Josh and Jenn

Josh and Jenn
Est. July 21, 2007

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Christmas 2015


Christmas 2015 was a hit!  Easy, laid back, lots of family time...just what we needed.  The Christmas season began shortly after arriving home from Aguadilla.  We showed up at Ft. Buchanan ready to buy a live tree, took one look at the looooooong line and said FAKE IT IS!  Our first fake tree. 

Part of what made this season so fun is the outside time.  Our kids have so much fun outside where they have freedom to do what they want! 

We had many activities leading up to Christmas day- Parties, Girl Scout caroling, cookie making, new movies.  The time just flew by!

 Christmas morning we ate a light breakfast, read the Christmas story, opened gifts, and later had brunch with our good friends who are here with us from Omaha.  That evening we walked over to a neighbors house for dessert.

Pictures of the fun below:

Decorating

Movie night by the tree

Kids with Santa at Ft. Buchanan

Cotton Candy at a neighborhood Christmas Party

Grinch Snacks
Grinch Snacks

Ho Ho Ho

In the dress my Grandma made!

Off to a work Christmas Party


Party time!!

Reading the Christmas story

Excitement

Calm and methodical

Thanksgiving

This holiday season we decided to stay in Puerto Rico.  We often travel at either Thanksgiving or Christmas, but we have had lots of travel recently and agreed that it was best to stay on the island.
The day before Thanksgiving Josh was released from work early.  We quickly packed up the car, and joined a large group from our neighborhood at the Coast Guard cottages in Aguadilla on the west side of the island.  A new tradition- Thanksgiving dinner by the sea.  It was wonderful! 
Thanksgiving morning I woke up to a beautiful 70 breezy degrees.  Of course, I could not resist a run along Cliff Road over looking the ocean.
A little later that morning we joined our group at Crash Boat Beach.  After that- light lunch, naps, and the main event- Dinner!
Thanksgiving feast at school
Alexis is learning to write!

Coffee with Mom
Reading time


Stuffing

The kid table






Our dinner view

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Brilliant Days in NC

Our trip to North Carolina was glorious.   Time well spent with family and friends that are family.
The first and last stanza of this poem are my favorite.  Many thanks to the author our family knows and loves, but wishes to be unknown!


Today was a brilliant day in all ways
Leaves falling about,autumn is here no doubt
Family about
Of all ages and stages
Nothing could be better

The sun was out
The weather was warm
Crisp as we moved into the afternoon

The sounds of young voices
Living in their imaginary world
Laughter that is pure

A fairy tell wedding
Conducted by the Son of a Preacher man
Onion punch
Cornstalk joust

Marshmellows toasting
Fated to be pressed between chocolate and grahams

Young hands pushing firewood over the truck side
Around the pasture we all ride

Smoke in our eyes
As it follows the Beautiful ones

God was here
This beautiful world his mirror
Loved ones near
 
Author:  Known to some, unknown to others

Monday, October 19, 2015

Moving to Puerto Rico



Leaving Omaha at 5am- refusing to smile

Ten months ago moving to Puerto Rico was presented to us.  For one solid week we did nothing but talk about the idea.  Our pro/con list was exactly even.  14 reasons to make the move and 14 reasons not to.  It was not a hard decision to make, outside it was ten degrees and the wind was whipping around with snow covering the ground.  We were supposed to have moved a year and a half ago. Umm.  Yes.  Let's GO!!

April 23rd.  We woke early and headed to the airport with eight suitcases, four carryons, and two kids.  What a sight we were. An exciting emotion filled day! Our family of four more than ready for the new island life. 
We arrived in San Juan in the late afternoon with two exhausted little ones, checked into the Embassy Suites and headed straight to the ocean.  Cameron's first trip.  They loved it!
Oma showed up a day later to help with the kids while Josh worked his first intense week.  Hot, sweaty, tired, sunburn. For us and the kids it was wonderful.  Resort, happy hour, pool, naps...well, not Cameron- THAT part was pure Hell.
Enjoying the resort.
May 1st We said goodbye to the resort and headed to our home less than a mile from the gorgeous Puerto Rician coast. We live very close to Punta Salinas Beach and have been making visits with friends from the neighborhood.  It is a fantastically calm beach- just what we need with the little ones!
Punta Salinas

Six months later we are still glad we said yes to this adventure!  There are challenging days and also wonderful ones.  The weekends are our favorite- we go exploring, eating local food, time at the pool, and the beach.  Like everyone else in the world the weekdays are not as much fun.  Josh's commute is quite a bit longer which doesn't leave much family time.
Several of our guests have been a witness to the terrible water situation.  June began one day without water, one day with.  Later we moved to two days off one day on.  We were making it work with lots and lots of gallon jugs laying around.  That got old fast and a cistern was quickly installed!

Our kids attend an open air Montessori school just around the corner in the mornings where they are immersed in Spanish.  Cameron loves it, Alexis not so much.  She says it's cause they give her food that's mixed up, but we think it's because of the language.  We're keeping her there until we get some wisdom on the situation.  Because it is not an academic environment I part time home school Alexis in first grade math, reading, and handwriting.
Celebrating Lexie's 5th Birthday at school.

That's a little glimpse of life here!  Leave a comment if there's something specific you'd like to know about :)

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Birthday Q&A


 

Favorite Color- pink
 
Favorite Animal- Lion 
 
Favorite Food- Chicken nuggets, pizza, and donuts.  Mostly donuts.
 
Favorite thing to do- See Daddy at his office.
 
Favorite thing to wear- This Dress!  (A b-day gift from Grammy)  It's Pretty.
 
Favorite Game- Zingo
 
What do you want to be when you grow up?- The same thing as Daddy cause I want to see him a lot.

Who do you want to marry when you grow up?- Probably Caleb cause he's younger than me.  I guess if I can't get him I'll get someone I don't know- You know, someone who speaks English and Spanish. Shoulder shrug.
 
Favorite TV show- Sophia the First
 
Favorite Book- Clifford
 
What do you like the best?-Making Daddy something.
 
What do you like the least?-When people do mean things to me.
 
What is the best thing about School?- I get to see Rebecca there.
 
What are you proud of? When I do a good job homeschooling.
 
What is your favorite thing about Cameron-I get to play baby with him!

If you could have anything for your Birthday what would it be?  An Elsa necklace and Money because I can buy things.  I would like to buy what I always wanted...its a secret.  Take a guess Mommy.  I'll give you a clue.  It's something that floats in the air and can be all different colors. 

Friday, June 19, 2015

Father's Day Questions 2015

Alexis- 4 1/2 years old :

How old is Daddy? 32 years

What is Daddy's favorite thing to do?  Eat Oreos

What do you love to do with Daddy? Play Doctor

What does Daddy do at work? Works on the computer

What does Daddy like to eat? Oreos

What is his favorite sport? Basketball

What does Daddy not like? He doesn't like to work hard when he wants to play with us.

What is he good at? Basketball and wiping up when Cameron has an accident.

Why is Daddy special? God made him.

Daddy makes me laugh when...  He acts funny like this (sticks tongue out and waves arms)





Cameron- 2 1/2 years old:

How old is Daddy? 3

What is Daddy's favorite thing to do? Play with Mommy

What do you love to do with Daddy? Play fire

What does Daddy do at work? Shoots peoples

What does Daddy like to eat? Dinner

What is his favorite sport? Basket

What does Daddy not like? Unanswered  

What is he good at? At me

Why is Daddy special? A kiss

Daddy makes me laugh when... Unanswered

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Easter 2015

Catching up...  Easter 2015 was more eventful than we had hoped.  Josh was in the hospital recovering from a MERSA infection contracted in the lovely Puerto Rico.  We managed to attend church and have some fun anyway.  The kids thought it was cool to open Easter baskets in the hospital and still think that the baskets came from their sick Daddy.  Josh was released from the hospital and we went home for a backyard Easter egg hunt.