Angry Birds

Cody made these in Art class at school.  The kids have opportunities to work with clay throughout the school year and it's always one of their most favorite things to do.  I think they turned out really great!

Random

Samantha's in the shower.  Chloe is waiting patiently outside the door. 

All I hear is yelling... 

Chloe yells, "Samantha, what should I draw?"

Samantha yells back, "Draw a dog."

Chloe yells, "Okay.  I'm done with that.  What do I draw now?"

Samantha yells back again, "Draw a house."

This continues for Samantha's entire shower. 

I say nothing.

I just take pictures. 

For once, the yelling between the girls isn't fighting. 

I've learned to appreciate the strangest things...

Playing Basketball

Cody's basketball season is well underway.  Actually, we only have one game left before tournaments begin.  It's been a good season.  The team is made up of 3rd and 4th graders.  For many of the boys, this is their first year of playing basketball.  There are lots of new lessons to be learned for all of them.

It's been fun to watch the progress that each of them make each game.  Chad, as the coach, has enjoyed getting to work with the boys and help them learn the fundamentals of the game.  Cody has also loved having his dad coach this season, except for that one practice when Chad made them run lines....  :-)

Cody, 2012

Chad with all of the boys.

Shooting around before the game.

Cody at the free throw line.

Move those feet.

Bringing the ball down.

Cody playing point guard.

Other team shooting free throws.  Cody checking out the score board.

Huddle it up.

Family Time

We had some visitors from Nebraska last weekend.  My dad, mom, grams and niece made the trip and stayed for a few days.  It's always nice to catch up and spend time just hanging out.  The kids loved having their cousin here and they played from sun up to sun down.  Where they get the energy, we'll never know!

Hanging out in the kitchen.

Playing Uno and messin' on the computer.  Grams likes to watch.

These two are so ornery together!!

Chloe and Maddie are painting in their dresses.  (They spend the majority of the weekend playing dress-up)  Love it!!

It's a serious game of Uno.

Grams keeps everyone in line. 

We're Getting Closer

Another semester of college classes has come and gone.  Nothing too exciting, other than being able to cross a few more classes off the list of to-do's.  In some ways it seems as if we have been at this FOR-EV-ER.  Yet, other times it seems like it is flying by.  Just depends which day you would ask. 

To help propel the end goal, we both took a crash course over the holidays.  A 16 week course condensed into 10 days.  That was interesting.  It doesn't matter.  We've finished and both passed with flying colors.  Check.  Another one bites the dust. 

So, as we head into the spring semester that begins next week, we are both dreading it and very excited too!  It's the last semester for Chad.  Then, he gets to move on to UCM to finish his bachelor degree.  For me, I'm going to finish my degree this summer.  Hopefully, the classes I need will be offered and I'll be done before the kids go back to school in the fall.  We'll see. 

2012 is going to be an exciting year!  We can't wait to finish one chapter of our lives and move on to the next.   Giddy up!!

Deacon Ordination

This last Sunday, Chad was ordained as a deacon in our church.  It was a very special day for our immediate and church family.  I feel so blessed to have Chad in our life and for him to be the leader of our family.  We also feel so very thankful and blessed to have such a wonderful church.  Their kindness, love and compassion for us is overwhelming and humbling.  We continue to stand in awe of the goodness and gifts that God puts in our lives everyday. 

Of All the Toys

You know how it goes, right?!  You buy your kids everything(okay, so maybe not everything...Cody asked for a Chevy Camaro and well, you will not see one of those in our driveway) they want for Christmas or their birthday.  You have such high hopes that they will just sparkle with delight at the presents that are scattered around them.  Then it happens....they spot the empty box.

And, it smacks you right in the face...again.  JUST. BUY. THEM. A. BOX!!

Taking Flight

You have to watch where you are walking in our house.  If you let your guard down for even a moment, there is a good chance you will get buzzed by this...

Here's the operator...

Sometimes, I think he enjoys watching us run for cover.

He flies it as soon as he's up in the morning until the battery dies.  Then, as soon as it's charged, he's back at it again.  I think he likes it... just maybe.

Coming in for a landing.