Tulip Time

Every year in May, Holland, Michigan hosts The Tulip Time Festival, one of the largest festivals in the country. It celebrates dutch heritage and is just a ton of fun. 

We lived in Holland for many years and did all the traditional things.  We dressed our kids up in little dutch costumes, took them to the parades, ate elephant ears and enjoyed the beautiful tulips and dutch dancing. 

Jarred with a near miss on picking a tulip. 

 

 

Check out those mini wooden shoes on Ryan. Aren't they cute!

Since we lived in Ann Arbor for the last several years, we haven't been able to make it to Tulip Time and were very happy this year to be able to go.  The kids were very excited except for the prediction of rain.  We got there early to claim our spot along the parade route.

We watched some dutch dancing while we were waiting for the parade to start. 

When the dutch dancers were done with one song and getting ready to start another, all of a sudden, the lady standing next to us flies over 3 rows of people sitting down and walks right into the street.  She was walking down the middle, right where the dancers were. I was like...what is that crazy lady doing.  And then....the music changed and I saw lots of other people going out into the middle of the street. 

FLASH MOB!!!!! 

 

Tulip Time was rockin it out this year.  Flash Mob? Way cool!! The kids loved it and the crowd went nuts.  Even some of the dutch dancers were part of it. 

 

Then the traditional parade started as scheduled. The rain was off and on but it was still fun.

 

There were lots of bands...

and horses...

 

and floats....

Bethany Christian Services float

Gentex sponsored robotics float



and of course there were all kinds of creepy people who could potentially give the kids nightmares...

 

 

 

 

There was even support for breast cancer and the women rocked it out with pink wooden shoes!!!

 

 

And last but not least, a party bus at the end. 

I will say that one thing we will change next year is giving the kids the camera to take pictures.  When I went to sort them out, they had taken 1035 pictures!  Yes, you saw that huge number correctly.  They will forever be banned from sports mode! 

We had a lot of fun, rain or shine.  Didn't matter.  We enjoyed being back in Holland, the parade, eating junk food and elephant ears.  We feel blessed as a family to be back in West Michigan with our family and to be able to enjoy Tulip Time again.

MiMi

 

River Bank Run

For the first time, Ryan ran in the River Bank Run 5K this year.  His school had a run club and at the end, they could run in the River Bank Run.  I am so proud of him and how he worked very hard to get ready for the fun.  Lots of exercising, eating right and run club at school at 7:30 am a couple times a week for several weeks.

Lots of carbs in the VERY early morning of the race.  He had to get up at 5:15!  And like a trooper that he is, up and at it with a smile. 

Stretching out before the start.

Getting ready to start.

Ryan was running a 25 or 26 minutes in practices.  This time, he beat his personal best with an official finish time of 24:22!  Very proud of that kid!

My proud runner!  He's got first place with me!!!





I think it's great to encourage your kids to try new things and have a variety of activities.  One of the most important things as a parent that you can do for your kids is to support them.  They want it and need it!

I love being a Mom and I love by boys!

MiMi

Scream your head off!

Track is done!  Yeah!  I am so happy. Is that bad?  I say no.  I have endured every single track meet, rain or shine, freezing cold, 80 mile an hour wind.  My toes have been froze, my face like ice and a completely frozen attitude to go with it.  I mean who wants to sit in that kind of weather two times a week for weeks and weeks?  Not me! 

So why do I feel this compelling need to go to every single sports event my kids have?  It's simple...because I believe that it's important that you support your kids in everything they do and try.  Part of the way I do this is by attending all my kids sporting events, whenever possible.

As your kids grow up, they need a solid, strong, consistent support system.  They need to know you will always be there for them no matter what, win or loose.  They need to know you will support them throughout their life and will always be their biggest fan.

Do my kids know this?  YOU BET!  They are reminded of it every time I am at a game.  They know it every time they can hear me yelling my fool head off when they are running across the finish line, batting a run in, or pinning their opponent.  I am there. They also know it when they finish dead last, strike out or loose the match.  I am there, cheering them one and they know and feel I am in their corner, supporting their efforts, no matter what.  I am there, proud of them, encouraging them and doing my best to help them be their best.

After a school wrestling match this year, I asked Jarred if he heard me screaming.  He looked at me like I had lost my mind asking such a foolishly obvious questions and said "ummm yeah!  The whole team heard you mom."

Now I am one of those loud mouth parents at my kids sporting events.  It's in my nature so in an instant my mind flashed with panic. Have I embarrassed him?  Am I going to have to stop yelling?  How on earth am I going to do that? Well if I've embarrassed him, I will have too. I can do this.  After all, I haven't kissed them goodbye in public in years. 

I asked him if that was a problem and he paused and said "Nope".  Okay!  I'm in the clear.

I see so many kids at these sporting events with no support.  Don't fool yourself parents, this matters.  It doesn't matter if you go to every event like I do. I know I'm blessed, I get that but please try.  Skip your lunch, rearrange your schedule, take an hour vacation, beg your boss, work late the next night...whatever it takes. 

Put in the time, show them. They are worth your effort and time.  Show them you care!  Go to a game and scream your head off.  They'll love you for it. I promise!

MiMi

Keep Your Commitments

We all know as adults that there will always be things in life we do not want to do. Sometimes these things are of our own making and sometimes not. Sometimes we made bad decisions that have lead us to it and sometimes we have simply given our commitment that we will do something and then changed our mind. Maybe we changed our mind because it isn't what we expected, it isn't fun or harder than we thought.  Whatever the reason you are in the situation and whatever the reason you don't want to be anymore, it's not a good enough reason to go back on your word, break your committment.   

I think it's important to teach our kids to honor commitments they've made.  Commitment is important in life.  It shows our family and our coworkers that we are reliable, trustworthy and can be depended on.  We can't quit something just because we REALLY don't want to do it any more for whatever reason.  If you've given your word that you will do something, you better do it.

So when your kids decide to do something and make a commitment, help them realize the value to keeping those commitments and not quiting.  Sometimes it's hard and sometimes we might just have to tell them to suck it up and stick it out.  Focus on the end game. Quit whinning and man up. 

Rough?  Well maybe but you know what? It's my job as parents to teach my boys the right thing, even when it's hard for them and me.  I want my sons to grow up to be men of their word and that means teaching them to keep their commitments, no matter what.