Playhouse

It's done!! The playhouse is up and ready to be played in. Alexa has a lot of fun in it when the bugs aren't attacking her. The slide still needs to be bolted on but then she'll be really in business. It's nice to have somewhere for her to play while we're out working in the yard.

We've been working on improving our deck so we've stained it and we're doing a cherry floor and white railing all the way around. We really like it and it really makes the house look sharp. We've also gotten new furniture on our deck, now that the hot tub is gone, so that we can sit out and enjoy meals and friends on the deck.

Well Jim and I have decided to stop trying to have a baby. It's been 8 months and it's been very emotionally trying and just too hard on us right now. God has a different plan for us so I've decided to focus on my relationship with Him for awhile instead of worrying so much about myself every month. I'm reading a great book given to me by a friend, "Traveling Light," by Max Lucado, he's a very easy author to read and his stories keep you interested. I'm holding on to a lot of baggage that I don't need to and I need to "let it go," as Dr. Carlstone would say. I'm also going to take this time to focus on my friends. I have a dear friend that has been trying for 2 years and I want to be an encouragement through the next steps of her journey to motherhood, not a stumbling block.

Jim is doing well, pretty busy at work this week and driving back and forth to Ames everyday to deliver samples. He's been working in the yard and riding on his new four-wheeler. We even weeded the garden,the three of us, on Sunday night. We did well until Alexa started getting eatten alive. The bugs love her and bit her 6 times on the face. She's going to be 2 in 3 weeks. It's so unbelievable that she's so old already, although her attitude is definately showing me that she knows it. We're having lots of fun with everything that she's learning. We're working on sharing though.

Well that's just a little of what's going on here. I hope that everyone is doing well!

Sam

RENO

Well sorry that it's been such a long time since my last post but we've been on vacations for the last two weeks. First we went to Minnesota for a long weekend over memorial day and had a good time just relaxing and Jim went fishing with his friend Aaron and his dad. Alexa played with Grandma and we went shopping in Pequot Lakes. It was very nice and relaxing. We also got to see the playhouse almost finished. I don't think that I've mentioned it but Jim's parents are building Alexa a big playhouse. It's 41/2 feet off the ground and has a deck and a slide. It's here at our house now and next week they're going to come and help get it all set up. Once it's finished I'll put some pictures up for all to see.

This last week Alexa and I were in Reno, Nevada visiting my college roommate Kim and Pete and Maya. We had a blast. We went to Sacramento and San Francisco, CA over the weekend which was really cool to see since the last time I was supposedly there was when I was Alexa's age. We met some new friends and had a lot of fun. We went shopping on Pier 39 and saw the sea lions and Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge. We also went to a water park in Sacramento and went to Lake Tahoe all in one week. We did a lot of relaxing and enjoying conversation too. It was a lot of fun and maybe next time Jim will be able to come with us.

Alexa was on her very first airplane this last week on our way to Reno. She did pretty well. We had early flights so she was pretty tired but there was a lot of excitement so she didn't sleep much but was good on the plane. She's never met a stranger so we made friends wherever she went. Well I'm adding some picures from our trip. We'll write again soon. Hope all is going well. GodBless!

Alexa and I before her first airplane ride.

Alexa at Raging Waters

Pete, Kim and Maya at Raging Waters in Sacramento

Alexa and I at Lake Tahoe, CA

Alexa and Maya