Our Temporary Home

This is where Tate and I are living while Paul is gone. We rented this duplex and it is perfect for us right now. We went to the Memorial Day Parade in downtown Eaton Rapids, where EVERYONE comes out for events like these. It is kind of like "Gilmore Girls'" town Stars Hollow http://www.cwtv.com/thecw/kirkstowntours, though not as nice and not as many great restaurants. One of the local places does have Thursday night jazz, though!

Tate has figured out that Daddy is on the other end of the phone when Paul calls. Tate talks to him in this foreign language, complete with hand movements that none of us understand, with the exception of a "Dada" or "Mama" here and there.

In Michigan

So Paul deployed to Afghanistan after getting about 2.5 weeks notice. We scrambled to get everything done for him to leave and barely had enough time. We also decided that I would head to MI with Stinky, rent a place near my parents and have a little adventure.

"Adventure" is not the word I am currently using! Ask me in a few weeks when I have settled in a little more and I get some sleeeeeeep.

Berry Pickin'

Today Amanda, Anna, all the kids and I went Strawberry Picking at Eckert's. It was SO fun! Of course, we hit the bakery and got a "cook-ie" (Tate was pronouncing VERY clearly as we entered) before we even started.

OK, so it was more like "toddler running through fields" than it was "berry picking", but we all had a great time. We ended the morning with lunch at Eckert's restaurant, where we had the most patient waiter ever.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

We hosted a Cinco de Mayo Baby Shower for Paul's coworker and wife, Jose and Barb. We had a great time and the weather was sooooooo nice! The kids particularly enjoyed the Cascarones, which are confetti filled eggs that you crack on a friend's head for good luck.

The pinata was fun, too, except when it was another kid's turn to hit it because Tate melted down... Time to learn to share!

Our new Car

"MOM my RIDE"!!!!! (watch video above)

For those of you who don't know, Tate and I got into an accident last month and totalled the Hyundai. Upon returning from MI, USAA called and said "We've decided that car is totalled. You have 3 days to buy a new one." OK, because USAA is the best insurance ever, they actually gave me a few extra days, but STILL!

So I send Paul out to find another Hyundai Santa Fe, and long story short, Chrysler was having their "Mini Van Event". We sadly took the final plunge into suburbia...and bought a mini van.