Miscellaneous Update

Wow! It has been a long time since I have updated the blog. I have had a plan many a time to get on and post something, but always manage to find something else to do. We have spent most of our time lately running to basketball games for all three kids. Maggie and Marshall are playing in a Saturday morning learning league sponsored by the Gallatin Theater League in Gallatin. They are in different age divisions and their games are normally at least an hour apart. So, we go for Marshall's game and then have to kill time until Maggie's game. They are both doing great, though, and learning a lot!

Morgan's travel team is playing in tournaments almost every weekend. We sponsored one at Winston at the end of January. His team won both of their games! Marshall actually got to play a practice game in that one! He did really well! The next weekend, Greg and Morgan went to Klondike, which is the Boy Scouts annual Winter Campout. They have a lot of fun and get to sleep in a tent heated with a wood stove! Doesn't sound like too much fun to me, but they both enjoy it! This past weekend, Morgan played in a tournament in King City and his team took 1st place!

Other than that, we just keep battling the Winter weather along with everyone else! It seems like we only get a few good days between the snow storms! AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!

The first Sunday in February was Scout Sunday for the boys, so we went to the Methodist Church in Winston, which is our local troop's chartering organization. Morgan did the scripture reading for the service since he is the troop's Chaplain Aide. He did a very good job. Following the service, Marshall's cub scout den took a walk around town (in the snow) to fulfill one of their Tiger Cub requirements!

Maggie has a father/daughter dance coming up this Friday night and her dad will be attending with her as her "date". We are heading shopping tonight to find her something to wear! She is growing up so fast! It is hard to believe that she will be 10 this summer!

Marshall is finally getting in one of his two front teeth. If you will remember, he lost them three years ago after a head-on collision (his mouth/her head) with my business partner's daughter! He finally lost a tooth last month (on the bottom) so I though he would be getting close, but now the top tooth is showing through the gum! Yeah! I have forgotten what he looks like with front teeth!

I am also looking toward a change! Since Greg has been out of work for so long, I am looking to returning to teaching, just to give our family a little income boost. The doctor is planning on releasing him for full-time work in April, but it has been a long winter! I am hoping to find a teaching job for next school year! I go in March to take the Praxis test in an attempt to add Math to my certification! It has been 10 years since I was in a classroom teaching! I am somewhat nervous about the entire process, but excited to return to teaching at the same time!

As I just mentioned, Greg is recouperating well, and the doctor is planning to release him for full-time work on April 1. As I'm sure you can guess, he is more than ready to make his way back to a full-time job. Since his weight limit was raised to 25 lbs. he has been working on finishing the basement. He is doing pretty well, but at times, he must watch it because he tires and gets sore easily!

Well, that's all for now, I'll post more later!

Maggie's Girl Scout Sleepover

This weekend Maggie attended her first Girl Scout sleepover. It was from 7-7 Friday night at a local church. The theme was High School Musical, which was exciting for her. I dropped her off at 7 pm and said goodbye. I was pretty sure that she we do okay, but you never know. She really likes to be with her mommy! So, I was prepared for a middle-of-the-night phone call, but one never came. I went down Saturday morning to pick her up and her leader said that she had fallen asleep around 2:30 and that they couldn't get her up! I woke her up and we went on home. She had ball practice at 9:30, so going back to sleep wasn't an option until after that! She had a wonderful time at the sleepover and didn't get homesick one time. I am so proud of her!!

Happy New Year!

We rang out 2009 at our house with a group of our good friends. We had a combo birthday/New Year's party. Greg's birthday is on New Year's Eve, so we had a birthday cake to help him celebrate.

The kids spent the night splitting their time between playing the Wii and playing basketball (a constant in our life) in the basement! The adults spent their time playing games, visiting, and watching a movie!

We rang in the 2010 with a toast, and shortly after, the party dispersed. Party animals aren't we??

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's

Saturday morning after Christmas, we headed to Greg's mom and dad's house in Shelbina for Christmas with his family. Unfortunately, due to the winter storm, Greg's sister and aunt weren't able to make it to town so Greg's grandma postponed her Christmas until the next weekend. We had Christmas at Greg's parents house with his two brothers and their families. When we left our house, we had to travel north on our gravel road in order to travel back south because our road was drifted full to the south of our house! As we got further east, we saw less and less snow, but by the time we got to Shelbina, it was snowing there! We had a great time visiting with the family. Greg's cousin and her kids as well as his aunt and uncle came to visit, so we got some good talking in. We also spent several hours Saturday afternoon playing Phase 10. The first game, Marshall sat and watched. The second game he wanted to play! He did a great job! In fact, Sunday morning, he wanted to play and was trying to teach Maggie!

Sunday afternoon before we left, we went to Greg's aunt and uncle's house and visited with their youngest son, his wife, and their baby. We hadn't seen him since he was born in June! It was great to finally get to meet the little guy! He is a cutie! We couldn't visit long because Morgan was supposed to have a ballgame in St. Joe later that day. However, shortly after we left, we got a message saying that his ballgame had been cancelled. So, we got to come home and hunker down for the night!

Maggie anxiously waiting to open presents!

Morgan acting goofy!

Marshall with Mason after opening one of his presents!

Grandpa opening one the presents the kids bought for him.

Grandma with one of the gifts the kids bought for her!

Christmas Day at the Farrell House

Christmas morning began at 6 a.m. in the Farrell house! We got up and opened presents and then set to playing with everything. Since there was a snowstorm going on outside, we weren't going anywhere and no one was going to come to us! The kids got lots of new clothes, toys, and games so we spent the day trying on stuff and learning the new games! Both boys got Lego sets, so there was a time set aside for putting them together! I prepared a turkey dinner for that evening, and we sat down and ate together and wrapped up the night getting ready for our trip to Shelbina on Saturday to celebrate Christmas with Greg's family.

The kids in front of the tree prior to opening presents.

Morgan with one of his new Star Wars action figures.

Marshall with a new book behind his fort of presents!

Maggie with her new Nintendo DS.

All three kids with their new Nintendo DS game systems and games.

Christmas at Granny's

On Christmas Eve afternoon we went to my mom's house (Granny) to celebrate Christmas with my side of the family. Both of my brothers, their wives, and their children were there, along with my Aunt Gayle and her guy, Uncle Randy. My sister-in-law's parents stopped by later on in the evening. We ate finger foods, played games, opened presents, and had a GREAT time! Unfortunately, when the storm hit, we had to break things up and head home. Everyone except for us was unsure of if they had power at home or not, as some power in Cameron went out during the evening due to the winter storm.

Aubrey, Emma, and the corner of Johnathan dancing to Taylor Swift. You just can't capture the excitement with a still picture!

Our family prior to opening presents!

The grandkids!

Snow Storm

Well......this morning was the first time I have been out of my house since Thursday afternoon. I came to work Thursday morning after it had snowed on Wednesday. When I left home, I had to travel north in order to travel back again south. During my trip to town, I was thinking that I would be lucky if I made it back home again Thursday after getting off work. After a quick "business" meeting with my partner later in the day, we decided that we should close early Thursday and all day Friday. We left the daycare at 1:00 to head home. Needless to say, I think I got home as late as I possibly could and still make it to the house. Our road was drifted full! We spent the rest of the day Thursday and all day Friday at home together. Both nights we played Phase 10. Let me just say that Marshall Farrell is probably going to be a card shark! He LOVES that game! We had so much fun playing together!

We didn't see the road grader go by until Friday during the night! On Saturday, Maggie and Marshall both had basketball practice in Gallatin. But, because it was so cold, only Greg got out to take them. Their practices were two hours apart, so they each went separately and Greg came back to pick Maggie up when he brought Marshall home. We spent the rest of the day at home! How cozy!

Sunday morning, we had planned to get out and go to church. However, the thought of braving the bitter cold (though it wasn't as bitter as it had been) just didn't sit well, so we ended up staying home again all day. Morgan had two ballgames (one makeup and one regularly scheduled) in St. Joseph and since they were in the evening, only he and Greg went. Maggie, Marshall, and I stayed at home!

This morning when I came to work, I was amazed at how much snow there is! The state highway coming to town is virtually one lane because the west lane is filled with drifts! When this snow begins to melt, we are going to have one big sloppy mess!

I do have Christmas pictures to post, but our internet connection at home is slow so I keep putting it off! I will get to it sometime!!! ;)