Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve with Dan's side of the family. We also invited the Vissers to join us, as they could not make the trip to Ludington due to the weather. Michael & Caley came for dinner; it was nice that they came. Dan's dad had never met her; it meant the world to him. We did not get the younger kids until later in the evening. Dan had to work, so the kids did not come over until later. The kids were sure surprised to see a couple presents under the tree; as we told them it wouldn't happen this year! The excitement in their eyes was probably more than if we bought them 100 gifts like normal!

Do we really have to sit here and wait....take the picture already!

Come on.....what ya waiting for!!!
YEAHHHHHH......we got Rockband! Megan's excited anyways! You'll have to stay tuned for pictures of them rocking out. We didn't have much time to play!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Rock'n Old School

My Aunt Carol and Uncle Rich sent us money for Christmas. Dan & I decided to buy a gift for the family; we decided on Rock Band & Guitar Hero. Those boxes tormented me all day long....open me....open me....the kids will never know....open me!!!! I sat here...staring at the boxes....I can do it; we'll wait for the kids.
I BROKE.....about 8:30 tonight I told Dan we can open Guitar Hero; the kids will never know. So Dan carefully pulled back the tape on the box and in minutes....WE WERE ROCK'N!!!!

Dan's a hot rocker....love those sunglasses...woohoo!!! Rock me baby!

I have to run; I'm ready to battle with Slash! SHHHH....don't tell the kids we were playing with their toys! I'm sure if everyone was honest, they've played with their kids toys too!
Merry Christmas!!!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

What goes crash in the middle of the night????

In the Hartung house.....our Christmas tree goes crash in the middle of the night! At 5:00 a.m., Dan & I woke to a CRASH! We went into the living room to find our little tree laying on the floor. Ornaments and tinsel scattered from one end of the room to another. One of my favorite ornaments was destroyed into a hundred pieces. We hadn't planned on putting up a tree, but at the last minute yesterday; I brought up this tiny little tree. I figured it might help get us in the holiday mood! It did....until 5:00 a.m. At first we thought Molly was the culprit; she loves candy canes! But she was laying on her pillow in the entrance way. Lexie was snoozing on the couch, she didn't budge. Finally from behind the chair, appeared Gracie the wonder cat. She had tinsel on her back, around her legs, and hanging out of her mouth! BAD KITTIE!!!!


We tried to put things back in order, but it just doesn't look the same. And I have no intention of taking it apart and starting over. So this year, we'll have a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

CHRISTMAS COOKIES

What better way to spend a snowy Sunday morning than decorating cookies with friends! Doreen and Chris trucked through the snow-storm to spend the day with us making cookies. And BOY did we make cookies!!! LOTS & LOTS & LOTS of cookies! We started out by Doreen and I rolling and cutting out the cookies; but that wasn't much fun for the kids!
Doreen being domestic; sure glad we have a picture of this one! Those cookies are not from Plumbs!!!!



Dan thinks he's a pro cookie maker; he does ok!

I have no idea what Chris is thinking; but he looks like the cat that ate the canary!


Chris, Megan, and Doreen

Boobug and Dan; she's a daddy's girl!

The kids have taken over; get ready for a huge mess!


Laura, Doreen, and Megan

Chemistry 101; how to mix the proper colors!


Andrew and Chris....you should see those cookies! OMG

There's more flour on Andrew and Chris, than in the cookies. Even Molly helped out; or the kids made her help. I'm not sure what happened here!


I think they had more fun playing with the cookie dough!

Artists at work....I sure hope this is not their goal in life. None of our kids could be decorators; that's for sure!

How many more cookies do we have.....


Drum roll please........the finished products!








I think this was an elephant; Laura's favorite animal!

Andrew made this cookie special for Dan; it doesn't have very much frosting! Andrew didn't want Dan to have a diabetic reaction. Little does Andrew know, while making and eating cookies; Dan's sugar went up to 408. Bad Dan....very bad; normal sugar is 70-120.

This is my special cookie from Andrew, he made me a name bell! AWWWW

We had a great time making cookies, we always have so much fun with the Vissers! Weekends wouldn't be the same without them!

Friday, December 19, 2008

CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE AGAIN!

This year, I've been in a complete funk concerning Christmas. We haven't decorated the outside of the house, we haven't put up our Christmas tree. All I keep thinking about it is....we're not going to have a Christmas this year. You see...this year there will be no presents under our tree. Dan works in the automotive field; his company laid off 400 workers during the past two weeks. Money is very tight and we have to prepare for the worst! So we're not having Christmas this year.

How stupid does the above paragraph sound...VERY! You see, I fell into the typical commercial Christmas funk. I forgot what Christmas was really about....it's not about presents, decorations, or even a tree.

Christmas is really about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. We couldn't ask for a better gift than what was given to us before we were born. Now some of the things I'm thankful for this Christmas are my gifts this year...
  1. The birth of our Savior Jesus Christ
  2. My wonderful husband and kids
  3. The fact Dan is still working during these rough times; when so many from his job were let go and he was spared!
  4. I passed my iodine sensitivity test, so I can be placed anywhere in nursing!
  5. Wonderful friends...Doreen, Chris, and Adam
  6. We have a house to live in, lights, heat, and food to fill our tummies.
  7. We have warm clothes....good thing as I keep the heat on 65 most of the time!
  8. I have my Rotties....Lexie and Molly to snuggle with to keep warm; Gracie too!
  9. A grumpy dad & Marcia; Dan's dad & Penny
So even though we won't have presents to open Christmas morning; we have many gifts to be thankful for this year! Hopefully the kids will feel the same!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

CHILD HAVEN

Last night, I was very blessed to spend the evening with some kids at Child Haven. We played games, had snacks, and tried to get the kids to talk a little. Some of the kids were very welcoming and others had their guards up like you would not believe. You could look into their eyes and see they wanted to be loved on and to have people show they care; but at the same time afraid to let us in. We do not know their stories of why they are there, we do not know the roads they have traveled to get there. But in talking with the few kids I talked to, my heart breaks for them. After we played games, they workers gave us a tour of the facility. The children shared rooms, girls on one side; boys on the other. Looking into the rooms, my heart broke into many pieces. These rooms didn't have personal touches, no stuffed animals or dolls, no curtains, not even a picture on the walls. Yes, these children have a "safe" roof over their heads; but so many things are missing!

When I got home, I went into Laura Rose's room; sat on her bed and cried. I cried because of all we have and yet we still want more! I looked around her room, taking in each inch. Posters on every wall, awards from school, pictures of family, the name plates I made for the girls when they were little, and hundreds of stuffed animals. My mind went back to the rooms at Child Haven and I cried more!
Each night when Laura goes to bed, I give her a hug and kiss; I tell her how much love her. When she was little I would tuck her in....saying...."you're as snug as a bug in a rug" give her a kiss on the forehead...read the blessing of the day....and lights out.

I wonder, did the children I met last night ever have that special moment like Laura & I share? Did someone ever tuck them in, read them a story or blessing of the day?

Dear Heavenly Father
I thank you for all the blessing you've given us. Please work on our hearts not to take those things for granted and to appreciate even the little things. Please send your angels down to the children at Child Haven; let each child feel they are "as snug as a bug in a rug". I pray they come to know you and how much you love them and that you will NEVER leave them.
AMEN

Friday, October 31, 2008

HALLOWEEN NIGHT

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays. We have so much fun dressing up and passing out candy to all the ghosts, goblins, princess's, and super heroes. Tonight we had about 200 kids show up dressed to impress. We had some kids afraid to even walk up our sidewalk. I can't imagine why anyone would be afraid of us. We're just ordinary people have a great time. Check it out for yourself....

Judi putting make-up on Laura Laura's a work in progress
Laura sitting in front of fan, to help makeup dry!


Awww...isn't she just beautiful!!!
Can you guess who's under the mask....I'll give you one hint....Daniel Glenn
Judi playing with her long, silky hair.....I wish!
How pretty is this....

Laura, Dan, & Judi.....we're not the Adams family....we're just the Hartung Bunch
Chris dressed to kill, look at the blood on that knife. Doreen was dressed as a diva witch! We had sooo much fun! I'd have to say, we have one of the spookiest yards in the neighborhood. We had strobe lights flashing, fog billowing from the bushes, torches lit along the sidewalk, not to mention all the candles and pumpkins lining the bricks! Here's our pumpkin creations!
Laura's head-less horseman pumpkin....too cool!

Megan made a black widow spider

Chris's pumpkin said trick or treat, but I think the ants too over!

Dan's evil pumpkin.....

Judi's skull pumpkin

Doreen's pumpkin is named Mr. Egg-head!

What would the end of the witching season be, without a new addition to our holiday fun! We have to welcome our latest find Zelda.....




Zelda had the type of eyes that will follow you when you walk past her. We put a black witches kettle with dry ice, as you can see....gas is escaping! Way cool!!!!
I guess I'll have to hang my broom up until next witching season!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

PET PEEVES

Today is the final straw, I have to say something. I don't know about anyone else, but I have a couple HUGE pet peeves and I need to let it out!!!!

#1. Is there a reason if you tinkle on the toilet seat you can't wipe it off???? I have a huge phobia of public bathrooms and refuse to sit on the seat. BUT if I tinkle on the seat, I sure don't leave it for the next person. I know..I know this is kinda petty; but come on already!

#2. Seeing as I'm talking about bathrooms, lets stay there! Is there a reason people do not know how to put a new roll of toilet paper on the holder? There's nothing worse than going to the bathroom in the middle of the night and then realizing there's no TP. Drip drying does NOT work well for girls & waddling to the hallway closet with your panties around your ankle at 3:00 am isn't an easy task!

#3. Toothpaste....OH MY GOODNESS!!! Why do people feel the need to squeeze the tube in the middle? My daughter Laura is the worst culprit for squeezing in the middle. I think sometimes she does it just to see if she can get under my skin. It works....every time!

#4. Driving in the passing lane. MOVE IT OR LOSE IT! Why is it I always end up behind some old lady or gentlemen going 45 in the passing lane? Patience is not one of my better virtues; but I've really been tested this week!

WHEW....I sure do feel better now! I have more, but I'll save those for another day when I need to let off some steam! Now I'm off to the land of homework!


Saturday, October 25, 2008

JOURNEY TO THE LAND OF PUMPKINS

Today we set out on an adventure looking for the perfect pumpkin! We started out to a new farm that we've never visited; only to find they decided not to open today. Being in an adventurous mood, we headed to the next pumpkin patch. We took the back roads taking us through some little towns that if you blinked; you missed the town. The girls road with Doreen, I'm sure they were asking every couple minutes...."how much longer? are we almost there?" We got to Lewis farms and went on the tractor ride and corn maze; but really didn't like the pumpkins!

The Hartungbunch...Dan, Judi, Laura, & Megan

The Visser's...Chris and Doreen

After spending about a hour at the Lewis farm, we headed back out on our quest for the ultimate pumpkin. Next stop, Heritage Farms Market. WOOHOO.....we found the mother-load of pumpkins! Each of us found what we felt was the best of the best....the Great Pumpkin! Check out the fun...
Laura, Megan, and Chris cleaning the outside of their pumpkins

Grumpy Dan helping Laura



Megan and Laura up to their elbows in pumpkin guts....Doreen helping!

Daniel Glenn....don't you dare!
It was sooo quiet, everyone was too busy to talk.


Busy marking our pumpkins...

Our pumpkins turned out awesome, but it was too windy to keep the candles burning! Hopefully we can get a couple pictures tomorrow night. If not, it will have to wait until Halloween night! We are very lucky to have awesome friends to share our adventures with; we couldn't ask for better friends. Better yet, we couldn't ask for a better extended family!