Student of the Week!

Lauren has received the honor of Student of the Week at Lincoln Elementary for the 3rd consecutive year.  She was nominated by her teacher.  Our ritual has become going out for a blizzard to celebrate.  So it looks like we will be making our way to Dairy Queen later tonight.  Great job Lauren!  

Jillian is 7!

Today is Jillian's 7th birthday.  I remember the day she was born well.  She was my easiest delivery and our easiest baby.  She continues to be our easy going, sweet natured, and mild mannered Jillian.  She loves school, legos, puzzles,crafts and reading.  She has requested going to Hyvee for her birthday supper.  She is not much for desserts but the Hyvee salad bar has some pudding type desserts she really enjoys.  Jillian is such a blessing to our family and we are grateful for her.  We love you Jillian!

Jillian hanging out on her potty chair

One of our many trips to the Omaha Children's Museum

First day of first grade

A busy weekend

This weekend was a busy one for our family.  Perhaps the biggest news is that we no longer live here.

 

We sold this house

 

And moved into this house (temporarily that is)

Our home will be done at the end of February.  We are grateful to have sold our other house even if it means having to be inconvenienced for 2 months.  Our rental is great.  Its geared towards the lake community and is mainly used in the summer for families that come to use the lake etc.  Our house has a nautical theme on the upper level and a jungle theme on the lower level.  The kids are loving it!  

In other news this weekend...

Lauren is a member of the Yankton Children's Choir and performed in their Winter concert on Sunday.  They did a wonderful job and are very talented for 3rd through 8th graders.  

The concert was titled "The Snow Has a Song" which was appropriate for the day as its been snowing for hours and is forecast to snow for many more.

Enjoying some well deserved treats after the concert.

A great way to end the weekend. 

Christmas 2010

Our Christmas celebration began on Thursday the 23rd and went right on through the weekend.  We are exhausted today, but it was all well worth it.  We are so blessed and thankful for our wonderful families and all the work that goes into making Christmas meaningful and memorable each and every year.

We kicked our Christmas off last Thursday at our house.  We had our family celebration.  We ate supper at Minerva's and then listened to Lauren and Jillian play Christmas carols for us on their piano.

We read the Christmas story and opened gifts.  We ended our evening by blowing out the candle on our birthday cupcakes for Jesus

Then it was off to Sioux Falls the next day for our Christmas Eve celebration with Paul and Darlene

Paul and Darlene with all of the grandkids before leaving for Christmas service at their church

Lauren wrote and directed a Christmas play for us.  It was called "Do you Know the Meaning of Christmas?" They are all so cute and did a great job!

The reading of the Christmas story from the book of Luke

Some of the highlights of our gift opening were these wonderful aprons that Darlene and her friend Molly made for the girls.  They love to bake with Grandma.  On a related note, my parents found my Grandma Clark's old recipe box and apron and gave it to me for Christmas.  It brought back many fond memories of times spent in my Grandma's kitchen helping her cook and wash dishes.  

Paul gave each of his grandsons a toy gun.  Opening gifts is already a crazy scene, but then you add 3 toy guns with sound effects and you can only imagine!  Owen has hardly put the gun down since.

Another birthday party for Jesus.  This time we had pepermint stick ice cream cake.  Yum!

The next morning it was on to Mitchell.  Jordan was home and my Grandma Lilly was there from Aberdeen.  We opened more gifts. The highlights of that gift opening would have to be the silly $6 Zhu Zhu pets.  The kids were thrilled.   Thanks Uncle Jo Jo!  It was then time to get ready for another wonderful meal.    We had prime rib the night before and ham dinner with all the fixings on Christmas day. 

 

Grandma Lilly and Jillian getting started on our Christmas puzzle.  

By the end of the day, everyone (except Grandpa Pat) had contributed to the puzzle

Success!

This picture is worth a thousand words, but I will give you the condensed version.  My grandma is a die hard republican.  So naturally she likes Kristi Noem,  However she despises Kristi's hairstyle.  She and Darlene talk about this often in a joking way.  So after our annual 5 dollar gift exchange, Darlene presented Grandma Lilly with a present.  It was "from" Kristi Noem and was a wig that resembled her hair cut.  Grandma Lilly wore it with pride and got a huge kick out of it.  

Happy Birthday Natalie!

Today is my sister- in- laws birthday.  I never had a sister growing up, but God has blessed me with wonderful girlfriends and Natalie is one of them.  We always have so much fun when we are together.  She is the best!  Happy Birthday Natalie!!!

Santa visit

We have a house nearby that takes Christmas decorating very seriously.  They even have a shed right in the front  yard where Santa and Mrs Clause sit during December and listen to the kid's wish lists. They send them home with a treat bag filled with peanuts, an apple and a candy cane. It sure beats standing in line at the mall.  I only had my cell phone camera along so the pictures are not the greatest. 

 Madelyn asked for a baby doll that pees and poops

 Owen was terrified and asked for nothing :) 

 Jillian asked for a Zu Zu pet and  legos

Lauren asked for an ipod docking station and a Zu Zu pet

Lauren turns 9!

On this day 9 years ago, our firstborn Lauren came into our lives.  We lived in a 2 bedroom little white house in Sioux Falls SD.  Will was a 4th year medical Student and I was a RN in the NICU working night shifts.  We celebrate her birthday today and we are so proud of  the young lady she is becoming.

Here we are at the hospital. She weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces. 

Lauren age 1

Happy Birthday Lauren!