HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

This is how we started. She really didn't like sitting next to the pumpkin but after we snapped a few pictures she was okay. What a change in mood!

Operation Christmas Child

I wanted to let everyone know about a project I'm working on with a group of young people. Each year we do about 6 service projects and currently we've focused on "Operation Christmas Child" and are seeking donations.

Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been packed, shipped, and delivered across the globe. People of all ages can be involved in this simple, hands-on missions project. National Collection Week is November 17-24.

Check out http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ to find out more and the items you can contribute. I will be home this weekend so if anyone's is interested in donating even if it's just a dollar or package of pencils. It all goes toward shoebox gifts for kids. We will be assembling and donating the packages National Collection Week. If you wish to assemble your own and donate in your area we encourage you to do so. I believe there is a drop off site in McCook as well. Thanks for your help and support!

Addison Update...

Miss Addison is doing very well. She has been standing up to things for a few weeks now, finally got the crawling down, and she learned uh-oh at daycare last week so that's all she said all weekend. Oh and the face- say "kiss, kiss" or "show me your funny face" and this is what you'll get.

Game Time

Enjoying the game (or maybe just the phone..

and the pool table)

But still fun.

Addison and Grandpa Bruce after the game.

Trip to the Zoo

Addison had tons of fun at the zoo a couple weeks ago. It was a beautiful day and she enjoyed pointing and talking to all the animals. She was so excited.

Another Addison Pose

Addison is on the website where we got our pictures taken so if you click on the link to Ottemann Photography you'll find her in the children's photos.

Weekend Fun

Addison loves to play under the coffee table


Waiting for Daddy to come home

Mini-Vacation to Kearney

Chandell and I heard this hotel would be a blast so we decided Kearney was a good midway point for us to meet and enjoy a weekend together. Gunnar and Addison had a great time swimming. Addison just loves water. Chandell and I took turns with the guys going down the slides and watching kids. It was so nice to relax and enjoy a weekend away.

The Children's Museum

Oh and this happened

So we've been dealing with this the past few weeks. The tree couldn't just hit one vehicle but both and rip the siding from the house. One good thing that has come from this is our house will get all new siding because the siding we have now can't be replaced. Our vehicles are still in the process of being repaired. We were without power for a couple of days as the tree took out the power line running to our house which is how the siding ripped from the house. Anyway, good thing for insurance, deductibles not so good.

Finally

Grandma, Mom and Sabrina visited us last weekend and Grandma mentioned that Addison had been "Visiting with Jacob" long enough, as this was my last post some time ago. I agreed and decided I had better get some new posts up. Things are going well for us. Addison has had colds off and on but altogether healthy. We've been careful to try new foods with her due to her allergy but so far so good. The doctor would rather that we wait to do this until 1 year but I would like her to try new foods, get used to the texture of different foods so she'll be a good eater. Besides that I think she's getting sick of jar baby food and formula. She loves something new. So we've been brave and tried some things but kept a close eye. She is growing so fast. She really hasn't mastered crawling, she'll do it occassionally but loves the army crawl and very determined to walk. She pulls herself up and stand up to everything now, which of course means we have many falls. She is a very vocal girl, enjoys imitating everything-does patty cake, waves bye-bye and gives kisses, and I swear she sings a lot. I realize most everything we do is in a song and we always have music going but the past two mornings she'll wake up and just sit in her crib and sing. I'll have to catch this on video sometime because it's so cute. Well I'd better get to the pictures. Enjoy and have a wonderful week!