Snow!

Wowzers, we've already gotten our first snow.  And I mean, snow that sticks where the kiddos are suited up for sledding, Scotty had to fire up the snow blower, and the local schools already had a snow day (in mid-November - the 18th!!)  This is the earliest snow that I can remember since living in Michigan for the past 6 years.  While many a Michigander was found chagrin by it, Micah was ab.so.lute.ly thrilled by it.  He LOVES the snow, and declares winter to be his favorite season (believe it, he means it - the snow has actually all melted away in the past couple days and he was totally sad about the white wonderland disappearing)!  

Joy's a goober - she loves to eat snow whenever she can!

Perfect weather for indoor picnics in a fort.

In his element (he volunteered to shovel!)

Scotty digging out the van...

View out the kitchen window.

Fascinated by watching daddy snow plow.

Baby Ruth #4

We're expecting our 4th bundle of joy early next spring!!

18 Weeks

Joy impersonates mommy...

...Noah impersonates Joy...

...Micah doesn't play with dolls.

Fall leaf cleanup begins!

Fall is falling and we did our first round of leaf-blowing and raking today...

Quotely's Birthday!!

Hey folks!!  So after 2 years of work and teaming up with a couple developers, Scotty has launched a new app TODAY - Quotely!!  Woohoo, I am so proud of him, happy for him and so, so thankful to God for seeing us through the process!  If you or someone you know has an iPhone/iPod Touch, PLEASE download, write a review and pass the word along by clicking this link:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/quotely/id578355239?mt=8 

Thanks!!

Here are just a few cards I've made.  Fun, fun. 

First "Official" Ruth Family Camping Trip!

Here's one of those posts I had planned to get up a month ago - documentation of our first camping trip.  It's been a whole year since our backyard "camping."  The last weekend in July we loaded up our tent (thanks g'pa and g'ma Sovilla), sleeping bags (thanks g'pa and g'ma Ruth), and other gear for an overnight on a campground.  The kids had.a.blast.  Scotty and I enjoyed ourselves too - except for our tent neighbors who were watching some TV show on loop on their laptop until 4am (thankfully the kids slept through it and when it did stop, Scotty and I finally got some sleep too)!!  

Our destination was Torch Lake.  Scotty learned about it earlier this summer and wanted to visit it ever since - he said it was supposed to have crystal clear water down to the bottom (we discovered that to be true).  Absolutely beautiful and clean.  

First stop - Torch Lake!

Next stop - campground!

Now back to the lake before dinner, campfire and bedtime.

Roasting 'mallows.

S'mores are soooo tasty!

Our sleeping bag kiddos.

The way I found Noah bundled in the morning - sans sleeping bag.

Morning!

Playing on the campground playground.

Breakfast before loading up (which we did in a hurry - it started raining)!

One more stop at Torch Lake before heading home.

Got soaked.

Homeward bound!

Open roads and beautiful skies.

Family Visit :-)

Yikes!  Has it really been a month since I last published a post?  I've "written" plenty a post in my mind but actually getting that onto this here blog with pictures too is quite another story!  Our family is doing well and God is taking care of us. :-)  Here is just a snippet of a wonderful visit we had from my in-laws and grandparent-in-laws (they hadn't met Noah or the twins yet - what an incredible time we all had together)!!!

Warming up to great grandpa Ruth right away.

Papa probably telling a tall tale to one of the twins ;-)

This one cracks me up - cousin bonding??

Ladies breakfast with some of Lisa's friends - delightful (and tasty)!

Good eats at Craig's Cruisers.

First ride at Craig's Cruisers - fun, fun!

Big boy, ready to race.

Cutems.

Watching big bro race.

Putt-putt golf.

Yay family!!

Two upcoming bdays to celebrate. :-)

2 Lakes Twice Visited

A week ago Sunday we went for an afternoon drive with some sandwich fixins' for dinner in an ice chest, and swimming suits just in case we found some water to swim in. :-)  By the time we finished driving and finding a good waterfront area, parking and walking to the beach front, it was already dinner time so we had to skip swimming.

We told 'em they could wade, but we're not swimming...

...and then here's Joy wet to her waistline. ;-)

What kid doesn't like sand? (Yes, he's dumping it on the blanket).

A big stick and a sandpit - what could be cooler for little boys?

Well, yesterday we hit the road sooner in the day and went back to the same spot and got to stay for 4 hours - we ate, swam and played hard!!  The kids had an absolute blast.  It's a fascinating little area - the choice of swimming in Lake Michigan or Duck Lake or the shared inlet from where the lakes meet (which is a warmer, shallow pool-like area).

The sand was HOT, wanted to protect our sandals from the hot sun.

Duck Lake

Lake Michigan

They had fun, fun, fun.

Building a channel from Lake Michigan to a smaller inlet.

Enjoying the smaller inlet - no waves to startle him :-)