We had a great time with Ben being here. He is such a cute 2 year old! Now we are busy getting ready for the communication Extravaganca. The kids need to finish their posters and I have to finish up stuff for the food! \

Busy Month!!

The kids were busy studying for the AWANA quizing and it paid off. Beth got a perfect on her oral test and Christopher's team got first place. Beth's team got 2nd place for her book. It was very exciting!!
Now basketball season is over and I have Chris signed up for soceer and baseball. I hope the schedules don't conflict . We'll see. Beth has begun to ride the bike and treadmill at the Fitness center. Keith has begun this also. It has been good for all of us to be encouraged by one another.
The kids are also working on their poems and posters for the homeschool communication extravaganca. They need to get their poems done this week, which will be interesting as Ben is with us for the week. He is so much fun!

Christopher's Birthday

He really wanted a star for his little tree that he puts in his room at Christmas time, however I wouldn't buy it before Christmas. I was just too cheap to pay full price when I got it for 1/2 price after, so I decided to wrap it up for his birthday.
Now everyone in the house except me has a sweatshirt hoodie. I'm more sophisicated and I have a sweater hoodie.

He was very happy to get an Iowa Hawkeye hoodie so he could kind-of match his cousin Timothy!!!

Here he is high fivin Beth since he got the basketball game.
Here they are playing his basketball game after I spent 2 hours putting it together. Yes, It is in the living room for right now. We plan on moving down stairs soon, but I put it together up there since I didn't know it was that big. The box didn't look that big. I had seen one up at Wal-mart but that was before Christmas and I didn't rememeber. I was just excited to see it all sale. We all like the game. Beth beat Chris and I've beat Beth finally! I havn't played Keith yet, but I know I can take him! Chris will get better as he gets taller.

All in all Chris had a good birthday. We started it off by having pancakes. Then opening presents. Then we went and got my nephew Ben. He spent the night with us to prepare him again for when his parents go to Mexico in Feb. That night we went to Burger King Playland, swimming and then to Mc Donald's for Mc Flurries.

Great Night's Sleep

Yesterday I took the money my parents' gave us for our anniversary and bought new flannel sheets! They were great! So nice and warm! I slept wonderfully!
I did finally get my Christmas tree and other decorations down last night. Keith says he will take the boxes back down stairs tonight. We are allowing Christopher to keep up his village until I don't know when. Oh well at least he keeps his room picked up unlike another child which I won't name here.
I am most excited because tonight we are starting up our ladies Bible study again after the holidays. It was good to grow together last semester and I look forward to growing even more in Christ this semester.

Our weekend away!

We had a good weekend away! The cabin was on Lake Red Rock. It was very nice with alot more room than we really needed with 3 bedrooms, kitchen, living room with fireplace and foose ball table in the loft. It also had a whirlpool. It would be a good place for a family reunion. The down fall was we had to clean it.
We watched the Bourne movies. They were really good and I wonder if they will come up with number 4? My sinus stuff is getting better, but I did sleep more this weekend than normal. Keith cooked breakfast all 3 mornings so I could sleep.
The kids were really good my dad said. I'm glad they are good for them. It sounds like they had a relaxing weekend playing UNO and watching Little House and Waltons. Beth says she doesn't want to watch the last Little House because it will be too sad.
I haven't taken down our Christmas stuff yet. I will do it for sure this weekend if not sooner. Chris wants to keep part of his village up so we'll see if he still wants to this weekend.
Well I better get to bed. I have work and school tomorrow.

2008

Beth and Chris were able to stay over night at Kim and Steve's on Friday. Then we did Christmas with Keith's family there on Saturday. We were all pretty wore out so we watched the new movie we got from Steve and Kim-Mr. Bean's Holiday. It is quite funny!
Last night we had a teen party to ring in the new year! Keith did have to work, but was able to join us for a game of Monoploy.
The kids and I slept in today. Chris was the first one up we watched the last of the Rose Bowl parade. After Beth got up we watched the Samantha movie.
I have had a sinus infection and haven't felt the best. So I napped and then made supper. Basically I'm just taking it easy!
Keith and I will have been married 16 years on Friday. We will be going to a cabin for the weekend. My kids are excited to stay with grandpa and grandma! Then it will be back to school!

Stockings

Christopher makes me laugh as he got so excited over everything in his stocking!

This is the first morning in a long time that the kids woke me up, so if I don't look awake that's why. The chocolate helps!

Christmas with the Newmans

Opening presents gets a little long so Tim decided to take a nap.
My parents got be an MP3 player. I've enjoyed listening to music as I clean.
Here's Keith's new blanket. It was made by my sister and so much like Keith trying to keep everyone happy. ISU on one side and the Hawkeyes on one side. My kids have both decided to be Hawk fans so they really don't like the ISU side. The best was when Sherry my brother Jeff's wife had the ISU side facing out and someone said wrong side. She said,"No she was just trying to keep the Hawks close to her."

Here is Baby Jael! She liked the taste of this bow the best!
Trevon turns two in March so this was practice for his birthday.
Eli did good watching Treven open his presents even though he wanted a few of them. He did like his presents.
Chris gets so excited about his presents!
Along with this coat for her doll, Beth got her last two "Trixie Beldon" books that she needed to complete the set. She was so excited that she was crying! For those of you haven't heard of "Trixie Beldon" they are books written about a 14 year old girl who solves mysteries.

Christmas Update

We have had a great Christmas Season! God has been so very good to us! Not because we got a great expensive Christmas Present, or we got to see all of our family but because these things remind us that He is with us always and it helping us to grow and become more like him. This year we have had numerous car troubles finally we were down to one car again. A couple in our church allowed us to borrow one of their cars. On Wednesday night Dec. 12 I was sick. Keith called be from church and said I needed to bring that car back to them. When I got to church I was handed keys to a new mini van ! Several people at the church made this possible but mainly a couple who lost their adult son last Christmas time. That truly touched my heart and reminded me that what we may consider tragic God can use for good.
We were able to spend time with my family on the 15th and we will be actually doing Christmas with Keith's family on the 29th. We did get together for my nephew Ben's birthday on the 8th. Also Kevin has been at our house since Saturday and Kent has come for supper and played games a couple of nights!
God has blessed us in our jobs this year. While I really don't want to work outside the home, cleaning house has its upsides. Like I can clean my own house quicker, I have a very understanding boss and really don't have to deal with people. Some of the home owners are home and I enjoy talking with them. I thankful recieved a bonus this Christmas! Keith received his normal bonus, but he also recieved an extra bonus for working hard and one for not calling in sick this year.
We are taking a break from school right now. The kids have been helpful with wrapping and baking!
Well its time for lunch and then we are going to go sledding!

Christmas Angels HA HAA!

Here are my darling Christmas Angels! Our Children's program at church was "Hark the Herald Angel" It is a story of what may have happend in heaven before the birth of Jesus. Since they had the robes for the kids the Children's Choir wore them when they sang as part of our Christmas Celebration.

Christmas Program

For our church Christmas program my kids were angels. Christopher got to change and be a shepherd for this part of the program. Beth got to be a special angel and guard baby Jesus.
Here is Beth with her small singing group.
Here is the whole group Chris is in the second row 4th from the right. Beth is in the back row second from the left. They worked on the program since the end of August during Children's Church. Christopher had really enjoys preforming and singing. He would read the program over at least every other day. It really showed that the kids liked the program and that they had practiced hard.

I'm back!

Ok so I've been too busy to blog, but I've decided to change that. At lease once a week I promise to publish something.
We had a good Thanksgiving. I had the flu from the Saturday before until the Monday before. It made it so I really didn't have to watch what I ate. I have offically gone down a size in my clothes. The pants I wore tonight to youth group were way too baggy. Thankfully I had a belt.

BKB Golf Tournament

This is Beth with Ben at the 4th Annual BKB golf outing. It was held on Saturday Sept. 22. Beth helped watch Ben most of the day. Keith, Chris and I sat at the hole where if you got a hole in one you won a free 2year lease. No one won! It was a great day. Altogether they raised $11,383.77 dollars which goes to buy carseats for babies under 5 pounds that get dismissed from the NICU at Mercy Hospitial in Des Moines. This is where my neice Bailey Katherine Bryant was for her short life before she went to heaven becasue of complications of Downs. Also our son Nicholas was there for 2 weeks.

Throw the computer out the window!!!

Ok so we have been having computer problems again. Anyway I have pictures from Beth's birthday which she enjoyed and the Fun Fair at church. My plan is to post them Monday. Sorry.

The weekend

Last night we went to the Homecoming Dinner at Faith. We sat with my brother, wife and daughter, Johanna. We also had one of our past teens,Andy Mungons, with us at the table and another freshman and professor. It was exciting to see what students did for the summer. Also the kids enjoy the time with other kids. This was also the first time we heard the new president, Dr. Maxwell speak. I thought he did a good job at challenging us.
Today Chris got caught up on all his school work. Next week we hope it is better so we don't have to do school on Saturday. We also went to an open house for a couple in our church. It was their 25 year anniversary and their daughter was able to surprise them!!! Then I had to go to the grocery store. Keith and the kids really didn't want to go, but we are trying to save gas so they went. Keith was amazed at what you could buy at ALDI's. I told him he should come more often as it changes. On the way home we did get into the game traffic. The once a year traffic jam in Huxley Iowa.
This next week seems busy as I have to finish up Beth's birthday shopping. She turns 11 one week from tomorrow! Thankfully we are not having a friend party this year. I enjoy them, but they are a lot of work.

Monopoly

Saturday the Hatfields weren't able to come over so we decided to play Monopoly. It was alot of fun! Christopher won! This is the second time we have done this as a family and the second time Christopher won.

Beth and her gum

While I was working today, Beth calls me and says, "I chewed Christopher's gum." I ask if he is mad was it special gum. She says no. So I'm like what's the problem. She says, "He had already chewed it." She took it off his plate after lunch. I reassured her that it wasn't that big of deal. He isn't sick right now. The college girls that was cleaning with me just laughed. She thinks I get some of the most interesting phone calls from my kids.
We are working on cleaning this afternoon. Tomorrow night we are having Pastor Will, Amy and family over for supper. God has blessed us with such a nice house that we need to share it more often. My plan is not to leave home at all tomorrow. We'll have to see. I'm not sure what I'm having for supper so I may have to run to the store.

Labor Day and Starting School!

This weekend was the weekend that Keith decided to help paint the up stairs at my parents' house. It didn't go as well as he expected so we stayed an extra day. We did get home on Tuesday afternoon with enough time to start school. The first two days have been traumatic for Chris, but today was better. Beth has done great! She finishes and then offers to help him. One of the other cleaning ladies quit so I've had my schedule changed alittle. It hasn't been too bad. I just like to be in a routine.

Hershey Factoy

This show was cool. It included these animals,their trainer and 3 divers. The divers were the crooks and the sea lions and their trainer were the detectives. Actually the trainer was their secretary.

Look at the lights on the light poles. They are shaped like Hershey Kisses. Some are wrapped and some are unwrapped. These are on Chocolate Avenue.

This part of the factory as seen from the mono rail. I ended up riding the mono rail 3 times. The first one was Friday night. I wanted to see the park at night. Only Beth didn't want to ride it with me. Kieth and her didn't ride it. So then on Saturday , we convinced her to ride with us and she liked it. Then the kids had to have Keith ride the mono rail with them, so we did.
Below are the singing cows that we saw on the tour of the factory. Actually it is not of the factory, but a tour they have set up.

Hershey Park

When we came into the park on Saturday morning. This guy was showing the skunk. Hershey Park is connected to Zoo America, which you can enter for free from Hershey Park.

Beth and Chris were not quite as daring at Hershey Park to try new rides. This one was O.K. since it was like a ride at Adventureland. They said their favorite ride was the Frog Hopper which they also have at Adventureland. I thought Hershey Park was a great place for all ages. There was a ton of kiddie rides, but also great roller coasters. We went in Friday night for the "Preview". Youn can go from 7:30 pm -10:00 and then we went all day on Saturday and there were still rides most of us didn't ride.

This year was the first year for the new Boardwalk part of Hershey. It is a water park. My kids had looked up pictures on line and were so excited to be there.

This was an interesting ride. It is suppose to be like you are riding waves in the ocean. Chris waited in line, but decided not to do it as you have to jump off the top.

It was very busy so we didn't get to spend a lot of time doing the water slides.