The Last First Day at the Bus Stop

Bridget is convinced she is the only 8th grader with a camera-toting-mom at the bus stop, but she loves every minute of it.


Leo joins in for the fun and excitement of waiting for the bus.


Suddenly, the bus is here.


See her little foot? The last step and I got it!


Edward, leaving for one of his last days of work before he starts at Calvin, is also very excited for Bridget's last first bus stop.


And Maria is excited too, as she poses for the traditional back to school pose on her first day of her Junior year.

Roller Coaster Loving Cousins

Yara, Maria, Bridget & Annelise, August 2008, Michigan Adventure

Yesterday, John & I had the opportunity to take our 2 nieces from Venzuela to Michigan Adventure with our girls. We soon noticed that these 4 girl cousins with the same last name are fearless when it comes to roller coasters. We did them over and over again. When John, Maria & I rode the Thunder Hawk, their newest ride where your legs dangle and you see them several times up against the blue sky during the ride, I couldn't help but think how much trust we put in the roller coaster people and the mechanical devices that hold us in against the forces of gravity which are always there. When we rode the corkscrew, John & I were in the car ahead of them, so we could run ahead and get some photos of them during the ride.




After several hours on the roller coasters, we hit the water parks. I found my happy spot, as Sharon would say, on the Lazy River. But then I went and ruined it when we rode a couple of stomach churners - the Tilt-a-Whirl and something I only remember as the Barf Boat.

Flash Back Friday 83

Happiness is a pink cast and a big sister, Petoskey, 2000

Big Sandbox

Last weekend, nephew Brian was so intoxicated by the beauty of the sand and water that he fell over the sand dune cliff.



Maria, Bridget, and Uncle John were dispatched to help him up. I calmly stood by to take photos.



Not to worry - John rescued him and it made for some good photographs.

Flash Back Friday 81: 08.08.08 Edition

Princess Bridget, 1995, before the turn of the century

O'Hare Nellie Reunion

Maria & Bridget reunited after a month

Flash Back Friday 80

Bridget, 1997

Scenes from Cinderella: Oh, the Drama!

Bridget played the roles of both good and evil in the Cinderella play. Her first role was as an evil, conniving Chinese stepsister...







After a non-speaking role as a Russian horseman, she stepped in as Broken Wing, the Native American Cinderella...



Good triumphs over evil and we went home very happy.

One Happy, Sad, Excited Broken Wing

Bridget & John after the performance


The cast & crew of Cinderella

Last evening, we went to see Bridget in the final on stage performance of Cinderella at the Master Arts Theatre. She was sad when it was over, but still happy and excited. She does get to perform one more time at the zoo on Friday.

When she came home after the cast went out to Steak & Shake, she proclaimed, "This is the best thing I ever did in the summer..." Tomorrow, I'll post more photos - I got some very dramatic ones!

Flash Back Friday 79

Edward, Maria & the new baby, 1995

More Scenes from Cinderella

I took some photos without a flash at Bridget's Cinderella performance. Since I was so worried about her hearing the shutter go off, I only took about 10-15.


Bridget is the Chinese Stepsister in green.


The stepsisters do look rather mean. I was surprised at how Bridget stayed in character.


Bridget is the Grey Horseman dressed in black.


Broken Wing's father tells her to be more careful around the fire so she doesn't burn herself.


Morning Star makes Broken Wing beautiful by taking down her hair before dressing her in wedding garments.


Bridget, I mean Broken Wing, marries the Invisible Hunter.


The final curtain call.

Bridget Sails with Broken Wing

Bridget holding hands with the Invisible Hunter

Yesterday, we went to Bridget's first performance in the Master Arts Theater production of Cinderella. In the version they performed, there were 3 different cultural interpretations of the Cinderella story - Chinese, Russian, and Native American. Bridget played the Native American Cinderella, Broken Wing. I could be biased, but I thought she was amazing!

She also played the roles of one of the Chinese stepsisters and a Russian Horseman. Tomorrow, I'll post more pictures.

Big Ping Pong

Bridget with Anthony at Kids Games, 2008

At Kid's Games, we only have one ping pong table for about 7-8 kids, so we had to come up with different ways to play. In the photo above, Bridget is playing "Big Ping Pong" with Anthony who literally used his whole body to hit the ball down the hall. This is why she calls it whack the ball.

Kid's Games

July 2008

I've been taking photos this week at Kid's Games at Coit Arts Academy downtown where our church is helping out. Bridget & I have also been helping out in the Ping Pong track, or as Bridget calls it, "Whack the Ball". It has been great fun.

How to Jump Waves With Your Sister

Maria & Bridget, OBX, 2008

Happy Memorial Day

Waiting for the parade (actually 4th of July last year)

A Little Bit of Drama

Bridget tried out for a part last week in the Master Arts Theater production of Cinderella and found out she would be playing the part of one of the Cinderellas! She also has a part as one of the stepsisters in a scene. They'll be getting ready for it in a 2 week camp and then they'll do 10 performances so it should be an exciting July for her!

Last week she performed with her middle school orchestra and looked over at me quite dramatically several times. See below.

The Davids

With 2 teenage girls here in our house, the evening revolves around American Idol 2 or 3 nights a week. If they can't be home, it must be recorded! Bridget is an actual American Idol Encyclopedia. Her favorites are the Davids.

Bridget is 13 Today!

Bridget's 3rd Birthday with her new Bitty Baby, 1998


Today, we celebrate the birth of our dear Bridget. She's 13 making her an official teenager. As you can see above, she loves birthday - her own and anyone's really. I'll never forget how she had birthday parties for her Bitty Baby every day when she was 3.

May you always know how much you are treasured, Bridgie!

The Very Awesome Chili Cook-off

Yesterday, we had a modified version of a church potluck in the form of a chili cook-off. I was very excited to have a good reason to make my all-American chili with a half a bottle of Merlot. Bridget & I had our friends Cathy and Emily over the day before for a pre-chili cook-off.

Cathy cut up her peppers and onions to such perfection and we stood back to admire the beauty!



When we were done making our chili, we let our daughters make their own by combining whatever they wanted and using leftovers and things they could find in the kitchen. They added 1/2 lb. of ground beef, green and yellow peppers, onions, beef broth, cayenne pepper sauce, almond-chocolate candy kisses, diced tomatoes and white cannelini beans. When it needed more liquid, they decided to add the Dr. Pepper I was drinking. When it came time to name the chili, instead of the obvious 4 pepper chili, they chose to name it "Wouldn't You Like to be a Pepper Too?"



Morning came and the next day. After our morning worship, the excitement continued as the crock pots brimming with chili were brought out to the table.



The judges were given samples of each chili and very seriously gathered with milk around candlelight.



The winner of the Family Friendly category of chili?


Emily & Bridget's "Wouldn't You Like to Be a Pepper Too?" Chili!

It was all gone!!!

Off to the Races

When 7th grade girls participate in Pinewood Derby races, it is a bonding experience.



Bridget and John put together a pinewood derby car and raced last night at the annual Gems & Cadets race. Bridget's friends cheered her car on as it kept winning in the races.



Such drama!



Bridget won a 3rd place trophy out of 45 cars.



But the best part was when she came home and had her picture taken with Edward and his 3rd place trophy & car from 1999.

Bonding

This afternoon, I thought it would be good for the girls to go on my walk with me, so we walked to a place for root beer floats. We had a good time.

Guest Blogger Day: Bridget

I'm helping out my mom today!!! She said i could clean the bathrooms or do her blog...so i chose the blog. Duh. She picked out a couple of pictures of me and my friend Jessica. ( not very good ones though)

Like a Rolling Stone

Bridget dressed in an old Rolling Stones shirt of John's for decade day at school yesterday, and Maria did a nice 80's hairdo on her. Her excitement that morning was just so hard to capture in one picture, hence the 2x2 mosaic.

Flash Back Friday 63

Little girls and kitties and stickers and . . . broken arms. What's not to smile about?
August 2000

This morning, I picked up Bridget from school because she wasn't feeling well. She told me she managed to get the highest score on a practice quiz on the bones in science that morning to her surprise. I told her it was because of our broken bones and she agreed. She decided after studying the bones, it didn't sound bad to be a nurse anymore. I have been telling her she should think about it since it suits her kind and caring personality.

Super Hero Photo Challenge

Last Friday on Shutter Sisters, the Super Hero challenge, which takes place every other week, was to share a photo with the subject's eyes closed. Usually when the subject closes his or her eyes, you consider it a throw-away, or delete it, but sometimes, it shows an extra special intimacy between the subjects or trust of the photographer. I love this photo taken of Maria & Bridget in January. I was even going to frame it, but Bridget didn't like that idea. We'll see.

Retreating

Yesterday, we left for a retreat with our dear friends from church. I didn't take pictures there, but Bridget did take a few on our afternoon cross-country ski trip.


Today's Guest Photographer

Maria seemed to thrive on cross country skiing leaving John & I in the dust...

...or snow as it turned out to be.

Soon, we all had the hang of it. I was feeling one with nature and hardly felt the skis anymore. It was a perfect, sunny afternoon for it, and I was so thankful for this time. Tomorrow, I am hoping to blog about a cool thing we did at the retreat.

Happy Valentine's Day

. . . from our house to yours.

Flash Back Friday 54

Opa & Bridget, September, 1997