All Ready to Go Home

Katie's friend made this cute beanie and the yellow hat below for baby shower gifts.  They just couldn't look more adorable on Eleanor!  She is such a sweet, content little girl.  So precious!

Eleanor Grace

Gosh, she is so cute, I could just look at her all day long.  Oh, she smells sweet too!

Welcome to Earth Little Baby

What a little sweetheart Katie and Josh have in their family!  I loved being with them to share in the joy!  She is a content and beautiful little baby.  I look forward to spending more time with her before I head back to Washington! 

One More Christmas Celebration

The traditional pajama pants shot in front of the tree at Grandma Schenk's.

These brain teaser puzzles kept all the boys puzzled for a super long time.

It was much quieter than usual.  And I didn't even have to duck to avoid

being shot by a flying Nerf missile.

I'm not sure how many of these puzzles were actually solved that night.

Maybe one or two?  More fun for later, I guess!

Christmas Morning 2010

A small, but excited, line up to see what Santa brought this year.  OK, Keith isn't quite awake yet, but I'm sure if we look to Christmases past, we would see that's part of his Christmas celebration technique.

Oooh, the ab roller... looks painful.

Soccer ball. Good times ahead.

Best Christmas present he's ever had, I'm pretty sure.  He still can't figure out where Eric and I found this amazing technicolor coat.  He's never seen this, his dream coat, in stores.  Shh, don't tell him we shopped ONLINE this year.  Pretty slick, huh?

From Katie and Josh, Lies You Learned at School.  I don't know, is this really appropriate reading material for someone still IN school?  Yikes! Of course, Eric couldn't put it down.

Cool tie from Josh and Katie.  I like it!

Yes!  My own beautiful copy of Tess of the D'Urbervilles.  Great story.

Thanks Katie and Josh!

Hey, he looks like a Super missionary in his new stuff.

We also finished opening gifts from Devin. This is the best.  He made a scrapbook for us.  The caption on this picture reads "They didn't have a barbershop in my area.  I just tried to be Filippino and do what the locals do.  Just kidding.  It's a wig."

A Unique Christmas Eve!

With only Eric at home, and Grandma Schenk in the hospital, we had a very different celebration this year.  So after lots of time in the kitchen making a turkey dinner and finishing up the Christmas baking, we delivered cookies to some neighbors.  We also got permission from Devin to open the package he sent us.  Notice the plethora of stamps covering the entire right side of the package! 

Inside we found a variety of mixes and biscuit type treats that Devin wanted us to try.

I love how everything is written in English.

 Eric is stirring up some of the Energen drink packet.  Yum, it tastes like tapioca pudding!

There were wrapped gifts as well.

And now for the highlight....

Devin!!!! Elder Schenk!

We not only got to have our "phone call" we actually got to skype with him.

Hurray!  We got to see our missionary!  He looks great! 

At first it was a bummer for him because we could see him, but the connection was bad, and he couldn't see us.  But after about 10 minutes or so, the picture came through for him, so he cheered up considerably! 

We had 40 minutes to talk with him, so we had our questions listed out, and we got them all answered!  He even spoke in Visayan for us.  He's doing so well, it was great to see him looking and sounding good.