Care Packages for Lee

If you are planning to send a care package to Lee for Christmas (or any time) please check out his latest blog post. Many of you have been asking, so here is a good list of items to include.

http://oef2011.blogspot.com/

Don't forget about the flat rate priority boxes from the post office. Anything you can fit in the box (they have various sizes, and a special military one) for one flat rate. Also, you'll have to fill out a customs form. They look intimidating, but just follow the instructions and you'll get through it. They ask for weight of items, I leave that blank and usually the p.o. person will fill it in for me...or at least they'll fill in the total weight and you can "guesstimate" on the weight of each individual item. I pick up the boxes and custom forms ahead of time so I can pack and seal the box and have the form filled out before mailing. FYI: I don't think they really check what is inside, so do your best but don't be overly concerned about the form.

Weekend with the Vandewater Cousins

We were able to Skype with Lee while Abby and Maddy were here! They thought that was pretty cool.

I just got a picture of Brynna at the computer.
I don't know why she wasn't dressed...I had four kids here, that's my only defense :)

Brynna just HAD to color with markers like the big kids.

Making snow flakes to send to Lee.
Aunt Heather is the BEST at making snow flakes!!!

Watching a movie, Cars Toons!


Kailee WAS here too, not sure why she didn't make it into any pictures???

Christmas Parade

Winterset had their annual Christmas parade on Friday night. It's at night and all the floats (about 7 of them) have Christmas lights on them. It is so short, they actually go around the square twice! This year, before the parade, they had a live nativity (with a mini horse on the courthouse steps) and presented the Christmas story. I'm thankful we live in a place that we can tell the true story of Christmas without fear!

Abigale and Madison came home with us after Thanksgiving and stayed the weekend. Heather, Kailee and Eddie came down Friday night, but missed the parade. We had a fun weekend playing with the Vandewater cousins.

It's finished!

After a coat of primer and ANOTHER coat of paint, the dresser is finished! It's not perfect and that one drawers is STILL whiter, but it's, "good enough for rural work."
(A quote from Lee's favorite documentary about the man living in the Alaskan wilderness)
:)

Before

After

Brynna is actually really excited about her new dresser.
She points to it and makes cute little sounds (I'm sure SHE knows what she's saying) when she wakes up and sees it :)

18 month stats. one month late.

Grant at 18 months.

Weight: 25.12 lbs (85%)
Height: 34.5 inches (90%)

Brynna at 18 months.

Weight: 23 lbs (45%)
Height: 33.5 (80%)
*I'm not sure on this number b/c her cousin Owen was measured at the same height, and he has a good inch (at least) on her.

Either way, tall and thin...she does NOT get that from my side :)

She still sleeps pretty well, although her naps are getting MUCH shorter in recent days. She goes to be around 8-8:30am and gets up around 7:00am. She naps for about 2 (was at least 3) hrs in the afternoon.

Her appetite is decreasing too. Maybe she's not growing right now? But, she's still a pretty good eater. She loves all fruit and dairy the best.

If she's healthy, she's pretty happy and content but if you cross her, you'll know it :) She LOVES Grant and does (or tries to do) everything that he does.

The cutest thing of late is how she does what Grant tells her. He gets sent to our bedroom to sit, if he's been naughty. Well, he asks Brynna to get him his Frog and Froggy while he's sitting in there (b/c he's not allowed to come out) and she just runs to the living room and takes them to him. It's just too cute to stop them.

Project(s) - 4

This project I CHOSE to do...CrAzY??? Maybe!

I am redoing this old dresser for Brynna's room.

Before

Sanded and puttied (yes, I used wood putty!)

I don't know WHICH coat of paint this was...it took several!

After

Ok, so I'm NOT done. Look carefully at the third drawer. Yes, it's WHITER than the rest. I used primer on it, decided the primer was old and way too thick, and did NOT use it on the rest. DUH! I bought new primer today and will be putting primer on the entire dresser and giving it one more coat of white paint. Ugh...this is why I don't like projects, I don't have the patience!!! Oh well, thanks to Dad and Wade for help with installing the new handles.

Hair

Well, we finally have the "do-it-yourself" hair cut story. We had been talking for weeks that Grant needs a hair cut. He has ONE girl in Winterset, Ashley, that he'll let cut his hair (I know, he's FOUR and has a "Hair Lady", whatever!)...well, Ashley, is on maternity leave. So, we just keep letting his hair grow.

The other day, I noticed a little chunk cut out from his hair. I asked him if he cut his own hair, he lied, HE LIED!?!?! After a long discussion, a little Bible reading and some more discussion, he agreed that lying was wrong and yes, he cut his hair. Why??? Well, because it was getting long. (Can't argue with that). I tried to "fix" it myself...it turned out okay, IF you don't look very close.

After HIS attempt, before MY attempt.

After.

After and dry.
Looks good in the picture, just don't look close when you see him :)

Brynn's PONYTAIL!!!!

Too cute!!!
No hair cutting from her yet.
(I've trimmed her bangs, but nothing else...let's hope G doesn't get near her!!!)

Project(s) - 3

So, you may remember back a few months(??) ago, when I mentioned the dishwasher had leaked down INTO the basement...well, I've been getting by since then. I just left the bottom kick plate off and put a tupperware container under the front corner EVERY time I did a load of dishes. Once or twice I misplaced the container and had water run into the basement again, OOPS!!! I finally decided to just replace the darn thing...AND got 20% off at Lowe's for Veteran's Day, YAY Lowe's!!!

Thank you, Dad for taking the old one out and thank you, Kevin for installing the new one...I'll keep cooking if you guys keep fixing things!!!

Doing dishes by hand for that few days in between, NOT fun.
Thankful for a working dishwasher!!!

It looks so clean...motivated me to scrub my oven and microwave too :)

Project(s) - 2

The sink sprayer "thingy" quite working...it has quit before and, like I said before, Lee just replaced it. No.Big.Deal. Well, I just learned to live without it for awhile. Then Dad looked at it and advised that I just needed to replace the actual sprayer handle. So, off to Lowe's I went.

I bought AND replaced this, myself!!!

It works, and I only sprayed myself once during installation!

Project(s) - 1

The house is falling apart!!!

Ok, not really...but, things break. When Lee is here, no big deal, he fixes them.
When Lee is gone B.I.G. deal. I have skills, but NOT house repair skills :)

I'm doing my best, PLUS I'm getting help from my great neighbors and my dad!!!

Grant did this...not sure why!?!?!

So, I bought this.

And "installed" it like this.

Minor problem, I can't get the old brackets out!??!
Hopefully before July I can figure out how to get those out.



Project #1: ALMOST complete

recent pictures

We never did get around to carving any pumpkins, but they are still providing entertainment!

Clearance Halloween costumes from Target.

They each had their own little nest :)

Snuggling in our bed, watching a movie.

How cute is this???

Forgotten Halloween Video

I just found this video as I was going through my folders of pictures. It's from Matt and Tiff's house after trick or treating. They are dancing to Owen's toy banjo. It will make you laugh out loud!!!

Veteran's Day

I don't have the words to express exactly how I'm feeling this Veteran's Day. I've been reminded of the immense sacrifice our men and women in uniform truly make. I am an Army wife, but still can't imagine the agony of battle, losing a comrade, or living in a constant state of stress; then coming home to a country (or family) that may or may not say thank you, but also has NO clue as to what you have been through.

My husband came home from war five and a half years ago. He had been through some rough stuff. I had NO idea how to help him adjust or how to make it better. I do know that I could have, and should have, been more gracious and compassionate. He is at war again...and I'm praying this time is better, both during and after. I'm praying that I will know how to be more supportive when he comes home.

My brother has served two tours in Iraq and has seen more than his share of war as well. My father spent more than a year in Vietnam. My grandfather (whom I never met) served in WWII. We have numerous friends that are serving. THIS is real for us.

War and the toll it takes on people is REAL. My prayer today is that our leaders make good decisions based on defending America and our sovereignty and liberty. The personal sacrifice is tolerable if the cause is true and just. I just pray that it is and that it stays that way!

Keep all of our leaders, military members (past and present), and families in your prayers. God is in ultimate control of this, and all, situations!




I have copied SOME of an article below, you can read the entire thing here.



To all the veterans who are reading this: Thank you.

Thank you for defending the United States of America from the attacks against our freedom waged by foreign entities. What you have done guarantees us a chance at a bright future.

Thank you for sacrificing years and, in some cases, decades of your life to serve in our armed forces.

Thank you for fighting on behalf of a nation that rarely appreciates what you've done. Thank you for doing your job even when the people and politicians you fought to protect, didn't support you.

Thank you for leaving your friends and families to go to a hard, uncomfortable, dangerous place in the world, because you pledged your life to fight for what is right.

Thank you for literally putting your body between America's liberty and those who want to destroy that liberty. Some of you in doing that, have lost the ability to function like you did before, whether because of physical or mental scars left from your service. Thank you.

You've given your career, your relationships, and your body to fight for ideals and principles that mean everything to the foundation of our nation, but are nothing more than archaic platitudes to many. You've given so much to protect the sovereignty and freedom of our nation.

From the bottom of my heart, Thank you.

A LONG couple weeks

So, last week the kids had strep throat and nasty colds. They visited the doctor on Tuesday and started on 7 days of antibiotics. So, they were feeling better by the weekend, which is why we were able to get all that trick or treating in.

Well, Thursday morning (of this week), as we were headed out the door to our co-op classes, Brynna threw up all over the carpet. She didn't act sick, didn't have a fever...but, none the less, vomit everywhere! I ran everyone into town, dropped Grant off at class, found a WONDERFUL mom to teach my class for me, drove home with Brynna, cleaned the carpet (ended up steam cleaning the entire living room, b/c once I get started I can't stop) and ran back into town to pick up Grant.

Everyone seemed fine all day and I assumed it was just a fluke thing. UNTIL, Thursday night when Grant woke up at 1:30am saying his tummy hurt. I let him come upstairs and sleep on the floor of my room...and he was up 3 different times throwing up...until about 3:00am. Then it was back to sleep and it has been like nothing happened since.

They have both been fine all day...STRANGE!!! I'm just hoping I'm not next in line!
I'm off to bed because I'm never sure what is going to happen next around here.

Trick or Treat

We went trick or treating...TWICE!

Friday night we drove up to Ames and met the Vandewater cousins, the Welsh cousins, and an Army wife friend and kids. TEN kids trick or treating...it was fine, but I think most of the time we were strung out over the entire block :) Saturday night we went to Stuart with Aunt Tiffany and Owen. Three kids was a little more manageable.
Brynna sat in the wagon and ate a sucker most of the time and Grant was more excited about pulling the wagon in town then the candy :)
Grandma Cathy was along for both nights, we wore her out!!!
I'll post more pictures later, this is my last post for the night.

Just for fun...here they are last year, in the same costumes!!!!

Praying for the Kearneys and for Lee

It was six years ago today that SGT James C. Kearney III was killed in Afghanistan. He was the first Iowan killed in the Afghanistan War. Most of you know that James was in Lee's platoon and know that this was the ambush that Lee was involved in. For me, it seems like a long time ago...I'm not sure Lee feels the same way.

War, although necessary, is heart breaking; for soldiers, for families, for a nation. Please pray for the Kearney family, for Lee, for all of the other soldiers and families that have and are sacrificing for this country. Please pray for this country!

There is SO much we don't understand and cannot control...I'm so thankful that God has it all figured out. In THAT I will trust!

You can read a bit from Lee about this on his blog.


"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah." Psalm 46:1-3,7

Recent pictures

This kept her entertained while I was baking.

Her new favorite place. If only she knew how to use that Windex!

Hauling leaves, the battery in the Gator died, so we had to transfer them to the wagon.

She was quite the helper...yes, she's in her jammies; we live in the country for a reason!

Off they go to dump the leaves :)