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!

My first baby boy is all grown up...

Cub Scout Pack 293 held their annual Blue and Gold banquet this past weekend and our little boy...OK, not so little, Jakob crossed over from being a Cub Scout to a member of Boy Scout Troop 219! We are so incredibly proud of ALL the HARD work, dedication, and determination that Jakob has given over the past 5 years in order to make this accomplishment happen!! I have no doubt that he will one day become an Eagle Scout!! So here are some highlights over the past 5 years & I am going to put together one of my smile box creations of some more favorites...maybe tomorrow...I need to get to bed now :-)!
Here is Jakob & Paul with their winning boat in the Rain gutter Regatta...as a TIGER...he also won the Pinewood Derby that year...beating a Web.2!! Look how cute he was!!
Here is Jakob his second year...Oct. '05.

Pinewood Derby, '06...he won second place in his group & 7th over-all...out of 80!! Not bad, esp. considering I had to help make the car since Paul was on temp. duty somewhere...

Here is Jakob at the Blue and Gold '06...look at little Ben & poor Rachel with a broken arm!

Blue and Gold '07...

Blue and Gold '08...

Blue & Gold '08

Summer Picnic '08...

Blue & Gold '09...Jakob waiting to cross over...

Troop 219 boys helping Jakob cross over...and if you can enlarge this...you can see how hard I am fighting back the tears...

Changing out his neckerchief...

Jakob with his new uniform & holding his hard earned Arrow Of Light Award!!

Each one of those colored bans is a symbol of all his accomplishments!! (OK, that is tiny string wrapped around & around & around & around, glued on, it took me several HOURS!! to make this!!!)

In boy scouts every Pack has the same neckerchiefs for each level. However, in Boy Scouts...each troop has their own design...this is the back of his new one...way cool!!

So, as you can see from this group shot...the boys who have been together the past 3 years (Jakob's first 2 were in Delta Junction) are now all grown up and are now going to 3 different troops...I am sure they will still see each other around town and at scouting events. Go back now & look at how much the boys have grown over the years...so cool!!
And, now here are a few shots of my little monkey, Sam, hamming it up for the camera...the kids think the camera is permanently attached to my face & Sam has learned early to make goofy faces...crazy!! And he already wants to see himself on the screen after you take the shot!

I was talking to a friend, turned to Sam, picked up the camera & this is the face he gave me...too funny!!
So now we are anxiously awaiting Paul to come home for his mid-tour 2 weeks of R & R!! We have reservations at a wonderful ski resort, Aleyska & everyone can't wait to hit the slopes for a few days & then relax at home...in btw. hockey games & the kids wanting to wrestle Daddy!!!

Paul left his base camp, went to Kandahar where he sat for a few days, and now is making his way to Kuwait, Germany, Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, and then FINALLY will be home in a few short days...HOPEFULLY!!!

Busy, Busy...

We have been so busy with lots & lots of hockey and getting things all in order for Jakob's Blue and Gold Banquet coming up next weekend...he will cross over from Cub Scouts to become a Boy Scout!! I can not believe Jakob is going to become a Boy Scout...next weekend! We are so proud of him & all his hard work!!

So, here are a few pictures from the last few weeks.
Here is little Samuel in a perfect size chair at my friend Kari's house... Thank you to my friend, Susan for the adorable outfit :-).

Here is Jakob in a game against Palmer...

Rachel, with her FAVORITE, must have, blanket and one of her MANY, MANY Huskies :-).

And with her new friend, a sock puppy that she named, Maggie, after the Elephant that was transfered from the Alaska zoo down to California. Isn't this puppy so cute. My friend, Kellie, is very talented and made this for Rachel. Thank you again Kellie!!!

My Valentine Tulips, my FAVORITE...thank you sweetie!!

The kids had a few friends sleep over last Sunday since they were out of school on Monday for President's Day and the rest of the weekend we had been busy with Jakob's hockey tournament...they made it to the semi-finals, but lost :-(.

This lady makes these hats for the hockey players...aren't they cool??

So, in case you are wondering what the Sam-a-Nader could possibly do when a 10 year old and a 4 year old are left to "watch" him while I cook dinner...

He had this look like, "What did I do?"

Ben asked if Sam was going to be in time out...hee.

Look at that face!!

So, I had fun vacuuming up the popcorn topping...the entire bottle! Did I mention that I had just vacuumed that floor about 30 minutes prior to the Sam-a-Nader attack!? Then when I went to pull the laundry out of the dryer I found GUM ALL over the dryer & the clothes :-(!! The kids are grounded for a week from gum! There is never a dull moment around here!!

Ok, here we go...starting back up again!

Sorry I have taken such a long break from my blog...so it may take awhile to get caught back up. I was a little under the weather to say the least! From the first of November until 23 Jan when I had surgery, I pretty much only got about 2-3 hours of sleep because I was having so much pain. During surgery they removed two masses from the back of my head! I just received the pathology results and they determined the masses to be two BENIGN lymph nodes! Yeah, I can breath a big sigh of relief now!! Thank you God! And, thank you to all who have been praying for me! I am still on the recovery road...I think it will be a long time before the nerves they cut through fully recover! In the meantime, I am just happy I can sleep!! And so are the kids! I am not as crabby! The Moms Club that I am a member of have been AWESOME with providing our family some WONDERFUL meals!! And my dear friend, Kari, and her 4 girls came to spend the night with us the night I returned from the hospital...THANK YOU!! And my friends, Donna & Kellie took care of Ben & Sam the day of surgery. And then over the weekend, the kids went next door to our dear friends, the Torres' house while Sam & I took naps! THANK YOU everyone for helping me out since Paul is not here. You all are wonderful!!!

Ok, so here we go...

Last Friday, Rachel received an award at the assembly...here she is coming in & seeing her younger brothers & me...I love how happy she is to see us!!

Jakob's class came into the assembly just to sing one quick song. I sure wish I knew this was going to happen so that I could have brought the video camera :-(.

My two little monkeys hanging out...

I love how much Rachel is addicted to reading. "I just LOVE reading!" She exclaims almost everyday! And, I love how animated she gets when she reads to Ben & Sam...I have no idea where she gets that...hee. So, as you can see, her teacher enjoys having Rachel read to the class as well! She brought home a little play the other day. I looked it over & asked her if they did this in class already. She said yes & that she read for 3 different characters!! There were only 3 other characters left! And, yes the date on her award is the 16th...school was cancelled for 3 days due to severe ice...I will talk about that later...so they had to reschedule the assembly to last Friday :-).

We sure do miss Daddy around here!!! We are 5 months down & 7 to go!!! We are hoping that Paul is able to make it here for his mid-tour leave sometime in March! We plan on enjoying a ton of family time, going skiing & snow boarding, sledding, and Daddy finally watching the boys play some hockey! I can't wait until Paul is here to help out with the bedtime routine...I love reading to the kids, but, they need to hear Daddy read to & tuck them in too!

I am, I am, Super Ben and I can do ANYTHING!!

See, Daddy, I am working on My book, Are you??

Rachel reads one or two chapter books a day as well as lots of books to Ben & Sam...I am so proud of her!!! She is following in Jakob's footsteps quite nicely!! I pray Ben & Sam will develop the same passion!!

Sweet dreams little Samuel...

"Thank you Daddy for all the cool stuff you sent us from Afghanistan!"

Ok, so for faster service...I usually have the two younger boys or Rachel & Sam in the tub together...and if I am really short on time I throw the 3 of them in...Jakob takes a shower ALONE of course! So, it is rare that Sam gets the tub all to himself. This morning was one of those days. As I was watching him having so much fun splashing I realized it had been forever since I had taken any bath pictures of my little man. So, here you go...

We will have a busy day tomorrow with Religious School & then an out of town hockey game. So, if I am not too tired, I work on some more Jan. pictures! And as always, see rest of the pic.s in the family album!