The Deeren Family

My Talented Kids

2008-10-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

Shawn and Sierra have two Uncles who are professional yo yo men. They have inspired Shawn to become great at yo yoing as well. Here is Shawn showing his new found skills. Enjoy!! He is so cute.

Sorry this video is not rotated. I couldn't figure out have to change it. I'll do better next time:)

The first Fire of the Season

2008-10-08T10:38:00.001-07:00

My husband provides for our family so well. Because of him we have on gas bill. He works every spring to cut and stack wood for the coming year. This year we has so much wood given to us. Our outdoor wood stove burns all kinds of wood. It doesn't matter if it burns hardwood or junk wood. The only difference us the amount of hours a piece of wood burns. Hardwood burns the longest and hottest and so it is ultimately the best. I think Lyle has enough wood stored up for the coming three years. Praise God!! I am also thankful for the fact he is willing to stoke our wood stove everyday. Thankfully he only has to load it once a day, twice a day in the deep winter. I also love the fact that it heats our water. Long, guilt free showers:) Thank you honey!! I love you!

This isn't even all the wood he has cut. He Has about 25 -30 cord to the right of the stove, not pictured here. Amazing!!

Our Crazy Full Summer

2008-07-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

We have been having such a wonderful summer. So much fun to be had and sooooo little time to cram it all in. Summer in north Michigan is so short. The weather doesn't really get nice until the middle of June and begins cooling off by the end of August. Only 2 good beach months:( So far this summer we have had 12 graduation open houses, 2 weddings, 3 visits from friends and family, a week at family camp and various other outings. These pictures were taking at the Sleeping Bear dune climb overlooking Glen Lake. We have gotten to visit the dunes twice so far this summer. No complaints here:)

I'm sorry I have been horrible at keeping this up to date. I will try to do better. With one month left before school starts again I don't anticipate things slowing down. Hopefully we can spend a little more time at the beach this month though. It's always fun to go to the beach with friends. Give us a call and join us sometime.

The Greg Hanna Family at the TOP of the dune climb in the photo above. (All but Jared, Kristy and Breanna) Below, the Mick Hanna family, all but Mick:) and their son Nathan.

And Up Went the Pool

2008-06-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

Sierra and Shawn had more fun helping us put the pool up this year. The water was freezing but they kept insisting, "It's warm mom!!" as their teeth chattered. They were"A lot of help" :)

The next day, while the hose was still filling the pool, our kids and the Clarks "needed" to go swimming. I knew it wouldn't last long but let them get in. Not 5 minutes after getting into the pool Jerad Clark says, "Miss Leanne, could you take the hose out of the pool, It's whats making it cold." I busted out in laughter. Of course it's cold. The whole pool is cold. They are soooo funny. I am treasuring these days. They are growing up too quickly.

Notice the interesting eye makeup on the Patty and Sierra below. P.S. The air temp was around 60 degrees when this picture was taken.

All he want's for the Fourth of July is his 2 front teeth

2008-06-01T20:47:00.000-07:00

Last night, Shawny was having trouble eating his supper. He couldn't bite into his hamburger so he asked his momma to pull one of his dangling teeth out. So I did. It came with 2 little tugs. No problem.

Tonight we had small group over at Jim and Amy Miller's house. When we ate he was having trouble because his other loose tooth was kinda sticking out. Later in the evening he bumped into Ashley while playing and his tooth twisted sideways. Needless to say, it just took one tug and it was out. He is so excited to show his class his two missing teeth in the morning. What a weekend and what a precious boy:) This blog is my attempt to bottle up these precious years. They will all to soon be gone.

My Great Big Turkey Hunters

2008-05-19T18:53:00.000-07:00

I don't think Lyle actually intended to get a turkey this Spring. He decided to take the kids with him to do his calling. All fall about 15 turkey's roosted in the trees off the west side of our yard. Each morning, just after the kids got up to get ready for school, the turkeys would fly down into our yard and make a ruckus. Sierra and Shawn had so much fun calling to them. It was hard to get the kids moving to get ready for school. But wouldn't you know it, this spring, there's not a turkey to be found. The week ended uneventfully but I don't think the kids or daddy were too disappointed.

Had to stop and do a little calling you know:)Here is a small portion of the wood that gave my husband his hernias. He had surgery last Friday and is recovering well. He should be back to 100% in another week or two.

Happy 39th Birthday Lyle

2008-05-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

After a delicious dinner at Boons our family came home to sing Happy Birthday, Share some Hershey Pie, Give birthday spankings and open presents. Lyle was sure his gift came from Kohls. He was disappointed because Kohls doesn't sell camo. Little did he know, I had bought him a power washer and had it well hidden with a little help from John Clark. We had a great evening and like a fine wine Lyle just gets better with age:) At least that's what they say. He's even getting more and more handsome:0)

oops. I forgot to rotate this picture before I uploaded it but it's midnight and I'm tired and I need to get to bed so I'm letting it go:) Love to you all!!

What's wrong with this picture - April 17, 2008

2008-04-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

When most are enjoying blooming flowers and greening grass we must endure several extra weeks of snow. We live in a valley on the north side of a hill and that explains why we still have snow. It's like this every year. Lyle gets so anxious to rake he gets out there anyway. We had a fun evening. While Shawny and daddy worked in the yard, Sierra climbed a tree and I took pictures. Sounds fair:)

They are growing up soooo fast

2008-04-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

It was just the other day Sierra was clunking around in play shoes that were way to big on her. It won't be long and she will be finished playing dress up and make believe. Just the other day she was telling me she is a fairy and Shawny and his buddy Jon Michael were telling me about their imaginary friends and what they have been up to lately. Their imaginary friends have names and a whole life I knew nothing of. So sweet. I love watching the kids use their imaginations. They grow up too soon.

Our Trip to Florida

2008-02-23T18:26:00.000-08:00

February 8-16 we were able to get away and enjoy a week in Florida. This was the first time Grandma and the kids would get to fly. It was fun to experience this as a family but unfortunately our trip was clouded with sickness throughout the entire week. We decided if we had to be sick we would rather be sick in Florida:) We were giving a huge gift by a couple from our church. They gifted us a weeks stay in their timeshare, Cypress Point Resort. We had three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, laundry room, living room and a screened in porch. We felt spoiled. It was so nice for Grandma Deeren to have her own space. This is a picture of our living room/dining room.On Wednesday we went to the Magic Kingdom. We started out the day in the pouring rain, had sunshine for a couple hours and it turned cold (about 55 to 60 degrees) about 4pm and stayed that way the whole evening. The forecast the night before was predicting rain in the morning but the sun would come out and the high was 74. They didn't say it would hit 74 and suddenly turn 60 or cooler. Shawny was quite sick with a fever but really, we did enjoy it:)

I think the highlight of our day at Disney was taking Grandma Deeren on a roller coaster. She had misunderstood me, thinking we were taking a train ride. She had no idea it was a roller coaster!!! She had never been on a roller coaster before and had no intentions of starting that day. She was a hoot!!!! I was surprised she was up for such a adventurous ride but was impressed she would try it at her age. I had no idea she didn't know what she was getting herself into. I don't think she will ever trust us again. I held her tight and she did fine.

On Friday we headed over to Clearwater for the day. The weather was in the upper 70's. We took a ride on the Dolphin Encounters day cruse. We watched 2 dolphins play in the wake of our boat for at least 20 minutes. They would jump over and over again. They looked like they were having more fun. What a cool experience. We also walked the gulf coast, picked up sea shells and watched the sun set. It was wonderful!!! I can't wait till summer. We get similar sunsets here, overlooking Lake Michigan.Again, Shawny was miserable. Poor little guy. Sierra had a ton of fun picking up sea shells.

We have decided we need a redo. It was nice to get away but maybe next time we can try it well and with warmer weather. By the way, we did bring sunshine home with us on Saturday. It's not our fault if Michigan can't keep it:)

Introducing the Newest Member of our Family, Jack Jack

2008-02-18T18:56:00.000-08:00

Ever since Claire died in December, someone in our family has been obsessedwith buying a new puppy. I won't name who it was, I'll just say he is tall dark and handsome. Anyway, the plan was, upon our return home from Florida we would buy a puppy. Well, because of the freezing rain yesterday we had to wait until today to make the trip down to Cadillac. Jack Jack is a Shitzapoo (actually spelled Shih Poo). His father is a mostly white Shih tzu and his mother is a black poodle. He is really sweet. I'm not crazy about his coloring but this is the one Lyle and Sierra liked best because he was full of it. He is really spunky yet cuddly.

My Friend Stacey

2008-01-24T18:33:00.000-08:00

Stacey and I have been friend since 2nd grade but we have only been sisters for about 5 years. Stacey and I were close through high school, sharing lockers and such, and have kept in touch to some degree ever since. In 2002 I was driving west on M-72 reading a letter I had just received from her. I know, I know, not a good idea to read while driving:) With tears streaming down my face I read how she, through a hard time in her life, had found Jesus. I'm so happy that God has since blessed her with a christian husband and a renewed outlook on life. She is coming up to TC this weekend and will be attending our church this Sunday. It is so cool share this part of life with her now. I can't wait to spend some time with her.

1st and 2nd Grade Christmas Concert

2008-01-16T10:08:00.000-08:00

Sierra and Shawn sang and danced in a Christmas concert at Westwoods Elementary School. Shawn sang a duet with his buddy Owen. They sang a verse of "Up one the Housetop". Shawny did so well. He has such a sweet voice. We were super proud of him. Sierra also did a great job shaking the bells as all 150 kids sang "Santa Claus is coming to Town". She was the only one playing and kept everyone together and on beat. It was also fun to see the kids dance their dances. You can tell the kids are just loving it. My favorite part of the evening was when they all sang "Silent Night" and used the sign language. We all joined in on the last verse of the song. How precious!! I love these years.

Black Family Christmas

2008-01-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas at my mom and dad's house always includes music. Go figure:) Before we open presents my dad will share from the Bible, we sing together, share about how God has blessed each of our families and pray together. What a blessing. I look forward to this far more than the presents. I don't know if the kids agree:) Brooky, my brother Dan's daughter and my kids sang, "Come on Ring those Bells" over the phone lines to Aunt Bonnie in Canada. Sooooo sweet. Brooky has a sweet little voice.

Sierra and Shawny singing Silent NightHudson ringing bells as we sing and Isaiah dancing.
Look what Isaiah got, an elmo guitar!!!Andrew and Charity Thompson, their second Christmas together.Aunt Kim with sweet Isaiah.The girls mothering baby Adalena.

Buddies!!!

Goodbye Sweet Claire

2007-12-15T20:18:00.000-08:00

Today we had to say goodbye to our sweet Clairey. She was Born May 5, 1999 and died today, December 15, 2007. She was so dear to our family. Her life was too short. Everywhere I turn I am reminded of her. From the mess left under Shawny's chair with no Clairey to clean them up to no one there to greet me at the door. I know I will have a hole in my heart for a very long time. This has been a very painful day. She will always be missed. She was a very good dog. Claire with a 12 year old Santa. Can you tell we didn't have children yet. We must have been desperate, bringing our dog to see Santa:)
If you are wondering what happened to her, here it is. We returned home from Muskegon Sunday night and Claire appeared to be doing fine. Monday she kinda laid low. Tuesday I said, "I don't think Claire is feeling to well." She just kinda laid around. Not much spunk. Wednesday I noticed she wasn't eating or drinking much and her urine was kinda dark against the snow. Thursday I knew something was wrong. I encouraged her to eat a little meat and gave her a Tylenol (Bad move by the way, Tylenol is toxic to dogs). I also gave her a bath and a hair cut. She looked nice and I was sure it would help her feel better. Still no improvement. Sleeping a lot, no eating or drinking and really dark urine, no other symptoms. I let her sleep a lot on Friday but around 6pm picked her up to give her some love and noticed her belly was yellow. Not kinda yellow but really yellow. At that point I could see all of her skin was yellow. I instantly knew this was an emergency. We had to wait to see the vet until Saturday at 8am. When we saw the vet we were told Claire was in severe liver failure. The costs of treating her were to high and the chances of her being cured were slim. After many many tears we made the painful decision to have her put to sleep. I have never had to endure this before and don't know if my heart could handle doing it again. It was one of the most painful decisions I have ever had to make. I am just thankful Claire isn't in anymore pain and that the live failure hadn't progressed any further. From what I was told, the later stages of liver failure are much worse. Lyle dug tearfully her a grave in the semi frozen ground behind our house. She was so loved and we will miss her dearly. Now I must head to bed without letting the dog out and having her follow me to my bedroom to sleep. I'm so sad.

My Little Man

2007-12-13T17:45:00.000-08:00

It's tough to be a man. Why, with all the shaving you hardly have time for anything else.

Grandma Joyce bought Shawn a toy shaving kit. For a few days, each evening he would lather up and do a thorough job of shaving. I got such a kick out of it. Take a look. He's very serious.

I could just kiss those sweet cheeks!!!!

Decorating the Christmas Tree

2007-12-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

As usual, we bought our tree the day after Thanksgiving from Williams Tree Farm. The unusual part was picking it up on our way home from Muskegon, at 8pm, with our little Escort loaded down with luggage and hunting gear. The next day we decorated. The kids were so excited. This is the first years they have actually been a HELP in the process. You know how it can get. About the time I couldn't handle one more decoration being broken the Clark kids called to see if they could go sledding with Sierra and Shawn. They headed outside and stayed out for about 3 hours building snowmen, snow forts and sledding. Sierra set up the nativity with a little help from Shawny.
Shawny helped check strings of lights to see if they were working and set up, or partially set up about every other decoration we have. He was everywhere. Wow!! what a mess:)
Sierra, sporting the Mrs. Clause glasses. Oh yeah, I have to tell you we went to see Santa and Mrs. Clause at the Mall. Shawn & Sierra are sure this is the REAL Santa. After she sat on his lap, Sierra leaned over to me and whispered,"Mom, Santa has stinky breathe. Don't tell him though." She also said Mrs. Clause must have went on a diet. She was very thin.
Sierra and Shawn gave our little Santa and Mrs. Clause a makeover, brushing their hair and washing them up.

Our First Broken Bone & School Pictures

2007-12-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

We had quite a day today. I know this x-ray doesn't show up well but Shawn has a break right below the wrist through his radius bone.

On Monday the kids were home from school because of a snow day. In the afternoon the kids were sledding with the neighbors. With a little help from Sierra, Shawn and Abby flipped off their sleds and Abby landed on Shawny's wrist. I could tell Shawny was hurt because he had that look in his eye. We mom's know the look. Not only did he have the look, but he had no desire to play for the rest of the day, from 3:30 until bed time. Normally he just shakes it off and heads back outside because he doesn't want to miss a minute of play time with his friends, Jon-Michael, Abby and Jerad Clark. To shorten this story, we went to the doctor this morning at 9am, Munson for x-ray's at 10am, waited at Munson until 11:30am, want to the Orthopedic specialist at 2:45pm and left with a cast around 5:15pm. From there we had to go to Wal Mart to pick up a Sharpy that could write on a black cast don't you know:) Well we can be thankful it was a typical break and shouldn't effect his growth. He should only have to wear it until January 4th.

While I'm posting I figured I would include the kids latest pictures. They are growing and changing so quickly these days!!! Where have my babies gone?

Tooth #2

2007-11-30T06:20:00.000-08:00

On the way to FW Friends, our Wednesday night kids program, Shawny thought his tooth might fall out. I said, "If if falls out tonight at FW Friends I think you will be entitled to a prize from the prize box." Well thats all it took. Right after we entered the building he pulled it out. When we shared it with the FW Friends Kids, all of the sudden they all started trying to pull out their teeth so they could get a prize too. I was bustin' up!!! Sooo, the moral of this story is.... Kids will do anything for a prize..... or is it Leanne, you had better watch what you say or our church will be full of toothless kids.

A Successful Year

2007-11-30T06:06:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day of rifle season. I have to say, I'm not feeling as bad as Lyle and John. They are mourning while I am celebrating. They have had a good year. Lyle got a 7 point on opening day and John's patience was rewarded the next day with a nine point buck. If you want the gory details you will have to ask Lyle or John. They would be more than happy to fill you in. Here are the pictures of their trophies. Look at the smiles on these boys.

One Down and One To Go

2007-11-25T12:47:00.000-08:00

Last week Shawn lost his first tooth. I know this is a kinda yucky picture but you can see how thrilled he was. His teeth have been stubborn about coming out. His 2 front bottom teeth have actually come in and are waiting for a spot to fill. His other bottom tooth is also very loose but not quite ready to come out. Hopefully it will happen in the next week or so. Just after realizing he had pulled out his tooth he lost it in the carpet. After searching for 15 minutes or so we gave up and used the vacuum with a new bag. We found it within 5 minutes.

37

2007-11-09T14:12:00.000-08:00

Today I turned thirty seven and I was reminded to remember all that God has done in my life as I looked at the scripture for today posted on my blog. I know this scripture was there just for me today. I couldn't begin to list all that God has done in my life but I will list the top ten that come to mind.
1. My parents who modeled their faith before me.
2. That I asked Jesus into my heart at 10 years old, the night before our family was in a tragic car accident in which I very well could have been killed.
3. That God brought Lyle into my life, my life long love and companion.
4. That God gave me the privilege to be called mother to a sweet little girl, Sierra Joy.
5. Sixteen months later our second gift arrived in the form of a little boy, Shawn Oaklee.
6. I have had the chance to be a pastors wife for the last 13 years.
7. We were able to build a home 4 years ago. What a blessing.
8. I am able to stay home with my children.
9. My family is healthy.
10. Today I have a new niece, Adalena Cathryn Black. My brother Tim and his wife Kim's second child born this morning at 6:31 am, 9lbs 13oz. and 21 inches long.

Trick-or-Treating

2007-11-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

Sierra was a precious cowgirl, fully armed. (Not fully armed at school I must add) Shawny was a friendly skeleton as you can see. We had a great night for trick-or-treating. The rain ended around 5:30 and we were good to go. The first stop was Grandma Deerens. She even had treats for her baby boy and his wife.

Shawny and Chandler the ghost.
Sierra and Paige as Harry Potter

Bryanna Joy Deeren

2007-10-31T19:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the family. What a true joy!!! Boy does this bring back memories. She looks so much like Sierra did. She is about 5 pound in this picture but was around 4 pounds when she came to live with Bryan & Suzanne. I'm so glad we got to meet her. Bryan & Suzanne have 4 children already, now with Bryanna they have 5. She is sure surrounded by love. Three older brothers and one sister, all 7 and under. That sound like a whole lot of work. Also a whole lot of blessing. If you are curious about their family I have a link to their blog to your right.
Shawn and Sierra felt a connection with her right from the start. Sierra especially. Sierra also shares Bryanna's middle name, "Joy". What more can be said.

Shawn and the older boys are quite the buds. Caleb, on the right, requested a visit to his friends house (cousin really) for his birthday. How sweet. They live near Grand Rapids and we only see each other every 6 months or so.
The boys are wonderful caring big brothers for their new sister.

CC Loves the Snack Table

2007-10-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

Sierra is lucky to have her Kindergarten teacher again as her 2nd grade teacher. Sierra is in a 1st/2nd grade split this year and not only does she have Mrs. Johnson, she also has Mrs. Enderson every afternoon. Every afternoon she and about 11 other students join Mrs. Enderson for Social Studies, Math and Science. Sierra loves her and is enjoying the small group environment. She just finished watching a caterpillar go though the stages of becoming a butterfly. A couple weeks ago they released the butterflies. She wrote about it and I can she she has learned a lot.
We must not forget Sierra's beloved Mrs. High, the speech teacher, and Mr Plum a 3rd grade teacher who just happened to jump into the picture. Sierra goes to Mrs. High twice a week to work on Auditory discrimination. Sierra is the envy of many, many, many of the children at Westwoods. Everyone wants to go to Mrs. High's room. Shawn has had a hard time accepting the fact he isn't going to get to go to Mrs. High. Mrs. High did however schedule a special lunch with Shawny last month to make him feel better.
I asked Sierra what her favorite thing in the room was and she went over to the snack table, sat down and said, "The snack table." You would never know this girl can eat by the size of her. She loves food!!

Shawn Loves School

2007-10-17T05:51:00.000-07:00

Ok mom, I'll update my blog :) Shawn has the same teacher Sierra had last year. This has added a measure of comfort for him, also in the fact that Sierra's classroom is next door. Mrs. McMellan is a great teacher and Shawn is digging right in. Every day he comes home with books he has written and all kinds of projects he has created. One day he came home with a man he had constructed out of scrap paper. I'm not kidding when I say the man was at least ten foot long. It was stuffed in his backpack. Hanging up that piece of art work was a trick.

I just have to tell you, yesterday Shawn came home with a book he had created and read it to me. He said, " This book is called The." I said , "ohhh?" He continued, "Well it's really called The Boat but I didn't know how to spell boat so I just called it The." He is so stinkin cute!!!!
At his open house Shawn showed off his favorite place in the room, the reading area. He created a paper person and had written a letter to mom and dad and placed them in his favorite spot in the room. I'm so glad he is enjoying school and that he is a pleasure to his teacher. He's a great kid.

Hi Mom

2007-10-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

To the best Grandma a kid could have, a wife dearly loved by her husband and a mother who is adored by her children.

Don't kill me for the pictures. I just want everone to know who you are and you look fine!!!

I'm so glad you are figuring out how to check my blog. Don't forget to visit some of my friends.

The other night, after I talked to you I decided to change my template. That can be tricky. I changed the template but in the process I wiped out all my links and extras. I had saved the old template so I could undo what I had just done, however, it just wasn't working. Long story short, I had to redo all the links and extra stuff. It's still a work in progress. Can't for you to come and visit. Thank you for your prayers for Sierra. I couldn't believe, 100% on her spelling. What an answer to prayer. She is so encouraged:)

I need to get going. I've got to get my grocery game completed so I can go shopping tomorrow. You should check out thegrocergame.com . You can check it our for a month or something like that for $1. Just don't forget to let them know I referred you:) I get some free weeks or something. Beth is the true grocery game guru though. She actually saves money on her grocery bill each week. I save money but I buy more and therefore spend more each week. Lyle's not really impressed so far but I am having more fun shopping:) Love you

My Little Writers

2007-09-24T19:58:00.000-07:00

It is so fun watching my kids grow. It is amazing to watch them develop their writing skills. I'm sure I couldn't have done this stuff in 1st & 2nd grade. Here are a couple poems from Sierra's poetry folder.My dad is special to me. He loves me and he plays with me. By Sierra 5-07 She sure does love that daddy.
Worms are slimy and they are brownish with a little pinkish. By Sierra 5-07 They sure are!!!

My first pool. I was scared. The pool was deep. Should I jump? I will jump. By Shawny 9-07

Can you see the two stick people in the pool?
Flowers at Charity's wedding. Shawny 9-07 He really had to decipher this one for me. But when he read it to me I could totally see it. I think this is a picture of Sierra although it could be Charity. Andrew and my niece Charity Thompson were married 8-06. Shawny and Sierra were so proud to be in their wedding.

Aren't they precious. Shawny brings home about 5 pages like this every day!!! He is one busy kid. It is amazing to see the progress from the time they enter 1st grade to the time they exit 1st grade. I'm a little scared of how much Sierra will have changed by the time she exits 2nd grade. They are growing so quickly. My babies!!!!! Where did they go????

Back to School

2007-09-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

They are growing so fast!!!! It's hard to believe that I have two kids in school full time. Shawn is in 1st grade with Mrs. McMiellen and Sierra is in 2nd grade with Mrs. Johnson who just happened to be her Kindergarten teacher as well. Sierra gets to be in the same class with Jon Michael Clark and several friends other friends from her 1st grade class. I just had to show last years picture as well so you could see how much they have grown and changed.

New Family Photos

2007-09-07T05:23:00.000-07:00

Trying to update our photo

2007-09-06T21:00:00.000-07:00

Canning Tomatoes

2007-08-30T20:20:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago we canned 26 quarts of tomatoes. It went quick and easy with my two helpers. Grandma Deeren and Sierra pealed the whole bushel. I scalded them, stuffed the jars and filled the canner. The majority of the work was done in less than three hours and I just had to watch the canner for a few more hours. They all sealed and we will be enjoying our tomatoes all through the winter. There is nothing better than making chili or goulash with home canned tomatoes and the memories that are made in the process.

Happy Birthday 6th Shawny

2007-08-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

Shawny had a great birthday. He had 3 friends and his cousin come over for a sleepover birthday party. Soon after the kids arrived they began playing with legos. When there was a lull Lyle took the kids through a series of challenges (timed quad race, a foot race, bow shoot, casting a fishing pole, hula hooping and the like). The kids had a lot of fun but by the end we were all tired and hot and it was time for a swim.

The kids were in and out of the pool at least 7 times through the course of the two days. After a supper of pizza we ate cake and Shawny open his presents. He got a remote control boat to play with in the pool. It worked great for about the first hour. Too bad it didn't continue to work so well. We actually had to return it.:( What a nice bunch of kids. They played so well together.

After the kids had a chance to play some more they all got in their jammies and settles down to watch a true boy movie, "How to Eat Fried Worms." It was nasty but the movie was actually quite good. The kids enjoyed it even if it did leave us all a little sick feeling.

Happy birthday bubby! You are a precious gift and a blessing to all who know you. My you have a wonderful 6th year, full of growth and learning. May you find joy in pleaseing others but most of all the joy that comes from knowing Jesus as your best friend and living to please Him.

" For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Goin' into Business

2007-06-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

Jon Michael Clark & Shawny couldn't be any cuter. Jon Michael and his dad built this cute little stand to sell kool aid from. At first he wanted to sell his kool aid for $1.50 a glass. He was finally talked down to .25 a glass. Of course, when Shawny heard what Jon Michael was up to he wanted to build a stand as well. Thankfully they combined forces and Shawny works for and with Jon Michael. Jon Michael and Shawny take this very seriously!! I have been informed that if you take too many breaks you get fired. Jerad Clark found out the hard way when he tried to work for Jon Michael last week. Today Jon Michael took his earnings to Walmart and bought a Sponge Bob Lego set. Not bad for a weeks worth of work.

Lovin' Our Pool

2007-06-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

Last fall we purchased a pool at 50% off. The first week of June Lyle set it up for us with the help of Shawny. We measured out the size of the spot to be prepared, removed the grass and put a layer of sand as a base. Lyle & Shawny did a great job. Once all the prep work was done we put up the pool with much excitement. We are now reaping the fruit of their labor:) The kids are in the pool off and on all day. More on than off now that the weather has been so hot.
One of the best parts of having the pool has been the kids enjoying the pool with their friends. John and Michele have now decided to put a pool up too and the shame of it is that we won't be seeing as much of Abby, Jon Michael & Jerad:(
Until this week Sierra hasn't had much tolerance for the cold water. She will get in for a few minutes and then right back out. From that point on she spends most of her time on the top of the ladder living her life vicariously through those in the pool whole shaking from the cold. So cute!!!

Race Day, Westwoods Elementary 5k/10k

2007-06-02T20:03:00.000-07:00

Today Lyle and Sierra ran a 5k at the kids elementary school. Lyle patiently ran with Sierra. I know as she grows she will treasure this memory. I don't want to leave Shawny out. He also was quite a runner. He ran the fun run and came in second place. I'm very proud of my family.

Also, Shawny got to run with his best bud, Ethan. Shawny is having a hard time dealing with the fact his friend won't be returning to Westwoods next year as Ethan's daddy took a new job and therefore he will be switching schools. I know Shawny will have no problems making a new best buddy but it will be hard to find one as kind and special as Ethan.

Mother's Day at Lake Michigan

2007-05-29T18:58:00.000-07:00

Sierra and Shawny decided to pose for pictures after a visit to the Block House in Muskegon. While we were in Muskegon Lyle and I did a lot of work at my mom and dads house. Lyle put up the ceiling of the kitchen with my brother Tim and I wallpapered my moms bathroom with my sister-in-law Kim. Meanwhile Shawny and Sierra entertained themselves and cousin Isaiah so well. We owed them, big time, so on Sunday afternoon we drove out to the beach. Mom and dad live about 5 minutes from Lake Michigan. We had a great time even if it was a little cold.

They were supposed to stay dry. Ha Ha!!!! Needless to say, they had to be stripped down to their underware before they could get into the car.

You may notice the wood by Shawny. Sierra and Shawn build boats out of the scrap wood on Saturday at Grandpa's house and wanted to see if they would float. They did float and the kids were so thrilled.

Ding Dong the Jake is Dead

2007-05-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

Lyle, the great white hunter of Cedar Valley, got his turkey. We are all happy for him. It was pretty cool, just tonight at dinner we prayed daddy would get one and he did!!!!

Beauty in the Valley

2007-05-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year!!!! Working in my flower garden and watching the valley come to life. The Japanese Quince below just started showing it's flowers yesterday or the day before.
Take a look at this view. Just to the west of our yard is Solon Creek. I love the buttercups or Cow slips that take over. It's just beautiful!!!!!!!!!

Who is that masked little man?

2007-05-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

Shawny wanted to help his daddy haul wood but the little nats were horrible. You can see the solution he came up with. His orange ski mask with a bike helmet on top. What a crazy kid. Sierra and Shawny worked with their daddy for a couple hours taking turns driving their three wheeler up and down the hill. They actually hauled quite a bit of wood in their little wagon.

Happy 38th Birthday Honey!

2007-05-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

I'm so am so thankful God made my husband. He is a loving and kind man. He places great value on his family and I feel so blessed to be his wife. I know God created Lyle for me and placed Sierra and Shawny in our home so they could grow up being loved and cared for by a daddy who loves his Heavenly Father. Shawny and Sierra have more fun helping others celebrate their birthdays. What a great daddy, letting the kids open his presents. I squeezed 38 candles on Lyle's cake and nearly set his cake in fire. He blew them out with no problem! 38 isn't as old as it used to be:)

Living Inside Out

2007-04-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

These are a few pictures of the children involved in our new Sunday Children's Church. This is the primary reason I have been so poor at keeping up my blog. Much of my spare time has been spent on these kids but I know God is blessing. We have over 70 children involved in Children's church and I'm excited to see them grow in their faith. I have had such a fun time leading this past month. This program has a lot of bells and whistles that are reinforcing the theme of the day. That makes Sunday's really fun for the kids. As you can see, the children are using magadoodles to learn their memory verse for the month. At the end of the month they each get to take their magnadoodles home with them. I know Shawny and Sierra are excited about it.

The kids are assigned to small groups and they really grow to love their leaders. Here you see Laura with her fans.

Happy 1st Birthday Cousin Isaiah Black

2007-04-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

As usual, the least expensive part of the gift is the most appreciated. Isaiah loved the Pinwheel!! He was dangerous with it. He thought the frosting on the Rykes cake was pretty good as well.

Baby Isaiah, you are such a precious little guy. Sierra, Shawny, Aunt Leanne and Uncle Lyle love you a ton. Happy Birthday!

The weather turned so cold we put Sierra's hat on Isaiah's head to keep him warm as he was getting ready to leave. Please forgive us Isaiah for putting you in pink.

Lost tooth #7

2007-04-10T18:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter from the Snow Bunny

2007-04-10T18:08:00.000-07:00

Sweet Jullian Deneau braving the cold for her first Easter Egg Hunt.
Our church hosted a community Easter Egg Hunt on April 7th in a foot of snow. The temperature was around 23 degrees and I'm not sure what the wind chill was. The wind sure picked up speed as it whipped across the field. This year we increased the amount of eggs to over 10,000 and the numbers in attendance dropped to somewhere around 150 kids. All the eggs were picked up and I saw a lot of full baskets and smiling faces. Needless to say, it was a short and sweet hunt. No frills, just chills!!!!

Thanks to the goodness of some men in our church, the field was plowed nicely for the hunt.

7 from Heaven

2007-04-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

March 31, 2000 Lyle and I received a blessing wrapped up in a little girl. We never would have dreamed that God had such a blessing in store for us. We thank Him and praise Him for chosing us for this task. It's hard to believe it has already been 7 years.

Sierra chose a few friends to attend her birthday party. Four friends from school, her cousin Patience and he sweet brother Shawny. What a time we had bowling, eating pizza and swimming at the Bayshore Resort.

From left to right: Patience, Sierra, Hana W, Hannah G, Brooke and Paige

Christmas from Shawny's point of view

2007-01-09T19:26:00.000-08:00

Shawny asked for a camera for Christmas. Lyle and I weren't sure we wanted to spend the money for a camera but one night Shawny and I were saying bedtime prayers and Shawny asked Jesus for Santa to bring him a camera. He brought in the big guns. Well, needless to say, Santa delivered and boy has Shawny had fun taking pictures. He does a nice job but here are a few pictures I had never looked at from a 5 year olds point of view.

Our beloved Santa. Beloved by the kids I should say. You know the one in Walmart that dances and sings. The kids just love him.

Cousin Patty. I just love this picture!!!

There were several pictures that looked something like this. What an angle. You should see the one he took of me. Not my best angle. Sorry Uncle Forest, Lyle's brother.

While at my mom and dad's for Christmas Shawny took this picture. It took me a little while to figure out what it was of. Grandma Joyce's kitchen sink, a cup, ceramic figurines, a faucet, poinsetia, window and bird feeder.

Sierra and Patty in Sierra's room.

Grandma Black has joined her sweetheart in heaven

2006-11-15T19:12:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago our family enjoyed the dedication of my nephew Isaiah Black. Grandma Black was there and she was so sharp that day. She was so full of joy and life, it's hard to imagine later that same day she would become very sick, enter the hospital and a week and a half later she would be in heaven. Grandma was precious to me. She was gifted in so many ways and many of the talents she developed started when she was over 70 years old. She loved to sing, play the organ and accordian, paint, sew, crochet, write poetry, travel, garden and the list goes on. She was deeply devoted to her husband, Larry and she loved her children and grandchildren dearly. I think the greatest legacy she has left is her faith in God. She and my Grandpa were part of a church plant 50 years ago in Greenville Michigan. They believed in their mission so much they morgaged their house to build the church. 50 years later my husband and I have the privilage of being a part of a church plant here in Traverse City. I want those who follow behind me to find that I have served my God faithfully as well. Grandma often said, "To love God is to serve Him." I guess that about sums up her life.

Westwoods Open House

2006-09-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

Shawny and his Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Wright.
Sierra and her first grade teacher Mrs. McMellan

I think the kids are in for a great year.

Bryan & Suzanne Deeren Family

2006-09-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we were priveldged to spend it with Lyle's brother Chip's son Bryan and his wife Suzanne and their busy little family. 4 kids 6 and under. Now that's a busy mom. We had a lot of fun and took some cut pictures to share. The cousins had a great time playing together but boy were they all tired after all the fun.

Daniel with his sweet smile.

Say cheese Clara. This is her pretty smile for the camera.

Back to School

2006-09-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

First Day of School Sept. 5th 2006. Sierra entered 1st grade and Shawn entered Kindergarten. It was so exciting for them to get to go to school together on the big bus. They are growing and changing so much. I have so much to be thankful for. God has blessed me with a precious family.
The traditional picture on the front porch name tags and all.

Shawny, Sierra & Jon Michael go Camping

2006-09-03T14:38:00.000-07:00

Shawn & Sierra play with their friend Jon Michael almost daily. As you know we live in the country and the kids have been discovering new worlds, Sierra's world, Shawny's world and so on. One day the kids came in and announced that they were going to camp overnight on the hillside to the east of our garage. They built a pretend fire pit(top picture) and a bear trap (pictured below). Long story short, they got all set up to spend the night and after about 30 minutes got scared and came in. They made it until 8:30 PM.

Happy Birthday 5th Shawny

2006-08-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

I will never forget the phone call from my dad. "It's a boy!" We were so happy. I was hopeing Sierra would have a brother. A girl would have been fine but haveing a little boy seemed to make our home complete. Since that day he has grown into a boy I am extreemly proud of. He is kind to others, full of a love for life, smart and he gives the sweetest bubby kisses. Today we invited a few friends to celebrate with us. We went miniture golfing and enjoyed a petting zoo at the Lake Ann Baptist camp. Following our time there we went to Bertram's for pizza, arcade games and cake. We had such a great day.
Jerad was so sweet to give Shawny the stuffed animal her won.

Devona/Dorcas Family Picnic

2006-08-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

The Whole Family. I believe there were 47 in attendance. We met at the Almira Township Park north of Lake Ann. We had a great time.

From left to right. Back row: Sierra, Lyle. Paul, Kim, Samantha, Jamison, Brooklyn, Seth, Josh, Troy, Chip, Jay, Forest, Lynnette, Ben, Tim, Matt and Asa Front Row: Katelynn, Leanne, Shawny, Judy, Devona, Brittany, Yvonne, Linda, Patty, Amy & Iris.

Sisters. I had trouble getting them to behave for the picture. Dorcas still can't make mom behave, or is it the other way around? Jamison and his twins were ready to eat.

After a wonderful meal we enjoyed a friendly game of softball. The twins were some of the best chreerleaders. Aren't bleachers fun.

Shawny even got in on the game. He got three hits and with a little grace, I mean a LOT of grace, he made two runs. He always has to get in on the action. I love to see his enthusiasm for life.Chip with one of his 13 grandchildren. Iris is the third to the youngest of them.

My garden

2006-08-08T19:42:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Mary Flowers I have a garden to be proud of. She helped design the layout and between she and her friends in the Maple City area, they divided the plants in their gardens to create mine. I will always be greatful to them. I hope I can be a blessing with my garden as well. Let me know if you ever want a start of a plant. I would be glad to share.

Balloon flower

Gaillardia (blanket flower)
Monarda (Bee Balm) & Yarrow (yellow)
Purple Cone Flowers
Annabelle Hydranga

Andrew & Charity Thompson

2006-08-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

August 5th we attended the wedding of my neice Charty Henderson & Andrew Thompson in Hart Michigan. Shawny had the privilage of being the ring bearer and Sierra was a flower girl. Andrew & Charity make a great couple. We couldn't be happier for them!

The morning of the wedding Sierra got her hair done. What an up do! She looked like a princess! I think she felt like one too. She is on the lap of one of her favorite men, Grandpa Mel.

Like Father Like Son

2006-07-02T20:03:00.000-07:00

Shawny was given a toy magazine at Toys R Us a couple months ago. Yesterday I looked out in the livingroom to find Shawny reading his magazine just like daddy. Aren't they precious.

CC Lost another tooth

2006-06-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

Tonight Sierra went downstairs with her daddy for a bedtime story (actually 3 of them that she read herself) and before you know it she was headed up stairs to pull her tooth. Daddy promised her she could stay up for an extra half hour if she would pull her tooth. After another 15 minutes or so she had success. We tied a heavy piece of floss around it, applied a bit of oragel and she began the yanking. She yanked so hard the tooth popped out and we lost it. Seriously! We (Sierra, Mommy and Daddy) were on our hands and knees for about 10 minutes but we couldn't find it. Sierra wants you to know she is kinda sad about it but she is happy to have it out anyway and I think the tooth fairy will probably understand.

Fun in the Sun

2006-06-27T19:08:00.000-07:00

Who has time to post when there is a beach just waiting to be occupied. Today, after Sierra's doctor's apt. the kids and I went to the beach at Miss Leone's house on Silver Lake. We soaked up the sun with Miss Tammy Stricker, Michele Clark and the kids and Rebecca & Isaac until the first roar of thunder around 2:30. We thought about waiting it out but a few minutes later we saw a crack of lighting so we packed up and went home. Our house never saw a speck of the rain but I did get my flower garden weeded and enjoyed the remainder of our afternoon at home. Better luck tomorrow. Every day this week has been forcasted for thunderstorms but I will expect sunshine just like my friend Tammy (a true sun goddess).

107 and Great Grandma Unsworth is now enjoying heaven

2006-06-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

Emily Maude Blanch Unsworth, Born May 29, 1899 and died June 12, 2006 in Dresden, Ontario, Canada. My Great Grandma Unsworth lived a life spent on others. My mom says she was truely a Proverbs 31 woman. She was a strong confident woman who wasn't afraid to try something new. She could sew, knit, crochet, hang wallpaper, cook "burnt offerings" for a housefull and garden like nobody. She had a special fondness for green onions. She passed on some good genetics for teeth. She had all her own teeth at 107 years. She also had a deep and abiding faith in the Lord. She loved to sing the old hymns and enjoyed plunking them out on a keyboard even up to the end. She enjoyed playing games. A few days before she died she played my Aunt Margaret in Checkers and Connect Four and won. When Margaret asked if she wanted to play again Grandma replied, "I would if I could figure out how." It's pretty bad when you are getting slammed by your 107 year old Grandma. A couple other interesting things about her; she could say her alphabet backwards and she was a shutter bug with her camera. If you came to visit her she would always want to take your picture. We will miss her but we are confident we will see her again someday.

Spring Photos

2006-05-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

Shawn is 4 1/2 & Sierra is 6

A Visit from Great Grandma Black

2006-05-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday Great Grandma Black came to stay with us for a week. We had a busy week but I think she enjoyed herself. She went home this past Tuesday and I'm sure she was ready for some peace and quiet.

Grandma has aways enjoyed drawing and she joined the kids at the island with their markers. She was trying to help Shawny learn to not get upset when he had trouble drawing certain things. He was having trouble drawing a man and threw a little fit. Grandma told him throughing a fit wouldn't help anything but to keep trying. Eventually he succeeded. CC was busy writing words. She is getting very good at her penmanship.

Grandma has always enjoyed playing the organ so I put my keyboard on an organ setting and Grandma played. She played a hymn, "The Love of God" beautifully. We sang together as well and Grandma sang a clear alto. Shawny and Sierra just had to get in on the act as well.

On Saturday Grandma went to Sierra & Shawny's soccer game. It was a little chilly but that didn't stop the kids. I think Grandma was our lucky charm, our team won 5 to 0 and Shawny scored one of the goals. Grandpa Mel was able to see the first half of the game. It was hard for him to pull himself away.

On Monday, Grandma was able to attend Grandparents day at Sierra's school. Sierra took her Grandmas on a mini tour of the school, she served them a snack, she read to them in the reading center, made a bookmark in the creation station and did an activity page in the activity center. It was a lot of fun. I'm glad my children will feel like they know their Great Grandma.

I enjoyed having my grandma visit but I think the best parts of her visit were the times I was able to just sit and talk with her. After all she has made a huge impact on me. She is part of who I am. She is so creative and I love that about her. She has played the organ and accordian, crocheted, sewn, gardened, arranged flowers, painted and tried about any other creative thing there is, but best of all she has loved me and shown me Jesus.

Dan, Dan the Yo Yo Man

2006-05-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

Dan is doing a great trick where is pretends to eat spaghetti (the string of his yo yo).
Last week my "little" brother Dan and his family came for a visit. Well it wasn't actually just for fun, my brother was doing a yo yo tour in the Traverse City area. Dan travels throughout Michigan, England and Australia putting on Yo Yo shows in schools. He teaches kids to Never give up, Encourage others and Do your best, and the vehicle for this message is his yo. I was surprised at how great his performance was. Not really surprised at Dan because I always knew he was amazing, but at the assembly it's self. He held the kids attentions for a good hour and there has been such a buzz around Traverse City since he came. Kids all over are learning how to yo yo. Even kids that I have spoken to who have attended this assembly in past years can still remember what the word NED stands for. Dan is truely amazing with his yo yo. I am so happy that he has found a job that fits him and where he can feel a sense of accomplishment in knowing he is making kids lives better. I'm so proud of him.
He made a crazy balloon hat for the girl that remembered the "Encourage Others" part of NED.

Wrong Way Sierra!!!!!

2006-04-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Shawn and Sierra enjoyed their first soccer game on Saturday. They both did great, however Sierra had trouble remembering which way to run. I knew this would be a potential problem. No matter how many times her coach and parents would holler, turn around, she just kept going. She has some legs on her. She can go! Thankfully she never scored a goal for the other team but she did give them a distinct advantage. She is an aggresive player. Shawny did great for a four year old. He held back a bit. I think he is just taking some time to figure out the game before he shows his stuff.

Wrong Way Sierra!!!!!!!!!!

As for mom and dad, we came home with sunburns. I dressed the kids warm thinking it was kinda cold. Unfortunate for them, the sun came out and I felt like a terrible mom as Shawn was sweating to death in his long sleaved sweatshirt. I have learned my lesson in layering.

Kindergarten Soccer

2006-04-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

Shawny and CC got to go to their first soccer practice. They were pumped! The coach did a great job with the kids and they are already learning the ins and outs of the game. Their first game is Saturday at 12:45. We can't wait! I'm not sure how they will do as they have only had one practice. This should be interesting!

A Visit from Aunt Judy, Kim & Melissa

2006-04-23T18:53:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday & Wednesday we received a visit from Lyle's brother Chip's wife, Judy, and their two grown girls and their children. Kim has twin girls and Melissa has a little boy, Ezra, and one on the way. Shawny had a blast with Ezra. Sierra and Shawny are so good with children younger than themselves. Shawny crawled around the room with Ezra and fed him his bottle. It was really precious. We will look forward to their next visit and a chance to see Melissa and Mark's new baby.

Shawny's House

2006-04-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

Last night Shawny spent about 30 minutes drawing a picture. When he was done he told Lyle and I to keep it so we could find he and Kyla's house. He drew Sierra on top of the house, mommy in orange next to the house with daddy beside her. Kyle is below me in blue and Shawny is in green next to her. The way you can tell boys from girls is the pony tail on the left sides of our heads. He wrote all of our names including the words, bed and Patty. I think this is amazing for a 4 and a half year old. What a sweet boy!

Shawny's House

2006-04-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

Rest for the weary

2006-04-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

We had a great service at church. After church we went to the Olive Garden with Steve, Dawn and Jordan Hall, Kim Lindley and Dawn McConnell. We got home around 2:30 hoping for naps and within 5 minutes of being home Sierra spilled a whole glass of Orange pop all over the floor, walls and bar stools. Why does this happen? If I let her clean it up there is just more work for me in the long run. Parenting is more work than I originally signed up for. I know they are growing fast but sometimes it can make you crazy!!!!!

Speaking of the kids, I had started to publish some pictures of Sierra's 6th birthday party. It was late and I was getting tired so I gave up. I'll try again now.

Cousin Patty, Sierra, friend Sophie, friend Alyssa, Shawny and friend Jacob.

The kids played the Princess and the pea. After we read the story of the Princess and the Pea the children took turns sitting on pillows and trying to decide which had the pea (ball) under it.

Sierra was given wonderful gifts. She opened each with wonder and amazement.

2006-04-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

Our Family

2006-04-22T20:15:00.000-07:00

Twas the night before Sunday

2006-04-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

We are going through our routine of preparing for Sunday. Lyle is packing tubs into the back of our van to haul to church in the morning. He fills his truck with gas and loads the church signs into the back of it then he lays out his clothes and makes last minute copies and signs for use the next day. I lay out the kids clothes, make sure they are bathed and get the kids in bed before 9pm. After they are in bed I polish the kitchen sink and finish up any compter work I need to do.

Tomorrow will be a light day for me. I have a week off. I won't have to leave for church untill 9:15. I really enjoy being actively involved in the life of our church however it is healthy to just attend every once and a while.

Our church just hosted a giant Easter Egg Hunt last weekend on our church property, M-72 West of Traverse City. It we so fun. Lyle and his crew did a great job pulling it all together. We had around 450-500 kids in attendance. Most of the kids were able to get at least 10 eggs. We had a big hotdog roast as well and it was all free for those who attended.

Here are some of the pictures I took that day.

And They're Off!!!!

Shawny did pretty well however Sierra must have gotten about 20 eggs, at least double the amount Shawny got. Shawny was fine with it. In fact he ended up giving away half of the candy he did get. He is so afriad of trying anything new. He only likes plain Hershey's Chocolate and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. Crazy kid!

Julia Jones, a little girl in our church was sure enjoying her eggs.

Sierra turned 6 March 31st. She had a princess party and even the boys got in on the act.

Well this will do for my first attempt at bloging. I'll do better next time.