January Updates!

Sorry, I know, I told everyone I would give updates each month on how the Kaisand's are doing!  The last month I took step by step was October.  However, I did write a thankful November message.  December had the "Blessings" letter, the recap of 2010.  Before January ends I will update you all on how Jon and I are doing here in Ames.

We celebrated the new year with Jon's cousins and Kate came up to celebrate with us!  It was a wonderful time!  (Otherwise it would've been weird to be apart from Kate, rarely are we ever apart on new year's.)  New Year's Day was Jon's extended family Christmas.  It was nice to see everyone again.  The next week was a nice week filled with Jon working a lot to catch up on things before he started school again.  On the 10th he had to return to his classes.

The next weekend was my Dad's birthday.  It was a wonderful time with family and friends and bowling after going out to eat.  Watching the kiddos bowl was pretty cute too. :)

              Jack (4), Sam (5), and Max (2) help Grandpa blow out his candles.


The following weekend was a wonderful family getaway to Kansas City.  We left right after Jon's class on Friday to get a head start on the weekend.  It was a wonderful time with family.  We stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge which had a indoor water park.  Which worked well for this time of year!  It also kept us all together and we didn't have to leave the hotel at all for entertainment.  It worked around the baby schedules, which is the right thing for our family right now. :)  Jon and I were able to see into our future of what a vacation looks like "with children."  Our time together became a wonderful ride down the tube slides! :)  We really enjoyed the trip, and had a lot of time to bond with our nephews and nieces!

           On the way there, playing a car-version of Phase10 with Grandma Doris.

                                     The bucket of water I didn't want to be standing underneath.

                                                   Max (2) goes down the kiddie slide.

                                              My sisters and their babies (both born in August).

                                            Jon and I at dinner on Saturday night (holding Frank).

                                              One of my FAVORITE pics from the trip.
                                                Max (2) helps Evelyn (2) out of the pool.

                           They were going down the kiddie slide together.  Cute cousins. :)

After the fun-filled weekend Jon and I returned to Ames and had to get kicked back into reality.  Jon had to get back to his schoolwork.  Me?  Well, that's another story.

If you know of anyone who needs someone like me to work for them let me know! :)
I'm also finding ways to maybe volunteer here in Ames.  Get my feet wet a bit and get more connected here in Ames.  Make it feel more like home.  Jon's thinking we'll be staying here a couple years after he's done with school.  He loves his previous job SO MUCH.... he wants to stay! :)

Hope everyone is having a wonderful beginning of 2011......
Stay warm!


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