Handwritting

We started working on handwritting last week. Hmmmmm..... We still haven't decided which hand to use, but he did concentrated very hard on it :)
Let's hope he always stays this diligent in his work!

Finally!

Last weekend we were able to spend the entire weekend together, as a family. That has happened only one other time since we moved to Nebraska in October.

Zach needed to go to Lincoln to get something for me... turns out it was a Brugger's Bagel smoked salmon breakfast sandwich. He knows what I LOVE!!! It was worth the hour plus drive!!!

Since we were there....and had to bring the kids with us we went to the Children's Museum too. We had a great time, despite the huge crowd there with us. My camera battery died just after we got there so not too many pics...


Isaac LOVED the prairie dog tunnels. Not to play in the tunnels, but to carry around the stuffed animals that "lived" in the area. He carried a mouse around the rest of the time we were there.


The zoo had brought some animals for the kids to pet. B immediately pet this skink, and then tried to kiss it "Mwah!". FYI this lady also had a hissing cockroach just hanging out under her collar- GROSS!!! Brooklyn, again with no fear, reached right out to grab one of the cockroaches.

Zach and I actually went on a dinner date with another couple on Saturday night. We got a babysitter {yes, really}. We had a great time, but I don't think we'll be calling the babysitter again. Just a vibe...and I don't need that from someone I leave my precious children with. But I have the name of two other girls I think will be great. So we may just go out as adults again sometime soon :)

I'm Meltling

Doesn't this picture just melt your heart? It does mine!!

I asked Zach to take my picture too (I want the kids to know I was there too),
but this was the only good one
{yikes- that's the best it gets for me right now I guess}

What did I know..

I never thought I would enjoy having a girl this much!

Yesterday I took Brooklyn to get her hair cut for the first time. Her hair wasn't too long, but can you say dead ends? Yikes!! She did very well.....once she had candy to distract her.


I finally got my hair done too- it's been 5 months. And it looks and feels fantastic!

Thanks Noel!!

Warming Things Up!

With the temp in the negatives and wind chill around -30 degrees, last week we spent the entire week inside. I tried really hard to make the best of it & pulled out some new activities to keep us busy. Most worked, but by Friday we'd all had it. It was only -1 out = heat wave! I was going to meet a friend at the YMCA to let the kids run around.

Okay- honest mom moment here: I had L.O.S.T it with the kids that morning. I was going to ditch them in the child watch, ditch my friend, and sit and read a book.

On the way to the Y we went past a house that something just didn't seem right- it looked like someone was snow-blowing the back yard, but the snow was gray. Weird! I had an instinct to turn around and check it out. Thank God for leading me to do that!

As I pulled up I saw LOTS of smoke coming from the garage attached to the house, and flames in the back. I parked across the street and yelled to the elderly couple in the doorway asking if they were okay. They waved & smiled like I was just out for a walk by their house. And then they went inside and shut the door. HELLO?!? YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE!!!

God had given me the ability to work well with the elderly (I have no problem bossing them around, when needed) and calm, rational thought during emergency situations. So I went up, opened the door and said, "Your house is on fire, let's get you guys outside." They said, "We know, we're gonna check it out and see what we can do. First we need to get dressed." Ummmm... NO! Luckily another couple stopped and yelled that they called 911. The husband couldn't find his boots, and he'd been outside in his socks when I pulled up, so I asked the other couple to get him outside & into my car. He was NOT happy about this. I went into the house & opened the bedroom door to get the wife. I couldn't even see anything in there with all the smoke. I told her there was no time to get dressed and to please come with me, then went back outside. The husband is standing in the snow, starring at the garage & reaching to open up the door. I told him not to do that, and (maybe not so gently) pulled him away. The other couple was willing to take him to the car, but his wife was no where in site. The wife of the other couple said, "She went somewhere in the back and shut the door." So I went back in & found her trying to get collars & leashes on their two dogs. I opened the back door, and shoved them out into the smoke filled back yard. I (not so gently again) grabbed the wife & pulled her outside. At this point, if she hadn't come, I would have had to leave her in there. We got them both into my van while we waited for the fire department, which showed up right away.

My poor children were FREAKING out that some strange man was sitting in the car with them & mom was no where to be seen. Can you blame them? They calmed down quickly though. So since we had a front row seat to the firemen at work, we pulled out snacks & drinks to watch the show. Sadly, we had to listen to this sweet couple talk about how they'd lived in that home for 50 years and name all the items that the flames were now hitting. Thank God the fire department was able to save their home- only the garage was seriously damaged.

A neighbor eventually came over with boots & blankets for the couple and invited them in while things got taken care of in their home. So and hour after we first drove by, we left for the Y.

But I was left with a HUGE perspective change from an hour before. The kids love the song "This little light of mine" and we were able to talk about how being kind to our neighbors was one way be can show God's light to the world. And I was overwhelmed with how precious my kids and family are!! And grateful for how God creates us all with different abilities (The other couple that showed up was not going to force the couple out of their home, so I'm not sure how the situation would have been different).

So needless to say, I didn't ditch my kids. I couldn't let them out of my site while we were playing. I kept loving on them as much as I could.

I share this to remind you how PRECIOUS our loved ones are, and not to take them for granted because things can change in an instant. So get off the computer and go tell someone you love just how much you appreciate them!

Happy New Year Celebrations

The children's museum had a fun party to celebrate New Year's Eve with a count down at noon. What a great idea! The kids had fun playing in all the different spaces there (as usual) and did some special art projects.


What party would be complete without some dancing? That's fine if you're into that that kind of thing, if not just watch everyone else boogie.


When the clock struck noon we jumped on bubble wrap...
blew noise makers...

And had a blast watching everyone else


Happy New Year Everyone! May 2010 be a year full of life, love, and lots of laughter!

Fun in the snow

Since Zach was off of work today, we were able to tag team wrestling the kids into their snow clothes and heading out into the 13 degree weather. We had a blast & kept it short.
This little girl just melts my heart!! She loved being out in the snow and just kept walking around, never actually touching anything.

And the sweetness of this little man....


Isaac was ready to dig in, until the snow touched his wrists that is.

Joy to the World

To say we had a fantastic Christmas would be a huge understatement.

We had a huge storm coming into Nebraska, but were able to throw our stuff in the car, and head out a little early Tuesday night. Had we waited until morning, we would have been snowed in with the rest of the state. I never even consider us not getting to Kansas a possibility-which would be why I left all our presents, wrapped, at my in-laws.


Christmas Eve we were snowed in, and had a blast eating an unhurried dinner together.


Lovely table manners Brooklyn!


Mimi & Isaac mixed glitter with oatmeal for the reindeer. Apparently the glitter makes it easier for the reindeer to find.



Christmas morning was SOOOO much fun!!! Isaac and Brooklyn were thrilled with the one present that Santa left for them. That would have been fine for the day. But I couldn't wait for them to open the other special things we picked out for them.

I LOVE having a girly-girl!! (never thought that would happen)

Since Isaac is daily telling us, "I'm not Isaac, I'm Diego"
he loved this talking Diego doll from Aunti Becki!

Isn't this tree AMAZING? My mother in-law has at least one tree decorated in a different theme in each room. This is the big Victorian tree. (I wish I knew how to take better pictures inside, especially of these beautiful trees- any suggestions would be great!)

This girl is WILD! She loves all thing spinning, flying, being tossed around etc. Uncle Ben was a huge hit with both kids. Smart kids :)

And a perfect end to the the day- Aunt Heather reading bedtime stories.

We hope you all had a blessed Christmas with those you love and enjoyed the hope we have in knowing Christ was born to redeem us all.