Time flies by

So sorry that it has been forever since I have updated my blog....time flies by and I haven't wanted to take the time to sit and write. I promise that I will soon. We have had company for the last three weeks... there has been MUCH to blog about, but not much time to! :) We have loved having the Loverns, my mom, and Kelsey so much! It has felt more like home here with friends and family that we love visiting! YEAH! We will be SO SAD to see Kelsey go... we don't know of when we will have company again..... So... when are YOU coming?

Posing Princess

It has taken a LONG time, but my little girl FINALLY likes to be in front of the camera! She will smile on cue and loves to pose.... boy, have we come a long way. I remember the early days when she would just lay on the bed and I would take pictures of her -- barely moving a all. Then we went through the stage where we had to prop her up to sit.... that was short-lived because as soon as she started to sit she was moving everywhere! She loved to look at everything except the camera.

This journey HAS developed good pictures, but now we don't have the frustration of getting a good shot every time... she can now pose like a model which makes her mother happy (not the model part but the fact that she will look and smile now). If we could just get Hannah to cooperate now....

Easter Pictures

Happy Easter, Everyone! We have had a great day here in Iowa... Wish we could have celebrated with all of you, but we enjoyed the time with our new church family! Worshipping our Risen Savior has a way of unifying the body!

The girls had these beautiful Easter dresses given to them by the Durants for their birthdays....

Thank you, Todd, Tracie, Brittany, Kelsey, and Abby!

Walnut Woods

We got another day today with Daddy ALL DAY.... so we decided to go for a little hike. After much research (yes, that's Danny for you!), Danny decided to take us to a state park called Walnut Woods. It was a 30 minute drive from here, but it was a lot of fun. We didn't want anything too strenuous because Danny would be carrying Hannah in the backpack and Grace would be walking. We weren't sure how she was going to do.

We packed up the backpack with snacks and drinks and loaded into the van (it is still weird to say that!). There were NO CLOUDS in the sky... it was beautiful. After a perfect ride there including Hannah taking a small morning nap in the van as planned and prayed for, we arrived at the park and started on the trail. We saw the Raccoon River, lots of birds -- including a woodpecker, squirrels, and many deer tracks. Grace liked to collect rocks, feathers, mud, and of course, walnuts.

She did a great job on the hike....especially since we weren't in a hurry and she could just climb and explore. We all got a little muddy - except for Hannah -- but it was worth it. That's what washers are for, right?

Hannah's favorite part was snack time... she loved to walk around and eat and eat and eat.

It was a lot of fun.... we'll be doing that again!

Home sweet home?

Home sweet home? Not yet. I was totally sick of boxes today, so I carried them down to the basement (will Danny notice?). I just don't want to deal with them any more. I have had boxes and boxes laying around since January. I am done with them! I did, however, manage to get a few more things hung on the walls so it is starting to look like home and with the windows open it feels like home. And it has been smelling like home with my lovely apple candles! :)

It probably will take a LLOONNGG time for Iowa to feel like home, but I hope that at least the inside makes us comfortable. The girls are adjusting well and LOVE the playground that our neighborhood has. Grace told me today that it was her favorite part of her new house. It is fun to meet more people every evening -- and get excerise at the same time. It is only a 5 minute walk on the sidewalks of the neighborhood, but last night we took the "long" way... Danny wanted a little adventure! :)

We are settling in... but.... it isn't home sweet home yet.... maybe house sweet house?

Couponing is a delight!!!!

Well, I just had to take a break from reliving the adventure in getting here to Iowa by writing to you about my couponing! I love to coupon! I know that sounds crazy... but I really do enjoy it. I love getting things on sale and then using a coupon on top of that! It is just a trill.

I have three things to share:
1. I went to a new grocery store today. The ladies in my neighborhood told me that I have to try Fareway so I did. I was amazed at the great deals that I could get. They had Betty Crocker cake mixes and frosting on sale for 78 cents (plus add those coupons), flour on sale for 77 cents, and Kelloggs cereals 50% off! YEAH! I got some amazing deals... I love getting cereal for a dollar a box! (Danny thinks we have too much in the pantry, but he likes me saving money!)

2. Last night we got a printer. I have been without one, so not having one to print all of the great coupons that I have been seeing has been tough! I printed several this morning before I went to the store. I told Danny that I am going to keep track of all of the coupons that I use starting now to see how long it takes me to make up for the printer that we bought. I am sure that it will not be long... I saved about $8 just today at the store!

3. My awesome mother just sent me a HUGE envelope FULL of coupons! I was delighted! Even though I really wanted to take a nap, I just couldn't until I had those coupons sorted! Thanks mom! You made my day!!!

Our trip to Iowa -- Part two

The next morning (Wed) Danny called the garage. They called us back within an hour to say that the transmission was gone. It was going to cost an estimated $4000 to fix it… we think that was a little high, but we knew that we DIDN’T want to invest that much into that car! So… we started investigating other options. After two hours of phone calls and searching online, Danny made the decision that the girls and I would fly out of Boston that day and that he would get a U-Haul truck to drive to Iowa. (This meant that we were DEFINTELY NOT going to my brothers! We had to be in IA by 4:00 the next day – Thursday -- to pick up the keys to our house so the movers could move us in on Friday at 8!) Our gracious hosts volunteered to drive us to Boston, and they called on another church member to drive Danny to the rental place. Our hosts also let us borrow their car seats for the drive to the airport and GAVE me a single stroller to use in the airport. YEAH! What a blessing. This meant that I didn’t have to lug the car seats through the airport, and I didn’t have to carry Hannah!

We left as early as we could for the airport, but I knew that we were going to be close on time. We had to stop at the garage to get some things out of the car. I need my backpack, some snacks for the girls and me, books and toys to entertain them, etc. I didn’t really feel prepared to take the girls BY MYSELF on two plane rides to Iowa, but I knew that the Lord had strengthened me this far and He WASN’T going to abandon me now. I wanted to be there at least an hour and a half before the flight time, but we were closer to an hour! But I had God sightings throughout the trip to Boston…. Including one of our favorite songs came on: Jesus I am Resting. Danny and I requested it for our going away service and it was such a blessing to hear that. It felt like a confirmation from the Lord! Before leaving their vehicle, our hosts gave me an envelope. Later I learned that it was $400 from their church to help with the costs of the flights! IS THAT A GOD-THING OR WHAT?!?!

We said our goodbyes and I booked it to the luggage drop off and to security… which is always slow, especially with two girls – taking off shoes, putting everything on the belts, and making sure things were just right for the security agents! (A smile and being friendly go a long way!!) J We went as fast as we could to our terminal with just enough time to change our seat assignments so we could all sit together, go to the bathroom to change a diaper and put on a pull-up (just in case), get a bite to eat to take with us on the plane, and call Danny to let him know that we had made it. We were nearly the last ones on the plane! That was WAY TO CLOSE!

The plane ride was good. I was hoping for the girls to sleep a little, but they didn’t. At least they didn’t cry the whole time. They liked eating, reading books, and watching George on the DVD player! I didn’t care if they watched the WHOLE DVD (but they didn’t!).

We arrived in Detroit about 15 minutes early which was great because we had a quick connection… only 45 minutes. BUT I got off the plane and waited and waited for our stroller (We had gate checked it in Boston and asked to get it again in Detroit) – even the pilot went to check on it for me, but he said there was no sign of it. I went to the desk and waited a while. Without any progress, I asked if I could leave my things there while I took the girls to the restroom. She said that was fine. When I returned she gave me a meal pass worth $14 (Jehovah Jireh!) and told me to go get a bite to eat. She was going to call a wheelchair and meet us at the restaurant with it. So… ten minutes later she arrived with a wheelchair and a young woman. We piled onto the wheelchair and the woman sprinted through the airport to our gate – we went up and down 5 elevators, on a train and through a really cool colored tunnel! When we FINALLY got there, I knew that there was NO WAY I would have made it with the stroller. It was just TOO FAR for Grace to have walked. God provided in a way I didn’t expect – our stroller didn’t show up, but we got a beautiful chariot to escort us to our gate! We were THE LAST ones on the plane, but we made it and got settled quickly. J

Once again we ate a ton on the plane. That kept all of us pretty happy. I was thankful that this was a short flight – only about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Grace didn’t watch George, but I kept her busy with a book of stickers that I had in her backpack. She loved decorating her “barf-bag” and putting stickers on me and Hannah – on our noses, hands, etc. I let her as long as it kept her and her sister entertained. We all giggled and giggled! J I needed that light--hearted fun! Hannah eventually fell asleep. She (and I) really needed it.

We arrived in Des Moines about 30 minutes early. We didn’t know who was going to pick us up from the airport or where we were going to be staying that night. Danny talked to the Pastor from our new church earlier in the day, and he said he would make sure it was all taken care of. It was nice to see his wife as we went down the escalator. I am sure that I looked like a mess… I certainly felt like it! She was so gracious and helped with the girls as we went to the baggage claim. We stayed with them that night… they even got us car seats and a pack and play. It was a wonderful welcome to Iowa, but I was wishing that Danny was with me!!! After getting the girls in bed, Connie offered me ice cream…. And I thought that sounded heavenly! She even put on chocolate syrup and nuts! YUMMY!! I savored every bite. I didn’t want to be rude! J I chit chatted for a little while, but my eyes just didn’t want to stay open. I went to bed and slept like a rock! Thank you, Lord for getting the girls and I to Iowa safely.

Part three…. Danny’s journey!