Finally, A New Post!

It has been way too long since we last posted.  It seems like we have been so busy that we have let some things slip.  So we will back up to October.....

We traveled to Neewollah (Halloween spelled backwards) the last weekend in October.  Neewollah is the largest annual celebration in Kansas and the kids love to go.  Grandpa Norman and Michelle live in my home town of Independence, Kansas.  The kids always have a blast but they are worn out by the time we get home.

The carnival rides and parade are a huge hit with the kids.  The parade is popular because they fill their sacks with candy.  Independence also has a great park/zoo and we always spend a few hours there as well.

Soon it was Halloween and the kids loaded up with more candy.

In November Iris turned 5 years old!  It is hard to believe.  She has been with us for half of her short life and I can not imagine when she was not part of our family.  Iris is such an amazing little girl.  She is fearless and a friend to everyone.  Looking back it is so obvious that God knew that she belonged in our family.  We worried and wondered and now it seems so silly.

Iris decided she wanted cheesecake instead of a birthday cake, so that is what she got.  We celebrated her birthday on Thanksgiving this year which allowed all of our families to be there to wish her a happy birthday.

Thanksgiving ended and now we turn towards Christmas.  Melissa and I have always finished all of our Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving because we hated the crowds.  But last year, some friends invited us to go out Thanksgiving night (Black Friday).  We loved it and had a lot of fun.  So this year we did it again.  The kids all go to Grandma's and we go shopping!  Half the fun is the people watching.  The key is to go with a good attitude and know that it will be a long night.

Our schedule is really busy for the next few months.  Ansley has ballet two days each week.  Elliot has Cub Scouts and basketball.  Iris is playing basketball and she has practice one night each week with games on Saturday.  In addition, Melissa showed me like 5 birthday party invites for the kids in the month of December. 

Iris is so excited to be playing basketball.  She loves shooting in the driveway and has mastered the underhand shot (this is the only way she could get it up there).  She is actually very good at it and is also very good at dribbling for her age.  She has had two practices and the coach is making her try  to shoot normal.  At her second practice she made her first shot overhand.  I think she may be a player!

Iris At Tryouts - Shooting Underhand

This year I am coaching Elliot's team and we are having a lot of fun with that.  One of his best friends, Collier, is on his team and Collier's dad is helping me coach. 

As for Owen, he had a little set back this past week.  He started coughing and did not stop for four days!  It was horrible!  Owen loves to eat and he did not eat anything for the four days.  He lost 5 pounds.  Doctor wanted to admit him and Melissa would not have it.  She convinced the doctor that we could handle the breathing treatments (she is a respiratory therapist) and we would put him on the feeding tube to stop the weight loss.  They gave him some antibiotics and he started doing better within 24 hours.  He is eating again and seems to be getting back to normal.  We have been praying for no more admitting him or feeding tubes......