Daddy coming home for R&R, part 1...

We told the kids that Daddy would be coming home...sometime in March & that HOPEFULLY, he would be here in time for Spring Break...
It was so fun surprising them!! I told them to get their coats we were going for a drive...it was after 9p.m. & they looked at me like I had 3 heads...but, agreed to get into the car. I told them a friend told me about a really cool spot to go see the Northern lights. So, I pulled over at a gas station just before the turn off to the airport & told them the truth...that I had said a little white lie...here is their reaction, (poor Sam was abruptly awoken!!), followed by anticipation (pawing at the window at the airport!)& lastly hugs all around(they ran up to Daddy & knocked him down)!!! We had a WONDERFUL two weeks filled with lots of family time. We enjoyed a few days at a ski resort & the ceremonial start of the Iditarod, hockey tournament, and hanging out at home. I will work on the rest of the pictures & get back to you!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone...

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with your friends and/or families. We sure missed having Paul with us but are thankful for him for serving our country! We went with some friends and had a fabulous time! It was a huge gathering (about 200 people), potluck style, with tons of yummy food!!! Then all the kids (except Sam...it was 19*...a little on the cold side for the little guy) went sledding for about 2 & 1/2 hours. They had a blast. The goal was to sled down the hill & make it out onto the frozen lake. Jakob made it out several times. Then, Thursday evening we went over to my friend, Jennifer's house to surprise her for her birthday :-)! Today was another busy day & tomorrow we will head up the road a little bit & visit our friends the Galloways before Jakob's hockey game. Here are a few favorites from Thanksgiving and then of course I had to make some smilebox creations for you. Enjoy & see the rest of the pictures in the family album.

Sam Walking And Ben Singing & Update on where I have been...

I hope you enjoy this little video. It is so neat watching Sam learning to walk on his own. He just giggles at himself and then falls down. And, Ben, singing this song...too cute!

Well, after I last posted I took off to the airport and just got back! It was crazy. Up until Thursday morning we thought Paul was going to be able to come home for a few days or possibly even a few weeks. And then he said, "no way, not going to be able to come." So, I called 3 friends & they all agreed to each take a kid & I made my reservation! I can NOT thank them enough! They gave Paul & I the gift of time together which I am so incredibly grateful to them for doing! So, Sam & I flew down to Kansas City to see Paul off. (Sorry Todd & Kiki but no time for a visit this time around). We had a WONDERFUL time!! We went by Sam's schedule for eating & sleeping at odd times but it was so nice! I actually took real naps, slept at night for more than a 2 hour stretch...(last night...first night home with all the kids and it was back to the normal...someone up for some reason all during the night...I was woken up 6 times & that was a good night! So you can see why I am constantly tired)! We enjoyed some of the sites & some delicious K.C. BBQ. It was so nice to not worry about laundry, housework, packing lunches, etc. I mean I of course LOVE my children and I missed each of them VERY much! But, boy did I enjoy the break! And, seeing Paul was fantastic! I wish all the kids could have seen Daddy but it just didn't work out that way. He called a few hours ago...we only got to talk just a few minutes :-(...but, he is safe, tired & jet lagged but safe! He left Ft. Riley early on Tues. morning and flew for 16 hours! Ugh. He has been in a holding place but now heads out to Afghanistan tomorrow. OK...it is 10...I am off to bed!

Weekend fun captured on video...

This is Jakob and Ben practicing hockey in the house, then Ben's silly reaction to Daddy's letter...I ask Ben to tell me what to write to Daddy and he always has me ask Daddy if he has shot any bad guys yet, any bad guy tanks, bad guy boots, etc. And then sometimes he throws in silly stuff like, "daddy, have you seen any bad guy turtles?" So, Paul wrote him back that he was still looking for the turtles and here is Ben laughing at that...so cute!! And lastly, our little monkey is learning to WALK!!!! He is so adorable...he takes 3-5 steps and then sits down, looks around to see who is watching, smiles real big, and waits for everyone to applause!

The Past Few days...

It will take me a little bit on the birthday pictures...be patient...I want to make a cool movie and I am new at that...but, it will be cool. In the meantime...here is what's been going on around here the past few days. I am FINALLY over the stupid cold/sinus infection, whatever I had for 2 & 1/2 weeks! Yeah for me! Sam is done with his antibiotic and is back to his happy self...yeah for him and yeah for my ears! The kid has a set of lungs like you wouldn't believe!

Jakob and Rachel went to H2Oasis (an indoor water park) with Jacob and Isabelle for Jacob's birthday party on Saturday while the rest of us chilled out at home. I still felt horrible at that time and I didn't want Sam to go in the water since he still had the ear infection. When they returned Jakob left right away with my Dad to sit OUTSIDE at Walmart to sell popcorn for the Cub Scouts...Jakob still had WET hair & it was 25*! I have NO IDEA why Walmart does not let them sit inside like all the other locations they sell from!? Now that we FINALLY have a Target next to the Air Force Base I hope that next year his Pack sells from INSIDE that wonderful location!

Thank you Grandpa for sitting outside, in the freezing cold, for 2 hours with Jakob!!!! Grandpa has been wonderful at listening to Rachel do her nightly reading and then reads to her and Ben while I put Sam down, he has taken Jakob to hockey practice and Cub Scout meetings and Rachel to Ballet. The kids are enjoying showing off what they can do! And he has been able to have lots of quality time with little Samuel!

So here are a few of my favorite pics. from the past week...



Big Hug!

The munchkins with their friend Isabelle...

The munchkins with their friends Morgan and Hailey...

We love Build-A-Bear...
What are you looking at...

OK...so this is one of Sam's favorite toys right now...maybe he will be a doctor???

He will wear this for several hours...every time it falls off he works with it for a few minutes and manages to almost always get it back on by himself!

This is what happened when I tried to take it off so that I could feed him dinner...I'm not happy Mom!

On Monday while the 3 older ones were in school I took my Dad out for a short drive...Sam was not a willing participate so we had to cut it short. It was a bright, sunny day and the mountains were beautiful!

No more autumn leaves though...
The kids have been enjoying playing games with grandpa...

With Jakob... Chess is serious stuff...

With Ben...Chess is NOT so serious :-). He totally made up a game and was extremely animated about the whole thing...way too cute!!!


Enjoying story time...

Check out the rest of the pictures in the two added albums...

We miss You Daddy!

Here are a few of the many things my cute little monkey Sam can do. And then a little message from all four of our beautiful children missing their Daddy.

Mother's Day Hike Video

Fun on the slopes video