We have had a brithday!!!! 

Greg turned the big 40 last Thursady!   He had a good day… well a good week!  He had the whole week off which was really nice! 

He spent most of the week working on his office/Lego room making some display stands for some of his Star Wars stuff.  He is building stand for his mini figures and needs to put up more shelves.  We just don’t have enough room for all the stuff he has!

The kids and I surprised him by decorating the house. We put up 40 hearts and handprints that had all the things we love about him on it. Also, balloons etc... Then I had a friend watch Brian while we went to lunch at a really nice restaurant here in town that we have wanted to try.   It has been a while since we have eaten a meal alone, it was wonderful!!!!

I bought him a 22 rifle for his birthday so we went and got a scope fitted on it. Then after the kids got home from school, I made a homemade blueberry pie, BBQ ribs on the grill with baked potatoes and asparagus (you can see the remnants of this meal on Andy’s face in one of the pictures). The kids sprayed him with silly string and we found a really funny inflatable walker we gave him.   We got him a really cool star wars book and lamp for his office. It was just a quiet day with us, which for Greg was perfect! He pretty much works the next 2 weeks, so it was nice for him to have some time off! 



Spring Break…

 Chicago was a blast but a bit cold and it really is the Windy City. We stayed down town on the Magnificent Mile, which made it really easy to get around. We were able to walk most places we wanted to go. One day we did ride the Subway and take a cab, which my kids thought was pretty cool. They also like being up on the 30^thfloor in our hotel so we had a pretty impressive view of Chicago but it is a whole lot nosier then what we are used to where we live in Omaha. Here are the highlights…

 LEGOLAND…Everyone enjoyed this!

Navy Pier… We went to the Children’s Museum there and we also met some of good friends from Ohio, so that was a lot of fun.  We had to ride the Ferris Wheel but boy was it COLD!!!  Brian found a train to ride and loved looking at all the boats in the Pier.  He also had no Problem Picking out his toys at the gift shop!

Field Museum… This was a bit of a bummer.  We had been here before and the kids where really excited to go back.  This is where the big Dinosaur from the movie “Night at the Museum” her name is Sue.  They made 3D movie about how she was found and it a really cool story, they also have a really neat Mummy exhibit that they were really looking forward to.  So here is the sad part… it was spring break SO we had to wait almost 2 hours just to get into the museum so that by the time we got in most of the tickets to those exhibits where all sold out L!  Not to mention it was crazy busy.  We still really enjoyed looking around.  You can get “shrunk” to the size of a bug and go underground to learn about soil.  It’s pretty cool.  They have great big bugs, seeds and a huge penny… so Brian loved it!

Hancock Tower… A great view the kids had lots of fun.  Andy was sure he could see Canada J!

MacKenzie

She has had a really big year…Became a teenager, got contacts and braces.  She is ½ through middle school and is an amazing clarinet player.  She is in the 7^th grade band and the Jazz Band.  She is a bit of a foodie and loves to try new restaurants and new yummy things to eat.  

 She has a beautiful smile and a sassy mouth (huh…don’t know where she got that)!  She is an amazing hard working student that can make me laugh and cause my blood pressure to sky rocket in a second.  She was an answer to many prayers and years of heartache that filled my arms and an empty spot in my heart I didn’t even know I had!

She 100% her daddy’s girl and a good big sister to her “pesty” little brothers…Where would we be without our sissy!!!

Look at this little face... I just can not wait to see who she will be in another 10 years!!

Andy-

Andy… Has never stopped moving from the day he learned how!  Always has a smile on his face even if he is doing something he shouldn’t.  He hates getting up for school but he is very social.  Here are a few of my favorite “Andyism’s”

Me: Andy get up, it's time to get ready for school.
Andy: no today is not a school day!
Me: yes it is... Today is Monday.
Andy: (dropping to the floor)... Monday again, we just had Monday last week. Curse you Monday why do you keep coming every week?

Another one that came on the way to school…

Andy saw a car pulled over by a police man today and asked what happened... I made the comment that the car should not have been speeding. Andy says ... Mom if you’re not supposed to speed why do they make cars that can drive fast?

One more…

Andy: mom how many days until Christmas
Me: umm... About 28
Andy: WHAT? (Dramatically throws himself on the floor) WHAT? That’s like a year away!
Me: oh Andy it's just a couple of weeks.
Andy: (still on the floor) I just can't stay on the good list for that long

Oh how I love this boy who can throw a temper tantrum like no else, never stops eating, has a huge imagination and curiosity… not to mention a smile that will melt your heart!

Brian

Brian-

Is full on terrible in his 2’s…WOW! He still talks his own language but we can understand him. He got pretty sick in Feb with a nasty chest cold. Thankfully he is feeling better and sleeping better. He loves my iPad.

  These are Brian ‘s most common phrases (I hear them no less than 10 times a day…each!)

"Mom I play my iPad”

“Mom I got outside”

“Mom where Andy”

‘Mom wanna go bye-bye- Slide”… this means got to the park

“Mom watch Kitty, Pooh” This means Whinnie the Pooh and Tom and Jerry His favorites

“Mom Fry-Fry hotdog, slide the wee” now this one took me awhile to figure out. Any guesses? This means I want to go to McDonalds , get chicken nuggets, french fries and play in the play place. Go ahead a be impressed!

Last but not least… “Where daddy… Daddy night night?” Even if he is at work, he is sleeping.

Never a dull moment! What would I do with out my Shadow?

So we are a bit over due for an update...Again. Better late than never right :) Here is highlights of our last few months!

September:

We really enjoyed our quick trip out to Idaho for Great Grandma Jeppesen's 90th b-day! It was good to see some family we had not seen in a long time!!

We finally closed on our house..thank goodness!!!! That was a pretty stressful event and not one I am ready to do anytime soon! We are happy to just be renting for a bit.

Greg flew to Provo for the BYU/Utah game. He had a good time hanging out with his brother

October:

We loved having my mom and dad here to visit! It was so fun!! Brain misses having is Pop-pop here to play with! We took them to Vala's Pumkin patach..talk about AMAZING. It's like the Disney land of pumpkin Patches.

We took the kids to Kansas City to the Worlds of Fun Halloween Weekend. Not as much as the one in Ohio at Cedar Point but we still had a great time!

Greg and I helped with the ward Trunk or Treat and that was lots of fun! Halloween here was different but good. Kenzie went out with some friends, while the boys and I hit the neighborhood for some candy. Greg worked his magic on the house and did a great job!

Greg:

Working but liking it so far :).. Has started a new hobby or obsession? Star Wars Lego's. He has gotten a pretty amazing collection!!

Alisha:

Got to go to Kansas City with some ladies from church for T.O.W.

Stake Primary calling has kept me pretty busy the last few months. The kids keep me running! Seems I spend most of my day in the car!

Kenzie is doing so well! She is on the honor roll again and is the 1st chair in the band (clarinet). She is in the jazz band and to do that she has to go to school an hour early 2 times a week not mention practice for the regular band and also her jazz pieces. She even wrote a piece of music the other day. She is in the Beehive class presidency at church and helps me out a lot watching the boys while I am off at another ward or church meeting.

Andy oh....Andy!!! What more can I say. I am pretty sure he was sent here to teach me patience and humility. I guess I haven't learned enough yet cause he is constantly testing me :) He is doing really well is in school and has a great teacher!

Brian is a busy boy! He still talks the language of Brian... we keep hoping he will start speaking English soon. He loves trains...A LOT!!! and Andy. He follows him everywhere. He is a smart little stink and can point out most letters of the alphabet...Thanks Elmo!

Kids are pretty excited for Christmas and sometime off of school..me NOt so much!