Life Update

Brian is working out of town now, he started on Monday. The time we projected it would take him to drive is a little inaccurate. It takes him just over an hour. This week has been a screwy week to see how working out of town is. Monday he had to help move company trucks so he got home at dinner time. Tuesday they got rained out of working so they did an in service training and then come home early. Then yesterday, I don't know what it was but he was home for dinner. We have done some figuring and it might be cheaper for him to drive every day than to stay at a hotel. The big concern is driving and being tired. We will have to give it a few more weeks to see how things really start to play out.

Angela is working really hard at her schooling. Although she and I are really ready for home schooling to be over!! We have about five weeks of lessons left and the last week of school will get to be fun made up lessons just to get our attendance counted. She really can't wait to go to public school next year. A quote from her is, "I will get to have so much more fun at public school, I will get hot lunch and get to get away from mom." It really makes me laugh, because it is true. She and I definitely needs some breaks from each other so that we get along better. I think we are a lot alike. She has been reading through three to five or more chapter books per week. We can't seem to get to the library enough. It could be because the only way to watch movies is on the computer and that we don't have TV. Oh well it could be worse, I just have to get her to take breaks to do chores or spend some time with the family. She is also finished with her swimming lessons. She completed them a few weeks ago. She passed Red Cross level 3 and will be moving onto level 4 next time. She was very excited to have passed.

Connor's finger is healing up nicely when he is not breaking doctor's orders. He is supposed to keep it clean and out of the water. What crazy directions for an active two year-old. Yesterday while playing out side it was covered with dirt and in the dog's water dish before I even knew the band aid was off. Good thing it has already healed up a bit. Brian had to rig up a plastic bag and tape to keep it dry for his bath. Other than that it is not slowing him down at all, well unless he falls on it. Then you can tell that it is start to hurt, but even then he just keeps on going.

As for me, not much is going on here. I am getting to know different moms through my MOPS group. I have also started singing in the Praise and Worship band at church. We sing the contemporary christian songs of the service. It has been fun.

We are all super excited to be coming home in just about five weeks now the question is, how will we get to see everyone in such a short amount of time.

Connor's Accident

Connor is not quite two and a half but he is already trying to follow in his father and big sister's foot steps. Today he found a knife and cut his finger requiring two stitches to patch up. I feel like an awful mother that he was able to do something like that. He just seems bound and determined to get into and cause as much trouble as possible. Hopefully as he grows up his accidents will slow down, but if he ends up like Brian that might not be the case. It's a good thing I have a lot of love and kisses to pass on for all the bumps, bruises and cuts. Oh, and if you could send up a quick prayer of healing, that would be much appreciated.

Wisconsin Tax Return

Due to the fact that we lived in two states for the 2008 tax year we had to learn a little bit more about tax returns. We filed the normal federal return but here in Wisconsin they have a state return. Well we decided to use the money from our Wisconsin return to get a boat for the family. No, unfortunately we did not get a power boat like we had wanted. None of the rivers are big enough to use one and until we find some place that would work we will wait. What we did get is a canoe. It is 15'6", green (of course, this is Brian we are talking about) and it has three seats. All the seats have cup holders or beer holders as Brian and I like to call them. We took it out for its maiden run today and we had a great time. We were out at Devil's Lake State Park. The lake is in a little valley between two "mountains". I have to joke with the quotes because these mountains are not like at home. The four of us fit in it nicely and really enjoyed the lake. We will definitely had back for some more canoeing and possibly some hiking, bbq-ing and camping.

Easter 2009

As the weeks turned into days before Easter, I was filled with a little trepidation. The last few years Easter has been an extended family event for us. This year it was going to be just the four of us. I wasn't too sure how happy I was about that. So, I got active! We were part of a brunch and egg hunt at church and we invited a military wife and her two girls to dinner with us. Their husband/father is deployed right now so hopefully it was a win-win for all of us. They weren't home without him and I had more people in my house so it wasn't so quiet. We started the morning with a hunt for the Easter baskets. They were sitting on the dinning room table and Angela walked past them a couple of different times. The kids got hats, fun little balls that light up, silly putty, Connor got two toy motorcycles, Angela got a pretty headband, and of course the requisite chocolate bunnies. Before we could even think of breakfast Angela had the curtains open and was finding eggs. So we got outside and had an Easter egg hunt. They each found a dollar bill and some change plus much candy and some gum. Then we were off to the brunch, egg hunt and service at church. For Easter dinner I had planned to have ham, Au gratin potatoes, Chris' broccoli casserole, green bean casserole, potato rolls, deviled eggs, jell-0 beans, banana cream pie and peach pie. I had it perfectly timed out for when everything needed to start cooking and go into the oven so at 4 PM dinner would be ready. But of course something went wrong because at 4 o'clock when the company arrived I realized that I had forgotten to even make the Au gratin potatoes, oops! I was ready to quickly make them but Brian and Kris (our guest) said not to even worry about it. Regardless of my little blunder dinner turned out really good. Angela, Connor and the two other girls ate quick and spent a lot of time running around and having fun. Brian and I each got to talk to our families that evening, so overall Easter 2009 turned out really well.

And lets not forget the reason for the day: Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!

Happy but Sad

Brian has been working about a half an hour from where we live. It has been really nice since he gets home pretty quick and he does not have to leave too early for work. The job he is working on is nearing its end and we knew he would have to be transferring to a new job site we just didn’t know when and where. He just found out yesterday that he will be done on this job today (4/9) and he will be starting at his new job Monday (4/13). Talk about lots of notice. This new job is an hour and a half to two hours away from where we live. He has considered driving everyday but he has also considered staying at a hotel during the week. I am trying to look at this as a blessing. In today’s economic times where many people are loosing their jobs he still has one. It is a good job that he enjoys and it provides for our family. This job works 40 hours in Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and part of Thursday thus he can be home for a three day weekend. It should last all through the summer so it will take a little getting used to, but like I said, I think this should be a blessing for our family.

Brian Update

First, an F.Y.I., I updated the two blogs of the kid's beds so if you'd like to see pictures they are there. We are very happy they have beds. Now Brian and I are hoping for a new one. We'll see.

Often there gets to be lots of information about the kids and sometimes as a family, but not very often do I focus on one of us grownups. So today, Brian gets the limelight! He has been working super hard at work to get the job they are on finished. He worked for 13 days straight and then got last Sunday (3/29) off. He is now in the middle of a 12 day stretch. The days are averaging at about 12 hour days, but you notice I said averaging. Meaning some have been longer and not too many are shorter. They are hoping to get Easter weekend off or at least Easter Sunday. I am really hoping so too. The kids and I drove to watch him one day and it was pretty neat to see him close to 100 feet in the air working on a connecting a power line. I forgot to bring the camera, unfortunately. Maybe one of these days we will do it again and get some pictures of him working to post on here. The job they are working on is scheduled to be complete on April 17th. After that, they are looking at dropping down to a 40 hour work week. Brian is pretty darn happy about that. He said it will give him a lot more time at home and with his family.