Dec '07/Jan '08 news...

Well, it's been a busy couple of months for us! Santa found his way to our house all the way here in Hawaii, and was good to us all...especially Devin! We had friends over for Christmas Eve. Kelli made her first turkey...and it turned out okay, with a few small bumps in the process! Christmas day we had a few friends stop by again, we stayed in our pajamas all day, watched movies, and played!

The weekend after Christmas we moved into a new house in town. Yes, we moved AGAIN! It was a very quick decision and move. We were getting sick of the drive into town for work/daycare everyday...only 11 miles for Jeremy, about 20 for Kelli, but it took 45-60 minutes for Kelli because of traffic. Plus, we loved the house, but it was too expensive and just too much house for the three of us! So, we quickly found a house in town and snatched it up! It's much smaller, but also much more cozy and "homey" feeling. It now takes Kelli about three minutes to get to work, and Jeremy's only about 4 miles from work. We love it! It's a 3 bedroom/1 bath house, but it also has a separate guest room and another shower, jacuzzi bathtub, toilet, and sink in another little building right behind the house. So, if anyone wants to come visit we have plenty of room! The backyard is mostly flowers, bamboo, trees (coconut, papaya, avacado) with a little stone walkway around it and a pagoda/gazebo. There is also a small front yard big enough for Devin to play in!

We also bought a new car! Yes, we like to keep things exciting! We put my Honda Element up for sale and bought a 2001 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. It's a diesel, and is supposed to get 40-50 miles per gallon. One of Jeremy's co-workers is making bio-diesel and selling it for $1.50/gallon. The payments are cheaper, and insurance is cheaper, we'll be spending less on gas, and we'll have it paid off sooner. Just another way of trying to save some money! AND we think we may have the Element sold, as of today!

One last piece of important news that we're all very excited about and proud of...Devin is now officially totally potty trained!!! It's been a long, tough road, but we made it! :)

I know I'll get lots of rolling eyes for this, but it's actually been pretty cold here! Getting down into the 50's at night...I know that seems warm in Iowa...especially right now, but it seems really cold in Hawaii!

Jeremy took a second job at a gas station/convenient store in town doing inventory and stocking the cooler a few hours a week to make some extra money, so he's been busy. He'll also be taking a trip to Chicago on February 4th for a few days to go to some training for his work. They are also paying for him to fly back to Des Moines for a couple days after that. Devin and I are extremely jealous, but happy for daddy. Hopefully we'll all be coming home for a couple weeks in May/June.

Well, other than that, not much new to tell. Hope everyone is as happy and healthy as we are! Also hope everyone had a great holiday season and we wish you a very happy new year!

Dec '07/Jan '08 pics...

Devin with our friends son, William on Christmas Eve

Devin showing off her "loot" Christmas morning

The kitchen at our new house

The dining room

The "office/sitting area" half of the living room

The living room

The bathroom

Devin's bedroom

The house The "guest room"

The laundry room/2nd bathroom

Looking from the carport down to the backyard The pagoda and vegetation inthe backyard The new Jetta TDI

...from a different angle!

Devin "modeling"...and this time with her "kitty"

Devin & Daddy playing in the sand at Hapuna Beach This is why we moved to Hawaii!