Touring

Most of my up coming posts are going to be pictures. If I don't get started now, I'll be behind before I begin!

I'm sharing my visit to Marshall. Actually, I'm sharing with you my Christmas gift from my sister. Granted, it was a little early but, I have to say, this was one of my best Christmas gifts ever! I really enjoyed spending that time with Karen and I hope we can do this again next year. Thank you, Karen.

I couldn't take pictures inside ANY of the homes but, I did have fun outside!

We didn't tour this home. I couldn't resist the little orange roadster.


On the porch of home #3.


Walking back for lunch.


Karen and I really liked the garden at this house. It wasn't on the tour either.

Inside the church where we enjoyed the salad smorgasbord. I said this before and I'll say it again - I love salads prepared by fine Christian women. Note to self: Arrive earlier next year. :)

I'm glad it all worked out that Cindy could come to meet Karen and I. We had lunch together and went on to the quilt show. I have a quilt in my living room that the three of us did together. I do like quilts - I don't have the time for them that I'd like to have...I also have a little BIG helper. I did find some fabric that I fell in love with to start a new quilt for my bed (my other is torn and shaggy) and I've begun collecting. It's going to take me a long time to collect fabric for a king sized quilt!

I did put more pics on Flickr - you can get to them by following the link in the photo section to your left.

We're going to the Allegan County Fair tonight - more pictures to come!

A day in Marshall...

I'm really looking forward to this weekend!

My sister, Karen (#2) is coming down with her dog, Louie. Jacob loves Louie (and he's not allergic to him)...and we're always glad to have my sister too. ;)

To the point, Karen and I are going to Marshall on Saturday. We're going to do the Tour of Homes, a church's Salad Smorgasbord luncheon, and meeting our sister, Cindy (#1) for the quilt show. Maybe, just maybe, I can talk them into finishing up at the Chocolate Cook-Off!?! There is also an art fair, a farmer's market and a bunch of other events. Karen and Cindy have gone to this before - I have not. And, I'm very excited to go with them.

I remember once, when I was a kid. Cindy and Ron, Karen and Mike, and some other people (don't remember who) were all going together to watch fireworks for July 4. I remember thinking then - when I grow up, I'll be able to go and do fun stuff with them too. I wasn't angry, hurt, or even jealous at the time - I just remember looking forward to being able to go with them as a grown up.

I'm planning to take my Nikon and see what I can see. I've learned a few things about my camera in the past week (I got a Nikon D60 for Dummies book). And I am anxious to try them out! Wish me luck!

Also, a huge plus here...Jacob is staying home with his Daddy-O (as he calls Jeremy) and then going with G & G 'Fif' for the afternoon. So, I (me, Gail, mommy), actually get to go somewhere, on a weekend WITHOUT my child. And THAT. Never happens!

Hopefully, I'll have some good pictures for you next week!

To the Air Zoo

We finally made our trip to the Air Zoo this past weekend to enjoy the free admission.

Jeremy kept telling me, " they're only open until 5:00."

We got there at 1:29. We were back in the car at 2:07. I'm not sure what he thought we were going to do.

They do have simulators and rides too but, the lines were long and Jacob, too short!



Can you say TOP GUN? I didn't realize how huge these planes are! Wow!

It's a Grumman F-14A Tomcat

I had said to Jeremy - this is only one of these, and they line them up on the aircraft carriers 10 and 20 at a time, whoa, those carriers gotta be BIG!

This was Jeremy's favorite.














Lockheed SR-71B Blackbird
I was just tall enough to touch a tip of one of the wings. It kinda felt like an old tire without the give - from the material giving the SR71 it's stealth capabilities.











This was my favorite. It's a Grumman G-73 Mallard. The wheels slide out from the sides. It's privately owned. It's big and it's beautiful! Could you imagine what it costs to gas her up?











This is a Corsair as she would have been on the flight deck in her day.

Besides all that, it is a fantastic place to visit. Between the 2 buildings the Air Zoo hosts over 50 historic aircraft.

In the building behind Jacob (in the top picture) and the plane, they show a movie about the bombers over Germany in WWII. Also, there is an amazing mural painted around the room showing the B-17 in flight as well as many other aircraft. (More pics on Flickr, of course or better yet - check them out at http://www.airzoo.org/)

Pictures from the hatchery

As promised. This is one of the treatment ponds at the hatchery. It's wastewater from the fish raceways.



The white spots along the bank are geese.

An empty pond.

And my fave. Jacob doing what he does - running. Away.

The Fish Hatchery and some new words

Saturday afternoon, Miss Jennifer, Jacob and I took a trip to the mall. Jen was looking for some sandals for her vacation and Jacob needed new shoes as the Reebok (they look a lot like these) tennis shoes I bought him do not meet his approval. I have tried several times to put these shoes on Jacob and every time he cries, he fits, takes them off, and throws them. We have shoe issues every time the seasons change as it is but this is much different. I think they hurt his feets. Of course, we were without a nap and my son had a few lovely meltdowns in the shoe store. I love it when a kid throws himself on the floor in public! I finally got him to try on a shoe for me without a freak and we bought them. We're getting to a point where Jacob wants to choose what he wears. I should have known - Jacob has had Nike shoes almost since day one, I shouldn't have deviated - knowing how routine he is. Lucky for me, they had a pair in the next size up on sale. We bought those too! Same color, same style - one size bigger. Hopefully it makes for one less fight in the shoe store - somehow, I doubt it!

Sunday afternoon we took a picnic lunch and went to the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery. Jacob had a great time running around...and feeding the fish. My hands, still smell like fish food. They have a show pond right out front and you put tokens/quarters in the little machine to get the food and feed the fish (steelhead trout, chinook salmon, lake sturgeon, walleye, northern pike, channel catfish and northern muskellunge). They jump and flop all over each other for the food. Jacob thoroughly enjoyed himself. We took a walk around the ponds and just enjoyed the day. They also had some ugly fish (the lake sturgeon) in a tank inside, along with a bunch of 'stuffed' fish, birds, turtles, and snakes. We'll post some pics later tonight.

Jacob has picked up a few new words. Don't worry - they're clean. He has added kew-key (cookie), pup-py (JJ told Big Da he wants one), mom-mie, dad-dy (though Jeremy prefers 'Big Da'), choo-choo, and I need. He will tell you what the firetruck/ambulance/police car says - which is 'wooo-wooo'. He also will repeat the letters of the alphabet when you say them (there are some he'll skip one time and attempt another - except W...he won't even try it!). The occupational therapist (Miss Carrie) comes in once a week now that school has started again. She works with Jacob on his gross motor delays. The new speech therapist hasn't come yet, nor has he called. They need to re-test Jacob, both on his motor and his speech, before December to find out where we'll go next as once Jacob turns 3, Early On can't work with him. We've been told, based on Jacob's degree of delay, he could either do a 'drop-in' for therapy at the ISD (Intermediate School District) or if his delay remains severe (6 months or more), they schedule regular sessions - 3 times a week at the ISD. They had told us some time back that Jacob would make his greatest improvements once he starts school. We keep reading to him, talking to him, and explaining to him. It's all we can do.

Jacob's first baseball game

We took Jacob to his first baseball game today. We went to see the West Michigan Whitecaps (Class A team for the Detroit Tigers) play the Quad Cities River Bandits (Class A team for our St. Louis Cardinals).

Jacob actually watched about 2 innings.

The rest of the time he wanted to go up and down the stairs or run on the concourse.

We left in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jacob wouldn't sit any longer. Good thing though, as it started to rain on the way home.
We did have a lot of fun. We saw potentially future Cardinals play some ball. The players threw out T-shirts and Momma even caught one. I'm glad we chose to do this rather than leave a Cardinals game in the fourth inning. The ballpark was great! Inexpensive, family friendly, and a lot closer than St. Louis!

The River Bandits did win 5-3.

We went North but, not that far North

This weekend went by too fast! Saturday, we headed up to Rivertown Crossings for the afternoon. We paid $5 to rent a car stroller for the little man and we were off to explore. We did pick a good day to go, the temp. on the way home was in the low 90's. Jacob thoroughly enjoyed the stroller which had a little steering wheel for him to spin. He also learned how to drink through a straw on this trip. Jeremy and I stopped for an Orange Julius and of course, had to share with JJ. We had all of the momma and daddy fanfare for learning something new in the middle of the mall. At one point I looked at Jeremy and said, "What dorks we are...all proud cuz our kid can drink from a straw!" We walked the length of the mall and back on both levels before heading back out into the heat.

Jacob has a new obsession with airplanes and he thinks Jeremy and I can make them fly over on command. He has thrown tantrums on the sidewalk after our failure to produce results. After leaving the mall, we decided that security was too tight at the airport in Grand Rapids so we'd try our local airport. Wouldn't you know it, the one day we decide to go up there, not a single airplane, in or out? They did have a very big snowplow though and JJ and daddy gave it the once over. I watched them there, at the airport, and just took my own time to think by myself.

Funny the occasions I think of my father now I'm a parent, now that he's gone - funny the things I thought I had forgotten about him. I remember many afternoons (or after dark to watch them with the lights) heading out, in the green Chevy, to Blacker Airport (it didn't look like that then!!) with my dad to watch a plane take off or land. I don't know how it happened and it amazes me everyday how many things my son loves to do that my dad loved to do. Airplanes, cars, boats, and just watching the river flow. I only hope the kid learns to like the Cardinals, not the Cubs! Sorry, Dad. I don't think I can let you have that one without a fight! There are so so many times, I wish my dad was here with him though. They say one spirit dies so another can be born and either way, I know he's just smiling at his grandson wishing he were here, with him, too.

Somewhere between the mall and the airport, Jeremy and I decided we needed to cook the rack of ribs in our freezer for dinner. We did discuss on the way home from the mall our preferences for ribs. We both like a wet sauce opposed to a dry rub. We both like cooked over flame rather than baked and neither of us like dark, smokey sauce. We also agreed to trying ribs on our trip to St. Louis next year. All the times we have been there, we have never gone for ribs. After the airport, I pulled the ribs from the freezer and pried the frozen meat from the plastic and Styrofoam to get them boiling on the stove. Once Jacob was in bed, Jeremy got them out onto the grill. As much as I hate Jeremy's job and the time he spends away from home, I honestly can say - It is a good thing, to have a husband who can cook steaks to order and knows how to grill up some ribs! They were FAN-freaking-TASTIC! I think it was the quietest meal we've had, no talking -just eating. I fried up some cabbage and boiled some more with milk and butter - just like my mom used to do - and we watched some TV and tried to get the ribs out of our teeth for the rest of the night.

Welcome to The Big House!

You know Summer is gone when the countdown to kickoff is posted on the U of M website!

Yeah, my Wolverines gave away their first game - I had freebie tickets and I've never been a fair-weather fan - but...I'm glad I gave those tickets away! Yeah, they could still make the Rose Bowl but, the championship is out of the question. Jeremy is going this Saturday to The Big House with my brother and a bunch of guys for the Oregon game. I'm not sure this is really fair as I'm the fan. He only likes our winged helmets cuz I told him he had to! He will be required to sing "Hail to the Victors" at least once for me - and like it! I put the words in so you can practice all the way to Ann Arbor...

Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan
the leaders and best

Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan,
the champions of the West!

Yes, I'm a little bitter but, I love him anyway and I know he'll have a good time. He's also bringing Jacob his first Michigan hat and sweatshirt back from the game. I'm hoping Uncle David will help pick them out. He's the person responsible for my maize and blue fetish. He gave me my first Michigan sweatshirt. It's only right that he's there for Jacob's too.

It's been a little crazy at our house this past week or so. I've been getting ready for my annual garage sale - washing, cleaning, pricing, and boxing up unused things. Hoping to make a little money to pay for Jeremy's fantasy football season by selling our past one quarter at time. Don't feel guilty, honey...

Jeremy had his fantasy football draft the weekend before Labor Day. It's a bit of a sore subject for me but he enjoys it and it's something do with the guys, so I try to keep quiet...until he joined another league. Seems to me like today's version of Dungeons & Dragons. What a bunch of dorks!

This past Sunday, Jacob and I drove out to Holland State Park to meet my friend Jennifer and her parents (from Garden City) for a picnic on the beach. We had a really good time. Jacob played in the water, and chased seagulls all while thoroughly charming Jen's mom and dad. Jen's dad grew up in Bronson - but doesn't know Larry Hagen.

Jacob has developed an obsession with Disney's Lady and the Tramp. He now stands at the TV demanding "daw-daw!" until you play it. He still loves to go outside and watch the cars go by. I sure wish my dad was here to do that with him, as my dad liked that too. I know he would have been so proud to have that in common with his grandson. I like to think that he's there with us though, beaming with pride from up above.

It's been a good summer, a lot of things we didn't get to do, a lot of things we did do. I'm sure it'll get easier as Jacob gets bigger but, oh well, I like fall better anyway.

Let's Go Blue!

Missaukee County Park, Falmouth, McBain, and the Clam River

This past Saturday, Jeremy, Jacob, and I went to the Elenbaas family reunion at Missaukee County Park, near Cadillac. My brother, David, his wife, Jennifer, and their daughter, Brooke rode up with us.

To my sisters and my brother, those names above are very familiar, I remember little bits here and there. I really enjoy going up there with my brother, he's kept so much of my dad's history, all of the stuff that I missed, being so far behind everyone when dad was sick. David took us to Eble's grocery store in Falmouth, the beef jerky was fantastic, not to mention the savoriness of the aromas coming from their smokehouse out back - and they sell bacon there - by the slab! He took us by the trailer dad's siblings owned, where they'd play cards for what seemed forever. We went past the golf course that an uncle managed for many years. My brother telling about the time he deposited a golf cart into the pond. I too, remember that pond but, by that time we weren't allowed anywhere near a golf cart. We spent many an afternoon fishing golf balls out of that pond. We crossed the Clam River a few times, where dad loved to fish. He knew that river like the back of his hand - except for the time he fell in a hole and was stabbed in the behind with a stick. We passed many of Houston's fields, where dad taught my brother the art of trespassing. Dad was caught on Houston's property so many times, that Mr. Houston once took his boots and my Grandpa Elenbaas had to take dad back to get them from Mr. Houston. We drove by the house where dad lived, the house that Grandpa moved to when he married Grandma Ann in McBain, we drove by the smallest chapel - it might seat 6 (where I dreamed I would marry Jason L.), though the rolling green hills, that smelled like cow pooh. Somehow, this tour never gets old.

Jacob got to swim in Missaukee Lake with his Momma and Daddy, Aunt Jen, cousins, Matt and Brooke, just as I did when I was little, with my own cousins. My Aunt Edith, dad's oldest sister, told us that when they were kids, they went swimming once a year, and when they did, they came to Missaukee Lake. Of course, we forgot the camera but, Jacob had a great time in the water. The first time he didn't cry.

A cousin of my dad's was there from Wisconsin. They took one look at Jacob and said "That one is Wilbur's. He looks so much like Wilbur!" I smiled, tried to hold back tears, and thanked them. Of course, all of the Aunts and Uncles agreed and I heard the same phrase many, many, times, that day. Another chapter in my book - This was Meant to Be.

We saw my Aunt Edith, Uncle Art & Aunt Mae, Uncle Harold & Aunt Pat, Aunt Dorothy, Uncle Ray and Aunt Angie and I hope to see them again next year. I have a picture of all 9 of them together when dad was at Orchard Hill. I'll add it to this post soon (I have some others to share too). I know, as most of them get older and pass on, the tradition of this reunion will end. It makes me sad to know that but, our generation doesn't make the same effort they do. Jacob is the only one of our kids, who won't have met his Grandpa Web but, his momma didn't really know him either. I rely on my big brother (sisters too) to teach my son and I about the Grandpa he never knew and the father I never knew. He got a pretty good start this Saturday and his momma got a pretty good refresher.