Not much new around here...

It is getting colder here in Iowa, that is for sure! We still don't have any snow, but that is going to be here before we know it.
A few weeks ago Bennett and I drove to Albertville, Minnesota to meet up with my mom, 2 sisters and nephew. There were many bargains to be had at the outlet mall and Noah and Bennett encountered a few adventures as well. It is so funny to see their different personalities shine through when they are together. They are always having to imitate eachother and play with whatever the other one has their little hands on, doesn't matter what it is.
Dale's parents paid us a visit this past week for American Thanksgiving and I made my very first turkey. I am glad my mother-in-law was there to guide me (and make the gravy!).
We are all nursing our first big colds of the season and I am ready for those to be done! Lying in bed listening to Bennett coughing his little heart out makes me feel so bad for the little guy:(

October

So I realize it isn't October anymore, but since I haven't blogged in a while, I thought I would start there.


I (Janelle) and Bennett drove to Winnipeg for almost a week because we just HAD to meet our new neice and cousin, Danica. Emily is a proud new sister and Danica is just absolutely precious. We also got to be there for Danica's baptism and so it was definitely a worthwhile trip. The drive went fairly well with Bennett, but he definitely had his meltdowns. Thankfully I was prepared and we made it there and back without much incident at all.

The next week was a week that Dale and I won't soon forget. I received a call in the wee hours of the morning on a Monday from the hospital in Rock Valley, IA (only about 15 minutes from Sioux Center). Dale had been in a serious accident, he was okay, but I should get to the hospital right away. So, at 2:30am I called my dear friend Mary and she was over to my house in less than 10 minutes. I was off to the hospital. Thankfully Dale was okay. He received 4 staples in his head and some minor scrapes and bruises. His truck was completely totalled, almost unrecognizable. It wasn't luck, I am quite certain it was a miracle that Dale was alive and well.


That week was a blur of doctors visits and phone calls with the insurance company, amidst a lot of "what are we going to do now" thoughts.... Then on the friday Dale found out that the company that he was pulling for decided that Dale could no longer work for them. Wow. How much worse could our week go?????


Anyway, we are happy to say that Dale has found another trucking company to work for and we are so excited about our future. Dale will be hauling cattle and hogs and is very much looking forward to a change of pace, as well as a little more physical labor. Actually, as I write this, Dale is off buying a new semi truck. Well, it will be new to us:) We are hoping to get him on the road with it early next week.

Okay, on to Bennett. Well he is full of the dickens. Isn't that the nice way of saying he is really hyper, gets into everything and makes us laugh every day. He is awesome. He got his first haircut this month, got a new cousin and got to go trick or treating. We dressed him up as a cow and at first he was not impressed, not at all. Once he discovered that he would get some candy while dressed up, he was quite okay with the whole thing.

Bennett getting his first haircut. He sat really good in the chair.

This is on our front porch.

Here is our little cow on his way to the Hallelujah party.

Bennett and Kaase with Lollipops at the Hallelujah party. They were
both loving the candy!