thanks Bubba.

No Jill, he isn't choking your daughter. Some of us almost froze our feet off in Charlevoix while the rest of us filled our pants with sand trying to play some beach volleyball. :)

Us. ... remember these smiles. With the comming school year, these beachy smiles will be a distant memory. Ha!

Yeah. Real tough. After this picture was taken they all competed for the fastest baseball pitch.

Thanks for another great week of memories!
... Hosfords, next year will be much better. I promise. We missed you!

My Friend Pedro- The House- A Job!

2007-06-29T20:53:00.000-04:00

So many things to add to the blog.... so here is a summary....

1. PEDRO: Went to the "Big Ticket Event" that Drew runs. Tagged along with Dan and Tracy, and had a fantastic time. Hung out with the Catts, The Kricks, The Hosfords, and the Carlson's (The Parentals :) ) It was a fantastic time! Drew did a marvelous job running the show. That is where I met Pedro, The Monkey. Now I am trying to convince my wife to let me have a pet Capuchin Monkey. I'm not winning. They fling poo.

2. THE JOB: Leanne is now a teacher! We knew it would only be a matter of time until she found that job. She will be teaching at the "West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science." Remember that, you will be quizzed on that later. She will be teaching 4 different environmental science classes! So needless to say, a TON of work, and could be some challenging kids. It's going to be a really challenging job in many aspects, but she has decided to accept the challenge and give it a shot. I know she will be absolutely fantastic in the classroom and will have a big impact on many kids' lives. Plus she gets to play in the dirt. She likes that. Ahh yes, my dirty wife.

3. THE HOUSE: Framing is done. Windows are In (not in picture). Electrical is Done. Driveway is poured (not in this picture.) Monday they start Cedar Trim. Next week they insulate. About a week and a half until drywall... they are absolutely flying! Eastbrook has really been doing a fantastic job and is really taking care of us. Our Construction Manager Chris is awesome, and the company is really doing us a lot of favors and working extra special hard, truly in memory of my father which is very humbling. We are so thankful, and can't wait to get into our new home!!!!!

So great news... and it's summer. I think I shall take a nap tomorrow. :)

On our 15' Coleman

2007-06-24T12:49:00.001-04:00

So Kris and I decided it might be fun to take the girls on a canoe trip down the Rogue.
We didn't know what we were getting into.
After 10 minuets of struggling to get the canoe in the water and the dogs in the canoe without having to watch either float downstream without us... Maggie jumped ship.
She jumped ship and then thought she'd make a break for it and tried to shoot across the road.
Kris, then, jumped ship as well and snagged her just in time. Wet puppy. Wet Kris.
The rest of the float was a success.
Bescides having to stop Dakota from also jumping ship when she was taunted by a gaggle of geese, we all went swimming and got some much needed R and R.
This picture was taken when we got back to our temporary residence.
Everyone was exhaused.

And none of us can wait until next time.

In Memory of The Curries

2007-06-17T23:23:00.000-04:00

I had a bit of nostalgia today.
It started with giving my dog her summer buzz cut.
I shaved her heavy black coat off in the bathroom.
As I peered across the mounds of black hair, I had deja vu.
It brought me back to my college years living with Jason and Jared Currie.
For those who do not know the Curries, they were my "fuzzy friends"
I remember going to use the bathroom on numerous occasions, only to come across a scene similar to this one.
It was a mirror image of their weekly back shaving, hip trimming, and Jason's all-powerful shoulder hair patch.
We used to donate their trimmings to "Locks for Love"
It made me miss my dear furry friends.
So this blog is in memory of Jason and Jared Currie.
S.I.P. - Shave In Peace my friends, Shave In Peace.

-Kristopher

Under Construction

2007-06-06T09:29:00.000-04:00

probably just a few coats of paint... and were ready to move in... what do you think of the open floor plan and solar heating system? a little breezy maybe...

Cross in the Woods

2007-05-28T00:09:00.000-04:00

Jenny and Chris' ceremony up in Indian River was absoutely beautiful. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

And I only took... what seems like a thousand pictures... and they were all terrible shots... well, lets just say this one WOULD have been the best one... if it wasn't for this damn bubble!

2007-05-21T13:32:00.000-04:00

Being the science geek that I am... I think this is so cool. These are the little guys that make that loud ringing noise on those dog days of summer... they're so loud!!! I've thought these little guys were so cool ever since I was a little girl. And their life cycle is so CRAZY!

Billions of periodical cicadas are supposed to show up this month in parts of the Midwest after spending 17 years underground!!! As nymphs they burrow underground and suck sap from tree roots. 17 years!!! How old were you 17 years ago???
Don't worry... they're nice.

big diggers

2007-05-11T18:27:00.000-04:00

... i realize no one else will find this that terribly exciting except for us... but some big diggers put a big hole in the ground where our future home will sit. Kris is thrilled. We had to take a picture.

Erin Wins Another Bet

2007-04-30T20:16:00.000-04:00

Back in high school Jenny and Erin made a bet... that the first one to get married had to pay the other one $1,000 dollars... And even though that amount shrank over the years to $100.... ERIN gets it. Jenny gets married May 26th to the SWEETEST guy. I'm SOOOOO happy for her.
Plus it was a great excuse to get (most) of our high school girlies together for a wedding shower this weekend. Renae and Sadie baby were missed very much!!!

FINALLY!!!

2007-04-20T16:23:00.000-04:00

... the picture says it all.
After being on the market for a WHOLE STINKIN' YEAR our patience pays off.
The cool thing about all of this... is that we know God TOTALLY made it happen - Some really cool people have done some really cool unexpected things for us so that we could take this picture today. And we're all smiles.

What's next? - We're moving in with Kris' mom while Eastbrook Homes builds our new digs.

Just Enjoying a Lovely Spring Afternoon

2007-04-11T20:11:00.000-04:00

blackie's baby girl.

2007-04-04T18:39:00.000-04:00

I got to meet little Addison Marie while Jen and Matt were home for a few weeks...

Jen you are a forever friend! And your daughter is absoutely amazing.

Run a Mile for a Child

2007-03-24T10:50:00.000-04:00

To raise money for FireMatch me and the family did a 5K walk/run this morning... Here we are after the race....
I actually ran the whole thing AND actually finished with an OK time (28:02).... considering I haven't really been "training" for this .... 23rd place out of 80 women...

My hero Kris was cheering me on at the finish line :o) awwww.
I just might have to do more races... they're addicting!

our children.

2007-03-07T19:30:00.000-05:00

i don't have anything really that interesting to post... except i took these funny pictures of my kids recently... and thought it was time we updated our blog... so here they are.

dakota was sleeping on our bed... which she really isn't allowed to do... but how can you not love that face!

action shot of maggie. she's the spaz of the group. can you tell?

chester takes naps on my socks... i like to think maybe he's warming them up for me.
we love our kids.

Princess Sammie

2007-02-26T16:00:00.000-05:00

As the proud older sister of a future Hollywood actress - I just wanted to announce Sammie's recent role in the upcomming production of "Princess and the Pea"... she will be THE PRINCESS in this classic story... About a princess... and... a pea.
Anyone wanting autographs will need to be at her show in May.
Proud of you Sammie!!!

Gone South

2007-02-20T10:23:00.000-05:00

Well, we went as far south as we possibly could (as far as staying in the US goes...) in search of WARM temps and lots of sunshine....
We ended up getting to Key west a whole 24hrs late (LONG STORY...) Which made our short little vacation a whole lot shorter... and we just happened to get there as record low temperatures settled into the area. (Miami even had a FROST advisory). So as you can see in many of these pictures we are wearing coats and sweatshirts. Ugh.
HOWEVER! We all had a REALLY good time despite the chilly temps and there was ONE day when we all cooked in the Florida sun (and will be pealing soon). We ate really cool food (lots of Conch Fritters) and drank lots of Key Lime Coladas...
I even got to spend the morning with the Segard family and good friend Paige up in Marathon! Lucy is as goofy and full of life as her parents are. It was SO good to see them.

jill's baby shower

2007-02-10T18:29:00.000-05:00

I had fun celebrating the soon to be lil' spanding at a baby shower this afternoon.
We can't wait to meet the little bugger!

It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO nice to be able to catch up with my friend for life Sarah.
And of course win a baby shower game for Kelli - that girl knows her baby food!

Jill-Jill has a big 'ol belly. And I'm sure it will get even bigger!
... I still think its going to be a lil girl. :o)

... ice.

2007-02-05T15:46:00.000-05:00

This might be a good indication of the quality of our insulation...
Makes for a good view out the 'ol bedroom window.
... its pretty at least.
Could it get any colder?!

January Wedding

2007-01-28T19:01:00.000-05:00

... this weekend I, Leanne, went to a wedding with 1/2 of my family while Kris stayed in Rockford with Sammie. Those two went on a date (dinner and a movie) while I busted a move with Papa Carlson on the dance floor :o)
It was such a fun night. ... I love weddings. Also got to hang out with my long-time good good friend Phil.

The last picture is my dad with Paul Shiels (father of the Groom) They were the bestest of buddies in high school and way beyond that.
How cute are they.

snow days...

2007-01-17T16:46:00.001-05:00

We love our snow days. And so do our furry children. We took them for a long hike in the woods... Did I mention we love snow days?!? Just look at those smiles. :o)

Picket Properties

2007-01-14T19:57:00.001-05:00

This is just a random post to let you visitors know I added a link to my parents rental property... over there.... in the link list. They book up fast! Both houses are so cute. I know that they still have openings! So if you know anyone who needs a fun get-away at a great price CHECK 'EM OUT!
This is a pic of Sammie, Anna, Rach and I getting pulled behind the boat in the East Bay. The water up there is unbelieveable. I like to think of it like a MUCH more northern Caribbean.

Christmas Break

2006-12-30T13:39:00.000-05:00

These are just a few pictures of the stuff us DeYoung's have been up to lately!
We made a trip up to EVART to spend some time with Mike, Amy, and the little Kricks :o) Drew, the Catt's, and the Carlson Family were also there. The boys played water polo and Settlers... It was a fun night. Always is!

ALSO - Leanne (that's me) just got back from up north. Had my first casino experience - I tried to master Black Jack - and spent a day snowboarding with the family (and Jon-Jon's buddy Brian). Sammie is so good at it! We're both sore today, but I'm pretty sure we're both hooked. Dad on the other hand... thinks he'll stick to motorized toys. :o)

Before Christmas Kelli and I got to have lunch with Blackie! ;o) We love her. And she has a BEAUTIFUL big belly - we can't wait to meet baby!

AHHHHH!

2006-12-24T14:22:00.000-05:00

Congratulations Dan and Tracy!!! God is GOOD!!!!

December Wedding

2006-12-18T21:32:00.000-05:00

If you blinked... you may have missed it.... the daiting... the engagement... and the wedding ceremony.... all one quick blink. Here is the happy couple. Sarah is a GREAT girl. Aaron snagged quite the woman.

I realize this is a terribly blury picture of Kelli and I at the reception... but if you'd seen the other 40 you would agree that this was the best one we took all night long.

Just because...

2006-11-14T17:37:00.000-05:00

Nothing REAL incredible to post... I just wanted to stick these pictures up here... JUST BEAUSE I love 'em. (They were taken this fall).

One of me and Kris' FAVORITE things to do is take our four-legged "children" for walks through this yet-to-be-developed development near my parents house. As you can see... Maggie takes these walks very seriously. She likes to include a mud bath in the adventure.

Parents of an Angel

2006-11-04T21:54:00.000-05:00

... the unthinkable happened to Kris and I this last week... our first baby was taken to be in heaven.
I just wanted to say thank you (a million trillion times over) to our wonderful families - as well as our incredible incredible friends for being so comforting at such a crazy moment in our lives... Kris and I wouldn't want to go through this without you. We love you.

Harvest Festival 2006

2006-10-28T15:57:00.000-04:00

Kris and Drew at a Shane and Shane concert could be comared to 13 yr old girls at a Nick Leshay concert. Given... It was AMAZING worship and those guys CAN SING! Gives me chills everytime.

Dan the Man and his pumpkin carving power tools! Watchin' Dan carve that pumpkin with a drill was a highlight of the weekend.

Drew looks like he is up to something... and Jill? Well....

Awwww.... we're in love.

Again... Awwwwww.

All in the family... here we have Kelli and Dan napping together. They looked so cozy I almost jumped right in.

This is us carving our pumpkin. Notice the pumpkin is not included in the picture. It was rated R.

October Family Update.

2006-10-03T16:55:00.000-04:00

It has been awhile since Kris and I added to the BLOG... So here's whats GOIN' ON in our lives lately...

Rhiannon started school this fall and it is kind of kicking her butt. She is working on getting her doctorate in physical therapy... but after a recent car accident... she just might need some physical therapy herself. Poor PT RHI!

Sammie (my mini) is a regular East Rockford Middle School rock star. She was voted onto the student council by her classmates (only 2 kiddos from each class were picked... so this is a big deal people) and she is makin' things happen!!! That girl is a mover and a shaker.

Jon-Jon just recently lost hearing in one of his ears... SCARRY! So after a LONG LONG visit at the hospital we find out some viral infection almost took all of his hearing away! UGH! Thankfully it looks like it was caught in time and Jon Jon will be ok.

Rachel is TEARIN' IT UP this fall. No one could have a more jam packed schedule. She goes from signing for 5 yr. olds all day, to teaching college students at night. Gift ideas for Rachel would include: Red Bull and an expresso machine.

My Kris is a teacher still. Lucky for those kids who sit in his classroom. Who wouldn't want to learn from someone as serious as this ... wanna be tribal cheif ... looks....

And me... well, I just got a job at the HOSPITAL! YIPPEE! ... and Sometime this spring, Kris and I will have one of these. No... not the bouncy seat... not a Jonah... a baby. Our Baby. Baby D. WOO HOO!!!

BABIES!

2006-09-13T08:32:00.000-04:00

I realize all of you know this by now... that our bestest friend Jen is expecting a baby SOON! This picture was taken the day before her big day... Just wanted to give an official shout out to the Roosien family - AHHHHH! CONGRATS!

And I cannot wait until they live in Michigan again. I miss you Blackie!

Naughty Doggie

2006-09-06T11:48:00.000-04:00

Kris loves it when Dakota decides that she'll make OUR bed HER own... and I, on the other hand, don't think it is as cute (She SHEDS like it was her job!) But..... when I was washing the sheets today I couldn't help but snap this cute picture of her taking advantage of the situation. She is just SO CUTE! Not to mention the best dog I've ever had. :) I love you Koda!

The East Bay

2006-08-27T20:44:00.000-04:00

Rachel and I got to spend a few very relaxing days in Elk Rapids with the fam before the busy school year starts. We were SOOOO thankful that we had one day of sunshine so that Daddy-O could take us across the bay to do some snorkling around the sunken "ship"... Sammie's pooch Boe got to do some snorkling too :o)

Monkey Poo

2006-08-21T22:16:00.000-04:00

Good 'ol John Ball Park Zoo.
Kris goes back to "the grind" tomorrow... getting ready for the new group of students who will be blessed with his God given talent as a middle school teacher this year.......

SOOOOO... to celebrate... and mark the end of a FANTASTIC summer, filled with long afternoon naps.... We headed off to yet another zoo.

We learned that monkeys just plain poop a lot.
- Leanne

Maggie's great uncle... twice removed

2006-08-16T21:33:00.000-04:00

Crazy Dog

We think this may be one of Maggie's distant relatives. ... She is not, however, QUITE as bipolar...

Zebra Snot.

2006-08-09T20:18:00.000-04:00

What do you call a dishonest feline?

A CHEETAH!

Kris and I spent the day at Binder Park Zoo... We walked through "Africa" and were licked by some spoiled giraffes... We saw a Alligator Snapping Turtle named "Crunch" that was born before the Civil War....

... we saw a Red Panda, followed around a couple of Peacocks... watched a pack of wolves take a really looooooooong nap.... took pictures with a couple of fisty Lemur's ....

.... watched the Wallabies dig around for bugs... were growled at by some very large Emus.... Spent a good 15 minutes watching this little guy show off for the crowd....

As we left the zoo, Kris made sure to mark his territory.... so that people knew we were there... and that we shall return!

Hydrophobic

2006-08-04T09:45:00.000-04:00

These two felt left out. Just because Chester doesn't like to play in our pool, doesn't mean he leads an uneventful existance. He is always busy napping on the front porch, napping on our bed, napping on the living room floor and playing fetch.

Dakota also dislikes the kiddie pool. Here she is pictured laughing at Maggie for soaking herself and looking like a drowned rat. Dakota would rather significantly lower the local squirel population... ...she has already gotten a great start.

The White-Trashinator 5000

2006-07-29T17:09:00.001-04:00

This summer is freaken hot. Without air conditioning our poor pooches are suffering from the heat. I was inspired one day, while picturing a young sean carlson playing in his little plastic pool in the trailer park as a child. So I went to walmart and purchased a deluxe edition white-trashinator 5000 for $11.88. Maggie loves it. She swims daily.

Kristoph

Love.

2006-07-27T16:40:00.000-04:00

Sean and Kelli's blog always makes me think about how much I love my Sammie. She's the "closest thing" I have to what it must be like... to be completely overwhelmed with love for your own kid. I love her more than a fat kid loves cake. Way more. These pics were taken at our cousin Andy's wedding on July 22 - she's basically shooting up like a weed ... its only a matter of time before she is as tall as me! And lucky for her... (haha) she has the same waddle that I do! Sorry baby!

Afternoon on the Rogue

2006-07-09T19:33:00.000-04:00

Kris and I took a loooooooong canoe ride on the Rogue River - Basically he did all the work while I pointed out every crawfish, trout, and duck that I saw.

Needless to say it was extremely relaxing.

And now we need a nap.

A Few of my Favorites From the Weekend...

2006-07-06T13:48:00.000-04:00

Tillie the Turtle

2006-06-27T15:40:00.000-04:00

That's my Mini-me on stage... far left. Tillie. Went to an "outstanding" production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - There were some little little kids in the play that were absoutely hysterical. Jon and I couldn't stop laughing at this one little blond who played the role of "small pink flower". She had the worst case of stage fright I'd ever seen. That is until her last line.... She couldn't remember a single one of her lines throughout the whole play until she shouted "RADICAL!" as the curtain closed.

Sunset in Elk Rapids

2006-06-24T16:36:00.000-04:00

We're very much looking foward to a long weekend with all of our incredible friends on the bay. ... In case some of you stumble onto this blog before take-off, this awesome sunset and beach shot are here to get you even more pumped!

history.

2006-05-22T15:54:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I was able to head up north for a FUN FUN FUN weekend with all of my high school friends. Molly is getting married in June - so we all got back together for a bridal shower in Elk Rapids at the McGee cottage. I got to go wine tasting in Traverse City for the first time! For someone who really doesn't get into wine very much... I had so much fun! The weather could not have been more beautiful. Check out this sunset!!!
I've been extremely blessed with amazing girlfriends throughout life ~ I really enjoyed seeing all of my girlz from the past.

Sammie turns 11!

2006-05-14T23:44:00.000-04:00

That's an 11 yr old smile right there.
Coolest girl I know.
May 15th - One of the best days of my life.
I love you Mini-Me.

Gaylord...

2006-05-14T23:30:00.000-04:00

Since the only people who really look at this blog were present for the recent road trip north... I'll only use a few words to describe the adventure we all had.
Bocce balls...
Pink...
Chaos...
"W"...
Baby Mozart...
Drama...
Fur hats...
Two-hundred and fifty dollars...
Krick....

Prom Crashers 2006

2006-05-14T22:03:00.000-04:00

This is Jon's senior prom night - He's been crashing proms all over the place this spring - This time he's off to a prom he actually paid for. Ha. His entire dorky family showed up to take pictures of him and his buds - how cool are we.

OUR FUTURE PAD

2006-04-22T10:16:00.000-04:00

So.... if we ever sell our house, :) then this is the house plan we are building! The only change is a third stall added, and the stone is dropped down a bit - We are going for a "comfortable cottage" type of style - Now, I may have to pull a "Dick and Jane" and get some extra "funding" by taking "what isn't mine" in order to "pay for the house" but it's cool.

-K-dog

troublemaker bridesmaid...

2006-04-22T10:05:00.000-04:00

Unlike Kris, I'm no techy, but I was playing around on Photoshop and thought I'd put this beautiful picture of Kelli on our blog. She is HOT!!! - This picture was taken at Jen's wedding.. Kelli was the "bad bridesmaid" haha.

Before we were married

2006-04-05T19:52:00.000-04:00

Before we were married, Sean and I use to snuggle like this. Then we got wives, kids, pets, and now we are less physically affectionate with each other. I miss his touch. I'm thinking about going back.... 67% chance.

My little Mini-Me

2006-04-05T19:39:00.000-04:00

Just because I can. - I wanted to stick this picture up here beacause Sammie is so cute she just had to be on our Blog. This may have been one of the best nights of her young life! Rascal Flatts and her favorite sisters (plus our cool mom) all together on one dreamy night. I love you Mini-me!

Maggie Paggie

2006-04-05T09:05:00.000-04:00

Gotta love that face. She may need therapy, but she's a cute one isn't she?

...Looking Back.

2006-04-01T13:55:00.000-05:00

I got in trouble last night.
Sean tells me our blogspot is BORING because I never update it.
I have excuses, but I'll spare you my list.
- Thanks for caring Sean!

So here goes. A new post.

I just finished my LONG LONG LONG term subbing job at Ionia High School yesterday. And as I think back on the incredible year I spent there any thoughts of cellular respiration, desalinization, punnet squares or relative humidity racing through my mind are the first to dissapear.
It is the lives and the stories my students that I will never ever forget.

I'll never forget Jason and the week of school he missed because his father had just been sentenced to decades in prision.
I'll never forget 16-yr-old Rachelle and the baby she'll deliver in June - she is terrified, but I know she'll be a great mom.
I'll never forget Tanya and her inability to seperate herself from her abusive boyfriend. She knows what she needs to do, but for some reason just can't run away.
I'll never forget Jamie and her embarassment with her mother's drug and theft addiction.
I'll never forget the look on Mikey's face when genetics didn't seem so impossible anymore.
I'll never forget the changes I saw in Janelle as the year progressed - being angry all the time wasn't as fun as learning to enjoy life.
I'll never forget the time Jessie gave me a hug for the first time, she used to be too cool to like her teacher.
I'll never forget the day pole vaulting became an addiction of my 4 freshmen vaulters.

Good and Bad - The stories of my students and dozens others like them will be a part of my prayers for a long long time to come.
I wouldn't trade my experience at IHS for anything.
Go Bulldogs!

Jonah

2006-01-21T18:52:00.000-05:00

- Its hard to even put in words how incredible it is to watch two people you love so much experience one of God's most amazing gifts, the birth of a child. I just commented on Dan and Tracy's blog that I will never forget the look on Kelli's face when her and Sean's closest friends and family got to see her son for the first time. Even though she wasn't really "with it" thanks to those wonderful sedatives - the smile on her face will always be etched in my memory. It brought me to tears.
Sean and Kelli - We love you and we are so excited to watch you experience a whole new set of "firsts" First time you walk into your home with Jonah, the first time you give him a bath, the first time he smiles at you .....

Test

2006-01-14T21:39:00.000-05:00

New Year's Eve

2006-01-02T10:04:00.000-05:00

I had to mention that we have the greatest friends anyone could ever hope for!!!

We've had so many close friends move to different places around the country in the last couple of years - to those we MISS TONS - "We wish you would have been here!!!" And to those who still call themselves "West Michigan residents" it was SO fun for Kris and I to have a house full of the people we love to help us bring in the new year. (plus Andy and Sadie who although are temporarily NOT west michigan residents, made the long haul home for the holidays! - IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!!!)

... oh yeah, And we can't wait to see what crazy adventures this new year will hold for us!

peace out

super empty...

2005-12-17T20:46:00.000-05:00

THE FIRST DEYOUNG POST!
As it turns out ... our computer (the Mac-mobile) can't do the post a picture thing - so sticking pictures of our "kids" and other adventures up here isn't going to happen... unless my genius husband figures something out. (Which I am sure he will, someday). UNTIL then... you will only get wordy posts - no pics.
THE CARLSON BABY COUNTDOWN!!! One month-ish to go!!!