Special Visitors!

We have had some special visitors! Our dear friends: Pete, Megan, Micah, Eli and Elizabeth Sorensen. They drove down from Des Moines and got to spend a few days here with us in the Texas Panhandle. We had a great time visiting, eating (of course) and doing a little sight seeing. We had to hit the Big Texan and Palo Duro Canyon. We also toured the Quarter Horse Museum. It was wonderful to have such a special visit and made me miss them even more. I love Megan because of her faithfulness and our like mindedness. She is so encouraging and I learn a lot when we're together. Their sweet little new addition, Elizabeth, was so cuddly and I was so happy to get to meet her. Unfortunately, I only got ONE picture while they were here. . .

Alea and Elizabeth
We miss ya'll so much, thanks for the visit!!

Merry Christmas 2009

We had a wonderful Christmas with family!

The most . . . interesting . . . event of Christmas was trying to recreate my most favorite childhood memories but through my children. I-and Greg-convinced my sisters-and their husbands-to spend the night at my parents Christmas Eve! My best Christmas memories are with all my cousins at my Grandparents house, now that was excitement! OK, seventeen people in my parents house, not too tight but we all had to be in rooms so the "magic" of Christmas could happen without anyone seeing. We decided to put, Gideon, Samara, Josiah, Benton and August in the "kids room"; Alea and Miriam wanted to sleep in the closet; AshLynn in with Nannie; Me, Greg, Callie, Jon, Lori and Lance in the front room. It was cozy and we found out Lance is a worse snorer than Jon (is that possible?), but we survived and our kids had a blast spending the night at Granna's with all the cousins. We thought it would be fun to watch movies and eat until we were sick. Also, there was no go to bed curfew. All the kids started fizzling out around 11 except BENTON! He was out of control and having a blast staying up, and up, and up until I made him go to bed at 1:30am!


Our group on my side is so big, we have to open presents in shifts. The kids go first and then go off to play with all their new toys, then the adults get their turn. We open one at a time so it takes a good long time and everyone gets to watch.


We enjoyed spending time with Greg's family also, we always look forward the all the good food we get over there and this year did not disappoint. It's always good to see all of his aunts, uncles and cousins. Our children are the youngest on his side for now, but it won't be long before they are the "big kids" around.

Hope your Christmas was wonderful as we reflected on the birth of our one and only Savior, Jesus!

Party pants-Benton at 1:11am!

Alea and Miriam sound asleep in the closet.

Alea and August both got princess

phones and were talking to each other.

Benton the fireman-just like Poppies and Uncle Lance.

The Perkins' girls kids

-We're missing Matt's family:(-

Samara, AshLynn, Gideon, Josiah, Miriam

Benton, Alea, August

Peppermint Bashing

We were making peppermint covered fudge for Christmas and I thought the kids could just punch the bags of peppermint breaking it all up. Well, of course that hurt their hands, so we tried alternative methods. Benton, being the thinker that he is, analyzed the situation, disappeared and then re-surfaced with his little plastic hammer. He pummeled the peppermint and had a down right good time of it! His peppermint won the "most crushed up" award and he was so proud of himself.

Ice Cream, Anyone?

OK, so long overdue, but worth revisiting! Back on December 22, yes, December 22, me and my sweet off spring were settling down nicely into routine when I hear a familiar tune.

It was a tune of sweetness that instantly took me to a more innocent time of my life. The tune that parents do not want to hear on those hot, lazy summer afternoons. The tune that sends children throwing whatever they're playing with and running to mom and/or dad pleading. Yes, that "ice cream truck" tune!

I NEVER heard this in Johnston and had really forgotten the sweet little man who so eagerly drives up and down the street playing the tune that beckons all of us outside for some special ice cream which is delivered right to you. I shook off the euphoric feeling and expressed my childlike excitement to my children, by grabbing them by the hands, poor unsuspecting little ones, and dragging them out the door. All in response to that tune. Snatching my wallet on the way, I quickly explained how the ice cream truck works. They were standing in a whirlwind of confusion as the truck pulled over-oh that sweet tune. They each picked an ice cream treat and they were so happy. We came back into the house to enjoy the ice cream and I was elated to have shared this childhood experience with my children.

I laughed out loud at the fact that it was almost Christmas and it was so warm outside, the ice cream man was still making deliveries. The past three Decembers-in Iowa-I wanted nothing to do with the frigid sweetness of an ice cream treat in December. Good to be home. . .

THE Princess Room

Here we are getting all settled into our new home and adjusting to our new activities. I have to share our first and most impressive update to the home. Alea wanted a pink room, so in one afternoon-before Christmas-that was accomplished. We had discussed painting a castle in her room and I knew just the guy to get that done. Greg's dad is quite artistic and I knew he'd be just the one to to a fantastic job! SO, below is the amazing and breath taking castle created and painted by Gregg on Alea' pink wall. She is really proud of her room and shows it off to anyone and everyone she can-even the neighbor. Thank you Gregg and Cassie for the visit and time spent on Alea's new and improved room-it's more than we all expected.

Alea on her stage (draw bridge) in front of the castle.

Posing in front of the castle.

Benton "helping" his Poppa paint the royal dwelling.

The Clog

Since getting new carpet, my vacuum seemed to have worse and worse performance. I have a bagless and usually I can vacuum the entire house before I have to empty it, so I continued this routine. I noticed that it was getting more and more clogged to the point that I dreaded vacuuming because it wasn't even working. Finally, with screw driver in hand, I took the whole thing apart and MAN the clogsssss that I found. I was discouraged to say the least! It was thick with new carpet fuzz. I got as much as I could out and just knew it was a lost cause. All of a sudden, my sweet, smart little girl said, "I know, I'll get Benton's tools" (they are all plastic). I wish I could have had her enthusiasm, but alas, I was thinking that a new vacuum was sounding like a great Christmas present. I went to change out the laundry and apparently I left the situation in good hands. I heard a lot of plastic hammer on plastic tubing sounds coming from the bedroom and by the time I got back Alea had pulled handfuls of fuzz from the vacuum hose!!! This was working, she is a genius and oh, so patient. Little by little, hit by hit, she got the biggest clog out of the vacuum. THANK YOU ALEA!

Slow progress, but she got it done!

Thank You Sid

Children are creatures of imitation! I saw this clearly after my children watched an episode of "Sid the Science Kid" (PBS Kids) about using a ruler or tape measure to measure distances. They were pleading with me to get them a ruler and tape measure so they could measure stuff. "This is good" I thought, "they are enthusiastic about measuring, how scientific"! I was in my bathroom fixing my hair and was shortly joined by my two little scientists complete with measuring instruments. They proceeded to extremely seriously measure many items in the bathroom, including all of our rears (haha). Who else would have gotten my children excited about measuring anything or the vocabulary associated with measuring? I tip my hat and say, "Thank you, Sid!"