Fun at Big Splash and a Big Surprise on the Way Home

We took our 2nd annual trip to the water park this weekend.  We had a great time playing in the water and enjoying the hotel room with bunk beds for the kids.  Here are a few pics:

The big surprise this weekend was that we bought a new van!  Tim had been shopping for used vans and on our way home from the waterpark we agreed to purchase the 2010 Odyssey pictured below.  We won't be able to pick it up for a few weeks due to our travel plans and theirs, but we are excited to have a vehicle to drive that is new reliable.

Snow, School, and the Dog

It has been routine day in and out here.  I haven't posted in a while because we have been busy with the day to day.  There have been two "big snows"- which in Kentucky means it snowed more than 2 inches.  Twice last week we saw snowfalls over 5 inches here.  It was enough that we had to dig paths for Annie so she could go out in the snow! The kids thought it was great fun and ate snow cream all week!  No, homeschoolers do not get snow days.  I like days off in May!!  I did let them play outside during free time so they built snowmen and dogs and had fun playing in our woods.

Tomorrow our "baby" girl will turn 5 years old.  Its hard to believe Katey is so big.  Its a big day for her and she is looking forward to starting Kindergarten.  She perfected writing her name on her Valentines this year and is eager to learn to read.

Junior Racer Game Ball Presentation

Matthew was chosen by the Racer Marketing Department to hand out the game ball for the Racers v. Eastern Illinois game last Thursday.  The roads were not the best due to an afternoon snow that day (you'll notice the sparse crowd in the stands), but we loaded up anyway as we didn't want him to miss his chance to get to go on the court and give the game ball to the referee.  Here are some pics taken by the Racer Marketing and Promotion staff, who kindly shared them with me when ours did not turn out:

Carter and the "ipot"

Because we can't forget funny moments like these....TMI warning, read at your own discretion. 

For you to fully understand the following, you have to know we are trying to by less "stuff" since coming home from Germany.  One item we decided we could do without is flushable wipes.  Let's just say folks are "adjusting" and requiring a little instruction.

Yesterday a friend told me her daughter was enjoying an app for her ipod touch that let her use it like a phone over wifi.  I decided to let our kids try it out.  I installed it on Carter's ipod and he thought it was so cool!  We talked about all the ways he could use it: when he wanted to ask his Dad to bring something home or when he has a question for me and I am somewhere else in the house, etc.  Later in the day the phone rings.  I answer it and hear "Hello, Mom.  I need you to come up and wipe me".  He was upstairs calling me from the toilet.  Not what I had in mind when I gave them the ability to reach out via wifi.  When Tim came home and heard the story he renamed Carter's "ipod" the "ipot".

Christmas and a New Puppy

Life has been consumed by Annie.  It is eerily similar to having a newborn.  She is doing well and growing fast.  We are all in love with her.   Katey enjoyed a little snuggle time the other night:

Christmas went well here and a good time was had by all.  We managed to get a few decorations up despite the craziness of returning home.  Family visited including three of Tim's nieces and their families. We hadn't seen them in a few years so it was a fun visit.  Its been a fun holiday season for us and now we are back to school and the normal routine.  Here are our pics with Papa Santa this year:

Tim's Mom and Santa

We Got Annie!!!

No, she isn't named for the musical, but it seemed to be a good title.  We have a new four-legged member of our family.  Her name is Annie.  It was the only name we all liked that sounded good with Millie (my parent's dog).  Her full name is Annie Regensburg Johnston.  We had planned to add a puppy to the household chaos this spring, but the opportunity came along so we decided to go ahead.  Hopefully she will be big enough to camp with us this summer. To say the children are excited would perhaps be the understatement of the year.

Annie in front of the tree

Just picked her up!  The kids didn't know we had gone to pick up a puppy and were so surprised when we brought her to our van.

She needs a haircut so that we can see her eyes, but we hate to cut off the dark tips of her puppy fur!  Merry Christmas everyone!

We are home!!

We arrived home last week from Germany and are adjusting to life back in the USA.  Its like culture shock in reverse.  We are happy to be seeing friends and family and looking forward to celebrating a late Thanksgiving this week.  Here are some pictures from our travels home and from the snow that arrived in Regensburg the day before we left.  It was beautiful and fun for the kids but wreaked chaos on transportation in Germany.  We were blessed that we were able to get home as many flights were canceled due to the weather.  We had a wonderful time and made memories we'll cherish forever.  Thanks for reading and encouraging us along the way.  It was a great fall.  Germany, Auf Weidersehen.

5 inches - it was a beautiful snowy morning, we had to get out and play

The Christmas markets really looked magical with the snow

on the stone bridge

Family snow pic

The Danube

Matthew built a great snowman

The massive tree in Rathaus Platz now surrounded by snow

Our last pic in Germany- leaving our apartment for the airport

On the plane from Munich to Chicago

Claiming luggage in Chicago

After 20 hours of travel

everyone was tired waiting for the flight to Paducah

so three kids sacked out in the gate area

but not #4!  She waited until we were boarding to fall asleep.