Book Game Winner!

At 2:30 p.m. Central Time, using Random.org...I got a random number between 1 and 22 (the number of comments):

Here are your random numbers:4
Timestamp: 2008-11-23 20:30:08 UTC

So the winner is Uncle Mike VS!! So, uncky Mike, your gift card is on it's way...no, you can't just give it to Aunt Lydia for her Christmas present. ;)

The Eekhoff's Plain Life thanks you all for playing along and for commenting!! Also a big "HELLO!" to all my blog lurkers. Thanks for stopping by and checking up on us!

p.s. even if you missed the deadline...it doesn't mean you can't still play. It's interesting to see what books, magazines, self-help books, random owner's manuals, etc. everyone has closest too them and their computer.

A "Book Game" Giveaway!!

First, thanks for your kind comments in regards to my little pity party! It was the pep rally I needed!! Now on to some fun stuff...

My friend at His Treasured Possession did this on her facebook page, and I thought it would be fun to put it on my blog and see what kind of response I get...

The Book Game, here are the rules:
1) Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
2) Turn to page 56.
3) Find the fifth sentence.
4) Post that sentence in my comments. (If you have never posted a comment, you click on the comments link at the bottom of this post. If you don't have an account with google, that's o.k. Just use the "Name" option and type in your name, do required security word, and then "publish your comment").
5) Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Here is what I got:
"animal cracker: a small cookie shaped like any of various animals" Thanks to Webster's New World College Dictionary 4th Edition!

Just to make it even more fun, if you play along and post your comment you will automatically be entered into a random drawing for a $10 Target Gift card! I know it's not much, but, hey, the holidays are coming up and that's 10 things at the Dollar Spot!! Stocking Stuffers!! (If you don't think I have your email address be sure to include that in your comment so I can contact you if you win). This is a time for all you "blog lurkers" to come out of the woodwork. ;)

You have until 2:30 p.m. CST Sunday, November 23 to play!!

New Year's thoughts in November

No, I'm not celebrating 2009 yet, but I just got my new Weekly Planner for 2009 today. I got to a point where I was writing too many dates at the end of my 2008 planner so I had to get a new planner for 09. I know some of you do that fancy schmancy stuff on the computer, but I am old school when it comes to my calendars. Pen and paper and little boxes that you have to fill in. I think I feel like if I write stuff in I will remember it better. (p.s. I also have an address book where I have to WRITE in the addresses!)

As you may notice, I get sentimental with my calendars. Do I keep my old ones? Why should I? I don't journal so I have actually needed my old planners when I do my scrap booking. Helps with the dates of trips, activities, etc. That is if I ever get back around to my scrap booking which I haven't touched in 5 months. In fact, I have my 2007 calendar in my desk here so let's take a look at what we were up to one year ago today...10:30-12:30 Thanksgiving Playgroup. Hmm, I remember it was at Lacey's and we made Turkey cookies. In fact, I told Annika we were having turkey for Thanksgiving she was very disappointed when the turkey wasn't a cookie.

There is something to be said about an empty calendar. Each day is just waiting to be filled. I have mixed emotions right now about how those little boxes will be filled. Ah, I know I will be busy. Since we are closer to family, I am sure we will have visits with them. I am still working on finding friends, so I am hoping I will have play dates and maybe even a Girl's Night Out (NOTHING will replace the old crew, however). Hopefully a few dates with my man and special events with the kids. I am just a little sad that it won't be as simple as it was. I am sure soon enough the unfamiliar will become familiar, out of my comfort zone will become comfortable, and life will be "ordinary" again.

Until then...can you be homesick when you're at home?

Now that's more like it!

What I paid for my gas this morning!

Just waiting for the price of a gallon of milk to go down...

and then there were 10

We started out as couples without kids...IBC "trailer trash," staying up way too late playing cards or random German Board games, camping in the wilds of Prince William County, etc. Then we each had one and we discovered that we could make our kids portable with the wonderful Pack-n-play. Our late night game playing became less frequent, but we still tried. Fast forward 4 years and now the kids outnumber the adults and we all live in Kansas! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!

The weekend after Halloween we drove just 2 1/2 hours south to see our dear friends the Winns. What a wonderful time seeing their home and watching our kids play oh so sweetly together. It was really a fun time. It did my heart good to see a familiar face. We ate way too much junk food, played board games, stayed up way too late (Thank goodness for the time change!!) and just caught up on life. We love you Winns! THANK YOU for hosting us! Looking forward to returning the favor!!

Picture taken by Annika

The kids table

All ready for bed...the kids in order from oldest to youngest (4,4,2,21 m, 9m, 4m)

Soldiers in The Lord's Army!!

All dressed up for church!

Hot mamas

Then and Now...

Before it's Thanksgiving...

I thought I should post some of our Halloween stuff. This was the first year we were alone for Halloween. In Virginia, we trick or treated with the D's and G's (and their kids, of course!). It wasn't the same and Annika was asking if her favorite friends were going to join us. :( Anyway, it ended up being a good way to meet some of the neighbors. Since we are the newbies in the neighborhood, we weren't really sure what to expect. Dan walked the neighborhood with the girls while I stayed at home with Landon and handed out candy. We had a busy neighborhood. I think people probably just came to our house out of curiosity. I know I would if there were new neighbors down the street! The night before Dan and the girls carved the pumpkins, one for the girls and one for dad. Can you guess which one is which? :)

Getting the seeds out

Minnie Mouse

Go Hawks!

Ready to go out and get some candy (Taryn's not smiling because she was scared of the pumpkins behind her).

Cleaning advice needed!

The question isn't too hard, but I am just looking for some ideas since the main level on the new house is mostly wood floor.

What have you found to be the best way to clean your hardwood floors? I'm not talking about the daily sweeping or swiffering, but what do you use when you want to mop/clean them? You know, what we do before our mother-in-laws come over (love you Mom E!!).

(Even though we all know this is worthless because 5 minutes after you're done, your child will find that random grape, step on it and proceed to track it's sticky-ness all over the newly cleaned floors).