Happy 5th Birthday Carolyn!

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday dear Carolyn

Happy Birthday to you!

We can't believe you are turning 5 today!! We hope your birthday is as fun and special as you are! We love you lots and lots!

*Love*

Daddy, Mommy, Benji, Katie and John

Frosty

Guess where we are?

Home Sweet Home Wisconsin!

(My sister took this picture when they were here early Dec.. I took a picture of the yard today, but it's too depressing to post. Just think.. no sun and lots more snow)
We weren't planning on leaving TN until the beginning of next week. But a few things came up and we needed to leave sooner. Daddy was able to reschedule his schedule. So we left early Sunday morning. 5ish. We rolled down our driveway around 8ish last night. 15 hours of driving. The kids did well, considering we only stopped for gas and snag some food to eat on the road. In some ways it's nice to drive straight thru and get it over with. And in some ways it's nice to break it up.

Instead of going home to unpack and get settled in, we stopped down at Boppa and Gma's because 'JacobEmilyMeri' where there. I meant to get a picture of the kids seeing each other for the first time since we've been gone. But I had a half-awake John in my arms. Benji and Katie pounded on Boppa's door. Jacob answered. He squealed: BENJI!! And then, Benji squealed: JACOB!! They immediately locked into the biggest, longest, heartiest hug I have ever seen those 2 exchange! The porch wasOnce the girls were able to get thru the hug-fest it was repeated by Emily/Carolyn, Meri/Kaite, Emily/Katie, Meri/Carolyn.

It's safe to say the kids are THRILLED to be together again. It is nice to be home. To sleep in our own bed. To have our playmates back. Until we leave again. (And Mom and Dad were thrilled to have excellent roads and an uneventful trip... much unlike our trip down.. I'll post more about that later on my other blog)

No Not as many toys. No Problem.

Hanging their laundry out to dry. Peeling onions uprooted flower bulb
Starfall
Cooking trains.

They had all of my kitchen utensils and pans out in the living room. Cooking pie. Note Benji in the background. Sitting on the couch. With the cushion off. Reading books.

Birds Fly South

[These pictures don't do justice. But it's the best I could get.] The kids know about birds flying south for the winter. So when we told them we were going to spend some time down here south, "Oh! That's where the birds are gonna be!!"

Well, they ain't kidding when they say "Birds fly south for the winter" Since we've been here, we've seen of 100's of black birds in the front/back yard and covering the pastures. At one time.
The ground is black when they land. And when they take off it sounds like an airplane flying by.
The kids think this is the greatest thing.

Clearance Cookie Fun

What Mom doesn't love a good bargain? Especially all those 75% off 'after-the-holiday' clearance sales! Granted these cookies were a tad crunchy... the kids didn't care. The fun was decorating the cookies. Then picking the decorations off and eating them. No one even wanted to eat the cookie.

1 gingerbread cookie kit=$3.00

Spending almost a whole hour decorating them=priceless

licking the frosting off
eating his toes

Dear Jacob

"I miss you so much and I hope I get to see you real soon! Because I miss you so much!"

Love Benji

Award

Darcie over at Life's Unfolding Story nominated me for this award. While it I hardly feel like my blog is 'Over-the-Top', it is an honor to be chosen.

Here are the Rules:
Use only one word answer the questions, pass along to six favorite bloggers, and tell 'em you did so.

1. Where is your cell phone? counter
2. Your hair? up
3. Your mother? friend
4. Your father? thoughtful
5. Your favorite food? Mexican
6. Your dream last night? none
7. Your favorite drink? raspberrylemonade
8. Your dream/goal? balance
9. What room are you in? livingroom
10. Your hobby? blogging
11. Your fear? losing family
12. Where do you want to be in six years? settled
13. Where were you last night? 'home' (in TN)
14. Something that you aren't? skinny
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. Wish list item? laptop
17. Where did you grow up? WI

18. Last thing you did? clean
19. What are you wearing? sweater
20. Your T.V.? none
21. Your pets? none

22. Friends? supportive
23. Your life? busy
24. Your mood? tired
25. Missing someone? family
26. Vehicle? van
27. Something you're not wearing? glasses
28. Your favorite store? Kohls
29. Your favorite color? blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? while
32. Your best friend?(s) hubby
33. One place that I could go over and over? west
34. One person who emails you regularly? Melissa
35. Favorite place to eat? Texas Roadhouse

Now here is where I'm suppose to pass this on to 6 more bloggers. Darcie said it was hard. She wasn't kidding. I feel all the blogs I follow are 'over-the-top'. There was no way I could pick just 6. I really tried to pick 6, but I every time I came up with my list of 6, I'd see someone else's name...and then I'd have 7, 10 or 12.

So, I'm changing the 'rules'. Instead of picking 6, if you're name is on my blogroll... GRAB THIS AWARD and pass it on!

Moments that won't last forever

Home Away From Home

For much more pictures of the house, check out my facebook page. If you're not on facebook.. let me know, I'll send you the link.View from the drivewayBackyard...

equipped with a horse barn, corral and plenty of pasture for our livestock kids to run
The bitter cold weather that hit everyone back home, found it's way down here by us. Granted it's 20 ABOVE zero.. but to these southern folks it might as well be -20. Other than being abnormally cold, we're enjoying our time. We've been acquainted with 'southern hospitality' and a number of great folks.
All too soon, we'll be heading back into the Frozen Tundra. Which we are looking forward to. But you can bet, we'll be counting the days until we can come back for some more southern hospitality.

Happy Birthday Aunt Tanya!

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday dear Aunt Tanya

Happy Birthday to you!!!

Love,

Benji, Carolyn, Katie and John