300

  300, that is what number this blog is in my 6 years of blogging. 300 times I have sat at my computer and documented growth, change, and feelings. 300 times you have read about our lives. When I started this blog on September 21, 2010 Mike and I had just taken Rachel to Shelter Garden's where I took too many pictures and needed a way to send them to my family without uploading and emailing them. I did some research and found blogger and liked how easy it was to upload photos and videos, and to write about our lives. Since then the blog has become so much more. I still love posting the pictures it brings me so much joy knowing that I can look back and see and read about our lives. I love the blog books that I create at the end of each year. I love that some day the kids will be able to read about parts of their lives that they will never remember. Vacations we went on and silly things they do. Happy times, sad time, mad times, and silly times. So here is to 300 and the month of February!
     February started off with the biggest snow storm we have had since moving here. Monday the kids got out of school early due to the snow. Neighbor Melissa brought Rachel home and the kids played out in the snow before the wind started. Tuesday Mike was able to make it to work and we spent the day playing inside as the wind was so bad we couldn't go out. I was entertained watching out the front window and seeing all the people try to drive through a drift taller than their vehicles. In total 22 people got stuck and pulled out through out the day. The good news was we never lost power and Mike was able to make it home that night. Wednesday they again called off school. It was nicer out and the kids had a blast playing in all the big drifts. Thursday Rachel had a late start so we took Becca to school then I had to go to the hospital for a lab draw for health insurance. Rachel and Alec were so good that we then had coffee and donuts at the hospital before taking Rachel to school. Rachel was so confused as to why everyone knew her and me at the hospital. "This is were Daddy works, how do they all know you and me?" Friday Rachel had school and Johanna came out the watch the little ones while I got my nails done. Rachel had cheer camp after school so after I got my nails done and ran some errands I watched the boys JV basketball game and then brought Rachel home. Johanna stayed all day with the kids as Mike and I had an new candidate interview dinner that evening.

Monday night.

Tuesday evening

The girls playing in the snow

Big drift by the shop

Snow angels

Taking an adventure down the lane

Some parts of the yard were almost bare.

Finally stopped blowing so I could get the snow blower out.

Crawling was the best way to move on the snow banks.

Snow angel

One of the drift everyone was getting stuck in.

    By Saturday all the craziness from the snow storm was mostly over. We stayed home in the morning then both the girls had 2 different birthday parties to attend. Mike took Alec to run some errands and while Becca was at her party Rachel and I meet up with Tracee Dugan for some coffee at Starbucks. It was then time for Rachel to go to her party and time to pick up Becca. That night Mike had a PW meeting so after picking everyone up from their parties and dropping Mike off at his meeting the kids and I went to play at the Raatz house. Sunday Rachel, Alec, and I went to our church while Mike and Becca went to Grandma Priest's church. Auntie J, Rita, and Wanda all sang at church for Phyllis's birthday. After church we all went to Grandma's house and enjoyed lunch with some of Mike's aunts and cousins. Sunday night the Raatz family came out and watched the first half of the super bowl.

     Monday February 8th Rachel again had a late start due to blowing snow and roads being closed for the buses. Johanna came out again and watched the kids so that I could get my hair done and my spray tan before leaving for vacation. Tuesday after Becca got out of school I meet Sandi and Dad in Broken Bow so that Alec and Becca could go spend the week with them while Mike and I were out of town. They stayed Tuesday to Sunday when Marty picked them up and brought them back to North Platte and they stayed with Lisa and Marty until Tuesday morning when we got home. Mike picked Rachel up after school on Tuesday then while he was loading the car I took her into Lisa's where she stayed while we were gone. Tuesday night we loaded up and headed to Denver to make our flight to Grand Cayman where we stayed until Monday the 15th.

    Grand Cayman was amazing. We went with Kate and Justin Raatz, and Stacy Chingren. What an adventure we had from laying on the beach, to going out for dinners, and having a private boat to explore the sea and sting ray city. We had many laughs, a few tears, and memories to last a lifetime. The picture and videos tell the stories of our trip so well. 

   The most touching part of the trip for me was the first night at dinner. We meet up with Justin's brother Lyndon and some of his friends. As we were sitting and chatting and telling stories about our lives Mike asked Lyndon about serving in the Army and where he went. He was telling us of the places he went and how it changed him. As he was telling his story he said that one of the days he will never forget was when he received a package that contained a blanket and a lot of random things in it. I told him that was from Grandma Tielke, (I had given Grandma his address when he was deployed as he was with the Beatrice unit and she was always looking for more people to send boxes too.) The look on his face to meet a relative of a person that changed his life and gave him something from "home". The story he told and the emotion he showed as he described the quilt that was in that box was amazing. This also all happened on her birthday. We then had to break the new to Lyndon that Grandma had passed in May. He was so saddened by this news and just could not get over her thoughtfulness and the love he felt every time he curled up with his blanket. I told him that is why she did it. That is why she started Nebraska Troops, for just one person to have this reaction. For one person to be so grateful. Her birthday this year was celebrated on a little island with someone that never meet her but felt her hugs and love everyday that he was in a place that no one wants to be. The blanket is on his bed in Florida at his parents house. The letter she sent is tucked away and saved to remind him of the person that reached out to him when he really needed it. Grandma even though you have been gone for 9 months you are still bringing tears to eyes and affecting people with your love. I can not think of a better way to celebrate you than to keep spreading your cheer and your message. 

Red Eye to Miami - Yes Please!

We arrived!

Some of the beers we enjoyed on night one.

Our view for the next 6 days.

Day 1

Golf on the island!

Amazing food at Dinner on night 2

So much fun dressing up to go out every night.

The boys!

The landscape

Sunset and the cruise ships leaving.

These three could be brothers.

The whole crew dinner night 3

How our group pictures usually turned out.

Blue Tip - Ritz Carlton Golf Course

I went golfing on Friday with the boys.

So pretty

Group selfie shot

Rachel asked me to send her a picture of a palm tree.

Sunset from the balcony

Valentine's dinner on Saturday night.

Dinner at Seven a Ritz Carlton restaurant

The crew

Raatz's looking amazing

Miss Stacy

Stacy and Lyndon

Sums up these two the whole time!

Valentine's day flowers.

Going snorkeling.

Watch out for the sting ray!!!

Sting Ray love bite!

The boys!

Captain Mike

I think Mike wants to adopt Lyndon as a brother. 

Last morning. 

Good Bye Grand Cayman. We will be back!   

    We got back from Grand Cayman at 3:30 am on Tuesday so the kids just stayed the night at Lisa's. Mike had to get up early and go to work so I went to town and picked up the kids and took them to school. Alec really wanted to see his dad so after Becca got out of school we meet Mike at the hospital for lunch. Grandma Priest went to the hospital on Sunday night with chest pain and as still there on Tuesday so we also meet up with Auntie J and Rita for lunch. Grandma was able to go home on Tuesday afternoon and is doing much better. They didn't really find out why she was having chest pain but is doing much better so that is good.

   Wednesday we took Rachel to school then I did laundry all day. It takes a while to catch up after being gone that long. Thankfully mom and Lisa did the kids laundry so I didn't have to worry about that. Thursday after taking the girls to school Alec and I finally got to Walmart. Rachel and Becca informed everyone that we saw over the last couple days how little food we had left in the house! Thursday afternoon was so nice that the kids played outside all afternoon. Friday Rachel has school and we just stayed home and played. The temperature got to 70 so everyone was exhausted by the end of day from all the fresh air.

  Saturday Mike poured the rest of the sidewalk to the circle drive and I started sanding the chairs I got from Grandma Tielke's house that I hope to finish and paint and put on the front patio this spring. We spent all day Saturday outside and loved every minute of it. Saturday night I had a girls night function at a friends and Mike enjoyed a quite evening with the kids. Sunday we went to church and after 3 days of fresh air and no naps Alec was a wreck so we picked up food and came home. Alec and I rested while Becca and Mike worked in the shop and Rachel relaxed and watched movies. We finally had another movie night and enjoyed watching the Minnon's movie before bed.

Silly Boy

This chair will need a lot of love.

Almost finished with the sanding and paint stripping of this chair!