The Big Green Egg and The Easy Bake Oven

Rob just got a Big Green Egg. It is the World's Best Smoker and Grill. The best thing about it so far has been that Rob is all motivated to do the cooking! Tonight we made pizza. It was awesome! I don't think I could go back to the oven baked pizza now. We'll see what Rob comes up with next!

In the meantime, Kelsi has been doing her own cooking with her new Easy Bake Oven. She was so excited to make brownies today. They were good, the little itty bitty piece that I was able to have. :)

Rob Turned 40!!

Rob's 40th birthday was Sunday! I surprised him with a party at our house the weekend before. He knew something was going on but did not know the extent of it all. With a little help from my friends :) we had fun, food, and football! (ND lost and that pretty much ended Weis' career. We'll remember that one!)

I'm so thankful for my hubby! He is a humble man that wants to grow closer to God. What a blessing that I get to share my life with him! I love you, Rob!

Count Your Blessings!

We are so very thankful this year! Family, friends, church, jobs......

We have enjoyed an uneventful Thanksgiving, no traveling this year. Thursday we enjoyed a meal with Mom & Dad Blucker and Rick & Jen's family. The adults had fun playing Shanghai together while the kids played.

No shopping for me this year on Black Friday! We did head over to Mishawaka later in the day to get a few things. The rush was gone and did notice empty shelves. After shopping we ate at Palito's and then off to the ND/Bowling Green hockey game with friends. We did all think that hockey is much more exciting than basketball. :) ND won in OT and just by a goal in the last 2 seconds of OT. It was thrilling! (Kelsi's new word) I should have taken my camera!

Today has been lazy, except for Nathan - he got to go para-gliding!! He thought it was awesome! It freaked me out! It took them three times to take-off. They bit the dust twice! I didn't know if they would make it! The corn field was causing some funky wind swirls and made it much harder than normal. The guy told Nathan to run once they took off and keep running until he told him to stop! :) He did! They slowly rose into the clear blue sky (little hazy). I was extremely uneasy!

Like the amish in the background watching? They usually show up. :)

Up, up, and away!

But when he was done he was all smiles! What an experience! Nathan said it has been the best Thanksgiving ever!

Last Birthday of September!

Kelsi turned 7 on the 27th. She was so patient! It is difficult being the last child to have a birthday in the month of September around here.

She was very specific on how she wanted her cake decorated this year. It had to have a pony with a flower in it's hair. That is what she got! We love Denise! She is a great cake maker!

Kelsi got lots of American Girl stuff, soccer stuff, and clothes. Her brother even wanted to get her something this year. She was pretty impressed. He gave her a watch that she just had to have and I told her no! She has also been busy making potholders, with my help (it's rather relaxing for me!).

That is it for birthdays for now. At least no more planning for the kids! :) Soon I will be 38 and Rob will be the big 40!!

Then - Karli's Birthday!

Karli turned 4 on the 9th! She was so excited! She wanted all princess and ballerina stuff. That is what she got, and more!

September - The Month of Birthdays!

Nathan's birthday was the 5th. He turned 12!!!!

We had a great time spending the day in Chicago. Nathan took his friend, Asa. First we went to the Skydeck. That was great! The sky was a little hazy but sunny. Then we walked around town for a little and ate lunch at Giordano's. So yummy! Then we headed out to Schaumburg. We had reservations at Medieval Times. The show was fun and the food was good. Although, Rob didn't enjoy eating like a barbarian! The boys loved it!

First Days!

I forgot I was going to post these pictures of the kids' first day of school. I didn't get very good pictures. It was a frazzled morning! Nathan is now in 6th grade at NorthWood Middle School. He will soon be 12!! More pictures to come of birthday celebrations! You know September is the busy month of birthdays! :) It's a fun time though and just makes me smile.

Nathan was very anxious about his first day. The bus was suppose to come at 6:37 a.m., so of course he was out there at 6:30. Well....... it didn't come until 7:00 because of a break down. He was sure the bus driver forgot him!

So I missed getting Kelsi's picture taken before school. We just took one after her first day in first grade!! She thinks it is pretty cool to be in the same grade that I teach. I would love to be a mouse in her classroom. I hope she is not too bossy!