A Smattering of Duehrings

Guess where we went one last time this month? Our yearly Christmas trip was scheduled the weekend I went on the missions trip so we rescheduled it for the weekend I got home. This meant I had one day to unpack and pack again. And we were off.

We had great weather and an almost empty park again. So much so that we went back to the condo early everyday because we were roller coastered out. I think Damon is still spinning from the never ending swing ride that they allowed him to stay on ride after ride with Molly.

I did get Eli on a roller coaster again by bribing him with cotton candy. Whatever it takes…

Last year Rachel and I went with just the older kids for the “Old Time Christmas”. We decided back then that the little kids were going to go next time. They loved it. Eli told me it was like a dream come true as we were walking in the first day.

How many pictures can I take at the same place? Way too many. Here are a few of our trip anyway.

This kids loved these puppets and spent a lot of time playing with them.

Quick story: We walked by where Santa was and there was no one was in line. The grinch came up to us and was talking to us and I told him Evan had never sat on Santa’s lap before. (since we don’t do the santa thing so have avoided this type of thing when the kids were young) Anyway, he started pushing Evan to go up there and Evan told me he didn’t know what to say. I told him if Santa asked him what he wanted to tell him “all I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth”. It was hilarious because that is exactly what he told him.

When Molly saw him she went running out of there saying “I do not love Santa Clause”.

The ginormous tree that is beautiful when it lights up at night.

I have so many pictures of my missions trip that I don’t know where to start. I will probably have a 10 part post coming up soon. It was an awesome experience. I was able to experience so many new things during the trip including my first earthquake.

I have been traveling for 3 weeks straight and I can’t wait to share about the trip as soon as my life slows down next week.

Eli was acting sad today and hugging me for a long time.

Me: “Do you miss me already, Eli?”

Eli: “Why would I miss you? You are right there.”

Eli: “Maybe if you went to Canada for like 500,000 days I would miss you (long pause) but then you would be dead.”

It is already time for my missions trip. We will be leaving on Monday morning and arriving in Costa Rica around 8:00pm that night.

We are going to be working at an orphanage and a day care center. The women will be doing a VBS (vacation Bible school) type thing with the kids all week while the men work on building a multi-purpose room/building for the people at the orphanage.

Before heading back we will get to go visit a rain forest on what sounds like an awesome full day excursion. I am sure I will be taking tons of pictures.

Thank you so much for those of you who have supported me financially and are supporting me with prayer. I was able to raise all of my support very quickly. Thank you! I will be sending more personal thank-yous when I get home and can tell you all about the trip.

I have told my kids that I will be going to a different country to take care of and love some kids that don’t have mommies and daddies and my kids taking it really well. I will be sending them to my parents for this first week. My parents are a little…ummmmm….crippled at the moment so could use some prayer also. My mom has a stress fracture in her leg and my dad just fell out of a moving truck and messed his leg up really bad, too. He will probably be having surgery soon. Add 5 kids to that and I am sure they are going to have some serious fun. My sisters are going to help them out all they can.

My sister in law, Melissa, is going to be going with us on the trip. I am so excited about that.

We will be arriving home the evening of Nov 17th and I will tell you all about it. Thanks again for your prayers.