Sixwickerts

Fun packed July!

2011-07-19T05:37:00.001-08:00

Hello again everyone! Well my lack of posts has not been lack of motivation on my part but lack of internet service! We moved into our new home about 3 weeks ago, and have just within the last few days got phone and internet service! So, July has been packed with painting, moving, birthdays and parades :) My big boy entered into the double digits with his 10th birthday, and my babies turned 6. I am amazed at how fast time goes. We are enjoying our new home and are slowly getting things in order. We painted the whole house before we moved in, but there is still alot of work to do, mainly in the yard. There is almost 3 acres to tame, but we are enjoying the work and look forward to planting a garden soon.

First night in our house!

The 4th of July is always fun for us too as Naples has a great parade and fantastic fireworks display. This year was a little crazy for us with the move and birthdays thrown in but we enjoyed it none the less!

First 4th as a citizen of the US!

The Loot!

Thank you Nana & Nandad!

Happy six year olds!

Back yet again!

2011-06-07T14:13:00.001-08:00

Yes, I know, I am yet again behind on my blog! I have no excuse, other than that our life has been a little busy lately. Well, actually our life has been a lot bust lately. Anyway, here I am again having no intention of giving up on my blog with some news of our recent activities!

Since my last post, Evan has also learned to ride his bike, we put an offer in on a house which we are thankfully closing on next week, we organized an Easter outreach into our neighborhood, took a trip to Virginia, welcomed Jasen's mom for his 40th birthday week, celebrated 14 years of marriage, continued to slog through school, supported Jaden and his soccer team, bought a new car, took a trip to Miami to visit with dear friends from Alaska, enjoyed a church work day, put together a devotional series for my sister-in-law to share with her ladies coffee group in VA, amongst other odds and ends! So, as you can see we have not been sitting idle! I will share more details over the next few weeks in regards to the house etc, and what lies ahead for us in the next few months. For now, I will share a few pics for you to enjoy!

SURPRISE!! Happy Birthday Jasen :)

BIG GIRL!

2011-02-03T07:40:00.000-09:00

The twins each got bikes for Christmas! How surprised we were last night when Leah jumped on a friends bike sans training wheels and took off! So, this morning we took the trainers off her bike and watched her go :) They are growing up WAY too fast.

Playing Catch Up

2011-01-14T06:51:00.000-09:00

Happy New Year everyone! I realize months have passed since I have updated you on life here in SW Florida. I have resolved however to be better about keeping things current here. I do enjoy Facebook, but I also enjoy looking back myself at our blogging journey. I also realize that there are those who enjoy keeping up with us through this site, so for all of those reasons here is an overview of recent happenings of the Wickert family!

It's hard to believe that we have lived in Naples for over a year now. The time has flown by, but it has been a good year full of fun, and lots of blessings. Visits from friends and family, the kids doing well in their schoolwork, Jasen enjoying his job, getting to know the people at Naples Alliance Church, and the small opportunities for me to occasionally appear on our local FOX affiliate here. I would say the biggest blessing of all came recently in the form of the sale of our home in Tennessee! With the market being the way it is right now, we did take somewhat of a loss, but we are also thankful for the ability now to move ahead and buy a place here. 2011 has started well, and I pray it continues that way.

Here are a few pictures to capture some of our activites over the last few months!

Fun with friends

Making Christmas Cookies

Sneaking Dough!

Snow Fest!! They truck in snow so the kids can play :)

Evan climbing the mountain

First rollercoaster ride

Waiting for the Christmas parade

Christmas Eve

Christmas Morning - Listening to the Christmas Story

Pure joy!

Soooo happy

Excited!

Big Girl Bike

Build A Bear

"Winter" in Florida

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM!!

2011-01-04T04:09:00.001-09:00

ADAM IS EIGHT TODAY!! What a sweet boy he is. We are very proud of the young man he is becoming and know there are great things ahead for this little one :)

Our traditional birthday doughnut breakfast, this year on the beach!

Busy Times

2010-09-10T12:28:00.002-08:00

Things are hopping along here in Southwest Florida! I think I just need to stop saying that we are busy and just accept it as regular life!! The second week of August we had Vacation Bible School at Naples Alliance Church. It was the first for a number of years, so needless to say we weren't quite sure what to expect. Our prayers were answered however, and I'm pleased to tell you that we had over forty kids through the doors throughout the week, at least 25 each night. Our congregation is very small and so it was alot of work for everyone, but a blessing to see everyone pitching in to make a great time for the kids. Those of you who are interested you can see a short video my mom put together of the week here

We have been blessed with lots of company over the past few months, and this past month has been no exception. Becky English headed down here the last week of August and then Tim Lindseth showed up the following week! It is so nice to see family from "home", makes being away a little easier!

Homeschool has started back up again! Yes, I'm doing it again. This year though we decided to get the kids involved in some things outside of home! Jaden decided on soccer and Adam chose Tennis. I stole the picture of Jaden from Becky (thanks Beck) as I can't find my pictures anywhere!! The twins have yet to decide what they want to do yet, Leah says karate or gymnastics and Evan concurs, big decisions for little people!!

One exciting thing that has happened recently is that I have been invited to participate in the local FOX channels morning show The Morning Blend! This week, I took the kids with me and we did a segment together. The whole time is not online, but the main segment is here! And a second part here

Here are some pictures of our time.

Playing Catch-up again!

2010-08-09T10:47:00.000-08:00

So here I am again, playing catch-up on my blog :) The days and weeks just seem to fly by. We have continued to stay busy, enjoying the place we live and the company we have been getting!

One thing that I failed to mention in previous posts, is that over the last two months my Mom & I have been taking cake decorating classes. It's been a good getaway for me, and great to learn a new skill, especially one that with four kids and lots of birthdays I can put to good use. Here are the kids birthday cakes!

Jadens Bumblebee Transformer Cake

Evan Lego Indiana Jones Cake

Leah's Cake

Curious George Live Show - The kids birthday presents from Grandma & Grandpa

On to other things. We are gearing up for Vacation Bible School this week. The church hasn't had one for three years, so we really don't know what to expect. We are ready though and praying for a really fun week.

I have much more to share, but this will catch you up a little!

Happy Birthday Leah & Evan!!

2010-07-05T14:59:00.000-08:00

Our "babies" turned a whopping 5 years old today! What a delight they are, and are always guaranteed to bring excitement and fun to every day. Leah is very much the little mother, which does not go down too well with the ones she tries to mother, namely her brothers, but she is sweet girl and is always eager to help mommy in the kitchen or with laundry!! Evan is an adorable little monkey, with a sweet but firey personality, life is never dull with Evan around! Happy Birthday to my sweet babies!!

Happy Birthday Jaden Cole!!

2010-07-03T17:57:00.000-08:00

Our big boy Jaden turned 9 years old today! It is amazing how quickly time goes by. Jasen reminded me today that in only 6 short years Jaden will be driving around with a learners permit...."uh maybe not so much" said I! Still, we have loved watching Jaden grow up so far and look forward to many more years of fun. He is a sweet personality (most of the time :) ) and is a born organizer and motivator. I think his future lies either in negotiation as he is one fast talker or animal training being that the love and interest he has had for animals over the years remains! Whatever it is, I know he will do well. Happy Birthday Jaden, we love you!

Don't Faint......

2010-06-26T10:16:00.002-08:00

Hi Everyone! Please don't pass out, yes this is an update! I honestly didn't realize that it has been so long since my last post.

Life is good for us here in sunny Florida. Jasen is enjoying his job and I am finding my way around more easily. We have had alot going on over the last three months. It has been great to see family and friends. We celebrated Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day and Jasens birthday, and are very quickly coming up on the 4th of July weekend which as most of you know, three birthdays!!!!!

On a personal note I have been embarking on another adventure. I know those of you that know me well are saying "what now!" I always have something I'm doing!! Well, in April I entered a competition sponsored by Paula Deen & Philadelphia Cream Cheese. It was a sixteen week cooking contest, which I had to develop recipes, cook and film myself while doing so. Then the videos along with the recipes were submitted online. Well, long story short, I didn't win anything, but it was alot of fun and kinda gave me the bug....so, a month ago I saw an opportunity that Oprah was presenting for some lucky person to win their own TV show on Oprahs new network OWN TV. Five different categories were presented so I entered into the cooking category. I have posted the link to my audition video, plus a segment that I did for a local Fox News Channel here below! So without further ado, here are some recent pictures of our life..Enjoy!

Collier County Museum Visit

Imaginarium Children's Museum

A trip to the park, where we ran into the Easter Bunny,

Leah...not so thrilled!

Our own little Easter Egg Hunt

Family Picture Easter 2010

Random Fun (well mostly fun)

Fox 4 Morning Blend Segment

Oprah Audition (Please vote for me here!)

Moving right along

2010-03-15T07:59:00.002-08:00

Since we have been in Naples, we have really taken advantage of the outside activities available here. We have many parks within about a five to ten minute drive, plus beautiful beaches a couple of miles down the road. Even though the weather has been cooler than normal, we have still enjoyed being outside.

e have been really blessed over the last few weeks to have been visited by many people! It started with my Nana & Auntie Margaret from Britain.

Girls Day Garage Saling!

Not only have we had family visiting but also some great friends!

Bev & Bud Schultz

Margie Thynes

Pastor Bill & Margaret White

We had a great visit with the Nason family this weekend, but I'll save that for another post! It has been great to see people from "home" both our British home and our Alaskan home! We have plenty of room for more. Come and see us!

On a side note my website Mamas Little Notebook is back up and running! Check it out for recipe ideas, fun kids stuff, home tips and lots of other fun things!

Back By Popular Demand!

2010-03-07T08:52:00.000-09:00

Ok, no more excuses! Here is an update...finally! We are alive, well, happy and enjoying life in Florida! I guess the last you really heard from us we were still in Tennessee in the throws of moving. We left Portland on January 7th, Jasen in the moving truck, and me, my mom and all of the kids in the van. Our trip was delayed a day, so that being the case we made the decision to drive the whole way in one day rather than split it up into two. Twelve hours is a LONG time for kids to spend in a vehicle, but they were incredible and the drive was without incident. We arrived in Sebring late in the evening and spent a few days relaxing there and then headed down to Naples where we have been settling into our new life.

We love it here. The kids are happy, Jasen is enjoying his job and I am starting to find my way around! There are so many things I could say about this area, the beaches are beautiful everything is neat, clean and tidy, there are alot of great shopping areas, and lots to do for the kids. So, that's a little update. I have lots more to tell, and many pictures, but for now here are a few pictures of our last few weeks in TN. I know Christmas is along way gone but enjoy them anyway!

Looking at Christmas Lights

With friends Christmas Eve

New Jammies!!

Christmas Morning Fun

Fun In The Tub :)

Making Pies with Grandma

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM!

2010-01-05T04:50:00.001-09:00

My big boy Adam turned 7 yesterday! We had a great day, and he had so much fun. Happy Birthday sweet boy, we love you!
We are in the throws of moving, leaving tomorrow afternoon for Florida. I know I haven't posted for a long time, we have so much to share. Winter and Christmas activites, a great visit with Dave, Jenn & Abby, lots of fun. The house is packed and the dog left for Virginia with Dave & Jenn this morning.....good times, but busy times! Will catch up with picutres next week! Pray for us as we drive tomorrow :)

Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T06:13:00.000-09:00

This Thanksgiving was a little different for us, being that we didn't get to spend the holiday with family, but we had a great day none the less! We invited a family to have dinner with us. They are relativly new to our church here, but we have become fast friends. We have been blessed with great freinds here in Tennesse, and we will miss them when we leave!

On The Move Again

2009-11-22T05:30:00.001-09:00

The saga of the Wickerts continues........After a year in Tennessee, we have made the decision to move yet again! Over the last year we have been challenged, we have sturuggled in many areas, and been stretched greatly. But we have also grown and been encouraged in many ways. We have met some dear people that will remain friends for a lifetime. We have clearly seen the Lords direction in the decision that we have made to move again. So let me share a little of how we arrived at this decision!

When we relocated to Tennessee from Alaska, alot of things where unknown to us. We arrived in a little town called Portland which is about 30 minutes north of Nashville. Not intending to settle in the Portland area we started searching for homes and jobs closer in to Nashville, but as it happened Jasen was offered a position with the City of Portland as their building inspector, we found a church home on our first visit there, and we found a great house, in a great neighborhood, for a great price, so, we stayed! Life was going along, I settled into homeschool with Jaden and Adam, Jasen & I started discussing possible business ideas for the upcoming years. Everything changed about 4 months later when Jasen, feeling uncomfortable with some the duties he was being asked to perform resigned his position with the city. At that time we fell back on his carpentry business. Things went ok for a while but with the ecomony being the way it is, the work just wasn't there. Jasen took a trip to Florida during this time to look at a business that was for sale down there, but when that didn't materialize, we decided to accelerate our "business plans" and move forward with our plan for a coffee shop/bistro in Portland.

We explored a few different locations, put together a business plan and started moving ahead. We looked a several different locations, but for one reason or another they were not the best. Then about two months ago, we found the ideal location, an old historical home on the edge of town, with a great big yard and tonnes of character. We were very excited at the potential and possibilities the place afforded, so with my parents, we made an offer which was accepted and started the process of buying the place. In the meantime we started up a catering service out of our home, with the intention of moving it into the new building by the new year. So, things were moving along fine until about three weeks ago!

Within one week, all of our "plans" fell apart. Two days before we were to sign our closing documents on the house, the loan fell through due to a "technicality". Two very large catering jobs that I had tentativly secured were cancelled, and Jasen received a call with a job offer in Florida!! Talk about life being upside-down! We didn't know what to do. Thankfully my parents were here that week, so we were able to bounce things back and forth with them, and felt very supported during a time when things were pretty rough.

So, after MUCH prayer, instead of trying to force the purchase of the house through which we could have done based on the nature of the "technicality" we decided to let it go, convinced that God's protection was in it and we were not to proceed any further. But then we were left with "what now?". The possibility of the job offer in Florida became our focus and after talking with the owner of the business, who is a member of my Dads church in Naples, we decided to move forward and Jasen accepted the position that was offered. So, over the course of the last week or two we have a job with a lot of potential for growth, and we have rented our home to some great people who may eventually like to buy it from us, the kids are excited about being close to Grandma & Grandpa and we have peace for the first time in a long time!

Our time here in Tennessee has taught us alot, things that I don't know if we would have learned elsewhere. We were here for a purpose, we know that, but we feel very strongly that it's time to move on. We will be moving around the second week in January, as Adam wanted to celebrate his birthday here with all of his friends! Jasen has been blessed with alot of work here over the next couple of months, and he will start his new job around the 15th of January.

So, life goes on and it's never dull!! I'll continue to update you all as we make decisions, but we are excited to celebrate the holidays here, then move on the see what the future holds!

From The Mouths Of Babes

2009-11-15T18:12:00.000-09:00

Adam- "Mommy, I am going to stay with you until you die, then I am going to go and live with Uncle Dave and Auntie Jenn" Mommy - "Well, what about Daddy, don't you want to stay with him?" Adam - "Yes, but he is older than you, so he will already be dead!"

Fall Arrived!

2009-10-19T16:26:00.001-08:00

Well Fall is officially here. The temperature has dropped and the trees are turning color. Fall is my favorite time of year, Tennessee is at its most beautiful and our house is at its coziest! Our last round of visitors left last week. Jasens mom, sister and our nephews came for a short visit. We had a lot of fun. Having six little boys running around the house is not for the faint of heart, and poor Leah was just plain out numbered! However it was good for the twins to finally meet their Aunt Amanda.

Another fun fall activity we took the kids to yesterday was October Fest at a local farm. We got to go on a hay ride, pick pumpkins, run through a hay maze, and pet numerous animals. It was a sunny crisp day and very enjoyable.

Long Time No Post!

2009-10-04T16:07:00.006-08:00

I know, it has been FOREVER since I posted our doings on here. We have had tons going on. Life has been pretty much a whirlwind over the last month. I have lots to share and many pictures to post. But I will start with these. Over the last month we have had alot of company. It started with my mom and nana, they visited for a week in September. Then the week after they left Jasens dad and stepmom visited for a few days. Following their departure, my parents came up for a week, and in the middle of that my brother surprised me with a visit for my birthday! So you can see that there has been little time for blogging! We have much more news to share but you will have to wait a few days to find out what it is!

2009-08-29T09:27:00.001-08:00

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My Babies Are Off To School!!

2009-08-18T06:36:00.003-08:00

I can not believe that this day has come! Today was the first day of preschool for Leah & Evan. They were so excited, and looked so cute with their backpacks and lunchboxes. We have enrolled them in a two day a week program at First Baptist Church. They have a great program, everything is clean, well organized and the ladies that run it are wonderful. We are excited to see Leah & Evan learn this year, they have grown so fast, and are so sweet.

Change Is Afoot Again!

2009-08-15T08:24:00.003-08:00

Change is in the air again for the Wickert family! We aren't quite sure what that is yet, but we are praying that it is made clear soon. A lot has happened over the last month or so. A business opportunity that we were persuing here fell through, my brother and his family moved to DC for a job so things are feeling a little unsettled again.

Jasen is running his business here, but the work is not consistent and we need more stability. Jasen recently took a trip to Florida to look at a couple of business options there, and there are a couple of possibilities but we aren't quite sure what to do right now. Of course my Mom and Dad are there, so that would be a big plus if we were to move. In the midst of it all though we are well. I am homeschooling again this year, and will start the first week of September.

We have been enjoying the summer, the kids love the pool and being outside. Jasen is enjoying his ride on lawn mower and all of the help that comes along with that!

Happy Birthday Leah & Evan!

2009-07-09T13:56:00.002-08:00

The 4th of July holiday is always very full and busy for us, and this year was no exception. The 3rd marks Jadens' birthday, then the 4th festivities, and the 5th is Leah & Evans special day. The weekend went by in a bit of a blur, but we had alot of fun!

Jaden Turns Eight!

2009-07-03T18:57:00.005-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Jaden who turned eight today! We had a great time with family and friends.

Ball Game

2009-06-30T06:44:00.002-08:00

This past Sunday we had the opportunity to go to a Nashville Sounds ball game. A group of 35 of us went from the church. I am not into baseball at all, but it was fun to be with everyone and watch the kids have fun. The boys stayed until the end and got to go down onto the field and run the bases, which they thought was really cool!

Be Thankful

2009-06-24T08:27:00.003-08:00

I saw this video a while ago, but was reminded of it once more today. I think it is a great reminder to us, especially those of us moms who sometimes get exasperated with our kids! Let's be thankful for them DAILY!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th6Njr-qkq0

Summer Time Fun

2009-06-16T16:32:00.007-08:00

Well, here we are again three weeks since my last post! For those of you that check for updates regularly, I apologize! I too get irritated when week after week I check peoples' stagnant blogs. I promise to do better :)

We have had quite a busy few weeks. Trying to finish up school, birthdays, family visits, and playing in the sun.

Things are going well for us. We are continuing to seek Gods direction for the long term future, there are a couple of things in the works which I can share once a few more pieces fall into place. I am putting quite a bit of effort into my website, trying to finish my book on motherhood, and I have just started writing for an online news site Nashville Examiner. I did my first radio interview today. The subject was Homeschooling. It was fun, but the hour went very quickly. Jasen has reinstated his construction business and is slowly getting work here. The children are growing and give us alot of joy, they are definitely enjoying the nice weather, and spend most of their days outside.

Still truckin'

2009-05-20T03:50:00.003-08:00

I know it's been a while since my last post. Life has been keeping us busy. Trying to plough through school, sifting through the details of our future plans, surprise visits from parents! Festivals, book writing, lots of dinner guests and a few birthdays on the horizon!

As I mentioned, just over two weeks ago I was cooking dinner when there was a knock at the door, "weird I thought, no one visits without calling first!" Well I opened the door and there standing on the step was my mom & dad! What a great surprise. My mom informed us she was staying for the month :) Sadly my dad had to make a pretty quick turn around and go back to Florida, but he will be back next week for a few days. We have been having fun with Grandma, and we are feeling like it is definitly time for my mom and dad to give up the sunshine state for cowboy boots and hayrides!!!

Anyway, here are a few picture from our adventures over the last few weeks.

Fun In The Sun

2009-04-25T13:06:00.007-08:00

The 80 degree weather forced us outside today! We went to the Main Street Festival in Franklin, Tennessee. Many vendors took part, arts, crafts, music, food. It was a fun day out and a great opportunity to see and enjoy more of this beautiful state that we live in.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T10:00:00.004-08:00

This Easter was another first for us. The first spent with our new church family! We had a great service, and a really fun egg hunt for the kids afterward. The rest of the day will be spent at home. Dave, Jenn & Abby will be coming up for dinner later. We hope you all have a blessed day, as we remember the One who rose!!

My New Website!

2009-04-08T11:29:00.002-08:00

I am happy to announce the launch of my new website today!! It is by no means fancy, but it has been alot of fun to put together. It is aimed at women & mothers, so guys, not so much for you there. I am looking for contributors, so if you want to write a devotional, send in a recipe, advice, whatever, please send it to me! I hope you enjoy it, and if you have any suggestions, let me know! www.mamaslittlenotebook.com

Big Boy Time

2009-04-02T12:38:00.004-08:00

So last month when we visited my parents in Florida, we decided to take the boys on their own little day trip. They very rarely get time with just Mom & Dad so we thought it would be good to leave the twins with Grandma and do something fun just for them.

We drove down to the beach in Naples spent some time there and then played a round of mini golf! The boys loved it. We finished up with a round of icecream, and left tired and happy!

Of course, I could post something about the boys and not at least give the twins a mention, here they are singing there very favorite country song "Roll On Highway" by Alabama!!!

Tea Time In Portland Tennessee!!

2009-03-28T17:45:00.003-08:00

The ladies at the church got together at our house today for a British Tea. It was alot of fun to host an event at my house, something I haven't done since leaving Ketchikan. I think all of the ladies enjoyed a new experience, and the great fellowship we had together. I must say I missed my tea partners in crime, my Mom & Chris Cooke!!

More Family Pictures

2009-03-23T15:11:00.004-08:00

Here are some more pictures of our time with my parents and grandparents. They spent a week up here in Tennessee and split their time between Dave & Jenns and our house. On this day we all went to the zoo together.

We're Back!!

2009-03-20T07:20:00.005-08:00

So we are finally back in blogging mode!! After about a month of sickness, we are all now healthy and enjoying the spring weather.

We recently took a trip to Florida to visit with my Grandparents who are over from Wales. They are now up in Tennessee visiting with us, along with my Mom & Dad.

I have lots more pictures coming SOON!

Not Much Happening

2009-02-06T08:38:00.004-09:00

Well, there isn't alot going on other than regular life stuff. The weather has been really cold, which has stopped us from getting out and doing much. EVERYTHING stops here when it's cold....it's kinds funny! Today however we have temps in the 60's so I kicked everyone outside to play. Unfortunately Jaden is sick so he is laid up on the couch :( You know you are living in the country when the dog drags THIS into the yard!! GROSS!

Some Of My Favorite Pictures

2009-01-29T14:22:00.009-09:00

So there is no big news to report from Tennessee, no new pictures to post. I am feeling homesick for my friends in Alaska, so I decided to go through my pictures (those I have on my laptop) and post some favorites to remind me of great times and some of the best people on the planet!

Snow Day!

2009-01-19T07:08:00.004-09:00

I know that all of you guys in Ketchikan do NOT want to hear about snow, but we have been waiting for some and it finally arrived today. Granted, it isn't the downfall you all had, but we were determined to go out and have fun in it anyway!!

The Wickert School Of Excellence!

2009-01-12T08:26:00.005-09:00

Many of you know that we chose to Home School the kids for this school year. We felt that it would be the best for them and help with the whole transition, change process. At times it has been overwhelming for me, but overall it has been good. Being able to be flexible with looking at houses, moving and getting settled has worked really well.

We had a really long Christmas break which allowed us to move in to our new house and unpack. With Christmas thrown in there too, it was chaotic for a while! Today started our new routine. We had a good school day, although after taking such a long break motivation was a little hard to find in our students! However, we persevered and they did well. I have set up a "classroom" which I think will work really well as it separates "home" from "school".

Here are a few pictures of our "school room" and our students hard at work.......

Happy Birthday Adam!

2009-01-04T17:39:00.010-09:00

So here we are another year gone, and another one of our children a year older! Adam Paul turned 6 today! It is very hard to believe, that so much time has past. Uncle Dave, Auntie Jenn, Abby, Grandma, Sharon and Allison came to his party. We had fun playing games and watching Adam open presents. We missed our usual party guests, Linders, Cookes, Matiashowskis, Becky, and of course Grandpa, but hopefully you can join in a little of the fun through our pictures. Happy Birthday Adam!!

Of course the evening couldn't end without a show from our two favorite performers!

Our New House

2009-01-03T05:17:00.004-09:00

So I have been BUGGED to death to post house pictures!! So here are a few. Since we purchased the house, we have had it painted and had new carpet installed. With Christmas I haven't taken many pictures since we moved in, but these will give you an idea. We still have a few things we want to do to modernize it a little but we are comfortable here until we find our dream in the country!

Christmas Preparations

2008-12-29T05:27:00.010-09:00

Here are the first group of pictures of Christmas. Something is going on with the picture loader, so they are a little out of order!!! More to come :)

Decorating our first Tennessee tree in the midst of boxes and chaos!

A Hay Ride

Looking for the perfect tree

Making Christmas Ornaments

Good Times at Christmas

2008-12-26T11:07:00.021-09:00

This Christmas was very different and full of "firsts" for us as a family. Our first Christmas away from our Ketchikan family, who we missed very much. Our first "Tennessee Christmas", the first Christmas in our new home and our first Christmas shared with the Maloney family.

After closing on our new house, we had 2 weeks to have new carpet and flooring installed have it all painted, clean, move in and decorate for Christmas. Jasen's Dad and Stepmom came for four days to help. We were so thankful for them, we never would have been able to do it without their help.

We did have a chance to do a couple of fun activities with the kids. We made ornaments together for our "homemade"tree, attended a Christmas parade, and visited a Christmas tree farm.

Due to all of the moving in activity, we didn't have much time for Christmas cards, or presents for friends. I had many good intentions. I do plan on sending out a New Years letter to friends and family, so please don't be hurt if you didn't receive anything from us....you will!

Even though it was busy we had a great time with family. My Nana was able to come and spend Christmas with us this year, which was a very special treat for all of us. We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and pray for a blessed New Year.

Results!

2008-12-10T14:26:00.004-09:00

Ok, so many of you were close, but only one person got it right. The prize goes to my Mom! Not surprising because other than Jasen and I she has spent the most time with them. Mom will be receiving all 4 gingerbread men in the mail as her reward :)

Most people who know my kids well, know that Jaden is very precise and picky about everything. Evan is becoming very much the same way, only worse! With Adam, anything goes and the more sugar the better. Just like most girls, Leah loves her candy and is so busy multi tasking that she doesn't have time to be picky about where the bits and pieces are placed, as long as they get on there!!!

How well do you know our kids?

2008-12-08T11:30:00.004-09:00

So, with Christmas almost upon us we have started baking, doing Christmas crafts and all the fun things that go along with this time of year. A couple of weeks ago we kicked things off by decorating gingerbread men. When we were all done, I stepped back and chuckled because each one represented their makers personality so well. So, I challenge you to guess which child made which gingerbread man. Results will follow when I have enough response to make it a competition!!

Number 1

Number 2 Number 3 Number 4

A Visit From Friends

2008-12-01T04:51:00.004-09:00

Thanksgiving was different this year. It was our first year away from Ketchikan, away from everything that has been familiar. We were blessed this year to have friends join us for a few days over the weekend. It was so much fun to have Becky and Tim with us. Great to be able to catch up and be around good friends.

Friday took us to a Mennonite community about 20 minutes from where we live. We saw alot of the countryside and then stopped into Franklin Tennessee for lunch.

Saturday Jasen and Tim headed out to Bowling Green, KY to do some shopping and have some "guy time". Becky and I hung out at home visiting over countless cups of tea. It was very relaxing and nice to chat, so much nicer that emails and phone calls!!

Saturday evening we took a trip into Nashville to see the Opryland Hotel. It was very busy and I have to admit a little stressful trying to keep the kids together, but Becky and Tim had fun seeing the beautiful Christmas decor, it really is an incredible sight.

We packed quite a bit into our time together and had alot of fun. Hopefully they will come back to visit again, which they both promised they would :)

Thanksgiving Festivities!

2008-11-28T06:21:00.009-09:00

We have had a great couple of days with friends and family. The week started off with a late birthday party for my Mom. We invited our friends Dave and Marylin Payne to join us, it was a fun time. Happy Birthday to You!

Becky & Tim arrived here late Wednesday night. It is so nice to have them here. We have been catching up over tea and having a great time.

After a relaxed Thanksgiving morning we headed down to Dave and Jenns for dinner. It was so nice to visit with Josh and Kendrie, they are such a sweet couple.

Half of the group

Turkey Cupcakes

The aftermath of the Turkey Cupcake

Little mother trying to clean up

A bath was definitely in order!

Getting Ready For Thanksgiving & Christmas

2008-11-23T04:36:00.003-09:00

Things are good here in Tennessee. We are still looking at houses, haven't found "the one" yet, but we will continue looking until we do!

The weather has turned cold, but it is mostly crisp and sunny, very beautiful. Jasen's job in going well, although he is quickly learning that he is not going to be the most popular person in Portland. Another aspect he is going to have to learn is dealing with the small town politics, I will leave it at that!

We are looking forward to both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love this time of year, and look forward to visits with friends and family. Our friends Becky English and Tim Lindseth are coming to stay with us for a few days. Josh and Kendrie Mutart are going to be staying with David and Jenn and will also join us for Thanksgiving day. My parents are travelling up from Florida today and will stay until next weekend. This time of year always brings wonderful memories of times shared with friends in Ketchikan, we will miss you guys!! Ken, Bonnie, Jeremy, Kristi, Shawn, Tim & Kay, there is still time to buy tickets :)

One thing I wanted to mention was my Dads newly designed website. Thanks to Rob Nason it is now up and running and looks really great, what a talent he is! Check it out, you can download sermons, look at Mexico news, read his weekly devotions, along with many other things. It is very nice.

I guess that is it from this part of the country. We wish everyone a blessed Thanksgiving with friends and family.

Adventures In House Hunting

2008-11-15T19:33:00.005-09:00

Well, as most of you know we have been down here now for almost 3 months, and during that time we have been on a quest to find the "perfect home". To some that may seem like it would be an easy task. With the economy in trouble and the failing housing market, you would think that there would be an abundance of homes for us to choose from, well.......... Let me share with you our criteria! 1. Big - The house has to be big enough to accomodate a man who has more tools than Home Depot, 4 kids with more toys combined than ToysRus, a dog, and a woman who wants a house big enough that I can hide and not be found for at least 10 minutes. 2. Nice - The fixing up thing just does not do anything for me right now. 3. Has to have property attached - For the farm boy I am married too! 4. Within 10 minutes from Jasen's work - So he can come home for lunch, and help keep my sanity intact.

So I would say our realtor has had a pretty tall order, but she has done an amazing job. We found one place that we loved, offered, and it fell through. We found another place, we didn't love so much, offered on it anyway, and it fell through. We were starting to feel a little discouraged, when we came upon what seemed to be our "dream house". Online it looked like a picture, so we decided to drive by and check it out. Well, as we drove up our excitement grew as we saw one of the most beautiful pieces of property, big brick house, pasture, huge pond/lake, woods...perfect. I quickly made a call to our realtor who arranged for us to see it the following day. First impressions were "this is it!" We loved it. Yes, it is a little older, and outdated inside, but worth investing in because the property is so pretty. To cut a long story short, we made an offer contingent upon Jasen's "fine tooth comb" inspection of the property. So, today we went over to do our inspection. It was a typical Ketchikan day, blowing, raining, cold....made me homesick!
Our realtor greeted us and as we began to chat, Jasen took off to check things out, the attic being his first stop. After about 15 minutes, Jasen came back smiling (which normally is a good sign) however, he had found some scary wiring and some wet sheetrock from a leaky roof. "Well," I said "how bad is it?" "The whole roof needs to be reshingled" Jasen replied, "but that's not all I found" "Really?" I said "what else?" "Uuuh... half a dozen shed snake skins...." Those that know me can imagine my response, so I won't go into detail. The skins were about 3 to 4 feet long...SO GROSS!!!!! Jaden thought they were very cool, obviously, but they were taller than he was. Upon further inspection Jasen found more in the crawl space. Thankfully the snakes here are in hibernation so we didn't see any live action. So now our dream house is back on the market and waiting for it's new owner, which is not going to be us...at least they won't have rodent problems, and they'll never be lonely either!!!

A "Chicken Snake" harmless but disgusting!

So all that to say, we have looked everywhere for the right place, and still haven't quite found it. We are continuing to trust that God will provide. He knows the house that is for us, and I'm sureit will come up in His time. All the looking sure has created some fun memories though!

Fall Fun

2008-11-08T06:22:00.005-09:00

Our First Real Fall!

Sun & Sand

2008-11-03T20:07:00.004-09:00

Life has been a little crazy over the last few weeks. With house hunting, job hunting and home school, we have had little time for much else.

We are very blessed to report that Jasen is now the new Building Inspector for the City of Portland (TN not OR!). He will start his new job next Monday. He is excited to get a little more experience under his belt, and is up for the new challenge.

On the house front. We did put an offer in on a home here, but it fell through, so now we are on the look out for something else. There are a few possibilities out there so we are praying for the right one to show itself!!

So today we decided to take a day off from everything and head to a park that we have noticed before but never been too. It was so much fun, the best part was that we hd the whole thing to ourselves. It was a beautiful day, so the kids had chance to swim in the beach area there.

Cute!

2008-10-25T06:41:00.003-08:00

Back Home

2008-10-23T03:23:00.006-08:00

We are back from our trip to Florida. We drove through the night again on Monday, and arrived home at 5:30am. Our kids are becoming great travellers, and I am thankful that they do so well.

We had a fun packed time with my parents, shopping, golfing, playing on the beach, and celebrating my Dads 60th birthday!

Now it is back to real life.

An Unexpected Trip

2008-10-15T17:43:00.002-08:00

So this week finds us relaxing and enjoying the sunshine of Florida! On Monday morning Jasen and I were talking about my Dad's birthday which is coming up on the 19th of this month. We were trying to figure out what we could possibly do for someone who is probably the hardest person on the planet to buy gifts for. So after more discussion, we thought it would be fun to drive down and show up on the doorstep to wish Grandpa a "happy birthday". Crazy as it seems, we packed a bag and a couple of hours later, dropped the dog at Dave and Jenns and left on our 12 hour over night drive!!

We arrived in Sebring at 7:30am Tuesday morning, snuck up to the front door and rang the doorbell. "Surprise, happy birthday" rang out from four excited children. My Dads face was a picture, it was a very cool surprise, that I am so proud to say we also managed to keep from my Mom!!!

I will post some pictures later, until then Jasen is going to be enjoying some golf and I will be doing some shopping...........

Lots goin' on!

2008-10-02T19:16:00.005-08:00

I apologize for my lack of posting over the last couple of weeks. Since Jasen arrived life has been a whirlwind of getting settled back into "family life", looking at houses, looking for jobs, and just general activity!

Country Fair

Jaden liked this house!

Fun at the playground

Nashville Zoo

Meerkats!!

Daddy's Home!!

2008-09-18T17:01:00.006-08:00

After a long 3 months, we were finally reunited as a family when Jasen arrived last Saturday morning. He left Seattle on Tuesday afternoon in a 26ft Penske moving truck, with his Dad following in our pickup. They arrived mid morning on Saturday very tired, but very excited to be here. The kids had been working on a sign all week for school craft that they were very excited to display. We were able to get the truck unloaded on Saturday and Sunday.

It was like Christmas for the kids who were so happy to see all of their toys. I had planned on keeping most of them packed away until we moved into a permanent home, but that went out the window very quickly!

So, life is a little more normal. I am so happy to have my husband back, and feel like I am no longer "in charge". I am enjoying being able to say "ask Daddy", and I am loving the cups of tea in bed in the mornings!!!

We now have to find a house, and Jasen is on the lookout for a job that will keep him busy until we decide what to do on a more permenant basis.

Another fun reunion was that of Macy and Sydney. They have both been starved of friends over the last couple of months, so here is some video of them saying "Hi" again!!!

Fun At The Fair

2008-09-10T13:12:00.007-08:00

County Fairs are a big deal down here. From what I have heard there is quite alot of rivalry between different counties to see which can be the best, the cleanest, and the most well attended. I didn't realize all of this when we decided to go to the Wilson County Fair the first week we were here. My brother and I both commented on how clean the restrooms were, which you don't normally expect at events of this kind! I later found out after talking to my friend Shana (yes I have a friend here now :)) that Wilson County Fair has won the prize for the best fair for many years!! I guess we picked the right one to go to.

Anyway, it was alot of fun. The kids had a blast, riding the ponies, petting the different animals and climbing on the tractors. The only thing that made me a little sad was when we were in the goat pen and Evan said "look at all the deer Mommy!!!" poor sheltered little Alaskan boy :) David was a little disappointed that we weren't going to be around for the Hog Race, but I'm not quite that red neck!!!

We had a very quiet drive home. They were worn out!!

Tennessee Pictures.....Finally!

2008-09-07T16:52:00.005-08:00

So here are finally some pictures of our time here so far in Tennessee. We are currently renting a house in Portland, which is about 10 miles from the Kentucky border. We are way out in the sticks...too far out for me, but it is perfect for us right now. The kids have lots of room to run and play, which is what is important right now. Once Jasen is here, we will start looking for a house to buy that is a little closer to Nashville. Enjoy!!

These top three pictures are of our drive up from Florida to Tennessee. Twelve hours in a car with four young children is not for the faint hearted, but with ice cream and a DVD player anything is possible

Our House

The front yard

The Back Yard

They discovered the closet!

Happy kids!

The best thing about being here is to be close to Dave, Jenn & Abby!!!

On The Homestretch!!

2008-09-05T05:21:00.003-08:00

Well, we are within a week of Jasen arriving here in Tennessee!! He will be flying to Seattle on Monday, picking up our belongings in Seattle, and then driving across the country with his Dad.

Jasen has worked really hard over the last couple of months building a workshop, and finishing up some details on our house, before handing it over to the new owners! Below is an ariel shot :)He is almost done, but will be working until he leaves. He had an unexpected trip to the ER the other night after he fell out of our moving container gashing his head open on the way down. He ended up with about 5 staples in is head and a headache, but then proceeded to stay up all night so he could finish packing the container!! Yes, I am married to a mad man. Thanks Scott, Greg and Chris for helping with some of the packing.

It has been two months since we have been together. In some way it has gone by relativly fast, in others ways not!! We have had a few rough moments, but considering the situation, overall the kids have done really well.

I have started homeschooling the boys. The decision to homeschool was made because we are only here in Portland for 3 months, we didn't want to enroll them and then have to switch to somewhere else. With all of the other change that has taken place it didn't seem fair. So I am homeschooling until we buy a house and know where we are going to be permanently. We will likely enroll then for the spring term after Christmas.

Once Jasen arrives we will hit the ground running looking for a house. Our lease here is up November 1st and we would prefer not to extend it, but I'm sure we could if we needed to.

Well, that's the update for now. Sorry I can't post pictures yet. I have to wait for Jasen to bring the other cord for my camera!!!

Leaving Ketchikan

2008-08-30T05:05:00.008-08:00

Ok, so I decided to go back in time a little, to just before we left Ketchikan. My USB cable is missing so I can't download recent pictures right now, and life was so busy before we left I never had chance to highlight some of the things that happened in the couple of weeks prior to our departure. Enjoy!Mrs. Vincent who kept me sane by taking the twins twice a week!!
Micah - Our favorite!
Here we go!
Off to Tennessee
Our Thanksgiving family

Farewell Potluck

More Potluck
Buddies
"Trouble" - Best Friends

The breakfast ladies!
Evan, so tired he fell asleep standing up!!
One last time fishing off the dock with daddy
One last "anniversary dinner" at Salmon Falls
Last play with our good friends Elizabeth & Rachel
Last Sunday Dinner
A brief but fun visit with Sharon
Preschool graduation
Kindergarten Graduation
Good Friends

We love you and miss you Ketchikan family!!

BACK ONLINE!!

2008-08-21T11:33:00.003-08:00

Finally after two weeks without internet we are back online!! It feels like I have been on another planbet not having access to news, email etc. We rely in this stuff way too much!! Anyway, we are in Tennessee, getting settled. I have lots to share, along with many pictures, which I will get posted here in the next day or so. Meanwhile I have lots of emails to reply to, and business that needs my attention :)

Many Activities!

2008-07-27T05:03:00.009-08:00

It's been a while since I have posted, but we have had so much going on this past week or so. I owe emails and phone calls to my friends....please forgive me I will get on it this next week!!

My Nana arrived two weeks ago. We are having a great time, the kids love her, and I am sure are not going to want her to leave. We also had the pleasure of seeing Jerry Demmert this last week, he stayed with us for 4 days, went to a concert with my parents and went to a kids show with us the next day.

For those of you with young children, I'm sure you are all familiar with The Backyardigans. My kids all love them, so we took the opportunity to go to a live show they were performing in Miami....so much fun!

I have also been trying to provide some structure for the kids every day. Things were getting a little chaotic, so I decided to do a project with them every morning whether it be some kind of "school work" or a craft, painting, playdoh. It has been really fun and brought alot more order to the place.

We are heading up to Tennessee the week after next. We have rented a house which I will post about later.

Anyway, here are some pictures of our recent fun!

Decorated pretzels!

Painting Bugs

Evan "painted" himself with Nail Polish the other day while Mommy was out shopping and Grandpa was "supervising"!

Jaden's new friend "Lenny Lizard"

The Backyardigans!!

Disney World

2008-07-16T15:46:00.004-08:00

I know this is old news but I wanted to dedicate a post to our Disney World trip! We actually drove up to Orlando the day before going and spent the night so everyone would be fresh for our long day.

We spent the afternoon before at Chuck E Cheese. The kids had a blast. I am a little bit of a germaphobe so it was very hard for me not to go and wipe everything down with Clorox before allowing the kids to get on it! Think about pizza, pop, icecream, lots of kids, sticky fingers and kids rides....yuck!

The kids enjoyed their time there very much.

The evening we spent at the hotel was fun too. The pool was great, the kids are almost swimming, even Evan who is fearless in the water...scary!

So on to Disney! Well, I have to preface this by saying that we did have a good day but if you have kids under 5 DON'T DO IT!!!! Or if you do decide to go for it, spread it out over 3 days, stay at the resort and go either in January or February. It was so hot and muggy, and the crowds were ridiculous. The kids actually did very well, although there were a couple of melt down moments, and not just on the kids part! Towards the end of the day it rained and freshened things up a little. My advice is, if you are going to spend the money to go make sure you can enjoy the day by making it as stressless as possible.

"Operation Frog"

2008-07-14T08:53:00.002-08:00

Toward the end of Jasen's time here, my Dad asked him to do a little project that he couldn't bring himself to do. For those that know my Dad well know that he has two phobias, one is birds, the other is frogs!

Some time ago my parents noticed that frogs had taken up residency in the outside lights on the front porch. Now they are just small frogs, but frogs all the same. The day before Jasen left my Dad asked him to go out and clean the dead frogs out of the lights. No problem for my farm boy husband who isn't grossed out by much. So Jasen went outside with all the kids in tow, unscrewed the cap and to his surprise a live frog jumped out. Of course the kids were thrilled, especially Jaden who has informed us he is to be the next Crocodile Hunter! There was a little drama, when two jumped out, one landing on Leah's foot, the other on Evan's arm!

All together he took 10 frogs out of the light, there were 11 but one got away! It was quite the mission, but my frog hunters did a great job.

Searching for the missing frog!

Caught!

Mission Complete

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEAH & EVAN

2008-07-05T14:22:00.005-08:00

Well, we had more birthday celebrations today. The twins turned 3!! The Nason family came over from Vero Beach and we had a combined birthday party for Jaden, Leah & Evan. It was so much fun to visit with friends and see the kids have other children to play with, we had such a good time.Party PrepGood Friends
The boys
The whole gang!
Evan playing with his loot
Enjoying cupcakes!
Leah opening her gifts
Girls chattingMore girls chatting!!
Evan with his giftsCooling off"Happy Birthday!"Deep discussionCupcakes rule!!Mmmmmm!Thankful for good fellowship and foodThe Feast!Fun in the water

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JADEN!!

2008-07-03T17:22:00.004-08:00

Happy Birthday to our sweet boy Jaden! I can not believe he is 7 today :) We have had a fun week, and will post pics tomorrow.

We spent Jadens birthday at the beach in Naples, Florida. We went out for lunch, played at the beach, then came home and opened presents. Normally we throw a big 4th of July /birthday party every year, so this year is a little different. We miss everyone that would normally join us and wish you could be here to help us celebrate.

Jaden had a great birthday, in fact we have had a week of activity which will go on another post!

Catch Up

2008-06-28T10:26:00.002-08:00

Hello all! We are continuing to have a good time in Florida with my parents. Jasen arrived today, which we are all thrilled about. Jaden, Adam & I drove up to Orlando early this morning to pick him up. The kids are very excited that Daddy is here, the hard part is going to be saying "goodbye" again :(

We have rented a 3 bedroom house in Nashville for 3 months beginning August 5th. The kids and I will take two days to make the drive. My Mom is coming along too, I guess she wanted to spend more quality time with us! 12 hours confined in a mini van with 4 small children, sound like fun to anyone??

Jasen is planning on joining around the first week of September, then the house hunt will commence. Until then we are enjoying our time here on extended vacation :) Love to everyone in Ketchikan, we miss you!

News from Florida!

2008-06-21T15:56:00.007-08:00

I guess it has been a while since I have posted any of our activities here in sunny Florida, so here is an update for all you blog checkers out there!!

We have had a great week, with David Jenn and Abigail. It was so good to see them again after quite a long separation. Abby has changed so much, and is so much fun. It was great to see my wonderful sister-in-law and friend Jenn, and as you can see from this short clip the kids were obviously thrilled to see Uncle Dave.

Our adventures included trips to the playground, the childrens museum, fun in the pool, and an early birthday for David and the kids!

Happy Fathers Day Daddy!!

2008-06-15T07:28:00.002-08:00

WE LOVE YOU AND WISH YOU WERE HERE WITH US!! SENDING LOTS OF HUGS AND KISSES YOUR WAY....FROM MOMMY TOO!

SALE PENDING!!!!!

2008-06-08T10:08:00.002-08:00

Well we can finally say, after all the prayer and encouragement...."SALE PENDING" on our house!! We are thankful to all of you who have prayed with us about the sale of our home. I know we and others have not only prayed for the actual sale, but also for the future owners, that they would be Godly people who would use the house as we have used it, for hospitality and ministry to others. Well, we are so thrilled to report that God has answered in all areas.

On Thursday of this week we received an offer from the Walker family, which we were delighted to accept. Jasen will be here through the summer doing a few extra things, but we are so excited to have an end in sight as far as our separation :)

LOOK OUT TENNESSEE, HERE COME THE WICKERTS!

We're Here!!

2008-06-07T13:33:00.004-08:00

We arrived in Florida on Tuesday after a long and tiring journey. The trip went very well considering we had two connections and were flying through the night. The only thing that I could complain about is that within the first 30 minutes of the flight from Portland to Orlando Evan threw up his dinner all down the front of my shirt!! When I travel I always take a change of clothes for the kids, next time I will be packing myself one too! All in all in was a very smooth trip.

We are now getting settled for the next couple of months. The kids are adjusting well, although we have had a couple of challenging moments :) Here are some pictures of our time so far.

Party Pictures

2008-05-31T12:46:00.004-08:00

Last Monday we had a birthday party / open house at our place and invited the whole church. Someone counted 74 people at one time!! We had a great time, the weather was beautiful so we were able to keep the kids outside and spill out onto the deck!

Happy Birthday Jasen!

2008-05-26T23:07:00.001-08:00

Before it strikes midnight, I would like to wish my wonderful husband a very Happy Birthday! We had a BIG party tonight, which was so much fun. Pictures to come :)

Enjoying friends and sunshine!

2008-05-18T14:14:00.005-08:00

We have had alot of fun over the last week. There have been many dinner invitations which we are appreciating, and we are enjoying getting together with friends. Trying to fit everything in over the next couple of weeks is going to be the challenge.

I am almost done with my packing. One more full day, and I should have everything boxed up. I will have some odds and ends the last week, but that shouldn't take long.

Last week we enjoyed dinner with Virgil & Patsy, The Cookes and The Matiashowski's. Patsy took pictures of our time with them, but I failed to get my camera out on the other occasions!

The weather has been great over the last couple of days. We took advantage of it yesterday and drove out to a playground south of town. The kids loved it, although after a while Evan decided he preferred dropping rocks down a grate in the parking lot to sliding!

Plug for my Dad

2008-05-15T15:33:00.001-08:00

I just checked and my Dad has his website up and running! Check it out at www.kevingouldministries.com

Fun Times

2008-05-15T10:01:00.005-08:00

On Sunday our Fold held a farewell potluck for us at the Linders home. It was a good time, the kids did well and I actually found it quite relaxing! The best thing about it was that I didn't have to cook anything :)

Evan

2008-05-10T21:28:00.003-08:00

Cute as a button, and sweet as can be, but when Evan gets grumpy, watch out!

Lots goin' on!

2008-05-07T15:12:00.005-08:00

Well, packing continues. It is hard to believe that I only have just over 3 weeks left here. We have shown the house 4 times over the last 5 days, and are starting to see more activity now spring is finally here. A couple of weeks ago a few of us went out to dinner with the Bentons, who were here filling the pulpit. It is always fun to hang out with Bob and Flo! Then last week Tim Lindseth came to town, so we enjoyed fellowship with him too. Tim & Jaden in deep conversation

Dessert Evan getting down to serious business The very last drop!

We will let none go to waste!

The delights of being a child!

Field Day

2008-04-25T12:56:00.008-08:00

Today was Field Day at Clover Pass Christian School. Both Jaden and Adam tried really hard and did very well. We enjoyed beautiful weather, and a great BBQ lunch afterward.

Packing

2008-04-24T09:25:00.004-08:00

So packing and chaos has begun in our house! We are finally all relatively healthy after about a month of various illnesses, so I am seriously getting down to business. On Monday I sat down and came up with a plan, writing down goals for each week between now and when we leave. This week, the goal was the kids rooms, and the attic, both big jobs. I am happy to report that so far this week I have packed 20 boxes/totes, have 8 bags for the goodwill, and burned 3 garbage bags of junk! Even though our house looks like the back room at the Salvation Army I am making headway, but still have lots to do :)

Ridiculous!

2008-04-17T10:14:00.003-08:00

Kids outside playing in the SNOW on April 17th! That's what's ridiculous!

Crazy Hair Day!

2008-04-11T11:23:00.002-08:00

Need I say more!

Best Friends

2008-04-08T11:58:00.003-08:00

All of you with more than one child can testify to the fact that siblings fight. Sometimes they scream and yell at each other, sometimes it sounds like they are killing each other, but there are times that it is very evident that they completely love each other and are the best of friends. I like to catch those moments!!

Leaving Ketchikan

2008-04-02T16:46:00.004-08:00

Even though we have not sold our house yet, we have made one decision that will get this whole moving process rolling. The kids and I (helen)are booked to leave town on June 2nd. Jasen and I have talked long and hard about different senarios and what would be the best for us, and decided to at least let the boys finish the school year.

The amazing thing about the whole situation is that we were able to find 6 mileage tickets on the same flight to Florida. Not only that, but we were able to purchase them for only 10,000 miles each. I was only able to find one day that this deal was available, and it was the Monday after the last day of school. So, I have about 8 weeks to pack up a be ready to go. It is bitter sweet, but it will be good to finally starting taking steps toward the future.

My Mom & Dad will be coming up around the 25th of May. Dad is going to drive our van down to Florida for us which is where we will be until the house sells, and we can relocate to Tennessee. My Mom is going to fly with us, and Jasen is going to stay and work until the house sells.

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T19:05:00.002-08:00

A little update

2008-03-16T18:21:00.003-08:00

Well, things at the Wickerts keep plugging along! We showed the house a few times last week, but no offer has come yet. We are praying for the right people at the right time (although it would be nice if that were sooner rather then later!!) Jasen has put alot of blood sweat and tears into this place, so in some ways we are being kind of picky as to who we want to buy it!! It sounds weird, but we are pretty attached to this house, and it is going to be hard to leave it when the time comes.

Jaden lost a tooth this week, he is so proud of the big space in his mouth...go figure!!

As Spring approaches Jasen is getting more and more calls for work, he will definitely be busy until we leave. I am slowly starting to pack. I know it seems funny because we don't know when we will be leaving, but I figure it will be less to do when the time comes, right now I need as little stress in my life as possible :)

We are missing our family very much and look forward to being together with them again soon. I must say though, I am grateful for our church family here and their prayers and encouragement for us during this time.

Spring in Ketchikan

2008-03-08T16:58:00.004-09:00

So, I think that spring has started to arrive!! It was a beautiful morning, not even that cold. We went down to the beach to give the kids and the dog a good run...

Four wet, dirty, but very happy kids!

Jaden finding treasures

Rope swing fun

Giving mommy a heart attack!

I couldn't resist a go!

Going to see Grandpa!

2008-03-02T11:32:00.003-09:00

We had an unusually nice day last week, so I took the opportunity to send the twins outside to play with Daddy! Jasen was cleaning out the van, so naturally the kids climbed up to see what was going on. When I saw Evan in the drivers seat intent on going somewhere, I asked him where he was driving, "to see Grandpa" was his answer! So Dad, you can expect him to show up in about 3 weeks!!

Good Bye "OOka Doo", Auntie Jenn & Aber Dabs!

2008-02-21T07:17:00.005-09:00

Yesterday was another sad day for us. Dave, Jenn & Abby left on the ferry for Tennessee. Just like my parents, David & Jenn and Abby have been a huge part of our lives here, they have a very strong relationship with the kids, and we are going to miss them very much. Hopefully it won't be too long before we are with them again!!

Finally A Nice Day!

2008-02-17T16:40:00.006-09:00

Today was the first really nice day for weeks. It has been so cold and snowy it's made it difficult to get out and do anything. So now most of the snow is gone, and the temperatures are no longer sub zero, we decided to take a walk down to the playground after lunch.

Things started out a little rough for Evan
He was soon smiling again!

Lots of Changes

2008-02-14T19:47:00.008-09:00

So it has been another 3 weeks since I last posted, so I have just decided to stop making excuses and let you know I have been way too preoccupied with other things! :) Here is a little update though. The kids have definitely been left to their own devices alot more just recently, as you can see. I remember when I was a teenager there was many a time where you couldn't see the color of my carpet, this reminded me of that....I pray that history is not repeating itself!!!

The twins are growing up so fast. They keep us hopping, but are so much fun. We just put them into big kids beds last week, and they are so proud of themselves! Yay, NO MORE CRIBS FOR US!!!!!!

Probably the biggest event here over the last couple of weeks is the departure of my parents. It was hard to say goodbye, but also not so much as we know we will be seeing them again in a couple of months. We miss our daily visit with Grandma, and Grandpa stopping by to say "hi". Vicki Maloney was here for their farewell weekend, so the girls all went out for dessert and coffee one last time!

We are still getting inqiries on the house. We have shown it quite a few times. We actually showed it tonight to a local couple, and they loved it. We are showing it to a family from Massachusetts next week, so please pray with us that the right family at the right time would come along.

The last couple of weeks

2008-01-26T11:34:00.000-09:00

Well, what can I say, the last couple of weeks have flown by. There has been alot going on, with our house being on the market, a quick trip to LA, an Adam birthday, a garage sale, preparing for my parents departure, and now preparing for my Dads farewell concert!! Oh, we can also throw in a couple of really nasty owwiis (sp?) for two of our kids!!!

Our house advertising is going well, we have had quite a few calls and shown it 4 times. There is one couple very interested and are coming back to see it again today.

Our trip to LA was alot of fun last week. It was a great break for us, and we even got to spend a day a Wrangell on the way back :) We had the opportunity to spend time with Wanda Radford at the hospital and then had dinner with Paul, it was a blessing, as always.

Adam turned 5 this month!! He is such a sweet boy, and a joy to have in our lives.

The "multi-family moving sale" went well last weekend!! We made good money, and got rid of alot of junk.

Barry Bynum just arrived, it is always great to see him and is a pleasure to work with. We are practising for my Dads farewell concert, and will also use it to launch his new album (which is very good by the way!) It is always great to sing with "The Band" it will be our last opportunity for a while, although with Becky living in Pennsylvania and us in Tennessee, we would just have to fly Jodi in!!!!

Life feels very up in the air at the moment, but it is ok. I am determined to enjoy our remaining time here......you may need to remind me of that as time goes by!!!!

Quick Update!

2008-01-13T22:04:00.000-09:00

I know I said I would be more consistent, but time has flown and I kinda have alot on my plate right now!!! Becky motivated me this morning to just put up a quick post to let everyone know we are still here :)

Things have been busy. We are in the process of trying to sell our house, so that means trying to keep it tidy all of the time "just in case"someone wants to come and look at it. With four kids you can imagine that this itself is a full time job. Anyway, we have someone coming to look at it on Thursday, so we are praying that they love it and want it! I have started sorting through things, trying to get ahead of the game a little, we are getting things done little by little.

Here are a couple of cute pictures of my kids from Christmas. I know they are late, but I had to post them all the same!

One thing I have to add, is that I am thankful for the blessings that God delivers to us when they are least expected. On Wednesday night after bible study, Matthew Cooke stopped by and invited Jasen & I to fly down to L.A. with them and be a part of the audience for the game show Deal or No Deal!!! It will be great to get away for a couple of days. We will have the opportunity to see Paul and Wanda Radford, and go out to dinner!!!!!! More on that adventure when we get back.

Catching Up!

2007-12-26T13:32:00.000-09:00

Wow, I think this has been one of my longest posting breaks yet! December has been a busy month, with different things, but we are back now, and hope to be more consistent! Before I get on to Christmas pics, I have other stuff to put up!! Last week, we had lots of snow, that we all enjoyed so much. School was out for one day, so we took advantage of it. It was fun to see the kids play, and the twins check out their first real snowfall. As you can see by the pictures there were a couple of times when they weren't that impressed with it, but it gave me a giggle watching them :)One other thing that we took the opportunity to do when the weather was good couple of weeks ago was to take a family walk on one of the local trails. We unexpectedly stopped by our friends Ken & Bonnies house and talked them into coming with us. They were great sports and dropped everything they were involved in to join us. It was alot of fun!

Time with Daddy

2007-11-28T22:37:00.000-09:00

Over the last 6 months "time with Daddy" has been a rare commodity for the kids. Now our life is back to normal, it has been great to see them be able to spend time together doing all kinds of fun stuff. Practising swinging a baseball bat, burning garbage, having "Thanksgiving" around the coffee table, and they even enjoyed shovelling gravel around the yard!!

Off to Tennessee again!

2007-11-11T18:23:00.000-09:00

Jasen left for Tennessee again tonight. We put an offer in on a house last week and it was accepted with a couple of contingencies, one being Jasen's approval of the house, as it is one we haven't seen in person yet, and two, being the sale of our house. We are tentatively excited about this place as it pretty much fits in with our desires for a new home. It has 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, a full finished basement rec room, 5 acres and one of the best things about it is that it has a detached 3 car garage with 1600 sq ft of living space above it, perfect for company!!

We are trying not to get to excited as we do have to sell our house first, so there is a possibility that someone else may make an offer and be able to close before we can, however we believe that if this is the home for us, it will be kept for us :) Here are a couple of pictures, Jasen will have lots more next week.

Cute pictures

2007-11-04T21:52:00.000-09:00

Sometimes I just have to show everyone how cute our kids are!
P.S. No, we didn't have ANOTHER baby, that is our sweet little niece Abigail!!

Before and After

2007-10-29T20:20:00.000-08:00

Many of you know that Jasen has been working on a huge project over the last few months. It has required alot of blood, sweat and tears to say the least. He replaced the roof, the foundation, added a bedroom, and a bathroom, completely redid the electrics and plumbing, gutted the whole inside, removed the water tank and built a new one under the house, and so much more....

Well, I am so happy to say that he is finally done!!!!!! I get my husband back, and I think we get to pick up a regular life again....The pictures do not do all the work he did justice, but it will give you an idea.

Front before and after.

Kitchen Before During and After.

Living Room before during and after

Main bathroom before and after

Dining area before and after

Bedrooms 1&2 before and after

THE FINISHED PRODUCT!!!

For Angie.....why and when are we moving to Nashville!!

2007-10-26T09:39:00.001-08:00

I guess this whole thing started about 18 months ago. We have been feeling for sometime now that it may be time for us to move on, but we didn't have any clear direction as to where or when. The last year or so has been hard for me, dealing with the constant bad weather that never seems to let up, and because of that being tied to the house with the small children, not being able to get out and do much. I long for a grassy yard for them to run in!! Jasen has always felt a strong call to ministry, and things for us in that respect have wound down for us here also. My parents had also been feeling that their time here was drawing to a close, and they made the decision at this summer to end their ministry here and move on. That is the why.....

Now to the where! My sister-in-law, Jenn started us looking in Nashville...the more we looked the more we liked. The housing is still relatively inexpensive, but the area is also growing rapidly. There is much to do there, and the people are very warm and friendly. Nashville is a good location for us, as it is midway between Jasen's parents in Ohio and North Carolina, and also Jenn's parents in Virginia. The climate is great, they have all four seasons, and there is not the big city feel that alot of "down south" places have. Overall, everything we have seen, we like. We are aiming to leave Ketchikan around the first part of February, if all goes well with selling our house. We are continuing to walk ahead with this, knowing that God has our future and we are trusting Him with it.

So, Angie there you have it! Hopefully that filled you in a little more on our plans :)

Tennessee

2007-10-24T17:47:00.000-08:00

Well we made it safely home from Tennessee. We had a great time together exploring different areas and looking at many different houses. These are just a couple.

We stayed within an hours drive of Nashville, and I must say that I like most every area we went to. It struck me how everything was very neat and well kept. The people were very friendly, and the weather was perfect. We had much needed time together, and also were able to have dinner with our friends Ted and Shana.

We took one evening and went into downtown Nashville to listen to different bands play and see some of the sites. There is music EVERYWHERE, even people playing on the sidewalks!! We had alot of fun.

Unfortunately things didn't go as well at home. My poor Mom & Dad had to deal with sick twins and a traumatized Evan, who didn't do well with us being gone. Grandpa spent three nights with Evan sleeping on his chest, it was not a fun few days. We have been home a week, and he is just now getting back to normal.

We will keep you updated on our plans for the next few months, it is exciting, scary and sad all at the same time.

Leavin' On A Jet Plane

2007-10-09T20:09:00.000-08:00

Jasen & I are leaving town for 6 whole days starting tomorrow!!! It will be a much anticipated and much needed break for both of us.

We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in May, and decided to take a trip, but with Jasen being right in the middle of a big project, thought it would be better to wait until he was done. So, we are heading to Nashville Tennessee tomorrow! As most people know by now, we are going to be moving after the first of next year, and the Nashville area seems to be the destination :) We are both excited for some free time to relax, and look into a new adventure for our family.

The kids get to hang out with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Dave, Auntie Jenn & Abby while we are gone. I will probably make it two days before I start thinking about coming home early!! We have never left the kids this long before :)

Hopefully when we get back we will have lots of pics to post of our time.