Colbert VanGerpens

Winter

2012-01-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

What a crazy fun-filled few months! Thanksgiving came and went. Christmas came and went. And now we are into mid January with Ben, Jacob and Caleb in full force with school and the boys with basketball. We have practice or games 7 days a week around here so our evenings are quite busy so we all look forward to the few and far between quiet evenings at home together. We all LOVED Disneyland in mid December with my family!! First vacation ever with my whole family. The cousins had a blast running around Disneyland together. It was a whirlwind of a vacation and we all wished it was longer than 3 days together!! Great memories though so enjoy the pics!!

Sports and Fun

2011-10-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

Pics of Jacob running cross country and Caleb playing baseball. Now already into basketball season! Busy times!! And had a great time at the end of summer camping with some friends. Already missing the warms temps!!

Enjoy!

2011-10-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

"We can study the scriptures every single day - but if we do not live them out in love - not ONE WORD abides in us"
Beth Moore

2011-09-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

Wow!! How time gets away from me. Summer flew by and now we're into Fall. We had a great summer with lots of camping(which I'll have to post those pics later). Started summer off with some baseball for Caleb. It was his first time playing baseball and he loved it. Did great too! His favorite position was 1st base and also pitcher. Went on a weekend camping trip to Leavenworth that mom and dad were able join us for a bit!! Then went to the beach for a week with the whole VanGerpen clan.

Now we are in full swing of the school year and wishing it was still summer vacation!! Enjoy the few pics and charish the people God puts in our paths :)

Heidi

2011-05-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

As my boys get older, I am learning to be more of a listener. Jacob has so much to say these day if I just remember to take the time to be available to be around him and let him say what he needs to say. So much comes out from his day and what's in his mind if I don't ask too many questions and just listen. Last night we stayed up until 10:40 just talking. It was great to hear what was on his mind.

James 1:19
Matthew 12:36-37 (Jacob's memory verse for the week)

2011-05-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

I'm so thankful to be a mom to my two favorite kids in the world! And it was so fun to watch Jacob in his first parade in 6th grade band for his school. They did great! It's crazy to think he's almost a jr higher!! He can't wait either :)

Road Trip

2011-04-28T13:49:00.001-07:00

We took a road trip over spring break and made it all the way to the Grand Canyon. We saw a lot of beautiful scenery along with lots of snow. It was a great adventure! Enjoy the pics!

MAUI

2011-03-22T12:27:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the pic's of our spur-of-the-moment trip to Maui!!! Two weeks before these pictures we didn't even know we were going.....so it was a blast to be able to go without waiting a long time! The weather was perfect and we loved traveling with our best friends. It was a memorable vacation and we are already talking about the next trip!! And we can now can say that we survived a tsunami! Luckily it ended up being fine where we were staying, but the unknown made us quite nervous. Enjoy and hopefully more to come soon from another Maui vacation!!! :)

2011-02-08T13:11:00.000-08:00

"Learn to live life well.....forget the bucket lists about once-in-a-lifetime experiences......learn how to find joy in the midst of drama and daily routines....learn to give thanks for the life you already have....learn to be satisfied in God and what He gives...." Ann Voskamp

I just started reading a book. I just finished the first chapter and it was already full of thought provoking statements. Her dare is to live fully right where you are. God knows the full picture and no matter how hard we try to change our life for what we think is the better, in the end God's plan will always prevail. I pray God will help me to be content in the life He put before me and to not try and take control, but to leave the control in His mighty hands.

Thanks sis for the book!!!

Heidi

Caleb's Photography!

2011-01-17T09:29:00.000-08:00

These are the pictures that Caleb took with his new camera he got for Christmas. It's fun to see how they turned out! I think he did great! Enjoy!!

Winter

2011-01-13T13:29:00.000-08:00

Wow! It has been a long time since I've posted any pictures! Time goes by so fast! It's been a fun few months with Thanksgiving and Christmas and now basketball is starting up. Jacob and Caleb have had a lot of fun being in the snow, but I think we are all ready for spring weather! Lots of fun family memories and one of the highlights of this winter for the boys is we finally got a dog. Darla is a good addition to our family! Enjoy the pics and here's hoping I don't take so long next time keeping up on new pics!!

End of summer fun

2010-10-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

We had a fun-filled end of the summer. We enjoyed staying at the lake for a week and doing some golfing with grandpa! We were able to go to Seattle for a quick weekend getaway and see a Mariner game! We had excellent seats; about 10 rows up directly behind home plate!

Now we are into the swing of things for a new school year. Jacob is just finishing up cross country and will soon start basketball. Caleb will play basketball as well so it should be a fun time of sports! Enjoy the pics!!

2010-10-07T22:50:00.000-07:00

Quote for the day:

Be a giver not a taker

Listen more - Talk less

Compliment more - Criticize less

Forgive more - Judge less

In the end you will be happy more and not friendless!

Summer

2010-09-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been awhile since I've put some pictures on here! It was a great summer! Lots of fun memories with friends, family and just the four of us! We were able to go hang out at the lake two different times this summer for a week at a time and also go to the Oregon coast! It's hard to believe the summer is over and we are back into the routine of school and sports. Jacob is now in 6th grade and loving it! His teacher is wonderful! More homework than he would like, but that's growing up I guess. Caleb is in 4th and doing excellent! His teacher is wonderful as well so it will be a great year for both. Jacob is doing cross country with his school team and also in 6th grade band playing percussion. Caleb is taking a break from sports this season, but hopefully will decide what sounds fun to him for this winter or spring. I am trying to cherish each day and be a listener to them when they have so much to say when the day is over. I love to hear what is on their mind and what is challenging them. I thank the Lord for entrusting them to me and Ben.

Blessings,

Heidi

2010-06-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend a few weeks ago in Seattle. After meeting mom and dad at the hotel, we had a wonderful dinner on the waterfront watching a huge cruise ship dock right by the restaurant! We enjoyed the Seattle Aquarium, Pikes Place market and a Seattle Mariner game! It was a fun-filled weekend that went way too fast! Enjoy the pics!!

Heidi

2010-06-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

A few thoughts I want to share. This life can be full of excitement, fun times, joy..... but also struggles, defeat, tears. I believe God gives us many opportunities during a day to be an encouragement to others. We don't always know what a friend may be going thru so our words are crucial to either building one another up or tearing them down.
-We have the opportunity to cheer someone during their busy day or simply bark at them. A good friend will not tear someone down with her tongue but build her up with positive words as they walk along this life.
- Embrace a friend with words that can fill an empty heart. Words that lift her up when she is lying face down in defeat.
- Extend grace to a hurting friend knowing that she is struggling deeply.

- If you find the slightest pleasure in criticizing a friend, that is the time to hold your tongue.

- "As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colosians 3:12

I pray God gives me the discernment to know when to speak and when to hold my tongue. I pray God gives me the words to say to a hurting friend. I pray God gives me encouraging words that may help and show His love.

Hugs,
Heidi

SPRING SPORTS

2010-05-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how fast this spring has gone! Our spring sport season is already over! Jacob had fun playing for the 5th grade school team this year. He pitched, was 1st baseman and outfield a few times. It was so fun to watch him be comfortable in a sport he loves. Caleb finished his fourth year of soccer with the same fantastic coach! More pics of his tournament to come, but they are still on my camera!! :) He became so aggressive and loved every minute of it! I so enjoy watching them grow and watching them enjoy the small moments of life.

Enjoy,

Heidi

Spring Break!

2010-04-09T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here is just a few of a couple hundred pictures that were taken during out spring break trip to the California Redwoods and along the Oregon Coast! :) It was full of rain, wind and even snow, but lots of smiles and fun memories! It was a great road trip and Jacob and Caleb did awesome on the long car rides. We visited the Redwood National Forest, lots of lighthouses, sea lion caves, sand dunes (and went on an amazing dune buggy ride), hiked lots of trails along the way and of course visited several hotel swimming pools! It was great just being together and not having a set itinerary, but just stopping a doing fun things along the way. God showed me how amazing his creation is and how precious the gift of my boys are that He gave me!

I recently read in a book I'm slowing working my way through that - "our greatest fear as individuals should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter." That statement really hit me that I need to focus more on trying to figure out God's will for me and less of my will. To love Him with all my soul and to love others that He puts in my life!

Enjoy the pics!

Winter

2010-02-23T12:40:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy winter, yet I don't have very many pictures from it! The few I have are of what Jacob has been up to. He started guitar lessons at the end of October and he's playing 5th grade basketball with his school. It has been a lot of fun watching him do both. I put that first picture on here because I thought it was so funny how tall that other kid is compared to the rest of our team. I'm pretty sure he was an eighth grader playing on the fifth grade team! :) Anyway, enjoy the few pictures I have and enjoy the rest of your day!

2010-01-13T10:02:00.000-08:00

Just a few family Christmas pictures. I guess the rest are still on our camera. Whoops! Need to transfer them first.

Enjoy the few I have!

Heidi

2010-01-13T09:53:00.000-08:00

From my devotional book this morning:

Let Me prepare you for the day that stretches out before you. I know exactly what this day will contain, whereas you have only vague ideas about it. You would like to see a map, showing all the twists and turns of your journey. You'd feel more prepared if you could somehow visualize what is on the road ahead. However, there is a better way to be prepared for whatever you will encounter today: spend quality time with Me.

I will not show you what is on the road ahead, but I will thoroughly equip you for the journey. My living Presence is your Companion each step of the way. Stay in continual communication with Me, whispering My name whenever you need to redirect your thoughts. Thus, you can walk through this day with your focus on Me. My abiding Presence is the best road map available.

Exodus 33:14 : And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you peace."

Enjoy the day!

Heidi

2009-11-30T11:01:00.000-08:00

I had a conversation with a friend and I thought I'd share some of it since it seems to be the time of year when some people get wrapped up in the busyness of life. We both have had some times that as we look back now, God may be trying to teach us to be more of a listener and less of a talker. As well as encourage the people around us. Why is it that we tend to tear each other down rather than build each other up? As friends, we have the opportunity to cheer someone up on their busy day or simply make a small jab of words that at that moment in time can really weigh that person down. A good friend will not tear someone down with her tongue but build her up with positive words as they walk through this life together. This conversation was a great reminder to watch what we say. You never know exactly what your friend is going through when you open your mouth. I'm so thankful for God's mercy and grace in my life. My prayer is that I can learn what to say and what not to say. Some words are better left unsaid. And I pray that I know the right words to say to a friend who really needs lifted up with encouragement.

God Bless,
Heidi

Fall Sports

2009-11-16T13:02:00.000-08:00

I think these are the last fall sport pictures that we have. Next sport will be basketball this winter. Just wanted to share these last few. Enjoy!

FALL FUN

2009-11-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

It's been a very busy Fall. Jacob was in Cross Country and did a great job. He improved with each run! He had practice twice a week and meets on Fridays. At each meet, he ran 1 mile. His fastest race was 6min 29sec. He amazed us! Caleb was in soccer and also did great! His team was undefeated! He had a blast. And to end the season, his soccer team was in a Wendle truck commercial. Brief, but the boys had fun getting filmed.

Me and the boys were able to go to the driving range and hit some golf balls while the weather was nice. Hopefully we will get a few more chances to do that! And they also had fun on halloween with their friends trick-or-treating around our neighborhood.

Caleb's 8th Birthday!

2009-09-28T10:45:00.001-07:00

Better late than never! Caleb celebrated his birthday with a few friends at the bowling alley back in August. We love him dearly and we love watching him grow into a fun-loving little man!

MORE PICTURES!

2009-08-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

CANNON BEACH VACATION

2009-08-07T09:43:00.001-07:00

We had a great vacation at the Oregon coast once again! We have a great time with friends and family and enjoy the relaxing times just being on the beach and enjoying time away from home. I have more pictures to share, but just wanted to get a few on here until I can share more of our pictures! Enjoy!

2009-07-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

More birthday fun with grandparents! He loves his golf clubs and basketball hoop. And can't forget another birthday dessert. This time brownies!!

Jacob turns 10!!!

2009-07-18T14:27:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Jacob is now in the double digits!! He turned 10 on June 27th! Hard to believe how fast it's gone. All he wanted to do for his birthday is have his two best friends spend the night and go to Wonderland with them. They played mini golf, go-carts, bumper boats and did the batting cages. They all seemed to have a great time! We then came home and had nachos for dinner and donuts for dessert! Easy enough for me!!!

I thank God for each day that He gives me with him and Caleb! :) They are a true joy to be around and I look forward to all the other fun years ahead.

Family birthday party pictures are coming soon!!

TEE TIME

2009-06-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

Ben, Jacob and Caleb tried a new sport - GOLF. They all had a great time! My dad met them at Par 3 and helped teach them the basics. Thanks dad!! The boys are looking forward to the next time they get to go!

Happy 13th Anniversary

2009-06-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

Ben and I have been married for 13 years today! I am blessed to have him as my husband and so thankful that I married my best friend. I LOVE YOU BEN!

Our Baseball Star

2009-06-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

Jacob has just recently started his baseball season. His first two games have been fun to watch and a little nerve racking for me. He has been able to pitch the last two games and I always get so nervous. He's doing great! After his first inning of pitching he was able to calm down a bit and enjoy it a little more. He wasen't quite sure if he was going to like pitching or not, but his coaches are very encouraging and helpful and he seems to be able to concentrate better before each pitch and he's getting more accurate. He is growing up before my eyes and I thank God for him! I am a blessed mother to have TWO wonderful boys!

Our Soccer Star

2009-06-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

Finally, here are some pictures of Caleb's spring soccer season. He had such a great, fun season with his friends and has learned so much from his wonderful coach. It's been so fun watching him get more confident and aggressive in playing soccer.

Enjoy,

Heidi

Fun

2009-06-04T11:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a wonderful, yet busy last few months. I am so blessed to have two fun, kind and energetic little men to hang around with. Jacob, Caleb and I went to a mother/son social at school in April and as you can tell it was a pirate theme. Caleb has ended soccer for the season until fall and Jacob has started baseball for the summer. A few weeks ago we were able to go to a Gonzaga baseball game and the boys each brought a friend. I think Caleb and his friend had more fun playing in the open grassy area playing with a baseball rather than watch the game. We all had a great time! It's crazy to think that next week is the end of the school year and it's summer break time. Hooray!!!! The boys will be doing VBS, swimming lessons, baseball games and hopefully lots of just good old play time! I love to watch them play and get along together so well. It's a true blessing! Just this week at school during chapel they were learning about speaking kindly to others. The mouth will always say what is in the heart. ALWAYS!! It's nice to hear them try (not always :) ) speak kindly to each other! I'm learning this just as much as they are. In a book I've been reading was talking about this very thing. I put this on facebook, but I know not everyone is on facebook, so anyway the quote I love it: It is an awesome responsibility, this job called motherhood. We have the privilege of shaping and molding an eternal soul for a very short, very fleeting moment of time. And one of the primary ways we accomplish this feat is with the words we speak.

Enjoy the day!!

Heidi

Time Away

2009-04-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

Ben and I were able to get away for a few days near the Cascade Locks and Multanomah Falls area in Oregon. It was a beautiful time of year to go when everything was so green from the wet winter/spring and the water falls were flowing swiftly. Ben had the whole week off of work so it was a great time to relax and spend time together. Much needed for both of us. We had a massage at the spa at our hotel and ordered room service for dinner. The hotel was a beautiful place to hike around since it is surrounded by a spectacular golf course.

Family Race

2009-04-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

We did our first 5k run as a family at the Spokane River Run. It was a lot of fun and the boys did great. One of Jacob's good friends joined us. After the run we enjoyed a tasty piece of David's Pizza which they were selling at the race. Best pizza in Spokane!

MORE PICTURES!

2009-03-23T19:36:00.001-07:00

DISNEYLAND

2009-03-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

Our family vacaction to Disneyland was fun, warm and a few unexpected events. We had a great time hanging out as a family and visiting a warm Disneyland. It was so much fun to see the boys' excitment to all the fun sites and excited to just be in Disneyland. Unfortunately, Caleb got sick with a stomach bug the first evening and was queezy and not feeling well the rest of the trip. Can't plan those things and we just tried to make the best of the time we were there. Ben and I had to take turns staying with Caleb in the hotel room and taking Jacob to Disneyland and California Adventure. Perhaps next year or the year after we can have a re-do!!!!! :)

I feel so blessed and I am so thankful for each and every time I am able to spend with my wonderful kids and exceptional husband and make fun and lasting memories with them.

I will put more pictures of our trip soon! Just wanted to get a start on it!!

Love you all,

Heidi

CALEB'S NEW SMILE!

2009-03-02T09:46:00.000-08:00

Caleb finally lost his first front tooth! It was loose for about 3 months so it was a very exciting time! We've all had a very good, but busy few weeks. Basketball is over for the season. Jacob and Caleb had their awards ceremony on Sunday evening. Upwards basketball brought in a former San Antonio Spurs player and Harlem Globetrotter Melvin Adams. He was histerical and I think the kids enjoyed it. Hope you all have a great week!! I'll update this later when I have more time, but I just wanted to show you Caleb's new smile!!

Love, Heidi

BASKETBALL

2009-02-09T17:42:00.000-08:00

Jacob and Caleb have been enjoying basketball for the first time this winter. They both wanted to give it a try and are loving it. They have games every Saturday and practices on Tuesday evenings. It's so much fun to watch them enjoy the sport as well as make new friends.

Sledding Fun

2009-01-28T18:32:00.000-08:00

Here is a video from around Christmas when Jacob, Caleb, Ben and Uncle Andy went sledding. We put the camera in a baggie and shot a little footage. This took a while to get on the blog as we tried to figure out how to get it to upload. Uncle Andy helped us learn how to publish the video. We hope you enjoy.

FAMILY FUN FOR SNOWY CHRISTMAS

2009-01-06T15:53:00.000-08:00

It's been an interesting few weeks full of snow, Christmas, snow, playing and more snow. The last two days were suppose to be school days, but Christmas break has lasted a little longer since all the snow we have received. We had a great Christmas with family and I think the big hit was Rock Band for our Wii. Even my dad played it on Christmas day. The boys did some sledding and then we have mainly played around the house. They have had plenty of snow outside to play with their friends in. I am so thankful for the family and friends we have to spend time with and create fun, long-lasting memories. The Lord has truely blessed our family!

LET IT SNOW

2008-12-21T15:33:00.000-08:00

It's been a very busy last few days full of shoveling and playing in the snow. In two days we got around 25 inches of snow and it's snowing again today. So far today we have received another 6 inches. The boys are loving it, but me not so much. Oh well, it can't be here forever. At least we will have a white Christmas! :)

FALL FUN

2008-12-01T10:50:00.001-08:00

It's been awhile since I've told you about the happenings of us!!! It's been a busy fall. Caleb ended soccer in mid October. He was able to try out being goalie this season! He hasen't decided if he likes it or not. Jacob and Caleb are now gearing up for basketball this winter. Their first practice is next week. It will be a first for both of them, but I'm glad they want to try it out. Of course they are on separate teams, but it will keep us busy this winter. School is keeping the boys busy and now especially with Christmas upon us, it's getting busier each week. We had a great Thanksgiving. Low key and relaxing. Matt and Sandy flew in from Tennessee for a whole week and Andy came from Olympia. All the boys (Ben, Andy, Matt, Jacob and Caleb) spent a lot of time playing the Wii. It was fun to watch all of them get into it!! Another year to be thankful for so much. Ben and I have two wonderful, healthy little men that we couldn't be more proud of. We have so much love from both of our parents and of course, the never-ending love and never-changing Christ our Lord. He has blessed us so much!

Take care,

Heidi

WE'RE STILL HERE

2008-10-04T13:32:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened since I last wrote on our blog. My sisters family came here for a visit from Texas for almost a month. It was wonderful!! And Caleb's soccer has started back up along with school. It's been a whirl wind for the last two months. I enjoyed the time my sister was here ( I miss you sis!!) and it was fun watching all the kids reconnect. It's as if they have not been apart. Here are some of the fun pictures...

CALEB'S 7TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

2008-08-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Caleb's 7th birthday party at a place called Jump and Bounce. It was filled with inflatable toys to jump and play on. There was a slide, boxing ring, obstacle course and a sticky wall. He had a great time with about 12 friends. It's hard to believe my baby is now 7 years old. I try to enjoy every changing year and week it seems. He gets more and more independant with each day and he enjoys life so much. It's fun to just sit back and watch the little man God has created. We are blessed!!

MORE PICTURES!

2008-07-30T11:00:00.001-07:00

Our week at the beach was filled with fun! We relaxed on the beach, rented tricycles, tried to master the skim board and just hung out watching the kids play with their friends on the beach. One afternoon there was a small carnival for the kids which they enjoyed. It was a great time for all of us to catch up on things and enjoy each others company!

CANNON BEACH VACATION

2008-07-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

We had a great time on our vacation at Cannon Beach with the whole VanGerpen clan. We stayed at the Christian Conference Center and had a great speaker for the week. Jacob and Caleb really enjoyed the Kids Clubs and had fun meeting new friends and playing with some friends from a few years ago that they had met. Enjoy the pictures and I'll post more of what we did throughout the week soon!

Love, Heidi

BEACH TIME

2008-07-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, July 6th, we went to Coeur D' Alene Lake and spent a few hours hanging out on the beach and at the park. It was great weather! Not too hot! We weren't sure if it would be busy or not since it was the end of the 4th of July holiday weekend, but it was not busy at all. We enjoyed a relaxing day just spending time as a family! Enjoy the pics and have a great day!

Love, Heidi

JACOB'S (2nd) 9TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

2008-07-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

I promise that this is the last birthday celebration for Jacob's birthday. At least until next year! We have to celebrate someone's birthday at least twice! :) On June 29th we had Grandparents over for a special afternoon. Jacob wanted BBQ hamburgers, fruit, chips and clam dip that only my dad can make. (Thanks dad!!) Jacob made a special phone call to ask his Grandpa Craig if he would make it and of course he did. He then opened presents and got two new Wii games and some legos and then played some games outside. For dessert he wanted apple crisp and wanted 9 candles on his one piece. Anything for the birthday boy! Anyway, fun was had by all and we are so blessed to have Jacob in our lives. Enjoy the pictures!

Love, Heidi

SWIMMING LESSONS

2008-07-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

Jacob and Caleb started swim lessons last week. This Thursday will be their last day of lessons. They've had a really great time. The first two pictures are of Caleb and in his class he is mainly getting use to splashing around and having fun in the water. Today they did try the back float. Jacob is doing many different strokes and learning how to breathe. Tomorrow he has a swimming test to pass level 2 and go on to level 3. He has to swim the length of the pool and back and then do the back stroke just one length of the pool. Enjoy your day and the pictures!

Love, Heidi

JACOB'S 9th BIRTHDAY

2008-06-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

Well, we celebrated Jacob's 9th birthday on Friday the 27th. I can't believe he is 9 already! He had some friends over at 3:30 to have an early dinner. He loves mexican food so he chose to have tacos. Then around 4:30 we headed over to the movie theatre to hang out in a party room for an hour to open presents and have brownies and ice cream. We then were able to go on a tour of behind the scenes of the movie theatre. It was really neat to see how everything was set up. I think the boys really enjoyed it and they each got a small part of a film strip to keep. We then went to the movie Wall-E which got over at 8:00. So it was a fun-filled afternoon. He got some great gifts. Some of the things were legos (which he loves), remote control car and some gift cards. Ben and I got him a ripstik which will take him awhile to get the hang of. He's still practicing it in the living room on the carpet. Enjoy the pictures and hope you have a great day!

Love, Heidi

TRACK

2008-06-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

Finally! Here are the pictures from Jacob's track season. He had a really fun time and is already planning on doing it again next year. Caleb was able to fill in one time for the boys relay race. They were short one team member so they asked if he wanted to try. He enjoyed it!

FLY TIME

2008-06-23T18:49:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Jacob had the opportunity to go for an airplane ride with his Sunday school teacher. Jim, his teacher, is a Moody Aviation instructor. Jacob's Sunday school class was rewarded by memorizing a lot of bible memory verses by going for a 30-40 minute airplane ride. They all had a blast! Jacob enjoyed it even more knowing that his uncle Matt is able to fly these types of planes. What an awesome opportunity for Jacob and we were so blessed to have Jim and his wife be Jacob's teachers for the year. Enjoy the pictures and the rest of your day! Love, Heidi

2008-06-02T20:15:00.000-07:00

We said good-bye to the VW van and welcomed a motorcyle for Ben (and Jacob). Jacob asks everyday to go for a ride. He loves it and Caleb hasn't quite decided when he wants to go for a ride. I have gone on two rides so far. It was a little nerve racking for me at first, but I got use to it. Ben is really enjoying driving it around instead of the huge gas hog (GMC Yukon). Enjoy the pictures.

SPRING SPORTS

2008-05-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

Well, today was the end of spring sports for the VanGerpen household. Caleb finished soccer last Sunday on Mothers Day and Jacob had his all-city track meet today. It was from 10 to 2 and very hot out, but I won't complain because the warmth is much welcomed around here. Caleb did great this soccer season having many assists and one goal and Jacob did great as well during his track season getting three 1st place ribbons for the 1/2 mile and in the all-city meet today he got 3rd place in the 1/2 mile overall. He also enjoyed the javelin and got 4th place in the all-city for that. They both had a great spring and now we will enjoy a short break before Jacob starts baseball practice in a few weeks. We are enjoying our weekend just playing outside since it was close to 90 today as well as tomorrow. Enjoy your day!

Pictures of Jacob in track will be coming soon. I don't have any on the computer yet!

Heidi

YOUNG JEDIS

2008-05-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

The boys have really been into Star Wars lately. They have watched the first three episodes and I think one of the last three episodes. Jacob and Caleb have been saving up their money for a few toys that they have been wanting and a new light saber is one of them. They are getting pretty good at the light saber fighting.

Next month is Jacob's 9th birthday and he's planning on having a Star Wars birthday unless he changes his mind, but for now that's the plan.

Enjoy your day!

Heidi

MOOSE ON THE LOOSE

2008-05-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

These pictures are a long time coming. Sorry! I told my sister I would put these pictures on our blog and then I could not figure out where I put the pictures, so here they are sis!! The first picture is in our driveway. The other picture is in our neighbors backyard. We couldn't believe it when we say it. At first I thought it was a horse, but then when I looked closer at it thru our front window I noticed it was a moose. He was in our neighborhood for about 3 weeks eating everyones trees. But since the snow has finally gone away (hopefully for good) I think the moose decided to wander back up further into the mountains. It was an interesting scene to have in our yard. Enjoy your day!!

Heidi

Spring Break!

2008-04-13T18:58:00.001-07:00

The first week of April was Jacob and Caleb's spring break. We decided to go take a little trip to Seattle. We stayed about 6 blocks from the space needle and about 4 blocks from the water front. So luckily everything we did was in walking distance. Our view from the hotel was the space needle and we could see it really good since we were on the eleventh floor. We visited the space needle and went to the top, as well as the seattle science center, aquarium, a one hour boat ride and the museum of flight. We did all of that within two days and then the last two days we drove to Everett which was about 40 minutes north of Seattle so we could visit some friends for a few days. It was full of fun sites and great family time. It was a much needed family getaway and very refreshing and relaxing.

EASTER

2008-04-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

This is a little late, but I wanted to share some pictures from Easter. Easter began by color easter eggs on Saturday at Grandpa and Grandma VanGerpens. Uncle Andy came over from Olympia to help color the eggs. I think he might even enjoy it a little more that Jacob and Caleb do!! After that Grandma Cherie had put together a little scavenger hunt for the boys to find their easter baskets. The boys had a great time. On Easter day my parents and Ben's parents came over as well as uncle andy and a friend Joan. We had a great time of fellowship and way too much food. After that we had a little Wii competition. Then of course, Jacob, Caleb and uncle andy had to play a little game of soccer in our cul-de-sac even though it was cold and rainy outside. It takes a lot to keep the boys inside. We missed having Peter and Sarah here since they are in Indonesia for the year. It is long trip to come here just for a short weekend. And of course we missed my sister, Meagan, and her family and Matt and Sandy. They are all deeply missed. Even though we are all apart, I know we were all celebrating the true meaning of Easter. We are so greatful for the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We hope all of our family and friends had a blessed Easter and you are all in our thoughts and prayers!

OUR CALEB

2008-03-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Now it's time to learn a little bit about Caleb. He's so energetic and loves to be around his family and friends. He's learning more and more each day in 1st grade and has become so social. His imagination seems to get bigger every day. Whether he's playing with his brother or by himself. Here are a few of his favorites:

Full name : Caleb Joseph

Favorite sport : Soccer

Favorite color : Green

Favorite food : Strawberries and grapes (he calls himself a fruitatarian)

Favorite subject in school : Math and recess

Favorite animal : Squirrels

Favorite movie : Over the hedge

Favorite book : Dr. Seuss's I Wish I Had Duck Feet

Favorite season : Winter and Summer (He likes sledding and skiing in the winter and swimming in the summer)

Favorite vacation : Texas

Favorite thing to do outside : Play on our trampoline and ride his scooter and bike

Caleb is a pure joy in our life. He is kind and caring to his friends and he has many questions about life in general. He loves to play with his big brother. He enjoys playing board games, playing outside with Jacob and his friends and any other family activity. As long as we do it as a family he's all for it. He is so full of life and is just happy about everything. God has truely blessed us with him.

Cherished Moments

2008-03-12T13:11:00.000-07:00

I've been wondering lately what I should be doing now that both the boys are in full day school. It has been a huge adjustment for me to figure out what God would have me be doing with my time. The Lord has put on my heart to enjoy this time I have with Jacob and Caleb to be flexible so I am able to be there for them. Being in their classrooms each week is so much fun for me. I love being able to watch them learn and interact with their teachers and friends. They are growing up so fast and luckily they still like me being around. So, for now I'm learning to enjoy just "being" and not trying to figure out something to do just to "be busy". Today I was able to take Jacob out for lunch, which he has been asking to do for about three weeks now. I have done that the last couple of years and he has not forgotten. It's fun to grab them out of school during the lunch/recess time and spend with them. Tomorrow will be Caleb's time. This past Friday Jacob, Caleb and I were able to spend the afternoon with some friends. We went bowling and out to lunch at Red Robin. It was a great time.

Enjoy your day and take time to just "be".

OUR JACOB

2008-03-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

Here is my attempt to let you in on the life of Jacob. He has been a joy to us and is so full of love, energy and enthusiasm. He has a love and knowledge of the Lord that amazes me at times. He all sorts of activities including playing with friends, baseball, riding his bike and scooter and jumping on our trampoline. He has a great imagination and has shared that with his brother. He enjoys playing spies with his brother and all sorts of made up games outside with all our neighbors. His sensitive heart and love for his family and friends is overflowing.

Jacob Benjamin VanGerpen

Birthday : June 27th
Age : 8 1/2

After talking with him, here are some of his answers to our little interview

Favorite Color : Red

Favorite Sport : Baseball

Favorite Animal : Penguin and Panda Bear

Favorite time of year : Summer

Favorite Vacation : Texas to visit cousin

Favorite School Subject : Math

Favorite Food : Tacos

Favorite Dessert : Brownies

Favorite Movie : Beethoven

Favorite Outdoor Activity : Tag

Favorite Book : A to Z Mysteries

What do you want to be when you grow up? : Artist that paints funny pictures or Veterinarian.

As long as Jacob is with family or friends, he is in his element. He enjoys life and sharing that enjoyment with others. He is our highlight of the day (his brother too)! We love and cherish all the fun times we have together!

2008-03-07T08:07:00.000-08:00

Well, once again the boys have a day off of school today! It seems we rarely have a full week of school lately. It's the end of the semester so no school today. Seems kind of weird to me to have a day off for that, but oh well. The boys enjoy it. We think that winter is finally over and spring is on the way. It's been beautiful the last week. Very crisp and chilly in the morning and then it warms up nicely to about 50 during the day! I'm looking forward to when that is the low's and the high's are in the 70's!

Anyway, my sister had a wonderful idea that I think I'm going to copy. On her blog she has interviewed her kids and posted it on her blog. Kids say the cutest things. It's fun to hear their thoughts on things. So, I'm going to try and work on that this weekend. This weekend we are also going to go see Alvin and the Chipmunks at the movie theatre. There is a moving theatre close to our house that shows a little bit older movies and shows them for a cheap price. Though they still get you on the price of the popcorn and pop which you have to have!! Jacob and Caleb have already seem it , but they want to see it again. The first time with with Uncle Matt and Ben over Christmas break. And then today Jacob, Caleb and I are going bowling with some friends. So it should be a fun weekend.

Well, I hope this finds you all well and know your in my thoughts and prayers! Have a wonderful day!!

Long Time Coming

2008-02-10T18:08:00.001-08:00

Hello friends and family! It has been way too long since we've written on our blog. A lot has happened since our last posting around Christmas time. Ben is usually the one who writes on the blog, but I thought I would give it a try this time. Shortly after Christmas Ben took the boys skiing at Mt. Spokane. Jacob tried snowboarding for the first time and loved it and Caleb went skiing. They all went up again a few weeks later. Grandpa Royce was able to go with them both times which they all thoroughly enjoyed! The last full week of January school for Jacob and Caleb was cancelled due to an over-abundance of snow. We got about 12 inches in 24 hours which started the over-abundance of snow and then several more inches to come. Usually between 3-5 inches every other day. I think the worse is over and so they were back at school last week. The boys enjoyed the time off and played outside alot, played games, watched movies and read alot.
I was fortunate enought to be able to visit my sister, Meagan, in Dallas for 5 days the beginning of Febuary. It was so nice to see her and visit with her family. My sister and I were able to spend all of Saturday together and go shopping, drink coffe, go out to lunch and have a wonderful visit. I so enjoy any chance I get to visit her. I'm so thankful Ben was able to take some time off to be with the boys while I was away for a bit. While I was in Texas, Ben and the boys seemed to stay plenty busy and have a lot of fun with father/son time. They went bowling, tubing at Mt. Spokane, cross country skiing in our neighborhood and watched movies as well as the Superbowl.
Well, I'm glad I finally sat down and was able to fill you all in on the happenings in our lives and next time I promise it won't be so long in between postings. Have a great day!!!!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-29T14:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas week has been very busy for the Colbert VanGerpens. We have managed to cram as much family time as possible into one week. We have enjoyed time with family from out of town as well as with those who live in Spokane. We wish that the Roths and Nichols could have also been here this week. That would have made it complete!

Christmas Eve was spent with the Soberg side of the family. Craig and Mary came over for a gourmet meal of nachos. Since Heidi is part Mexican, this was particularly fitting. We passed out stockings and as usual the Sobergs managed to fit tons of stuff into each sock. The boys then opened their presents. I think the favorite gift for kids and adults was the Cosmic Catch ball. Each player gets a hand-band that identifies them. You then pass the ball back and forth trying to get the most correct passes, break a code, start a new code or play hot potato.

Christmas morning the boys were up at 6:30 and ready to open presents. Being the mean parents that we are, we made them wait until 7:00. Once everyone was up, we tore into the presents. We learned from the Soberg tradition and had the boys sit back-to-back to ensure they didn't find out what they were getting before they opened their gift. The boys received a few miscellaneous items from us, but the big game was a Wii game system. They immediately wanted to hook it up and we spent an hour Christmas morning learning to play with it.

Later Christmas day, we trekked to the VanGerpen household. Although we typically arrive mid-morning, this year we weren't there until around 12:30. This forced Matt, Sandy, Andy, Mom and Dad to wait to open their presents. Once we finally arrived, we dove right into presents yet again. This time, the boys had to wait their turn as we went around the circle, each opening a present. This tested their patience, but was worth it. They were spoiled by their Uncles, Aunt and Grandparents. Of particular note was the Marshmallow Gun given by Uncle Matt and Aunt Sandy. Andy and Matt also got guns, so there were 4 to play with. Small marshmallows were soon flying around the house and being trampled into the carpet. (Note: soft mallows work, stale mallows do not.) After presents, we ate a turkey dinner with all the fixings and then played the Wii. Everyone joined in, including friends that also came over for Christmas.

Winter Time

2007-12-09T18:27:00.000-08:00

Shortly after Thanksgiving, we hung our Christmas lights, before the snow came. As you can see, this is a whole family affair. The boys kept asking to climb on the roof to help me, but they only got to go up on the ladder. Aren't I mean?
Good thing we put the lights up earlier as it snowed the next weekend. The boys loved playing in the first snow of the season. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), it only lasted a few days before the "Pineapple Express" came to town. It snowed again today, so hopefully we'll get some more snow to stay for Christmas.

Thanksgiving

2007-12-02T18:55:00.001-08:00

(Forgive the formatting, it's driving me nuts!)

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone. We had a fantastic day hanging out with friends and family. As has somewhat become the custom, Heidi's parents joined us at my parent's house. Also joining us this year was Aunt Andy (Heidi's aunt) and the Burns Family. The Burns are friends of ours that we eat dinner and run with on an almost weekly basis. Their family was out of town and needed a home to go to. Knowing Mom and Dad enjoy a large crowd, we quickly invited them to join us.

It was a perfect day for eating way too much and lounging around talking. We did plenty of both. The kids played with their friends and especially enjoyed hanging out with Uncle Andy. Uncle Andy even took them outside to play in the dark for a few minutes. When they came back in, they were all hungry and Andy "made" them dinner. Shockingly, it was reheated leftovers.

Later in the evening, the Dresher family joined us. Klayton, Heidi and I all graduated in the same class. Up to 2 years ago, he always came over on Thanksgiving evening for dessert and games. Once he moved to the west side, the tradition waned. Thankfully, they were able to restart the tradition and hopefully it will continue for a long time.

One dark spot in the day was the absence of certain family members. This was the first time in awhile when Sarah and Peter have not been here for Thanksgiving. With their current job in Indonesia, they figured the airplane ticket price was a little too steep for a weekend trip! Matt and Sandy were not here this year as they hosted their own Turkey-day in Tennesee. In addition, we missed the Nichols family who celebrated in Dallas, TX. We continue to pray that God will create a position locally for David.

We hope each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving wherever you were. We are truly thankful for each and every one of you.

Pictures

2007-11-12T19:53:00.000-08:00

Just for fun, this posting is simply pictures from this summer and fall. We hope you enjoy.

Volkswagen Van Update

2007-11-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

Some of you have asked about Heidi's Volkswagen van. She would have you believe that it is really mine, but I know she'll want to drive it eventually. The first 2 pictures are of the van in its original state. The second 2 are how it looks right now...don't worry, it is supposed to look like that. The last 2 show that Jacob and Caleb even enjoy helping. I'll see if I can't find a picture with Heidi helping-hasn't happened yet!

After the paint is completely stripped, we will begin the body work. I've never done this, but have a friend who is going to help. I'm eager to see how it looks after the body work is done and it gets a coat of primer. I'll update the blog when we get that far. Enjoy!

Halloween and Cross-Country

2007-11-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

Jacob and Caleb chose to be lawmen of different varieties this year. Jacob was a wild west sheriff while Caleb was a police chief. Both had a great time trick-or-treating and got a ton of candy. Heidi and the boys went out while I manned the home front. There were lots of kids and around 7:30 we ran out of candy. Lucky for us, there weren't too many kids out after that. We sat in the front room and watched the other neighbors in the cul-de-sac turn off their lights shortly after us. Evidently we all underestimated the turnout. Later that night, I had to go back to work and it appears that kids were being "bussed" in from other areas and dropped off to trick-or-treat.

Jacob had his last cross-country meet on Thursday, Nov 1. I think he ran his best run ever and finished a 1/2-mile in 3:10. I'll wager most of you reading this cannot run a half-mile this fast! He was 16th overall for the 3rd and 4th graders. Caleb spent the time playing with his friends in the dirt. You wouldn't know it from looking at Caleb, but it was only 45 degrees on this day.

Carving Pumpkins

2007-11-04T12:05:00.000-08:00

Caleb and Jacob really got into carving pumpkins this year. We even bought a pumpkin-carving kit so they could help without fear of cutting themselves. Caleb chose to cut out a ghost and Jacob chose an alien. On Halloween we got several comments on both.

Heidi did a scary face pumpkin, which was good, but sadly did not receive any comments. Ben didn't carve his pumpkin as he was sick of carving after he had helped Jacob and Caleb. There are no pictures of Ben, as is usually the case.

October 29, 2007

2007-10-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

Here is our first blog entry from Colbert, WA. Our goal is to post new events in the lives of Heidi, Ben, Jacob and Caleb. We'll post some pictures in the near future.

This fall we have enjoyed going to Green Bluff to pick pumpkins and eat fresh pumpkin donuts and cinnamon rolls. Caleb has played soccer with 5 other boys. Their team has been together for over a year and have proven to be much better than most other teams. Really! It's not just the ramblings of a biased parent. Jacob raced on the NWC cross-country team for the first time. He has enjoyed it, though he doesn't tend to push himself. He runs much faster each time he hears someone cheering for him.