Maybe we should leave the basement this way???

Zach has never been a big fan of his bike; he prefers his scooter. However, today he was able to do some practicing in the basement. What a great way to release some of his energy on a cold day.

Book Club

This was our latest book club book. The book was okay, it would have been helpful when I was in management. The interesting thing about this book is part way through the book you get a code and you go online and answer a lot of questions and they give you your 5 top strengths. It was a great discussion on how the strengths fit us, we spent most of our time discussing each others characteristics then anything in the book. Oh well.

My top three strengths were harmony, responsibility and discipline. I think that is why I have such an internal struggle. I do really want everyone and everything to be in harmony, I will do about whatever I can to avoid conflict. However I am controlling in the fact that I like routine, things done a certain way, I don't like surprises, I like planning ahead to the point of obsessiveness, etc. Overall, the book was interesting and it reminded us to look at people's strengths rather than their weaknesses.

We have too much crap!

After at least 500 trips up the stairs, almost everything we had in our basement, is now on our main two floors. After about the 100th trip up the stairs, I asked myself, why do I keep this? why did I buy this? Who keeps this much junk? How did I get so out of shape? Am I really puffing going up two flights of stairs? Why do I have so much trouble getting rid of anything? I still can't answer the questions. However in the next month, while the basement is being finished I plan to be selective on what returns to the basement and maybe get in better shape. I hope I can follow through and I hope I don't go nuts over the disorganization of my house. I am not the best housekeeper in the world, but clutter does get under my skin periodically. I may have to hibernate in the bathroom, it's the only place not filled to the brim.

On Monday, the plan is to start to finish our basement. This is the before picture and hopefully within the month I will be able to post the after picture. We didn't plan on doing the basement so soon, but to make a long story short, we contacted the builder of our house to give us an estimate on the basement so we could see what to plan for. We were pleasantly surprised and he seemed very willing to do it. I think with the slow down of the housing market he was happy to have something to do.

Game Night Spread

During the fall/winter months, we get together once a month with our neighbors for an adult only game night. There are 5 other couples and we each take a turn hosting it. This past weekend it was our turn. After weeks of fretting/planning about what to make, the spread was made and it seemed to get good reviews (thank goodness). Cooking/baking does not come naturally to me, so I am always very thankful when whatever I intend to make turns out okay and nobody becomes ill.

Christmas time

We had plans to celebrate Christmas and Mom and Dad's 40th Anniversary at a motel in Algona, but thanks to Iowa weather - their was too much ice to come on Sat. Sherri hosted us on Sunday. We got to celebrate Christmas and mom and dad's 40th. Sheila and Roger and their family were enjoying the Florida sunshine and waiting to watch the Hawkeye's in the bowl game

We got mom and dad a Precious Moment with the 40th on it. We would have liked to do something more for them, but it really is hard this time of year

Eric and I weren't able to take much time off during the holidays; so we have been finding places for the boys during the break. Zach spent a few days with the Beenken's and Cale with the Josten's. On New Year's Eve, mom and dad brought Zach back to Ankeny along with my two nieces Cassandra and Alexis.

Zach, Cale and Cassie enjoy playing together. Cale had a game called Honeybee Hop and the three of them had more fun jumping and running around that thing. Every once in awhile we have to put a movie in just so it stays a little calm. I didn't have a picture, but Zach loves playing with his cousin Alexis. She is so good with him, played his Nintendo DS and the Wii together for hours.

Mom and dad, Eric and I and the 4 cousins enjoyed playing games on New Year's Eve night, we made it to 11 and counted down until the ball dropped in New York and headed for bed, so we could be ready to cheer on the Hawkeyes in the morning!

Christmas Time 2008

It seems like after a month of planning and anticipation the Christmas Season is gone in a flash. A little review of our Christmas Season.
We celebrated Christmas Eve at our church in Ankeny. We had a great service and is always a wonderful reminder on the whole reason why we celebrate Christmas. Sunday School is normally held during church, but on Christmas Eve Zach got to attend with us (Cale still got to go to the nursery). Zach was impressed with the candlelight service. Eric was a little nervous watching Zach hold his own candle, I heard him whisper - be careful you don't want to catch mommy on fire.

Christmas morning, Zach states he just can't wait until the 7:00 to wake up; he was just too excited. (those were my instructions the night prior). I can live with 6:45, I was just afraid it might be 4 or 5 in the morning. Zach LOVES opening presents, especially when one of his last presents was the thing he had been asking for and asking for . . .a Nintendo ds- Santa delivered. As for Cale, he was just happy having doughnuts. But, I did find 2 things he did like and that was a table top Foosball table and play doh. The tabletop Foosball table is actually something the 4 of us all can play and have fun at.

After opening presents, we spent the morning and afternoon playing with the new stuff.

In the afternoon we headed to Marshalltown to celebrate the day with Eric's side of the family. The cousins have fun playing and lots of great food.