I know it is late but I thought I would give a quick update of our holidays. As in the Christmas and New Year's holidays. Like I said - I know it is late.
The plan was to have a nice quiet Christmas morning at home with just the five of us, then head to my uncle's for teh big family gathering. We had a snow storm hit Christmas Eve night and while it was not a big storm it did mess up the roads evough that we did not want to be on the road so we stayed home. It was really nice to let the kids open and play with all their toys and just lay around in our jammies for m ost of the day! The next day we were leaving for Iowa to see Steve's family so we had plenty of time to pack our bags and load the car.
Our drive to Iowa was basically uneventful. I think it was the first time we did not get pulled over! WooHoo! The kids were great in large part to Zachary getting a Nintendo DS for Christmas and Steve setting up his laptop to play movies. It was long (12 hours) but we had good roads and nice weather.
We enjoyed 4 nights at Steve's mom's house. Another blessing is that Steve and I were able to sleep on a bed in her extra room! First time for that too. Usually we slept in her bed with one or two kids or on a chair, loveseat or the floor. We got to see both sets of his grandparents, his siblings, their significant others and kids. One night the five of us and Steve's sister Sarah, her family and Steve's brother Matt went bowling. It was so fun! We had a Christmas of our own and a huge dinner which was so good you couldn't help but over eat! The kids played so well together and we all had a great time. Unfortunately time goes fast when you are having fun and before w eknew it we were packing the van up again to head to Tulsa to see my parents.
The drive to Tulsa from Albia was supposed to only take about 8 hours. It was 8 very long and boring hours. Maybe because I was just so anxious to get there! Missouri was actually fairly pretty for it being the middle of winter. We stopped for gas and a drive through lunch and a couple potty breaks but for the most part we just drove.
We spent 3 nights at my parents' new place in Tulsa. They had already done a lot of work to the place in jsut the 2 months they had lived there. Mom and I went shopping for new bedding for their guest room and talked about design ideas for the rest of the house and yard. We took the kids shopping for their Christmas gifts, visited with my uncles Jeff and Matt who also live in Tulsa and have an amazingly beautiful house. It looks like a museum or fancy antique boutique or something. Certainly a "don't touch things house." Ellie and I had been there a few months earlier but it was the first time Steve, Zacka dn Kendall had been there. Ellie was disappointed the pool was closed for the winter but excited to see their 3 yorkies. Matt and Dad were both sick so they did not get to spend much time with us. Jeff came over for dinner one night but then he began to feel ill. Luckily none of us got it! The last night there we all went out to dinner at the Elephant Bar which has a fun African theme. And in a blink we were loading up the van again and saying our goodbyes. This one really upset the kids, especially Zack who misses his grandparents and cousins so much. He cried and cried which made me cry too though I tried to hide it. I think even my parents got a little teary!
Well if we thought the drive from Albia to Tulsa was bad, the trip from Tulsa to home was worse. First we were astonished by teh devastation the ice storm had caused to the entire Tulsa area. It was wors in the open space where none of the trees had been cleared. It looked like a bomb had gone off in some areas. Then we hit Kansas. No offense but I hate driving through Kansas. Driving in winter is ever worse. It is so brown and depressing. Finally we hit the Colorado border. A few long hours later we were home.
It was so great to get to see so much family for the holidays but I do not think we will ever do a trip like that again. I think from now on we will either just visit one state or take a longer time in each.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Hair Trauma
I will venture to guess that no parenting books even written cover the topic of your child biting her hair off in clumps without hinting that there is some serious neurological condition or something. So when Kendall began doing this I was suprised to say the least. We tried pulling her hair up all the time, threatening to cut her hair like her brothers, time-outs, etc. Nothing worked.
Finally her hair got to be such a mess we had to cut it. First mistake - going to a new place. The lady seemed to know what was best so I sat down to watch the other two kids. What she did was not terrible but certainly worse than what we walked in with. Kendall looked like she was growing out a bad haircut, all shaggy and choppy.
I hoped as it dried it would look better. Nope. Maybe after we wash and style it ourselves. Nope again.
I knew what I had to do. I had to cut it. It had a couple terrible layers so I had to remove one of them and soften it. It also came to a point in the back so I had to even that out too. We talked about it first and she sat very still while I did it. Once she looked in the mirror though she was no longer "OK." She was crushed that her beautiful long curls were gone. It took some talking to get her to settle down but she is still pretty upset over it. I was crushed too but hid it better - I hope.
I am getting used to it and really think she looks adoreable. Pony tails and piggy tails may not be in our near future but that is OK. And to be honest last year her hair was not much shorter than it is now. So it is not the
end of the world but in our house it was quite a big deal. Such is the life with little girls!
Finally her hair got to be such a mess we had to cut it. First mistake - going to a new place. The lady seemed to know what was best so I sat down to watch the other two kids. What she did was not terrible but certainly worse than what we walked in with. Kendall looked like she was growing out a bad haircut, all shaggy and choppy.
I hoped as it dried it would look better. Nope. Maybe after we wash and style it ourselves. Nope again.
I knew what I had to do. I had to cut it. It had a couple terrible layers so I had to remove one of them and soften it. It also came to a point in the back so I had to even that out too. We talked about it first and she sat very still while I did it. Once she looked in the mirror though she was no longer "OK." She was crushed that her beautiful long curls were gone. It took some talking to get her to settle down but she is still pretty upset over it. I was crushed too but hid it better - I hope.
I am getting used to it and really think she looks adoreable. Pony tails and piggy tails may not be in our near future but that is OK. And to be honest last year her hair was not much shorter than it is now. So it is not the
end of the world but in our house it was quite a big deal. Such is the life with little girls!Sunday, December 9, 2007
Good Luck!
What to win a bunch of toys? Even if you or your kids don't need them, you can always donte them to charity or give them as gifts! Click here or go to http://www.parents.com . Good luck!
Random Memories
I am amazed at how memories and messages can be sent. I was reading another blog for the first time a few minutes ago which I have now added to my favorites. One of her posts were about a memory she had as a child preparing a Christmas surprise for a family in need. She and her family wrapped gifts, then protected them in a bag, left them on the doorstep, rang the bell and ran! How fun!
I can remember as a kid preparing a dinner not for us but to leave on our doorstep. A family we had never met and would never meet, but who were involved in Marriage Encounters (my parents were instructors) were passing through town on a long road trip, had small children with them, and no time or money for dinner or something like that. Keep in mind I was maybe 6 years old or younger at the time so these details were not important to me. I can remember helping my mom make sandwiches and snacks, wrap them and place them in bags. The family was supposed to be coming by in the middle of the night so we left them on our doorstep.
The family never came by and again I don't remember why. What I do remember was the excitement for having something unexpectedly fun and meaningful to do for some people we had never met. I remember how quickly my parents jumped at the chance to do something to help someone else. We did not necessarily have extra money or food but it didn't matter how much we had - just that we had the opportunity to help someone so we grabbed it.
I think this single event planted a seed of service and giving in my heart which the Lord has cultivated in me every day since. I love to help others and wish I could do more. What a simple and seemingly random memory, but it is etched in my mind and one I and thankful for and think of fondly from time to time.
I can remember as a kid preparing a dinner not for us but to leave on our doorstep. A family we had never met and would never meet, but who were involved in Marriage Encounters (my parents were instructors) were passing through town on a long road trip, had small children with them, and no time or money for dinner or something like that. Keep in mind I was maybe 6 years old or younger at the time so these details were not important to me. I can remember helping my mom make sandwiches and snacks, wrap them and place them in bags. The family was supposed to be coming by in the middle of the night so we left them on our doorstep.
The family never came by and again I don't remember why. What I do remember was the excitement for having something unexpectedly fun and meaningful to do for some people we had never met. I remember how quickly my parents jumped at the chance to do something to help someone else. We did not necessarily have extra money or food but it didn't matter how much we had - just that we had the opportunity to help someone so we grabbed it.
I think this single event planted a seed of service and giving in my heart which the Lord has cultivated in me every day since. I love to help others and wish I could do more. What a simple and seemingly random memory, but it is etched in my mind and one I and thankful for and think of fondly from time to time.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Christmas Again?
How can it possibly Christmas already? I am not ready to be here again!
This year we are lucky that we will get to see virtually all of our friends and family. My parents moved to Tulsa, OK in October and Steve's family is in Iowa. The plan is to spend Christmas Day at my uncle Mike's with my extended family. The next day we are going to drive to Iowa and spend a few days with Steve's family. It will be so great to see his grandparents, aunt, uncles, brother and sisters, and our niece and nephews! Out kids are so excited to see their cousins! It has been so long since all the grandkids were together I imagine my mother-in-law will be thrilled!
On Dec. 30th or 31st we are going to drive to Tulsa to spend a few days with my parents and see my uncles. Again we are really excited! I cannot wait to see what Mom and Dad have done with their house. From the pictures they have sent me it looks great!
I am just so excited to get to see all our family. It has been so long since we have had this opportunity. It is sad that being with your family is almost a luxury anymore. With a family of 5 we cannot afford to fly and then rent a car so the hardest part of the trip will be driving. It is 12 hours to Steve's mom's house, then apx 8 hours from her house to my parents'. Thanks heaven for portable DVD players! It is actually a lot of fun for the most part. We talk and listen to music and play games. It is a gift to have this time with our family in such close quarters. On the other hand it is a drag to loose 2-3 days with our family to traveling.
The only thing we have to do other than almost all of our shopping is find someone to take care of our dog, Chipper and our three cats. Pray we will find someone soon!
God bless!
This year we are lucky that we will get to see virtually all of our friends and family. My parents moved to Tulsa, OK in October and Steve's family is in Iowa. The plan is to spend Christmas Day at my uncle Mike's with my extended family. The next day we are going to drive to Iowa and spend a few days with Steve's family. It will be so great to see his grandparents, aunt, uncles, brother and sisters, and our niece and nephews! Out kids are so excited to see their cousins! It has been so long since all the grandkids were together I imagine my mother-in-law will be thrilled!
On Dec. 30th or 31st we are going to drive to Tulsa to spend a few days with my parents and see my uncles. Again we are really excited! I cannot wait to see what Mom and Dad have done with their house. From the pictures they have sent me it looks great!
I am just so excited to get to see all our family. It has been so long since we have had this opportunity. It is sad that being with your family is almost a luxury anymore. With a family of 5 we cannot afford to fly and then rent a car so the hardest part of the trip will be driving. It is 12 hours to Steve's mom's house, then apx 8 hours from her house to my parents'. Thanks heaven for portable DVD players! It is actually a lot of fun for the most part. We talk and listen to music and play games. It is a gift to have this time with our family in such close quarters. On the other hand it is a drag to loose 2-3 days with our family to traveling.
The only thing we have to do other than almost all of our shopping is find someone to take care of our dog, Chipper and our three cats. Pray we will find someone soon!
God bless!
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