Fun in the snow!

Last weekend - the kids were stuck in the house for three days in a row - because of blowing snow and cold- cold temps. By day three they were ready for a change so they bundled up and headed outdoors - as you can see you can't even see their faces - but they were determined and had a great time together - they really do have quite a bond - even though they would be embarassed if they knew I was writing that right now - I was taking these pictures from our bedroom window - I wasn't quite as crazy as they were!(at least not at this moment)

Gotta love IOWA!!

WHY I LOVE IOWA

AT

CHRISTMAS TIME

When it's Christmas time in Iowa,

And the gentle breezes blow,

About seventy miles an hour

And it's fifty-two below.

You can tell you're in Iowa

'Cause the snow's up to your butt,

And you take a breath of Christmas air

And your nose holes both freeze shut.

The weather here is wonderful,

So I guess I'll hang around,

I could NEVER leave Iowa.

My feet are frozen to the ground.

NW Iowa Blizzard!

This is what we woke up to this morning - we also had this much snow yesterday and school was cancelled - snow day number 1 this year.

On the news last night so far in Dec. this year is in second place of most snowfall ever, and if this keeps up we might just break the record :))))

I took Paco for a walk he loves to walk everyday - it really wasn't too bad - just alot of extra work with boots and snow pants on - good workout for me which is good too!!!

Mike and Marcus just started to move the snow for the first time today I have a feeling it might be a couple of times today - the wind is suppose to pick up at noon and blow hard till noon tomorrow and since there is sooooo much snow we might get some big drifts.

All activities for today have been cancelled already too - we were suppose to have a Christmas party with the Rens' tonight in Sioux Center and Western was suppose to have a basketball game and Jamie was suppose to have a Basketball tournament - might just be a soup and movie day at home.

Arctic Cold!!

It is brutually cold here this morning - we had church yesterday morning and it was cold and breezy and expecting 2-4 inches of snow with the high winds - so they cancelled church for the evening in the morning already. Also before we went to bed we already knew that school was 2 hours late this morning - we really didn't get that much snow - it's just the windchill is 25-30 degrees below zero. The wind is suppose to let up around 4 this afternoon and then tomorrow we are expecting to get a little more snow and it will be a very cold week here. But we are all nice and warm inside and doing well - have a great week!

Christmas Poem

We recieved a Christmas picture and poem today from John and Darlene Van Holland. Darlene loves to write poems and I would love to share her Christmas poem with you all.

As you grow older, you really will see,
How quickly time passes and you need to be:

Thankful each day as the dawn starts to break,
That you are alive, alert and awake.

The white snow is falling, the seasons they change,
And God in His wisdom never fails to arrange-

A time to be quiet or singing for JOY,
A time for retirement or a time you're employed.

The season may crunch you, your funds they are low,
But thank God for the Savior He sent here below.

There is food on your table, roof over your head,
And no one I write is without a bed.

We are thankful for friends and family as well,
If it is cold where you live or in the sunshine you dwell;

May God Bless you this Season; with His arms hold you tight,
If you are lonely or fearful at night;

We care and really wish you the best,
A Joyful Christmas and A New Year that's blest.

Love, John and Darlene Van Holland

Successful Deer Hunt!!

Patrick and Marcus with the deer stand in background that they hunted out of!

Patrick's deer on left and Marcus' on right!! - Great job guys!

During the hunt in the deer stand.

Marcus had a 115 yard shot and nailed him and Patrick had a 140 yard shot and also nailed it!

Took a few pictures today also - Jamie got in on the deal.(The stand that they shot the deer out of is in the backgroud.)

The proud fathers with their boys (which aren't really boys anymore - I should say young men)

Article in Banner

Mike was reading the Banner yesterday and ask me to share this poem with you all:

Psalm 139
Alzheimer's Version

Listen, Dad,
God sees you, he knows what's happened, he knows you.
He knows when you sit and when you sleep.
He knows your tangled thoughts; he knows them straight.
He knows when you're not here and where you are and when you're gone.
He knows your ways.
Before your words are lost before they get to your tongue, he knows what you were about to say, what you meant.
He knows you.

There's nowhere you can go, Dad, where God won't go with you, where God's Spirit won't comfort you, can't hold you.
As your light turns to night, even this darkness won't hide you.
God sees you clearly because dark is light to him.
He'll go with you.
And he thinks of you, Dad, often.
The number of times, the many ways God cares for you, if we tried to count them, would outnumber sand on a beach.
So you can rest easy, while we count.

We're counting Mom's tears.
We're counting the slights, the indignities, the affronts to your good pride.
We're counting the frayed edges, the missing pieces of your lost person.
But we'll get through this, Dad,
because when you awake - everyday and someday - you will be with him.
And someday we too will awake with him, with you.
-Richard J. De Waard

Disney on Ice!

Sawyer - showing me his Buzz Lightyear that he purchased with his money!!

Bonnie and her three girls(two daughters and one daughter-in-law), Becky and her two kids, and myself with Jamie and Sawyer(pictured up above-Brad and Kerri's boy) went to Disney on Ice Friday evening in Sioux City - we had a great time and it was quite a performance!

Nemo and Dori - off of the movie Nemo - the costumes were awesome!

Mulan's dragon

All the prince and princesses!!

Marcus is 16!!!

We were in Cedar Rapids for state volleyball tournament on Saturday and found out that we could get Marcus' license there and that the bureau was on the same road as our hotel. So Marcus woke up on time Saturday morning and we went and got in this line(which looked worse than it was) and 20 minutes later we have another driver in the family!! YEAH!!

We celebrated with many friends (30 of them) at Applebees before the championship game that afternoon.

Yes - it was an exciting day and Marcus slept ALL THE WAY HOME - it's hard work turning 16.

Also, Western did win the championship game in three - we are state champs again. Western has won volleyball championships seven of the last eight years and the one year that they didn't (2005) they were 2nd. They have quite a program going and it's so fun to go and watch them.

Happy 40th Mike!!!

The sign outside of Kooima Company today!!!

It was amazing how they could get this picture out there - it was pretty cool - these screens ran all day at Kooima Company. Mike had a great day and he is an awesome guy - wish him the best cuz he sure deserves it!! Love ya babe even though you are over the hill :)

Just Wondering!

Do you think that these two are related at all??

Just love this photo - had to share - enjoy your weekend - we woke up to 27 degrees this morning and very windy - it's COLD today!!

Pictures from trapping

The total from the first day - 21 animals and here they are!!!

Marcus and Jamie with a nice mink!

The boys working hard!

Jamie asked Mike for a pair of waders so next year she could walk in the water as well :)

This is the reason farmers call Mike - they want him to get rid of these beavers so they quit making so much damage to trees and corn!!!

1st day - 21 animals

2nd day - 25 animals

3rd day - 21 animals - we will see what today brings!

Trapping has begun!!

The trapping season is here - Mike and Marcus set 74 traps on Saturday - Sunday we went to church and afterwards went out as a family and checked them all. Mike let Marcus check them all and we watched and yes I took pictures but Mike has the camera along again today so will have to post them later. We had a great time and it was gorgeous weather - I packed dinner and we ate on the back of the truck by the river - was a great day. We trapped 15 muskrats, 3 racoons, 2 mink, and 1 BIG beaver. Will post pictures soon!!

CUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!!!

A DEER friend just e-mailed me these pictures
and I think they are adorable - just had to share,
hope you enjoy them too.

Thumper and Bambi in person!

How sweet - have a great week!!

Playing catch up and having a ball doing so!!!!

Ok - don't tell anyone but I have been home all week!!! I am feeling quite spoiled but have been having a ball catching up on things that I have let slip lately.
Monday - went through both kids closets and overhauled Marcus' bed & bedroom
Tues - overhauled rest of the basement including Jamie's bed, her room, family room, bathroom, and guest room.
Wed.(today) - overhauled upstairs, our bed and bedroom, cleaned on top of cupboards and cabinets, cleaned out hutches, keeping up with the laundry, cleaning out filing cabinet.
Thursday - plan on doing the mopping and vacuuming really well.
Friday - leave for my shopping trip with 4 other girl friends of mine to Mpls. MN

Just an update I know quite boring but that is what I have been up to this week - and it's raining all day here today and cold highs in the 40's - might have to turn on some heat soon!!!
Jamie has her last volleyball game tomorrow for 7th grade and then in 2 weeks basketball will start. Marcus has last football game on Friday - Mike is starting to get ready for trapping - which starts Nov. 1.

Jamie's Pictures

Jamie purchased a nice camera with all her birthday money and is having a ball with it. Here are some of her pictures she has taken - love to look through them all at times - she just snaps shots and sometimes that is just better all the way around.

Her and her very close friend Josie Kollis - they did almost everything together this summer and had a great time - she is a sweetie (both of them are :)))))))

Love this shot - just being herself

This is a picture on my birthday and I am showing off my necklace that Mike and the kids gave me it is gorgeous and I love to wear it -I have recieved many compliments on it already.

Jamie went on the Revolve Tour on Oct. 3&4 in Mpls. MN - here she is with some of her friends that went also - It was a Teen Girls weekend with many speakers and singers at the Target Convention Center - she had a very good time.

Harvest is complete!!

The gardens are all cleaned up!! The canner is put away and my wonderful husband of 19 years today has beautifully decorated the front porch. We froze 6 bags of beans, 13 bags of corn, canned 96 pints of salsa, and 14 pints of spagetti sauce.

First for Mike!?!?!?!?!?

Mike went on a hunting trip this past weekend and came home on Tuesday - he went Grouse hunting and did really well - as a group of three they shot 15 birds and Mike shot 7 of them - he always was a great shot. While they were hunting one day Dave walked into a rattlesnake and asked Mike to shoot it and he shot it's head off and here is his pic. He took the rattle home to show the kids - it's really cool and definitely a first for Mike. Glad I didn't know about it till it was over - WOW - little scary for this chick.

Mike said that this dog was awesome - he was only 15 months old but very obedient and a great hunting dog. They took 4 bottles of water along the the dogs everyday and one day Mike didn't get any - cuz the dogs needed them all :)

Sept 22, 1968-2008 = 40 years

Don't know if I should call them friends or enemies but I had two little mice in the house on Monday morning. Signs all over and black balloons and streamers -signs on the mailbox and garage - sign on van that said Honk Belinda is 40 that I didn't realize until after dinner. My underwear was everywear and our bed was full of rice. I had just put on my new sheets that I received for my birthday which I love and it was full of rice. I had prune juice and stool softener in the bathroom.

And this was my favorite - my new Victoria Secret's bra which I had only worn once yet was on Mike's deer - NICE - yes my bras were everywhere in the house as well. and if that wasn't enough - Marcus had a football game that night and the same two showed up at the game with a wheelchair for me and black balloons and black pompoms and everyone was wearing black - how did everyone know ??????????????? At half time they wheeled me to the restroom and kept telling me that I was a lard and hard to push around - come to find out that my friend had the brake on the whole time - NOW who is old and can't even remember to put the brake off - Was a very fun day and yes I am 40 and I think it will be OK.

Salsa - Salsa - Salsa

It's salsa time and to date we have canned 83 pints of salsa - we are now going to switch to Spaghetti sauce - we have enough salsa to eat and share for awhile. Between canning and football games and volleyball games - we have no time to clean house - busy doing a quick pick up right now before Mike gets back from Arkansas - he just texted me he was in Iowa already - I better keep up the pick up or he might have to help when he gets here :)