HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well, it is the eve of 2009. I don't mind seeing a new year ring in, I just can't believe how fast it goes. It has been a while since I blogged, Sorry. Well, I hope everyone had a great christmas. We had a great Christmas. The kids enjoyed it. We have finished our New Years Eve "Spread". Just a whole bunch of snacky food and now we are waiting for the ball to drop. I think I will fold some laundry while I am waiting. We will see if I can make it. Well, I hope everyone had a great Christmas and I wish you a very happy new year. To all my friends I want to thank you for your friendship whether near or far I really cherish friendships. I hope everyone has nothing but happiness for 2009. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Tis the Season.

Well, I had many things to blog about most of which I am sure to forget. Anyway, Thanksgiving - We had a great thanksgiving. It was just us and I made a nice turkey dinner. It was great. The kids did not eat tons and it was a lot of work but it was nice. We had a very nice week off school with them.

Reece had a cough that started on Wen. On Friday I thought I would take him to the doctor to get checked and we went to urgent care because our doctors office was closed. They did a couple of X-rays and said he had pnemonia at the base of his lungs. He got some anti-biotics and hopefully we be good. I did go to Black Friday shopping that morning at 4:00 A.M. Crazy I know but I am done for christmas which is also nice.

Eggnog. I never used to like eggnog but I don't know what has happened but I LOVE it. I bought a quart of it yesterday and pretty much drank the whole thing. I could go buy another one today and do the same thing but I am trying to not because I am sure it is very fatting. Oh Well, IT WAS GOOD.

I am so looking forward to christmas. I love looking at christmas lights. We got a fake tree this year. We usually go get a real tree but ended up get a fake one. It was so easy to put up. The lights were on it already and we just put the garland and the ornaments on it. Great and done.

Well, Reece is starting to get upset so I am going to go sit with him and get him to sleep. Josie and Regan are watching a movie and I am going to relax.

SNOW!

I am so excited to see snow. I don't know why because I hate cold and we had enough snow last year to last about 5 years but in my mind it is easier to take the cold when there is snow on the ground. When there is snow on the ground there is a reason for it to be cold. Anyway, it is the start of thanksgiving week and I am really excited to hopefully sleep in but we will see. It will be nice to relax and have the kids play with friends and have a break.

What to be when I grow up.

I always thought I was grown up and I thought you usually make that decision when you get out of high school and go to school then. But with Reece being our last baby I have been thinking of things I want to do when he starts school. I don't want to do anything full-tiime but something to keep me busy for some time in the mornings or something. I went to Austyn's first band concert on Thursday night and saw the band instructor and thought of the great moments I had with band. I loved being a part of "The Spirit of Alberta" marching band YEAH! That was a lot of fun more now when I look back at it. It was tuff getting up early on cold mornings to go practice in the field. But it was great. So it made me think that would be a great thing to do. Then I went and got a massage on Friday morning and thought of all the people I could help with being a massage therepist. How wonderful that would be. Then I would LOVE to go back and be an OBGYN doctor. Which I know would be very busy and A LOT of school but that is something I am interested in. Nurse, Teacher, Hyvee cashier. I think there are a lot of things that I can think of to do. We will see what happens.

My mom and Grandma just left yesterday after being here for a week. It was so nice to visit with them. For them to see Reece and enjoy the kids. We had a lot of fun. I know travelling is not fun and can be hard sometimes but I am really glad that they came to visit. The kids love to have my mom come and visit.

Reece is doing good. He is very sweet and a very good baby. We have a week of school and then it is a week off for Thanksgiving. I am somewhat excited to have a week off because we can relax and not have to get up early. But I will have the kids home for a week. I love them dearly but school has been nice to have somewhat of a little break. I am sure it will be fun and it will be great. We will see.

It is getting colder and I don't like that but what do you do. I know the kids will enjoy the snow and have fun in it.

Gas is down to 1.95 which is like half of what it was at one point. I am so excited. It is nice to fill up my van. Well, I think I am off to bed. Another week.

Life.

Well, Life is good. I have not blogged for a while. But things are going well. I am bouncing back very quickly and doing well. Which is always nice. Reece is doing well. He is up to 8 pounds 12 oz and his is sure a great baby. There are a few times when life is crazy, getting the kids off to school or getting supper ready and he is crying. but I just take a deep breath and do what I can. The kids help out a lot. Regan has sure been great. He loves the baby. He is sure good in the mornings. It has sure been nice. Josie is loving preschool. I had to laugh the other day because she told me she wants to be called by her nick name which is Josie Anderson. I asked her why it was Josie Anderson and she said that is what your nick name is. My Maiden name is Carrie Anderson. I thought that was funny.

My mom and grandma are coming out on November 8 - 15 which I am really excited about. It will be nice to visit with them and just have some extra hands around. I am always wondering how I will do it after my mom comes but it is so nice to have her help when she is here. But I do it. It is the trunk -o-treat tonight at the church. So we will most likely do that. Neil and Ridley are going to a Minnesota Wild/Montreal Canadians NHL game tomorrow. They are staying up in Minneapolis by the Excel Center where they will be playing. I know they are both excited and will have a lot of fun. Then it is Halloween. We will get that over with and then gear up for Thanksgiving which I am excited about to have a turkey dinner. And then it is christmas. It will be a lot of fun. I always enjoy getting the tree and smelling that beautiful pine smell. EXCITING.

Well, things are going well. I get tired but overall I have really been relaxing during the day. I do get a lot done while Reece is sleeping but I try to relax a lot also. Good times.

Welcome our new addition.

Well, on October 10, 2008 Reece Nevin was born at 3:36 p.m. I had gone in that morning and was 5 cm dialated and so he stripped my membranes. Hopefully that is not too much info but anyway, I started cramping and contracting right away. I went and got some groceries thinking it would be good to walk around and got Josie from Preschool and met Neil at home. I had friends stay with the kids while I went. THANKS CHAREE, ELAINE and POLLY for helping me out. Well, we got to the hospital and I was then 7 cm. It was moving along nicely. Then at 3:36 p.m. he was born. When they turned me on my side it only took a few good hard very hurtful contractions and I was at a 10. I did have some fentinol medicine which helped with the pain for the last little bit but it was bad. Anyway, he came out and I thought he was bigger a little because it was worse than any of the kids. Well, it ended up his weight was 7 pounds 15 oz and my largest baby before him was 6 pounds 9 oz. It does make a difference in that much weight let me tell you. Anyway, it is done and I am glad of that. We are so happy he is here and is doing well. We came home on Sunday afternoon and the kids had really worked hard at getting the house clean. They did a great job.

Anyway, it is good to be home. I love my hospital stay but I was ready to come home and I am okay if this is our last time at the hospital. I am good with that. I am moving onto our life of raising our kids now and excited for that. They sure are the greatest kids in the whole world and I know that as moms we all feel that our kids are the greatest. But that is how it is supposed to be.

Well, I think we will be off to bed soon. Good night!

Back to normal.

Well, after our week of being sick it was nice on Monday to get everyone back to school. Neil stayed home one more day but then he went back on Tuesday. It is nice to get back to normal after that.

Well, this week was good. I have really had the nesting feeling going on. I really think (Neil would like it also) if we could bottle up the hormone that makes you nest. I can't believe how much I get done. We could make some really good money off of selling it. I would just like to take some every once in a while to get a lot done. And things I usually don't do. I cleaned the blinds in the kitchen and have gone through closets and rooms. It feels great to get things done.

It is getting colder out. It is okay still, you can just feel the chill in the air though. I hope it is a very nice fall and we don't have a crazy aweful winter. Last winter was so long and cold it honestly makes me want to move back to Alberta and at least feel the chinook once in a while. When it gets cold here it stays cold and it bitter bitter cold.

Anyway, I am going to go warm up in our nice new bed which is very comfortable and I actually have been getting some sleep on lately. My legs are feeling a little better. Hopefully within a couple of weeks I can blog about our new addition to our family. I am on week 38 this week. I am pretty excited for the baby to come but also my hospital stay. I love my hospital stay. 2 days of laying in bed, being served great food. What more could a girl want. Right? Anyway, I am excited for the birth of this baby boy. Our family seems complete after this.

What a week.

Well, what a week it has been. We started with the throwing up on Tuesday at 4:30.

Tuesday - 4:30 p.m. -Regan started throwing up.
Wednesday - 3:00 a.m. - Josie started throwing up.
Wednesday - 4:00 a.m. - Regan is most likely done.
Wednesday - 7:00p.m. - Josie should be done.
Wednesday - 10:00 p.m. - Ridley starts throwing up.
Thursday - 5:00 a.m. - Ridley should be done.
Thursday - 10:00 a.m. - I start throwing up.
Thursday - 12:00 noon - Neil comes home and is throwing up.
Thursday - 6:00 p.m. - Austyn starts throwing up.
Thursday - 8:00 p.m. - Madison starts throwing up.
Thursday - 10:00 p.m. - I start feeling better and a good thing because I am up with the girls all night.
Thursday - 10:00 p.m. - Neil starts feeling better also.
Friday - 5:00 a.m. Austyn done throwing up.
Friday - evening - Madison has thrown up during the day a few times also. I hope it all ends!!

It was VERY aweful. Needless to say we have not really left our house the past few days. I have bleached the house, washed sheets, towels, clothes, buckets, did not sleep for 3 nights straight and so I slept for a few hours during the day on most of the days after. But we were wiped out. We are not going to church tomorrow because I do not want to pass this on to anyone. We should be not contagious after that. I just don't want anyone to have to go through that.

On a fun note, we got our new very nice King size mattress and furniture for the tv room. The bed is so comfortable and nice. I just cannot sleep because my legs are so restless. So if I stay up until around midnight which is coming up then I can fall asleep easier because I think I am so tired and forget about the restless legs. Anyway, it has been really annoying not being about to sleep at night because of it. I hope it goes away after the baby. Just a few weeks away!

Well, we are better, and I am excited for monday to get everyone off to school and happy and not throwing up!! YEAH!!

I hope everyone stays healthy!!

SICK KIDS.

Well, we have been safe from the throwing up bug for a long time. Some years we are getting it often. This last year has been very peaceful and we have not seen it. Yesterday as we were getting ready to leave for Gymnastics Regan threw up everywhere. Then he kept throwing up all night. Early on into the morning. Then Josie comes in at 3:00 a.m. and said she is sick. I got her a bucket and thought she just needed to go to the bathroom and laid her down and a few minutes later she came in and said she threw up. So she has been throwing up since then also. We are camped down on the couches. They each have a bed made and their buckets on towels and we are ready. It does amaze me that when they drink a few sips of water it seems that double or triple the amount comes back up. CRAZY! Anyway, Regan is asleep and Josie is hopefully going but she is still sick. Regan I hope is done with it. Well, now Regan is awake. He does seem a little better and I hope it is done. We will see. I also hope it does not go through everyone. Well, things are good. We will get this over with. I hope everyone stays well!

Sad.

Family is very important for me. When we were up in Canada last year we got to spend time with our cousins from Utah. Shauna and I are 6 months apart and whenever we get together it seems like we have never been a part and we can talk and talk.

Shauna was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and I went to the Team Shauna Blog and her family is working together to beat this. I hope everything goes well for them and for her. If you want to go to the website to see how things are going you can. I was just going to put that I have never really been touched by cancer closely but 4 years ago Neil had some tests done and we were told most likely he had hodgkins disease. It was very shocking and we were ready to do what was needed. He had 2 biopsies and later was told it was gone. Whatever was there is gone. It was amazing and we are very grateful for the outcome. You just never know what is going to happen or what things we may need to go through.

Anyway, All the best to Shauna and I love you and hope for everything to go well!!

Love Carrie

The Family is a comin!

Well, I am going to be having a baby in the middle of October. My family (for some odd reason) find it very hard to get down here to Iowa. Las Vegas is usually the spot they go. Not Iowa, why not I ask myself. Anyway, everyone would ask if I had family coming when I had the baby and I usually said most likely not. Which made me sad because there is nothing like family. But then my mom and Grandma have ended up deciding to come down. YIPEE!!! I booked their flights for November 8 - 15. I am so excited to have them come and visit. I wish more would come but I take whoever I can. I am excited to have them come and see the baby and have my mom with the kids. They love their grandparents so much. I am so happy they are coming and we are counting down. It will be a lot of fun.

I think I have posted it before but Madison is even going to live by them when she grows up and has kids so her kids can be near their grandparents. Neil said, "But we will be your kids grandparents." She said oh ya but I want them by grandma and grandpa. Regan at least once a week tells me he wants to ride on Grandpa's tractor. They miss them. So I am excited when they get to be with them.

Well, Neil is home and it has been so nice. We went and ordered new King size mattresses to go with our beautiful wood King bed frame. I am very excited and hoping that they bring wonderful amounts of blissful sleep to me who does not always sleep until my legs stop being restless. I am hoping that it leaves after I have the baby (the restless legs feeling.) Anyway, we will see. We get it next week.

Well, the kids are in bed and we are down for the night. We are off to bed and hopefully a long nights sleep.

Out of the mouth of babes.

I had to laugh yesterday when Madison brought home a paper from school. It has a spot to put your special place. She put home. That is sweet. Then around it it asks what do you see? smell? Hear?etc. Well, under smell madison put air - gross sometimes. then under hear she put yelling at each other, talking to mom. I laughed. She is always the one to write things like that. I thought it was quite funny. So at home which is her special place it smells grows and we yell at each other.

Anyway, today was going to be a busy day with a soccer game at 8:30 and then Primary activity at 10:00 - 12:00 and then Neil is going to be coming home at 3:30. Well, our soccer game was cancelled!!!! YEAH! Most of the kids were up getting ready when they called and let us know but they are enjoying watching cartoons this morning. We will go to the primary activity and then come home and get ready for daddy to come home. It will be fun.

Anyway, we are going to take a break and watch Ariels Beginning. Have a great Day!

Kids.

Well, I dropped Josie off at preschool this morning and it was harder than I thought but I was still okay. She was pretty quiet when I dropped her off. We drop them off on the sidewalk in front of the school by the street. When I left driving down the road it started raining harder and I felt sad. I am sure she will have a great day and she will come home happy. I am happy she is doing this because I think it will be really great for her. Especially to go to full day kindergarten next year.

Anyway, Regan and I came home and it is raining which is a nice excuse to stay inside and relax. Regan was a little grumpy so he ate and then I gave him some ice cream. I am folding laundry and cleaning up. So it has been a good morning so far. We will pick josie up in a couple of hours and it will be nice to see how her morning was.

I am so glad that the kids are enjoying school. Austyn loves middle school and has been walking to and from school this past week. We live maybe 5 blocks from it and she has a friend she walks with. I am glad that she is enjoying middle school. She is such a great daughter. She is also growing up. I watched Father of the Bride with her yesterday and I cried a lot during the movie just even thinking about her growing up and moving away and getting married. I know it will be a while but I am sure I will look back and wonder where the time went. I am trying to enjoy every minute with the kids which can be hard sometimes when you are ready to send them away but I always try to think about every minute I have with them.

Ridley and Madison are also enjoying school. They are all well behaved kids so we never have any trouble with that which is nice. They get along with people and teachers. I talked with Ridley last night about school and how things are going. He really likes it. He was kind of asking questions about when I have the baby and what will happen with them when I am in the hospital. Neil is going to take 1-2 weeks off and so that will be nice. He is really good to have the kids when I am in the hospital (which I call my resort) I love my hospital stay. He will bring them up and then take them home when it is to much. Anyway, I think I had a great talk with Ridley.

They are great kids and it is when they are gone to school or asleep that I really can look back and miss them. When they are around and not getting along at times it gets very frustrating. They are great though and I am a lucky mom.

There are my thoughts for today. I will get back to putting the laundry away and then vacuuming and then we are done for the day. Have a Great Day!

Almost 2 weeks down.

Well, we are almost at 2 weeks down of Neil's trip. Then 1 more week. It has not been to bad. Things are going quite well. I sure am glad that the kids are in school. That has sure helped. I took Josie to her Preschool orientation this morning which was really fun and I think she will really like it. She starts on Monday Woo, Woo!!! I think she will have so much fun at preschool!

I have loved getting the kids to bed and sitting. It is 7:15 and they are going to bed soon to read. Some nights they get to read for a while when they go to bed a little earlier.

Anyway, things are going well. I like to sit down and have some treats all by myself, Ice cream, licorice, chocolate, whatever is around. I don't eat all of that at once but some of the stuff.

Well, I am running out of things to say as I am feeling really tired and like I am starting to get a cold.

Good night!

Life

Well, I have been meaning to write about this for a while but GAS IS DROPPING IN PRICE. It is now 3.55 here in Cedar Rapids. How wonderful is that. Anyway, I am excited to see it finally going down instead of up.

Also, we just took Neil to the airport today. So his flight should be leaving in about 4 min from Cedar Rapids where he will fly to Chicago, Germany, and then to Toulosse France. He will be there for 3 weeks. Wow. I think I will be very ready for him to come home. I will only have 5 weeks left though in the pregnancy when he gets back. So I am looking to that also. Getting it all done.

Well, school starts on Tuesday. I think we have had a good summer. We have gone swimming quite a bit. I do think that it will take Regan and Josie a while to understand that there is no more pool though. Regan today said Bever Pool and I told him it is closed cause winter is coming. Hopefully it is not right around the corner but that makes me sad that we will have to go through winter again. Hopefully it is better than last year. But I am really excited to get everyone off to school again. I find myself getting very irratated with kids not getting along with each other. And luckily it is not all the time but there are times I just say to myself that I cannot wait. It is time.

Well, hope everyone is enjoying the back to school time of year. Good luck!

Comments

HEY EVERYONE I am so excited, I have comments. Sorry Shea and Chelle and Alicia that it took me till now to see you have commented. I am very excited.

Anyway, 1 week today until school starts. I have thoroughly enjoyed my kids being home but it is the natural circle of life (which is great) that brings the fall back and school starting again. IT IS TIME!. I am ready for them to get back to school, not so ready to wake up and make lunches but I am going to try and do a lot at night before we wake up. We will see how long I stay that organized. They are outside playing right now because it is not going to be such a humid day and I just needed a little peace and quiet for a minute. I am going to vacuum and will get to it as soon as I am done this.

Neil is leaving on Sunday for France for 3 weeks. School will start while he is gone, Ridley will turn 7 while he is gone (so we are celebrating his birthday tonight) but we will do it.

I got my haircut last night and I love it. It is quite short in the back and a little longer on the sides. I feel Sassy. I really enjoy getting my haircut and finding a cute hairstyle.

Anyway, Thanks for the comments. You made my day. Shea, I saw you had cancelled the supper. I totally understand why. Hopefully we will be up next summer. There is a Calgary Marathon that Neil was looking at running in but this year it was in July and next year it says it is in May. That would not work us. Anyway, we will see what happens.

Nauvoo and other things

Well, on Tuesday I drove down to Nauvoo with the kids. There was a friend and her kids that went also. It was hot and we had a lot of kids together but it was really great. We got to sit and watch the pageant that they put on for I think around 5-6 weeks in the summer and it was wonderful. I saw it a few years ago and I really enjoy it. I love Nauvoo, I love the temple there even though the Alberta Temple will always be my favorite. I love the Nauvoo temple and all the history that surrounds it. I can remember seeing where the temple stood before they built it and then driving into Nauvoo after they had built it and it just makes you want to cry because it looks like the picture you see of back in the 1800's when the temple was there. It is amazing that they could have built this beautiful building with out all the things today that we have. AMAZING. I love it. Well, after the pageant which ends at around 10:00 p.m. we set out on our 2 hour journey home. We did not get going until close to 11:00 just getting the kids all together and settled and it is hard to stay awake but we did it. It was very worth while.

Well, things are going well. Neil has been off of work this week. He is taking a couple of weeks vacation and we have really been enjoying him. We have all gone swimming and it is so nice to have the extra set of hands. He has gone out and played football with the kids a lot, which they love. It has been really nice. He is going to be going to France again so we are enjoying him while he is home with us and not working.

Well, I put the kids to bed at 8:00 p.m. tonight. They just all seemed like they were having a rough day and when they seem sad and somewhat not getting a long I love to put them to bed early to get a great sleep. They all went down and I have not heard from them at all. Well, I saw Josie a couple of times but she went right back to bed and I have not even seen her for a while.

I went and got school supplies today and that is always an adventure. I took Austyn and Madison with me thinking they would help out and at one point I thought to myself I have really got to stick with just coming myself. But they did pretty good. The only thing Walmart did not have was pencils. They were totally out of pencils. So I will get some next time.

Anyway, we are getting ready for Back to school. Just a few weeks away. ENJOY THE REST OF SUMMER!

YEAH!

There are two things lately that we have desperately been looking for. Ridley has not been able to find his Nintendo DS and Regan had lost Neil's other VW Passat Key, which I did give him in January to play with when Neil was in France and he wanted to hold Daddy's key. So really I blame Neil but anyway, on Friday I thought we have really got to find these two things that are not cheap. Well, I cleaned the TV Room and moved the couches and cleaned under the radiator and everything. Well, we did find the DS under the couch which I swear I have looked under at least 3 times. None the less, I am so excited to have found it. Then I told Madison to take the flashlight and go check for the key under all the radiators. She came running in so excited because she had found a set of keys. But Sorry Madison, it was not it. We thought nothing could have been better than finding those 2 lost things in one day. Well, at least we found one and we will keep searching for the key.

Well, this is the start of doing nothing for the rest of the summer. At least nothing that we need to get to. We are all done our summer activities. Now, Neil is home for a couple of weeks for a vacation and we are going to VEG. I think I am taking the kids to Nauvoo on Tuesday. There is a pageant going on and they love going down to Nauvoo. It will be a lot of fun. I am excited.

And that is about all we have planned. The only thing I want to do is finish cleaning the attic which I am really going through closets and cleaning or organizing the mess. I really need my sister here to tell me to throw things away, I physically cannot do it. So one day Heather we will go through my house. But I will finish cleaning the attic and I will get school supplies. Other than that we are swimming and enjoying the rest of our summer together.

I do think my kids are going to go into withdrawals when they go back to school because they do not have a fridge to run to at least every hour. When we go swimming and we are there for an hour they start dying because they are hungary. I just laugh because I tell them they are just not used to being away from the fridge. I know swimming can make you hungry but it is funny anyway.

It is quite hot here. It is so humid I really just feel like I am in a constant hot flash. And I don't even probably know what a real hot flash feels like. The dew point is very high and it makes is so uncomfortable. I feel like I am in a sauna. It is hard to breath especially after climbing a lot of stairs.

Anyway, I do hate winter, I do hate winter, I do hate winter.

Very nice story.

http://largerfamilies.blogspot.com/2006/06/never-alone.html


I just saw this post on my friends blog that she took from someone else's and I laughed and probably would have cried if I wasn't so mad at the screaming going on behind me from Josie and Regan. Anyway, It was very nice and I love big families. I love always being there for each other although I am 1400 miles away from mine right now. But Neil and I have always wanted a big family. We do get funny looks when we go to restaurants like "OH NO look what we will have to deal with" but by the time we leave the waitress is always complimenting the behavior of our kids and what great eaters they are. THat is nice to hear.

I am always told I have my hands full when I go to the store. One day a few years ago Madison asked me "Why does everyone say we have our hands full". I thought that was very cute. I told her it was because we had a lot of kids and some people were not used to it. I love my hands being full. More when they are not screaming at each other (the two youngest ones) but none the less I take a little break and try not to freak out and deal with them and then it can be quiet again for a while.

Now I am not saying you have to have a big family. You can have whatever you can have. We have just been fortunate to have been able to have the children we have received and I wish I could have kids for everyone. Although not now at this point in my life because I am having a rough pregnancy and I think it is because I am getting older.

Anyway, enjoy your families and have a great Day!

Sisters

I know I have talked about this before in one of my first blogs but I sure do love my sisters. I don't think there is anything better. I really would love to live by them. Friends are great and I love all the great friends that I have but when it comes down to it family will most likely do anything for you or help you in any way needed. My sister and I talked tonight about how nice it would be to live by each other. She is such a great cook and she could help me organize and get rid of stuff like no one else. She is great at throwing away things. I REALLY NEED THAT. Anyway, I just want my sisters to know I love them so much and I am so sad I am missing the Magrath parade with them tomorrow. I love to visit with them and see their kids and be around them. Luckily that bond will always be there even though we are 1400 miles apart.

I am totally ready for Neil to get home from France. I am really excited to have an adult to converse with. I love my kids (especially right now that they are quietly in bed). But it gets tuff doing it all by yourself every day. It is nice to have that extra set of hands around to help.

Well, one month tomorrow school starts and that is exciting. I am really trying to make the summer fun for the kids. We still have one week of swimming lessons and one week of Austyn and her flute lessons. I am really excited to be done everything so we can just do whatever. I would like to go down to Nauvoo to the pageant. It is a lot of fun. The kids love it and the only hard thing is driving late at night to go home. But it is well worth the drive to watch the Nauvoo Pageant.

Well, I am soon off to bed. Hopefully I will not be bombarded with kids on my last night of being in the bed myself. I seem to get them all coming in throughout the night some nights and it gets quite squishy.

Anyway, life is good and I am happy they are here and I love them. Goodnight friends, family, Sisters!

Lunch

Well, I have a couple of friends that we like to go out to lunch around once a month. I stole the title from "The Office" for us and call us the "Finer things club" I think that is what they called it. Anyway, Gretchen and Charee and I have a lot of fun and it is always nice to go out and enjoy each others company. It was very nice and we had a great time.

I think we all have colds or something. I am sneezing and my nose is running and eyes watering and I thought it was allergies and now everyone is doing it. Either we all have the same allergies or it is a lovely summer cold. Whatever it is it is not very fun.

Neil should be home on Saturday unless the switch his schedule around but it is looking like they will not do that. Ridley has really been missing him and he will be taking a couple of weeks off in August so I told him today that him and Ridley can do a lot of stuff together. They will have fun.

Austyn is having a sleepover tonight and Regan and Josie love Micah. They are all in the TV room right now and can you say good nights sleep for me!!!! No I am just joking. We will see what happens but I am pretty sure Regan will end up with me.

Well, things are going good. I hope we get over this cold or whatever it is soon. I always think of such great things to blog about but I have a very bad short term memory and if I don't do it right then I usually forget about it. I cannot wait until August because we will have nothing to do. We will just have to have fun before School. I hope to get down to Nauvoo to the Pageant down there before it ends August 8. It is really a great pageant. I like it a lot. Although if we don't stay down there it ends up being a long drive home because it ends late but I might book something to stay down there and enjoy it. We will see.

Enjoy your summer everyone it is going quickly.

Here we go.

Well, we were supposed to leave on our trip last Sunday when we were planning on coming. I am sad we are not going up and seeing everyone but also very very happy that I don't have to think about driving all the way up. Hopefully one day we can move closer to home but I would hate to leave here.

Well, we are on our last couple of weeks of swimming lessons and flute lessons. Not much else is going on. Thank goodness!!! August we have nothing going on so I am very excited just to have nothing to do. I need to go get school supplies at some point. We should also be hearing if Josie is getting in to preschool this fall within a couple of weeks. That will be nice for her to do that. We will see what happens.

Well, the weather has been great. Not very hot. We have had humidity but it has been worse in other summers so I am glad it has been fairly good. I feel like I can't breathe sometimes but I think it is just because I am at that time in the pregnancy. Anyway, I hope everyone is having a good summer.

KEEP COOL!

Spa Day

Well, I just had a great Spa Date with my great great friend Sara. She is very wonderful and it was great for both of us to go and get this done. It was so nice. I was feeling guilty at the start of it because I feel bad doing anything for myself but I rationalized it by saying if Neil would give me back and feet rubs I would have have to spend money getting it done at the spa. Well, I really enjoyed it. I feel so rejuvinated and relaxed and excited. It was really nice.

Anyway, Sara is going on vacation and so it was great to do this before she left.

I wish that everyone could go to the spa and relax. It is great. I am just walking around and smelling my wonderful Citris smelling lotion and feeling great.

OKAY, well we are slowly getting less busy in our summer. We are done Golf, we will be done Swim team this saturday at our last Swim meet. It is at 7:15 a.m. so it is early and I will be hauling all the kids at 6:30 in the morning to get there but FUN. Anyway, then we just have a couple more weeks of flute lessons and swim lessons and we are done. August there is nothing going on. Just getting ready for school and having fun.

Well, I just wanted to let you all know if you get the chance go to the spa.

BYE.

Summer, Summer!

Well, summer is going great. It has been busy but I am excited for August because we have nothing going on. Neil is off in France. He will be there for a couple of weeks. We are on our last week of swim team and golf which is very nice. I think the girls are done with Golf. We will just have to get through swim lessons and whatever else pops up.

Anyway, the kids are kind of falling apart around me. We are getting ready for swim lessons and I better go get everyone ready.

The 4th of July

Well, it is the 4th of July and we are having a bar-b-q with friends today. It think it is so funny that we as Canadians are hosting an Independence Day Party but it is all good and we are excited. I would like to get 2 children in particular to nap so I am hoping that will happen. I am going to get things really going pretty quick. We have been cleaning up the deck and yard and getting everything ready and I have started making some cupcakes. They are going to be red,blue and whilte. As for Fireworks we will see what we can see from our house. Most likely not much but I will pull out the good old sparklers and let everyone do that for a bit.

I call today a celebration for Canada and Independence Day. We will do one big bar-b-q. I hope everyone is having a great day!

HAPPY JULY 4th!

When I grow up.

Well, summer has been really good so far. We are enjoying the warm weather. Other than the Flood of 2008 which shattered the previous flood crest it has been a very nice time. We have enjoyed the swimming pool, golf, playing at the park and I am sure there are some other fun activities that we have done. We are not going to be going up to Canada this year. We were going to go but with gas prices and the way I am feeling with the pregnancy and how tired I am, I just don't know if I can do the drive. I am excited to stay home and just enjoy our summer together.

There have been a couple things this last week in which is really hard for me to let my children go and grow up. Austyn (11) was invited to go to Adventureland in Des Moines with a friend of hers. She worked for her money that is cost for her ticket and was great. She left at 7:00 a.m. and all day I just had to think to myself that everything was fine with her. I stayed up until Midnight in case she called because she would not get home until then. She stayed at her friends house and they had so much fun. She came home safe and that is great. We just took Madison this afternoon after church to Camp Wapsie. It is a 3 night camp with the YMCA. She is with her Best Friend who is wonderful and I know they are going to have so much fun. It will most likely be harder on me than on her that she is gone but I am okay. I am not looking forward to teenagers because of the worry that I will most likely have. But I guess I will use baby steps to try and feel better about letting them go out in the world without me by their side.

Anyway, things are going good. Neil has his flight booked for France next sunday. He will be gone for 3 weeks. It will be hard not having him around. One good thing I get the bed to myself and I can lay out have pillows all around me and hopefully not be waken up by kids coming in so I can have a great sleep. We will see. It is also nice not to have suppers ready for him when he gets home. We are always excited when he gets home. He will be going a lot in the next few months. I think he is lucky.

Well, I have a child pulling on me so I will run for now.

Times at Walmart.

I had a friend that blogged about her experiences at walmart and I was laughing today as I was there with my experience. I took the girls to golf which is 1 hour and thought I would run to walmart, take some pop bottles back and get a couple of things. Well, I drove up and got to take pop bottles and realized everyone had the same idea. There was quite a line up of people. I checked what people were taking back and got in line to put plastic bottles in. There was someone in front of me that had quite a bit so I sat and waited. There is another plastic bottle thing but it was full so you could not put more in. So I waited. Luckily Regan was happy. Then, we waited more and when she was almost done it was full so there were two full ones. A guy was there and he emptied it so she started again. Then something happened and it said not working get staff. Dang! So instead of waiting anymore there I went to customer service and returned them there. Great, one thing done. Then I went a got a couple of things I needed and by this time it was almost time to get the girls. I ran to the gas station to get my pop that is always cheap in the summer. (It is 32 ounce fountain pop for .69 cents) It makes my summer. I would love slurpies with ice cream more but since they do not have good slurpies here at all I get the fountain pop and it is great. Anyway, I ran and got the girls. MISSION DONE. We got everything done and came home.

Austyn and Neil went last night and shoveled a basement out downtown and they did say it was quite aweful. I feel so bad for the people that were affected and since we are not going to Canada we will have lots of opportunities to do some service. I know they would not even allow me to be down there being pregnant and they would not allow anyone under 12 to be down but Austyn has wanted to help so bad and so Neil went down with her. They were saying that there were teenage boys who were to cool to where masks that were throwing up after for a while because of all the toxic stuff they were breathing. Austyn and Neil wore a mask and I think Austyn was very happy to help out. Ridley was crying because he wanted to help out but I told him there would be other opportunities to help out.

Well, we are not coming up to Canada this summer. We have done a couple of trips, we went to Georgia for a nephews baptism during spring break, we went to Fargo, ND for Neil's marathon, and it all seems to add up. We love our family but I am somewhat relieved not to drive for 23 hours by myself with 5 kids and 6 months pregnant. I did do it last year but I was not pregnant. I think I am getting old and they are harder on my body. We are going to go to Nauvoo and go to the pageant down there one day this summer and the kids are in Swim lessons until the 1st of August, but we have a family pool pass and we do a lot of swimming. We will have a great summer it just won't be the same to be around our family. I hope they come and visit us sometime. Hint Hint!

Well, Make it a great day.

More gum

Well, it looks like our night was not over with, with the gum. Josie came upstairs with Madison who told me she was trying to get Peanut butter to put in her hair to get MORE gum out. I could not believe that twice in one day she got gum in her hair. Josie is now banned from gum until I think she will not get it in her hair. She has never done this before so it is quite weird. I got some vaseline in her hair gave her a bath right there and washed her hair. Her hair is totally gumless and all cleaned. Hopefully today is a great day! It sure is beautiful out. Hope everyone has a great day!

What a day!

There are crazy days. This was one of them. I woke up actually nice and awake and ready to get the kids breakfast. We ate and then I had everyone get ready to go get groceries. I took them to the dollar store to get a few toys for the summer and then we went to a couple of other stores and got groceries and then hit sams club for lunch. I was so excited to be driving home from our morning of shopping with all the kids and on the way home Josie informs me that she has gum in her hair. I asked her where she put her gum and she said she lost it. I imagine it somehow ended up in her hair. I just had to laugh because if I let it get to me I would have run off the next bridge. JUST JOKING! but I did laugh. When we got home I told her to just wait until I got all the groceries out and I would take care of her hair. There was ice cream that had been sitting for about 1 hour and I really wanted to get things in the house and put away. Well, Madison ran out and told me that Josie was cutting her hair. She was trying to cut the piece of gum out herself. I was not very happy. She luckily did not take too big of chunk off. I am sure if I would have let her have at it she would have. I got the gum cut out and got everyone laid down for a nap which was very nice. I also vaccumed up a WII cord for the sensor which was not great also. It will only cost 10 dollars to replace which is about 100 less then I thought it would cost. Lots of fun. I do love it when summer is out. This has only been our second week. I am still loving summer but it might get old it a bit.

Things are going well with the water. At least it is all going down. So many things are destroyed. IT is aweful to see and watch the news as they show the library destroyed and all the businesses. We will make it. Hope everyone is not in water and stays dry.

flooding.

Well, we are totally flooding here in Cedar Rapids. Luckily we are still dry but down town is totally under water. It is crazy. I can't even believe the pictures are from our city. There have been so many evacuations downtown and I just can't believe it. Anyway, if you log onto www.kcrg.com you can see some of the pictures of what is going on. The KCRG TV 9 studio is downtown and they are without power, water and it totally reminds of a movie when the world is ending and they are staying to the end. Anyway, we are good so far but I can't believe how bad it is around Cedar Rapids and some towns all around. Anyway, hopefully we will stay above water and this will all get better soon.

ITS A BOY!

Well, we are having a boy. We are all really excited, especially the boys because that means 3 girls, 3 boys. Ridley was very excited to have a new brother.

It has been really rainy here. Our spring has not been very nice. About as nice as the winter. Which was really not very nice.

I had a day today to do nothing. But when I say that I would love to just sit on the couch and do nothing all day but my nothing means we just don't have to leave the house. I was very tired this morning. I helped our neighbor to let her dog out on Sunday night around 11:00 and Monday morning around 6:30 a.m. and then Monday night again and Tuesday morning. So those late nights get to me. Also we stayed up until Midnight on Monday night watching the Stanley cup playoff game and went to bed after the 2nd overtime. I was happy to see that Pittsburg had won the next day. Anyway, I got up around 5:00 a.m. this morning because Josie and Regan are kind of not feeling good and kept coughing. So when all the kids went to school I laid down and kind of fell asleep for an hour. Then I was being woken up to much so I just got up and got the kids what they wanted and then started cleaning and then laid them down for their nap and then cleaned, cleaned cleaned. It was really nice. I got the bathrooms all cleaned and our bedroom really cleaned up. It was really nice to look at after it was done. Things just seem to be piled up in a few places. It was all cleaned. ANyway, my children are running around and I am really wanting them in bed right now so I am going to run and do our bedtime routine. Good night all!

Something to talk about.

I always have great things to talk about on my blog and then I don't get to the computer and when I do I can't ever remember what it was I was going to say. It is really raining right now, which is okay. We laid some grass seed down and rain will be great for it. We lived in Victoria, British Columbia for a few years and so rain really does not bother me. We would just go on with our lives rain or no rain.

Last weekend we went to Fargo North Dakota. Neil ran a Marathon there. It was a lot of fun. The hotel was great and it had a great breakfast every morning, which is my favorite meal of the day. The kids had fun in the pool, and there was a GREAT king size bed that at times when I was laying in it surrounded by pillows it was a good as heaven or so I think. Anyway, it was great. Neil finished the race despite leg cramps at mile 5 but he did really well and we are very proud of him. He wants to do a couple next year. The Fargo Marathon and then there is another one in Minnesota sometime in June next year. He enjoys it. We went to the Red River Zoo in Fargo which was really cute and the kids had a lot of fun. We just made it a nice vacation.

Anyway, kids are doing well. I am watching the bus pick up Austyn and Madison right now. Ridley's already came. I am glad it is Friday and next week we have a 4 day week and then our last week after that with 4 1/2 days. YEAAHHHH!! I love it when summer comes!!! I am also equally excited when school starts again but I love everything to be done for the summer just to have a break and relax. I actually I always picture sleeping in a little longer in the summer and usually it never happens but I am always excited for it none the less.

I have started a jar of jobs that every day the kids will do one thing out of it per day. Some have FREE DAY written on them which Austyn was quite excited about and then I said you can't look through all of them and she was a little bummed. It will be fun and have them help out with something every day before we do something fun.

We are going up to Canada this summer. I booked Neil's flight. I will be going up July 20 - August 10 - 15th. Neil is flying up July 24th - August 5. The kids are very excited for it although after our drive to Fargo Austyn was a little not excited for the 22 hour drive. Fargo is only 7 hours away from us. But I have found as we go down to Georgia and Fargo and Canada, it really does not matter how far you go a trip is a trip. But I try and make it fun and enjoyable. We get to see a lot of things on the way. But I try not to stop very much for sight seeing. So anyway, we are all excited to come up and see everyone up there.

Well, I am signing off. I have my 2 year old wanting to go eat. He already got some waffles but I guess that did not do it for him. He has been really clingy lately and I just think I need to go away for a week and get him over that but it would probably kill me to be away from the kids.


See you later!

SPRING

Well, it is getting warmer here in Winterland Iowa. Actually the Snow is all gone for a while now and it has really been nice this week.

The kids are doing well. They amaze me so much all the time. I really enjoy them in my life. I love to take every minute with them and enjoy them and help them or do what I can to make life fun for them. There are times I like to just sit but I really like to do things for them.

Today is a cleaning day since we have not one thing to do. I do not have one thing on my calendar for today which amazes me. I am so excited just to do nothing but catch up and enjoy the night.

Well, I had more things to say but now I cannot remember anything because I waited to long to write it. I sure enjoy reading peoples blogs and how things are going with them. It is a lot of fun.

BACON

Well, the other night I think I totally could have eaten a whole package of bacon. I had fed the kids supper and I totally was craving bacon so I cooked it up. I did share some with the kids because I know they like it also but I really could have eaten it all. The unfortunate thing about being pregnant and eating bacon is you don't feel like it after and it is all you can smell for 2 days. Oh well.

Things are going well. I found my first varicose vein and I am really sad. I thought I was free and clear of them because I have not had them with any other pregnancy. Well, I had a pain on my leg and I just thought it was leg pregnancy pain and then I saw it last night. I was pretty sad. I called my sister because has dealt with them more than I have. Anyway, I guess we are starting that. Not fun.

We had a crazy week but luckily soccer has been cancelled most of the week. The only problem is they keep rescheduling it. Oh well, the kids love it.

I took them to the Coralville Mall last night because the children's museum was free and so was the merry-go-round. They had a lot of fun. We got home and got to bed by ten and I was hoping they would have a good sleep in. Most of them did which was nice. Right now everyone is bathed and ready for bed. Neil is reading Narnia with Ridley, Josie is watching a movie laying down. Austyn is reading Nancy Drew, Madison is cleaning the attic while she watches tv. (I hope anyway) and Regan is down here pushing a truck around. It is very quiet and we are winding down and going to get to bed early. Life is great!!!

Spring may be on its way.

Well, spring may be on its way. We are supposed to get warm this week. It was very nice and sunny today but still cold. We will see. We went down to Georgia for Spring break. It was nice. Very nice weather which was nice to see. The kids had fun playing with each other. The drive back was long. I have kind of felt lousy all week. Hopefully it starts getting better.

Josie asked me the other day "How the baby got in my tummy?" I was kind of stumped for a bit. Actually I still am. She is 4. Anyway, things have been going well.

It was Stake Conf. today. I went with Josie because some of the kids were not feeling good. The choir sang "All Glory Laud and Honor" It is very pretty and I love it. There is another song that we sing in the choir that is "Praise to the Man" A very neat arrangment of it. I love singing in the choir.

Anyway, I can't think of anything else that is going on.

My Van looks so Pretty!!!

For those of you who have not been in Iowa for this long, long, cold snowy winter it has been that. It was finally a day not around freezing and I went out after I laid down Josie and Regan and cleaned it. Inside and out. It looks so pretty and I am so happy. My poor Lilly (my van's name) has had a hard winter and there are lots of bumps and bruises on her. But I think she is okay. There is one little dent in the back that I just got the other day because I ran (for the 100th time) into our neighbors behind us Yardy (that is what we call the big green bins that hold yard waste and nothing else.) Anyway, I always run into it and end up with no dents but alas this last bonk was pretty good. I kept thinking they are made of plastic and they just bounce off the van anyway or at least that is what I have been thinking since I never kept getting a dent. But this last one must have got it just right. I love my Lilly. She is a great Van.

I am glad that winter is over. I think I can say that without another snow storm coming. We have had quite the winter and I am glad to have some warmth today. I just looked and it currently says that it is 53 degrees with the wind chill at 47 degrees. Let me tell you this is a nice day. My daughters had to wear capris to school and it felt quite nice this morning at 40 degrees so they wore them.

It is off to gymnastics tonight and I will take the 3 older kids to do their class and I will help them teach. Fun fun.

WHO I AM!

I am getting better at technology. I have finally put a picture on my blog. I am happy to know how to do that. Neil figured out how to get all my pictures off my camera and that was really nice. Now I need to get to know how so I can do it. I picked this picture because I have been thinking that we all have ideas of how we want to grow up. Maybe at this age to be princesses or other wonderful things. I am a Mother and I love being that. I don't know if you would have ever told me I could have 6 kids one day that I would have believed it. We are expecting our 6th Child in October. I am scared, only to have 3 kids home next year and keeping sane but mostly excited to be the mother of 6 great kids who amaze me and who I adore. We have so much fun together (most of the time). Sometimes I lose my cool but mostly I try to have fun with them. Anyway, I love friends and I could not survive without great friends who mean a lot to me.

We had a great enrichment tonight. We had a great meal which is one bonus but they also did a play on how Relief Society was started. It was so neat to see or picture how the sisters got together and helped each other. It still happens like that today at least in our wonderful ward. There are many great sisters who would do anything for each other. Well, it was really nice and I loved being with my friends. I would do anything for them.

Life is good and I hope everyone thinks of happy things they are thankful for and enjoy in life!

It has been a while.

I apologize for it being a while. I enjoy reading blogs of my friends and wonder why it sometimes is a while between blogs. It has been a while for me. Things have been fairly good. Everyone is feeling good. Regan is on Antibiotics. So he is feeling great. I hope after this last round that he is finally free from them. The weather is getting better outside. YEAH!! It looks like a mess with leaves and dirt outside but at least it is getting warmer. I still get chills at times so I cannot wait until there is 80 degree weather. We are in the high 30s and 40s right now. I cannot believe we actually go outside in our swimsuits in the summer. I can't imagine it when it has been so cold.

My days have been going well. We are going to a french restaurant tonight with people that Neil works with who are from France. So that should be interesting. I hope it goes well.

I love my kids and when I look at them I can't imagine my life without them. Sometimes Josie pushes the limit but most of the time I couldn't live without her either. They are a lot of fun and I love their happiness and love. They are great kids. Well, that is it here. I will try and not be so long getting another blog on!

Happy day

Well, we just had a foot of snow dumped on us within the last 24 hours. It is very beautiful I must say. The kids had a snow day so that meant we did not have to go anywhere. After lunch the kids bundled up and went outside to play. I think they were out there for a few hours. The younger two were sleeping. It was nice. I did my run, which just about killed me but I did it. I am very happy about it. But we had a great day. I think I shoveled our front walk and steps 3 times today and the sidewalk in front of our house and my neighbors house. But it was great to be outside and it was very peaceful and beautiful.

I finally got my permanent implant tooth in on Monday. I was so excited to have it done. It was February of 2005 when I went in to ask the protodonist Dr. Haganman about it. Then I went to Dr. Parks the orthodontist for Braces, then I went to Dr. Fredricks the oral surgeon for my bone graft and my surgical implant and then I just went to Dr. Haganman again and got my permanent tooth in. I am really happy with it. Before it was on my retainer since I got my braces off and so I knew if I didn't feel my retainer then I knew I forgot to put it in. It has happened a few times that I have left the house to go to HYVEE and realize it was not in. Now I don't have to worry. There will always be a tooth there. A pretty expensive little tooth for everything I needed done but it is very nice.

Anyway, I was singing songs with Josie tonight and we were singing Jesus wants me for a sunbeam and when she sang the sunbeam part she said sunbeep. It was so funny. I tried to keep singing without laughing because it was so cute. we did get through the song but I think she thought it was a pretty funny song the way I was laughing a little. Very Cute.

If anyone would like to buy snow from us I will sell it to them quite cheap. We have quite a bit of it to get ride of. It is pretty and I do like winter when it is not -40 degrees out. That is not fun. But when it is around freezing I don't mind it.

Well, I am off to let our neighbors dog out to go to the bathroom. THis is my last night to do it because she will be home tomorrow. I am happy about that. I have been doing it for the last couple of weeks. I don't mind doing it at all because she is such a great, sweet neighbor but I am always glad when she gets home. Good night!

Sick and Tired of being Sick and Tired

I got the title of todays blog from my friend Elizabeth. We were talking today and said that and that is what I felt when I started to write this entry. Regan was really sick last week, they thought he would need to be hospitalized. I was worried and Neil was in France but he ended up not having to go in. It is Viral and he just needs to get over it. He has been sick so much this winter it is aweful. I just want him to feel better. He will get better for a couple of days and then be sick again.

Anyway, I cannot wait for Summer. We are actually having a couple of nice days that are 36 degrees today and around 40 degrees tomorrow. After what we have been having that is Wonderful. I don't like cold. I enjoy the snow but this year it has even been too much for me. It will not stop snowing. It is fun to look at though. I am just done with the cold. I have to go over and let my neighbors dog out for the next couple of weeks while she is gone. I have the 9:00 - 10:00 p.m. time. Another neighbor and friend has the 6:00 a.m. shift and then someone else takes care of during the day. I am glad it is a little managable out there. Did I say I don't like the cold?

Well, Neil got home on Friday night. It is sure nice to have him home. Ridley had a Gymnastics competition on Saturday and I took him. Just me and him it was so peaceful. He did really good. I love the energy at competitions. It makes me want to put on a gymnastic suit and get out there and compete. (Okay, kind of). It is sure a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the 2 hours of driving each way with just Ridley in the car playing his Nintendo DS and I just listened to the Radio and enjoyed the peace.

Well, we are starting another week. Fun. Fun.Fun.

France

Well, Neil is off to France. He left last Sunday. We have been doing okay. There may be a chance in the summer I can go with him if he ends up going. We will see. I would be very excited to do that. We will see how it goes. It is getting very cold here. I don't like dragging kids out when it is cold. Also, I took Regan to the doctor for the thousanth time this winter and he now has tonsilitis and brochitis. I am tired of cold and sickness. I am soooo ready for summer.

HAIRSPRAY

Well, I finished watching Hairspray and that is such a great show. It makes you want to get up and dance first of all. I loved seeing John Travolta as a girl and couldn't help staring at him and chuckling how they can make him look like that. It was great. It really made me sad about how segregation was such a part of history and that I am glad that people have moved on and hopefully it doesn't matter what you look like. I LOVED IT. It was really a great movie.

Well, back to school tomorrow. We moved to 11:00 church today and that was great. It was nice to have time in the morning to eat and get everyone ready and then get to choir. I even put a chicken in before I left so we came home and ate a nice big lupper. That is what we are calling it now because it is between lunch and supper. We came up with Lupper on our way home from church. Anyway, it was a great day.

CANADIAN

Okay, I know this is my second post with in Minutes but I had this on my mind earlier and I just remembered it. We are from Canada and no matter how much we love it down in IOWA it is not our roots. Sometimes I think it could be but today as I watched the outdoor hockey game with the Penguins and Buffalo and all the Hype that went with it being an outdoor game and how all these guys grew up playing on outdoor ice made me long for Canada. Then they sang the canadian national anthem and I said to Neil,"Doesn't that make you want to go back to Canada". He just looked at me funny. Anyway, in Canada every little town has an ice arena and I can remember when the one in our town was outdoors and it was cold but there is nothing like it. Plus when you are a kid it doesn't matter how cold it is. If you are having fun it is great. Anyway, there are times when I long to be back up in Canada. Just because that is my home. Although we do love it here in Iowa and I do consider this home. It is not like home in Canada. Eh!! Anyway, that was just on my mind. Good night!

NEW YEAR

Well, Happy New year everyone! How wonderful Christmas was. We did not do anything. Everyone took turns being sick but it was not throwing up sick it was just cold sick. It was Great to have nothing to do and we just did that. I love new years. A time to reflect on life, on things to do better, or work on.

The kids start back to school tomorrow and I am sad because it has been so nice to just veg with them and have fun. I think they are excited though to get back to their friends and away from me. Well, it has been great to have them home and I DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE ANY LUNCHES FOR SCHOOL OR GET UP AND GET EVERYONE READY. That is great. Well, 5 more months and we are done for the summer. I cannot wait. There is a lot of snow here in Iowa with all the Ice and snow storms. It is very pretty. Today it was cold. I just ran out now to get Neil and I a hot fudge sundae and it was -15 degrees Celcius. COLD.

Well, I hope everyone has a great year and we wish you all the best.

Carrie