Almost February

January seems to have flown by, but at the same time there is not as much going on. I think if I wasn't working, the winter would seem much longer. As it is, the robins are only about a month away from returning!

Here's what we've done to pass the time.

Rita and Anthony have discovered playdough. Brendan has rediscovered the joy of mashing colored dough into different shapes.
We put a tent up in the living room. We did this during the winters when Brendan was little too. It was a little wilder with three of them in it.
We battled constipation. Rita is enjoying her "special juice" i.e. prune juice and Anthony is joining her with some plain old apple juice. Life is more fun when you sit on the floor together and have a juice break.
We are getting ready for the St. Matthew's school auction. It's a really fun event and the school wouldn't exist without it.

Brendan is reading at Mass on Sunday as part of the start of Catholic Schools Week. We are going to a fundraiser on Sunday for Katelyn Roker, a preschooler at St. Matt's who was diagnosed with a very serious form of cancer and is over in Spokane for treatment which we pray will save her life. Her picture is below. If you have a spare buck or two, send it to me and I will send it to her trust fund. I am not too proud to beg on her behalf, just look at those eyes!

Happy New Babies!

Well I don't have any news of my own to report. Life has gone back to "ordinary" after the Holidays and the mid-winter blahs threaten at the door. Thankfully, it seems as though everyone around me is having a baby to brighten up the place.

Adrian Jackola born to Christy and Shane Jackola (Karl's boss)on the 15th
Kellen Manning born to Chaela and Doug Manning on the 12th
Atlas, born to my step-sister Ariel and her husband Mike on the 19th

And were holding our breath for two more on the way any minute.

Other new developments: Brendan and I are addicted to Wii and plan to enter a twelve step program when we get around to it. Anthony has perfected opening the refrigerator so now it runs continuously. Rita has finer tastes and can open the china cabinet. There is a little patch of lawn showing out my back door and I am almost tempted to get the rake out and get started on yard work. Almost. Oh, the truck died again for the 2nd time this month. Karl is either going to fix it on Saturday or shoot it.

Hope your new year is off to a great start!

Pancake Day

Becky Kelley - Where's the Line to See Jesus?

Winter Fun

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KARL!

I don't have any pictures of Karl's birthday. I guess I just got camera lazy! Plus, we kind-of dragged the celebration out over 3 days.

On the 1st, we went out with the Beaches, Mills and Trempers to Los Caporales for Mexican food and Margaritas. On the second we spent the morning snow shoeing at Glacier Outdoor Center (blog to follow). That evening, just Karl and I went out with two other grown ups (can you believe it?), who also happen to have babysitting teenagers. So they brought the one who got the short stick to watch the twins and Brendan and the adults had a great evening out.

On Karl's birthday we had a restful Sunday and topped it off with pizza and movie night with the kids.

Gotta tell you just one of a thousand reasons I love this man. For Christmas he surprised me with a framed newspaper article in which my name was mentioned. The article was written by a lady with breast cancer who journaled her journey and published it in the local paper where she works. I had the honor of caring for her for 4 nights during one of her setbacks and it was one of those situations where I felt I used all of my skills to take care of her physically, emotionally and spiritually. A special patient that I would never have forgotten anyway. She called me an "angel" in the article and mentioned me by name. I was quite honored, but not being terribly sentimental I didn't save the article.

Karl went to the library and had to dig through stacks and stacks of newspapers, while Brendan patiently waited for him, to find the article. He got it copied and had it framed. He said I should have it to remind me why I enjoy nursing and to remind me that I am good at it during times when I don't feel like I am. So I love this man because he goes out of his way to build me up. This is just one example of this. So, thanks Karl, happy birthday and I love you!

Happy New Year

Happy 2010 to all. We have a blanket of new snow (not a thick blanket, but it will do) so the weekend looks promising for playing outside. Provided of course that Anthony gets over being sick today. I have the weekend off and it is the last weekend before school starts again so we hope to make the most of it. Hope your 2010 is off to a good start and that your year brings you joy.

Picture of our 2009 highlights will be posted when I don't have a child stuck to me!