Digging Out

Yesterday, Scott called in due to the emergency travel only order issued by the police. So Levi and Dad spent most of the day digging us out. Now Levi always throws a fit when I ask him to pick up his toys or to make his bed, but let him do some "mans work" and he is happy as can be. He even got to use a shovel his own size.

Again Millie and I watched from the window.

Kids are funny

When Scott got home on Tuesday he decided to take Levi to the park to go sledding, on the drive over Levi said, "Dad, it is rangin ice." Scott replied, "It is raining not rangin." To which Levi came back with. "Rangin is the country way to say it dad." DUH!

Still Laughing,
Leah

Can I play in the snow

When there is snow outside what does any kid want to do. Play in it. So we suited Levi up in his camo snowsuit and sent him out . By the way this will be his last year to wear it seeing that it is about 2 inches too short and getting a little tight, but this does not stop a kid, especially Levi.

Millie wanted to go out too, but the window is as close as she is going to get. She stood there for about 30 minutes knocking on the window and yelling, "Bubby."

Sorry I forgot to flip the pictures...you will have to turn your head instead.

Leah

Snow, ice, snow

It is day three of no school. Levi is loving it, Millie is enjoying all the play time, and I am going nuts! I am ready to get back to a schedule. The snow began Monday night left 6 or 7 inches, then on Tuesday the rain/ice/sleet came leaving two inches of ice, then on Tuesday night more snow came dumping about 8 more inches on us. They are calling for more snow tonight so it does not look too hopeful for school to resume tomorrow.

Wanting to get out,
Leah

Dryer

A week ago on Friday, in my haste to hurry out the door I quickly placed a load of laundry in the dryer so that the clothes would not sit wet in the washer for a week while we were gone. Well I shut the door and turned the dryer on and turned to run up the stairs out the door into the van and off to the youth service......but my scarf was caught in the door and when I started to run it caught on a little black clip and broke it therefore causing my dryer not to turn on. I quickly laid out all of the clothes and left.

Well we came back from vacation but without a dryer, getting caught up on laundry is a little tough one load at a time when it takes at least a day to hang dry the load. So I asked Scott to fix it. He tried to open up the the dryer to see what the problem was, but couldn't figure it out and told me to call a repair man.

We just got back from vacation, I did not want to spend the money on a repair man. So to the internet I went. I got instructions on how to get the dryer open and figured out that it was the door activation switch that was broke. So I called around and talked to a few appliance folks got some advice and set to work fixing the dryer. I got it open and started fiddling around when Scott got in on the action. He found a man who sales whirlpool parts in Columbus who happened to be open at 8:30 this evening. We bought the new switch for $25 and it took probably 10 min. to install and get the dryer back together.

Now my dryer is fixed, there was no need to pay a repair man, and the internet saved the day yet again.

Catching up on Laundry,
Leah

PS - I just looked out the window and it looks as if I will have all day tomorrow to catch up on that laundry. There is already about 2 inches of snow on the ground with no break for at least another 12 hours according to the radar and weather woman.

Hoping for a snow day,
Leah

HOME SWEET HOME!!!!!

We are finally home. After a week of being away, Scott and I have finally returned to our kiddos. I will say that the week alone and away was well worth it and we considered staying gone, but the mommy in me had to get home to see my kiddos. We left Alexandria, LA at 6:40 am and arrived home in Columbus at 7:45 pm. Just to let you know Millie was more excited to see her daddy than me, but Levi stayed close to me!

We had a great time. Just to let you know what we did we went to church, then to church, and oh yeah we went to church again. The week was spent at Brother Anthony Mangun's Church in Louisianna for the Because of the Times Conference. To sum it up in a word. WOW! I suggest every minister go at least once. We feel revived and refreshed and were ready to get home to our everyday lives.

Sorry, but I forget to take pictures. I had my camera, but without my children to photo and chase after I was just enjoying being in Scott's company and was not thinking about the camera.

Feeling Blessed,
Leah

On the Road

After a day of driving we finally made it to Louisiana. We got on the road around 5:45 am this morning in marion and headed this way. We arrived in Louisiana around 8:00 this evening. We are currently in Shreveport. We got a room, which was a challenge. We did not realize that this is a very big casino town and this being a holiday weekend most hotels were booked for the weekend. We landed a room for tonight, but tomorrow is in limbo. Maybe we will head farther south, I wouldn't mind going to Baton Rouge or even west to Dallas.

There is a RiverFront here with lots to see and do so that is what tomorrow holds. As for right now it is 12:49 am and I am a little sleepy.

Good night.
Leah

We are off

Well we are getting ready to leave for the "Because of the Times" Conference in Alexandria, LA. We are taking Levi and Millie up to my parents house, and heading out in the morning. Thank you mom for being willing to watch my kiddos while we take a few days for ourselves. If you are reading this next week give mom a call because she will probably be bored stiff at my house from Tuesday - Friday. Of course she could clean, because it needs it! ;)

We are not returning until next Friday so I might not be able to post, depending on wireless availabity at the hotels we stay at.

Heading South to warmer climates.
Leah

Wash your hair Millie

Amelia has been messing up her hair these past few days. It wasn't until I saw her put the bottle up to her hair and then "wash" her hair that I knew what she was doing.

Brrrrrr

Today it is a nice 8 degrees below zero outside........Brrrrrr! With this arctic blast the schools have closed for the day!!!!! What a sweet blessing. Last night there was just a two hour delay so we let the kids stay up a little later than normal, thinking that they would sleep in today. I got up this morning earlier than usual to get a head start on packing and laundry and balancing the checkbook before leaving for school (We are leaving tonight for a vacation!).

Well I was up a whole 10 min. when Amelia woke up at 6:10 and then while I was feeding her, Levi came downstairs. Boy was my plan disturbed. Oh well, school is closed and we are holed up in our house with the whole day to get ready to go.

Leah

Saturday

Today was wonderful, we spent most of the day in our pajamas (minus the time we got dressed to go grocery shopping...not until 5 pm though) I got up and fixed breakfast, played with the kiddos, read, watched some reruns on television and just spent the day being lazy. It was wonderful! Everybody needs a lazy day. We had to schedule it in, but it was well worth it.

Big Girl

For the past couple of weeks Millie has been coming to me and telling me when she goes to the bathroom, and leads me to her changing table to get a fresh diaper on. So I figure it is time to start talking about pottying. This past week Amelia has been wanting to sit on the toilet to due her duty, but she is pretty small and the toilet kinda swallows her. Tonight while at the store I bought a seat for her. She was super excited and kept saying "paw-y" in Wal-Mart. When we got home I took her to the bathroom with the new seat and she sat on the toilet. While up there she laughed and clapped her hands......but after about five minutes she went poty!!!!!! and was super excited. It was a whole family celebration.

I don't know if I am ready to poty train right now, due to my work schedule at school and not being able to take her to the restroom all of the time, but I think we are on the right track. The sooner the better if you ask me.

Leah

Merry Christmas to me!

For Christmas this year all I asked for was money and a new bible. Well I got both. I am reading my bible and the "stuff I wanted" finally went on sale. With my money I bought a new desk and hutch and a toy organizational system for the playroom. Thank you to all who listened and gave me money.

There is so much more room now, and there is a place for everything and everything is in its place. I am currently looking for a rug to go on the floor and some pillows for the corners for Levi to lay in and read. So if you are out and see a red and green rug or some pillows that would coordinate with the color scheme give me a call.

First Steps

I am now officially a developmental therapist for First Steps Indiana through Developmental Services Inc. (DSI). I started the process back in October and just today I finished the training process and building my matrix. You can see my matrix on the First Steps website @ https://www.infirststeps.com/matrix/search/index.asp.

Now I just need some referrals and clients. If you know of any children who need my services then send them my way. I am ready to get started, but it usually takes some time to build you case load.

Life is good and time is precious,
Leah

e-e-f-f-g-g-g

It has officially started. Levi is now in guitar lessons. It is so cute to watch him practice. The guitar is a little big, and he isn't quite tall enough to sit on the couch and have his feet touch the floor all while holding the instrument. Here is what I hear...."one, two, stomp, stomp (foot hitting the floor for rests on a four count beat)" along with "do not step on al-i-ga-tors" and "e, e, f, f, g,g,g,"

His fingers and arms are starting to hurt, but he is determined. His teacher Shawn said that he was excited to have Levi as a student because he is so excited about his guitar. Maybe he is or maybe he is just happy that he gets to play the "Taylor" guitar that is for sale in the store.

I just pray that Levi keeps it up. Pap get ready, because Levi is already talking about bringing his guitar up to your house next weekend to play a duet. :)

plunk, plunk
Leah

unbelievable

Wow, it is finally over! The big holiday season is over, finally some much needed rest and relaxation, well at least some rest. This past weekend was the most unbelievable three days of my life. Maybe you knew maybe you didn't but I chaperoned a youth trip to Indianapolis for the annual HYC - Holiday Youth Convention. We arrived in downtown Indianapolis at the Hilton at 2:45 pm. We didn't get into our room until 5 pm. Due to the conditions of the rooms from new years eve parties housekeeping was running a little behind.

That evening after church back at the hotel we wanted to go visiting some friends around the hotel. Well security was out trying to keep the noise down and get everyone in their rooms We got caught by the same security guard 4 times. We finally gave up and went to bed.

Later on that evening when we were ready to go to bed (3 am) We pulled back the covers on our beds and realized that the sheets had not been changed. They were disgusting, I can only imagine what happened in them. Under the beds we found empty bottles and condoms. I called the front desk and asked for clean sheets and the girl working said that housekeeping was closed and she could not get any. So we prayed over the beds, used a lint roller, coverd them up as best we could, and went to bed, alarms set for 8:00 am.

Around 7 am the phone rang and I answered it. It was the hotel manager asking for me to come downstairs telling me that there had been an accident with our van. I got dressed went downstairs, somehow when the valet driver went to move our 15 passenger van to bring it up for us, he accidentally backed into a pole and dented both doors and busting out a window. The hotel put a trashbag over the window and taped it up with caution tape. It made for a pretty chilly ride the rest of the trip. But to make up for it the hotel gave us cookies.

Later on that day after evening services and some iceskating at pan am plaza we arrived back at the hotel around 1:30 am. Only to find that our keys would not unlock the door to one of our rooms. I went down to the front desk got new keys and instructions not to put them by my cell phone because the phone would deactivate the keys. I went back upstairs the new keys still would not unlock the door. I called front desk and got yelled at because I must have had my cell phone too close. I informed them that I did not use my phone, and they informed me they would try and get security up there. 45 min. later security still had not arrived. I called back down to the front desk and asked for security, the lady yelled at me again informing me that security was dealing with issues. I then asked her if she didn't think 15 teenagers sitting in the hallway at 2:30 am disturbing other hotel guests was an issue. She said she would have security up there right away.

Security arrived and his key would not open the door, head of security arrived and his key would not open the door. Well to make a long story short enginnering had to be called to take apart the lock and we didn't get back into the room until 4 am!

Well we went to services on Saturday morning had a great service then went out to eat. Well you would think that we had went through enough, but not so, the saga does not end. At the restaurant I ordered a stuffed baked chicken breast and split it with a girl in our youth group. Halfway through the meal I cut into my chicken and looked down only to notice that it was not cooked all the way through. Well you guessed it halfway home we had to make a stop due to some vomiting and diarreah. Both Rachel and I got food poisoning from the Chicken. I just wanted to get home and go to bed.

Before the chicken After the chicken in the gas station restroom

Well it is all over now and I am feeling better. It is back to work tomorrow and boy am I glad that the holidays are over.

Leah