Creativity at its finest

What happens when Memaw's earbuds don't fit??  Can you see Olivia's ingenious solution??  And who says we don't have a engineer in the making?!  :)  LOL!!

Cole finds a better use for Pampered Chef boxes!

Our Little Mermaid

Olivia finally outgrew the old Ariel costume and this is the new one - she is so proud!  Looking forward to many new memories with the new and improved Ariel!

Gary and the gang

Gary and the International Geek Squad ... er, with the Engineering folks at JNCC in Iraq.

Snow, Snow and More Snow

Can you find my mailbox?

The Gauntlet - look at the walls of snow - 

and I had to shovel all that!

The Green, er ... White Mile

Last night and into this morning, we had a TON of snow!  Our weathermen COMPLETELY under-estimated this storm and we were without power for about 12 hours (not bad considering things, just VERY unexpected) with record snowfalls - some places more than TWO FEET.  The worst part?  The snow was so WET and so HEAVY that I could NOT use the ol' snowblower because it just compacted in the pipe - so I was stuck shoveling ... AGAIN.  

I hate snow.

Mom's new business!

After much deliberation, Mom took advantage of a GREAT opportunity and signed up to be a Pampered Chef consultant!  She loves the products, loves cooking and loves helping people learn about what great products Pampered Chef has - and EARN them for FREE!  She had her first show today and did a FANTASTIC job!  With Amy's help (Yay, Amy! - she's the BEST!), Mom will be a pro in no time at all! 

To host a cooking or catalog show, to order products or join the Pampered Chef team, give Mom ...er, Barbara Kujawa, a call at (207) 565-0922 or email her at bkujawa1@aol.com  

Bowling with our Bestest Friends

**Sorry if the pictures are a little fuzzy - the lighting and fast-moving children was a challenge - but at least you get to see what a great time we had!

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

I made a FABULOUS new friend - Amy - along with her hubby, Josh, and two girls, Lilly and Haley!  They are such wonderful people and Olivia and Lilly get along famously (like their moms)!  Olivia said that Lilly was her "bestest" friend and she can't wait to see her again!  Cole (being the only boy among the kids) gave us a RUN for our money - but we had SO MUCH FUN bowling last night!  And Josh was amazing with all the kids - he just seemed very comfortable being Dad, but I knew I'd love him because I love Amy so much!  We are so grateful for their friendship and look forward to making many more GREAT memories!  

**We can't wait for our new friends to meet Daddy - he's going to LOVE them too!

Olivia gets to talk to Daddy!

Another Snowy Day

Olivia and Colvin on the sled - Mommy got to be "the reindeer" (as Olivia nicely put it).

I decided to take the kids outside to play in the SNOW today - we were getting cabin fever and I NEEDED to run off some of their energy so they would sleep tonight!  Cole wasn't sure he liked it - only lasted about 20 minutes before I had to get the sled out - he'd rather sit. :)  I pulled them for a ride around the back of the house (Whew! It's hard work when your legs sink thigh-deep in snow!) and then Cole went inside, while Olivia and I built a snow-woman.  Yes, a SNOW-WOMAN named Samantha.  What she won't think of next!  We were out for almost 2 hours and I got so many GREAT pics, I had to make a slide show! 

 Daddy would have LOVED this - we sure missed him today!

**Especially Mommy  - I am going to be achy tomorrow!

A pajama morning

Today we were LAZY and have been in our pajamas all morning (one of the luxuries of being on a school vacation).  I also discovered that Cole can climb on the furniture now and found him sitting in my chair after I had come back into the room. A was able to catch a quick shot of Olivia and Cole together!  There is also one of each of them - pajamas and all.

Proof

If you ever doubted whether or not Cole would keep his curly hair ... here's your answer.  This was taken after I washed his hair.  See for yourself.  

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Olivia had a Valentine's Day 'party' at school and here's some pictures of her going through her Valentines.  She was so CUTE looking at all of them- she kept saying, "Oh! That's so sweet!"  We wish Daddy was here, of course, but we realize it's not the holidays that mean so much but what we feel in our HEARTS.  And no matter where we are in the world, I'll will always be there with him. 

 We love you Daddy!  Happy Valentine's Day!

*I tried to post a video clip, but I kept getting an error - Sorry!  It was adorable!

Happy Birthday Uncle Ron!

We just wanted to wish Uncle Ron a very Happy ... wait, how old are you now?  Uh oh!  I think I've lost count!  Oh well, hope it's a very Happy Birthday anyway!  

I love my sister, I love my brother

Olivia and Colvin 

January 2009

 

Happy Birthday Dolly!

Hope you have a very happy birthday!  Don't get caught by the chocolate fairy!  Oh wait, you're too old to believe in fairies, right?  :)  Love you!

Cole is growing up!

Our boy is so handsome ~ he looks so grown up!

Missing You

Hi baby,

Just a little note in case you decide to check out the blog tonight (I guess it's already morning for you).  It's hard to believe you've been gone for over 9 months - seems impossible really.  I think it's par for the course for us considering we've spent more time apart than we have together.  And tonight as I'm baking cookies to send to you, I find my thoughts, although always but especially now, are with you.  I miss you terribly and just want you to know how much I love you ~ there are so many reasons why.  In the words of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, let me count the ways... 

I love... (in no particular order)

1. the way you LOVE me

2. your laugh (it's infectious)

3. your kisses ~ how sweet

4. how much you love our children

5. your kindness

6. your strength

7. the way you can put everyone at ease

8. your sense of righteousness

9. your ability to forgive

10. your inability to hold a grudge

11. your compromises (especially when we disagree)

12. how everything you do is with your whole HEART

13. your genuine concern for others

14. your hugs

15. the way our children surprise you with new feats

16. how much you enjoy a good hamburger (Yay, Meat!)

17.  how hard you try to make me HAPPY

18. the look of amazement as you watch our children sleep

19. how you support everything I do

20. your patience (mostly for me)

21. your sweet tooth

22. your sweet heart

23. our stolen glances in a crowded room

24. the sweet nothings whispered in my ear

25. how you know EXACTLY what I'm thinking

The list could go on and on, but eventually you'll have to get back to work.  I guess I'll leave you with one thought ~ I will love you every day for the rest of my life, with all that I am, and I am yours forever.

With all my heart,

Amanda

In honor of Valentine's Day, here's the poem by Browning...

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Disney on Ice

Here's a couple of pics from our latest trip to Portland last weekend.  Disney on Ice came to the Cumberland County Civic Center and although we've been to see Princesses on Ice numerous times, this was Mickey and Minnie's Magical Journey.  We got to see Peter Pan and Tinkerbell,Lilo and Stitch (who Olivia could care less about), Ariel and Sebastian, and the Lion King. 

 

(Sorry the pics are a bit fuzzy - the lighting was awful and Cole NEVER stops moving!)

**Note:  I apologize for being remiss at blogging - I will try to get busy and post more often.

Holy Molly

The snow has been so deep that Molly REFUSES to go out in it - even with the incentive of a couple Girl Scout Cookies!  So, when we had our last sleet/snow mix, the top layer was solid enough for Molly to walk on.  Now she can smell the cookies, but she can't get to them.  It is so funny to watch her try to dig them up!  I wish she'd have gone after a few on this clip.  (*Don't forget to pause the music on the left to hear the audio)

HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY, GARY!!

The big 3-0!!

I wish we could be together to CELEBRATE!  We are all thinking of you and sending happy birthday wishes to you!  Love you always!