Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We had our dinner on Sunday and are off to Disneyland tomorrow, so I want you all to know we are thankful for you! Enjoy your day.

So, I promise, we do still exist!!!! Things have been kind of crazy, but I know that it really just comes down to me being absolutely horrible about keeping in touch! A lot has been going on. First off, as I am sure you all know by now, I am pregnant. We are having a boy this time, due January 4th, and the girls are really excited for their baby brother to make his appearance! I'm a bit nervous, but it will be fun. I am subbing at the day care as needed, but I am mostly home right now, which is really fun to get to have more time with the girls. Nathan is working in Anchorage at Schlumberger, and he seems to be really enjoying his work. I don't think I could do that commute everyday, but he claims that he actually likes that bit of time to himself each day. The girls are doing great! Kyrie is in kindergarten this year and loving every second of it!! Shes been working really hard a learning a ton, and we are so proud of her! She also is doing a tap/ballet dance class at sonjas studio, and getting very excited about their Christmas recital next month! She had her first daisy scout meeting this past monday, and is excited for that as well. They all colored their own dolls that they are hoping to send around and get pictures of their dolls around the country for their traveling pedal, so if you get her in the mail, please take a picture and pass her on! Arianna is doing great also. She is doing preschool at headstart in Palmer, and she does really well in a classroom setting like that. She is in school almost as much as Kyrie, and shes loving it too! She also qualifies through the school district to get speech therapy at preschool, so 2 times a week she has one on one practice with a speech therapist. There is the possibility of having her spot on her lip removed as well, but we haven't decided for sure on that yet. Medically, it wouldn't hurt her whether we leave it or remove it, but there is the possibility of her speech improving slightly without it since without it she may be able to close her mouth easier. Halloween went well, Kyrie was tinkerbell and arianna was ariel. Even though Halloween was on Sunday, they definitely got there fill of halloween fun before that! They both had parties in their classrooms, and both of their schools had fall festivals for the whole family in the evening different days that week. And of course we did trunk or treat at the church. All in all, they definitely got more candy than they will ever eat! I hope all is going well for everyone, I love reading about how you all are doing! I think Amber is right on who has who for christmas (at least I hope she is because I have been trying to plan for scott and yvonne!) and Meg, we are looking forward to seeing you soon! Love you guys!

I was making some dessert tonight since the missionaries are coming for dinner tomorrow and thought you might like to try this sometime - especially if your in the mood for a really rich chocolate treat. Make a brownie as directed on the package but instead of a pan, fill cupcake pans about 2/3 full of batter. Then press a mini reeses peanut butter cup in the middle of each one just level with the top. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 min. I also saw a similar recipe where they put a little batter in the bottom of a the cupcake pan then put a regular size peanut butter cup and put brownie mix on top. Either way sounds yummy.

Well, I bugged Dad about doing a post so I suppose I better get busy also. I finally realized that Christmas is sneaking up on me and I have at least a thousand projects I had hoped to do so I have been spending as much time as possible in the garage. I really love the time I spend out there so I don't know why I put it off.
I really like Amber's recipe exchange idea and hopefully I will come up with something new to post soon. I decided to try a chocolate peanut butter cheesecake recipe that looked delicious but when it cool it was so hard I couldn't even break it. Cassie managed to cut through the very middle but it didn't even break when I dumped it out in the garbage. I guess I won't share that recipe.
I am again teaching Sunday School ( 15 year olds) and trying to be excited about it. They really are pretty good kids and I am learning alot.
As Dad mentioned our trip was great. It was fantastic to spend time with Nate and Sharolyn and the kids. Grandma seems to be doing pretty well. She did end up in the hospital right after we left there but she is back to Manor Care and seems to be doing ok. She really does love getting emails so please drop her a line as often as you can. Uncle Chickie is doing very well. He continues to have dialysis 3 times a week and says he takes it pretty easy on those days but he gets out and cuts wood and does things around the yard and house with no problem.
I hope you are all doing well. Love You All!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mom

Christmas Exchange?

Am I right that Christmas this year we are all back to one person younger than us, Megan has me, I have Cassie, Cassie has Scott, etc. Anyone know for sure on that one?

Amber

Surprise!!! I do exist. I just have been lazy and not writing. We had a great trip to St Louis and then to visit Grandma. Barbara and I had a lot of fun one day when we were doing some family history digging. Barb and I went to visit our Aunt Evie (my mom's sister). She did not know that we were coming and was very surprised. In fact, maybe a little too excited. We visited her on Wednesday, and on Thursday she had a heart attack! I just talked to her and she is fine. Her speech is a little more slurred than before but is doing well.

Here is a picture of one part of the City Museum in St. Louis. You can see the "tunnel" that people can climb through. It is made of rebar welded together and is up about 30 feet in the air.

The last 2 people are the boys. You will see the school bus that is hanging off the roof. Y

ou can climb in and even open the door to look down. Of course there is a cage areound it so

you can't fall out. The next picture is Nathan and Kaylee climbing through the "tunnel". I am not sure what I did, but it looks like they are climbing through the sky.

There was only one problem on the trip. When we were leaving Grany's Farm, our car got attacked by a grossing arm.. I was waiting to pull out onto the road when it decided to come down on the car. Here is a picture of the result.

Luckily, the guy at Enterprise did not get excited about it, when I returned it.

On a another good note, there are only 791 days left!!!

Love you all,

Dad