Ok, I am way behind and since this is a new year I feel that I owe my stalkers an update! If there are even any of you left. We are all well and enjoying our holiday break. I always take the kids' winter break off. It gives them time with me without having to compete with the daycare kids for my attention. I figure that I owe them that much since it doesn't get to happen over the summer. Dana had a few vacation days left and took a few days off before Christmas and a few days off this week before the new year. So we have been enjoying each others company, playing with the kids, and starting to close out 2009 and prepare ourselves for 2010.
Since we last talked:
Jordan ran at the State XC meet on October 31st. It was a cold and very blustery day and it had rained about 4 inches in the week leading to the meet. The course was very mushy and the amount of people at the meet was overwhelming for us all!! They finished 12th out of 15 teams in 3A and we were very proud of their first team attempt at the State meet. Jordan ran an 18:35 and was just really happy to be there. It was very emotional for me because it was his last XC event and I couldn't give any words of encouragement as he came down the finish chute as I was choking back tears! As he walked back to camp he made the comment that he was done......"that's it....no more!" So I think he was well aware of it also.
Jordan running at State XC
Dana and I with Jordan right after he finished his race!
At the end of the season banquet for Cross Country he was voted MVP of the team! Even though there were stonger runners on the team he was voted MVP. Wow....some of the things that were said about him by his team:
"He is a good leader and always made me feel like part of the team."
"He runs very well, is very nice and respectful to everyone (including freshman), and knows when to have fun and when to be serious."
"He brings the team together and just always has a positive attitude"
We were so proud! Another very emotional moment for his mother!
After wrapping up Cross Country he had a few weeks off and squeezed in 2 more college visits. One to Morningside College in Sioux City and one to Central College in Pella. He has actually visited Central twice and feels that if the award offer is good that is where he would like to go. He really liked the Track and Field coach and loved the campus. The admission staff in really uncomparable with any I have dealt with. They know him by name and can recognize him when they see him. I also liked the fact that it is only about 45 minutes from home and we can go have supper with him or visit when we desire. That will be helpful for Carson who is already stuggling with the fact that Jordan isn't going to be living here when college starts! During his break he also ran in the Living History Farms 7K race the weekend before Thanksgiving with about 7500 other people. He ran with other XC friends and had alot of fun. Basketball started right after that and even though both Dana and I were hoping he would not go out and work and lift weights in preparation for Track, we are so glad he did go out and are having a great time watching them! They are undefeated and ranked 5th in the state for 3A. The team is full of selfless players who actually like each other and really enjoy the game of basketball! Jordan rounds out his free time with work when he can and right now is enjoying some time with friends that are home on college break! They went sledding at 11:00pm on Wednesday night and had a blast! Dana and Jordan also took a trip with my brother-in-law and nephew to Minnesota in mid December to see the Vikings play.
Santa was pretty good to Jordan this year bringing him new Bose headphones and lots of really cool athletic work out and casual clothes. He also got a few new Xbox 360 games.
Abbey is just a joy to have around almost all of the time!! : ) She loves to read and when she isn't doing that she is filling notebook pages with short stories. She let Santa know (after Christmas) that she would love a laptop so she doesn't have to wait in line to use our computer!! She is also hoping to get another poem published this year. Once a month Abbey goes to the Teen Center at the School. She either goes and enjoys time with her friends playing games and hanging out or she volunteers her time helping others do just that. She already had 15 hours of service during her first quarter in school and looks to double that for the 2nd quarter. She also has lots of opportunities in our neighborhood for babysitting jobs and loves the cushion it adds to her rainy day funds! She has been taking tickets at a few Middle School events. She makes money doing that which the school applies to her Washington DC travel fund. Abbey is a HUGE fan of the Twilight series so the release of "New Moon" was much anticipated. She and Emily, her best friend, saw it the weekend it opened. They do alot together and it's fun to have her around!
Abbey has been working really hard in Show Choir and the work has paid off. She has a solo and duet this year. We got to see the early version of their show at the Winter Concert right before Christmas. They are still in the "putting it all together" stages and she is so fun to watch! Abbey was pretty happy with her Christmas loot too. She got a new cell phone with a qwerty keyboard. Now she can text at lightening speed. She also got a new digital camera and digital picture frame to display all her memories.
Carson turned 7 yesterday! Wow, that has gone way too fast! We are going to have his party in January. If we have it close to his birthday the turn out isn't great because everyone is so busy with holiday stuff. We went and saw Alvin and The Chipmunks yesterday and he stayed busy trying to master some new Wii games!
1st grade is going great. He is reading pretty well and started having spelling tests last month, which he does really well with. He plays outside whenever the weather allows! (We've had over 27 inches of snow here in the Frozen Tundra)
He plays his video games whenever we will allow him. He loves to play board games and likes to play Sorry alot. Santa brought Carson a new 20 inch bike for Christmas and he can't wait to get out and practice riding it. He also got new clothes and new Wii and DS games.
Our sweet little Emma loves all things girly. She loves to play with her Barbie's, cook in her kitchen, play dress up and put on make-up. She really enjoys her mornings at Optional Kindergarten. While trying to help Carson with sight words I have discovered that she is picking some of them up too. I hope that reading comes really easy for her because we have really had to work with the other kids! Daddy managed to score some really great seats for Emma to see the Disney Princesses on Ice in November. I don't think that she blinked through the whole thing!
Her new obbsession is our dog Milo. She asked Santa for "my very own real puppy" (a wish he thankfully did not fullfill!) Everyday during quiet time she curls up on the sofa and he curls up on her lap and sometimes they nap. She also has taken over making sure he has food and water. Not sure where the sudden interest in the dog came from but it sure it cute to watch!
Emma also loves to spend time out in the snow. Santa brought her a whole box of Disney Princess dolls, a DS of her very own, and some clothes.
Dana is getting ready to celebrate his one year anniversary with Casey's General Stores on January 5th, 2010. It has been such a great thing for him. He was gone 4 nights the whole year and most of that was golfing pleasure with vendors! He never brings work home with him and his departure and arrival times are very predictible! We've never had it so good! He is still the Vice-President of the Booster Club and helps out whenever the school needs him. He is still on the Facility Planning Committee and is on a focus group that will be conducting a needs assessment of our school district in preparation for a comprehensive site visit for the Iowa Department of Education. He has also been doing alot of shoveling and giving our snowblower a workout with the 27+ inches that we have received in December.
I am still busy with my family and my daycare kids. I have done a lot of baking this holiday season (more so than any other) and really enjoy finding new recipes and cooking for my family. Dana and I have vowed to stop eating out so much. Mostly to help the waistlines but the budget is seeing some positive rewards from that change too. I am co-chairing the Father/Daughter Dance for the After Prom committee again this year and that is starting to ramp up. We have been busy with the planning and advertising stages. My co-chair is also very organized and a great friend so it's alot of fun to be involved in. This year Dana will get to take Emma so that will be so fun to watch! I am also busy putting things together for Jordan's graduation. (with Dana's help, of course) I really have to admit that I am being drug into 2010 a little unwillingly!! I have to let go a little more of someone I love and am not ready for that. I can't stop it....I just have to prepare myself for it. I have such a great group of girlfriends, so between them and Dana, I think I will have plenty of people to prop me up when I can't do it myself!!
Together, Dana and I still bowl each Wednesday night for fun! Some nights we bowl really well and others we are just there to drink beer! It's a frustrating game but great couple time! Most of the time, the two of us are planning and executing to keep a busy house of 6 running smoothly!
We are so blessed! Stay tuned!!
