All Work and No Play . . .

Wouldn't be much fun now would it!

This just cracked me up - I had to share it! Madison's job on Saturday is cleaning the bathroom and Isaac's is cleaning the entry. Isaac finished his and decided to help Madison or maybe she convinced him - I missed that part. It is just so funny what she has him do - the TOILET and look at what she is doing - the MIRROR :-) What are big sisters for anyways but to do all the hard stuff for you right? Madison did decide that beings he helped her she wanted to give him some of her money and she gave him 1.50! That was 1/2 of her commission money for the week. She has always been very generous.

Chores are done - time to play. We have a big pool of water in our back yard every spring but we have never had a little sailor yet. He loves to play in this water and I have seen him sitting on the edge of it with his legs in there! Just in case any of you were worried - Brock is just out of the picture keeping tabs on our little adventurous sailor. I watched him out the window for a bit and had to capture the moment! He first tried to sail with that orange sled but couldn't get inside it, then he spotted the black sled and brought it over. He tried to get into it but kept sinking.

Finally, something sail-worthy! He is very creative - he decided to flip the sled over :-)

Of course all things are alot more fun when you stand on them instead of sit - right?

I Break for Pictures

Brock wondered how I get things done in the day with all the pictures I take :-) You should see him exercise his patience when we are out doing something and I am holding everyone up with pictures :-) (remember Disney World Greta?) We were all ready to go for a walk and I couldn't resist taking a few pictures of Hannah. Doesn't she look adorable!? I got another batch of super cute clothes from Bekah when I was in ND so it has been fun trying on all her "new" things, Thanks Bekah!!

Busy Household

There was quite a full house while I was at home for the funeral. Bekah & Dale and their 3 kids are staying there while their new house is being remodeled so there were 15 people under one roof for almost 1 week. Of course it is really easy to get used to close quarters again and it was a lot of fun. It was fun to see the many different things going on in one room. It reminds me so much of growing up. One constant in our house was dad playing the guitar and singing. W e were lucky to have Jesse filling in for dad because dad was sick with pneumonia the whole time. It made it really seem like old times! Cori and Julie actually got sick while they were there (not pneumonia thankfully) but luckily felt better by the time they headed home. It was fun to be home - hope you enjoy a little taste of it :-)

Oh What Fun It Is . . . .

To be a part of a large family!

There is never a dull (or actually I should say quiet) moment. It is always fun to be together and we all truly enjoy each other. It is so fun to see the 2nd generation loving it as much as us. How fun to have so many cousins to play with! I just wish we all lived closer together but for our distance and size we do get to see each other fairly often.

Hanging out in the hotel room - doing what we all seem to do very well - late night snacking :-) How do you like the variety - ice cream (right out of the bucket), pineapple, cheetos and taco johns :-) David, Julie, Cori, Jude, Jesse, Dad, Bekah and Mom

The other side of the room - Nicole, Laura, Joey and KarmenCute little Ira - Jesse & Julie'sJude and Hannah - Cori and I have had our last 2 kids real close together but they have been opposites - Isaac and Mary are 3 mo. apart and Jude and Hannah are 2 1/2 weeks apart. It is fun for us to be pregnant together and continue to experience baby stuff, toddler stuff etc together :-)

Jude, Hannah and Violet (Bekah and Dales)

Lily and Lyrik (Laura and Joey's 2 girls)

Isn't it so cute how Lyrik is smiling at Hannah! She was really interested in Hannah.

Violet being silly (Bekah and Dale's)

Sweet little lady Hannah!

My Grandpa

I have been in ND this past week to attend my grandpa's funeral. He died on Monday, March 10th from complications of Alzheimers. The funeral was very nice, there were great verses read, a favorite poem he had written while in the war was shared and the songs sang were perfect. The family service was especially nice to sit back and remember ways he impacted all of our lives, I learned things about him I didn't know and laughed over memories we all shared. He will be missed by all!

I found some pictures I had taken in the past couple years - It is crazy how much more a picture means once you realize you will never get to take another one. I wish I had taken pics when I was home in January, the last time the kids and I saw him.

Kate and Jack (Cori's) and grandpa and Isaac with grandpa (Feb 06)

Grandpa and some of his great grandchildren (June 06)
Left to right: Abby, Grandpa, Lily and Madison
Violet, Kiaran, Ruby and Isaac

Grandpa and 6 of his 8 kids in summer of 06 - my mom and aunt Debbi are missing



My brother Jesse sang two songs at the funeral. He did a great job and we were all so happy he was able to do it. My dad was going to sing with him but was sick.
Jesse singing "In the Presence of the Lord" - I love the words of this song:
I have finally found a place to live just like I never could before. And I know I don't have much to give, but soon I'll open any door. Everybody knows the secret, everybody knows the score. I have finally found a place to live in the presence of the lord.

In the presence of the lord.

Jesse singing "My Redeemer Lives"
I can't imagine what a funeral would be like without the knowledge that there is more after death - that our Redeemer lives and we can live with him FOREVER. What peace it brings to me to know that! This song captures so much about God and I think was such a perfect song to end the service on. I had to write out these lyrics because they are just SO GOOD!

I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever living Head.

He lives to silence all my fears,
He lives to wipe away my tears
He lives to calm my troubled heart,
He lives all blessings to impart.

He lives triumphant from the grave,
He lives eternally to save,
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death:
He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing;
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He lives, all glory to His Name!
He lives, my Jesus, still the same.
Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives,
I know that my Redeemer lives!

I know that my Redeemer lives!

Our entire family made it to the funeral. Jesse and Cori had the farthest to go - Cori from Alabama and Jesse from Washington. Other than Nicole (Wyoming) and I the rest of the family live right there. This is the first family picture we have had for a long time!
LtoR: Cori, mom, dad, me
David, Laura, Jesse, Levi, Bekah, Nicole and Karmen

The whole clan, actually I should say a portion of the clan - there are actually 17 people missing! Wow - we really do have a big family!!

Here is my mom's family - she had 7 sisters and 1 brother
LtoR: Jackie, Candy, my mom, Glori
Sheree, Debbie, Peggy and Robbie

My Grandpa (Part 2)

Random pictures I took after the service

My mom and dad (dad was really sick although he doesn't look as bad here - I guess he was able to perk up a bit for the picture)My brother Levi and sister-in-law Rachel with their family, Chloe, Lia and Eli

My sister Nicole and Lyrik (Laura's baby)

My aunt Peggy and Uncle Wade with their family, Lacy, Lucas and Sadie

My aunt Debbie and uncle Dave and my cousin Cameo and her son Seth

My aunt Candy and uncle Jamie and their family - Nathan & Karmyn (left) and their little girl (on Candy's lap) Abbigayle and Zak and Cresta and their kids Sam and Maddie (on Jamie's lap) and Finn

My cousin Cameo (holding Hannah) and sisters Cori (holding Jude) and Nicole

My sister Laura and her husband Joey

My brother Jesse and his little boy, Ira

Two of my aunts - Jackie and Glori (two closest on the right) and their friends Laura and Ashley

Catch me if you can!

Hannah doing laps around the coffee table :-)

A Rare Treat

It has been a miserably cold winter this year and the kids have not been able to play outside much at all. It has been way below freezing for so much of the time - normal temps during the real cold weeks are -2os and -50s windchill. It has been pretty rare the last couple months to get above zero. I am definately ready for winter to end. The kids got a special treat last week when the temp got up to the low 30s! They had a blast playing outside. It looks like it will warm up again this coming week and reach mid 30s - so grab your sleds, coats and hats kids a "heat" wave is coming! Doesn't anyone want to come visit - experience our weather firsthand? :-)

Back inside Hannah and I are enjoying the warmth - well I am enjoying the warmth she is enjoying the crazy feeling of a running dishwasher. I find her here, mouth open and pressed against the door of the dishwasher, quite often. She is very intrigued by this strange, warm, noisy machine! Such a curious world we live in when you are 9 months old!