Friday Evening

Hi Everyone,

We have had a good week.  The kids are getting along much better - Gabe and Grace still have their moments, but at least now and then it is a good moment.

We have a new invention that makes our lives a little easier.  Our friends the Crowleys bolted together two kiddie gates to keep their dog out of the dining room.  Since they don’t need it any more they gave it to us.  One of our big problems is keeping Gabe from destroying the kitchen and then dragging his loot to the living room.  Neither he nor Grace can get over it.  If Gabe gets frustrated enough he will ram it and break it down, but most of the time it holds.  I figure at some point he will completely destroy it, but for now we can at least cook in peace.

 Here are some pics from the week.

Access to the kitchen - denied!

 

Hays Ice Storm

The ice storm of December 2007 has hit us. It started raining yesterday afternoon and went throughout the night. Jackson and Dana had no school today, but I had to go in this afternoon to listen to graduate student presentations (it is finals week at FHSU). Here are some pictures of the ice storm.

Our next door neighbor’s front yard.

Our front yard. I hope the wind doesn’t pick up!!!!

 

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!!!!

We went to bed last night to the sound of freezing rain and woke up this morning to a winter wonderland, coated with about a 1/2 inch of ice everywhere. But that didn’t stop us. We managed to make it out to Wal-Mart to get a few supplies and a few Christmas presents. One of the supplies were long johns for the kids (in case we still have the Frost Fest parade tomorrow in downtown Hays). Here’s a couple pics of the kids in their “army underwear”. Jake would be proud!

 

A Chinese Thanksgiving

Thought you might enjoy a photo of our Friendship Family students at our house Sunday night for a traditional Thanksgiving feast. We had turkey, dressing, mashed taters & gravy, sweet potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and pecan pie (with homemade whipped cream).

(Left to right) Briana, Peter, Sophia, Grace, King, Jessica, Daniel (Briana’s boyfriend - GeoSciences major) and Jackson.

We put up the Christmas tree and decorated it while they were at the house.

 

First Snow - Sledding

We woke up this morning to about 2 inches of snow. This afternoon we hit the drainage ditch in front of our house and had a great time sledding.  Enjoy!!!

 

Sunday in Atlanta - CNN and MARTA

We slept in a bit on Sunday, checked out of our hotel and went to the CNN Center. We had Dunkin Donuts and a egg nog latte from Starbucks (Jackson thinks we should have lattes all the time now!). After our Inside CNN tour, we did a bit of shopping and then decided to take a ride on the MARTA. We went a few stops, got off and then got back on and went back to CNN Center.

After spending a few more minutes in Centennial Olympic Park, we loaded up the rental car and headed back to the airport, where we flew to Chicago and then on to Wichita, where Dana and Gracie were waiting for us. We got back home at 1:30 Monday morning!!

 

 

Atlanta - Georgia Aquarium

We’ve made to Atlanta and spent the day at the Georgia Aquarium and Centennial Olympic Park (right next to our hotel).

The pic of Jackson on the car - we just had to take! This is our rental car - a bright red Ford Mustang. We’ve made it back to the hotel room for some rest and then we’ll get something to eat this evening. Tomorrow morning we’ll hit CNN and take a ride on MARTA - Atlanta’s rapid transit subway system.

 

Fort Benning Graduation

We had a really good day today. Graduation at Ft. Benning was at 10 a.m., then we got to visit with Jake for about 15 minutes. He then had to go to Airborne processing. We then went to the Riverwalk on the Chattahoochie river and then to the Peachtree mall. We picked Jake up at about 6 p.m. and this evening Jake, Zane, Kate, Francie and Jackson are all out on the town with Matt. Leah, Ken and I are relaxing in the hotel.

Jake has to be on base at 10 p.m. and then he has a PT (physical training test) at 4:30 a.m. tomorrow. He’s a bit nervous, as they will cut 40 guys from the Airborne Infantry Training class tomorrow morning - say a prayer for him!!! (UPDATE: Jake passed the PT test this morning and is officially in the Airborne school!!!!)

Matt and Zane will head back tonight after they drop Jake off at the base. Ken & Leah and the girls will head back in the morning and Jackson and I will head back to Atlanta tomorrow. We’re planning on visiting the Georgia Aquarium tomorrow and then CNN on Sunday. We fly back to Wichita on Sunday late afternoon.

 

Our little soldier boy

Well, we’ve made it to Georgia to watch my nephew Jake graduate from Fort Benning. Jackson and I flew from Wichita to Denver to Atlanta today and then drove to Columbus, Georgia for tomorrow’s big event. Here are a few photos of him and his little/big brother Zane and one with Jackson.

 

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Here’s a nursery rhyme from Grace.