Vote for the Yogi Bear Dance

Hey everyone - just for fun go to www.jellystonefun.com and select our video "Yogi Bear Dance"

Attached is a preview.

Birthdays & Warmer Weather - Spring has Sprung

Hey it is about time for another blog. Last time we posted was January - So, another 3 months later...

Shout out to Fort McMurray CANADA watchers - as they are our #1 blog tracker/watcher.

Check out this picture, I just took it - Sunday afternoon this is out our front window. I call it "Blue Sky with White Clouds thru Picture Window"

What's been going on. Sonya finished mandatory classes for a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). Example - A CNA is the first line of care for someone in a nursing home. Must have been some close classemates - as Sonya really enjoyed this experience and made some great friends. During the last week of the class - they worked in a nursing homes. We had some heartwarming stories of nursing home alzheimer patients and in general just aging with grace. She plans on going forward with nursing classes this summer (chemistry & statistics).

Skyler - finished basketball. went from second string to regular starter. now he is on to track. We are working on cementing a permenant basketball hoop. This is a funny story... but a bargain if it works.

Sierra - celebrated a birthday. this photo was from our favorite mexican restaraunt.

Among other gifts - we decided to give her a room make over (e.g. like home make over show). Bare in mind that this is significant because we don't paint walls in the house different colors. While in Canada - we were in a rental house so - we could not paint at all. I guess this signifies that we are going to stay in this house for a while. Anyway, here are some pictures...

Seth also celebrated his birthday.
This is his cupcake cake which mom made.

That's it for now. We are tired.... C ya in another 3 months....


Friends - please drop us a line to tell us what is going on in your lives.

Blessings to you!

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.