An Aussie in the House

We went to the airport and picked up Nicola on Saturday. She is such a joy! She really clicks with our family. I was kind of worried because sometimes I think that we are a little bit loud and weird some times but so far so good. It is really fun to learn about the differences in our cultures. She has never seen snow so this week she is definitely going to get enough snow to last her for a while. School has even been canceled tomorrow because of the white stuff. I think a day of scooping and snowball fights is in order.

We Are Having A Girl!!

It has been a whirlwind of a week. We were asked on Tuesday if we would be interested in hosting an exchange student, filled out the paperwork that night, and were pre-approved on Wednesday. We have found out that we will be adding to the family next month when we have a foreign exchange student come stay with us for a year. Nicola is from Australia and she will be coming to America to experience our culture. I wonder what she will think about our little rural town. It will be a great opportunity for her and for us. The girls are very excited to have her. Zach isn't so happy. He wanted it to be a boy since he already has 2 sisters but I'm sure he will get over it. Brandon and I will have to quickly learn how to handle a teenager. Are we ready for this? I don't know. We will take it one day at a time.

Heaven is for Real

Just finished reading the book Heaven is For Real. It is written by Todd Burpo about his sons brush with death and his time in Heaven. It is a true story that takes place here in Nebraska. The story is amazing and the way a child can be so matter-of-fact makes you think about Heaven all over again. I don't seem to ever think about heaven is just is. I always think of it as beyond comprehension so why even try. This little boy just tells it like he saw it. Thank you Colton for the little glimpse.

It was a quick read. It only took me a few hours but worth it. I have a tendency to drowned myself in a book that I find interesting. I need some new books to read so leave me a comment and let me know of any good books that you have read lately.

GOOO BIIIIG REEED!!!

He is off. Brandon is heading down to Texas for the Big 12 Championship game. A bunch of men (no women at all) in a couple of RV's, tailgating, stadium food, and football is going to equal.....trouble, alot of gas, no sleep, and a bunch of good fun memories. That is my husband's Christmas present so he had better enjoy it.

Merry Christmas to Them

My friend came to my house tonight and told me that they won over $50,000 in the Nebraska lottery today. WOW!!! Merry Christmas to them! I am sooo happy for them. She was beyond excited which I would have been too.

Funny thing...Brandon and I have talked many times about what we are going to do when we win the lottery. What makes that funny you ask.....we don't ever buy lottery tickets. We keep hoping that out parents will win and just give us some:) It is ever so fun to dream though.

What's The Code

My kids can't wait for me to get the presents under the tree. They can't wait to figure out the code. Each year, to keep the kids from messing with the gifts too much, in stead of putting there names on the gifts I use a code so that they aren't sure who gets which present. They have so much fun with this. As the kids get older we have to get more tricky. In years past we have used these codes....
3 different colored wrapping papers
different ribbons
numbers (one child had 1, 11, 31, 13, etc. another 2, 24, 42, etc. and 5, 56, 65, etc.)
numbers divisible by other numbers
This year we are using animals. I can't let you know the code in case my kids read the blog but I will after Christmas. It really gets there brains thinking and keeps them from messing with the presents because they aren't sure if it is there gift or not.

Where Has The Time Gone?

I can't believe that it has been almost 1 year since I posted. Where has the time gone? Maybe I need to go shopping at 3 am more often to get the motivation. That probably won't be happening because I did that this morning and it was not fun at all :( That made me kind of sad because I always look forward to it. I don't know if it was because some stores changed up their hours or what but the crowds were ridiculous. I didn't even come home with anything exciting because it was all to overwhelming.

Oh Well!! I have gotten a lot of Christmas shopping done. The lights are up outside and I am ready for some holiday fun. Hopefully the tree will go up tomorrow. Pics to come (if it looks good).

So True

******************

I am positive

that very few things

in my life

are as soothing

as vacuum lines

in my carpet.

*******************

Good Reads

I have been doing some great reading in the last couple of months. I go in spurts where I don't read for a long time then I go crazy and read everything that I can get my hands on. Right now I'm in the hands on mode. All of these books are great especially the Donald Miller book and Crazy Love. I got so much wonderful ideas from those books. I highly recommend them. My Lobotomy is a different sort of book but I got it from a co-worker and decided to give it a try. It is very interesting book about a man who got a lobotomy when he was 12. Not quite in the same category as the other two but sometimes you need something different.
I am almost done with my last book and so I will need to find another to read quickly so I don't loose my mojo. I like reading so I don't want to stop again. If you have any suggestions let me know.

Electronics Free Day

Do you ever look around at your family and get totally disgusted because someone is on the computer, playing the Wii, playing on the DS, Playing on their IPod, and the TV is on? No one is talking to each other or even acknowledging any ones presence. I am one of those people. I am not blaming anyone because I am usually the one on the computer but I had enough. After talking with Brandon we decided that Sunday would be NO ELECTRONICS DAY at the Brinker house. No TV, No Computer, No DS, No Wii, No Playstation, No IPod, and so on. You would have thought that it was the end of the world for the kids(especially Zach). We have now had 2 Sundays electronic free and it has been kind of fun. We have played games, read books, went on adventures at the lake, and just spend some good old quality time together. I think that it is going to be a good thing for our family. It is too easy to get sucked into the STUFF we have around and forget about the really important things around us. I am afraid that I am going to wake up one day and wonder way all the time went. I want my kids to have fun memories and great life stories. You can't make a great life story staring at the TV. So we are working on a better life story for our family.

Proud Mom Moment

Do you ever have one of those moments where you are just soooo proud of your kids that you have to share the story? I am having that moment today. Brooklyn has been saving, for almost a year, for an ipod touch. She is about $60 shy of having enough. Her and a friend from church have been talking and decided that they want to start a girls bible study. Brooklyn has a friend that she takes to youth group but isn't sure about her salvation and she wants her to be part of the study. She has talked to this girl and talked her into joining the study but that isn't even the great part. Today she took a good chunk of her money that she has been saving and went to the bible supply store and bought her friend a teen girls study bible with her name on it. I couldn't be more proud but more importantly I know that God is so very proud of her. I am just beaming today because she is turning into such a wonderful little lady with a heart of gold.

Time To Take Down The Tree

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all! We hope that you have a wonderful holiday with your families and take the time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. NO, it's not the presents.

Luke 2:9-12 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Sad but True

Are You Ready?

Christmas Countdowns at WiddlyTinks.com

That Time Of Year

It is that time of year. I was up at 4:30 Friday morning to hit the sales and Santa must have been up a while too.

Catching Up

The last blog was May Day and so here is a quick catch up of events...

My brother got married. I know I can't believe it either. Rachel is a sweetheart and has a daughter Kyra. I am so happy for them and wish them the best.

Zachary graduated from Kindergarten. We are so proud. He only got sent to the Principles office 1 time.

Brooklyn graduated from the 5th grade and is now in Jr. High. Where has the time gone?

Went to Vegas with my mom and my sister. I would post more picks but you know what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Zachary turned 7 in July. We had a party for him at Cody Park in North Platte.

First day of school in North Platte. We moved back to Nebraska in August. Brooklyn is in 6th grade. Sidney is in 5th grade and Zach is in 1st grade. I am so glad that they enjoy school.

Sidney turned 10 in August. We had a Luau party in the sunroom of our new house.

October greeted us with a huge snow storm. We didn't get a fall.

Halloween was fun this year. Brook wanted to be a Smurf, Zach Darth Vader, and Sid was a remote control. Everyone kept calling her a cell phone but she was a remote. Carli was a hippy. For those of you that don't know, Carli is our fourth child(unofficially). She is Brooklyn's best friend and they are joined at the hip.

That about wraps it up. I know alot more has happened but that is what I have pictures of. It is all kind of a blur since a big move was stuck in the middle. We are settled now and hopefully everything can get back to normal. Whatever that is!

Is facebook going to take over?

It looks like it has. What makes facebook so darned addictive? It isn't that I care about who is having coffee or just finished vacuuming. What is even stupider is that I have a fish tank on FB that I take care of every day. My laundry isn't done in real life but my fake fish are fed. It really doesn't get any more stupid than that. I think that I am coming back to the good old blogging life. It's like scrapbooking with less craftiness involved. My kids can look back and enjoy or in some cases be mortified at my posts.

May your day be filled with baskets of popcorn blown over on your front porch because you aren't home. You are out delivering your baskets to their house.