The Next 3 Days

The day after Christmas, I went up to Arkansas with Kevin and his family. It was a 12 hour drive with 3 children under the age of 5! Surprisingly the kids did a fantastic job. We were lucky not to run into any ice on the roads. I went to Grandma Grote's memorial service on Sunday, Dec. 27. I got to visit lots of relatives that I haven't seen in a long time - some over 10 years! It was nice to catch up with them. Then on Monday, we and my parents drove back to Texas.

Scott stayed with the kids at Oma and Opa's house. They found plenty to do.

Payton and Ian helped Oma feed her puppies.

They went to a cool park in Katy, Tx. Evidently it was huge and the kids had a great time. Cousin Kennedy met them there and they were very excited to play with her.

In the video, Payton says, 'I want to play with Kennedy!' and then Ian shouts, 'No! I want to play with Kennedy!'

Timeout.

Of course, there's always something to jump off of. Kennedy and Ian enjoyed this sport.

I would have felt a little sorry for Scott taking care of the kids all by himself, except that he did get to play golf with his dad - twice. Thanks Oma and Aunt Kate for taking care of the kids.

Christmas Day

Christmas morning was spent at Oma and Opa's house. Santa had brought one present each for the kids. Payton was a little disappointed - she didn't realize that Oma and Opa's presents were at Aunt Kate's house to be opened later that day. She kept lamenting that she only got one present (poor girl).

Opa made us Pannekoek (pan-ne-kook) - a traditional Dutch pancake - kind of like crepes. Ian loved it. He ate a whole one with strawberry jam all by himself.

One of Payton's gifts was some Toober&Zots. The are funky foam covered construction toys that sound like they are out a Dr. Seuss book. Payton wanted me to make a guitar for her.

Later in the morning, Opa and Payton were inspecting outside and found one of the icicle decorations had fallen off the house. It was solid with ice - thank God no one was under that when it fell.

After noon, we went over to Aunt Kate and Uncle Jessie's house for a late lunch. It was Kate first turkey. She did a great job. (Don't worry Kate, I didn't mention the forgotten gravy or cranberry sauce ;)

Payton, Ian and Kennedy had a grand time running all around the house.

We're Back

We have been on a little vacation for the holidays to Texas. So over the next several posts, I'll be catching up.


Christmas eve we went over to Kevin and Dawna's house. My parents were there. It was great to see my nieces and nephew. They are growing up so quickly. The cousins went right to playing.



We opened some presents and had our traditional chicken Kiev dinner.




These spinning light balls were a favorite, especially with Daddy. They helped the kids go to sleep at Oma's and Opa's house.

We went to Christmas eve service at Kevin's church.

Trip to Texas

We traveled to Texas yesterday. I had been packing for two days prior, making sure we wouldn't forget anything. Packing for myself and two kids, plus trying to not leave the house a wreck is not an easy task. Plus, I was a little distracted with Grandma's passing. So, I was pleasantly surprised when we didn't run into any hick-ups yesterday. The kids were great. The flight was on time. We didn't have to wait for our luggage. We didn't have to wait for our rental car. And we even ended up with a larger rental car for the same price. What a great Christmas gift :)

We flew into San Antonio and then drove to Oma and Opa's house. Kate, Jessie, Kennedy and Colin all came over to visit.

Ian was immediately attracted to the many balls in Oma and Opa's front yard - soccer ball, basketballs, and golf balls! Plus there were bubbles!

The trees in the front yard again had huge ornaments hanging from their branches for target practice, I'm sorry, I mean for decoration. Evidently there is a reward, offered by Scott's mom, that she will give him $10 if he hits one of the ornaments with a golf ball - I think Scott will need the full six days he is here to achieve that one.

It didn't take long for the cousins to get reacquainted.

Colin took a little bit of a liking to me. He's so sweet. I fed him a little and got him to go to sleep on my shoulder. I love babies! (WE ARE DONE. NO, I DON'T WANT ANOTHER :)

It's OK.

My Grandma Grote passed away this morning. She was 93. We knew it would be soon, but when you hear that it actually happened...well, you cry anyway.

I had just gotten off the phone with my parents when Payton found me visibly upset. And our conversation goes like this:

'Mommy, are you happy with me?'

'Payton, I'm not upset with you. I just learned that my Grandma, your Great-grandma in Arkansas, has died'

'Oh...It's OK, mom. It's OK.' - She crawls into my lap and lays her head on my chest.

'I know, it's OK.'

'Does she know Jesus and God?'

'Yes, sweetie she did.'

'Then she has a new life. It's OK, mom. It's OK.'

Payton gave me a big hug and stayed on my lap.

My Grandma was a very special person. She was smart and clever.

It's funny the things that I remember of the times spent together. She taught me how to French braid my hair. We would sit and have tea in her best china tea cups together. She still swam into her late 80s and I was still trying to dunk her when she was 80 years old. (She used to give me a hard time about that.) She and Grandpa would talk at the same time because I think she felt that otherwise she wouldn't be able to get a word in edgewise. There were many walks together - at her home in LaMoure, Bella Vista and at the ranch. She loved dessert, but never over-did-it. I loved her gingersnap cookies. She would make them for especially for us because she knew we liked them. And she stored them in Pringles chip cans. She would make us camp bread out at the ranch. - You know, just little things, that added up to lots of love.

Grandma had a full life. I will miss her.

After Payton sat for a little while, she asked, 'Mom when will Grandma get her new life?' I said, 'Now, sweetie. She's started her new life now.'

SNOW!

But before I get to that: Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary Mom and Dad! You guys are amazing - I love you!

We got about 6-8 inches of snow! And Daddy was home to play with us :) He left work early on Friday. It started out as sleet and freezing rain. Then after about 2 hours of that, it started snowing. Yesterday morning, Ian and I fought off the crowds before it started to buy the coveted sled! We were lucky to get one. They were flying out of Ace Hardware like they were going out of style.

Payton couldn't wait to test out the sled. Daddy and I couldn't wait either, to tell the truth. We tried it in the back and front yard.

One of the first thing she wanted to do was make a snow angel.

Ian really enjoyed sledding. He always volunteered to go with Daddy or I. This is the first time for me to ever go sledding - it was a little slick.

Payton was a little skittish at first about sledding. She didn't want to go too fast, but by the end of the day she was going solo.

When we awoke to our winter wonderland, we couldn't resist sledding down the middle of the road. Daddy was the most daring - going down head first.

Not many were out on the roads. I think our paper delivery man showed up around 10 am - which surprised me. He said he was stuck in some one's yard for an hour. The roads were icy, snowy and slick, but started melting pretty quickly. We started shoveling the driveway and steps. But, I couldn't let Daddy clear our sledding path.

Payton and her snowmen....


Gizmo watched....

Payton's School Christmas Program

Thursday night, Payton's class and the preschool class at St. John's put on their annual Christmas program. This program was adorable and had everything. There was Mary, Joseph, wise men, a sheep, a donkey, a dove, a host of angels, the star, and a bell. Payton was an angel with a speaking part. All of the pre-K had speaking parts. We have been practicing Payton's part for a couple of weeks, usually in the car on the way to school.

Pause for side note about Ian: After about a week of practicing, I brought the subject up at dinner so that Daddy could hear Payton say her lines. At this point, I would start it. I said, "I am...." and then Ian spoke up, 'the angle from above!' Payton sat quietly..... Go Ian!

But Payton did know her lines. She had repeated them to me several times - 'I am the angel from above. I've come to tell of a baby and God's love.' During the program, she said all the words, but what the audience heard was a bit of a jumbled mess.

But let's back up a little. Before the three angels were to speak, the congregations sang a song. When the song was over, evidently the angels did not know their cue. We were in the front row, so we saw the whole the happen. The teachers started whispering, 'Angels.' Then it was, 'Angels!' Then it was a whispered shout, 'ANGELS!' Payton was the leader of the angels and while the whisper-shouting was taking place, I think she was staring at the ceiling. She finally came out of her stupor and walked up front to the microphone with two other angels in tow.

Ian was good through the program, but was getting very antsy towards the end. He didn't get a nap.


We had a dessert reception afterwards and the kids presented the parents with the gifts that they had made for Christmas. Payton made a plate with a wreath made from her hand prints. We also got a trio of Christmas ornaments that she made. Oh, and a nativity place mat. (I can't believe I almost forgot that ;)