Our "Mostly Free" Vacation

** Warning** Long Post Ahead
We were very honored to receieve a "free" vacation this year due to some cement work we did with our dear friends Philip and Lana Steidinger. Both of us got a free week's stay in a condo in Destin Florida. We did have to pay for gas to get there, but other than that it was free. We had the time of our lives and enjoyed every minute of it. The place we stayed at was the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. It was huge and our condo's weren't close to each other, but none the less we had a great time. We took well over 100 pictures so I won't bore you with all those, but will try and group them together so they aren't at random. Here is the inside and outside of our condo called Elation. We were close to Baytown Wharf Shopping area so we spent time there...keep in mind almost every picture I show you is on this resort...thats how HUGE it was!!!

We spent all but two days on the beach catching waves, building sand castles, burying each other, finding shells, making a "soup bowl" (this is what caden called a hole with lots of water and sand in it:)), and catching some sun. Oh what fun!!

Two of the nights Philip and Lana watched our kids so we could have a date night, and two of the nights we watched their kids so they could have a date night. Our first night out we ate at a local restaurant that was known for their FRESH seafood caught daily. It was pretty much a hole in the wall restaurant with even them cooking out of a trailer backed up to this shack on the water. Very tiny place, but yummy fresh seafood. It was called Dewey Destin. The other restaurant we ate at was also a local and it was called Captain Dave's. It was on the beach and was more of a fancier place considering we at at Dewey Destin first.

Two of the days we spent at the pools that are through out the resort. I believe there are 17 or 19 pools through out the entire place. Here are a few pool pictures. We also spent three different mornings riding bikes and playing tennis. Elijah said his favorite part was riding the bikes so we made sure to do that more than once and nick and I liked tennis so we did that a few times as well. We did a little walking on trails and going to different sites. One was an island called Jolee Island that had a play set and little cottage.

Thank you very much Philip and Lana for letting us have the privalage of going with you. Let us know when you need more help doing a concrete driveway:)

Mr. & Mrs. Albert John Gutwein

* Warning: Long post ahead:)

This past weekend we had the privelage of attending my brother AJ's wedding. Here are many pictures of the wonderful weekend that we had. The first four pictures are of the rehearsal supper. After getting over a wave of naseousness(sp?) I was finally able to eat the yummy meal.

Then it was onto the morning of the wedding for picture time......

This is the wedding and reception all in one...after the wedding was over the one row would have to switch their chairs around to use the tables for the cake. It went really smoothly and we couldn't have asked for a better set up.

This is their very unique cake. I thought Kathy W. did a wonderful job on it. I kind of think that the red and white layer looks a bit like the Target symbol:) Now here are a few pictures from the actual wedding itself. They aren't the greatest quality due to lack of lighting in the building.

Mom and Anita Messer going up to do the unity sand (in place of unity candle due to the wedding suppose to be outside and a candle wouldn't have worked so great outdoors).This is Kyra and Ethan as the junior bridesmaid and groomsmen.Poor Raquel cried all the way up the isle. She sure made a beautiful bride though!!

Here are some pictures from the reception and farwell as they leave to head to their honeymoon destination....Gatlinburg TN.

Of course I couldn't help but post these three adorable pictures. I thought they were so cute.

This and That

First off I want to update you all on Elijah. Elijah has been doing really well with school lately. He has not been crying in the mornings and he absolutely loves that we pray each morning before school. I have been trying to eat lunch with him weekly so he had something to look forward to, but now that he is doing so well, I have decided to use the "lunch" day as a reward for being obedient at school instead. When he gets 10 perfect "0" days which means he didn't misbehave once and didn't have to turn his behavior card at school, then I will come eat lunch with him. He said that sounded ok, so we shall see how it goes. I do continue to have special snacks when he gets home from school. Like pudding, or apples and carmel, etc. Its stuff I don't normally buy and costs a bit extra, but all in all its worth it for now so that he can enjoy school.

Secondly, I am feeling better from the morning sickness. Its lasted about 3 weeks. there are still a few days here and there that if I am even a bit hungary I'll start gaging. I just try and have a cracker to settle my stomach and will be ok then. The baby is the size of a grape this week so not to big. I however feel bloated and fat almost like Im 7 months along. I know that sounds strange and I know I don't look 7 months along its just that first trimester does all sorts of things to your body to get it ready for the next several months. We continue to pray that God gives us a little girl as we all really want a girl, except Caden who says its a boy. I just don't think he knows any different:) Thankfully my clothes are still fitting me and hopefully will continue to fit me for at least another month. I am in a wedding in December and I really hope to fit into the dress size I ordered. Its so hard to know how "big" you will get in a few months ,especially with child number 3.

Thirdly, this past weekend nick had to work so I packed up the boys in 15 minutes and hit the road for a 6 hour drive to Crawfordsville IN to go camping with my parents, brother and to be sister in law. We had a nice time and needed the get away. The boys loved it and can't wait to camp again. I don't have any pictures cause I packed all three of our clothes, etc in less than 15 minutes which means I forgot the camera. Oh well, we still had a great time even if we have no pictures to show for it. The boys swam and played in the dirt by the camper pretty much the entire weekend. Boy were they a mess when we went home. Now its back to the grind here at the homestead. Trying to get things done around here as I have let it go terribly due to morning/evening sickness. Off to clean the house and do laundry.

Have a blessed day.

Some Help Here PLEASE!!!

Well, all was well the first few days of school, until............NOW!

Im certain there just has to be some of my blog readers out there that can give me some advice on what to do when your child doesn't like school? I know most of you either just have a new kindergartener or else will be sending one off to school shortly, but for those of you who have already had a 1st grader or are going thru this same ordeal...please share your advice and wisdom on what to do when your child doesn't enjoy school.

For the past week Elijah has been crying every morning before school, and in fact cried all the way to school today, saying " I don't want to go, I don't have any friends, and its to long of a day". Of course Id love to just say "ok sweetie, you don't have to go anymore, lets go home and play all day". But thats not the case. School is a must. I have tried treats, kind words as in: you will get some friends soon, or school will get better each day, or mommy and caden will be glad when you come home from school happy that you went, or mommy and caden will pray for you, or you can do it son..keep up the good work. Its just that these words of affirmation aren't helping any right now. I was wondering if any of you mom's out there have any suggestions on how to make your son's experience in school a good one?? Id love to have some help here....PLEASE!!!!

I AM............