Sea of Green Life

This is how we (as a family) feel today. I'll get pictures from Christmas up soon, but for now I figured I would at least post something so Kelley doesn't get on me again for not updating. =) We had a great Christmas with all our family and have had five seperate parties. We will head to IL soon for the last one. AnnaBelle was up for several hours last night again (1:30-3:30) and here I had gone to bed at midnight because Gid was at a fire. Two condos at Caribou Highlands are lost. He get home about 2:30 this morning. One of my daycare dads is a lutsen firefighter was there from about 9:30pm- 6:30am. Eeeww! But because all the teams did there jobs, it was only the unit that started it and one next to it. So anyway there is my update. We are all tired because AnnaBelle was crying and pulling on her ears again and because Gid was firefighting. AB has a appointment tomorrow afternoon. I am going to push for an allergy test (is that even possible?) and tubes for her ears. Sara

This is actually turning out to be a good story, my brother said, "This was all you little sis" and I replied, "No, it was all God." So anyway here is my story. We still had not heard any word on Sunday. My mom has been working with the local police even though thier efforts were frugal at  the least. We did everything we thought we could do except wait for God's perfect timing. I had talked about this to my mom and we both had a feeling of peace about it.  On Sunday while I was at the doctor for another ear infection with AnnaBelle and then off to a Christmas party, a kid down the street got a call from Julie with a wild story and needing money. Somehow this kid Chris, didn't know about the drama down the street so he talked to her and said he didn't really have any money to give. Later when he got his computer back on line he saw the notices about Julie. So my mom got a call, "I think I might know where Julie is." Yeah! She had used a phone a

Hello everyone. Take a look at the picture on the left- they are my sister and her boyfriend. They ran away on Dec. 11 and no one has heard a word since. My sisters truck is a white 4 door Jimmy (looks just like a blazer). They are both 17, and gone from Gurnee, IL and Mundelein, IL if you can think of anyone who could see them out and about in IL, WI, or MN. Please email me and I will send an email with more info. If Julie happens to stop at this site. Everyone is worried, not mad. If you aren't ready to show your face call anyone or email. We love you. Sara

Today I raised the bar on things that most parents do and I don't. AnnaBelle crawls very well and very fast. The problem is that she has no reverse. So I heard her cry out from the "Big Room" at daycare and I was in the kitchen. This is what I saw. Instead of rushing to her aid as most loving mothers. I ran for the camera and snapped some photos! Then as the children were swarming to, "let me see" (the photo) I quickly pulled her out and set her on her way.

On Saturday December 13th I held a customer appreciation party at my house. Everyone had fun of course and I had a blast making my snowman cake! For the party I made Chocalate Fudge Peppermint Cookies which were a big hit, I just ate the last one today. The snowman cake is really easy to make by the way. I can't think of anything else, I am kind of having a tough day. Sara

Genevieve decorating for Christmas on Saturday December 7th. She pulled out the stockings and yelled, "look Mom, BIC SOCKS!" Then of course since they were socks she put them on. We bought a fake tree this year ($20 at Bucks in town, it is a very nice "Blue Spruce 6ft tall). We love real trees, but by the time we can get one up it is the week before Christmas and time to nearly take it down.

This is our darling Annabelle happy as a clam with two ear infections and some "gunk" (officially called) in her lungs. Our two wonderful gifts from the Creator are the best kids ever. (Now remind me of that when Gevie is driving me crazy.) She only acted sick when we laid her down and then man did she get mad! This is also her first time in the snow. She didn't really know what to do walking on it-not by herself of course, but she enjoyed crawling in it.

For Thanksgiving we were in IN visiting Gid's Aunt Lois. We brought Rhonda, Chuck, Oma, Opa, and the four of us for the ride. It took us 13 hours to get down there, we stopped collectively for one hour. We arrived at Lois' house around 3:30 and talked and napped until about 10:30 then checked into the hotel. We had Thanksgiving at her house later, then went swimming, on Friday we went shopping and then went to a Christmas light show. On Saturday we went to the Zoo and then out to dinner at Cheeseburger Paradise. Sunday we packed up and headed home. Busy as usual. Check out Grandma's pillow!

When the fire marshall came in September, he said a few things we weren't prepared for. One was that Gideon had to remove the wood boiler he had just installed in the garage, poor Gideon! The second was that we needed an egress window in the office. We were able to get a grant to pay for one window because it is required for daycare (Thank you God!) On a seperate side note, we were also approved for our playground grant so we will be doing that this spring. Thank you God again! Both pictures were taken during daycare so there are of course our toys and stuff everywhere, but we are very happy with both of them. I'll post the office picture another day. A local guy Rick Crawford came and cut the hole through 12 inch cement block then Gid, Opa, Fred (Sara's dad), and Chuck (Gid's dad) worked on getting the windows in.

 Typ os included because this is the eith time I have tryied posting. Now everyone will se what kind of typer I really am. Does anyone know anything about sleep traing? I am against the cry it out method. But that is definately AB's probelm she is waking up and can't comfort herself back to bed with out a pacifier. So I gues also, how do wi ditch the pacifier? Gevie did it herself around 6 months when she started sucking on her tonge, wierd kid.

Poor RaeAnne!

Do we ever stop?! Anyone who knows us, well okay anyone reading this hopefully knows us. Anyway, we had a huge busy weekend and we won't be stopping anytime soon. I don't know why people say things slow down in the fall and winter because we are like the energizer bunny. On Friday we went to a huge super birthday party at Gid's parents to celebrate four or five birthdays. I was great fun, tons of people, I am of course looking forward to having 20 people at my house next month for Gevie's party. Saturday Gid went hunting most of the day and didn't see a thing, he and his brother are convinced the deer are waiting until Sunday at dusk to come out and then all the hunters will here a barrage? of champagne bottles opening. Singnaling the deer celebrating our defeat. Oh and Sara took the girls with Oma and Rhonda to a craft sale in Schroeder. Sunday we went to my Dad's house for Lasagne (Sara had some creamy pesto ravioli, good but not lasagne good). We saw Ben and

Well I kissed the frog, now where's my Prince? Gevie at the Brookfield Zoo, IL 11/1/08

Gevie and Oliver are such good friends!

Happy Birthday Opa! Genevieve would like to get you a kangaroo! She has a stuffed one so she thought you would like one too. Funniest thing heard today: Dad: When are you going to be done? (eating) Gevie: When I am done. AnnaBelle signed "all done" at KFC in Hibbing on Friday

Our friend Kelley in Bemidji insists that I will love "blogging" so we will give it a try. I can barely print my pictures from my camera, but I will also try to upload photos. Hopefully this will be a place where our far away family can keep in touch with us, and we can post where we have been and where we are going in case we forget!