January update

Not much has been happening lately.

Daniel and Leah recently won their local K of C free throw contest at school and get to go on to the next level. That is going to happen on Sunday afternoon.

I have been researching and debating (with myself) how I am going to paint my kitchen, living room, and our bedroom. Right now, I think I am going to do some sort of mural on the kitchen wall (with stencils---there are amazing stencils out there). The girls are excited about this as they want to help paint the mural.

I worked my first Saturday at the post office by myself last weekend. It went well, PTL! I haven't been working much lately, so I think I can start on some painting without too many interruptions.

Andrew has exams coming up next week. I haven't seen him study much. He doesn't stress too much about school!

Update

Just an update on the Blabbing Canadians. We finished our two weeks of school vacation and happily (NOT) look forward to going back to homework tomorrow. I am hoping to get my Christmas lights down as it is to get up to about 60 tomorrow. The kids have spent their holidays sledding, shopping, and relaxing. Julia and Daniel each bought a MP3 player and have put some Odessey CDs on them. They hope to use these for the very noisy bus ride to and from school. I am not used to having to compete with these things for their hearing. I sometimes talk to them and realize they have not heard a word I said because they have ear buds in their ears! How convient!
I am guessing that work will slow down for me at the Post office now with the Christmas rush over. I am feeling more confident working the counter, though. Oh well, there is always plenty to do at home, it is just not as exciting!
Leah has the opportunity to board her new horse, Blaze, at a neighbor's horse farm with a big indoor arena and do some jumping lessons on him in exchange for her help with cleaning stalls. She is somewhat excited, except for the fact she doesn't know these people that well and feels shy.
Jim is working on a possible trade on a car for his dirtbike. David, you better hurry if you want to buy it! Andrew is hoping for the car as it is a sporty black thing.
No puppies yet. Just a very fat Ellie and a happy Odie. I told Hannah and Leah (who are very disappointed that there were no puppies for the holidays) they could stay home the day she has them.

More Christmas pictures

LuAnn and Hannah playing a game of darts.

David opening his gift.

Julia with her barn set. I think this was her favorite gift besides the Cinderella dress, which she wears to church. This causes the rest of the kids a bit of embarassment to be seen with her. I think it is cute and what a great place to wear a very pretty dress!

LuAnn holding up our basement ceiling. Oops, I mean winning a game of darts. (Notice in the background the little door to the left of LuAnn. That is the dogs' new pen which is under the steps. Leah and I built a door and laid some linoleum and built a whelping box. LuAnn, the robe I was going to give you, we made a cover for the whelping box with that. It is nice and comfy--at least it looks that way)

Christmas Day activities

The princess on her throne!

David and his gift. He and Andrew duct taped Andrew's camera to it and video taped the truck's adventures. (A helmet cam)

Pictures of the Christmas Day ride. It was C-O-L-D. Poor Julia, she wasn't dressed warm enough had a bad ride.

LuAnn and David's visit

We have been having a great time with David and LuAnn. Here are two pictures of us skiing today and getting LOTS of fresh air and excercise. It was great! We all made is back home in one (unbroken) piece, for which we are thankful.

Here are the dogs and their servents (umm, I mean owners) opening their Christmas gifts. More pictures to come.

The Proud Popa (to be)

Odie and Ellie have been bumped up to living in the house lately again due to the very cold weather and snow storm we have had this weekend. They are enjoying to increased attention and playtime. Ellie is sure growing big. Odie is looking very mature (although he doesn't act that way very often. His whining HAS decreased, which is helping with being allowed in the house!)

Today (Sunday) we stayed home from church (which was holding their Christmas play) because of a big snow storm that is trying to bury us! The kids are hoping it will continue well into tomorrow so school will be cancelled.

Yesterday, before the snow storm started, Leah rode Sierra in the Santa Clause parade in St. Clements. She rode with her school friends (and their parents) and Sierra did really well. She is SUCH a great horse with all that commotion going on around her. When the parade was over, they rode around town to see some friends. The weather was SO cold, and I was very glad I was not riding.

I have been working about 1 day a week now, so there is lots of time for me to get ready for the holidays. I am also doing some building for the whelping pen/box for Ellie. I am enjoying learning how to use the power tools (for the most part. . . they still scare me a bit).

The kids have their school Christmas program on Wednesday evening and are busy getting ready for that. We are all looking forward to their time off from school.

We're Expecting. . .

. . . puppies, that is! Ellie May is due to have them the first week in January. We (well, most of us!) are pretty excited about that. We have been busy trying to figure out where we are going to have the whelping box. We decided to put it under the basement steps because it is right by the chimney (which is warm) and is a closed-in area the perfect size for mom and pups. We are currently laying some linoleum and making some sort of bedding box for them. Poor Odie, he will have to learn to live as a bachelor for a few weeks while Ellie is in the house with the pups.