Pictures and a Phase 3 update

Joe and Joan FINALLY got some pictures e-mailed to me that I've been wanting (Sorry guys, couldn't resist!) So - I'll share a few:)

Ethan loves crawling in things!

It sure was nice of the Fehr's to get him something to crawl in for his birthday:) He was crawling in it before it was fully assembled!
Here's Ethan staring in amazement at something - what is it?
"Oh NO! Those strange men are tearing up U. Joe's house and U. Joe is just standing here behind me doing nothing to stop them! There were strange men at my house yesterday getting rid of all our furniture and my toys and Mommy and Daddy did nothing to stop them either! HELP!!"
A little bit of winter wonderland fun during our last week in Kansas! We're sure glad it snowed one last time at home before we left!




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I got some shopping done today so Phase 3 is going well. The twins needed new tennis shoes and we've been told to buy good shoes over here even though you can get the same pair there. I guess that it's cheaper here and holds up better for some reason... I also found another good airplane toy for the twins' backpacks - a magnetic airplane scene for Kenton and a My Little Pony magnetic scene for Kaitlyn. Ethan still has the least amount of things to do...I'm still open to any and all suggestions for him!

We have Weiss Christmas tomorrow evening and than we can begin doing our final packing for Singapore. We may be heading out to buy more suitcases but we need to find out what the weight limit is on international flights per bag first - and how many bags we are allowed. We may be leaving the less important items here and getting them this summer! It's been a process going through everything and re-packing at every turn:)

There is snow on the ground here in Elgin - I'm not good at estimating how much but it's enough to send the twins out to play in tomorrow! It's a good note to leave on - everything is pretty!

Overheard...

"I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas, I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas, I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas on the bottom of my hear-rt!" (Words sung very, very loud by a 5 year old girl this morning while getting dressed!)

Memories to Cherish

Here is a picture of all 11 Rink Grandchildren! (Plus Rachel) Quite a crew when you get them all together for two days in a row!

I

Pictures

Just a reminder: You can click on any of the pictures to see them in a larger screen

Last day of Kindergarten at Blue River
Kaitlyn looking at the scrapbook that their classmates put together secretly as a going away gift
Mrs. Wiley showing the class the book
Craig and the kiddos before our last day of church in Kansas City.
Ethan and his friend Maelyn - we sure are going to miss all the friends we've made over the past 7 years!

Phase 2 - Completed

We are safely in Illinois. We had a LONG, uneventful trip out here with lots of traffic. Pretty much from KC all the way to Chenoa exit there was constant, steady traffic that we aren't used to seeing. It took 9 hours instead of 7 due to 4 stops and being at a stand still in traffic twice around St. Louis - in the middle of the afternoon. BUT we are here safe and sound and I've done NOTHING all morning in an attempt to relax a little before the holiday rush begins tomorrow:) My next job this afternoon is to go through all of our bags and clean out and reorganize since we just threw things in them while packing at 3am last Monday!

The twins had a fun Holiday party on Thursday - the class had made a really cute scrapbook that they gave to them to remember all their Kindergarten friends. We tried getting out of town Thursday after the party but ended up leaving yesterday morning instead. It worked out better that way as it gave us time to visit Don and Eileen and Gene and Mary before we left. Plus, most of our trip was in the daylight which was a plus since we kept running into fog.

Anyway, once my camera battery is charged again I will post pictures of the twins last day at Blue River...

OOPS!

WELL, I looked in Ethan's mouth late this afternoon when he was crying and found out that he doesn't just have 5 teeth, he has 7!! Three of those have come in since Sunday...no wonder he's been crabby:) Real observant mom here!

Ethan Update

Since I'm so bad at keeping up with Ethan's baby book I thought I'd write some things down here so I don't forget when I finally do get around to updating his book:) (It's on my list of things to do while in Singapore!) He has started saying "na-na" for night-night and points to things that he's looking at. The other day he sat down in front of an outlet and shook his head no:) He popped a 5th tooth sometime over the weekend and had his first ear infection this week. He has started becoming a daddy's boy and cries whenever Ryan leaves the room. He usually tries to walk after him but he's too excited and falls down. Speaking of walking - his equilibrium must have been a little off on Monday due to his ear infection because he was trying to walk to me and kept going in circles. You could tell that he was frustrated that he wasn't going anywhere! The twins have learned how to make him laugh and it's so fun to see him being entertained by them.



Well, Phase 2 of our move will be complete by 6pm this evening and than it's on to Phase 3 - Illinois. We have a few people to see on our way out of town and than it's on to spend time with family. We've enjoyed our week with the Fehr's although it will make it harder to leave. I called into Robeks this morning and told Kirk that I wanted one last Rejuvenator with soy:( I'd better savor my last Robeks smoothie for awhile! Anyway, I'd better go and get the van cleaned out and start packing up our "things"! Boy do we have a lot of that!

Phase 1 - Completed

Phase 1 of our move is officially over. The movers showed up at 9am this morning and by 5pm they had everything loaded on a truck and ready to be put into a shipping container. We are staying at Joe and Joan's until the twins are done with school on Thursday and than on to Phase 3 of our move. (We are currently in Phase 2 which consists of finishing up loose ends here in KC before we head to Illinois.)

I'm pretty sure that if you could put Ryan's car on auto pilot it would go from our house straight to Fehr's:) I made many trips back and forth today including a last minute trip to the dentist for a root canal - YEA! Merry Christmas to me early, I guess!

Holiday Cheer

I won't give away the source of this picture (it wasn't me) but I wanted to spread a little Holiday cheer! Enjoy "Pipe Man" relaxing in a vat of almond bark:)

And So It Begins!

I went to a neighborhood cookie exchange tonight and took Ethan. While I was helping dole out cookies he crawled under the table into a corner where I couldn't reach him and started playing with things that weren't his to play with. I crouched down and motioned for him to come to me. "Come Here Ethan" He smiled at me AND SHOOK HIS HEAD NO!!! He's never done that before! The twins just taught him to shake his head this afternoon but I had NO idea that he actually understand that it meant no! Apparently he does:) The end of that story is that I had to get on my hands and knees and crawl into his little hidey hole to dig him out. How graceful that was!

Home Sweet Home

Well, for another 5 days anyway! It's hard to believe that we'll be living somewhere else soon. I just figured out the other day that I've lived in this house longer than anywhere else since I left home for college. Makes it a little hard to say goodbye:(

First WORD!!!

Ethan said his first word last night - "Hi!"

:)

Karen K just e-mailed me these pictures from Cailer's b-day party last summer. I thought that they were cute and wanted to share them:) Enjoy!

Kenton, Kalahan, Cailer, and Trystin are ready for a water gun fight!
Klaire, Anna, Kenton, Kaitlyn, Cailer, Trystin, Kalahan, Raegan, and Karen
Klaire, Anna, Brock, and Kailtyn
Anna, Kenton, Kaitlyn, Raegan, and Timon

ready to play football!

My thoughts are ever turning
To my celestial home,
For it my love is burning
Though still afar I roam.
‘Tis there my soul is dwelling,
My wealth is with the Lord,
And from my heart is welling
A longing heavenward.

What leads to heaven I treasure
And not what draws to earth,
The world, its sinful pleasure,
And all it holds of worth
I shun, what far outclasses
All these, I seek on high,
To know that life surpasses
Earth’s wisdom and earth’s joy.

Then rise, my soul, with gladness
Although the way be hard.
Through danger, scorn, and sadness,
Up! Ever Heavenward!
To others leave earth’s pleasures
And all this world’s allure,
Thou claim the noble treasures
Eternal and secure!

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When I have time I will give credit where credit is due for the above song. I can't remember off the top of my head and I'm not somewhere I can look. I came across it tonight in my files so thought I would share it...