Relax…

Nathan got laid off the week after we got back from Portland, we have gone on two mini vacations since then and now is Joey’s spring break. There has been very little rest other than Disneyland and skiing, both of which were amazing trips! We celebrated Joey turning 7 and Quinn turning 4 by heading to the Happiest Place on Earth for THREE days!! Woohoo! Quinn was finally tall enough to go on most of the rides…space, splash, and thunder mountains were the big 3 new ones, but also Soarin’ over California. Joey was finally tall enough to go on Indiana Jones and the most exciting, California Screamin’ her first upside down roller coaster!!! She LOVED it!
Nathan’s parents invited the whole family to go skiing this year. Last year it was just Johanna, but we decided Quinn was old enough to give it a try. We headed up to the Sequoia’s to the Montecito Ski Resort where they specialize in cross country skiing and have some mini slopes for tubing and snowboarding. Last year Johanna was able to take a lesson and was quickly advanced to the intermediate class. This year there were no classes offered so we looked to Joey to teach us the ways of the snowboard. It was GREAT! The Stryker’s taught us how to cross country ski. Everyone did surprisingly well and I managed to stay warm, which is a feat in it of itself. We have many pictures and videos too, so enjoy!  You can find links to other hilarious stryker excitement on nathan’s life stream.

So now we are getting back in the groove.  Nathan is doing some freelance work to make the income we need to survive, I am working more hours at the preschool to help a little.  Joey is loving 1st grade, and lost her first tooth while we were in Portland! (wow I forgot, oops)  She has another that is getting close.  Quinn wants to know hwen his teeth will come out too, poor guy just wants something exciting to happen.

I realized that I never posted about our Portland train trip, but its been a while and I forget details other than it was lots of FUN and more fun when Nathan went shooting for his 30th!

Anywho, we are all well.  God Bless!

All our bags are packed, we’re ready to go
I’m standing here outside the bathroom door
I am waiting for your flush to clear its smell
The shower’s running, I guess its time
To count the seconds, to end my rhyme

Cause we’re leaving on a choo choo
Just us, the kids, not moo moo
Heading North to see the friends we love.
Its V day, and your birthday
Lets celebrate and have a partay

Anyway…it was funny when I started, then my abilities failed so I’ll stop

Happy Valentines Day Nathan, I love you forever and a train window

We leave Saturday for a 27 hour train trip to Portland. This week has been pretty hectic with normal everyday life and getting organized to leave for a week. We are excited about getting to have a sleep car on the train, so cool! Obviously we will drive various rental car or grandma car while there, and then fly home the following Saturday. This will be our first family train ride, and Quinn’s first ride at all. Wish us luck and keep us in your prayers.

But now in one big shibang…

Happy New Year

We got pet rats:  Rosy and Cutie

My sister had a baby and I got to be there and help during the delivery.  It was the most awesome experience ever.  My sister was amazing, and the baby is wonderful!!

Lorelei Rachel was born Jan 16 at 6:19pm 6lbs 1oz 19.5in

It is exciting to hear Joey read to Quinn.  Tonight while I was in the bathroom, she read Bible stories from when Gabriel came to Zechariah to tell him Elizabeth would have a child all the way to when God told Joseph it was safe to return to Israel after King Herod dies.  It was really touching to listen to her.

Joey was being grumpy tonight at dinner, so I asked her if she were to only get one special present for Christmas, what would it be?  Her answer..”a kitten!”

well, we have talked about getting a new kitty since Shaft died, and decide that we would wait until we could get two kittens at once (when moo moo dies).  Nathan said, “Pick something not living.”

Joey said, “Shaft,” and burst into tears.  Followed by me, and Nathan holding them back.

Meanwhile, Quinn stands up and at the top of his lungs screams, “CHOCOLATE MILK!!!!

I always think of cockroaches as the one animal that could survive aything, but today I was proven wrong.  I did a load of laundry this afternoon, it consisted of about 30 mildewy rags and towels that had soaked up rain water in our garage.  I did not shake them out before throwing them in the washer because they were so crusty and gross, so I knew they had leaves and rocks glued to them.  I used a large amount of bleach, hot water, and detergent hoping to kill the stench and mold growing on the towels.  When the wash was done I took each rag out one at a time to shake the leaves off and I found a rolly polly.  I felt so bad and was trying to hid it from the kids, but then it stared crawling!  I found three others, all still alive, except for the one I accidently crushed thinking it was a rock.  I never knew those suckers were industrial strength.

My parents took on the amazing task of watching both kids for a whole weekend so Nathan and I could get away for our 8th anniversary.  We went to Catalina, and had the most relaxing time I have had in a really long time.  We did some dorky tourist stuff like renting a tandem bike, I squealed and screamed everytime we started or stopped or turned a corner (yikes!) but we made it back alive.  We did the cool tourist stuff like snorkeling.  It was awesome even though we have boring fish in this part of the world.  The best/worst part was the morning we were scheduled to go home the winds were blowing 30mph and the ocean swells were 15-20ft so we were told that no boats we coming or going.  So after much stress and mild panic we kicked back and had ourselves an extra day of vacation.  It was cold and windy, but we rented a golf cart and drove around the roads we could to see more of the island, and then to ensure being able to get home on Monday we booked ourselves a helicopter flight home.  It was great fun, Nathan had never been on a helicopter and I was maybe 10 when I had been, so it felt like another new experience.

Thank you mom and dad for being so gracious and loving for our kids, and for keeping them an extra night!!!  We love you!

The pictures are HERE!

Dear Friends,

Please check out our Trash-a-Thon school fundraiser.  In cooperation with the City of Ventura, our students are collecting pledges to clean up several litter “hot spots” around the city on November 13, 2008.    You can visit: http://venturacharterschool.org/trash-a-thon.html to pledge any amount from $1.00 on up and designate the student for whom you are making a pledge.

Ventura Charter School is committed to promoting the development of a strong sense of responsibility for protecting, preserving, and restoring the earth for future generations. Our goal is to raise $25,000 which will go towards enrichment programs such as art, music, and field trips for our students.  Any amount that you can donate would be greatly appreciated and is tax deductible.  Please visit our website for more information.

Thank you