Birthday Girl- Part 2

So here we are...part two!! Jake is home and so the gang is all here. Time to finish off the presents!! I tell you having four kids is one giant challenge as far as getting them all to look at you and smile at the same time!! This was the best of the bunch!
Kali checkin out her new baby!!
Playing the good sister...Kali cheered Truman on at his game!
Now I truly don't condone underage drinking...but hey it was her birthday!!
Me and the sunshine of my life!! I love you Kali Faith...Happy 2nd Birthday!!

Birthday Girl-Part 1

Today is Kali's birthday...it is an average day filled with errands and baseball...but it's special because now my baby is two!! So even though it's average we will chronicle it like it was the most special day ever!!

MOM...DAD...MOM....I waked up!! Presents for me....finally!!
Ewe...fun mom fun!!
How does this thing work??
All set and ready to go....outside!!
Breakfast with the Little Einsteins.
Check out the cool new duds!! Not to mention the ultra cool helmet!!

I've been tagged...again!

I've been tagged by my friend Laurie (also an old college roommate) to tell 6 things that people may not know about me. I find this task difficult only because I'm pretty much an open book and this stuff may be pretty boring...so bear with me!! So thanks LP for making reach into the inner conclave's of my life to figure this one out!! Here is goes...

1. This may surprise some of you but I am pretty good and really enjoy putting stuff together. I, unlike many males, actually read the directions and most of the time the stuff works and/or doesn't fall apart.
2. I have an incredible memory. I can remember the layout of our first home....and we moved when I was two. But don't ask me to remember names...I'm horrible at that.
3. I know everyone dreams...but I'm quite certain I have the strangest dreams of anyone I know...if you don't believe me just ask Amy O. She is the sounding board for all my interesting night adventures.
4. I love the feeling of getting a tattoo. I only have two, but my third is in it's planning stages.
5. I love doing hair. Kinda goofy, but since I was a kid and the only way my mom would let us girls have long hair was if I would do it, I've loved it. I loved doing Abbey's hair and now that Kali's is finally getting long enough we've been able to have some fun experimenting.
6. I hate riding bike...I'm not sure where this stems from, but I really, really don't like it. You won't ever see the VanDalen Clan on a Family bike ride!! They may be biking, but I will be walking or running or driving along side in my car...Hee Hee!!

Ok...I did it! It wasn't that tough!! So now I must do it...I tag Tanya, Aunt Sue, Sara & Emily! Have at it kids....and please surprise me!!

Creative Arts Week/Science Fair

This week was all about Creative Arts, the focus in the 3rd grade being Africa. This year each grade focused on a different part of the world and then shared with the rest of the school what they learned. So this morning I, dutch, pale and semi blond, Amy found my self dressed as an African women stamping passports as all the kids from the elementary visited our 3rd grade African Village. I'm sorry that I don't have pictures of that...but you probably aren't!! Here is the gang in Jake and Taiji's class this evening, what a handsome bunch!
Here are Taiji and Jake showing off some of the many things that they worked on this week.
After the visit to the African Village, we headed over to the Middle school for a visit to the Science Fair. Pictured above is Truman in front of this Project. If you can't read it, he tested the strength of paper towels. He and Shane did a great job and discovered that it's worth it to pay a little more because Viva Paper towels smashed the competition. Fun Project....glad it's over!!

More Birthday Parties!!

Yesterday we celebrated our 5 April and May Birthday's. We had a great time out on the Veening Farm. Mom came with her Navajo taco's which are a big Faber family tradition. The weather was great and the kids had a great time! Here's the gang enjoying a great meal!
Jake 9, Erik 5, Taiji 9, Kali 2, and Luuk 8- The Birthday Buds!
Kali with Bampa and Maama!
Kali is ready for the office...Shane's new personal assistant!
Gotta love the DQ Birthday cake...they did!!

Kali's World!

I realized that it has been awhile since my last post. Not a whole lot happening around here. We pretty much go to baseball games or practices! I know this is the life of a mother with three boys and I am not complaining...but it does make for monotonous posts. So instead of another set of the boys playing ball, you get a little snippet of Kali's world!! She loves to climb, here she is on top of a bar stool...with the usual Kali cheese grin.
Grandma with her girls, Tessa, Kali and Emily!
Life is very rough...play, eat, play, poop, play, sleep!!
Duke and Kali on a date, a night at the movies watching Dora of course!! Kali loved Jeff's ride!! My little biker chick!!

Happy 9th Taiji!!

Happy Birthday Taiji!! He can sleep in til 10 or 11am every other morning, but on Birthday Morning and baseball game day we are up at the crack of dawn!
Taiji's treats from Japan. Some cool new Duds and great snacks!
Duece is always good for a great wrapped present that's always just perfect. This year is was some black sunblock for under the eyes and a tub-o-gum! Yeah I was thrilled about that!
This weekend was also Jake and Taiji's first tournament on a select team. They started a little rocky, losing their first two games....but they came out really strong and won both games today. In fact, here is Taiji driving in Jake.
Jake is ready to go!! We love baseball at this house!

Hope you had a great day Taiji!

We Love you!

mswalk 2007

My sister Kate and her good friend Shannon, put together a great team of walkers to raise money and awareness for MS. They worked very hard with fundraisers and coordinating. Our team ended up making close to $7,000!!
The Faber sisters and a couple of Faber babies!!
Kate's crew, here to support and love a friend, the best part was that we actually had a great time.
We're heading off! It was a beautiful day and a wonderful turn out!
Here is the gang helping each other take our participant badges off! It was great, and we'll take a little breather and then start thinking about next year!!

Spring Break Fun!

This is one of the reasons that I love living in Washington! What a blessing to have this to look at. God's imagination and creativity is very evident here!
My friend Amy O and I decided that we would take the boys up to Mt. Baker to go sledding. (Sorry LP, we had to go find snow on our Spring Break) We drove for an hour and a half and found a great hill and the boys had a great time.
Taiji
Truman
Jake

If you know me, you know that this was not on the top of my list. I don't enjoy snow and I enjoy sledding even less. However, I do enjoy my friend and spending time with her and I love my kids and making them happy so this was a win, win! Thanks Amy for making me step out of my box!! You rock!

VanDalen April Birthday's & Easter Egg Hunt

Yeah baby!!
Kissing cousins!! Kali and Weston!
Jump, Jump, Jump!
April Birthday's...Jake, Taiji, Bree, Chelsea, Stac, Kali & Emily(march)
Kali is pretty excited!! She loves her books...especially if Elmo is involved!!

Annual Easter Scavenger Hunt!

Every year Shane puts together a fun little hunt for the boys to find the Easter basket.
The adventure usually takes them inside and out and across the yard.
This year Kali was even able to get in on the action.
They found the basket and were very excited about all the goodies.
Baseball cards-$9.99

Elmo Video-$7.99

Candy- $3.99

The promise of eternal life with our Lord in heaven- Priceless!

May we never forget why we truly celebrate Easter!