Happy 2nd Birthday, Silas!

(So, it's been a while since I've posted---many excuses, like not being able to upload photos and having an extremely busy and health-compromised 2008 so far---but I have a lot to get caught up on in blog-land from Christmas until now! My goal is to give the highlights and have us up to speed soon! So keep checking in from now on---I promise I'll try to do this more regularly!)

On December 29, 2007, we celebrated Silas's 2nd birthday! We were up in Charlevoix with the Van Guilders and had a wonderful party, complete with Silas's favorite foods! I made homemade macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, peas, and strawberry jell-o with bananas in it. The adults just loved the fare (ha ha!). But my Grandma Miriam baked a yummy cake that was the highlight of the meal!

Grandma Dianne helping Silas blow out his candles!

Great-Grandma Ruthie and Grandpa Dennis


Aunt Laura, Uncle Ben, and Kiki

Aunt Jessa and cousin Jack

Daddy and the birthday boy

Great-Grandpa Ross and Great-Grandma Miriam

Silas and Mommy


opening presents!

Silas loves animals!

His first "terrible-two" act was to empty the kleenex box in Great-Grandma Ruthie's room, and then throw them up in the air and laugh as they come down. What a stinker! (He hears that phrase quite often.)

Our week with the Van Guilders

The whole Van Guilder family, together! (and proof that--contrary to popular opinion--Grandma Ruthie CAN take a photo without cutting anyone's head off!)

The three cousins - Silas, Jack, and Eli

Mother and daughter

The boys with Great-Grandma Ruthie




Eli's depiction of a view from the planet Venus.





Silas liked Grandma's Mr. Sketch scented markers...a little too much!




Making blueberry muffins with Grandma

Getting some much-needed rest

Let's go sledding!

Silas wanted Grandpa to take him into the woods behind my parents' house. He really loved being back there, and every time my dad turned around to head toward the house, Silas would yell and point the other way, "No, woods!" Guess we named him accurately, since the name Silas means, "man of the forest."

Saying goodbye...we love you, Grandpa and Grandma!

Christmas Ping-Pong Tournament!

Jessa and Nate have a ping-pong table in their garage, so on Christmas night, the whole family (except the Great-Grandmas, Jessa, Jack, & Silas) participated in a ping-pong tournament! Nate drew up brackets, and the fun began!

Bryan showed off some pretty sweet moves.

Eli had a blast and did a great job (with a bit of help from Daddy, of course!)

Grandpa Ross was quite the threat--at almost 83!!

Ben playing Uncle Steve--pretty intense!

Sibling rivalry -- Denise vs. Dianne...I think Denise won.

My claim to fame of the evening...beating my cousin Alyssa in the toilet-bowl championship (the winner of the loser's bracket). She put up a good fight!

Dennis beat out Steve in the championship game...of course he didn't really need this win to boost his ego. Whether it's golf, hunting, or ping pong, my dad likes to win!

Ross took seriously his job as line judge and score-keeper. It was a fun evening full of a lot of laughs!

Christmas morning in Charlevoix

On Christmas morning, we opened presents at my sister's house. Their tree was 17-feet tall! In the afternoon, we had a tasty meal of prime rib.

Hello there, Jack!

Nate, Jack, and Jessa



Attempts at a Christmas photo of the boys...

Eli got a solar system video!

Grandma Ruthie liked playing with the boys' presents, too.


While Aunt Jessa was on bed rest, she made a solar system game for Eli called, "The Rocket Race to Saturn!" It is a really fun game to play! Thanks for all your hard work, Jessa!


Grandma Dianne and Grandpa Dennis are admiring their new 2008 photo calendar of Eli and Silas.

Precious sleeping baby...

Waking up!