It's About Time For An Update!

Hello All and Happy New Year!!!

It's been a while since I've last posted...sorry about that if anyone is a regular visitor (Jennifer!).

Lots has been going on since I last posted in August. We've endured a whole season of 4th grade soccer (Greg) and an even longer season of 5th & 6th grade football (Ben)! He had practice or a game every night of the week, and games on Saturdays! But it was fun and Ben is already talking about next season, so as much as he dreaded practice, he must have enjoyed it! They both are now playing basketball, and Matt is coaching Ben's team. For anyone who wants to come see them in action, most of their games are on Saturdays for the next 5 weeks. E-mail me if you want to make plans to come. We'd love to have you!

We had a crazy but fun Halloween in Omaha. My sister Chris got married to a great guy named Todd on Nov. 3rd, so we decided to head to Omaha for some trick-or-treating with Nana and Papa since we were going to be there that weekend anyway! The kids had fun and I think they wore Papa out! Ellie was a female Tigger (recycled Alex costume!), Alex was his usual Sportacus, and Ben and Greg were some random black robed scary things with sickles and sithes!!

The wedding was beautiful and perfect of course! We'd expect nothing less from our dear sister Chris!! All of the sisters were her bridesmaids so it was lots of fun! The wedding was at St. John's Church on Creighton's campus, and the reception was at the Tiburon golf club. Very elegant and beautiful.

Fast foward to the holidays...we were supposed to go to Sioux City for Thanksgiving but ended up staying in KC because my precious little Ellie woke up with PINK EYE on Wed. It was a very quiet but enjoyable Turkey day at our house. Matt made a delicious turkey and I made homemade mashed potatoes, corn, dinner roles... and what would be a holiday without Aunt Bonnie's famous Salted Nut Roll bars! Ok, they weren't actually made by Bonnie, I made them! They of course were not as good, but I dealt! And then there was good ol' Hy-Vee apple and pumpkin pie. We feasted all day and all night, played games and watched football. The boys helped us cook, they actually just peeled the potatoes, but they thought that was the funnest thing ever! Wow, I think I need to get them out a little more! OK, not really...

Christmas was crazy as ever. We went to Omaha and Colombus the weekend before Christmas and had a GREAT time with family and friends. Matt and I actually had a fun night out in Columbus with some GREAT and FUN friends while Matt's parents watched the kids. They didn't have so much fun. My "precious but very much attached to her mommy" daughter Ellie screamed for 2-1/2 hours while we were gone. I had her sleeping before we left, but Matt swears she can smell when I'm out of her range and wakes up! Poor Nana, she was a trooper and handled it well, and we are so grateful to her. However, I don't think she will be baby-sitting for Ellie for a while!! :-)

We came home on Sunday night so we could be home for Christmas day. We had some friends over on Christmas eve, and Christmas day was very nice. Thanks goodness Santa's elf had wrapped all the presents before we ever left, because she was way too tired to wrap them when we got home. That elf is such a genius! So, the kids all raked it in...that silly Santa, he must not have been really watching, because I was certain that they were all on the naughty list! Oh well, what are you going to do?!

Picture of Ellie in her beautiul Christmas dress on loan from Samantha Curtis. Thanks Samantha!!! Yes, she is getting into my lid drawer, one of her favorite things to do. However, she is definitely my daughter...she likes to pick them up and put them back after she has thrown them all out!

And one of Matt and I at my mom and dad's house in Sioux City. Yes, we look tired because we are tired! It's always fun-filled, late nights at the Block house!

And last one of the boys trying to put a gingerbread house together. Uh, it didn't work out so well! But it was fun trying!!!!

So, that pretty much catches you up on the Cave's! Hopefully I'll do a little better job blogging in 2008! I know you all have nothing better to do than read my ramblings!!!!

Best wishes for a safe, happy, prosperous new year!

Lisa