Happy Baby and SVA Boys

A happy Kiki at 4 1/2 months.


We've been having Savoonga-like weather lately with high winds and blowing icy snow. The other day we walked to the school. Annika was sleeping cozily in her stroller beneath multiple layers of blankets and her "weather shield" while the boys looked like this. It brought back fond memories of walking in Savoonga.

The Funny Things They Say

Yesterday, Owen came running out of our bedroom to tell me that he got his shorts out of the "hamster" (I'm thinking he meant "hamper" as we don't have a hamster) :)

Tonight, we were reading Anne of Green Gables and Anne keeps mentioning that she doesn't like that her hair is red. I said, "I wonder why she doesn't like her hair color. I always wanted red hair." Owen quickly grabbed a chunk of his hair and said, "I want blue hair." Logan said, "Me too!" Free spirits already!

Not much other excitement here except that Jacob just sang an "operetta" during the Bickleton School Talent Show. Something about "Oh how I love Bickleton. Between Praire, forest, and sky. Where the bluebirds fly and the quail walk by. Where the wind towers turn and we all return to ride the carousel." He had many moving verses about wheat and ranching, but the biggest laugh came from "If free coffee is what you're after. The cafe or the tavern will do. As long as you roll a good number and have paid in the last month or two." Yep...you probably have to live here to get it...just wanted to give you a small taste of our life in this little town:)

Some excitement for me is that I've just mastered holding a sleeping baby on my shoulder while typing with TWO hands! And now I'm off to bed before she awakes.

And Winter Came

Winter finally arrived a couple of weeks ago. We went from no snow to 18 inches of accumlated snow with 2 inches of ice on top followed by a 24hr. power outage in less than a week. It was a great adventure (since we have a woodstove and bottled water!) I thought I should post some pictures of our family since I haven't for a bit.


"tummy time"


"over-stimulation?" Annika has such great big brothers who like to hook her up with toys:)


These pictures aren't great because it was really dark! The boys didn't want the power to come back on and fortunately it didn't until after dinner because they were so excited to cook over the woodstove and eat by candlelight.





My cute little boy (Owen) "Mama, take my picture with all of these hats balanced on my head."


Owen talking to Gma Meadows on the phone.


Proud big brother (Logan)


Our beautiful little girl at 3 months (Annika) sideways...not sure how to change that!


Are you in there Annika? Snoozing after a walk.

Onto February....

Favorite Quotes of Late

The boys have been doing some preschool work at home since September and it has come to be known as "school". The other day, I said, "You guys need to do your school work now." Owen responded with a big sigh and "I need Christmas break." I didn't think I'd hear that for at least a few years! :) We must hang around the youth group too much.

Logan especially loves to hold Annika. He really does a pretty good job with her most of the time. He has learned that if she cries I will take her from him and he doesn't like it when this happens. The last time he held her, she let out a loud, short cry and Logan said, "Wow, Kiki's cooing really loud." Unfortunately for Logan, I can tell her coos from her cries:) Good try though.

Annika Grace Meadows

We met Annika Grace "Kiki" Meadows face-to-face on Thursday, October 13th. She weighed 7lbs 7oz and was 21 inches long. We were all very excited to meet her. She is a very sweet little baby and as her brothers say, "She just eats and sleeps!" We all love her very much!

Monkey News

Several weeks ago, Owen woke up with a big grin on his face. He told me that every night, in the middle of the night, he drives his race car to "Monkey News" at the Capital Theater in Yakima. Only "Owens" are aloud and there are hundreds of monkeys there. Every morning since, the first thing he tells us when he wakes up is what he learned at Monkey News. Sunday, he told me that they had church at Monkey News. He said, "But it wasn't like our church. The monkeys...well...they don't preach. (He seemed very happy about this part...no offense, Jacob! Ha, ha!) They let you play and then give you a snack and a coloring sheet and if you don't finish your coloring sheet Mighty Gorilla hits you on the bottom with a ruler." Oh dear! He assured me that his real Sunday School teacher doesn't hit him on the bottom with a ruler if he doesn't finish his coloring sheet. I think we've been reading a little too much Little House on the Prairie! I do love that child's imagination though.

Logan's Theology

Yesterday, I was in the back room when I overheard the boys having the following conversation:
Logan-"You have to put it away, Owen."
Owen-"No, Logan."
Logan-"Owen, the Bible says, `You get it out...you put it away.'"
I'm not really sure where that verse is found, but it sounds good to me:)