A November to be Thankful for....

Thanksgiving day is great and all... But I think we can do better! Let's make November a month of thankfulness. What are you thankful for today?

Day #1: I am thankful to be Pregnant, and the baby is Healthy. We had a rough start and thankfully at almost 17 weeks everything is great.

Day #2: I am thankful for dirk and millie. They brighten up my life. I love being an Auntie :)

Day #3: I am thankful to God for his mercy, goodness and love for me.

Day #4: I am thankful for my FAMILY: my mom and dad, my little sister Gina VanOrder, my little brother Jared VanOrder, and his girlfriend Cara Jo Nuiver. I have been truly blessed to have such wonderful people by my side through the thick and the thin. I love you ♥

Day #5: I am thankful for my Smile :)
{a gift that keeps on giving}

Day #6: I am thankful for my friends! You all are wonderful. Thank you for your support and love ♥

Day #7: I am thankful for seasons: that we live in a beautiful state where we get to experience all four seasons. There are so many wonderful, and special things about each, no matter where I live or spend the time.

Day #8: I am thankful for kindness.

Day #9: I am thankful for the doctors and nurses at North Ottawa Community Hospital. For there early diagnoses of my low progesterone which may have saved my baby's life and for there steady hands as Miss Millie has surgery on her tongue today!

Day #10: I am thankful for Country Music, it has powerful words and I think I can find a song for just about every mood, and every feeling.

Day #11: I am thankful that I am an American, and get to celebrate Veterans day. On this day 11/11/11, I am so proud of our men and women who have served and are serving our great country!!! Happy Veterans Day!!! {Wayne, Karl, GL, Courtney Polnicky, Uncle Carl, Ken, Vitold, and Nick}

Day #12: I am thankful that I have the ability to Dream, especially at night. They may be strange dreams at night now that I am pregnant, like last night, I dreamed I was in high school and the last class of the day was food pantry, and we had to bring 12 items a day for credit, but I am always late for this class because I was coming from Scrapbooking Class. {I wonder what high school that was} LOL

Day #13: I am thankful that I am able to go upnorth almost every weekend... I love that I have great people in my life who let me visit and wanna spend time with me :)

Day #14: I am thankful for my BED!!! I love to sleep :) it is nice to come home after a weekend away and climb into my own bed!!!

Day #15: I am thankful for hunting season, today is opening day of firearm!!! Good luck to everyone hunting and Be Safe!

Day #16: I am thankful for my Cell Phone, That I can text and Call family and friends when they don't live so close to be able to visit.

Day #17: I am thankful for Facebook, to be able to re-connect with old friends and to connect with friends and family who I may only see once a year, or live far far away!!

Day #18: I am thankful for FAMILY VACATIONS!! past, present and FUTURE!!! I am lucky to have been on many Florida Family Vacations, Cruises to Haiti, Jamaica, & Bahamas, All Inclusive to Mexico, Trips to Mackinaw, and Cedar Point. A once in a lifetime trip to Prince Edward Island, and the East Coast. Family Adventures to Holiday Inn and to see the Amish! And etas I am 30, I am super excited for Another FAMILY Trip to Florida Next Fall, when I get to bring my own offspring on his/her first FAMILY VACATION!!!

Day#19: I am thankful that I have been able to live in many cities in our beautiful State of Michigan: Zeeland, Holland, Vriesland, Hudsonville, Montague, McBain, Bear Lake, Manistee, and Grand Haven. It should make my decision easy when deciding where to live come February.

Day #20: I am thankful to wake up to this amazing view of Gun Lake and the sun shinning!! Love my parents Lake House :)

Day #21: I am thankful for my creativeness :) I love to do projects with the kids, and I love to scrapbook!! Thank-you God for this ability!

Day #22: I am thankful for cartoons. No violence, no swearing, just good music and good overall message. {It's a me and Millie kind of morning}

Day #23: I am thankful for positive and negative people, they have helped shape who I am today!! Remember as you are in a rush this holiday season to slow down and enjoy every moment!!!

Day #24: I am thankful to be able to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade with Dirk and Millie :)

Day #25: I am thankful for the fact that I got to sleep in today!!! No black Friday shoppin' for this mama!!!

Day #26: I am thankful that my Vacation Starts Tomorrow Morning :) 4 days of BLISS!!!!

Day #27: I am thankful for Chocolate Chip Cookies at 10am :)

Day #28: I am thankful to be able to wake up to snow!!! I Love Northern Michigan :)

Day #29: I am thankful for wonderful conversations with great friends and fun people.

Day #30: I am thankful to be ME!!! My life may not be perfect but it's MY LIFE!!!! I am Happy, I have feelings and I am enjoying every moment of being pregnant, The man in my life is Montgomery and one day soon he will call me MOMMY!!! So I am very Thankful for the past 30 days, for the past year and I look forward to the Future!!

Ladybug Party

Millie turned two!!!

Gina planned a Ladybug Birthday Party!!

I got to help and it was so much fun :)

Pin the spot on the LadyBug {Thanks DAD for drawing the LadyBug}

Each child got two spots. Older kids were blindfolded and spun around.

Cupcake toppers I designed, and cut out. taped to toothpick.

Silver wear holder I designed and cut out...

LadyBugs made out of Ritz Crackers, cream cheese, pepperonies cut in half with a black olive

Red Boxes that I added black spots to with marker,

added googly eyes and a leaf with each child's name on it.

We bought artificial grass, used junior mints, licorice, and M&M's to decorate.

another busy weekend

Friday I left at 9am to be upnorth for Kurt's Funeral. Kurt is a family friend. My Friend Stacey's older brother. Mason's Dad! Kurt you are sadly missed.
After the Funeral, CWM3 and I had to head to Turtle Creek for Chuck's Parents Anniversary and Chuck's Dad's Birthday Dinner...

On Saturday Night we headed to the Melting Pot in
Grand Rapids for Mom & Dad's Birthday's

{1st time @ the melting pot}

On Sunday Mom and Dad took us out on the boat to Gun Lake.

It was A FUN WEEKEND!!!!!

skinny dippin'

The Big Dipper was out, with tons of Stars.

Wind at 5-10 miles an hour, the waves were crashing up to the sand causing a huge step in the sand.

No one around, but us...

It was a perfect night to be at the water tower.

{We took off our clothes
Threw 'em on the sheet
Sand between our toes
Bare white tushes lord
Sunlight on the lake, glistenin'
And we were Skinny Dippin'}



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vyzHkv42W8&ob=av3e

Ohh we were doing nothin' wrong
We were just coolin' off
July I was hot and sticky
Lord we were skinny dippin'
~whitney duncan

I felt so alive.
This is my world,
and I’m going to experience all of it!!!

4th of July Weekend

The holiday weekend was filled with tons of new things: Chuck and I camp alot, but we have never stayed at a campground, so that was a first for US. Also, this was my first time at the Ludington Flea Market, and 1st time at the Ludington Craft Show. Chuck took me to the Ludington Marina, and He took me BowFishing.. They go out every weekend, and this was the first time, I was able to go out with them :)

It wasn't my first time to the State Park, but it was the first time tubing down the Sauble River from the Hamlin Lake Dam to Lake Michigan. We had a blast and the weather was great!!! The mile walk back was fun, we saw a fawn and mother deer along with the yearling.

CWM3 lived in Ludington for 10 years, but hasn't lived there in 3 years, so it was fun for him to show me all around town :) We got to see tons of sunsets and had way too many s'mores. It's the 1st time i've seen the SS Badger go out. and Ludington did a great job with the 4th of July Fireworks.

CWM3 and I had a blast this weekend...

My Way Depot

My Way Depot Sundae and Candy Shop~

This is a little hidden Gem in Manistee, Michigan!! It's not on the main strip, but I have driven past it tons of times.But I had never been inside till this past Sunday!! And wow!!! AMAZING!!! For $5.50 I got a HUGE Banana Boat with 3 different kinds of ice cream, that I got to pick. I wish I could remember what I choose, they were GREAT!!! Not only do they have ice cream but they have Candy for cheap and Wide Variety of Jelly Belly and Salt Water Taffy. and Yes They have a facebook page. So if you live in Manistee or are planning a trip or going through, Stop in at My Way Depot :)


Prices and Sizes
The Outside of My Way Depot
Put a pin where you live

Great Time and look forward to going back!!!

a new decade!

The night before my 30th Birthday

June 11th ~ My 30th birthday!!
We started out at the Car Show! Two Years in a ROW!

My mom and dad got me 30 gifts for my 30th birthday!!!

Our Hotel in Manistee

Dancing to the Band 'Risque'

My Cake {Thank-you Walmart in Ludington}

THE SHUTTLE BUS FROM HOTEL TO CASINO &CASINO TO HOTEL

The Cupid Shuffle

Make Your OWN SUNDAE...

I entered the 777 slot tournament :)


I had a great weekend!

Thank-you for the Cards, gifts, spending time with me on my birthday, for all the facebook birthday wishes!!!

{so, to continue my one new thing a month}

This post includes 3 new things for the month of

JUNE:

1) Riding the Shuttle Bus

2) going to My Way Depot for make your own SUNDAE'S

3) entering the 777 slot tournament

Camping on Friday the 13th

Went camping upnorth on Friday the 13th and had a blast.

1st time camping this year!!!

It was a little cold and woke up to rain, but stayed dry!!

Made Yummy smores!!!

Had a camp fire and enjoyed my time upnorth!!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Have you ever seen two movies in one day???
at a theater???
I am turning 30 in a couple days {June 11th} and I have never until this past month. {MAY}.
I saw Fast Five and Priests {5/14/11}
It was raining and we decided to see a matinee for the low price of $5 per person. When we got out of the movie it was still raining and fishing was out of the question. So we decided to see Priests in 3D. We didn't order popcorn for the first movie, but we did for the second. Fast Five is an excellent movie, Priests was ok.

wear your heart on your sleeve

Free Love Day is a day to promote awareness of suicide and depression, as well as to advocate a LIFESTYLE of unconditional love.

Here are the facts: depression is one of the leading conditions that lead to suicide. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. Statistically, for every suicide there are ELEVEN attempts. And the truth is that we don't know who wants to, will try to, or will take their life.

What's the answer to this? Love is one. Here, love means an action and decision to unconditionally practice patience, kindness, and humbleness towards people. Sharing your story with people, because we all have one. To open up so no one feels alone.

SO HERE'S THE DEAL: On April 25th, put a heart on your wrist to signify that you will wear your heart on your sleeve and observe a LIFESTYLE of love. ASK SOMEONE HOW THEY'RE DOING. TELL PEOPLE YOU LOVE THEM AND DO IT. Nobody should have to feel so bad about themselves that they take their own life, so let's give them a reason not to! Let's change the world on April 25th!

If you accept this challenge, pass it on; let's make this day as big as we can.

STORY: A blond-haired, blue-eyed descendant of Heaven with perfect looks, grades, and people skills. She was a person's person, and would do anything to brighten your day. On April 25, 2007 she committed suicide after battling depression; this left a family, school and community broken.... And it left the boyfriend broken, too. I wondered, and still wonder, what I could have done to make her life better.

March~one new thing a month

So this month, seriously I have so much stuff that I have never done, one thing is the NCAA brackets, I have already blogged about this...... I am as of 3/31/11 in 30th place now out of 37. I am not in last place, but the two teams {Michigan and Michigan State} that I had chosen for the final game, have been done for awhile.

I didn't do a bracket to win, I did it to try something NEW!!!!

It was fun choosing teams. Its neat to see teams WIN and teams LOSE!

I am grateful March is almost finished... I am so ready for APRIL!!!!!

Finally Friday

A very talented person in my life has spent alot of time and energy making these.
He worked very hard on these Lures.

He doesn't get the credit that he deserves.

He is talented and worked very hard.

I am so proud of YOU!!!!

I know I don't say it enough!!!! But you Amaze me Everyday!!!!

( This is my February - Try one new thing a month)

I went to the Gun and Knive show at LRCR.

There are some pretty cool things for sale at shows like this!