Dad out of surgery

My dad is out of surgery and in recovery. He will sleep the rest of tonight. He has to be on a ventilator until at least tomorrow. Thanks for all of your prayer.

Here's some pics I stole off Tori's Myspace page of her and Chad. Aren't they cute together?

This is a pic of their little turtle. He is so tiny and sooo cute!

Christmas pics

My Christmas Chicken Wreath. It was really yummy!


Getting ready to go to Christmas Eve Church Service


Jordan and Daddy ready to go to church


Such a little ham


Jordan's Santa present


Lucy loved her new toy


Jim being silly. Jordan said he looked like Rudolph


Kelly enjoying her Christmas treat

Jordan with her Barbie from Grandma Diane

Jordan with her "Your Big Backyard" magazine. Grandma Nancy got her a subscription for Christmas

Don't they look cute together?

I love this picture of Riley with his Christmas treat.

Update on my dad

I talked with my sisters today and they are going to do open heart surgery on my dad on Monday. He will be in the hospital until then so they can monitor him and then he will be in for about 5 days after the surgery. Please continue with your prayers.

Urgent Prayers Needed

My dad is in the hospital in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and the surgeon is evaluating today whether to do another open heart surgery. My dad's health is very poor and his medical history is very extensive. Please pray that the dr. can help him. My sister Shannon from Seattle is headed over there today and my sisters Crystal and Angela are in Spokane. I will be going out there when we know more of what will happen. Please pray that my dad makes it.

Time for an update

I know it's time for an update. A few things have happened in the last week or so.

Tori is Finally Married!
Jim went down to Florida last weekend but the wedding didn't happen. The kids missed their appointment time at the chapel. But they did get married yesterday so just a week later. Jim was upset that he couldn't go back down for it. Tori and Chad now have their own little apartment and Tori is loving the warm Florida weather.

Courtney is Doing Good
I talked to Courtney a few times this last week. She now has a part time job, is still going to North High School and has been accepted to Morningside College in Sioux City for the fall.

Jordan's Brownie Troop Went Caroling

The brownie troop went caroling at one of the local nursing homes. The kids did a pretty good job. I think they were a little overwhelmed at the condition of some of the people.

Jordan Lost a Second Tooth
Jordan lost her second bottom front tooth yesterday. She's really excited about it.

Christmas Cookies and Candies Made
Jordan helped me make Mexican Wedding Cakes, Chocolate Cake Cookies and Chocolate and Vanilla dipped pretzels rings. Jordan loved putting the sprinkles on the prezel rings. Jim loves the Mexican Wedding cakes so this is actually the second batch this season I have made :)

Christmas Eve and Christmas Plans
Tomorrow we are going to church service at 7 pm. Jordan will get to open one present tomorrow. She discovered that I put her present from Grandma Diane under the tree and she has been dying to open it. I have not put our stuff for her out yet because it is going to go in gift bags (because I have no boxes) and I know she will be peaking :) I'm going to make a Chicken Christmas Wreath tomorrow for dinner. I got the recipe in an e-mail. You make it with cresent rolls, chicken and green and red peppers (other ingredients too but I can't remember them off the top of my head). I have a cheese ball and crackers for us to snack on tomorrow. For Christmas dinner I have a ham, that we got from someone at church a month or so ago that I had frozen, scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, corn and rolls. I alway make monkey bread for breakfast on Christmas day too. It will just be a quite day at home on Christmas. I have tomorrow night off but have to go into work at 11:00 on Christmas night.

That's about it for an update from us. Hope all is well with everyone and you all have a great Christmas!

Prayers for safe travel

Please pray for safe travel as Victoria and her friend Jen leave tonight to travel to Florida with the moving truck. The girls are planning to drive straight through and get to Jacksonville Sat. morning in time for Tori to get ready for her wedding. With the wild winter weather lately I really hope they don't run into trouble. Best of luck to you girls!

Winter Program

Jordan's school program was today. The kids all did a great job! The kindergarteners were the last class to perform. Each class did 2 songs, the band and strings had pieces they did and then the whole school and the audience sang 4 songs together. It was so fun.

Her Christmas dress from Grandma Nancy


I braided her hair last night after we washed it so it was wavy today. She said she didn't want the waves to go away. I think she will be disappointed tomorrow when she gets up. I can't imagine they would last 2 days.


Jordan's class.

Remember on the halloween post where I said Steven from her class was a handful and was the one who roared in the mic when Jordie went up to say what she was for halloween? Well that's Steven on the left in the top row. He kept hollering "hi mom and dad!" and trying to walk down to them. All his parents did was laugh at him. It's no wonder he's a handful.


The kids all watching Steven and trying to keep singing

Here's a video I took. It's not the greatest but you can see the class. This was at the end when everyone one was singing. I tried to scan over to see the other kids but it was too dark. I wasn't sure how to cut that out to put it on here so just excuse the few seconds of blackness. :)

Christmas Changes

Since money is really tight and we are choosing to cut alot out so that Jim can go to Florida for Tori's wedding we have decided not to make our trip to Kansas City for Christmas. We will just have a quiet Christmas here at home. We were going to stay at a Marriott on the plaza for free since it's during the employee trade out time but that's ok. It still would have taken money for gas and food and any spending we did so we are just cutting that out.

Why all the violence?

A 20 year old gunman shot up a mall here in Omaha yesterday. The violence is senseless. He killed 8 people, wounded 5 others and then killed himself. Omaha has been getting more violent lately. Please pray for peace. It makes me just want to run away to the woods and live in seclusion.

The tree is up

After all the chaos last night we did end up getting our tree put up. Jordan loved decorating it.


Jordan helping daddy put the branches on


Lucy looked so cute laying in the branches on the couch


Decorating the tree


She was all into bowing last night. I'm not sure what that was all about


Victoria and Kelly


Jordie loves her big sissy.

Victoria's Getting Married!

Victoria and Chad are getting married on Dec. 15th. Chad is in the Navy, based in Jacksonville, FL. Tori leaves for Florida next week. Jim will be flying down for the weekend to give her away. We wish them the best of luck!

Can't we all just get along?????

After another heated argument last night Courtney has moved out. She's staying with some friends for now but is supposed to be going back up to Elk Point with her mom and getting into counseling again. For 10 years now I have tried to hold this family together and bring everyone to love each other again. I know now I can't do that and I am done trying. The kids can do what they want and Jim's parents can not speak to us if that's what they choose. All of them know our house is open to them whenever they want. But I'm not going to be the peace keeper and mediator anymore. I'm done. I can't let myself be so worked up and worn out with it anymore.