BOO!

So the other day I am sitting in the family room feeding the baby and reading a book. Angelina comes walking in the room all hunched over. She calls this her old lady walk after her great-grandma. She says,

"Mom, are you looking at me?"

"Yes I am Angelina."

All of a sudden she jumps up with her hands in the air and yells "RRRAAAA!!!! I AM HERE TO SPOOK YOU!!" Good thing I was sitting down or I might of dropped the baby. She was covered head to toe in baby powder. Whatever possessed her to rub baby powder all over herself I do not know. It was even funnier when later I went into my bathroom and slipped in baby powder that was ALL over the floor.

You're Going Where?

September 27th, after 2 weeks of my mom and dad trying to beat each other to the mail box, my brother Gregory received a big white envelope in the mail. Otherwise known as his mission call. It was an overwhelming and amazing experience to be able to be a part of. We were at my parents house hoping that it would be the day “it” finally came. Gregory met the mail man at the mail box and took the stack of mail from him. Looking at his back we could not tell if it came or not. When he turned around, he just started walking down the driveway. Mind you we are all standing at the window staring at him. Finally he holds up that big white envelope. Screaming ensued.

We had to wait 15 minutes for Ken and one of my sisters to get there. So we all go out on the deck, better cell phone signals. Dad called my sister in Atlanta. I called our good friend Susan and on my cell. Susan’s husband Jay, who is in the Navy and was in port in Cyprus, called Ken’s cell phone. (Ken calls Gregory a friend stealer because Jay and Ken are best friends and 16 years older than Gregory but yet Gregory is good friends with Jay and Susan as well. Of course they have known him since he was 7 years old.) So Gregory opens his letter, flips it over and covers it with the envelope. He begins reading it and with each word you could feel the spirit more and more. Along with his voice getting louder and more excited until he finally reads Albania Tirana Mission.

He is going to Albania. So we are all wondering where in the heck is Albania? Thank goodness they enclose a map with the mission calls nowadays. Plus Susan has a world map on her dining room wall and she and her kids had run over to it to try and find it. So she was trying to tell me where it was. So for those of you who have no idea where it is, it is across the Adriatic Sea from Italy’s boot, above Greece and next to Yugoslavia. He of course will be learning Albanian. Gregory will report to the MTC January 21, 2009.

I am very proud of my brother. He is an amazing young man. It has been such an inspiration to see him and his testimony grow this last year. He is a wonderful example to those around him. He is going to make an AWESOME missionary. I am thrilled that my son wants to be just like him. I look forward to hearing all about his mission and the trying and rewarding experiences he is going to have. He will be so blessed for making this decision. We are going to miss him something awful. Especially Ken. I am not sure what he is going to do while Gregory is gone. They are close friends and brothers. Sometimes I have to remind Gregory I am the blood relative!

Talk about a small world in the church though. Susan’s sister-n-laws Grandparents served a humanitarian mission in Albania in the 90’s and opened the mission. A friend of ours in our ward served her mission there and was one of the first sister missionaries. They did not even have Albanian Books of Mormon then. My Bishops parents served the last half of their second mission in Albania about 4 years ago. Another Sister in our ward was over there when it was still communist helping with adoptions. So Gregory has several people he is going to be talking to, to hear all about the country he will call home for the next 2 years. The stories he will have to share when he comes home to us.

Our Family

So to catch everyone up on our family….

Earlier this year Ken was laid off from his job. Believe it or not this was actually a blessing. We just didn’t know it. After 5 long months of unemployment he finally got a new job in the end of August. He now works for a great company and he actually loves his job. It is such a relief to have your husband come home after a stressful day at work and still be happy.

Ken is in grad school getting his MBA. He will graduate in May. I have to say that I for one will be glad when he is finally done with school. Of course he will be too!! It has been a long road. A few years ago he went back to school to finish his undergrad. He was going to school full-time and working full-time. It was very stressful on him but he still made time to be dad and hubby. I am very proud of him and all of his hard work. I don’t think that I could have done it if it were me. He is such an example to our children.

Ryan is now 10 ½ years old. He is no longer our “little man.” For those of you who knew him as a baby he still has the deep voice! He is in 5th grade. He is a busy young man. At school he is in the school choir, on safety patrol and just got elected to student council. He loves to play basketball and the piano. He is also in scouts. Like most boys his age he loves to play computer and video games. He is an avid reader. I still don’t understand how he can read 5 different books at the same time and keep then all straight. Thankfully he loves to learn and has a great teacher this year and she is really challenging him. He wants to grow up and be just like his Uncle Gregory.

Audrey just turned 8 years old. She is our “little mama.” Not only does she take great care of everyone but she likes to boss everyone too! She really is a wonderful helper though. She is in 2nd grade. She loves arts and crafts and gets great use out of our craft room. Audrey is very creative. She has been leaning how to make jewelry this year and is very good at it. She has been wanting to take yoga and will be starting classes next week. She can hardly wait. She wants to start playing soccer too and will begin that in the spring. She decided that dance just was not her cup of tea. She too takes piano and enjoys reading.

Angelina just turned 4 years old. She has more personality then she knows what to do with. She makes us laugh. A LOT! She too is a wonderful helper. She loves to help clean. The chlorox wipes are her favorite. Anytime I walk into the kitchen she wants to know if it is time to cook. She will get her little red stool and stand at the counter help with whatever I am making. She says she wants to be a good “cooker” like mommy. Angelina started preschool this year. She goes 2 days a week and seems to really be enjoying it. She says that music time is her favorite. She is taking creative dance again this year with her “bestest friend Em”. Angelina is always dancing around the house and singing. Two of her favorite shows are Dancing with the Stars and American Idol! Wonder what she will be when she grows up.

Our latest addition is Nickloas Kenneth. He was born August 22 weighing in at 7 lbs 14 oz and 21 in long. He had a rough start but is doing really well now and is happy and healthy. He is a really good baby. The kids all love him and fight over who gets to take care of him. Ryan tells Nickolas all of the things he can’t wait to teach him. Angelina tells him all of the things of hers he is NOT allowed to touch when he is bigger! Tonight she had a fit when Ken used her pink blanket for Nickolas. She came running into the kitchen yelling that baby boys do not use her PINK blankets! Nickolas mostly just lays around letting everyone else wait on him, eating, sleeping and doing unmentionable things. He does cry on occasion!

Me, I live the busy life of a mom. I spent this year pregnant. Pregnancy is not my friend. But I am so extremely thankful and blessed to have my 4 wonderful children. I just need to remind myself of this when I am losing my mind. I broke my leg again a few weeks before having Nickolas. So that made life interesting. The kids tracked out 2 weeks later and have been back in school for 2 weeks now. I am just now getting the house put back together and beginning fall cleaning. I realized yesterday talking to a friend that the holidays are right around the corner. The kids changed tracks this year so we will have the month of December off. That will make things more relaxed this holiday season. I look forward to being able to enjoy the season a little more and do all the fun things you plan to do with your kids and never have time to. Hard to believe that another year is flying by. So check in now and again and see how we are doing. We would love for you to let us know how you are and what you and your families have been up to!

I'm Fluent in Sarcasm.

So, being the more technically-savvy member of our duo, it's fallen to me to create this blog. Lauren will probably do more of the ongoing stuff, however, so ignorance will not be an excuse. We do hope you enjoy your stay, despite our current lack of content. Feel free to bombard Lauren with your comments.