Hey gang,

Lots going on at the end of October with Max's birthday, the end of football and Halloween. Enjoy our picks of the festivities!

 Ryan is all about going to the potty and washing his hands all on his own these days. 

 Amy came to town again from Colorado, so here we are with Mindy and Colin for our annual "The boys and their momma's" pic. The boys are only 5 months apart.

I look at all our kids together in one picture and can hardly believe how much has changed in the last 18 years. So glad I have the Geurink girls in my life!

We took Ryan to Klackle's Obnoxious Orchard (ok, not their name, but they seriously could rename it and no one would disagree.) Ryan was in heaven with the largest sand box I've ever seen. So many trucks, so little time.

 Ryan had a blast jumping on the air cushion.

Here's Ryan with his Milestones BFF, Sammy, showing off their muscles. Sammy definitely had implants.

 Ryan and his class during their Halloween party on Friday.

Nami and Ryan about to sing "Happy Birthday" to daddy.

Max enjoying his "Maximus" beer. Soon to be enjoying the second in his brand new HOT TUB! He's out there as I type!

 Enjoying the last days of Fall this past Sunday.

Painting a pumpkin. He insist the smaller one was his since he is smaller than Mommy and Daddy.

Ryan's own idea for Halloween: To be a Fire Polar Bear. Though within minutes he was just a fireman with a tail.

 Check out his tiny polar bear tail.

 Ryan with his neighborhood lady friend, Tessa. She's such a doll.

 

Our neighborhood clan. All this from just 20 houses. And to think we're down 6 kids since a neighbor with a half dozen moved out!

Yes, our child is trick-or-treating with a wine gift bag. Don't judge me.

34.5 Months

Well, Grand Rapids has been hopping the last few weeks with lots of cool things. Among our favorite is ArtPrize returned for it's third year. Its the largest open art competition in the world and our entire town gets over-run with art. Over 1500 artists took part this year.

On top of that, football is entering into week 8 this Friday. Though the team started the season with 4 wins, the last few weeks have been tough since the scheduled is stacked with state champs. This weeks game against East Grand Rapids looks promising, so if we make it with a win, we have a good shot at State playoffs for the first time in school history.

Last Friday marked the end of my extra-curricular activities for Fall. The inaugural Derek & Dylan Taatjes Golf Memorial turned out great. We had 128 golfers and many additional dinner guests. We raised over $10k for the family, had an amazing auction (I actually won something...ok, so I actually won two packages!), but most importantly, we were able to honor Derek & Dylan and spend time together doing so. Honest to goodness, two rainbows appeared as we finished play, one on either side of the sun...though it was 82 and perfectly sunny with no rain. This weekend a group of our friends, including Charity, are running in a marathon in memory of them as well. Hard to believe it's been 6 months tomorrow. You can check out more about the event, including a video I put together of the boys at http://livelikederek.com/ddtg-golf-outing/

Ryan is coming out of his night terror phase. In fact, he's completely amazing us on a daily basis. He's now full time preschool and loving it. His language skills are taking off (he likes to critique things and say "that's cool" or "is that a good idea?") We're into the third week of swim lessons and he's jumping off the side, swimming in my arms and putting his face in the water. He can even pull himself in and out of the pool on his own and move along the entire perimeter of the short side of the pool without me. We have a fish on our hands for sure! 

We've taken full advantage of the weather to play outside as much as we can....however, we're definitely into fall. Ryan's already has had two colds and currently has a nasty cough. Tonight he told me that watching a "movie" (it was a documentary on how cities deal with massive snowfalls) would make his throat feel better. Somehow I was convinced. His funniest trait right now is his ability to tell very long stories, with great detail, and back up every fact with an over-animated expression. He gets so excited to tell every detail of emergency response vehicles, police cars and construction vehicles out on 10 mile (our main road into our neighborhood is under massive re-construction. We hate the traffic jams, Ryan loves them since he gets to watch the workers!)

That's all for us for now. Hoping fo r a win this weekend and more of this great weather. Love to you all,

Courtney, Max + Ryan

Ryan at ArtPrize posing at the biggest mosaic mural I've ever seen. 

Ryan and Max during ArtPrize. I have a similar picture from last year of them doing the same thing. Amazing how much Ryan has grown.

We were able to surprise my dad with a retirement party at the club right before they left on a much deserved vacation. Ryan held his own in a room of 40 grownups for the entire night...of course the raspberry chocolate mouse helped.

Ryan's latest obsession, artwise, is Playdough. Here he is with his cheeseburger birthday cake. We play birthday a lot and talk about what toys he thinks he'll get. We're working on "want" versus "need."

One of our most frequent activities is playing zoo or making a nest. Ryan is baby polar bear and I am momma polar bear. He's been super cuddly lately and actually very clingy to me in particular...not that I am complaining though. I'll take every minute of it (to the point I've been late to the office since I was trapped in a "cage.")

Rockford celebrates three weekends of Harvest Festival. Here Ryan and I are making our annual scarecrow. If you live here, it's basically a requirement. Our is currently wearing my college train conductor overalls complete with hole in the butt, has one fushia arm and one florescent orange arm, with a red plaid shirt. Ryan did the dressing.

 

 Here I am with Amirah (co-chair), Nicki (amazing centerpieces and more) and Robyn (coordinator of registration extrardinaire). We had so many amazing volunteers. And best of all, I get to call them friends!

Ryan was AMAZED at the pink sunrise the other morning when we were headed to Milestones. Here he is shushing me so he can watch the sun come up.

Here Ryan and our neighbor, Hayden, are making a "pretty storm" as they called it. They wanted to be sure they used every color of chalk in the bucket. Not only did the sidewalk get covered...so did they!

34 Months

Hi everyone,

Well, the school year is in full swing as you'll be able to tell from my lack of posting. Max's team suffered their first loss of the season (though it was so close it went into overtime...they would have won if not for a bad call by a ref). Their record is now 3-1. This week will most likely be a win.

I had the CASA fundraiser last week and it proved to raise the most money out of our five years of the event. People came out in a huge way to support abused and neglected kids in Kent County. Work is full of change too. We're at the tail end of a complete remodel of the entire 6th floor that has spanned a summer and we continue to add to our workforce. Last count was 44, and I welcomed a new designer to my team last week. All good changes. I'm flying to New Jersey again for the day next week for more meetings that offer promising assignments. If you had asked me 10 years ago if I'd know about spinal fusions and vertebral compression fractures, I would have laughed and ran the other way. Now I watch open spinal procedures and help write educational materials for doctors. How did this happen and where did my overalls and paint brushes go? Oh the unexpected paths we take...

Ryan is enjoying a new season at Milestones too. He's in the midst of transitioning to full-time pre-school. He loves it and would have been there weeks ago, but we're just finishing up potty training. We're now having more accident-free days than the alternative. He gets two Jelly Belly's when he's had a success. One for what he produces, the other for washing his hands. For some reason, he loves the white coconut jelly beans. All this transition has also brought some defiance issues (he's a big boy and knows best) and night terrors. We hear it's normal, but still are keeping a close eye on things. He started swim lessons on Saturday as well and did great! All in all, he's super happy, curious, and always explaining the world around us to him. He tells stories in such detail that it would blow you away. Most are about firetrucks or traffic. His love of all things transit does not fail. Today I referenced a car that drove by and he was quick to point out it was " a truck mommy." He's 2 and a half and I'm already wrong. Can't wait for the teenage years :)

That's all for our little clan. Hope you and yours are doing as well.

Love, 

Court, Max + Ryan

Ryan on the vistors side at  Northview game. We always sit on that side so we don't have to hear parents complain and the kids can run around. 

Part of our regular cheering section: Uncle E. Auntie K, Eric's Dad George and my newly retired Dad, joined Ryan to cheer on the Wildcats. Note the firetruck....even at football games!

 

Wildcat Stadium at sunset. It ooks as epic as our win was that night.

Ryan got to wear Daddy's headset after one of the games. 

My parents are prepping their house for sale, which means I officially got kicked out. Here Ryan plays with my sweet music making machine.

 Happy boy!

 One of Ryan's favorite neighborhood playmates, Tessa.

 Our child was the only child soaked head-to-toe the day we took him to Meijer Gardens. It's amazing how many parents will try and keep their kids dry while they play in a WATER FEATURE.

 We have a photo from a year ago of Ryan doing the exact same thing...amazing how he's grown.

Does this look like a line backer's stance or what?

Over Labor Day we had our first family camp out in the backyard. Ryan loves the s'more .

 Sweet Max.

 Also over Labor Day, our friend Charity hosted a beach cookout for everyone at Lake Michigan. It was so windy people were surfing like California, but it was a blast.

 As if the candy that day wasn't enough, we decided ice cream was a good idea to, so we hopped over to Grand Haven and got some Temptations!

We also got to check out the big train. Ryan loved it!

 This is what potty training look slike most days.

And this is what Ryan's plumber's crack looks like.

(Just heard Ryan yelling back from his crib to Max as he goes down the stairs "I love you too!")

Ryan has done great at his chores of helping Max mow the lawn. He also likes to let Cali out, set the table, and clear his plate.

Crazy. Busy.

Hi all,
Maybe it's the norm for all of us to call ourselves crazy busy. It's all relative, right? Or maybe it's that all of us over-extend too often. But with back to school just around the corner, we find ourselves booked...but with really fun stuff!

This past week either Max or I was gone every night. Me with social and work functions (ask me about taking people from Atlanta to our best fine dining...during a Brittney Spears concert. Lots of hair extensions, short skirt and sequins on the over 40 set. Shocking.) Max with football related activities. Two a days started two weeks ago and his calendar is filled with practices, scrimmages, scouting and breaking down film. His first game is a 6 days away and they lost their quarterback to a broken collar bone last night during a scrimmage. Lots of revising this weekend! He's off the mattress sale fundraiser in a bit. You can follow Max's team at http://nvwildcatfootball.com.

For me I am in the midst of planning a few events. September 15th is CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Annual House Party. This is our 5th year planning the event and it serves as the single largest fundraiser for CASA. If you don't know about CASA and their mission to give a voice to abused and neglected children, you should learn more!

Also on the docket is a memorial golf event that I am co-chairing to remember Derek and Dylan. As many of you know, our dear friends were lost in a house fire in April on the street we used to live on. This event is meant to raise support for the family and also take time to come together doing something that Derek loved to do. We just launched a new website this week honoring them both and you can register for the event that takes place October 7th at www.LiveLikeDerek.com.

Many of you have asked for an update on Charity and her two girls: They are remarkable and in the midst of re-establishing a "revised" norm. Currently they are living in an apartment waiting to possibly begin building a new home. She has a tremendous support community around her as she goes through each new wave of emotions. I learn so much from her during our conversations since she openly shares where she's at and what new challenges she's trying to overcome. I suppose it's strange since you'd think she'd be the one getting support or encouragement out of these times together. Instead, I find myself able to grieve more honestly or laugh more fully when we hang out. And our friends from high school that also lost their friend are more open with one another, both in honesty about their grief as well in their feelings towards one another. A lot of good has come from something so awful and I think we're just beginning to see the impact that Derek and Dylan's legacy will have.

So this leaves Ryan's social calendar to discuss. He's about to start his third week of his "normal" schedule. He was so excited to get back to seeing Levi (he's with Deb and her boys Tues and the Fridays I have to work). And he's also doing great at Milestones the remaining three days of the week. He's rocking potty training and starts big boy undies next week. (I just hit goodwill for an assortment of pee worthy shorts!) We are getting at least three completed attempts a day with many more tries that that. On these days he likes to shout out "trifecta!" He's as into trucks as ever.  When he gets to watch TV, he only wants to watch history channel documentaries on how different types of trucks are made. We're fully in the imaginative play stage and his observations keep us amazed and laughing all the time. (The other day he said, as casual as a 12 year old. "Hey mom. You're going the wrong direction." And he was right.) It seems no matter where we drive, the kid can spot "vehicles" from miles away.

• Ryan:  "A police car!" 
• Us: "We don't see a police car."
• Ryan: "Right there."
• Us: "Oh yeah...in that parking lot...behind the dumpster, a 1/2 mile up the road."

Needless to say, we don't get tickets since Ryan busts their position before we can get caught speeding!

That's all for now. We'll be sure to post more often as summer wraps up and the season is underway.

Love to you all,
Courtney, Max + Ryan

Enjoy these videos. The top is of Ryan playing air hockey with Max and my dad (on his birthday). The other is Ryan's reaction to fireworks during a baseball game. Everyone was laughing so hard!

Max and Ryan's annual picture at Wildcat stadium during the family picnic.

Ryan during a coaching meeting.