January 2009

Just like the seasons... (time goes quickly). It has been a long time since our last post. We enjoyed the holiday's. Time off with family and especially the "Reason for the Season"






Overall, the holidays were relaxing. We were like some other families and decided to take it light on the presents. Yes - the economy was a factor... but what do you really need? It gets so commericial and intense. Besides most of the presents are broke by lunch time. The best giving was home made / heart felt presents. As a special treat we went up to the Wisconsin Dells to ski and ring in the new year at our favorite waterpark resort.
We painted a plate for 2009 and the resort (fired & glazed it). The plate project plan was to paint our goals for the year... 45 minutes later we were just like - get it finished already. The plate turned out very nice. Well worth the time.

Mom & Dad - 45 feet above - doing the high wire act. This was a very neat feature in the new indoor themepark.

Racing motorcycles! Wonder if this is a preview?


With God's guidance and watchful hand... we feel blessed and will continue to be prayerful for a Happy, Healthy, Safe & Prosperous 2009. To all our family, friends & blog readers - Happy New Year!

All things grow with love

Our October Glory - planted May 17, 2008.

Jeff bought me a tree for our 15 year anniversary. Planting trees to celebrate joyous occassions is our thing around here. And, although we usually don't stay in a house long enough see them mature, we do drive by our old houses and visit our trees. One tree that signified a miscarriage we suffered, we actually took with us when we moved. That tree is so beautiful now and the owner of the house uses it as her family picture background. She lost her husband unexpectingly and said that they too had a special tree. Our transplanted tree became that "special tree" for her and her sons also. It's so amazing how God works and weaves throughout our lives.

We plan to get a family picture with our tree when

we get a chance. Doc even found a nice sized rock in an empty lot to supplement.

We wanted to save the $75 planting fee and did it ourselves. After digging a near swimming pool size hole, Jeff, Skyler and I rolled the tree into the hole. It was a lot harder than we expected and we paid for it for 3 days after - I was so sore I could barely move my legs.

Happy Birthday Doccy!

• Mia Belle is 6 mos old now.
  
  
  

Balls!!!Balls!!!

Doccy turned 7 on mother's day. To celebrate we invited his class to

a party at the children's museum. It was a great party and Doc enjoyed being the center of attention. Espcially important I think since he's smack dab in the middle of our family's birth order lineup.
Although I did get some mom's to stay and help corale 15 kids, many dropped the kids off and went to watch the filming of "The Informant" and catch a glimpse and maybe a picture with Matt Damon. We drove right by filming on the way to the museum.

Mommy's very own "Speedracers"

Skyler, Jeff, the babies and I got to go to a Cardinal's game for a school fundraiser. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the Cardinal's won!!!
We aren't big baseball fans around here but a field trip is always fun. To top it off, Busch stadium has a family area fully equipped with a mall quality play area. If the babies are happy, momma's happy!

Skyler with the rest of the coolest 7th graders around.

Much needed R & R

Jeff and I celebrated 15 years of marriage this month and we decided to celebrate by taking a family vacation to Florida. We did it on a whim (those are the best vacations because you don't have time to form lofty expectations.) We went to visit Jeff's friend from 8th grade. We stayed a block from Venice beach and the price was right. It was such a relaxing vacation. On Venice beached we searched for shark teeth and sea shells. We walked the beach to the point to view the dolphins. The dolphins swimming feet in front of us took our breath away. Truly awe inspiring. I could have happily sat all day watching them swim.

We attended a drum circle at Siesta Beach also. People show up bring their drums or bongos and to no written music, just play. The beach goers gather around and listen and dance. At dusk, all the people are facing the direction of the sunset and when the sun dissappears, everyone cheers and claps. It was awesome. That's how we spent each evening. We would make sure to get to the beach for the sunset. How awesome to live in a place that can watch the sunset over the ocean every night.

We nearly got sucked into the theme park trap but managed to escape. We have done Disney twice and decided to try Busch Gardens. After being on the beach for 3 days, we decided Busch Gardens wasn't for us. So we left the park and headed to Panama City. We had never been there before so it was exciting. We found it too commercial . The Holiday Inn did have a kids spray park overlooking the ocean though. We continued driving up the coast and made a last minute decision to stay at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville. It was a super cool resort with beautiful gardens. Truly the vacation got better as the days passed.

It is so great to get away and connect with the people you love the most.

Argh, Argh, Argh, Yea Baby!

Is it bad that this dishwasher was the highlight of my month? I have not liked the dishwasher that came with the house since we moved in. I had made phone calls to GE service and they came to check it out and they said the dishwasher worked liked it was supposed to but it doesn't clean the dishes - aka "your builder put the cheapest model in this house hoping you wouldn't notice or at least not complain." After having service men out to say the same thing - this is how this model cleans (or doesn't clean) I finally had to have a fit. I made up my mind, I was getting a new dishwasher and one that cleans. And that I did. After much negotiation, I ended up with a GE GLD 6700 NBB. Yes, you read that right a 6700 NBB baby! And she's a beaut. She holds a cool 16 place settings; that's 16 plates, 16 salad plates, 16 bowls, 16 cups and 16 mugs. That's right. She also has an attachment for 16 wine glasses. She starts hot for a better clean. She has 3, count them 3 spray arms. I can't wait to run it. I got it yesterday and haven't even filled it yet.
I missed the 8-12 appointment window signing up for nursing classes but luckily the installers were able to come back at 5 p.m.

I show up at the college expecting to sign up for the class and find out that students had been in line since 2 a.m. to sign up for the class. I got in but am perplexed as to why students have to wait in line at 2 a.m. to sign up for nursing classes when there's a nursing shortage. (I have learned that it's not actually a nursing shortage but a nursing teacher shortage). And just like I said about the labor shortage in Fort MacMurray - well pay them more if you want them to work for you!!!!!

My Brother...My Stepstool

Before Sebastian was born, I saw a picture in my doctor's office that brought tears to my eyes. It was of two little boys in bib overalls - the older one hugging the little one and titled "my brother...my protector." I loved that picture. While in Springfield today for a post surgical appointment, I made my usual stop at Macy's. While in the bathroom, Seth needed to wash his hands but couldn't reach. So I told Joe to be a step stool for Seth. It was so cute to see the boys working together. After sterilizing Joe's hands, we headed to CHuck E Cheese and Joe remembered his lesson. It was so cute.