1st Grade Bowling Trip...

On Thursday, December 18, Mike and I attended the Baldwin Elementary School 1st grade bowling trip. We intended to just go and watch, but some how got suckered into helping out. It actually was fun though and the girls all did great. Mike managed to capture Cecilia's first strike on video! She did awesome.

Makena refused to participate at first because somehow, she got stuck in a group of stinky old boys. But, thanks to her best friend's mom, she switched groups and everything was good again.

Maiki was scheming on an orange ball the entire time. She figured out it was lighter than the others, so she waiting for it each time. She was battling with a kid named Michael (go figure) every time their turn came up. She got pretty sneaky toward the end though and managed to come up with it most of the time!

Maddox missed out on this trip. We left him with Ang, thank goodness!

Update... Dec. 2008

Finally updating once again. You have to love computers... I am just now getting hooked up so I can get my pictures off my camera since my computer doesn't cooperate because of security issues... (sigh).... So, if anyone is still reading this since it has been about 6 months since I've updated, here goes...

The weather has turned into the lovely Kansas winter as you can see above. The kids enjoyed the first snow day. Even though they were freezing, they suffered through and made their first snowman of the year, shoveled some snow, and made snow angels. Maddox and I watched from the warm house. He was not thrilled about this, but I was.

Papa Terry came to visit for Thanksgiving. We had a nice dinner with my mom and dad, and all gained about 55 pounds. Maddox ate his weight in turkey and pie!

We are very excited about Christmas. The girls don't know they are getting anything because I keep telling them Santa knows how much they have been fighting! But, as you can see above, Maddox helped us wrap a few little things for them.

Mike has been battling with insurance companies, window companies, contractors, etc., because we have had one nightmare after another with the new house. We feel like we've been remodeling for 3 years in a row (which we have I guess) and we are ready to be DONE!!! We are going to have a practically new house when all is said and done.

The girls are done with their first semester of first grade. They are doing awesome. Makena can read like a college student, and Maiki has been making many masterpieces in prose and art. :) We have lots of projects stored and they are full of glitter and sticky things.

I am very busy at work as usual. I guess that is good considering the economy.

I think that is everything for now! Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!!

Kaw Valley Farm Tour 2008

Okay, so I'm a little behind! I'm working on it now that things are calming down, so be looking for old new posts. :) We spent this past weekend at the Kaw Valley Farm Tour hitting all the "hot spots" in the Kansas farm world. Saturday, Angie and Addison Clinefelter joined us, and Maddox had his first date with his woman. Ha!

The girls had a great time painting pumpkins and getting dirty. Maiki for some reason got on a kick about chicken bones. I explained that we eat the chickens' legs. She said, "Oh, now I understand... we eat the chickens' legs and they eat people legs." Gotta love them. Enjoy...

Graduation Day

The girls "graduated" from kindergarten at Meadowlark Elementary, marking the end of our stint in Salina, Kansas. They were sad -- we were elated! I was sad the year went by so fast, but very glad we could get back home. They will really miss their teachers and friends, but we are excited to start the next chapter in our lives. This has been a very hard year for all of us. Oh... you might notice Maiki missing on this post. She was in her room being very dramatic and wouldn't let Mike take her picture. Yes, Maiki - I will be filling every boyfriend in on this one!

The Kindergarten Musical...

The girls were in their first musical - "Everything Grows" performed at Meadowlark Elementary last Thursday. They did a very good job, and were super cute in their outfits they bought with Daddy. :)

Maiki Loses a Tooth...

Well, after weeks of wiggling and pushing and trying to convince Mike and I that it could come out "anytime"... Maiki finally lost her first tooth. (Okay, it took a little convincing from a pair of plyers and a big fuzzy headed guy...) She was thrilled to find the replacement of a dollar for the tooth when she woke up this morning, and couldn't wait to call Aunt Shawn! Of course, it was 7:30 a.m., and for those of you who know Shawn, that was a pretty funny thought!!

Monday Madness....

Monday once again, in the lovely Salina, Kansas.... I had to share the latest of the little man's escapades at the sitter. She got some great shots of him licking the play pen. He's such a goof.

Still no progress on the house. Hard not to get frustrated, but I'm really trying.

National Champions!!!!!

Yes, the Jayhawks finally did it!! 20 years after Danny and the Miracles, Mario and the Miracles pull it off at the last second. Needless to say, we really wish we were home..... It's just not the same celebrating amidst a sea of Nebraska and K-State fans!!

We've had more people looking at the house so hopefully soon. We are ready to be back celebrating the victory!!!

Maddox's First Haircut

We finally had to do it.... Mike cut the baby's hair tonight. It was just starting to get a little too bushy and long. He looks a little bit like a cupie doll, but he looks pretty cute!

I had to add these! Okay, so I pirated them from the sitter's BLOG, but they were hilarious... The first two are of Maddox doing yoga while sleeping. :) He scared Amanda to death when she found him this way, until she realized he was snoring!! How anyone can sleep like that is beyond me....

The third pic is of Noah and Maddox waiting on Amanda to come back. Little did they know that she had already stepped over them and gone in to fold laundry in another room! Quick they are!!!

More Pictures...

Here is Maiki's tower and a picture of the nakie boy... I couldn't resist!!!!

Is it really March 31?!

Well, it is Monday again, and the last day of March. It's hard to believe how fast time is flying by. We still haven't had any new bites on the house. In fact, we really haven't even had many people looking. I'm hoping that once the weather improves, things will change. We have significantly lowered the price too, so keep your fingers crossed!

Updates on the kiddos: Maddox has now decided to start getting on his hands and knees to rock. Why he is trying that after all this time is beyond me! He has 5 teeth, and is working on his sixth. He's saying "Katie" and mama and dada (although he doesn't really know the meaning yet). Go figure, he knows the dog before us! The pictures with the food on his face was his first experience with my favorite - powdered donuts. You would think I would have learned my lesson with the 50 cavities the girls have had, but nooooooo........

The girls had a tower building contest tonight. You decide who the winner is.... :) They are almost done with their first year of school! It's so hard to believe. Where does the time go? Makena is still pretty laid back and could care less about boys. Maiki is a little diva and is very boy crazy. She spends lots of time in the mirror!

My job is going well, and I'm adjusting to working again. We just really hope we can be home soon and really feel settled. We miss everyone!!

Happy St. Paddy's Day!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Mad Max is 10 months old today. Hard to believe.... He and I are all alone this week. The girls are on Spring Break at aunt Angie's house, and Mike is on a work train. So, the little man and I have been cleaning and grocery shopping and doing taxes! :) Here are a couple of pictures from tonight. We are bathing him in the kitchen sink because the tub faucet broke. (sigh....) I can't WAIT until this house sells!!! We had another couple look today, so I'm hopeful. I have missed two days of work again because all the kiddos have been sick one after the other. I think we are finally at the end of it though.

Half-way through the week....

Well, we're halfway through another week in Salina. We had another open house last weekend. Evidently there were only about three people that looked. :( One lady is very interested, and has been here twice, but her husband hasn't seen it and we have no idea what their situation is. We thought we had it re-sold to the man that used to own it, but that fell through. I am trying to stay positive. It's only been a week and a half on the market. At least we have people interested, and God has a way of always letting things work out for the best. I try not to question his plans. We are just very homesick and want to get a house in Lawrence before the rates go back up. Keep your fingers crossed for us!!

My job is going well, but this past week has been a little rough there as well. There are days when I wonder if my resume was mixed up with someone else's and they made a mistake hiring me! I don't feel like I know anything sometimes. But, I'm plugging away, and trying to learn all I can as quickly as I can. I do love it though. I just hope they'll keep me around!!!

The kiddos have all been sick again. I'm so tired of this winter!!! Thank goodness we finally got some decent weather. Long story short, we can use your thoughts and prayers right now.....

Mad Max and the Mohawk

I had to attach these photos. They were just too cute. This is Mad Max at 9 months with his mohawk, and trying to give Maiki some very wet kisses. :)