~Missing Dave~

Dave has been away at the cabin nearly every weekend for 10 months so it's been precious time away from the girls and the girls are really starting to feel it. There have been alot of tears lately about feeling like they have no time w/ Daddy anymore. I know it's been hard on Dave, too. It's hard to explain to the girls that building this cabin is something Daddy is doing for our family - they are young and they just want him to stay home. We miss him and can't wait for the cabin to be done so we can all spend our weekends together again.

The cabin has to be done by April 1st so Dave only has a little over two months to go and we are really getting excited! Dave is finishing up the electrical this weekend and next weekend he is getting all the tongue and groove inside the cabin to put it on the walls and ceilings -yea!

~Iditarod Club~

A family in our homeschool group started an Iditarod Club and the girls are really excited about it. We've already attended one meeting - they had so much fun and learned alot, too! They learned about the early 1920 settlers going to Alaska to look for gold and how during the winter their only means of travel into the gold mines was by dog sleds. The trail they used to get to the gold fields is today known at The Iditarod Trail. This trail became the major thoroughfare through Alaska and that is was used to deliver mail, supplies and to get to place to place. They, also, learned about the 1925 serum run to Nome. They were told about how the U.S. purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire in 1867 and in 1958 it was officially proclaimed a state. So, they had a nice little history lesson, too!

The club will follow this year's race and the kids will be doing fun projects at each meeting. On Feb. 8th, Starved Rock State Park is hosting dog sled demos so the girls are really excited to go see the dogs!

~Another Year Gone~

It's hard to believe we're at the beginning of a new year...again! Time flies but, wow, 2008 was gone in the blink of an eye!

We had a great Christmas - the girls received way too many gifts, as always! We had Christmas Day at our house w/ the DeLaGarza family and we all had a great time. We've been doing a gift exchange game for as along as I can remember. Everyone purchases a gift for $25 and we put all the wrapped gifts on the floor. We pick numbers and you hope to get the highest number because the person with the highest number gets to pick any gift they want in the end. During the game alot of "stealing" of the gifts goes on because you can take any one's gift - it's always alot of fun. There has been a pair of Budweiser slippers in the game for 16 years now. I'm not sure who purchased them as a gift - probably my uncle Tony! - but they are in the exchange every year now. We put lottery tickets or gift cards or money in them so it's always fun to see someone open up those slippers. I'll post a picture of them soon.

The Saturday after Christmas my dad and my two uncles, Tony and Bob, went to Wildwood w/ Dave to help w/ the cabin. They got alot done and had fun working together. We really appreciate them helping out! Thank you!

Then the Sunday after Christmas we headed to Arkansas w/ my parents, Nikki, Dan and the boys. We had a great time! The weather was nice - we even had a 65 degree day! The kids spent alot of time outside playing. We took them to a couple parks and down to the water by the dam. Mostly, they played outside at my parents house and one day we had a bonfire and roasted marshmallows. Another day, we all went bowling - we should really bowl more often because it was a riot!! On New Year's Eve the kids had fun ringing in the new year by banging on pots and pans. And, as always, the adults spend many nights playing card and board games late into the night! We laughed so hard we cried at times!

We came home on Friday so Dave could get back to work on the cabin. I can't believe he only has 3 months before it has to be done! Will he get it done? I'm panicking, he's not!

I'll be posting some new pics soon.