Oliver

Meet the newest member of our family....Oliver

The Beauty of Winter

 You rule the day and the night,
    and you put the moon
    and the sun in place.
 You made summer and winter
    and gave them to the earth. ~ Psalm 74:16-17

 

It wasn't until after Christmas that winter really arrived in west michigan. For those who know me, you know I don't enjoy trading in my flip flops for boots - and just because I am Canadian,  doesn't make the transition any easier ;) But there were some mornings this winter that were truly breathtaking... where God really outdid Himself!

looking out over our back deck

watching a couple deer from my kitchen window

Junior Varsity Basketball

#12

This winter we spent many evenings court side at the high school gym.  Our son Zach played junior varsity basketball....and although the team didn't have many wins, they improved greatly as the season went on. Very proud of #12 :)

Christmas ~ 2012

 We had a wonderful Christmas.... here are some pictures from our time at home and from visiting our family in Ontario.

Scott and Tanya

Our family at home on Christmas day ~
Scott, Tanya, Zach (15yrs),
and Carter (12yrs)

We visited Scott's family for New Years. The whole family together ~ Cindy, John, Sue, Dave, Scott, Tanya, Mom Nyp, Zach, Carter, Riley, Dylan, John, and Grace

Cousins.... Zach and John

Some night time sledding
Zach, Carter, John and Grace

Beautiful smile :) My nephew Dylan

Snow boarding

Zach and Grace with Cooper chasing from behind

Wipeout!

Dylan, Carter and Riley

Opening Gifts

Grace made Christmas tree ornaments for her cousins

Grandma Nyp and Carter

Celebrating New Years with some champagne

The family
went to Toronto to see the Raptors. They won!!

We almost filled an entire row!

After returning home, we enjoyed a visit with some friends ~
Judy and Willie Keeler from Alexandria Bay

Judy and I ~ I miss my friend, it was good to see her!

Deck the Halls

                                                                                

I spent last week decorating our new home for Christmas. I love the Christmas season... but I always wait until after the American Thanksgiving to get out the decorations (or I wouldn't hear the end of it from my husband - lol). Here are some pictures of how I decorated our new home ~

Marriage Retreat

This Fall (November 2-4) Scott and I had the chance to go on the Corinth Marriage Retreat in northern Michigan.... to a beautiful place called

Crystal Mountain Resort

We didn't have snow on the ground while we were there... but I did see my first snowflakes of the year

We were given lots of free time to explore the area. We enjoyed an afternoon with Bruce and Deb Dennett in Traverse City, seeing Sleeping Bear Dunes and this light house on Lake Michigan. The weather was a little cool - so we will have to make sure we come back in the summer.

Me and my Sweetie

Sleeping Bear Dunes

Shipshewana

October 4, 2012 - Enjoyed one of the last summer like days in Shipshewana, Indiana with some lovely ladies from Corinth Reformed church. Shipshewana is a quaint town with lots of gift and craft shops in the heart of Amish country - something right out of of a Beverly Lewis novel :)

Everything was beautifully decorated for Fall.

The Blue Gate Restaurant where we had lunch

Clip Clop - what a lovely sound

Debi Rose and Phis Meengs

 Enjoyed tasting my first home made ice cream