We Have Pigtails

This is a big deal at our house!  

Keira feels like it is some sort of right of passage......

I am just glad that after 20 months she has this much hair......

Tessa could care less.  And doesn't love us touching, brushing or anything else to her hair.

However, you want to look at it -
she's one of the cutest sights I've ever seen!
(hair done or not!)

I can Fly!

This monument/museum

with this family

Loads of FUN!!

Outer Banks 2010

We took our family to the Outer Banks and had a blast!  We stayed in a hotel right on the beach which was so beautiful!  And the next day we went to the Orville Wright Museum.  I thought we would zip in and have a look and then be back out in an hour.  Boy was I wrong.  If it hadn't have been for the basic need of FOOD (which Dakota and I and our kids reach long before these die-hards:) ) we would have stayed the entire day!  The museum and especially the little historical story and outline is so intriguing!  These two put in a lot of hard work, effort and means to invent what I take for granted today - flight.  The risks they took, the courage they mustered, and the passion they realized has changed the world in such a short time.  Sorry about my rumbling belly Grandpa!  Come again and I will take you back for Round 2!

We also took a hike over to the sand dunes in the area.  It was beautiful weather, we bought a new kite and were ready to play.  Wow!  As we started climbing upward the wind was simply amazing.....and unbearable. We did get to the top - barely.  But was it super fun?  No.  Another memory to look back on with a smile I suppose!  Each kid was wrapped from their heads down to protect them from the airborne sand.  And screaming.  I could barely stand up against the wind.  Deep ex-foliation spa treatment.  However, at the top of the dune my dad coaxed me over to the edge and the sight was truly something I had never seen before.  No, not a breathtaking ocean view or extraordinary city-scape - but the earth moving right before our very eyes.  A wall of sand being picked up and blown to who knows where!!  Kinda cool!

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it

Words from one of my favorite hymns.
And oh, how I need the reminder......

So many wants to be had in my little life - a prettier kitchen, another vacation, a new computer, a playroom, new bathrooms, a trip to Disney World, an early retirement for my Dakota ....it just doesn't end.

But really?  Why?  I have everything I possibly need and want here in my arms.

I really am so very thankful.  I need to pause - remember what is most important to me.

"Here’s my heart, O take and seal it"

World Peace Starts in My Mini-Van

I heart this in the backseat of a mini-van full of kids!

Swimming Lessons

I signed Keira up for swimming lessons and was debating between Level 2 and Level 3. 

We did Level 3.  And then the teacher suggested Level 2.

We did Level 2.  And we will probably do Level 2 again!

I told Dakota about my debate and he just laughed. 

His comment: "Are we talking about the same girl?!  This is the girl who is afraid to get her eyes wet during bath time and asks for a dry washcloth to cover them!  Level 1 or Level .5 would have been great for her!"

Abbey and Keira

In the locker room

Abbey:  Sometimes I pee my pants.

Keira:  Me too.

Abbey:  Remember I wore your underwear because I peed my pants at your house.

Please always be this open, honest, loving and accepting of each other!!

(Keira and Abbey LOVE wearing each other's underwear!  And it is hilarious!)

Everybody on Wheels

This is the first year Keira and Bently have loved their bikes! 

You may have seen us practicing - so far the track seems to be the best - because at a moment's notice they could be done ......... and we're sick of carrying bikes the rest of the way home.

"Dresses are the best kid of riding clothes because they whoosh and fly in the wind when I am fast."

~ Keira

Bently loves to hang with Dad pretty much always.  That doesn't just mean do the same thing.  In this case, it meant ride at the same pace.  Or else....

And Tessa, you make me laugh all day long!  When you aren't cozzied up to one of us, you are on an adventure.  Usually a death defying one at that.

Oh that face!

Dakota found this Big Wheel from our previous home owners under the house.  It is not in great shape but still works - and speaks straight to Bently's heart! 

I have to laugh when he rides it because the front wheel is so worn on one side that is flattened.   When he peddales the whole thing bobs up and down as he passes over the flat side of the wheel!

The Return of Frosty

Like everyone else in the country we have had some pretty cold weather this winter. 
This was our second really big snow - and much prettier than the first.  You know, the kind where the snow is really sticky and when you wake up every little branch and surface is covered with snow.  My favorite!

And good for making snowmen!

Dad helped and it was quite a success!  Complete with charcoal eyes a carrot nose and buttons!

 

(if you look close at Dakota's finger you may think that he he slit his finger to get the rosy cheek effect.  no worries though, he just didn't realize that red food coloring is so vicous!)

Yum (and a half!)

Spinach Pasta

(Thank you Krista - it was delicous!)

1 lb. multigrain pasta

2-4 cloves of garlic

4 oz. goat cheese (chevre - not feta)
6-8 oz. Cream cheese

1 1/2 t. salt

1 t. pepper

6-12 oz. spinach leaves (I used frozen spinach and it was fine)

2 T. parmesan

Half and Half (or cream, or milk) to taste

Cook pasta to al dente.  Then mix garlic, goat cheese, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and spinach leaves in food processor.  Ad milk until desired consistency and then mix with pasta.

SO SO YUMMY!

PS  -  Sorry you missed this Ben - we made it the afternoon you left, and it was even better than Cook-Out.

And that is saying a lot!

So Excited

that this is what our car and home will look like for the next few days!
Full of children that I love.


It's gonna rock!
(in who knows what ways but it will - i can promise that!)

Mr. Whiskers We Love You

But I'm not sure we should be responsible for you.

Last time you stayed with us you went missing for SIX HOURS!  I was a mess.

Keira told me that you just needed a little break and were walking around. 

She assured me that everything was fine.  You just needed some exercise.

Mr. Whiskers, in the future please use your ball for exercise instead of the vast openess of our home.

 

Second of all - I'm not so sure rodents should be at the table with us.

But thanks for all the smiles and giggles you provide ..... and for cleaning up breakfast.

We Have SNOW

Our winter stormhas come!  And left us with a few inhe of snow - and a little ice underneath!  So exciting until we reaized that our heater was done for - and that the ENTIRE city was litrally shut down. 

Still, good times to be had by all (especially since Ben was in town!)

Our neighbor let us borrow his dream sled from Poland - I'm thinking we need to make a trip there!

I love this pctre because you can see all the neighborhood kids playing out in the street.

 Church was cancelled on Sunday (so sad - hee hee), so we went to Aimee and Steve's house for some fun!

They have a great downhill driveway, that continues downhill to the edge of the forest.

Oh yes - and a warm house!

Yes kids, this is hat happens to your toys after you go to bed!

So the town shut down (really and truly - even REI......closed).

Then church was cancelled!

Of course no school on Monday - although it was in the high 30's.

No school on Tuesday.   I did however see a snowplow with the plow pointed in the wrong directon so that the snow piled up into he middle of the road!

No school on Wednesday - temperature now in the 40's with lots of sun!

2 Hour delay on Thursday. 

I think we might be back to normal by Friday!

All in a day's work

Some people take a day off of work to spend it instead on the golf course, or at the beach, even some at a luxurious spa. I'm sure all of those would have sounded alright ... but this man prefers a little more action on his days off.

So this is what arrived at our home one morning.

The Plan:
Move the existing roof off of the garage and onto the new addition. Then lift the roof that was currently on the ground to the garage. Never again would this house look the same.

Step#1

Lift the roof off of the garage. For this to happen perfectly all of the fasteners and nails had to be pre-removed. Usually, when the crane goes to lift the roof is still connected in a place or two . . . not this roof! Why? Well, because non other than the true master himself engineered this project! The roof lifted with ease free of any fasteners or other complications.

Not only did the roof need to be lifted and then set back down - but it also had to be turned 90 degrees to fit the direction of the addition.

Perfect!

Step #2

Repeat.

This roof had been built by my dad on the ground. I think it is worth mentioning that he was also working on a large hill that he had to account for.

We have lift-off!

Perfection yet again!

We all watch with excitement, nerves and great anticipation!

And these fellows were the brawn of the event! Thanks guys!

And really, how could a 5 year old pass up watching and exploring all the parts

of a real-life crane in action!

If these pictures aren't worth a thousand words than all I can do is tell you in my simple writings how much I love and admire my dad. He is the epitome of honesty and hard work. And never a foul or even negative word slips from his lips. You would think that with a project of this magnitude he must be retired or serve in the construction field through his career, but neither could be further from the truth. He provides very well for our family and comes home to laugh and enjoy our time together while at the same time accomplishing more than I may ever dream of. My dad is a man who gives of his heart, time and resources without a second thought in the matter. Countless have been touched by his goodness. I love him. I feel so honored to be his daughter. You're amazing dad! Only a brilliant mind could have executed this event with the exactness and perfection as you did. Love you!