Valentine iPods

This idea was fun and easy.

For Kelsey and Hannah I got creative with an idea taken from another blog. The hard part was finding wrapping paper. Hannah has a shuffle that is green so when I spied the green paper I knew we had a winner. The blog even included a template for the iPod features. Warren helped by eating the left over candy from the sack we had to buy for the ear plugs.

Sorry girls they do not work!

January Fun

Gosh, it has been a while since I have been on my blog. As usual my good intentions and reality are two different things. January, with the Martins next door and the Australian part of the family here was great fun! We missed them greatly after they left. Our home was so very quiet. One of the things we did was have a wreath making contest. There were four winners. It was a great way to do something together and act a little goofy.

We can get a bit silly at times.

Kelsey, Hannah, and Samantha.

Samantha found a new use for her wreath.

Now to find anothe project for the left over pom poms.

Fun with our two younger grandkids

Samantha watched a video after she woke up this morning.

Sage under the glass coffee table when we played hide and seek.

Today was filled with lots of playing. Samantha was not feeling well yesterday. This morning she woke up and announced that she was better. It was great to have her be her usual happy self. We ended our day with Samantha, Sage and Grandma reading two books. One was a Thomas the Train book, the other a beautifully illustrated version of Cinderella. The book each child picked to have read says a lot about what they like.

Christmas photos from the third on January.

Our home will be filled with trains and Polly Pockets the next few days. The dolls have what seems like millions of tiny cloths, shoes, purses, etc. and etc. The train track changes daily and winds its way under furniture and takes up most of the free space in the living room. Ours is certainly a room for living.

Australian Opel.

Australian Uggs.

Hannah and her i pod shuffle.

Dad and his girl.

Stacy opening a gift.

More trains.

We picked up the Aussies about nine thirty New Years Eve at the Des Moines air port. After we got home I fixed a quick and easy meal. Warren, I, Samantha and Sage then spent a few minutes looking at the packages under the tree. At midnight Sage wanted to know where the trains were.

Sage was sick on their last day of vacation in New Zealand and on part of their trip over. Everyone was well until yesterday. Sam spent yesterday sick. Rhett did not feel so well either. At this point we are not certain if this is a case of new germs or the old ones showing their ugliness.



I suspect we will all want to go on diets soon. We have had lots of laughter, playing and eating. The evening we went out to eat Rhett knew he wanted a good Iowa steak.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Remembering our Summer Vacation to Australia on a Snowy Sunday

Grandpa arrives in Adelaide.

John and Rosie, our wonderful guides who showed us their area of Sydney.

Rhett, Stacey and kids in Melbourne on a drizzly Saturday.

Samantha at an Irish Pub in Melbourne.

Sage with us near where he is living with his Mom, Dad and sister in Australia. This is a lovely area where Koala bears live high in the trees. We did not see any that day.









This is also the place we were at when our purses were stolen from a locked car. Never leave your passport in your purse in a car. I hope to be smarter in the future.

Thankful For...

A husband whose hand I love to hold.
Our healthy children who are wonderful adults.
Family ties that are strong.
Friends who care.
Walks in the country.
Two hands that nurture and create.
A home with a roof and heat and a pantry filled with food.
Home mad marshmallows and hot chocolate.
Clothes that keep me warm and comfortable.
Parents that taught me right from wrong.

Count your blessings today and every day.