Dad & Mom come home soon....Remmy

Dear Dad & Mom (Mike and Staci),
I hope you are having fun in TX, but you have got to come home soon. Chance is driving me crazy, play play play that is all he wants. I thought Trevor was bad!!! I finally started playing with him just to get him to leave me alone and I suppose it is fun, but don't tell anyone! The littlest kid here just keeps hugging me. Every time I walk by he grabs me and gives me a huge hug!!! Sigh, I'm almost all licked out. Well that'll never happen, got Chris reallllllly good last night!

You know how you tell me not to eat dead stuff, well you were right, made me sick, but I felt much better after I threw up the fourth time.

Finally, please come home, they dressed me up in moose antlers, took pictures and posted the picture on the internet. Crazy people here!
Remmy

Merry Christmas--long

The actual Christmas holiday has come and gone. I have just gotten around to posting a blog. I am a sad soul that gets "homesick" for the home of my childhood during Christmas the most. I still just love the Christmas Eve open house that my mom puts on and the fun of waking up in my childhood bed Christmas morning and seeing mom, brothers and sisters. That being said, we had a lovely Christmas here in KS. A scrumptous meal at Chris' folks Christmas Eve complete with Christmas carols on Dad's new guitar amp. Christmas morning bright and early I had the joy of reading my Bible with Hans who then read "Room for a Little One" to me. He is struggling with his reading at school. He did it and then looked to see what "level" the book was and was delighted that it was not even rated. That was special for me. Mom and Dad A came over for breakfast Christmas morning and we made the kids wait to open presents until they got there! Then Dad (chris) read the Christmas story from 2 books in the Bible.. AGH! They thought they would die waiting! It was lots of fun and we thank those aunts, uncles and cousins who showered them with gifts. Then we had a "roast beast" Christmas dinner at Bill and Paula's house with more presents. Great Grandma gave us a dvd we watched that night.

Putting Collin to bed he had this to say, "Christmas is not as enjoyable as when I was little," {tee hee hee, he is 10} "I want to focus on Jesus and God's gift and then there are all the presents, but they don't make me feel happy." We discussed how the joy of presents do not last, but the joy from filling that God shaped hole inside lets us enjoy our presents more because we do not expect them to make us happy. Sigh, my child is growing up!

"She thinks my tractor's sexy!"

Ok, I do not listen to country radio, but over the summer at the pool we would hear this song broadcast on the radio. It was time to retire an older tractor, so I am thankful that God blessed us enough this year to be able to update to newer model. This will hopefully make work easier and more efficient for Christopher! And I suppose if ever a tractor was sexy, this one is!!! Alan thinks it is pretty cool!

Go Erin, Go Erin...

Now that it is basketball season, Erin's gymnastic's class has another arena for exhibition! So we watched the girls and boys basketball games and our dear daughter spin and tumble! It is always fun to watch her grow up and her skills improve!! I wish I had a better camera (dear santa...) but here are some pictures. This is her back walk over in slow motion.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

No matter how much I plan ahead, it seems like this week in December sends me into, "Oh my gosh I have to get this done, that done, this done" etc. It's so important not to get caught up in that! We are in the time of Christmas programs and mailing Christmas cards, at least the out of town ones. We had a Christmas program last night for the K-4 grade at school and then our church program is the 17th. Collin had some singing parts in the program and he "acted" as a football player dancing ballet. It was very funny. I have it on VHS, so when I get it onto DVD I'll upload a clip. Erin and Hans did a good job in the chorus as well.

We are decorating for Christmas slowly, as I am also putting up so new/ refurbished shelves and quilt racks in the living room. So I will leave you with some fun Christmas light pictures.

Do NOT get tangled up in Holiday madness!

Foster sons...

What a treat the kids had today! Paul and John came over and played football with the kids today and they had a great time. I am not sure what made the college boys put helmets on, but it made us smile :o)The kids had a great time anyway, John and Paul were great sports. Even the calves came to watch!!! John and Paul think they want to graduate in the spring of 07, we think they should stay close to SC!!! I waited too long to take pictures, so they were shaded and grainy. Actually, I got recruited to play football which was fun. Hans got to lay mom right out on her butt! Hmmm, I thought it was tag-football!

O Christmas tree

THe Anderson family Christmas tree has been purchased. It was a chilly December day, sunny but cold. We were full on too much pizza and Walmart, so the exercise of running through the trees to pick the one to adorn our living room was much needed. Here of course are a few pictures to enjoy. The pictures are at the tree farm where we got our tree. Wish it was my living room all decorated like that!

Collin's recital

I am trying to upload video from Collin's recital piece, Up on the Housetop. He did a nice job and nailed it perfectly. Way to go Collin! Just click on the title to this post "Collin's recital" and it will take you there.

Goodbye for now...

Over the past 3 months we have had Chris' brother Phil and his family with us in Kansas during the weekends while they did their missionary training in KS City and then debutations around central Kansas. It has been a wonderful time of getting back in touch with family and cousins and for me friends. Remembering that it was Phil and Denise that set Chris and I up 13 years ago (December 1993) Wow, it's like anniversary time, since it was while they were out visiting Chris for Thanksgiving that they thought he was lonely and needed a companion. So when I went for my clinical supervision one day she talks to me about her brother in law! Hmmm, who would have thought? So here is a picture of us cuddled up on mom and dad a's porch.

Hunting...

This week the guys: Chris, Phil, Dad and Bill did some hunting (some more than others). Our kids are always so funny when they come home. They like to inspect the game of the day! Alan likes to get a really close look. I mean who can blame him with that beautiful red!

Alan is quite the supervisor, he makes sure they clean them well, give him the tail feathers and ewwww don't burn the carcasses!!! Too late, they burned them. That really stinks!

After a while Erin and cousin Morgyn retreat to the trampoline lol. Can you say 2 peas in a pod, snug as 2 bugs in a rug, peanut butter and jelly :o)

Thanksgiving

God is so good! I left my camera at Chris' folk's house last night and what a blessing it is! For 10 years we shared quiet Thanksgivings, sometimes with friends (no less special) and sometimes with our children. How special to have Chris' parents, his brother and their family and my brother and his wife together for Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving :o)

Girls night out...

Erin needs new church shoes and the boys were feeling punky with a cold/ stomach bug, so Erin and I got to go to Taco Bueno again and do some clothes shopping. I was not impressed with Bueno this time, we waited a long time and the food was small and so-so, however I did get this great picture... we'll try Bueno another time.

It's a shame it was a cell phone shot!

Caught Ya!

Caught ya playing! Now Abby can quit growling at Chance! She has been quite indignant that this new dog has been allowed to join the family, now I think she is happy to have a playmate.

Fancy fingers...

Collin is in his second year of piano and evidently has some quick fingers. His teacher, who had 50 students at the last recital and has been teaching for years, had him practice a song as fast as he could on the metronome. She started him at 130 and was amazed that he made it to 200! Now if only he would practice without complaining!

picture found at http://www.milongamusic.com/rubrique.php?idrub=3

The Andersons had a special dog...

The Andersons had a special dog

Whose fur is white as snow

And anywhere the children went

The dog was sure to go...

He followed them to school one day

Which made them feel like fools

It made the children laugh and play

To see the dog at school.

Yep he did it. He followed the bus to school one morning after taking an unauthorized walk one morning. Actually he was sulking because he and Abby had killed a cat (yep...ewww) and fought over it. Abby gave him a few superficial cuts on his face (or the cat did, no one is talking and telling me what happened). All I know is the dogs were fighting before dawn and after dawn there was a dead cat in the yard--one of our ferrel cats. Anyway, he must have decided there was more fun going on in town. I did not get the call until 12:30 when he was on the playground at lunch recess, but evidently he'd been there all day. What a dog!

Comfy chance?

Our new dog has been a fun addition to the family (when he is not running to town). He is so loving with the children, but he will head go on a walk about if you are not watching him. Might be why we got him from the pound. Anyway, he looooves the kids and is fitting in with everyone/thing except the cats. He's heck on cats!

Here I think he would like to play polly pockets with Erin, but he controlled himself. (He likes to chew too!)

See you later, Mom-mom

All good things must come to an end, we just finished a 2 week visit with my mom, which we shared with Bill and Paula. We did not do anything very exciting save Trick or Treat and a church Fall Hayride party, but we did enjoy QT together. We snapped a picture as the kids were on the way to school Friday even though yesterday was her last day here. Yesterday they were late and ran to the bus without even a Goodbye hug. (mom and mom-mom were left tearful in the driveway-- sniff sniff)

Don't do grubs!!!

We had red ribbon week at school and Alan was very impacted by what he learned. First thing getting off the bus, he spoke in a very serious voice, "Mom, unless a doctor gives them to you, you're not supposed to do grubs!" "Do what?" I asked him. "Grubs", he said enunciating as cleared as he can. Hmmm, "Drugs?", I asked? "Yesss", he said. Good advise Alan! My 4 year old probably does not even know what "drugs" are medicine, owie medicine would be the terms he knows, but he knows what grubs are! And now he knows what drugs are too!!! After we got a good chuckle, we enlightened him!

It is heck getting old

my poor 7 year old lab says. While going for a walk with Alan, Abby completely poops out. She has a ruptured "anterior crucia?" which is healing on it's own with the help of some meds. Anyway, she still likes to walk with us, but today she just could not do it. So I had 2 kids to haul in the wagon!

Trick or Treat

Then several of my little ones changed their outfits from football to army soldiers! Erin was Laura from Little House on the Prairie and Alan was of course a barky little dog!

Happy Halloween

We had a fun but busy Halloween. My mom is still visiting so she got to share in the festivities. We went to the school Halloween parade and then trick or treating in the evening. I am up to my ears in reading and grading tests and papers for my gen psych class :-) Not sure this is all the fun it was supposed to be. Oh yeah, it's work!!! Anyway, it was a busy day with some fun visuals.

Chance has issues...

Oh my word! We have had Chance 1 week...he has done OK in the fence yard, but has never liked being locked in. With the cold weather he has been even worse, even not eating or drinking much. Today with the drizzlies, after a husband-wife talk we decided that although it might be difficult (chewing, Abby etc) we would let him in. Oh my, he loves it!!!!!! Abby is a bit irked, but not as bad as we maybe expected. Chance loves playing with the kids and following them around. We are crazy, but life is too short to leave a good dog outside...especially when it makes him soooo sad.
Hopefully we will sleep well the night!

It's been a while...

Where does the time go? It has been a crazy couple of weeks, but then again, it always is! The kids finished their first 9 weeks of school and they are doing well. We are fortunate! They also got their school pictures back yesterday, but I have not scanned them in yet. Maybe later today. (HA!!) They all turned out awesome!

My mom is here for a visit, she arrived Monday. Alan was up at 5:45 a.m. this morning to make sure she had not left without saying,"Goodbye". Nope, still here! Sleeping...go back to bed. We had a hayride at AWANA tonight, so everyone is excited about that. The only downer right now is that my "online students" have exams and assignements due, so I have had to do some grading. Mom graciously folded laundry and kept me company while I graded.

Chance is a hit! What a sweet dog. He would like very much to be a house dog and has gotten almost impossible to put in the fence. We need to either trick him or Chris does it by pinching his ear. I may give him a house trial, if I could just figure out where everyone will sleep. (Meaning Abby, who is still not on the Chance band wagon!) She has to let him know of her disapproval with a little snarl /nip each day....dames! You are still loved Abby!

Collin has been volunteered to move his bed outside as he and Chance did some bonding yesterday...

Chance let us know what he thinks of leashes! We let the leash go and he whipped it around and bit it in 2! So we got a "Chance proof leash". The kids left the "chewed" leash in the living room and Abby layed down next to it. I"m sure she is thinking, "You are not putting me on that chain are you?"

Chance it is!

The name for our new pup is Chance or "Chauncey" as Chris has been calling him today ???? Overall he has been excellent. He was intent on rushing the gate the first few days, but has settled in a bit. He has learned how to "flip" the latch, so we have to chain it. He comes easily even for the kids, so Alan can put him back in. One negative is that he likes to jump up on the boys a bit, not Alan and not Erin, but Collin and Hans ? He does not do it mean, but he gets excited and jumps up with both paws going. He gets down quickly like he /knows/ he is not supposed to do it. He is a bit gun shy and does not like rough terrain yet, but there is time to work on that.

SC had homecoming this weekend complete with parade, festival, football and musical. We watched SC stomp Ottawa 46-0, I think. Then we met one of our freshman foster football students, Dustin. Seems like a great guy and the kids indoctrinated him well with a full compliment of Anderson silliness and wildness!

At the end of all this we had the privilege of seeing our senior foster student give the sermon at evening chapel. He finished a series the chaplain started on revival. I was moved and encouraged by all he had to say, way to go John. He aspires to be a pastor someday and I can definitely see it!

I'll leave you with another scrapbook page from fall 2003, this one is completely digital and printed on the big printer I bought from BIL Mitch!

"Old friends" and "New additions"

There is nothing better than spending time with an old friend...it has been great this fall to spend time with John, our foster football student from 3 years ago. Now in his senior year we have gotten to spend some time together again and the kids just love it!!!!!!!!!!! His twin brother is playing football for Sterling this year, but John is playing football with our boys. Much more interesting to be sure

Plus look what followed us home from Lyons?!? A not-quite 1 year old neutered male lab being held in the pound and ready for adoption. He is so sweet! A friend called us saying how calm and friendly he was and we were amazed to find the same thing. We brought him home for a trial. He is so docile and yet very curious and eager. I was more at ease with the kids around him, he just shows no signs of being aggressive. He hardly gruffed at Abby when she gave him the "check" over and over again. He is a bit curious about the cats, but heck they are used to that! So we are picking out names: Chance, Lucky and Buddy are up for grabs!

"Please, please, please..."

After church today we went to BK for some take out burgers to the park. The geese were being fed by another family, but quickly came and found us when they left. Hans' last few hamburger bites and french fries were being coveted. There was one that "talked" to him per se. I have never heard them do anything but "honk".

We had a nice time. Daddy has been working hard, so it was awesome to get out of town together and do something different. Unfortunately our car acted up on the way home and we had to call "brother bill"'s auto help! HELP :-)

Two heads are better than one

Especially when it comes to homework! I love this totally unprompted help that Collin gave Hans. They worked beautifully on some homework sheets together before school. Awww. For 2 boys that often fight, I need these moments!

Mama's got a new dew

My beautician always fusses with my hair and makes me look hip. If only I could recreate it later.

Football and gymnastics?

Ah, last week we got to combine all the kid's favorite sports. While at a SC Warrior Football game, Erin and her team performed a gymnastics expo. I was a terribly nervous mom as she has never done anything like this in front of people, let alone a whole football stand for of people. But she did great and was able to "hit" most of her skills. I of course did not get good pictures and it never occurred to me to ask BIL Phil to bring a "real" camera with the super dooper lens, so this is all I have I missed her on some of them.

The Warriors did not win this game, it was an intense defensive struggle lost in 2 overtime, I believe. I had to take the younger tired kids home. Maybe today will be better for them.

"Look Mom, they fit!"

Alan was digging in his closet and found a pair of camo overalls. Size 2T. I said, "Oh Alan, those were from when you were a little guy." He comes out in a few minutes to tell me that, "You were wrong mom, they fit!"

Isn't he just so sweet? He wore these for 3 days. Then they disappeared!!!

Happy Birthday Collin!

It's birthday time around the Anderson residence and Chris and I have now been parents 10 years! WOW. We had a pizza party with Mom and Dad A, Bill and Paula, Phil and Denise, Morgan and Makenzie and of course our kiddo's. We had so much fun that Collin forgot to blow out the candles on his cupcakes. (unheard of). We did that the next day. We also had a party at school and I got to meet all his 4th grade friends.

Thoughts on being a mom: What a journey this has been. When we got started with Collin, I thought I knew what I was doing. Ha! No pacifiers past 1 (try 3), sleeping through the night at 8 weeks (try 9 mths-Alan), off the bottle at 1 (2-1/2- Alan), potty training in a day (Ok this one we accomplished but only because they were 3 by the time dropped diapers). Of course they were going to be pleasant, well mannered, polite, energenic, desiring healthy food, sitting still at church, loving God and all that is good for them. I also said I would never force them to eat what they did not like (bad idea--they do not like anything sometimes).

At the threshold of teenagedom, I know I know NOTHING! I pray each day for wisdom to guide this budding young lad. With all his strengths and weaknesses, he is a sweet boy with a powerful will and definate opinions. I pray God will use him for mighty things! Love ya Collin