Birthday Surprises and More

Time flies and once again it has been over a month since we last updated everyone on our lives. So here is a brief attempt to tell you what has been happening and what the future holds...

At the end of October, we had the youth group come out to the ranch for a fall festival. Everyone had a great time riding horses, shooting skeet, going for a wagon ride, and ending with a cookout and bonfire. The praise and worship was awesome and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. Thank you Lord!

Elijah also had the opportunity to show off his costume during spirit week at school. Jeff had a sort of homecoming week for the kids and each day included a different dress code. There was everything from dress up/costume to hat and tie day. At the end of the week, we had a cookout complete with pumpkin carving and bobbing for apples. Participation was excellent and again fun was had by all.

We then hosted Isaiah for a weekend so Meredith and Amos could get away and get some R&R. The boys played great and had an awesome weekend. Isaiah is an absolute ham and when you put him and Elijah together the sky is the limit as to what might happen!

We followed all this excitement up with a birthday bash for Eli. We headed to Hidden Valley for dinner, a tractor cake, and many great gifts. The biggest surprise was saved for last when Elijah opened his new onesie. He wasn't all that thrilled with the gift but as the guests read the wording and discovered our surprise the excitement became contagious. "Mo" as we are calling this little one will hopefully join our family at the end of next June or beginning of July. Mommy is pretty tired and has been sick but it was all worth it when we heard the strong heartbeat last week!!!! God is so good!

We headed for Wisconsin for a few days of fun before Thanksgiving. We went to a farm Daddy used to work on and got to see Alpaca. The best part with the BIG TRACTOR. Eli didn't even come up to the axle of the wheel. There were also cows, kittys, and a great sandbox complete with toy tractors. We also got to go to a museum open house that had old fashion window displays, a miniature circus, old fashion toy cars, and the neatest train set ever. Elijah's excitement was contagious yet again and everyone smiled as he shrieked every time the train came around again. Maybe in a few years he can have one of his own. He was also given his birthday gifts from the Rice side of the family and loved his new puzzle, water whistles, Leapfrog Learn to Read Video, and clothing. He also received some cool Cd's from Uncle Kevin and Aunt Lynda. The music makes Eli dance and everyone else smile.

Then Jeff and I headed to Cleveland to see a the only pouchitis specialist in the world. His diagnosis was confirmed and he will be trying a new course of treatment to try and alleviate some of his symptoms.

Thankfully we made it back to WI for Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for and we hope you do to. God continues to bless our family and we can't wait to see what the future holds!

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Fall Fun

Arkansas continues to receive recording breaking rainfall amounts but when the clouds part...we play!

A few weeks ago Grandpa came over and helped Jeff build a deluxe sandbox underneath Eli's fort/swing set. It took about 5 loads of sand in the tractor to fill and has already provided hours of entertainment. Thanks so much Grandpa for providing materials, labor, and love! Now onto the roof for the fort.

We have had several opportunities to go horse back riding lately and Eli loves it. We often help out in the barn with the kids doing chores and this was a great way to end a morning of grooming horses and scooping poo. Eli would put it this way, "PEED JEW MAMA, POO POO!"

A few weeks back we attended Plainview days. It was sort of a fall festival in the nearby town. It was Eli's first time seeing a parade. He quickly learned that if he waved he was rewarded with candy. Before long, he was waving at everything...even the horses. It was fun to witness the parade through the eyes of a child.

The ranch was blessed with free arm bands and parking to take the kids to the State Fair this past week. After many rainy days, God parted the clouds and the sun shone through. It was an absolutely amazing day. Many of the kids, including Elijah, had never been to a fair before. They weren't disappointed. There were plenty of rides, fried food, animals, and shows to enjoy. Everyone had a great time and we are so thankful for the people who made it possible to take this trip.

Jeff and I were also blessed with some time away this weekend. Meredith and Amos volunteered to take Eli for the weekend so we escaped for some R&R. Oaks Manor Conference and Retreat Center is located in Northwest Arkansas among the beautiful Ozark Mountains. They have a small cottage on the grounds that we stayed in at almost no cost. We enjoyed the beautiful grounds complete with mountain views, prayer gardens, hiking trails, and pond. We also did some hiking at Lake Ft. Smith State Park. The Lord was gracious to us again and granted a reprieve from the rain. It was a wonderfully relaxing weekend!

As you will see in the photos, Elijah continues to grow at an amazing rate. He is more little boy and less baby every day. He is still as busy as ever. He is also great at mimicking now. We really have to watch what we do and say!

I hope you are enjoying your fall as much as we are and are remembering to count your blessings because God is so good!

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Water Water Everywhere

It seems as if Arkansas now has a monsoon season! It has been raining here on and off since last Saturday with no end in sight for a few more days. At one point, we were getting up to 2" an hour. Our creek flooded over the road washing it out in places. Thankfully we have the heavy equipment to fix it but the ranch it a bit of a mess right now. I am thankful that I haven't had to water all my plants in a few days! If it ever stops raining we are going to have fun mowing the rainforest that is now our yard :-).

Summertime has ended and a new school year has started. It has been nice getting back into a routine and everyone, even the residents, seem genuinely pleased that school is back in session. Jeff is teaching Math, Biology, and Chemisty. He is also the new principal but so far he hasn't had to get to tough with anyone. Eli and I have started going to PE. It is great for me to get some more exercise and for Eli to run around and play with the kids.

I put the finishing touches on the new paint job in Eli's big boy room yesterday. The new theme is John Deere/big equipment. It will probably be a few more months before he is ready to move out of his crib but at least we are ready for that day when it gets here.

Last weekend, Eli got to enjoy his first boat ride. Every year, a couple from Hot Springs Village host a ranch picnic. The live on a wonderful lake and take the kids out to boat, tube, and water ski. Everyone had a wonderful time and God blessed us with one last sunny day before the rain. Eli loved honking the horn and screaming at the kids who were being whipped around the lake behind the boat. Since swimming is one of his favorite activities anyway this was right up his alley. I had a blast tubing and Jeff got a few turns showing off his stuff on the skis.

In our spare time, Jeff has started working on a fort for Eli that is attached to his swing set. He has grand plans for a really high one but for now I feel safe with one a little closer to the ground. Eli loves helping his Daddy and playing with his tools.

Thank you for all your prayers regarding the Colorado trip. Jeff did great and it was an awesome experience. Eli and I managed to stay sane by spending most of the week at my sister's house. I'm not sure she was sane by the time we left but Isaiah and Elijah enjoyed playing together...for the most part anyway!

Well that is all for now. I hope you enjoy the pictures!

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Busy Summer

Sorry it has been so long since we last updated our blog but this summer has been so busy that we have hardly had time to sit down. Since our vacation, Jeff has spent much time preparing the school for the fall. There is now a new roof on the building and the Smartboards (interactive white boards) are hung. There is fresh paint and soon the floor will be stripped and re-waxed. There is a feeling of excitement in the air as the summer draws to a close and school approaches.

Recently Meredith, Mom, and I took a trip to Memphis to meet up with friend's (Linda & Elly) that lived just down the road from us in Michigan when we were growing up. About Junior High age, Elly and her family moved to Kentucky. It has been about 12 years since we last saw each other. It was an amazing reunion. We talked, laughed, shared pictures, and spent a wonderful afternoon at the Memphis Botanic Gardens. It was as if we had never been apart. Thank you Lord for such great friends!

Elijah spends as much time as he can in the pool. He and Isaiah have had many opportunities to play together and boy do they get into things. Isaiah is now walking and can hold his own against Eli. They both thoroughly enjoyed a recent trip to the Little Rock zoo. Grandpa and the rest of the clan loved watching the amazement on the boys faces as they discovered animals in real life that they had only seen in books.

Eli is also starting to say more words. Soon he will be a little chatterbox. Leigh Ann redecorated the nursery with horses...one of Eli's favorite animals and his new big boy room is being redone in John Deere/big equipment. Eli loves tractors, backhoes, bulldozers, and anything else of that nature. He wandered away one day and was found sitting in one of the ranch tractors! He already knows how to start Jeff's 4-wheeler and the golf cart. Look out world!

Jeff is looking forward to heading to Colorado on the annual backpacking trip with the boys. Please pray for health and safety for them all. This will be Jeff's first opportunity due to past health problems. Pray for Leigh Ann as she takes care of Eli 24/7 for over a week.

Here are a few pictures of happenings this summer. Enjoy!

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Our Trip North

We had a wonderful time on our trip north. We first visited the Rice's in Wisconsin. We enjoyed a breakfast on the farm complete with petting zoo, cow milking, barrel rides, and a turn on the John Deere. We also met up with friends and extended family. We played tennis and had several cook outs. We can't get enough of good ol' brats! Unfortunately, we brought the hot weather with us BUT fortunately we were then able to enjoy the pool. We also tried out six miles of the new bike trail. It was Eli's first time on the back of a bike. It was so nice to ride on pavement!

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After our visit in Wisconsin we headed to Southern Illinois to spend some time with the rest of the Rice clan. Elijah loved all the animals on their farm! Of all the animals the ducks were by far the most amusing. He would really like a kitty someday but I think we will wait until he understands how to be a little more gentle. We also enjoyed swimming and playing cards. We got to see Rebekah win several ribbons and a trophy for her culinary skills in a 4-H show too!

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We had a great vacation and can't wait to do it again. Maybe we'll go in the fall when it is cooler!

Summertime

Summer has found us once again and with it a change of pace.

The summer brings an end to school. The school staff put on a field day for the kids that involved water, mud, and a ranch-wide softball game. All involved had a great time and only a few sets of clothes were ruined in the mud pit (the inside of my washing machine looked like a pig sty)! The kids look forward to going to several different camps and some of them will get to visit family for a time during the summer. Please pray for safety for the youth and a new or renewed walk with Christ this summer.

In our own home, things are busy as well. Elijah continues to grow at a rapid pace. He has started to say a few words and is as busy and inquisitive as they come. He rode a horse for the first time a few weeks ago and loves animals of every kind. His all time favorite thing to do is play in water. He loves to swim, splash in the dog dish, run through the sprinkler, jump in puddles, and anything else related to water. He is a delight to us and we are so thankful for him.

Jeff recently accepted the position to be the principal/administrator of the school. He will be spending the summer rewriting the policy manual and handbook for the school as well as putting together classes and taking care of the physical needs of the school. Please pray for him as he steps into this new role. There are many changes taking place and it is an exciting time for him.

For Leigh Ann there is a perpetual list of things to be done and down here plant watering seems to be never-ending. Elijah keeps her busy and on her toes as always. They try to spend time playing with the kids on ranch, at Hidden Valley (the girls ranch) and also some of the kids from church.

We are heading north to visit Jeff's family and some friends in a week. We look forward to a little cooler weather but hope it is warm enough to swim...maybe that is asking to much.

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Until next time...

Family Pictures

We recently had a photographer on ranch takes some pics of our family. Enjoy!

Spring Winding Up

The weather is turning more beautiful everyday and we're enjoying it immensely. Elijah has already had multiple opportunities to go swimming in kiddie pools, and lawn work is in full swing. Going on our third year in Arkansas, we are really beginning to think that we like this warmer weather. Moving back to the snow and cold would definitely be a bit of challenge now. (Those who know me well are probably picking themselves up off the floor right now.)










Things are extremely busy as we are down to the last four weeks of school. Elijah is getting more and more active everyday. With the great weather he wants to spend as much time outside as possible. Leigh Ann is also busy beautifying our house and yard as much as possible. Enjoy the pictures for this month. As you can see Elijah loves playing with a water heater box we got from a friend. The rest are just proof that have a very goofy kid! He definitely brings a smile to our face everyday.

Visitors Welcome

I would like to dedicate this blog entry to my parents who were able to make another voyage to this wonderful land of Arkansas. They were here for four full days and we had an amazing time. Eli was in full out entertainer mode, and kept them smiling through the entire duration. We were able spend some time at a park where Eli macked it up on all the little girls. I thought he would love the playground, but he was too busy roaming looking for women. After this we headed out for some great brick oven pizza and ice cream. Easter Sunday was a great day. Elijah enjoyed his first egg hunt, and did quite well. We were able to enjoy a great Easter service celebrating the resurection of our Lord and Savior. Monday ended up being a day of rest. The weather turned a bit sour and provided some downtime to nap and enjoy the ranch. Tuesday turned nicer again and opened the door for some golf which Dad and I really enjoyed. Mom, Leigh Ann, and Eli used this time to get a bit of shopping in.

We couldn't head to Conway without introducing Mom and Dad to Ed's bakery. We also gave them a bit of culture by having Gyros for lunch. We were extremely sad to see them leave on Wednesday, but look forward to their next visit. Anyone interseted in experiencing the wonder of Arkansas call now to book your trip, spaces are filling up fast!

March Madness

Greetings All. March has been a very active month driving us all to madness. We've had two different volunteer groups come to the ranch and we had a week of spring break. Break isn't a very good word though to describe the week. Instead of having school, Jeff and others loaded up the guys and went backpacking for three days on the Ozark Highlands Trail. It was amazing, the weather was in the 70's during the day and we had no rain. We even were able to do a little swimming, though the water was a bit frigid.

While Jeff was gallivanting around in the woods, Leigh Ann was home with a sick Elijah. She ended up taking him to the doctor to get his second round of antibiotics for an ear infection (maybe it has something to do with playing in mud puddles). Thankfully this helped and his infection is now gone. As fate would have it, when Jeff got back on Wednesday Leigh Ann came down with a cold. We're glad it didn't happen while he was gone. I do believe that as of the writing of this blog, we are all healthy once again.

This past week we had a group of 30 junior highers join us for a week of work and fun. They not only came to do work projects, but also brought enough food to feed the entire ranch for the whole week, three meals a day. I must also say that these were not your easy run of the mill camp meals, we enjoyed beef brisket, poppy seed chicken, pasta with Alfredo sauce, wonderful breakfast burritos, biscuits with chocolate gravy. As you can see, we didn't go hungry over the past week. Elijah loved having all these kids on ranch for the week. Overall the weather was good and they were able to work outside everyday. This allowed Elijah to spend a lot of time outside wandering from teen to teen to get as much attention as possible. By the end of each night we put a very tired little boy to bed, and he slept well almost every night.

After all the busyness over the past two weeks, we're looking forward to a bit of normalcy next week. School should resume as normal, which means a bit more of typical schedule. Ahhhhh. In two weeks we look forward to seeing Jeff's parents for an Easter visit. We're really looking forward to that. We can never see family enough. Anyone from the North looking for a bit of warmth, we'd love to have you for a visit anytime. With that I'll sign out, enjoy the pics.