Refreshing Weekend

There is nothing like a weekend away with friends. I got back last night from my annual trip to the Hearts at Home conference in Bloomington, IL. Four of us girls travel together and stay with another friend that lives in Bloomington (Thanks Tara) and we have a gab fest like you wouldn't believe! The conference was great with the likes of Dr. Kevin Leman, Go Fish and too many others to name. We laughed, we cried, we hugged, we talked, we did everything but sleep much. Even still it was a great time away - even if it was only 2 days/nights.

Quinn got undivided attention from dad and they had a wonderful time together (even though Quinn cried for me every night). I'm sure they ate some junk food, and I know they had steak, baked potatoes and cheesecake. I missed out on a great meal as my husband is an expert griller!

Quinn is on cycle break right now and won't go back to school until the 24th. Usually it drives me nuts, but I may just be OK this time. I still have to get him registered for kindergarten, but I have until July to do it. School starts the 17th of July and he is all ready to go to the big school. After 2 years of preschool, he is an expert at the school bus, so I don't have any worries there. Well, maybe with some of the other kids on the bus, but not Quinn.

I have been looking to get a new digital camera and when I do, there will be more and better pictures on here.

Living Life

I can't believe it's been that long since I posted, but the blog doesn't lie! We haven't been doing much around here other than living life day to day. Quinn has been in his new classroom for a month now and is really enjoying it. We haven't seen and new "bad" habits, so I think we are good with the change. I still need to register him for kindergarten, but I can do that anytime.

Next week I will be in Bloomington-Normal for the Hearts-at-Home conference. Some of my friends and I do this every year, and we really have a good time. Tara lives there and opens up her home to us (she even kicks out her husband and kids for us) - we take breakfast stuff to pay her back and a good time is had by all. Steve always has to take that Friday off of work (just breaks his heart too) to watch Quinn, since he is on cycle break.

We have both been working out lately - trying to get back into shape! Maybe this time we can stick with it. I have been sore for a few days because I started something new. I get tired of just doing the treadmill every day. Would love to have an elliptical, but those run big bucks and I don't ever see them on freecycle.

I've been busy trying to get a cross stitch project done. I have e few more days work on it, but am very close. I will be happy when this is done, because it has taken me several years to complete. It's not real easy to work on when you have a curious little one around. I have also been working on a new baby blanket for the grandbaby and have some cute little ponchos picked out to work up. I finished an afghan I had been working on for about 6 months - it just grew and grew and I got tired of working on it simply because I wasn't thrilled with the colors and how it was turning out. I showed a friend of mine the blanket, and she just loved the colors, so I guess it's just me! I have also been teaching her how to crochet, and she is a really fast learner and a great student. Now her 7 year old daughter wants to learn.

We are doing the Fireproof bible study with our small group this time around. We have a group of 7 couples and 10 kids, and we have been meeting on Sunday afternoons. We do our study first and then eat a meal together. We have had a lot of fun "really" getting to know everyone. Last night we learned 3 foods that each person can't stand, and had a great time laughing and joking. It's really great to know your friends like that!

Lola has put on a little weight over the winter. She's not getting much exercise, and she has learned how to be a food thief. Quinn can't leave food anywhere that she doesn't eventually get to it. She even sneaks from the kitchen table (which I hate)!

Girls, Girls, Girls

Well, it seems that this is the time for everyone in the family to be having girls! Can't anybody have a boy????

Congrats to Trever and Krista, and I hope you have better luck next time they do an ultrasound. We found out yesterday that Christina is having a girl also! Mom is very excited, as she has been waiting for a girl in the family to spoil with all those cute clothes. They have picked out the name "Meadow" and I can say that I like it. Now, if we just got to see them more often (and they only live about 15 minutes from us).

The wedding has been planned and is set for May 2nd. I have a few months to drop some pounds, and just ordered some new workout videos to help me. Steve is even ready to get in on the action, so next time you see us we will be thinner.

Quinn has been ill lately and combined with a couple of snow days he was home for 5 days straight. I am so glad he is back in school - and I think he is too! Here is a picture of his artwork - he decided to do this prior to going to school one day and I decided to let him go like that!

Here is Quinn and Grandpa messing around one afternoon.

Passions

Last year I started focusing on improving one of my "someday" goals - I started making my own bread. Not from a machine, or a mix but real, old-fashioned homemade bread! You know, the good stuff.

Let's just say that it wasn't without failures, but I believe I have mastered the basic art of bread making. I have attempted to make sourdough, but it really didn't turn out like I thought so I will try that again in the future. I have not attempted french bread, as it's a very wet bread and I don't have that kind of "uninterrupted" time right now!

I have made basic white breads, oatmeal, pumpernickel and Hawaiian. The oatmeal and Hawaiian are by far my favorites right now, but I'm still experimenting. I have also delved into pizza dough with success and am looking to try my hand at english muffins soon.

Here are a few pictures of some my successes.

Here is a bread made from a potato starter:

Here are some cinnamon rolls made from the same starter.

Here is a pizza that Quinn and I shared one evening.

And here is another loaf of bread. I think this is the Oatmeal Bread.

Christmas has come and gone, and was filled with all the excitement a 4 yo can exude! We had a long day, since Quinn was up at 6:45am and then didn't go to bed until after 10pm sometime. Santa came and left lots of presents, all of which are now being enjoyed. The biggest hit of the day was by far the 2 small flashlights he got. The boy loves flashlights and daddy decided he needed his own to play with. Now we have to close up the windows tight every day, and we also try to sneak outside after dark to play with them!

A big meal was had, presents were opened and we all got to spend time with each other - which is what I look forward to the most. Christina is wearing maternity clothes now and looks so cute! Another couple of weeks and we should know what the baby is. I just realized that is 3 pregnant ones in the family right now!

Speaking of family, we made our annual trek up north for the Christmas party. This year was interesting in several ways. First, Aunt Mildred passed away so mom, dad and Mike went to the funeral at 11 that morning. Then came Kyla's baby shower where the power went out for about 45 minutes (naturally it happened while she was opening gifts) and it poured rain so we had to jump "BIG" puddles when we came out of the church. Third, after we got to Sue's for the party the power went out again and stayed out the rest of the night! Talk about a party to remember - although I don't think the pregnant girls were having much fun. There wasn't any heat, but thank goodness it hadn't been too cold that day and there were plenty of candles around so we could see. We couldn't eat dinner though, so it was just snacking and drinking!

After we left Sue's and headed for home we really hit the bad weather. It had been nasty all day, but by the time we got to Champaign the next front hit and we bucked 50+ mph winds all the way home. That was a stressful ride and we were very glad to make it home in one piece. Thankfully, Quinn slept for almost the entire ride home and went right back to sleep after we got here. Lola had a good day and didn't get into anything, or tear anything up, and she was ready to climb into bed with us after going out into the cold/wind. Here is a picture of her enjoying the down comforter.

Santa

Saturday we went up to the car dealership to see Santa! At first Quinn seemed more interested in the cars, but he finally got around to Santa. When asked what he wanted Santa to bring Quinn said "presents"! He finally told him a Christmas tree, but we don't know where that came from since we have a tree - which he has pulled over 3 times already.

It's getting close and Quinn doesn't seem to comprehend just how close but I guarantee he will be excited Christmas morn!

Uncle Mike got here yesterday and hopefully we will get to see more of him than just Thursday and Saturday. We are not really looking forward to the drive to the "frozen tundra", but are ready to see all the family. Found out Mark has to go back to New Orleans Jan. 4th and will be there all month. It really is a long time to be away from home.

I'm hoping to get some really good pictures Christmas and am really hoping to get a new camera soon. Mine just doesn't have much battery life and it's big and bulky. I'd really like something that takes good pictures, a lot of them, and has great battery life!

Anyway, here's another picture of Quinn (he's singing in church).

Christmas

Boy, is Christmas going to be extra fun this year! Quinn has really gotten into Santa this year and has even been to see him once already. I have pictures, but they are the film kind and not developed yet. I think we will take him once more on Saturday. The dealer where we bought our van is having Santa and free pictures tomorrow, and since it's just down teh street, we can take him inbetween Steve getting his shopping done.

The first time Quinn saw Santa was at Parks' Santa Fly-in. We went to Downtown airport, had cookies and hot cocoa and watched Santa fly in on a helicopter. Then we had to wait in a "very" long line to see Santa and get our picture taken with him. We got a stuffed reindeer and a candycane for the effort!

Last weekend was "Journey to Bethlehem" at church. This lasts four days and we (the church) have a ton of visitors before it's all done. The weather is always nasty the weekend of Journey, and this year was no exception. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights were cold (no precip) and then Sunday started off really nice. The temp. had warmed up and it was pleasant for those waiting in line (some had waited close to an hour and a half in line) until........the predicted weather hit! We got slammed with very high winds, sheeting rain and a cold front moving through with sleet behind it. The sudden change in weather put a damper on the night, but we still had 20 groups go through in spite of the rain!

All in all it was a succesful weekend, as 18,500+ people went through and saw the real reason we celebrate Christmas! Steve and I both worked all 4 nights and were very tired when it was all over. He workes the parking detail and gets to church early and I worked hospitality (cookies and hot cocoa at the end) and got home late every night since I had to be there until everyone was through and left. We serve homemade cookies to all that come though and usually shoot for 30,000 dozen cookies (that's 360,000 cookies). This year we broke attendance records for 3 nights (and total attendance) and had to put out pleas for more cookies on 2 seperate occasions. It's a lot of fun and very rewarding to work, but I've never been so tired in my life as I was when that was over!

It's hard to believe that there are only 6 days till Christmas and 12 until the new year starts! When you are young and hear people say that "the time goes faster the older you get", you never believe them but I have found that it really does fly by. It seems like just yesterday Quinn was a baby and now he's getting close to 5!

Quinn and Lola have gotten so close that she waits every day for the bus to get home. She has to go outside about a half an hour before he gets here, and when it's time for the bus she is parked by the front window just waiting. As soon as I go out the door she is parked just inside waiting for him to come through so she can attack him! They run around the house tackling each other and then settle down for a snack.

She has sttled in pretty well here - she likes to sleep on my bed and any time the blanket comes out she is right there ready to lay on it! She doesn't like to have doors closed, so if you are in the bathroom she will butt the door with her head trying to get the door open. She is also very prissy and doesn't like the rain , snow or cold. She would rather die than have to go out and get wet and cold doing such mundane things as going potty! Guess she's getting a coat for Christmas.