The Muench Bunch

We decided to do something different this year. The past 5 years we have gone to Mark’s parents for New Years. This year we took the kids, left in the morning and spent the day and overnight in Des Moines. We started out at the Jordan Creek mall. The kids love it as we let them play in the kids play area. We didn’t really have any reason to shop other than a pair of shoes. Then we went to the hotel where we stayed. We went swimming at the pool. It was great, they even had a little wading pool for little ones. We decided to stay in for dinner which was just perfect. We ordered room service, had mega nachos, and pizza. They rolled the cart into our room and we were enjoying the luxury, at least I was! We were still way ahead for cost as compared to all of us going out to dinner. We later popped some popcorn and ordered a couple movies. We were staying in a suite, therefore the kids had one room and watched a kids movie and Mark and I got to watch our movie. Worked out great. The kids we

Because the weather was bad this year, our Christmas Eve plans in Williams were postponed until today. It was nice, however it just wasn’t the same. Wade’s family and ours met at Mom and Dad’s for dinner. We had beef stew and oyster soup with all kinds of goodies to snack on. On to the gifts which is always about the kids. They got a good spoiling. Jake got a night vision headset from Wade and Carins. The kids had fun with Alivia. She is 2 ½, busy, and funny. She’s pretty naughty too. She has picked up hitting and pushing from daycare 3 days a week. Luke is the one who gets the wacking in the face. Its really too bad and just breaks little Luke’s heart. This is the first year in a long time that Auntie Alice was not here. She sent plenty of gifts and was greatly missed. She is in Albuquerque for the winter. The kids all got cowboy boot slippers from her. The kids stayed for the next two nights with Grandma and Grandpa. Wow! It was unreal how much I got done at home in that time. It was

Later we headed to Karen and Orrie ’s for the family Christmas. It had been snowing a lot and there were some big drifts in the road. We have had a lot of snow lately. Linde and Julie brought Prime Rib for our big dinner and Karen had her famous chicken and noodles. There was tons of food and desserts to eat on all the day through. Karen is one of the best cooks I know and she makes a lot. Gift exchange went from youngest to oldest and as soon as the teenagers and younger were done, they took off to watch movies. Jayden stayed up to watch the gift opening and later help Grandma with dishes. She is such a considerate kid. She has never liked to watch movies when there are other kids to play with. She has always wanted to play when everyone else wants a movie. I personally wish the kids would be together rather than in front of the tv on Christmas. I did make them all sit through a 20 minute DVD I brought, an animated first noel. It is the neatest Christmas story with awesome animati

I awoke around 7:30, lit the tree, check the toys Santa left. There was a certain toy that Santa brought that was not working. Can you only imagine how Santa could leave something that does not work!! As parents, we felt so bad and tried to figure out an alternate plan. The kids were up just after 8 to find there gifts awaiting under the tree. Jayden had a Barbie baby photographer and a Barbie apartment. Jacob had his remote control car that the only thing that worked were the headlights. Luke had a big wheels. The kids were thrilled with the santa toys and we explained to Jake that we would have to charge his new toy and went on with gift opening. There were stocking stuffers and fun gifts for everyone. Mark and the kids went shopping and got me a cross and necklace set from a western store. I had been missing my other favorite cross necklace I wore everywhere. My suspicions are that Luke got it and who knows were he put it. He is good at losing my jewelry. I told Mark that he would

As Christmas approaches this year, the weather has not been good for travels. The prediction is for a big snow storm starting with rain, ice, and lots of snow. I feel bad for those who have to travel far over the holidays. We are fortunate to be close to family, however we have had to change our plans too. It is tradition that we go to my parents in Williams on Christmas eve. We start with the church service, followed by dinner and gifts at my parents. With the weather forecast, we have postponed our plans until Sunday the 27 th . It just won’t be the same. Since school got out on Tuesday, the kids have been very anxious for present opening and cannot keep themselves occupied enough. We have made cookies and candies. The kids have spent a lot of time playing together. I have heard, the word “bored” several times already. At 2, we lost our power for a couple hours. We were figuring we would be visiting the Grandparents and maybe sleep over. Fortunately we did not have to worry about it

Mark and I finally got an entire day to ourselves. We went to Des Moines to finish our Christmas shopping. We enjoyed our time without the kids and ate out both at lunch and dinner. We did our shopping in Ames and Des Moines at the Jordan Creek Mall. It was a nice feeling at the end of the day knowing we are done! Now, we can wrap, and wrap.

Since we went to the church service on a Saturday night, we spent Sunday, home and had a family day. This past week we were gone every single night. Dance, AWANA, Christmas program in Dayton, Christmas program in Boxholm, church service. This was the first day we could all be home without any running. I made cookie cutter cookies, Jayden made some Christmas candies. Jayden, Jake and I played outside in the snow forts. We built new ones and made tunnels. I guess the kids watched me dig anyway. I got some good exercise in.

It has been a busy week with a lot of going places. Tonight we planned to attend a Sat evening church service at the Cornerstone church in Ames. Some friends of ours have been going for a couple years now and really like it and invited us to come sometime. My cousin James who attends Iowa State goes there and talks about it all the time. We thought it might be interesting to see what a big church like that was like. From the outside it looked bigger than a school building. Inside they had a computer check system for child care to keep your secure. Luke did great in the child care area, it was clean with super nice people. The auditorium was large and all very new. We came on a night when they were doing a drama. Wow!! That is all I can say. The drama was so well done, I would think people would pay money to see something that well done. They did a black & white skit about the perfect family, taking Christmas songs and adding their own words. It was so neat. Then the pastor gave his

The kids being in different schools this year have separate Christmas programs. Because of all the snow days, they ended up having one program Thursday night and one of Friday night. Luke was tired of sitting still! It is always nice to see the kids in the program and hear their songs, but they are long. Jayden wore her beautiful Christmas dress. We picked it out last year after Christmas. She looked so pretty and just sparkled. Her three best friends remain to be the same girls, and I got a picture of them, Makenna , Claire, and Hannah. Jake was pretty spiffy in his vest, tie and corduroy jacket. He got to wear a santa hat during his program. His buddies are cousin Rylie , Soren , and Tanner.

Because it has been so cold, Luke hasn’t had a chance to be outside in the snow. It has either been windy or bitterly cold. Today was the first day I felt he could be outdoors, it was in the 20’s. I pulled out Luke’s sled from the basement and his face lit up with excitement. I bundled him all up and out we went. I took him all around the house and buildings. He loved every minute of it.

Yet another snow day. I had the kids up, dressed, in coats and waiting for the van to pick them up. We checked the news at 7 and their school was not listed. After waiting a few minutes for the bus, we checked the news again. 7:30 and they decided to postpone 2 hours. That turned into a cancelled day shortly after. The wind had really picked up and the roads were icy. The kids have been home so much lately, it feels like the are on Christmas break. They watch tv, play computer and xbox games, play with their toys, read, do school work that I make them do, and some playing outside. Jake has been out in the snow every day so far. Over the weekend I helped the kids start a snow fort in one of the big snow drifts behind the evergreens. I dug them two big holes that they could tunnel together. I remember making snow forts as a kid every winter. We loved digging and seeing how big we could make them. We used to build with Angie and John. Cousin John always made the biggest and coolest ones,

After coming home from Vegas, we watched each round of the NFR. Wade Sundell, our local cowboy, had a pretty good finals. He won one of the rounds. That alone would be just awesome. While watching, Luke would sit on his rocking horse with his cowboy hat and watch the cowboys and whinnies.