1. Summer is here! We are fully enjoying every minute of it. We sleep in, play games, play outside, clean and do small projects, nap, play some more, and staying up way too late. We are adjusting to this change well! We are hoping to have the basement closer, with Jamie working on the tiling and hopefully adding a much needed toilet (see number 2) and sink. Very exciting. Mike is leaving for Tennesse for a mission trip next week, while I spend the week with the kids in SH to spend time with grandma and grandpa Koning and Vanstrien and we will be camping for a week in July. Most of the time though we are at home and we plan day by day.
2. Andrew is in big boy "underroosters", although with absolutely no success. I am deteremined to beat the odds of all the people who tell me that boys are later than girls but I am starting to ask myself "why!?", I am starting to think they are on to something. We will continue to try for another week or so. He enjoys being in underwear over diapers and he will yell "coming" when he feels something only to stand at the toilet with nothing and pee on the carpet (or the register) a few seconds later. He has also given up his thumb sucking!!! And he starts preschool next year! My baby is growing so fast!
3. Sylvia is now a first grader. She loved Kindergarten, her school, her friends and her teacher. She had a great report card and more importantly she is such a loving girl to all her friends at school. She is ready for first grade and we have heard that all the 1st grade teachers are wonderful. She is reading great, and always runs to her craft table first thing in the morning. She loves her siblings so much and she takes care of them so well. They don't always want to be taken care of, but I see such a little mommy in her. We are very proud of her and how much she has grown.
4. Gracie will be going to a new school as well. She is starting preschool for 4 and 5 year olds. She is a lot like Sylvia and I think she will love being in school. She is opening up to people and when she does, her personality shines through. She can also be such a tease, which she gets from her dad, and that gets her into trouble sometimes. She likes to wrestle, and she has been a little more into hitting, kicking and spanking for fun than we are used to. I wonder if it is because of Andrew and he is definitely more of a boy in that way than the girls are. It is fun, but it needs to be controlled. (no spanking our friends at church!)
5. We have a new nephew, Henry. This has been so exciting because we have been praying for him every day for so long. The girls are excited to meet this Henry that we talk about, and will be able to soon. He is so sweet and beautiful, we can't wait to see him in his home! We also were able to spend some extra time with cousin Claire, and we fought over who got to sit next to her in the car and at the table.
6. Mike's baby sister graduated as valedictorian of Hamilton High School. We are both proud of her hard work and are excited for what she will choose to do in the future!
7. Mike had much more than his 15 minutes of fame this week as he starred as a Go Fish guy at our church's Kids Kamp. He seems to be a natural up there as he gets the kids excited to worship God, and to fight in the Lord's Army! To some of the younger kids, he is a hero. To the older kids, he is Mr. Sternberg all dressed up. It has been fun to watch him up there in that role. He was also in the Grand Haven Tribune for Kayaking the Grand River with some friends. He kayaked 55 miles last Saturday and 15 miles the next day. It started a few years back in different parts of the Grand River.
8. We made a final decision that I am going to stay at home next year. This was suddenly decided at the end of this year and although I still have strange dreams about missing my job and feel nervous about it, I am very excited and feel very blessed to have this year with my kids. I have two wishes: that I love it, and that I don't love it so much that I never want to go back to teaching!
Well, thanks for keeping up with us...if you made it this far. It has been awhile, so I had a lot to say. I could have said a lot more, but I could be here all night!
Basement Project (dad's generous, and wonderful work)
Andrew in his last days of thumb sucking
first days of summer
What a big boy!
She is up to the fifth ring!
Always on the go!
A little dark, but here is the graduate.
playing kickball with friends
not a stressful game of kickball!
at the beach with Grandma Koning
Running away from the cold waves
Dutch Festival time! 
Sandcastle built with Grandma Koning while mom and dad rested.
Happy Kiddos!
