Christmas Day 2009

We had a great Christmas here in Germany just us as a family. Kooper got up at 5:40 am and we kept him from wakening up Madelyn for about an hour. So at 6:40 am we started opening present and the kids had a blast. As you can tell below in the picture of the Christmas tree Santa was great to the kids this year. They got a tone of stuff and love it all. This Christmas was different for us not spending it with no family, but it was still a very blessed Christmas. But we have to look forward to next Christmas when my parents will be here will us and spending the holiday with us. Any one else who wants to come is welcome to come. There are a few pictures of our great day below. Enjoy!

Madelyn Playing her new DSi

Kooper driving his new car

Kooper opening presents

Daddy and Kooper checking out Kooper's yo-yo from Madelyn

Madelyn just opened her DSi

Madelyn watching Kooper opening a gift.

Kooper and Mommy watching Madelyn opening up a gift.

The Christmas Tree after Santa came to our house. :)

Madelyn's Birthday Party ( The BIG 6)

It is hard to believe that our little girl is now six. ( that makes you feel really old) We had a party for her on Saturday the 19th and had our friends and their 5 kids over. She had cake and gifts with her friends at the party, and then we all ate dinner. The kids played and played, they even played out in the snow that night. She had a great time with us and our friends. Happy Birthday my little girl.

Morning of her birthday.

Opening a few more presents.

Day of her Party!

Opening presents

Opening more presents

Birthday cake (Madelyn helped with it).

Madelyn and her cake before the party.

The table before the Party started.

Christmas Eve

We started Christmas Eve off by going to church and then we had friends over for dinner.I had been cooking for a couple of days. We had Ham, Hot dogs wrapped in bacon, shrimp, hot wing dip, layered dip, sweet potatoes, pecan pie and pumpkin roll. It was a good meal and we had a tone left over. Our friends came over about six and stayed until about nine. And then we put food out for Santa and his reindeer. Then the kids got a bath and off to be they went so Santa would come and visit them. Once we knew they were a sleep, then Santa did his stuff. I could not wait for them to get up and see all the stuff they were getting. Then off to bed Mommy and Daddy went.

First Snow!!

We woke up Sunday morning to snow on the ground and it was still falling. We went to church and then we came home and got changed. Then we headed outside to have fun in the snow. We had a snow ball fight and then Seth and the kids made snow angles. The kids had a tone of fun playing in the snow. Madelyn said; Mommy do you know why it snowed? I said no, why? She said that means that Christmas is coming soon. We hope to get some more snow this winter.

Mommy and Daddy.

Daddy got hit with a snow ball.

Madelyn and Mommy.

Seth was so upset that the Harley got snowed on.

The kids playing in the snow.

More on our dive to church.

The drive to the base and to our church.

The kids again.

The kids be for church.

Kids Christmas Party

Seth work had a Christmas party for the kids on Saturday morning. They had crafts, breakfast and Santa. Santa read the kids two stories and then they all got a gift from Santa. We had such a good time, the kids really enjoyed all of the fun. It was nice to see the both of the kids enjoy them selfs and all of us get to meet new people.

Daddy, Kooper and Santa.

Madelyn with Santa.

Daddy and Kooper working together on some crafts.

Madelyn done with her crafts.

Kooper and Mommy making crafts at the christmas party.

Our sweet kids.

Kooper before we left for the Christmas Party.

Madelyn before we left for the Christmas party.

Our Stuff

It has been a while since I have posted anything. We got all of our household goods on Monday, it took them two loads to get everything here. They got here about 9:15 and were here until 3:30 or so. I have everything unpacked and put way buy Tuesday night. We just got the last curtains hung today and the last few pics up on the wall tonight. It is so nice to have all of our own things and our own beds to sleep in at night. The kids are doing so much better having there own things. I will post some pics of our house with our stuff in it later this week. I did buy a new coffee table and end table for our house and I just think that they look great with our stuff. Well that is all for now I will post more later. We are going to a German Christmas Market this weekend so I will post some pics of that next week.

Madelyn's School Program

Madelyn's class did a great job at their program last night. They sang quite a few songs, they sang them in English, German and Spanish. It is hard to believe that this age of kids can already remember 3 languages. After they sang, we all eat dinner together. They had a great turn out at this, the room was packed full of family. The kids had a great time, Madelyn was so happy and did such an awesome job. Well that is all for now, I posted a few pics of last night on here. Enjoy!

What a little doll we have, she is getting so big. (It makes me sad to think she will be 6 in a month).

She was all smiles.

She is sining her little heart out.

Madelyn walking in with her class to start the program. She is all smiles all night, (which was great to see).

Our house

Wow it has been a while, that I have posted something on here. Well lets see what has been going on around here. We have been in our house now for a week, it was a week on Monday. We have not got our household stuff yet, it should not be here until the 1st of December. I hope that it is on time, because I am ready to put everything away and get out all of my christmas stuff. For all of you that know me really well, knows that I would have been getting it out this week or next, so this year a will be a bite behind. Madelyn has started school over here, they have 10 class for her age, which is a big change from the states. She is liking a little more every day. She is still having a hard time with being home sick. Last night we ask her were she wants to move when we are done here, we gave her a map of the United States and she picked Kansas. We have spend sometime with our friends over here and their family, we are going there for Thanksgiving. I passed my drivers test, and so now I can drive. We just bought a 4 Runner for me last night, I should have it by the middle of next week. Kooper and I have just been hanging out at home, he is getting to be quite the little Mommy's boy. Not much else new right now, I will write more after Thanksgiving. I hope that you all have a great Thanksgiving. We love and miss all of our families.

Here a few pics of some stuff we have been doing.

This one shows a little more of the German playground.

The kids playing at a little German playground close to our house.

One of the many Playgrounds at Madelyn's school.

Madelyn standing outside her new school.

The kids and I out side our house.

House

We for those of you who don't know yet, we found a house Wednesday afternoon. It is a 4 bedroom, 2 Bathroom home, i has a small yard. The landlord speaks pretty good English and she is so nice, they just live right across the street. She has two kids right about Madelyn and Kooper's age which will be so nice for the kids. It is about 5 min from the base which will be nice for Seth and Madelyn, because Madelyn will go to school on the base. We are hoping to get her enrolled in school either today or tomorrow. Hoping that she can start school on Monday or Tuesday, she needs to get back in school. The house is in a area where there is other military, so that will be nice to. It will help me meet other military moms and other people that speak English. Well I thought that I would just update everyone today on our house. I will post pictures soon. I will write more later.

Germany

We have been in Germany for 3 days now. Things are very different here, in a good way and some in a bad way. We are trying to adjust to the time difference, not doing to bad but we are all still really wore out. We have been house looking, I think that we may have found the one that we are going to live in but we are going to look at 2 more tomorrow. All the houses here are so different than what we have over in the States. The kids are doing well, Madelyn misses her dogs and my parents. It is very different for the kids not to see them every day, so this has been a big change for them. We are hoping to web cam with my mom and dad this weekend. We can not wait to see their faces. I will post some pics tomorrow or Sunday. I am hoping to take some more pics tomorrow while we are out and about. I will write more later.

Left Home Today

We left Wichita at 7:26 am today, this has been a really hard day. Most of all that I have done today is cry and fly. It was so hard telling all of my family bye. We had dinner last night at my mom and dad's house. My Grandma Swartz , Nathan, Kelsey, Blaak, Kennedy, Nick, Heather, Maison and my parents were there. It was very hard when it was time last night to say good bye to those who were not going to the air port. Then this morning my Mom, Dad, and two brothers went to the air port with us, to see us off on this adventure. I am going to have a really hard time for a while. Right now all that I can think about is how bad my family is hurting. To my Mom, I love you more than words can say and will miss you with all of my heart. And I am not for sure what I will do with out my two brother's, they each are great in their own ways. Of course I will miss my sister in-laws, and little miss Kenndey, and little Mr. Maison and Blaak.

We think the Lord for this great adventure he has handed us. I will have pics to post when I get over there.

We love you all and will miss you all so much.

Mom you are a amazing women and a great mother and awesome nana, I will call you every day and we will be just a close if not closer by the time we come back to Winfield to live.

One of the hardest things this morning was when we were saying good bye, Madelyn and Kooper were crying. Kooper has no idea what is happening, but little Madelyn knows and it just broke my heart for her this morning. Having to tell her Nana, Papa and two Uncle's bye.

Well more later. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

With love-

Seth, Natasha, Madelyn and Kooper

Going away party!

My family had a going away party for us Saturday night. We had such a good time with all of our family and friends. We would like to think everyone for comming even with the cold weather. We will miss all of you more than words can say. We owe my family a big THANK YOU for having a party for us. Thank you so much. This will be a hard week for us with having to say alll of our good bye's. I have no idea how I will be able to do it. But one thing that I tell myself is that I have to stay strong for my kids. That is one thing that I learned form my mom. So it might be a few days before I blog again. I will take a tone of pics on our way over there and when we get there. So everyone can see this great journey in our lives. We will miss you all and love you all so much.

Two of the greatest friends around

Katie Walker, Me, Janae Mettling, and Kelsey Holcomb

My dad and our friend Pete

Our friend Jeff and I

Andy and his girlfriend

Grandma and Grandpa Holcomb

Family and friends

Seth and his boss and her daughter.

House Closed

Friday afternoon we closed on our house. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. The lady that did our closing Friday was the same lady that did it when we bought the house. We were sitting in the same room as we did 5Years ago. But when we were there then Madelyn was just a baby. When it was time to hand over the keys, I started crying. I hope that they enjoy the house as much as we did and have just as many good memories as we did. That house is the only house that our kids have ever lived in. So as we say good bye to that house we say hello to our new adventure in life. And we owe a big THANK YOU to GOD for this awesome experience he has blessed us with. And a huge THANK YOU for making everything fall in to place with the house work out.

Movers came

The mover's have been here and are now gone. By now our stuff should be on it way over to Germany. This were a hard few day's to see our stuff boxed up and load off into a big truck. Seth was quite the guy this week, he stayed at the house while they loaded everything up and drove off with it. I just could not be there for that so he did it all. I owe him a big THANK YOU. Here are a few pics of the house getting boxed up. The house looks so different all empty, it is hard to be there with none of our stuff in it. We are past one big job now on to a few more. We are getting ready to start a big and hopefully fun it for us and our kids. We love all of our family's and will miss everyone so much. I will post more after our going away party on Saturday night. We are looking forward to spending one last bash with our friends and family.

Upstair's bedroom

This is our kitchen all boxed up and waiting to be loaded.

Computer room all boxed up.

This is the moving truck.