Now that was refreshing, wasn't it. Ok, well it was for me. Today is Halloween! We weren't going to be partaking since all this fun has happened over here this week but Jessica is feeling well and her hives are... Continue Reading Happy Halloween! »
I'm starting to think I'm not supposed to do this How To on Staging Your Home to Sell - I've been working on it for two weeks now and have run into problems with the feature every time I sit... Continue Reading Halloween's a-coming! »
In preperation for our next Wince and Wine night I'm going to randomly open a few of my old journals, scan them - and put them here for your merriment. I reserve the right to proof them and possibly pass... Continue Reading Get excited for it, you know you want to »
I am the very proud sister of a new iPhone owner and to boot - she gets chocolate for a year! That's right - MY SISTER WON NEWTREE'S GR8 AMERICAN STORY CONTEST!!! Literally, could not be prouder of this woman.... Continue Reading If I had to choose, I would make her Green Pear »
Ok folks, here's the deal. I was the helper in Jessica's preschool class this morning - in her immersion program, all Spanish speaking class. I now know how to say "sit down" in Spanish. A room full of 3 year... Continue Reading Vamanos! »
We're heading up to Grand Marais, MN for the holiday weekend. A friend is getting married up there and we're using it as an excuse to have some fun. We'll be staying in a little studio for a few nights... Continue Reading Going on a Holiday - hooray! »
Memorial Day weekend was great. We went up to Irons, Mi where my mom just bought a cottage to rent out. We were the first people to stay in it - it was awesome. Mostly we relaxed and sat by... Continue Reading Memorial Day Weekend »
May Day is May 1st and fast approaching. Here's a few links and ideas, a guide, if you will, to the fun of it all. Get your kids or someone else's kids involved and have a blast. Cone Basket Tabletop... Continue Reading May Day Guide »
The Craft Fair was ok. I went to bed last night NOT wanting to participate, just because my feet were the size of footballs ... literally. The water retention is kicking it up a notch over here and it's a... Continue Reading Bake sale wind down »
I sure hope we have a good turn out tomorrow at the Craft Fair ... I made: 6 batches of chocolate chip cookies, 2 of them were made into cookie bars. 8 pans of Rice Crispie bars 4 Chocolate Cream... Continue Reading Scratch Bakery, at your service. »
The JQ99 Spring Craft Fair is approaching - this coming weekend (April 19th 9am-2pm) and I'll be selling baked goods and kids' aprons. Right now here's the list of fares I'll be selling - mark your calendar and come and... Continue Reading Get ready »
Tomorrow morning is the big day of the first apt for all this gestational diabetes stuff. It doesn't feel like such a scary word anymore, I guess making me live with the knowledge for a week without doing a thing... Continue Reading Babies in the belly »
Happy Happy Easter! I'm hosting my side of the family for Easter at our house this year - which is super exciting for me. I love hosting big meals and getting everything ready. Our menu: Ham, made by me Rice... Continue Reading Happy Easter! »
This past week we went to see Dave Ramsey Live - it was awesome. I've been devouring his books for the past few years and Aaron has done some listening to the tapes/CD's. It was so good to see him... Continue Reading Living like no one else, so later we can live like no one else »
I have to share this little neighborly story. For the past 2 weeks there's been various stages of this bathroom remodel under way - whether it was taking 14 large garbage bags out of our house at 10 pm or... Continue Reading Neighborhood watch »
Jessica turns 3 tomorrow. Wow. Today we're making her birthday cake together, or rather I'm making it and she's eating the extra candy. Kids. Today is also the last day of the bathroom remodel and let me just say -... Continue Reading Jessica's gonna be 3 »
Our New Years Eve party is tonight (hopefully, right?) and today Aaron and I spent some quality time today looking for our costumes - our theme is an 80's night. Goodwill was the jackpot. It was hilarious and so much... Continue Reading Totally Bodacious, Dude »
Today we went down town like every other Saturday morning to have coffee and bagels together at a local coffee shop - and then it hit me. Jessica's birthday is only 2 weeks away and Christmas is this weekend. Good... Continue Reading Holiday palooza »
Happy birthday Aaron! Today my husband turns 27. This age is sorta a joke for us - when we first got married I would bug him about being "almost 25, which was almost 27 which was almost 30" when we... Continue Reading Birthday wishes for the man of my dreams »
We spent a night up at Roger's cottage on Harper Lake in Irons, Michigan this weekend - you can see the photos here. We also ate breakfast on a porch and watched the Memorial Day parade. Tonight we plan on... Continue Reading Memorial Day Weekend »
This morning was our first swimming lesson with Jessica - and by "our" I mean we decided that I would take her seeing as how Aaron has to work and all. It went really well, I will admit that I... Continue Reading Danger, danger »
After I tried to give Jessica a hair cut this morning I made an appointment at Quick Cuts, the same place Aaron had his first hair cut more than 20 years ago, and we went in to have it fixed... Continue Reading First Hair Cut Video »
As you might already know we had a fabulous night last night. March 17, 2007 marked the 20 year anniversary of my dad working as a pilot for American Airlines, a goal he had in mind when he took the... Continue Reading Celebrating 20 years »
Yesterday was our first official day with the sitter. She comes in and I give her the run down on Jessica's schedule and then she just starts making her lunch - pulling stuff out of the cupboards and fridge. I... Continue Reading Babysitter love »
Lovely little house. I love you. Map of journey. We drove over 1,300 miles and around Lake Erie. We had so much fun. Can't wait to do it again.... Continue Reading HOME »
Today is the last day of vacation. We're only about 3 hours, roughly, from home ... so I think we'll take a less traveled path and see what we can find. Vacation has been awesome, Jessica has been great too.... Continue Reading Road trip update part IIII »
We stopped for the night on our treck back home. We had a great stay in New York with the extended fam - Thanksgiving was a blast. More photos to come once I'm on my own computer and flickr account.... Continue Reading Road Trip update III »
We're in Toronto - in an amazing hotel. We decided to splurge a bit on Toronto seeing as how it's a vacation within a vacation. I've uploaded some photos to Aaron's Flickr feed because I didn't bring my computer and... Continue Reading Road Trip update part II »
We made it to London, Ontario already, the half way point. It didn't work out to visit our friends in Ann Arbor, so we took a jaunt through Port Heron before crossing the bridge into Canada. We're in a sweet... Continue Reading Road trip update »
We are in Washington, having a great time! We're keeping busy with everything. Seeing family and shopping and visiting animals. Jessica loves it. She's doing wonderfully. The flight was good out here and I'm hoping it'll be better on the... Continue Reading Washington Oct 2006 »
This past weekend was a busy one for us - among family birthdays and open houses one of my best friends got married and I was their photographer, I've uploaded a few photos to flickr of the busy day. I... Continue Reading Busy life »
Per dooce's review of Sigur Ros, I checked it out on iTunes and although the only live concert I've ever been to is Jars Of Clay when I was 14 I would be very open to seeing them in concert.... Continue Reading Sigur Ros »
This Saturday we're going to be doing some major outdoor projects and landscaping. If you're bored and want something to do - PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME AND PLAY WITH OUR DIRT. Possible things going on: Building a pergola Building... Continue Reading Saturday at the Schaaps »
Most of the Easter photos, taken thus far, are here. Enjoy! The day was a success. Full of ham, I am ... and lots of food that does nothing to better my health - but the company we kept... Continue Reading Easter 2006 »
Doing a little crafty renovation today - just one more part of the Jessica's Bedroom Redo. I'm framing 8X10 cards of the alphabet, found here, and then hanging those frames around the upper half of her wall in the circumference... Continue Reading Easter and the such »
My weekend in Chicago was grand. Completely wonderful, refreshing and such a blast with my mom and sister. We spent many hours shopping at Felines Basment, H&M, J. Crew, all over Michigan Ave. and the Hershey's store. It was spellbounding.... Continue Reading Chicago March, 2006 »
Can't write much, baby just woke up - check out the Valentines photos.... Continue Reading Valentines photos »
This weekend was utterly delicious. Free time. Chicago. Blues clubs. Food. No phone calls from work this time. (I won't elaborate on this because I'm pretty sure if you're reading this, you know who you are.) Among the wonderful food... Continue Reading Relaxed and ready for anything »
We're leaving Jessica with my mom for the weekend and we're off to Chicago with another couple - COMPLETE FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm kind of excited.... Continue Reading Chinese New Year ... here I come. »
Apparently Jessica has gone to one nap a day. Instead of sleeping 20 hours, then 16, then 3 naps, then 2 ... we're down to one. The past few days has been kind of hairy in the napping department because... Continue Reading Transistion to one nap »
I picked up the bowl from Paint-a-Pot today that Jessica and I made in memory of her first birthday, along with help from Grandpa and Grandma Schaap. I really need to get some names in order for all the Grandparents... Continue Reading 18 Grandparents, just grandparents - 18 of them. »
In less than 12 hours we leave for Virginia to visit some friends over the holiday. For the past two days I've been busy with getting my house ready and packing myself and Jessica up for a week that it's... Continue Reading New traditions, our traditions. »
Today is my incredibly sexy husbands 25th birthday. Can I get a woot woot?... Continue Reading Shout out »
Everyone should sign up for 7dots - a way to manage your passwords and other important information on the internet. It's like a safe-deposit box for the web. I don't know about you but I personally have over 20 passwords... Continue Reading 7dots preliminary launch »
While Aaron and some other local geeks went to the Rubies on Rails conference in Lincoln Park, Illinoise yesterday I was hanging out in Chicago with a friend - one of the local geeks wives. Jessica stayed home with Grandma... Continue Reading Chicago, for fun »
Jessica is imitating us more and more every day. What we say, how we say it, what we do with out faces and hands. Although she refuses to sign "please" for me, or anything for that matter. We consistently are... Continue Reading And here it is »
This morning as Jessica was feeding herself banana, sitting in her "big girl chair" and not needing me for any of it - she started clapping. On her own. We've been playing patty-cake for about 3 months now and every... Continue Reading Clappy clappy clappy »
People kept asking me if we were going to take Jessica trick or treating ... my answer was no. She's 9 months old, not allowed to have sugar and can't say "Trick or Treat!". Plus, I'm not dropping $20 on... Continue Reading Halloween 2005 »
Jessica is becoming quite the novice little walker - but she rarely has any direction, she just likes to walk, around. Her favorite, it seems, is to walk around with something in her hands; right now it's the mobile from... Continue Reading One step, Two step, Slow step, Fast step. »
After realizing that Jessica likes to take naps ONLY in her crib or car seat - and very rarely with me or on me, I decided it was high time to train this child up in the way she should... Continue Reading New nap routine »
Last week sometime Leanne and I went to Cranes Orchard with our lil' ladies. Jessica and I Leanne and Anna Needless to say, it was fun. And the doughnuts are amazing. I'm not going to tell you that between Leanne... Continue Reading Cranes Orchard »
I think this morning was my last morning nursing Jessica. She's weened herself for the most part. I got the ball rolling about 2 months ago cutting one feeding out of her schedule and replacing it with more solids and... Continue Reading From the breastessess to the sippy cup »
We broke down and signed up for Netflix this weekend. After being faithful Blockbuster customers for years and after enduring their prices for those same years, we finally broke and went for Netflix. The straw that broke the camles back... Continue Reading Renters demise »
Wednesday night we witnessed, together, the first steps. The very first step was just Aaron and Jessica but then when I got home from running childless errands, she did it again. Oh the glory. My life's purpose is fulfilled in... Continue Reading Actual first stepage witnessed »
Sophia Broersma Brandt born 9.20.05 7:02 pm 8 lbs 20 ins Jessica's not the baby anymore. Which is really sad, but competely happy at the same time. Emma is already a darling big sister and mom and dad are elated.... Continue Reading Jessica's not the baby anymore »
Today is my birthday :) And I'm spending it with my family in Chicago. We'll be here until Sunday evening and we're staying at a FRIGGEN awesome hotel. Jessica is doing wonderfully. I think today I'll be shopping at Oakbrook.... Continue Reading Chicago !!! »
This month has been one of anniversaries. Both happy and sad - celebrations and somber moments. Aug 29 was the 1 year anniversary of my dad's victory over cancer. I really tried not to write about it, but it was... Continue Reading Anniversaries »
Vacation was so much fun. We had a blast, I wasn't completely ready to come home yet. I'll get some photos online shortly, until then though - a few highlights/mishaps worth noting: Jessica, Aaron and I went to Nooksak falls... Continue Reading Home again, home again »
I ran and finished the Patriot's Day 5K in Grand Haven this morning! I was 12 place in my age group and 278th place over all (hee hee). I ran 12:58 minute:second miles and did the entire 5K in 40:15... Continue Reading We'll be seeing you »
Yesterday we packed our Michigan selves up and traversed down to Shipshewana for the day with my mom. We had a blast. Jessica was a charm as always - smiling for everyone and being content to sit in her car... Continue Reading Surprise post ... »
Memorial Day was AWESOME. We took the miniature family out to the beach to camp with some friends. Needless to say, we had a blast. Jessica took her first boat ride, in which she was entirely immobile - what with... Continue Reading Holiday Haven »
After the whole winter Grandpa and Grandma Schaap finally came home - they parked their trailer and 2 1/2 hours later were at our house. Welcome home Grandpa and Grandma!!... Continue Reading Grandma finally meets Jessica »
Today Jessica had her first play date. And it was magnificent. We went to the Grandville mall to mall walk. Oh yes, I was that mother, with the stroller and the whole nine yards, WALKING THE MALL. We went with... Continue Reading Play date numero uno »
Jessica had her first sink bath tonight. Oh the possibilites of bath time after the cord falls off! She actually doesn't mind the bath. She doesn't cry or scream when we put her in the water - which is nice.... Continue Reading Sink bath! »