The Great North

We spent a long weekend up North over the Independence holiday weekend. Ryan's brother lives in the north woods and invaded his house for a few days. Because I'm so delayed in writing about our trip, I'll try to capture a few things with bullet points:
5 adults, 2 kids, 1 dog in one house. Thanks to Eric for opening his new home to us.

• We were able to meet Eric's new "friend". She might have been a bit overwhelmed by all of us but she was wonderful to get to know and spend a little time with.
• I don't eat organic. I did those few days. It was actually good.
• I love salsa and chips, don't like goat cheese or tomatoes :p
• I love to be outside and am a rockstar at horse shoes. Yes, us girls schooled the guys!
• I don't like mosquito bites on my kids!
• Scott loves parades but doesn't like the siren noises from the fire trucks.
• Scott is a smart little boy and doesn't take him long to figure out that he doesn't want you to "share" with him if all you're going to do is ask for a piece of candy back.
• My skin appreciated a little sunshine.
• Bethany has no fear of large bodies of water.
• Both kids learned that inhaling water isn't a good thing.
• Scott has a new best friend, his Grandpa B. Sorry Ryan.
• Driving in pounding rain makes me nervous.
• Never follow a load of round hay bales too closesly. They do come off sometimes. (thankfully it wasn't our car that had to learn that lesson)
• My father in law really likes to eat at Culvers.

Here are a few pictures:

Bethany and her Unky Eric

Kelly and Bethany cooking green beans in cocunut butter... umm, good

Scott with his new best friend, Grandpa B.

Thank you Eric for opening your home and letting us take over for a few days. I understand that it can be quite a lot to have a house full for a few days. Not only that, but I also understand what it costs to feed a family for a few days. I appreciate your willingness to provide for us while we were there. It was so good to be welcomed into your home, meet Kelly and spend a few days with you. Thanks for introducing us to your church family and friends too. It helps to put faces with names. We look forward to our next visit.

Happy Birthday Scott

My Dutch Love

I have lots to post about from last weekend but this is a fun post that I wanted to write:

On a Sunday afternoon while getting ready to leave church, my friend Joe had a cow to check out at the dairy. She'd basically had a c-section and he was doing a post surgery check on her. I went with Joe to the dairy and to this day, I remember the conversation. He told me (and continued to tell me for months) about this Dutch dairy boy that would be perfect for me. He was a Christian, hard worker, good looking and seeking a relationship. Insecure about not being good enough, I grinned and let Joe tell me about this "perfect" guy. I wanted that guy that Joe described but never gave it serious thought. Little did I know that years before while I was in high school, I would see that very guy on occasion at the local restaraunt where I worked. He'd come in with his brother who happened to be dating another employee. I drooled over him and his brother from a distance.

As best I can remember, a few months later I met this "perfect" guy, Mike. He was a good looking Dutch dairy boy. I think we met at an ag ambassador conference where he was presenting on listening skills. I definitely listened in that session and gave him my full attention. Throughout the weekend, we chatted a bit and found out that we lived a few miles from each other and were attending the same university. He asked me if I would ride share and I think I about fainted at the opportunity. [cori, do you remember this story, am I getting the details right?] Throughout the next semester I took advantage of his offers to help me with my dairy science classes (even though I don't think I really needed the help), make small talk and day dream. I even wrote a paper about how to marry him.
[okay, let me clarify that I wasn't stalking him... I had to write a paper on a goal in my life and how to accomplish it. I didn't feel like sharing my dreams and goals with a TA, so I got a little creative and wrote something fun. I love to write. Apparently, it was so well written that the TA decided to read it in front of the entire class. People seriously thought I was in love with this guy when in fact I just had a little crush on him. What 18 year old doesn't have a crush on some boy?]
... Throughout college we crossed paths several times at agricultural functions, Bulldog athletic events, etc. I remember seeing him with his girlfriend, now wife, and thinking that Joe was totally wrong about this "perfect" Dutch guy. And not in a sad or envious way but in a fun and humorous way. Joe was father-like friend and wanted me happy. He also knew Mike and wanted him happy and thought we'd be good together I guess.

Fast forward a few years and I did find my Dutch Love. Only he wasn't the one Joe pictured when he talked about hard working Christian Dutch dairy guy. It was Ryan, my wonderful husband who happens to be all of the above: Dutch, follower of Christ, hard working, handsome and even a dairy guy (dairy in the sense that he's a vet and works on dairy cattle). Oh Joe, if you only knew back then that you were talking about my future in a prophetic kind of way. Not that I would have believed you anyway. But I do get a kick of how God works out the details in our life. I do firmly believe that the God who created the world and everything in it, also has a sense of humor. I bet he laughs at this story too.

To my Dutch Love, I'm so thankful that you are the one I married. That those days of day dreaming and drooling are over. That you love me for who I am, regardless of my insecurities! That you are the father to our little Dutch Burritos! I love you honey!

Another Day at the Office

Just another day at the office, only I got to go outside. I had a 930am appointment but the sky was dark and full of clouds. I decided that walking a mile of stream in the rain wouldn't be fun so I opted to cancel the appointment. As the day continued though, I wanted more and more to go outside. Okay, I have tons to do in the office and I'm so behind on things but I really needed to do my stream stuff for Kristy. As I was stuffing my face with a late lunch today, I decided to head out. It was awesome. These are the moments when I love my job. I took my wildlife coworker out with me and we saw some really cool stuff.

As we got down to the creek, an owl came flying out and scared the tar out of me. As we were standing there talking about the owl, I noticed a bat hanging from a tree branch in broad day light. We stopped and snapped a few pictures. We saw frogs, tad poles, racoon waste, and lots of dragon flies. We saw blue clay and lots of springs coming into the stream. The erosion along the stream bank was sad to see but amazing to think what the power of water can do. It was a mile walk in hot and humid air. While we walked, we heard the thunder in the distance.

While heading back to the truck, the thunder roared in the distance. Up over the hill, we could see the storm coming. It wasn't a moment too soon that we finished up. Within minutes, it was pouring down rain and I couldn't really see the road to drive. As I traveled down the highway slowly with the radio turned on, we heard the weather service mention the two storms in the area and that we should seek shelter. Well, too late now. We had shelter from the stream, and although the truck kept us dry, didn't provide much protection from other storm issues.

Back in town where the storm had already passed, we could see that plenty of water dumped on us (as if we need any more storm damage and flooding). The ditches looked like mini streams running and everything was soaked. Fortunately we were fine and the hail was tiny enough to not cause damage!

Flowers

I got to my desk this morning and there was a small bouquet of flowers on it. It was awesome. My coworker has amazing flower gardens that she's growing to make her wedding bouquets. She decided to share some with me and I'm so excited to see the color on my desk. How fun!

oh... that must have been a dream

A conversation last night with Ryan:
me: Can you go put sheets on Bethany's bed?
Ryan: [gives me a weird look]
me: Did you already put sheets on there?
Ryan: yes, I did that last night before I put her to bed.
me: oh, that must have been a dream.

I promise, I remember picking her up out of her crib and there not being a sheet on her bed. It had to have been a dream because the all-star dad in my house had put a sheet on her bed the night before.

Wedding Shower and Bachellorette Party

I had a weekend with the girls and it was lots of fun. Thanks to hubby for making arrangements for his parents to keep the kids. And thanks to his parents for coming down so I could go out and have some fun with the girls!

Friday night was the wedding shower. The invite said "lace and frills welcome". The previous shower I went to, the bride got a million pairs of thongs. So, I decided on something a little different. I took an artichoke jar out of our recycle bin. Cleaned it up and made a new label. It looked just like the old one only it was specific to the bride and groom. It had an ingredients label and nutrition label and the whole bit. The jar was filled with lots of "frills". We had a good time. One thing I'd change is that I'd find out ahead of time if the bride's @postalic mother would be there. And in the event she'd be in attendance, I'd save my gift for another time. Needless to say, the mother didn't appreciate the "lace and frills" and it was obvoius!

Saturday we spent the day on the Mississippi River. Thirteen friends, the bride and the "slave" had a fun day together. A big thanks to RJ for driving the pontoon boat for us. It was fun celebrating and enjoying a little sunshine. I had a blast on the wave runners and laying on the beach. They talked me into wearing a cute bikini and I got a little tan. Woo hoo, its the 1st of July and I'm finally getting some color to my skin!

It was quite the adventurous day. A few things to remember... I forgot to stop in M town at the Quick Trip with the other Suburban. In fact, we were having so much fun talking, I don't even remember driving through the M town! How many people can say that it hailed on them while they were on a sand bar on the Mississippi? Yes, we can. It hailed for about 3 minutes and poured for another 10. It was crazy. Don't wear your contacts if you'll be splashing around on a wave runner. [side note: I didn't know about the wave runner and wore my contacts thinking I'd be spending the day basking in the sun with friends]. And one last thing to note, after losing the safety key to the wave runner, don't volunteer to hold the button out with your fingers the whole time back to the docks. Even if you can see the bridge from there, its a long drive and your hands will get really, really tired. I had forgotten what river water smells like. Its not so pleasant but I loved every moment of it. The river here was tons warmer than the San Joaquin River I grew up playing in!

Happy Birthday my sweet baby girl. I can't believe a year has gone by already. You have brought such joy to our home. I love to watch your little personality develop. You are as stubborn as I've ever seen but it is my prayer that your stubbornness becomes a quality trait that helps you say "no" later on in life. Your love for people, animals and food make us smile. You look for Scott when you wake in the morning and call his name if you can hear him. If DJdog is anywhere nearby, you are completely distracted and give him all of your attention. With food, you are a bottomless pit and love to eat everything. You are as precious as they come and we are so thankful for you every day. We love you my beautiful little girl. Happy Birthday!

Atta boys!

Congrats to my alma matter: California State University, Fresno! What an exciting few days its been. This all happened in Omaha... and if I lived in SW Iowa, I so would've been at those games. I was even tempted to stay at my moms last night to watch the 3rd game. Go bulldogs!
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Fresno State Wins 2008 College Baseball National Championship
Bulldogs defeat Georgia 6-1 to win CWS.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -Fresno State was smashing in its final performance as college baseball's team of destiny, winning a championship that would have been impossible to predict.
With Steve Detwiler providing all the offense Justin Wilson needed, the Bulldogs captured their first national championship in a men's sport with a 6-1 victory over Georgia in Game 3 of the College World Series finals Wednesday night.

Detwiler homered twice and drove in all six runs, and Wilson allowed five hits in eight innings to cap Fresno State's wild ride to a title.

Fresno State was forecast to be a Top 25 team coming into the season, but the Bulldogs lost 12 of their first 20 games. They needed to win the Western Athletic Conference tournament just to make the NCAA field of 64, fought off elimination in regionals and super regionals, and became the first No. 4 regional seed to reach the CWS since the tournament expanded in 1999.

The Bulldogs (47-31) from California not only showed they belonged, they showed they were the best, even though no previous national champion had more losses. The national title was the second in school history. Fresno State won the 1998 women's softball title.

Give 'em a Brake

Give 'em a brake, isn't that slogan for the state DOT workers? I totally agree that we should be cautious around road workers and would hate to cause any one harm, but today, I wasn't so compassionate. The road I travel to work is getting ready for a face lift. This past week, workers have been ripping out the old tubes in the road ditches under the driveways and installing new ones. Each morning and evening when I go home, all is quiet on the road and machinery is parked in nearby fields. Yesterday I was frustrated that the warning signs were placed quite a ways ahead and I slow down right away only to crawl along for a while before getting to the work area. Last night I paid attention to where the work had been finished as the new culverts are corrugated metal pipe and shine brightly in the sun.

This morning as I was moving right along down the road when I came up to the work site. I immediately slowed down. There was a lady standing to flag cars only she wasn't flagging cars at all. She wasn't even facing the same direction nor did she have her flag rolled out yet. I slowed down and moved into the other lane since it was down to one lane at that point according to the warning sign a while back. As I did so, the lady stopped, stared at me, gave me a nasty look and shook her head. I watched her in the mirror as she turned and watched me go by.

So here's what I found entertaining and frustrating all at the same time. I know this isn't a highway or a super heavily traveled road but you can still take the appropriate cautions. It wasn't like they were just getting started and I flew through there. As I got a little bit down the road, the one lane and even a bit of the other were covered in dirt they'd dug out of the ditch. There were no cones to guide traffic, no person on the other end to divert traffic around the track hoe. Just this one lady who had a pissy attitude and didn't have her flag out. As I continued to drive to work, I tried to make sense of her reaction to me. And it just didn't make sense. I slowed down and moved into the other lane. Was I supposed to stop? Maybe she should have had a sign out then that said stop then. Geesh, I hope she has a better day and she's done working when I drive back through this afternoon.

[non]scrap bribing

Sign me up Jody... I need a little help in the scrapping department. Some of you might be familiar with the IowaGeek site. Its always a great read and they're cool people too. Anyway, Jody has a [non]scrap bribe going on. I'm letting you know about it so that you can go over and sign up and then pass the gift along to me if you win :) Okay, fine, you can keep the gift yourself if you want. Go over and sign up and let Jody know that I sent you will ya.

Scrap Booking Fun

For those of you who know me, you know that I love to scrap book. I love all the creative things others come up with that I can copy or use to get my own ideas. I'm not naturally creative but I try. When I scrap, I find something cool, have some ideas on how to put the page together but then end up doing something very plain. Yes, I live a type-A personality. Between that and my unwillingness to spend loads of money on scrapping accessories, my pages aren't extravagant.

For the last year or so I've really wanted to get a computerized die cutting tool. But, in all honesty, I just couldn't make up my mind. I'm on the computer most of my work day and the last thing I want to do when I get home is spend more time on the computer. My computer is in the spare bedroom which isn't even on the same floor of our home. Plus, I have two little kids to chase around when I get home at night. I wasn't sure how much use I'd get out of the thing. Recently, though, I've been working on Bethany's first year book. I've borrowed my friends non-computerized tool and as much as I appreciate it, it just doesn't compare to the computer version. So, I've been looking and reading lots of information about the different tools. And, I've made up my mind, thanks to this very detailed machine comparison sheet I found online. I really, really want the one that is out of my price range. Like $200 more than I have saved up. It does so much more plus the program that it uses is so versatile. But because of my lack of funds, I would have to get the other one. Still a good machine, just not want I want. I so feel like a child who thinks I have to have a certain one. I just want to throw a fit to get the one I want.

So, here's the current debate going on in my own head. Get the cheaper one (I'd right the names of them to simplify but don't want people to google the name and read my worthless info) and then later wish that I'd gotten the other. And spend the extra money to add the program from the expensive one too it. Or, wait a few months and hope and pray that I can get a cash award for a contest I'm entering at work and buy the more expensive one. Wouldn't that be sweet?!?! I'm not a patient person so we'll see if I wait the 6 weeks to find out if I get the cash. I just want it know so I can make Bethany's book all pretty! Grr.

Teeth, Finally

Tomorrow my sweet little baby will be one year old. And last week that poor child still didn't have any teeth. You could tell they existed underneath her gums by the shape of her gums but none had poked through. That didn't stop my little girl from eating though. She never was really a fan of baby food and has to eat what you eat. But these days she chews up chicken, veggies and other foods without any teeth. That's my girl. Last weekend, two little teeth poked through the skin. Its funny to see. Scott got his two front top teeth first. Bethany is getting her two front bottom teeth first. It's about time!

Bio

I recently had to write a bio for a website I was asked to contribute too. You should all know by now that nothing I write is short. Here's what I wrote, it may have to be shortened before it can be used. Let me know what you think.
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Born and raised in Central California, Tamara B received a degree in Agriculture Education with a double emphasis in Animal and Plant Science. As a multicultural academic scholar, she experienced a variety in education, travel and career experiences. Similar to the rest of her life, she was involved in a little bit of everything: welding, showing cattle, micro plant propogation trials, student government, greek life, athletics, leading bible studies, working for the USDA, grant writing, boys and even a little formal education thrown in the mix.

It was during her college days that the USDA employed her with a variety of agencies for work experience. She thoroughly enjoyed the days that she sat under the Giant Sequoia for a quick bite to eat, hiked up the streams in the national forests for water quality monitoring, and surveyed for endangered owl species at midnight with the Forest Service. She loved and appreciated the days she worked for an environmental based education program to educate the underserved rural communities on natural resources. Hiring students who knew nothing more than picking citrus fruit was more than educating on natural resources. It gave the students and their families hope. Eventually those experiences led her to the Natural Resources Conservation agency where out of offers from 6 states, she chose Iowa. The 10-week summer experience in Iowa was quite the learning curve. You could imagine all the things that were strange to her after growing up in Central California, even if it was a small (6k people) farming community. It peaked her curiosity enough that she came back for another 4 weeks to check out a "winter".

Two short weeks being honored as the first in her extended family to attend college and receive a degree, Tamara B made the big move to the midwest. Unsure of its permanancy, she settled in rural Northeast Iowa. Content with her surroundings (but missing fresh clam chowder, fresh fruit, friends and family), she quickly got involved in her new community. It was a few weeks later that she met Ryan (a whole 'nother story in itself), whom she married less than a year later.

To date, she lives in a beautiful old farm house with her amazing husband and two beautiful children. She continues to work full time with the USDA. Her husband, Ryan, is a veterinarian and fixes both livestock and pets. The two of them are blessed to have both of their parents move to the area and take an active role in their children's lives. In her spare time, Tamara likes to scrap book, sew and enjoy the outdoors. In the 6 years she's lived in Iowa, she has become just like you - An Iowa Mom.

Amish Questions

I was just out working with an Amish landowner. It was beautiful out and quite amazing to see the women out in the garden and the children tending to chores, napping on the lawn, etc. The more I visited with the Amish man, the more questions I would love to ask. It would be so neat to see what their day to day activities are like. This family had a huge garden, two small barns with milking goats and a small area that looked like a green house. I saw a battery hooked up to a motor which I suspect keeps the milk tank cool. How do the keep their meat cold? Do they ever have iced tea? Are the children born in a hospital or at home? I have found this group of people intriguing since the day I moved here. I would love to come up with some kind of outreach project so I could get to know them better. Wouldn't that be cool?

Give Me Words to Speak

I can hardly type at the moment but I wanted to share a quick prayer request. A young couple in our church had a baby at 24 weeks gestation. This little baby has been fighting for her life and is doing well for her situation. Weighing in at 2 lbs now, she's growing and beating the odds. With that said, its a continual fight and her kidneys are not so hot. So, we keep praying for her. Well to add to the stress of the parents, who have their baby in a hospital almost two hours away in a hospital, today they are sufferring a tragic loss. Daniel's dad was in a car accident and killed yesterday. My heart goes out to these people. I read the prayer chain email this morning and was flooded with emotion. I hardly even know this couple and my heart aches. I can't imagine how they would even be able to stand on their own two feet at this point. Please be praying for my new friends as they walk through this valley and try to keep the strength they need to travel to see and love on their baby.

Mosquitos and other pests

i hate mosquitos. in fact, i despise any bugs that crawl on me when i least expect it. i have several mosquito bites recently and typically i'm not their favorite food.

on the same note, i was out playing with the kids on saturday. we were running around in the lawn and bouncing from the fort house thingy to the bucket of water to fish in to watering plants. it was a blast. while scott was fishing, i noticed a spider on his pant leg and called him over to get it off. only, it was a tick and not a spider. okay, i despise ticks. so much so that i'll avoid the timber at times because of them. but i got it off, squished its guts out and went on our merry way. fast forward to the next morning and ryan was giving the kids a bath. he pulled the kids out, let the water out and found a tick in the bath tub. a tick!!!! freaked me out. it was on my son, or at least on his clothes, all night. what if he gets sick?!?!?

needless to say that when we played outside sunday night, i was glad to let him run around with no pants on. that way, no ticks would be climbing up his leg without me seeing it on his bright white little legs. and i hardly sat bethany down at all because of it. and when i did, she had 7 or more ants on her within 1 minute. what the heck? i grabbed her up quick, brushed off the ants and hauled the kids inside. when inside, i pulled her diaper off to make sure none snuck down her crack. poor baby. she was fine, i was the one traumatized :)

A Simple Thank You

I called one of my producers [Alan] today to let him know that I needed a signature on a document before I could send an automatic payment. His wife answered the phone and informed me that he was out and to call his cell phone. I did just that, called a few others and then went to the kitchen to grab my lunch. Ready to sit down for a meal, the secretary informed me that I had a call. To my surprise it was Alan's wife. She called to thank me for all the assistance I give Alan. She went on to tell me that he's shared with her on multiple occasions how I've helped him, given him new insight, etc concerning his cattle grazing operation. She said that she understands we don't get thanked enough and wanted to pass along a little appreciation.

Needless to say, it made my day. There are certain farmers that I like to work with, some that make my job difficult and some that I avoid. As much as I like working with Alan, I often times feel like I can't feed his hunger for learning ways to improve his operation. So, it was nice to hear that, in doing my job, I've helped someone out. Sometimes, I feel like we get in a rut and do the bare minimum and do so with a sour attitude. This was the encouragement I needed after having a non-motivating day yesterday!

Thank you Lori for taking the time to make a difference in my day!

Elkader Floods

Thanks to Shannon at the Clayton County Register for allowing me to post a few pictures.

This first picture is an aerial view of Elkader. The top of the picture towards the left is a camp ground that was completely under water. To the right of that is the baseball fields and city pool. At the center of the picture running from left to right is the Turkey River channel. Below the channel in the picture is several city blocks that were under water. The downtown is located along the river and many businesses and homes were flooded. Residents were evacuated and moved their vehicles to higher groud at the Catholic church. Only the water came up more than expected and even the catholic church flooded.


This second photo is downtown looking up river. This bridge was the only bridge that remained open in many of the nearby towns. I've been crossing this bridge recently to get to work as the route I would typically take has bridges closed. Elkader is a mess but it is a tiny mess in comparison to nearby Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, etc.

To see more pictures of downtown Elkader, check out the Clayton County Register photos they have posted.

Mommy Stays Home for a Day

It's been a whirlwind of a week with lots of regularly scheduled items as well as the emergency type stuff. Late Tuesday afternoon I got an email from my mom asking if I could find any one else to keep the kids. So, on the way to Wisconsin that night I made a few phone calls and had no luck. Wednesday morning I decided I would stay home with the kids. Now, I know mom would have taken them but I also knew she wanted to quilt with my aunt. Because of all the other things going on around here, it was the perfect time to stay home with them.



We ate breakfast together, rather than having a snack in the car and Scott eating at moms. We played with blocks, trains and other toys together too. I even made a meal for lunch and Ryan came home to eat with us. Scott, who usually likes to help out around the house, opted to play while I cleaned the main floor. We had fun playing together, eating together and just being home. While the kids napped, I made sure to not vacuum but spent that time putting away several loads of laundry. I think I made good use of my time at home and even managed to hang out on the couch to watch a little of the noon news before Scott woke up and Ryan called.



In the late afternoon I even managed to have supper ready. Not quite on the table when Ryan got home but close. Now, I kind of cheated because both meals were part way prepared in advance. The chicken corn soup (I don't know the actual name of the recipe) was in the refrigerator waiting to be heated up and milk to be added. And for supper, Ryan had prepared the poppy seed cheese sauce and the meat mixture ahead of time too. All I had to do was thaw it, cook up some tortellini, spread some cheese across the top and toss it in the oven for a while. Regardless, that was two meals prepared, 3 if you count Scott's cereal, a house cleaned and kids attended to. Whew, did that feel good.



The best part about all of that was I had energy left to give my family after we finished supper. Ryan wasn't feeling great so I took both of the kids outside to play. I put Bethany in the baby swing and Scott played in the fort. I pulled a few weeds and played on the fort with the kids. Yes, I even went down the slide holding Bethany like a 3 year old child. We pulled weeds, picked up sticks from the lawn and chased each other around. Scott and I even managed to find 3 robin eggs which we promptly took care of and watched for a while. It was a bit windy but otherwise a great night to enjoy the outdoors. After an hour outside we headed in. Scott and I went upstairs and bathed him quick, I fed Bethany and put her to bed and then snuggled on the couch with Scott for a few minutes before putting him to bed. And once the house was quiet, Ryan and I sat and watched the news together for a few minutes before I fell asleep on the couch.



It seems like yesterday was a busy day even though I would have loved to clean my bathroom, visit a friend and her new baby and scrap book. By the end of the day my feet hurt and my back ached but it was so nice to have energy. Just goes to prove that some days my job sucks all the energy I have and its not even physical labor!

Broken Camera

So, my trusty little camera that goes every where with me has retired. Its very frustrating when I use it all the time. I love to capture fun moments, milestones with the kids or other things. A few weeks back the lense decided it wouldn't close all the way but still worked. And now, it closes even less but won't work. I guess one of the lenses moved around causing the blur and other problems. There have been multiple times recently when I've wanted the camera to capture something:

• Bethany "army crawls" across the floor
• Bethany tries to crawl but doesn't quite have it figured out
• Bethany saying all kinds of things audibly and in sign language: please, more, eat, and thank you. Audibly, she says mama, daddy, dada, papa, grandpa, scott (without the "s"), DJ, etc.
• Kisses from both of the kids
• Flood Issues here in Northeast Iowa

Do you know how to build an ark?

Way back when, there were some very important words spoken that we should consider today. God was talking to Noah and said something along these lines:
God said: Friend, I'm disgusted by the corrupt people on this earth. I'm about to destroy them with a flood. But Noah, I like you. Go build an ark.
And God gave Noah specific design criteria to build. It took him a long time and many people laughed while Noah did exactly what God had commanded him to do but the time came and God flooded the earth. Everything died except what was on ark with Noah and his family.

We've had a lot of rain lately. Rivers are raging, floods are as bad as they've been in the past and are expected to get worse. Lots of lakes and big bodies of water around these parts lately. Do you know how to build an ark? They're closing bridges left and right and Ryan just called to let me know that I should pay attention as I have to cross the Turkey River multiple times to get home. The good news is that God promised in His word that he would never again destroy all living things. As long as the earth remains there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night. Whew, that's good to know. I think some people are getting worried around here!

To check out the full story, which is really interesting to read, click here to read a few pages of the bible (Genesis 7-9).

Busy... edited 6/6

Okay, so I'm just enjoying life... accomplishing a few things at work, playing with my kids, visiting with family and serving in my community. I don't have the time to write about a few things going on right now. I was going to paste an email that I sent to my friend Cori but I've since cleaned out my inbox and don't have it anymore. Shoot. Well, just know that we are good. And if Cori sends me the original email, I'll post it below.

In other news:

1. My camera is broken. Do you think it would cost more to fix it than buy a new one? Its not even a year old!
2. There has been a huge issue, which I'm not sure I've ever posted about. Telling you about it would really bring out my angry side, I would become a gossip and would get all worked up. Its been a 3.5 year ordeal already. God has really been teaching us patience. Well, I must report that finally the wheels have started to turn. Let's pray that they continue as it really does affect our livelihood.
3. It feels like Tuesday but its really Thursday. Woo-hoo!
4. Bethany is trying to crawl all over... yes my kids are slow movers. She's rolled around for a long time but she's now interested in crawling. She's pulling her self up on things too.
5. Her vocubulary improves at an alarming rate. Peopl are always surprised that she less than a year old when they hear her say specific words and hear her jabber constantly. She's also learned a few animal noises and a few words in sign language. Atta girl. Oh, how I thank God for blessing us with her!
6. Scott loves his sister dearly. He has funny conversations with her all the time in the car. He assures her that we will be to Grammy's soon, holds her hand, shares his snacks, etc. He's a talker too. The things he says are hilarious. "oh, just forget about it" as he covers his face. "imagine that" and many more... he's a funny kid.
7. Last night Scott watered the flowers with me which means he drenched himself, soaked an iris that hadn't quite bloomed yet and played in the water/mud. I'm so thankful that God has blessed us with him.

edited to add what Cori so graciously sent me:

Here's what I've been up to lately-

• Service Saturday is done
• Trying to get done with the b-feeding. It's bittersweet and not so convenient!
• Lost weight and am in pre-scott clothes but still can't get in those original wranglers. I think it’s the extra skin. I desperately need some new clothes that actually fit me
• Lacking sleep on a regular basis with a little one that screams in the middle of the night but she did sleep the last two nights which was heaven.
• Wanting the area program specialist position that Troy is leaving next week. Don't think I'll have a fighting chance. If it runs as an 11, I'm not eligible. Even at a 9/11, there will be stiff competition.
• Wanting to run away to CA for a quick trip to hang out with friends and not take my kids or my husband. Do you think my family would kill me if I did that?
• married for 5 years now. Wow.
• Bethany's birthday is 4 weeks away and I have nothing done in her scrap book. In fact, I don't even have pictures ordered yet. Yikes. I think I'm going to do a combo party for her and Scott. They'll hate that when they're older but for now it just might have to work because our schedules are nutso
• Today is a crappy weather day. I feel like I'm drugged on benadryl but didn't take any. I think its allergies.
• watching a friends dog for a few weeks. It died on Sunday. It was a HORRIBLE phone call to make to the owner. Why does that happen when we were just trying to be helpful?
• Still needing to get my thyroid and tailbone checked but I still don't like the doctors and feel like I've been off a lot lately.

Attitude Adjustment

Well, to put it simply, my attitude sucked. Really, it was getting so negative that I'm sure my friends were trying to avoid me. I was negative about work and complaining a lot that I'd rather be home with my kids. I was complaining about my home, that I couldn't keep clean. I was constantly frustrated about something. And the worse part about it is that I would admit it but wasn't doing anything to change it. But today is a different day. I'm so thankful for Rhett who pointed it out to me indirectly after I bit his head off through an email conversation. I know where my joy comes from and I know what I need to keep my cup full. I wasn't doing it.

Now, things aren't perfect. I would still love to be home with my kids but also realize that I'm in this place for a reason. Ecclesiastes says that there is a time and a season for everything. And in this season, I'm going to choose to quit being so negative. And I might even agree to see the doctor about a possible problem that might be the cause of my constant state of exhaust.

Thanks to my friends, family and God who continue to love me even when I'm not so easy to love!

Memorial Weekend

A weekend to remember for sure, but not in the sense that I would have guessed or imagined...

Saturday was the 5 year anniversary to my wonderful husband. Ryan continues to bless my life on a daily basis. We are by no means perfect but I'm so thankful to have him as my husband and best friend. He prioritizes his family even when his schedule is hectic. He tries hard to leave his work frustrations at work (or in the vet truck). He's a wonderful provider. He loves me. He has a killer smile. He seeks to glorify God with his life. He is so many things but remember that I promised to try to keep it short, I'll say one more thing: I love the man I marred 5 years ago.

Friday night and Saturday we attended a marriage enrichment seminar. And to be honest, I wasn't looking foward to using my 3 day weekend in such a way. I wanted to do other things like place flags and crosses on soldier's graves, go out to eat with my hubby, etc. I'm so glad that I did the marriage enrichment seminar. It was such a good refresher on life. How easily I can get stuck in a rut. I so needed that weekend. My poor husband so needed me to be at that weekend where I would be reminded of how to love him in ways that he needs loved.

Friday was good. Friday night at home was tiring. I was up until 3am with Bethany which made for some serious dry eye issues on Saturday. I'm an emotional person, which most people wouldn't guess. I cry easy. So, to say the least, Saturday afternoon was a bit emotional for me and lacking sleep didn't help. But it was good to fill my cup so to speak. Plus, we had some good meals made by two of my favorite food people.

After things finished on Saturday night, we made a quick stop at the house to get our shopping list and check the mail before heading to supper with my family. In the mailbox, we had a very special card. It was from Hugo and Gladys. They are an older couple who five years before blessed us tremendously by Hugo giving us advice during our wedding ceremony. Their card is extra special because they don't send them to everyone, but we get one since they were part of our wedding. Hugo and his precious bride are 94 years now and don't get out much anymore. I mentioned to Ryan that we really, really needed to stop in for a visit as we usually do so every six months or so. We haven't been there since Bethany was born. I debated on stopping on my way to supper since we had time but opted not to because my kids desperately needed naps.

We got up to Decorah, which is a cute little town in plenty of time. Did a little shopping, stopped at the trout hatchery for a bit so Scott could check out the fish and I could feed Bethany. (sorry, no pictures, of either kid). Eventually we met up with my parents and my aunt and uncle for supper. My sweet uncle wanted to treat us to a meal for our anniversary. He was and still is, very thoughtful.

Sunday morning was a refreshing. I was looking forward to enjoying the day without having to think about going to work on Monday. Sunday came to be a bittersweet morning as well. My good friend, Hugo, passed away Sunday morning. He was an amazing man. He loved God, loved his family, loved people and loved to sing. He was a precious and sweet guy. I'm thankful that we did not stop by on Saturday night and see him as he was very near death. At the same time, I'm feeling a little guilty that I never made the time to stop by in the past 11 months and introduce my beautiful daughter to him. Oh, how precious is our time!

Sunday night was a interesting night in and of itself. As we watched the sky grow dark, we flipped on the news. And I hardly moved from there until I went to bed. We watched as the news flooded every local station reporting of the tornados in our area. Thankfully we weren't in or near the eye of the storm. One storm went north of us and one went south. However, our dear friends (the first friends I found in my church here) live in the town that sustained the most damage. I watched and prayed and watched and prayed some more as reports and pictures began flowing in about the small town of Parkersburg. Fortunately, our friends were out of town when it happened. However, they've lost everything. I just can't imagine what they're experiencing. They have a 4 year old, a 2 1/2 year old and a 5 month old. And nothing to call home. The only thing they've been able to salvage at this point is most of their clothes with the exception of the baby's. They still can't find the baby's dresser. Praise God who gives and who takes away that He chose to give them life and only take their "things". As they continue to deal with the aftermath of their own home, they also play a role in many others' hurt and loss as Ryan is a pastor of a local church there and will be giving a funeral service later this week. Oh, that God would bless them indeed in the coming days!

As the long weekend comes to a close, I am so thankful for:

• my kiddos even if they wake multiple times during the night
• my home even if I can't manage to keep it perfectly clean
• my clothes even if I think I need new ones
• my health, my family, my friends
• and for the little things like toothpaste and deoderant as there are many people that have nothing right now as the tornado flattened 1/3 of the town of 1800.

yes, I am alive!

Man, I can't believe that two weeks have passed since I posted. Yes, I must have a crazy life. And I want to spend a few minutes informing all 3 of my readers about my recent life events. This could get really long as I've had an amazing amount of things in the recent past but I'll try to keep it as short as possible. I write a little about a few things and in no particular order in seperate posts....

Small town

This morning I read a post by Meritt about living in a small town. Once upon a time I considered a town the size of hers as "small" but these days I consider her town to be decent sized. Anyway, I have a small town story of my own to share...

Our town is so small (~600 people) that every 5 years they have a homecoming. And to be honest, I'm not really sure why. The last homecoming was in 2004 and I was sad to miss the festivities but was glad to be celebrating the 60th wedding anniversary of Ryan's grandparents with the whole big family. Anyway, the homecoming is a big deal around here so prior to the event was like a spring cleaning for the community. People were re-painting their houses, fixing up sidewalks, etc. I found it entertaining that they were trying to show off for those who would be coming home. But maybe its more than that, maybe its that the community takes pride in their town, in themselves and wanted to put on their "sunday best".

What was really cute was that my parents had recently moved to town. And everyone knew that the new people were from California, were living in the Reir's house, and were Dr. Ryan's in-laws. So, a day or two before the homecoming event we were at my moms house visiting. It was a beautiful summer day and the windows were wide open. As we were chatting in the house, people were enjoying a leisurely walk. Two older couples were walking by and as they past my mom's house, they paused and one couple pointed to the house and told the visiting couple "... and this is where Dr. Ryan's inlaws live". No more did they finish the sentence and they were on their way again. It was too funny.

Four years later, there are probably many community members that still only know my parents as "Dr. Ryan's inlaws".

Kids are Expensive

According to the USDA News (some of the text removed because it was more boring):
The Cost To Raise A Child:In March USDA released its annual report which details how much it costs to raise a child in America today. The report, titled "Expenditures on Children by Families" and released by USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, noted that for middle-income families with a child born in 2007, the costs of providing food, shelter, clothing, and other goods and services will total $204,060 by the child's 18th birthday.

"Since 1960, child-rearing expenses have changed noticeably," he added. Specifically, the cost of providing food decreased from 24 percent to 17 percent of total child-rearing costs, while child care and education expenses increased from 2 percent to 12 percent of total child-rearing costs. "For a middle-income, two-parent, two-child family," he said, "annual expenses for one child ranged from $10,930 to $12,030 depending on the age of the child, with expenditures on teenagers being the highest."

Happy Mother's Day

Yes, its a few days late but still fresh in my mind. I certainly enjoyed a day with my family on Sunday but at the same time my thoughts were filled with other women. We all know someone who longs to have their own baby but for whatever reason hasn't had the opportunity. I thought of two specific people a bunch on Sunday. I do believe that life begins at conception so then it would be perfectly reasonable for them to celebrate Mother's Day as well. Yet, at the same time, I struggle with the realization that I got to hold my babies and they didn't. It blows my mind that without a spoken word, God knows their hurt. So, today I continue to pray for my friends that are hurting. Will you say a prayer for them too?

This Very Moment

If its not my tailbone, it is the muscle in my back is driving me crazy with pain, my contacts are blurry and my body is tired. I had a hard time falling asleep last night and was awake from 1am to 4am. Bethany was awake and crying twice in that time and nothing would console her so I finally, completely against my own will, gave in and breastfed her. That always works.

Thankfully today I spent a few hours out in the field. It was quite peaceful and although I was focused on my work at hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of some very rural scenery.

My plate is full

A few people have commented or emailed me about my lack of posts lately. I'm totally here but life is a whirl wind right now and my plate is so full. What have I been up to lately...

Food Finally
well we finally bought groceries so my child will have something more to eat than corn dogs. We even have Bethany eating some fruit. She loves real food and spits out the expensive crap you buy in the store. Saturday was spent preparing two weeks worth of meals.

My Saturday
Well, Ryan did the cooking while I slept in for a bit before working on my own projects. I finished up Bethany's quilt top that I started last year. Whoopie! Made a few cards for Mother's Day with Scott which took way longer than it should but that's okay. Did dishes while Ryan cooked and played with the kiddos. I would have liked to get my basement cleaned up so my father in law could have his trailer back but that didn't happen.

High School Reunion
I'm really looking forward to this. There are a few classmates that I keep in contact with but not many. I would love to see friends, hear about their families, etc. A few of us girls have been working hard to contact all our old classmates which has become increasingly difficult. We're hoping for an August reunion and that month is fast approaching. Ahh, lots to do with that.

Service Saturday
Our small group tries to do one service project a month. Nothing to pat our backs, in fact, we usually get more out of serving than they get out of being served. Anyway, one of our big projects didn't have someone to take the lead. I sat on my hands for a long while but I was afraid the project would get dropped and it was such a rewarding event last year so I raised my hand. As if I don't have enough other things going on in my life. The past few days have been busy but fun trying to get some details taken care of. Our group voted for a May 31 date... yeah just over 3 weeks to plan. Good thing my friends had already laid the foundation for the project. Our group has some fun connections so its actually fun to plan.

Aunt Janie
My Aunt Janie is here. Yup, she just got here after lunch today. I'm super excited about that. She'll be here for several weeks and I'd love to take every other day off while she's here. Unfortunately that won't work. Currently I haven't even picked time off to hang out with her but I hope to nail that down soon. I also would like to find someone to keep my kiddos a few days while she's here so that she and my mom can run around and do their thing without lugging kids around. Ick, I always dread asking others to keep my kids.

Work
Oh yes, still doing that too. I enjoyed a few days in the field recently but now I'm back to my desk chair. Hating that at the moment and not so much because of work but rather because of that nagging tail bone. Ryan and I have talked and even prayed some about my work situation. I enjoy what I do but I'd rather be home with my kiddos... at least some of the time. I wish it was simple to figure out but unfortunately there are many strings attached to this one. Just finished a plan today that has taken way too much time. It had 95 waterways on it which is a ton of work but at least its done.

Life
I've been exhausted lately. Serious friends, I'm just plain tired. I know one of my friends suggested having my thyroid checked but I'd rather think its just the simple fact that I'm going a hundred miles a minute. When I crash, I crash! I've had fussy kiddos the last few days and they've really shown me how much patience they require. Scott was whiny, didn't want to eat what he'd been given, wanted a hair cut, didn't want a haircut, that kind of thing. He had to be in my lap much of Sunday. Bethany is a trooper but she too has her issues. She continues to have a hard time being "regular" and even though I've explained to the doctor that we've tried suppositories, apple juice, watered down bottles, fruit, veggies, dark karo syrup and even a laxative, nothing works. Not even combinations of all those things. They don't get it. They go through the list and I tell them I've tried each thing and then they go through it again. HELLO, are you listening nurse? Tried it! So, that's frustrating. Plus she's raw in the diaper area and as soon as the diaper comes off, she starts to scratch. I've recently been sitting on the floor to change her and have to hold her arms down with my legs while I change her so she doesn't irritate her area even more. It's a fun task, especially when you're whipped. We've tried all kinds of things for that too, A&D ointment, plain vaseline, butt paste, etc. Tonight I'm going to try the L&D and bacitracin mixture again and see if that works. Grr.

Okay, I think that's it. I should upload a picture of the kiddos but I'm lazy right now so I won't. Off to the parlor I go...

Good and Bad Mommy Moments

Good Mommy Moment = I played outside with Scott with his t-ball set that he got for Christmas from our cousin.
Bad Mommy Moment = I busted his lip open slightly while helping him swing.

Good Mommy Moment = I raced Scott and Grammy home from church on Sunday.
Bad Mommy Moment = He fell and scraped his arm on the sidewalk while running.

Good Mommy Moment = We had a lot of fun playing this weekend (flying the kite, playing with dominoes and rummikub, sewing together)
Bad Mommy Moment = I didn't get his hair cut and its getting a little shabby around the ears.

Good Mommy Moment = We had a picnic outside for supper.
Bad Mommy Moment = It was the second consecutive meal that he had a hot dog.

My Grandma is Famous

Yesterday my grandma had open heart surgery to replace a faulty valve. I didn't have a chance to talk to her before the surgery. In fact, I didn't even know where she was living or how to contact her. Yeah, I'm a bad grand daughter.

In years past I was actually really close with my grandma. She is an amazing woman and would give you the meal in front of her even if it meant her going hungry. She's a humble woman. She raised 8 children. She loved and respected my grandpa even after he past away. She opened her home and her kitchen to anyone who walked through the door. I have a deep respect for my grandma. But since I moved to Iowa, I've not had the opportunity to stop by once a week like I use to. I haven't taken the time to pick up the phone either. And we've drifted apart. But she is my grandma. I could have cried on Wednesday when I realized I didn't bring home the email from my aunt with my grandma's phone number.

What if the surgery doesn't go as planned? What if I never have a chance to say "adios". I planned to call her the night before her surgery to pray with her and tell her I love her. But the phone number was at my office, 25 miles down the road. I was home for the day and many times throughout the morning thought about my grandma and prayed for her. Finally I called my dad for an update. She was on bypass but still in surgery. It would be approximately an hour more. Later the phone rang, it was my dad. The valve was replaced, she was off bypass, everything went wonderfully! Thank you God! They still had to close up her checst, etc.

God, I know that if you know about every sparrow, you also know the number of hairs on my head and also know when my grandma will breathe her last breath. It is my prayer that she understand that she is a sinner, she deserves death but you conquered death and offer her eternity with you instead.

Oh, and the famous part... my Aunt Carol called me last night to give me an update. My Aunt Carol is a gem of a woman as well. Anyway, she gave me the update, shared the events of the past few days (which are super cool) and told me that they aired her surgery live to the medical students on one of the Univ. of CA campuses. My grandma was on TV, she's famous!

May Day

Where I come from, May Day is not celebrated. However, I grew up in a swedish community and they held the Swedish Festival which included dancing around a May Pole. The early May celebration that I recall is Cinco De Mayo but people here aren't cultured in that arena. Regardless, people around here celebrate May Day and take May Baskets to people. It was fun to see kids out scrambling around giving May baskets to neighbors and friends. For us transplants to this area, we had no clue what May Day was all about. So I searched it today on my favorite website. And I found out that it actually has pagan connections and isn't overly popular in the US. It was interesting to read, check it out here. Happy May Day!

p.s. thanks to my dear friends who brought each of us a May basket tonight. I loved that Bethany's "basket" was specifically for her with baby food and crackers. You Schmitt's are too thoughtful!

Happy Birthday Cori!

I'm sorry we didn't get a card in the mail to you for your special day. I had it on my list of things to do to make you a card and have Scott help decorate it but we were busy last weekend with cleaning up water, going to birthday celebration, etc. I hope you enjoy your day!

Kids Questions

In the midst of a million questions this morning while Scott was in the kitchen with Ryan, I overheard this:
S: Daddy, can you play with me?
R: After breakfast I can.
S: Daddy, can DJ (our dalmation) play with me?
R: Yes Scott.
S: No, DJ can't play with me Daddy.
R: Why not?
S: Because he doesn't have hands!
R: Oh, okay

And because curious little boys ask a million questions, the conversation continued while Ryan fixed his breakfast. Scott wanted to know why/how DJ got on his legs and the answer "God made him that way" wasn't enough so he asked more and more questions until he was either satisfied with the answer or distracted with something else.

Murphy

When we took the Dave Ramsey course, one thing we recall being mentioned was Murphy's Law. As soon as you begin to save some cash for an emergency, Murphy's Law will test you. Well, we had just that right away. Car in the shop 2 or 3 times, etc. But recently Murphy has moved into our spare bedroom. With all the water in our basement last week and the need for a sump pump forced us to make some purchases. That meant either moving funds around in our budget as the month is almost over and we've got some wiggle room and then dipping into the emergency account. Yesterday Ryan found water standing in our basement. Oh, the sump pump is working great, we just have 3 other rooms in our basement with low spots. And when water is coming up through the concrete floor, its running to the low spot of each room and ponding. Sounds like Murphy got us again and Ryan will spend the afternoon trying to tile low spots to the sump pump. We're not excited about digging a hole in our floor but how long do we pump water out?

--------------------------
Dearest Murphy, we have an open door policy at our house. But you have joined the ranks of prohibited guests. If you need a friend, we've also prohibited Satan from our home and you may find him somewhere nearby.

Good Riddens,
Brick House Owners

The Sky is Falling

Okay, so maybe the sky isn't really falling but it is flooding around here. The rivers are running wild, claiming the crop fields and some residences. The creeks have become raging rivers and the road ditches are like the canals I grew up with - full and running swiftly. Fields are ponded, bottom land is flooded and mini ditches have formed in all the crop fields where there should be waterways (hmm, I wonder if that will increase my work load any). Life is good though amidst all that. God provides all of our needs and then some!

What's that Word?

I'm so drawing a blank right now on a specific word that I want to use... I'll type my post anyway and maybe I'll remember while I type.

Several times this week I've seen/read something and then later that day something happened directly related to what I saw/read earlier... dangit, its hard to explain without that word. I thought it would be fun to share those two events.

1. Friday night as I drove home from work, I saw a place where a spring was flowing out of the hill side. It's not uncommon around here to see that but the fact that I'd not seen it in that location before caught my attention. So, I turned around, pulled out my camera and snapped a few photos of it. Water flowing in an uncommon place, hmm. Imagine my surprise when I got home to see water flowing in my basement. Unlike Ryan, I found it amusing and quickly found myself singing songs pushing the broom. God, you're funny like that!

I didn't actually take a picture of the flooded basement but you get the idea. 1.5 to 2" of standing water... do you really need a picture?

2. The second "God, you're funny" moment came Monday ish. I was reading Merritt's blog about snake bites. No doubt, I was intrigued by her post as I know not to feed a snake in a tank but didn't know how to get one to release once it bites. Later that night while I was putting the kids to bed, the phone rang. It was my mom telling me that my cousin, Corey, had been bit by a rattlesnake and was in the hospital. Not a fun experience I'm sure. Here's a picture of his finger post bite:

Spring Cleaning

scroll down to read the update I just posted

3 days of sweeping, pumping, sucking
+
$140+ out of our emergency fund
=
A long & tiring weekend!

Friday morning all was well in our lovely home and we headed off to our work days. Friday night, I arrived home and headed down stairs for something (can't even remember what it was now) to find water in our basement. Thanks to God for giving me children that play well together and entertain themselves because we spent the next 4 hours getting the 1.5" deep water out of our basement. I started with a push broom near the drain in the floor. Ryan joined me in the basement and brought his pump that he uses on cattle stomachs. It was slow going but we were making progress. We eventually got smart and started using the wet/dry vaccuum. Ryan has it plumbed into a 55 gallon trash can (thanks for that idea Eric) to use for sawdust. My did that thing come in handy. We dumped it way too many times before we had the water cleaned up. We went upstairs at 11pm to eat supper before showering and heading to bed.

It was no surprise in the morning when it had filled right back up. This is a basement that doesn't get water in it, at least as far as Ryan was told when he purchased the house. And maybe it never had before but we could have floated through the rooms that day. Ryan went to work and I decided to call for help. My folks were feeling under the weather so I called Ryan's parents (who actually had plans on coming down to bring some stuff anyway). They brought the enclosed trailer so that I, against my husbands desire, could unload all the crap from the basement and get it cleaned up. This caused a little bit of a disagreement with Ryan who's not a neat-freak organizer like me. Saturday we once again sucked up the water as we perfected the the vaccuum system. Ryan cleaned up water, I hauled crap out of the basement (think: Ryan's woodshop, storage, area that his wife doesn't touch or organize for him), Ryan's dad loaded it to the trailer to keep it dry should it rain, and Ryan's mom watched the kiddos.

...more to come, my tummy is hungry...

*updated April 23rd:

We eventually found a spot where the water was pouring in between bricks where the mortar was gone. It was as if someone had turned on a drinking fountain and let it flow. It was also coming up through the concrete floor. Mark (ryan's dad) worked and worked to keep the floor free of water hoping that it would slow down the flow. And it did slow some but never stopped. Tired and sore, we eventually left the basement. We went to bed that night and while we were praying together, I specifically prayed that God would either stop the flow of water for us OR that we would connect with someone that could help us out with a sump pump that they weren't using.

Sunday morning we woke to more water, but not as much is the morning before. Ryan stated that he would be watching baseball that afternoon and not be working in the basement. We do believe in the day of rest but in this situation, we needed to get it cleaned up. Our morning was filled with phone calls before we headed to church. Between my car and the church, I ran into our friend Chris who lives across the street. I told him what we'd been up to over the weekend and he told me that he had a sump pump in his basement that he wasn't using and we were welcome to use it. I was floored! I specifically prayed for that very thing and it was so cool to see how God divinely intervened on our behalf. That is not a coincidence! Anyway, Ryan spent Sunday afternoon working rather than resting. He ended up buying a new pump (they were on sale) when he bought the other items needed. Our friend Rhett had a concrete saw that helped tremendously. Our little buddy entertained the kiddos while I cleaned up water and Mark came down and helped Ryan put in a new sump pump. Oh the joys of spending money on "maintenance" type of stuff rather than fun stuff. As of this morning, the basement is still drying out...

Here's a few pictures for a quick review:

This was day 3, sucking out water, busting concrete and digging a hole all while water continued to poor in. Sounds like fun doesn't it?

My kiddos loved being outside. I couldn't get Scott to stay still long enough to get a decent picture of him.

More Cleaning

With the spring cleaning comes a new face to my blog. I have work left to do on it, mostly adding links back in. And if I get brave enough, I'll figure out how to put a picture of my family at the top instead of the tiny one on the side.

Grandma M

I wish I had more time today to write a post about a wonderful woman I call abuela (or grandma). She is such an amazing woman with all kinds of qualities that I wish I had. But, for lack of time, I'll just share the important stuff.

My grandma is having open heart surgery next Friday. She goes in early Thursday morning for tests. She's not ancient but she no spring chicken either. Please pray for my Grandma. Even a perfectly successful surgery will mean a long road to recovery.

Conversation with Scott

I had two young friends with me last night when I picked up Scott. They adore him and he adores them. On the way home, I hear the following

T: Scott, what did you do at Grammy's today?
S: I fell down the stairs, but it didn't hurt.

Yes, my son is two and when asked about his day he talks about the stairs. Maybe it was because mom had just told me about it when I picked him up. She said he got right up. Told her it didn't hurt. Then rubbed his chin and said that hurt a little. Funny kid.

Music to My Ears

When I got home last night (at 10pm, long day), the sounds of frogs were music to my ears as I drove past the pond. I just love that. Hammock weather is here! If it weren't so late and so windy last night, I would've climbed in the hammock and listened to the outside critters.

Spring, are you here yet?

Two Fridays ago I took the kids for a walk after work. It was gorgeous out. And by gorgeous, I'm talking 50's and a light breeze. It obviously wasn't the high 80's and having margaritas by the pool like my sister is enjoying but we had fun together. Instead of the typical stop for ice-cream, we stopped and bought a twinkie to share on the main street step. Bethany demanded her fair share of the twinkie too.

Our little stroll though town didn't start out well when Scott thought he had to be in his stroller. I even so much as let him try to get in the basket below just to let him find out that he was better off walking. It worked and we went on our merry little way. We walked for a while, partly to kill time before heading to a friends for supper. It worked out perfectly. As we were walking past their house, Vanessa was pulling in the driveway for work. So, we continued on our walk with our friends. The kids wanted to stop at the park so we played there for a little bit. The picture above was taken there. I know, its not a pretty picture but WE WERE OUTSIDE and weren't in winter coats. Yipee!

Tomorrow we expect to get into the 60's. Yes, Aimee, you can continue sipping your margarita by the pool and although I'll be jealous, I'll be tickled pink that its warming up here!

Simply Adorable!

This is my precious little girl. I have loved before before she was conceived. Funny how that works. She has been a joy to have, even at 2am. This weekend was a tough one for her. She had a bit of a cold and was/is constipated. Poor thing, she just wasn't happy. Fun for me though, she was super clingy and liked to snuggle. Not fun for me though when I wanted to set her down. Last night at church, I pawned her off on a new friend (he has a grandbaby her age) and he joyfully held her for the remainder of the program. At one point, he looked over and asked "is she always this good?" Yes, I replied, a little grumpy today but always a good baby. Thank you Lord for giving us such an angel!

Scott Doing Dishes

Will They Survive

Monday Scott came in the kitchen, grabbed my hand and drug me to the living room while saying "come look mommy, I can roll over Bethany." Yes, my son was steam rolling his 9 month old sister. It looked a little painful as he rolled over her face and she neither laugh nor cried. I allowed him to roll on her so long as he stayed off her face and she didn't cry. After several rolls, he went to the kitchen to grab his daddy. Ryan, protective of his little girl, told Scott not to role but I assured him that they were fine. Indeed they were. Bethany typically laughs at his the things he does like knocking her over, rolling her over, etc. Maybe they will survive.

Scott is recently becoming more of a climber, jumper, physical little boy. Bethany was still laying on the ground and Scott was standing at her side. I was enjoying their interaction. That is, until Scott looked at me and said "look mommy, I can jump". He jumped straight up in the air and landed on Bethany's back. She was on her tummy and pushing up to her knees when one of his feet dug right in. I gasped long and loud and Ryan came right back in to assess the situation. I can't even remember if Bethany cried. We spent the next few minutes trying to explain that he could hurt her (like a two year old understands that). Will they survive? The cute part of it was when we asked if he wanted Bethany to go away like Mocha (the dog that got hit on the driveway) and at first he said yes. But at the next second, he said "no, I love Bethany, I don't want her to go away". Yes, he truly does love and adore her... so far

"get it off mommy"

The other day I met my folks at the local drive-in burger joint to grab a bite to eat and pick up Scott. My son loves to eat at this place and his grammy and papa love to take him so it was a perfect place to meet up after Bethany's doctor appointment and grocery shopping. Of course, as soon as we got on the road, my plugged up baby started pushing something out. Sometimes she's not at all successful and sometimes she gets a little something out. When I met up with my folks, we hopped into their Tahoe and I brought along with me a diaper and wipes.

So, a quick change of the stinky diaper in the backseat isn't easy or simple to do. I got her changed and moved the stinky diaper into the middle seat while I finished dressing Bethany. Meanwhile, Scott was on the other side telling me about his day. I grabbed the diaper and wrapped it up while Scott began showing me his toys that were also in the middle seat. He showed me his shovel, then he grabbed his rake. Then he saw something else and grabbed it up. As he held the poop in the air, with a puzzled look on his face, he asked "mommy, what's this" as he squished it between his fingers. I soon realized that the poop from Bethany's diaper must have rolled out into the middle carseat and Scott found it. The squish got his attention real quick and he threw it down and then proceeded to rub his fingers together (all of the same hand fortunatley) while repeatedly saying "get it off mommy". It was stinkin' hilarious! He had it all over his hand before I could get a wipe out. I was trying to keep Bethany in my lap while at the same time trying to keep him from touching anything else. I tried my best to scrub his hand clean before his hamburger came.

It's probably a good thing he found it or it would have been a stinky mess in my parents Tahoe.

Fun Website

My coworker seems to think I can find a website for anything. She must not realize that google is my most frequented site. With that said, I stumble onto a lot of sites through friends. Here's a recent fun one. Iowa Courts Search can entertain you for hours, if you let it.

The reason for checking out this website is one of the guys who comes in our building. Short story is that he's a snake in the grass. Someone commented that he was a felon and I immediately recalled Rhett telling us about this website. So, we hopped on and looked up the guys criminal history in Iowa. It was lengthy. Doesn't it make you wonder who's living next door?

The Three Sue's

He Has Risen!

He has risen indeed!

A few pictures from Easter Sunday. I know that Easter is not about eggs or even the bunny rabbit. However, I thought it would be fun for Scott to hunt for eggs.

It was chilly outside. There was even a light snow falling. With no jacket on (I was determined for it to be spring) I froze.

We also enjoyed the company of a few friends. Naraa, is our newest friend. She's a Mongolian student studying at the nearby university for her bachelor's degree. We have a soft spot for Naraa because Ryan has been to Mongolia several times on missions trips. It's fun to spend time talking with her about Mongolia and looking at the maps with her, etc. We were blessed to have her join us for the Easter service at church and then lunch with my family.

[hmm, guess I didn't download that picture from my camera...]

Bethany Easter Pictures

Of course, the cute little spring dress should have been long sleeved and lined with flannel! I didn't want to stay inside and miss out on Scott hunting for eggs so I put Scott's pj's on over her dress, wrapped her up and took her outside. These pictures are after we came in and warmed up a bit.

Happy Daddy

Happy Birthday Daddy. Sorry I was crying for the picture. If you would have let me keep your cell phone, I would have smiled for the picture. I adore you Dad!

love, your little girl

Remote Control

Little Miss Bethany really likes the remote and the phone. Unfortunately, she also knows the difference between the real thing and the toy. The toy does entertain her for a while though:

Yes, she's dressed in neutral clothing... she's wearing Scott's Cardinals outfit and looks cute in it!

See you soon!

Grandpa & Grandma, we're really looking forward to seeing you. It's been forever since we've played with you.

Scott & Bethany

...and its gone!

I had something good to post about this morning. But now, when I'm done with work and able to post, I can't remember. Crap!

*********** edited at 6:05 when my memory came back*********
So, these contacts... [I must be in a witchy mood lately].... have become a thorn in my side. Last week I somehow got a tiny problem in my contact. Friday, I had to take them out because it was irritating my eye, their touric lenses and rotate when I blink but that must have not worked with this little problem. No big deal since I had recently left a message at the optometrist telling I liked this second set and could order these. Because my optometrist is 40 miles away and I don't have the time or gas money to drive up there, I called a friend for help. They were headed up that way and would pick up my new lenses. Let me remind you that I've NEVER ordered them before so I'm not sure what all this entails. So, I call the office and ask them if my friend could pick them up. I explained that the situation and she said it was no problem. When I got to their house last night to get them, they let me know that Nick had to pay for them. I was ticked. Why didn't they tell me that they would need to be paid for first. Yes, I understand that we pay for things but usually they bill me for everything else so why not this time? So, I cut them a check for the $128 they paid. Yeah, that wasn't in the budget either. So, now we have two non budgeted items totalling $170 in a few days not to mention the baby gift that Ryan's making. This morning I go to put my new contacts in and they're not labeled. Well, they're labeled with the Rx but I don't know which eye is which. So, I get the paper with the Rx on it and it fortunately tells me. Only, it says "OS" and "OD". What the heck does that mean? Maybe I'm a moron but having not piddled with this crap before, I had no clue. You would think they'd do a little educating. And my coworker, said this morning that her people label her contacts and she's worn them for years. Yes, I had to carry my contacts to work, jump on webMD and find out which eye was which. Now I know.

So let me recap:
1. No education for a new user.
2. No follow up phone call about the order (price, time frame, etc)
3. Didn't inform me that my friend would have to front $128 for my crap
4. Didn't bother to charge me like they do everything else.

How's that for customer service?

Working Mom

For a while now I've thought about this whole working mom issue. I continue to struggle in my own head with all the benefits of both. And then I listen to family related podcasts and it only makes me have more doubt. People who stay at home with their children don't understand the working mom issues. Working mom's don't understand stay at home mom issues. Its not just a matter of 'the grass is greener on the other side'. Its an issue of watching my kids grow up. Of being at home to greet my husband when he comes home from work. Of having energy and time to give to my kids when all they want is to read a book or wrestle on the floor. Of being there when they reach different milestones in their young lives. But on the other hand, I have a good job. Good benefits. Decent pay. Flexibility. An understanding boss. And lately the question has become "do I truly enjoy my job?" I think I do. I love to do things I do at work when I randomly meet a landowner at a golf course. But is it simply my attitude? Who of us likes to do something when we have to do it? Why am I not motivated right now? Is it the weather? Will it ever warm up?

I'm gone from the house about 11 hours a day. Usually 45 minutes of that is spent at my mom's feeding Bethany and chatting with them. By time I get home, I don't have time to cook a meal, clean up, play with the kids, clean up after them, bathe the kids, get them in bed, do laundry or anything else that comes up. Thankfully I have a husband who does most of the cooking, plays with the kids, helps with bath time and I'm not left with doing everything by myself. But then throw into the mix that Wednesday and Thursday nights we're committed to outside activities. So what, that's only two days a week, right. Still, it seems never ending sometimes. Funny thing is that when we slow down, we feel like we don't know what to do with ourselves.

Which brings up another thought. One of my buddies commented on how well I do taking time out to spend with just Ryan. I don't think that we do well at that. Honestly, if we make time to talk, then we're asking Scott to be quiet while we talk. If we wait till the kids go to bed, we do a quick run down of our day, ask for prayer requests, pray together and fall asleep. So, put the kids to bed earlier, right? Remember, I don't get home till 630 and I need some time in there to spend with them.

okay, sorry for the rant... I'm tired and grumpy today.

PS, thank you Ryan for staying up last night and paying bills and working on our budget while I crashed!