I love these pictures from this morning – couldn’t resist posting them…

Here are a few pictures for you. www.pastorsfamily.com/December2008

It was a long day, I think I’ve been stuck at home too long. Thursday night we had a big ice storm. All night you could hear branches breaking off trees – there is quite a mess to clean up now. It’s pretty though! Especially at night with lights shining on it. It warmed up Friday so it melted some, but there is still quite a bit left and now we are expected to have winds, so there could be more downed branches. The wind chill is supposed to be -20 to -30 the next two days – fun fun! Sounds like a couple more days of being stuck home. The kids didn’t have school on Friday and they were quite sad, as they were supposed to hav their Christmas parties. Guess those will have to wait for after Christmas. So needless to say, I’m glad we have at least church tomorrow because everyone is starting to go stir crazy I think! Good thing Grandma is coming to visit to help the second week of break be more enjoyable and go by fast! I think it is supposed to warm up a bit by then too – yea!

Anyway, Annika is on a weird schedule today- it is 7:45 and she is still taking her evening nap, so I better go wake her up or we’ll never go to bed tonight!

C-

Annika had her 2 month check-up this morning. She was 10 pounds 12 oz. 23 1/2″ and healthy as can be. She did have to get shots and a new oral vaccine for the Roto-virus. Poor baby. She screamed like a girl but got over it pretty fast and then zonked out for a nap. I always feel so bad when they have to get shots.

It is dumping snow like crazy. It wasn’t snowing when I went into the Dr. and when I came out there was a good inch on my car. The storm followed me home. It wasn’t snowing when I called Matt, but he said it started about 2 minutes after we hung up. We’re supposed to get 2-5″ when all is said and done. It is powdery though, so the kids will be disappointed – they like the packable stuff!

I have a few presents to wrap this afternoon and some chili to start in the crock-pot, so I better run. Sounds like Annika is waking up as well.

C-

I am ALMOST done wrapping, shipping, etc. We can officially have Christmas soon! I am for sure done shopping!

Other exciting news: Annika slept through the night – 2 nights in a row! Well, not totally, but 7 & 8 hours which they count as through the night even though it is 4 & 5 in the morning when she wakes up. (yes, she does go back to sleep after she eats) We’ll have to see what tonight holds. She is just now trying to fall asleep.

It is a busy week.
Monday – I went to my bible study group from church Christmas Party and Matt took the boys to Cub Scouts
Tuesday – We had a lunch to go to at the nursing home
Wednesday – Advent Service at church and Matt had council
Thursday – Good thing nothing on the plate tonight because Christian had homework literally from when he got home until he went to bed – blech I don’t like those nights!
Friday – Wedding Rehearsal Dinner
Sat. – Kids Christmas program practice for church & Wedding
Sunday – Church & Bible Study at our house.

Next week is the last week of school and then Christmas break! It is coming up fast! I am still praying the kids stay healthy as there is a pretty nasty flu going around the school I hear. I don’t really want to deal with that at the moment (but who does?).

Annika has her 2 month appointment and shots next week. I’ll have to update when I know how much she weighs and all that. Hopefully shots don’t bother her too much.

I think that is all the news for now.
C-

Here is a new pic of baby – she is filling out nicely!

We had two extra boys this weekend, and everything went fine! It is the family who took our boys in both when Matt had surgery and when we had Annika, so we definitely owed them a couple nights out! They went Christmas shopping and to his company Christmas party. Sounds like they had a nice time.

The boys had their school Christmas program Friday. Matt claims it is pure torture to attend such events, but he survived. It was cute – especially Dane’s 3 year old class!

Annika is starting to get slightly, sort of, maybe in a routine. So that will be nice once it is set. Of course with babies once one is set it changes again! She smiles for people who hold her, but doesn’t share them with me too often. I guess I’m just the food source…

Matt has been off hunting a lot lately. He got a coyote today (which he left in the woods) but no deer. One of his friends is going to give him one of the deer he got – oh yea, more deer meat…. (blech!) The jerky is okay but steaks and roast and such we are asking not to have this year. Someone else can have ours! We eat the ground stuff mixed with pork in tacos and it’s not too bad I guess, but I can’t stand the smell of it when it is cooking. I make Matt cook it.

Well, I guess I better get some dinner cooking – speaking of meat. I think we’ll just have leftovers or something really easy tonight. We made cookies this afternoon (recipe at www.themenumom.com if you’re interested) so we can have those for dessert!

I hope you have a great week!

These are from a few weeks ago, but I’m finally getting it uploaded.

We had our first snow yesterday – perfect way to bring in December. The kids were delighted because it was wet packable snow instead of the normal powder snow we usually get. It wasn’t even windy, so they had a nice time playing with the kids after church making big snowballs.

I’m about half-way done Christmas shopping. I plan to do the remainder online – hopefully this week. Then I just have to get a bunch of packages shipped and wrapped of course.

Annika is growing and doing well. She started smiling about 6 weeks, but so far she hasn’t proved to be a very smiley baby. She rarely smiles for me, smiles a tad bit more for Matt, but she doesn’t hand them out generously. Hopefully that will change. She’ll be 7 weeks tomorrow!

We had a good Thanksgiving. We went to a big VanHoveln family meal at church and just relaxed between church and the meal at 5:30. Saturday Matt had a funeral and then church Christmas decorating, and then I went to the grocery store. One of my friends from church came over after the Christmas decorating and she went along with Annika and I to the store, so that was nice.

The kids have their school Christmas Program on Friday and then we will have our friend’s Holly and Jon’s kids for the weekend so they can go Christmas shopping and go to Jon’s company party in Indiana. I’m hoping everyone is healthy. Christian currently has a sore throat. I’m STILL coughing from my original bug. It hangs on forever! Well, I better get the kids off to school.