November 2011

Can my baby already be four years old? It is hard to believe that Elijah turned four this past month. He is still as busy as ever, has a growing vocabulary, loves anything musical, sports related, artsy or that involves reading. I guess he is a fairly well rounded kid! He enjoyed a family celebration including Papa and Nana on his actual birthday. The theme this year was musical instruments. We thought this was appropriate since he is always singing, drumming, or making "music" with something. The following weekend he enjoyed celebration number two with almost all the kids from church in attendance as well as our Russellville friends and the boys' nurse and her two girls. It was a wild, crazy, and altogether chaotic time at Playland. That night our Russellville friends joined us for dinner. What a wonderful time of fun and fellowship. Thank you Lord for four amazing years!

The boys had another appointment with their pediatric nephrologist (kidney doctor) the middle of the month. They didn't do ultrasounds at this appointment so we don't know how much, if any, growth has occurred but the boys seem in fine health. They did some blood work but since we haven't heard back we were told to assume all was fine with that. We will see him again in May and they will do another set of ultrasounds at that point. We continue to praise God for the boys' health.

We got to see our Russellville friends again when we toured the Nina and Pinta. The boats came into Fort Smith as part of their tour and we enjoyed seeing what life was like for Columbus's crew. The boats are much smaller then I imagined but provided plenty of entertainment for the kids.

Eli's preschool put on a Thanksgiving lunch complete with performances from the kids. Eli's class sang a few lively songs to go along with their Indian headdresses and Pilgrims hats. It was too cute for words! Papa, Nana, Daddy, Thad, and I enjoyed having lunch with Eli and his classmates that day.

Thanksgiving was a busy time spent with many loved ones. Grandma and Grandpa Rice traveled down from Wisconsin to spend a few days with us. Eli could hardly wait for them to arrive and didn't leave them alone until they left. Shortly after their departure he asked when we were going to Wisconsin to see them again. Thanksgiving Day I ran another 5K race before we headed to Papa and Nana's house for a feast. Auntie Tanya and friends from church rounded out our table for lunch. Eli and Papa took turns driving the golf cart, 4-wheeler, and tractor. They played in the dirt, with toys, and did puzzles together. Eli loved every minute of having Papa all to himself! Unfortunately, Thad's day was not quite so good. He saw the doctor the day before with a double ear infection. The poor guy had a rough few days. Thankfully, he is doing much better and is giving us all a run for our money again! Thanks to the wonders of technology we were also able to have a great video call with my Meredith and Amos in Albania. It is hard to have them so far away but amazing that with the touch of a few buttons we can be in communication with them. Thank you Lord for Skype!

Thanksgiving is always a wonderful time to remember and give thanks to God for all he has blessed us with. I hope that you too took time to reflect and give God the praise for all he has done for you. As we head into the Christmas season, please don't forget the reason for our celebrations: Jesus Christ came to earth as a babe to redeem the lost. Thank you Lord for your birth, death, and resurrection!

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October 2011

Is it really November already? October seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye!

Here is a recap of this past month's happenings:

The first weekend was the Fort Smith Air Show. We hopped on a bus that took us to the Fort Smith airport where many planes, helicopters, and servicemen were waiting for us. Elijah ran from one thing to the next. He was so excited to get to see inside the cockpit of a fighter jet, walk into the back of a cargo plane, and check out the operations of a helicopter. He also bounced and slid his way down several neat inflatables. It was a treat to watch parachuters coming out of the sky to the National Anthem. Several carried flags too. We also watched a re-enactment of the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. It was extremely moving and brought this piece of history to life, literally. We also watched as a bus fitted with a jet engine sped across a field. Later in the day the Thunderbirds put on an awesome show that we were able to watch from our backyard. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. Thank you Lord for a truly awesome day!

The next week was a pretty normal one but Eli ended up coming down with croup. We had a rough weekend but he was better by school the next week. He would have hated to miss school!

The next weekend, the boys and I headed to a farm with our devoted nurse, Michelle, and her daughters Riley and Kaylee. There was soooo much to do and see and again God blessed us with beautiful weather. We went on several hay rides, petted different farm animals, went through the corn maze, slid down a HUGE slide on potato sacks, dressed up as scarecrows, and picked out our own pumpkins. It was such a fun time that we can't wait to go back and do it again!

The following week, Jeff was very busy with parent teacher conferences and the robot competition. His team did awesome and took 3rd in the robot portion of the competition and placed 4th overall giving them the opportunity to compete at Regionals in December. His Physics students are already coming up with ideas to revamp the robot and marketing presentation. The day ended with a special visit from Candy and Julie. They were able to take in some of the competition before joining us for supper.

This past week was filled with costumes, candy, and fall festivities. Elijah's school had a costume parade on Thursday. It was absolutely adorable to watch all this little kids parade across the gym, so proud, in their costumes. A few of the cuter ones included a one-year old little girl dressed as Piglet, a little chef (home-made costume), and, of course, my Spiderman. We also had a Fall Festival at our church on Friday evening. Eli eagerly donned his Spiderman costume again and we dressed Thad in a monkey costume. Both boys received many compliments on their attire. There were many fun games, an inflatable, and cookout. Everyone walked away with a ton of candy and many great memories. Thad's favorite game was pulling duckies out of the duck pond. He didn't even care about getting candy...just getting wet! Elijah's favorite was the inflatable bounce-around. He jumped for almost an hour by the end of the evening.

This past weekend we had some more special visitors. Ms. Janna and Ms. Laura came. We enjoyed spending time catching up, reading and looking at pictures with our friends.

That brings us to today, November 1. We have plenty more activities planned this month so I hope you will check in at the beginning of December to see pictures from Elijah's birthday, his party, and Thanksgiving. Until then, we pray that you are all healthy and enjoying the fall weather as much as we are!

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September Memories

September has brought cooler temperatures, slower growing grass, fewer leaves, and tons of fun! We love fall and so far this season has been one to enjoy.

The month started our with our first 70 degree day in what feels like forever. We enjoyed the weather while taking in the sights at the Tulsa Zoo with Nana and Papa. We all had a wonderful time. The boys were both enamored by all the animals and couldn't wait to see what was next. The highlight for Eli was definitely getting to ride the camel. For weeks afterward that was the first thing he told anyone we saw. We can't wait until next year to make a return trip. Maybe we will take in the aquarium too!

Leigh Ann started her first Bible Study Fellowship class this month. They are studying the Acts of the Apostles. It has been both fun and challenging. Elijah also enjoys going to Bible class during this time. Unfortunately, Thad is not enjoying it at all and cries most of the time each Wednesday. Please pray that he will get over his separation anxiety and enjoy this time of Bible songs, stories, and play too.

Our big project this month was painting and moving the shed. The paint was flaking badly and it was in an awkward spot in the backyard. After power-washing and sanding the painting went fairly quickly. Then it was time for more of a challenge. Moving that beast took two days and several failed attempts. We ended up purchasing three pieces of huge PVC pipe and lowering the shed onto them. We then used the car and a rope system to pull the shed forward, push it sideways, and roll it back into place. I must say that we were pretty proud of our efforts when it was all said and done. By moving it our yard feels much bigger. Now we just have to plant some grass and we will be good to go!

The end of the month brought two very special visitors: Ms. Candy and Bailey. Candy is a dear friend of ours from Glenhaven and Bailey's new mama. Elijah was so excited that she was coming that he asked multiple times each day that week if it was Friday yet. We enjoyed babysitting Bailey and had several good laughs over the antics of he and Murphy. What a special time for everyone!

Well, we are already a few days into October and more fun and adventures have happened in our lives. You will have to wait and tune in next month for the full report! Until then, enjoy the pictures and God bless!

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August

August was a month of firsts in the Rice Household. Elijah started his first day of preschool. Jeff started his first day as a second year teacher. Thad lost his first tooth.

The month began with a time of friendship. Leigh Ann was able to go away for a night and spend with her friends Laura, Beth, and Laura. They went to a dinner theater in Little Rock and saw The Music Man. It was an awesome night filled with much laughter. After spending the night at a hotel, they embarked on a shopping trip around the city. It was a wonderful reprieve from the children and a great time to reconnect with friends!

Then Jeff started back to school. This year he is teaching Chemistry, Physics, Yearbook, and Physical Science. He is enjoying the classes and his students. He is also in full gear with the second year of his teacher training program. He suffered from some health problems the first week of school which was really difficult but he is better now. Thank the Lord!

The following week Elijah started preschool. He was super excited and LOVES it. He is going on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-2. He has art, music, literacy, and chapel every week. His teacher is wonderful. The biggest problem is getting him to leave...he never wants to! He has learned quite a bit already and just loves being with the other kids.

Fall programming started at church as well this month. Our small group had our first meeting two weeks ago. We are really excited to start this new year together. We have a group of wonderful people and look forward to studying James together this fall.

The final "first" belongs to Thad. He fell last Sunday evening and hit his mouth. When he got up his front tooth was sticking straight forward. After Thad's first trip to the E.R. he was minus that tooth. He took his first trip to the dentist the next day. Thankfully, there was no damage done to any other teeth and he will not need anything further done. He will be toothless until the adult one comes in sometime around age 7. His smile looks goofy but it adds to his charm. An amazing thing happened in the midst of the chaos of that evening. Elijah asked Jeff if they should pray for Thad. Thank you Lord for Elijah's love for his brother!

We hope that you all had a great August and that as the new school year starts you remember to thank the Lord for his many blessings. We are so thankful for a great summer (albeit a HOT one), a healthy family, and the beginning of a new semester of school. Thank you Lord for family, friends, a job Jeff loves, and a home of our own!

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July 2011

I have one word that sums up July: HOT! We have had record setting heat so far this summer and there is no end in sight. Praise God for air conditioning!!!

July has been filled with tons of fun and lots of swimming. We started the month celebrating Thad's first birthday. This year has gone so fast that we cannot believe he is already a year old. We were blessed to be able to also celebrate Isaiah and Uncle Amos' birthdays too. It was a fun time. Jeff made a sandbox/Toy Story cake to suit both boys' interests.

Thad also had his first haircut and learned to walk this month. There is no stopping him now. We call him our billy goat because there is nothing he won't try to climb. He is great at getting up but then yells until someone will come and help him down. He even climbs up the ladder to the playhouse...4 feet off the ground!

We enjoyed spending time at the Alma Aquatics Park with friends and family one evening. Elijah loves going down the water slides. He is fearless and after having to pull him off the bottom of the pool a few times we decided to enroll him in swim lessons. He has had 5 so far and is doing well. His favorite part of lessons is getting to jump off the diving board. He is definitely a little fishy.

We finished the pergola just in time to celebrate the 4th of July with 35 friends and family members from our church. There were 15 kids and chaos reigned. There were plenty of brats and potato salad to go around. The kids had fun swimming and having balloon sword fights. Our neighbor is a clown with the Shriners and he and his wife blew up balloons and made all sorts of awesome things for the kids. The adults enjoyed talking and playing yard games.

Jeff completed three weeks of summer training for the teaching program he is going through. He will continue to have classes one Saturday a month through next May. He has two more major tests to pass and a big project before he will be done with the program.

The newest member of our family joined us this month. We adopted "Murphy" a male Bassett Hound from the humane society. He is so much like Bailey that they could be twins. He fit into our family perfectly. He is well mannered, laid back, and great with the kids. Besides being potty trained, he also walks well on a leash. What more could you ask for?

We spent as much time as we could with the Anderson's this month before they leave for Albania. We were able to visit at their house and also have Isaiah over for a few sleepovers. It was so cute to listen to the Eli and Isaiah as they whispered and laughed in the bunkbeds at bedtime. In just a few short days, their plane will leave for Albania. We will miss them TREMENDOUSLY but are so thankful for the time we have got to live close to them. Please pray for them as they begin the next leg of their adventure and start life in Albania. Please pray for us too as we miss them already!

That is all for now but come back next month to see if the hot spell ended and to hear how life is going for Eli in preschool and Jeff at high school.

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June 2011

June came and went in a whirlwind. From Jeff finishing school to taking two family vacations, there was never a dull moment.

The first week of June saw Jeff finish his first "official" year of school. It was an awesome year and he is really looking forward to starting a new one in just a little over a month. Union Christian has been a great fit for him and he is excited to teach a new class or two in the fall.

The following week we headed to Russellville to spend some time with Leigh Ann's side of the family. The Anderson's head to the mission field at the beginning of August and so time spent together is more precious then ever. Everyone enjoyed swimming, eating, and fellowshipping together. We all got a special treat when we visited a hobby farm and we able to play with many animals and even ride a horse. The boys all headed to the lake for a morning of fishing too. A big thank you to Laura for coming and taking some family pics for us.

Next, we packed up and took the very long trip to Wisconsin to visit Jeff's family. The weather was a little on the chilly side compared to Arkansas but it was a welcome relief. We spent part of a day at Bay Beach, a fun park in Green Bay. Eli loved it and went from ride to ride as fast as he could. Thad also enjoyed the rides he was allowed on. Almost everyone took a trip on their newest attraction...a roller coaster! We had a special treat when longtime friends Pete and Dorothy came and spent the day with us along with their daughter Naomi. We also enjoyed breakfast on the farm one morning. As you will see from the pictures, there is no lack of things to do on the farm. One night the boys braved the cold and took a dip in Uncle Doug's pool. We celebrated Thad's first birthday and Father's Day together. Thad wasn't quite sure what to make of all the fuss but loved Grandpa's buttercream frosting. Daddy made him a special sandbox cake because that is where Thad prefers to spend much of his time. While in Wisconsin Thad learned how to stand without holding on to things and took a couple tentative steps. We also enjoyed taking walks, going for bike rides, riding Uncle Doug's tractor, and Daisy...their new lab puppy!

Once back home, we jumped right into Vacation Bible School. This was the first time Eli was able to participate and we were thankful that even though he was "technically" to young the teacher allowed him with the Pre-Kindergarten group. He had a blast and did fantastic. His favorite part were the clowns. At the end of every night, a group of clowns would do several Bible skits. The last night Elijah won a scooter in a drawing and had his face painted by a clown. Life doesn't get much better then that.

We hope you enjoy the MANY pictures. Come back next month to see pictures of Thad's birthday and our new pergola!

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Moving...

May is always a busy month in our house and this past month was no exception. Jeff and I both celebrated our birthdays. I ran in a 5K. We dedicated Thad. Oh...and we bought a house and moved. Other than that things were dull!

Here's a run-down on the month:
May 1st - Jeff's birthday
May 4 - Thad starts crawling
May 6 - Head to Conway and stay in a hotel
May 7 - Women Run Arkansas 5K race
May 8 - Dedicate Thad at church
May 15 - Leigh Ann's birthday
May 21 - Union Christian Academy's Graduation (Jeff had several seniors in his classes)
May 23 - Close on house
May 28 - Move
May 28 - Jeff ends up in the ER with a kidney stone
May 31 - Jeff's last week of school

Along with all of that, we spent time packing, preparing for our move, painting our new house, visiting with friends, finishing our small group for the semester, and spending time with family.

Side Note: Thankfully, Jeff passed the kidney stone on his own this past week. It made for a very eventful day considering we had packed the U-haul and moved to our new home that morning!

We would like to thank everyone who prayed, packed, watched our kids, and helped us move. You are such a blessing to us! Please come and visit us soon.

Here is our new address:
8926 South Houston Street
Fort Smith, AR 72903

Same Phone Number: 479-434-4939

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April 2011

April began with our house hunt starting in earnest. We spent quite a bit of our "free" time researching houses, driving around neighborhoods, and walking through houses. It was exhausting. We were beginning to think our expectations were too high. We would say, "if we could take the yard from this one, the layout from that one, and so on." Finally, we toured one that met our needs and many of our wants. As we speak, we are in the process of buying it. Lord willing, we will close on May 23rd!

At the beginning of the month Jeff and I also chaperoned the prom for his school. It was neat to go to prom with my husband. Not many people get to do that! I wore the prom dress I wore to my senior prom and he wore one of his suits (check out the picture in the smilebox). It was a fun night!

We also celebrated our 5th Anniversary a few days ago. We have been through so much in 5 years that it seems like we have been together a lot longer then that. God has been so amazing that in all the trials and tribulations we have faced we are closer to Him and to each other.

Eli really had fun "experiencing" Easter this year. We discussed the reason for the season, dyed eggs, participated in an egg hunt, and fellowshipped over dinner at Nana and Papa's house. What an amazing celebration! It is always good to be reminded of the reason for our hope.

April brought beautiful weather, fantastic for fishing, and horrible weather that sent us running to the bathroom to hunker down. Eli found a love for fishing after he and Jeff discovered that crickets make the best bait. He almost quivers with excitement as he watches the bobber begin to go up and down. The look on his face as he reels in "the big one" is truly priceless. Unfortunately, along with the sunny days there have been multiple severe storms complete with the tornado sirens sounding, streets flooded almost to the point of being able to swim in them, and hail that thankfully didn't cause much damage. During the first major storm, we watched as a tornado swept through a part of Oklahoma just over the border from us. The next time we watched as the clouds formed a "wall" and began to spiral toward the earth just a few streets away. At that point, we headed to the bathroom which is the only room in our house without a window. Thankfully, a tornado never "touched down" by us but others in surrounding areas were not so lucky.

May promises to be even busier then April! Please keep us in your prayers. Until next month, God bless you and enjoy the pictures.

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March 2011

My how time flies! It feels like I just finished the blog posting for February and its already time to do one for March. I know I sound like a broken record when I say it has been another busy month but it is true.

This month, in addition to our normal activities, we also enjoyed a visit from Great Grandma Waelde, starting our house hunt, and a week of "Spring Break".

Getting a visit from Grandma Waelde was a special treat. Thankfully, the weather cooperated and we were able to be outside while she was here. A few days after she left, Eli asked to go and see her. When I explained that she had taken a plane and gone home he started to cry. We hope to see her again soon!

During Spring Break, we did some spring cleaning. We ended up with enough stuff to put together a yard sale. It was a cold day the day we had it but the turnout was great. Almost all the stuff sold!

We also headed to Little Rock for a day. We met with a genetic counselor who explained more about ARPKD (Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease). It was very informative. During that day, we also were blessed with a visit from Laura and Janna Scheible. They met us at the doctor to help with the kids so we could both focus on what the doctor had to say. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! You are such a blessing! I also decided to get a haircut that day and since it was so long I donated it to Locks of Love (check out the pictures).

The month ended with us beginning the approval process for financing our first home. We have looked at several but haven't found "the one" yet. We are reading and learning a ton. Who knew buying a house could be so stinking complicated!

Well, I have to run and take care of a few things before the boys get up from their naps. Until next month...

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February

February started with ice, snow, and cancelled school. Unfortunately, Jeff's school did not have any planned snow days and so now they have almost a week of school tacked on to the end of the year. Oh well. When the snow came, everything shut down. Thankfully, it didn't last long and the month ended with gorgeous 70 degree weather. I think the months got confused because February was "in like a lion, and out like a lamb".

During the rest of the month, we enjoyed:
- A few play-dates with friends from church
- Celebrating Papa's birthday
- Having the Anderson family come and visit a few times
- Getting a special visit from Laura S.
- Having a Valentine's lunch without kids (Thanks again Mom & Dad)
- Enjoying a Valentine's dinner at church (complete with childcare)
- Having dinner with friends from Russellville
- Starting to train for a 5K run (Leigh Ann)
- Having Grandpa and Grandma Rice come for a visit

Other then that, it was life as usual. I hope you enjoy the pictures!

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More Pictures

I had to add some more photos from January. Enjoy!

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Winter Daze

January started the year off cold but clear. School was back in session and life returned to normal. That is until the second week of school. Winter came on in full force delivering a scant amount of snow but enough to cancel school for a day. Less than a week later, more snow fell resulting in school being let out at noon. The snow fall seemed rather insignificant compared to what we were used to in the north but they don't have the equipment down here to deal with snow and ice. I went to the grocery store the night before the first "big" snowfall to pick up a few odds and ends. Boy was I surprised to see whole shelves empty as if a famine were on the way and not a few inches of snow. There was literally only one bag of sugar left on the baking aisle! Does this seem a bit extreme to anyone else?

Eli really liked the look of the snow but was a wuss when it came to actually playing in it. After 5 minutes, he decided it was too cold. It took me longer then that to bundle him up. ARG!

The boys and I enjoyed getting together with both friends from Fort Smith and Russellville on several occasions for play dates and lunch. Thad really enjoys watching the other kids play and is anxious to be able to join in. He sits on his own now and continues to teeth...maybe someday soon we will see a tooth!

This weekend we enjoyed sunshine and temperatures in the low 70s. Talk about temperature fluctuations! It felt wonderful but they are forecasting snow and low 30s this week. Major bummer. You know what they say though...wait a few minutes and the weather will change again. This seems to be true no matter where you live!

Well, that is all for now but please take a look at the pictures.

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Christmastime

December was a festive month in the Rice household and we enjoyed many Christmas activities.

At the beginning of the month, we enjoyed the lights at Creekmore Park. The entire park, and it is a pretty big one, was full of all different kinds of light displays. There was everything from Santa riding a bull (complete with motions), to the 12 days of Christmas, to Blue's Clues. Eli and Thad both loved all the lights. We also rode the Christmas train which takes a tour through some of the lights. Toward the end of the month, we went again and Thad got to sit on Santa's lap and we once again enjoyed a train ride.

We also went to the Mayor's Christmas Parade downtown. It was a chilly day but that didn't stop the masses from coming to enjoy the bands, floats, and cotton candy. As you will see in the pictures, Eli really got into his cotton candy!

About a week later, Eli enjoyed an early Christmas gift from Papa...a new sandbox. Eli was ecstatic and thoroughly enjoyed "helping" Papa assemble it. This was definitely one of his favorite gifts and one that will be enjoyed for years to come. (Thad already has his eyes on it!)

In our house, we enjoyed setting up the Christmas tree, doing the advent calendar, and awaiting the birth of Christ. Eli really got into the decorations and almost cried when we took them down.

Meredith and Amos came over a few days before Christmas and Papa treated the grandkids to a morning at the Monkey House, an indoor inflatable park. Everyone had a blast. Even Thad took a turn in one of the inflatables! Later we went back to Papa and Nana's house to make and decorate Christmas cookies. Much fun was had by all and MANY cookies were consumed!

Christmas morning we opened presents as a family and then headed back to Papa and Nana's for a Christmas meal and more presents. We ended the day singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

Well, the decorations are down, the cookies have been eaten, and the break from school has come to an end. It was a joyous season to celebrate the birth of Christ and remember the tiny babe that came to earth to live and die on our behalf. Thank God for the gift of his Son! As the new year dawns, we pray that you too would reflect on the blessings of this past year and anticipate the things Christ is going to do in your life in the year to come.

With Love,
The Rice's

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