Needless to say at yesterday's baseball game we didn't get to sing "Go Cubs Go" and the kids were a little upset so we sang Emerson's version...Go Cubs Go, Go Cubs Go, Hey, Chicago what do you say? Slopsema family is on there way!
We made our yearly trip to the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field to watch our beloved Cubs play, if you would call what they did yesterday playing. Besides the Cubs playing poorly we couldn't have asked for a better day or better seats. We loved the seats we had and would love to get those same seats next time we go to a game. The kids enjoyed their selves. Sawyer was out cold before the first two innings were over and Emerson just wanted to sing Go Cubs Go. Both completely enjoyed riding the Blue Line and then the Red Line to take us from our hotel by O'Hare to Wrigley. 
I love that each year we make an effort to see our Cubs play and that the kids will be able to tell their kids one day that Grandma and Grandpa always took them to see the Cubs play. Who knows it might become a Slopsema Family Tradition for years to come.
Go Cubs Go
Honey is 2 x 30
My Mom celebrated her 60th birthday yesterday with the grandkids, Erica and me. Erica came up with the idea to make stepping stones for Mom from each of the grandkids. They turned out so cute! Check out the pictures to see each of the kids creations...each an original!
Along with making the stepping stones we enjoyed just hanging out and visiting. It has been a long time since we have been able to simply visit without having to run somewhere or do something at a particular time. While we were visiting Weedie called to wish Mom a happy birthday and to see if she had received the flowers from her and Morgan. The flowers Weedie sent were exquisite! I guess Weed and Morgan were leaving for Cali to attend his sister's wedding this weekend.
I think Mom really enjoyed her birthday and just getting to watch all of her grandkids interact together.
Happy 60th Birthday Mom!
Last Day of Swim Lessons
Emerson completed her last day of swim lessons on Thursday, June 19th and loved them. At times I thought that she could have been a better listener but when I commented about why she wasn't listening she would reply I was cold holding still. I would have to agree with that..some morning I wanted to wear a sweatshirt because it was so chilly. For the last day of swim lessons the kids were allowed to go down the slide. Emerson had been waiting the entire two weeks to be able to go down the slide without a long line. Sawyer wanted to go down also and one of Priss's teachers was nice enough to allow him to go down with her a couple of times.
Great job at your swim lessons this year Priss! I think Swee will join you next year!
Wonderful Men
I had the wonderful opportunity to host a Father's Day Cookout to honor the men who have impacted my life and my family's. Jason's dad, my dad, Brian and Jason's grandfather were all able to come. We all enjoyed getting to spend some really quality time with the men who have played a large part in our lives and our kids.
Thank you to all the great men in our lives. Thanks to my dad for always being supportive of all my decisions in life, especially the one to marry Jason. Thanks to Ed for instilling in Jason a wonderful respect of women and being a great example of how you should treat your wife. Thanks to Ggpa for loving Louise in a way that everyone who encounters them knows how much he adores her.
I am not forgetting the amazing man that I married. Jason is the man that I always wanted to find and am so thankful that I did. He loves our children with a love that defies anything I have ever witnessed. The kids watch for his car to pull up our front each day and then race to see who can hug and kiss him first. Emerson sneaks into our room each night to snuggle her Daddy because she didn't have enough time during the day to. Sawyer looks at Jason like there is no one else around and loves to show off his new tricks to Daddy. As for me, I fall in love with him more and more as we go through the challenges of this thing called life. He has sacrificed so much and never complains about all that he has to do, just that he wishes he had more time with us. You are our Hero and forever will be!
Getting to and Playing at Hinkle Fieldhouse
Jason took his basketball team to Hinkle Fieldhouse to play in some summer basketball games hosted by Butler University. He really wanted to take his girls there to play since it has played such a significant role in Indiana High School basketball in the past.
Before I continue on to tell how the girls did I really would be leaving out some very interesting info about the day, so here goes... He drove the Batesville team bus down to Indy but on his way down there with his 10 players he noticed that the bus was making an odd noise. He stopped to investigate the noise and really didn't see anything out of the ordinary so he continued on his way. Just as he was exiting off of 65 he noticed that there was smoking coming from the bus and as he went to apply the brakes he hardly had any. I was following and was about 5-7 minutes behind him so he called and asked me to stop where they were since they were to be at Butler in about 15 minutes. When I arrived he load the Saab with the necessities and left me with our two kids and his players, but not before the girls thought they would walk the rest of the way to Butler. However, when I mentioned that Butler was still about 37 blocks away the girls decided that they would just wait with me. Thankfully a couple of parents had decided to come and watch their girls play so the first parent took 6 girls and the next parent took the kids, the last 4 players and me. It was crazy! We actually arrived before the game began. After the first game Jason and I went back to the broken down bus to meet up with the transportation director who had driven another bus down along with bringing a tow truck. This all occurred before 11 a.m. Saturday morning!
Back to how the girls did. They competed with some very talented teams like Bloomington South, Lawrence North and Seymour. They stayed with them for the most part and were pleased with the way that they played against the other teams. Jason loved being able to give the girls the opportunity to play in such a historic venue and didn't mind having to coach there either.
Swim Lesson Entertainment
Since Emerson is taking swim lessons again this summer Sawyer gets to enjoy the little pool each morning. However, he only seems to enjoy it when there are other children in it with him. Today there were a couple of older girls playing around and so he decided to stay in the pool to swim. Other days he is always getting out to go watch Emerson swim and tries to climb into the pool with her. 
He is becoming a pool rat just like Emerson and I love it! He loves to jump in and swim and is always asking if we are going to the pool. Yesterday Emerson's teacher said that she would catch Sawyer if he wanted to jump in off the diving board but for some reason he wouldn't, I think he wanted me to catch him but I had forgotten my suit.
Swim Lessons
Emerson is taking swim lessons again this summer. She is really enjoying them and just swims all over the place. 
She has learned how to swim on her back and is getting more daring in the distance she swims underwater. Keep it up Priss!
Itsy Bitsy Spider - Sawyer Style
Sawyer recently has been caught singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider and doing the motions to his self. Last night after bathtime he started singing it again but I was quick enough to grab the camera. Please enjoy Sawyer and overlook my singing in the background! Enjoy!
The Bug Dance
We attended a library activity today and Emerson was selected to participate in a Bug Dance Contest. Each child had to dance like a silly bug. Emerson wanted to demonstrate her bug dancing ability after bathtime last night. Enjoy!
Countless Hours
Jason has been spending countless hours lately sending out applications and resumes for jobs all over the state. He has applied for administrative jobs in Goshen, Scottsburg, Columbus, Lafayette and many others too numerous to mention. Up until this past week he has had one interview and several letters stated that another candidate had been selected. However, over the past 5 days he has heard from two schools that wanted interviews and has actually interviewed at one of the schools. The school he interviewed at told him they would let him know something by the end of the week. Today he missed a call because his cell phone was dead about an interview on Monday.
We were talking today that we had been praying that he would hear something from some of the schools where he had applied, and were amazed that in a small amount of time we had heard from two schools. Now we are waiting to see what if anything comes from the interviews he has been called to attend. The irony with the two interviews is that neither of the schools have an application on file from him, they both just have letters of interest and resumes. When the Lord works in our lives he works with his own agenda and his own set of rules. Sometimes I just would like to be privy to a quick view of his agenda for our lives but I guess that would take some of the excitement out of results that come from what he does for us.
Stay posted for more jobs updates - hopefully they will be coming soon, real soon.
Aunt Marguerite Memories - Just a Couple
Precious Aunt Marguerite's Obit
Marguerite Ann (Myers) Burnsten, 94, passed away on early Saturday morning, June 7, 2008 at The Woodlands Health Care Center of Muncie following an extended illness.
She was born on August 14, 1913 in Indianapolis, the daughter of Robert John and Grace Fedricka (Steirberg) Myers.
Marguerite had attended the Shawnee Heights Baptist Church when she was able to attend. She will be remembered for her loving, giving, spirit and her wonderful back massaging and scratching. She will also be remembered as a fabulous cook, with a depression era sweet tooth. She never knew a stranger.
She is a 1932 graduate from Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. Among a host of things Marguerite has done in her life, she served as a Fashion Coordinator for L.S. Ayers Department Store. Most recently, she was an Executive Secretary for Kowebe Foods and Union Carbide Corporation.
Surviving are one niece, Donna (Husband Phillip) Mercer of Muncie; three nephews, David (Ex-wife Connie Shank) Myers of Muncie, Roger (Wife Joyce) Myers of Anderson, Kurt (Wife Debbie) Myers of Roswell, Georgia; two great nephews and six great nieces; seven great-great-nephews; and nine great-great-nieces.
She was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters; and one brother.
Cremation will take place with private family services to be held at a later date. The Meeks Mortuary and Crematory Washington Street Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
