This afternoon we are going with some friends of ours to the park to take some pictures, standing in the same place that we stood in the fall of 1998.(picture below) When we were younger we did a lot of homeschooling classes together: a play, speech class, a bunch of field trips, (most of which i don't remember) art class, and probably some I don't remember because  was three years old. However, I do remember that when we were trying to take the picture on the bridge, a car kept coming and we would all have to run to the side start all over.

From left to right: Jeremiah, Petey, Andrew, and Cynthia Tiemersma, Janine, Nathan, Lorissa, and Renee Haveman

This is from 1997 When I was 2

When I was 8 in 2003 Father/Daughter Night in GEMS.

GEMS class around 6th grade about twelve years old

These are from the dentist; if we didn't have cavities, we got in the "zero cavity club." last time I was there, they gave me the picturesfrom the st four years! This is from some time in august 2005. I was around 10 years old.

 six months later 3/06

year later 3/07 I think they did something to me because I have gauze in my mouth. :) If you look to the left of my head there a plaque of something with a notch in it. the picture above and the rest all have the same plaque and you can see how much I grew in six months!!

9/07 12 years old and I have no idea what happened to my bangs and no, I didn't cut them myself. :)

3/08 last one! not that I have cavities but I got too old to be in the club. :( so that is it for now, sorry I haven't blogged in awhile but other than Janine coming home for three weeks, not much new.

After a recent phone call from Janine, I was inspired to plant some pumpkins!! In between crepe myrtle trees, there are now pumpkin and cantelope seeds!! Nathan had already planted the canteloupe seeds earlier, from seed from the ones that we had planted last year!! I will try to keep you posted on their progress!!

In other news, school starts in exactly one week. We will do school for two weeks then have at least four (maybe five if we can convince mom!) days off for when Janine comes home!! It will be my first year in high school!!

My Hair!!

Janine has been really pushing me to show her pictures so here they are!!

I got about ten inches cut off, which will go to Locks of Love.

Baking!

Once again we have succumbed and made Dad's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies! After this I made some biscuits. And today I making rolls for with our turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Thanksgiving all over again!! Here are some pictures of our adventure!!

The first ingredients.

Gooey goodness!

Watching them bake!!

The finished product!

Have a very Merry Christmas!! Janine is here safely and we are all enjoying having her around. We are also excited because it is Christmas break!! Have a great week.

Janine!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited because today is the day!! She will come home in 11 hours and is (hopefully) in a shuttle bus on her way to Atlanta!! We will pick her up this evening!!!! I can't wait!!

P.S. We did not (to the disappointment of all) get any snow. :(

SNOW!!

No, it hasn't arrived yet. But we are expecting it tomorrow! If we do get any, it will be at night:( This is from the last time it snowed in '99. I was 4 years old and I still remember it!!

It has been raining some, right now it is clear.

We are anxiously awaiting Janine's arrival this Friday evening!!!!!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas!!

New Planty!

This little plant has grown from peace flower (Spathiphyllum species). Other common names are White flag, white sails, and Spath flower. When the plant bloomed this summer we took the seeds and put them in this planter, not thinking that they would really grow! The plant beside it is what we call a prayer plant(Calathea amabilis/ Stromanthe amabilis).

This is the plant in the bathroom.

Thanks to PlantOasis.com for their scientific plant names.

In other news, it's supposed to get up to high of 65 degrees! It rained over the weekend; that's a lot different from the weather we are used to!

I also cannot wait for Janine to come home in 39 days! She will fly in on the 19th of December, and fly out on the 12th of January!!

Comments

It's so exciting to open your email in the morning and find that you have three new comments on your blog!! To answer your questions:
Here are the cookies!! The recipe was originally called Neiman Marcus cookies. Dad found it off the Internet and loved it! Later in the recipe book Janine made for our family, she named it Dad's favorite cookies!

Dad’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
6 Tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp. vanilla
3 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 cups chocolate chips
3 tsp. instant espresso coffee powder (if your instant coffee is crumbs, crush in a bowl with the back of a spoon to powderize)

Preheat the oven to 300°. Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in your mixer’s bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds, until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla for 30 seconds more, until well combined.
In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the mixture, while beating on slow speed. Beat for about 15 seconds, stir in the chocolate chips and espresso powder, and mix for 15 seconds longer.
Grease a cookie sheet. Place 2 tablespoon dollops of cookie dough 3 inches apart on the sheet. Gently press them down with a spoon into 2 inch circles. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cookies are nicely browned. Could make up to 4 dozen cookies!

Here are some of our decor; we don't really have that much. There will be more for Christmas!
The turkey above our hallway.
We have a cornucopia that we usually to put these flowers in, but we like to put everything in a different spot every year so now the are in a vase!

It's Raining

Believe it or not, it is raining as I type. At first it was thunder, then rain, then thunder, and again raining. Now it is sunny! and for those nonbelievers, who choose to not believe, here is a picture:There goes another clap of thunder -that scared me (because there was none for a while and it was loud!). That one was loud too! I was just talking to Janine-it's sunny and humid there.