Post Christmas Trip

We decided to surprise the boys with a trip to Branson, MO and Silver Dollar City.  We went several years ago during the summer but had never gone during Christmas time.  Silver Dollar City is decorated with 100,000 lights.  We left on Tuesday morning and returned on Friday.  It was a short trip but a wonderful time to get away with the boys.  We spent all day in Silver Dollar City on Wednesday and then Thursday just hung at the condo playing games and watching movies.  Such a fun thing to do and the memories are worth it all.

Merry Christmas!

A day late but MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE UMPHRESS FAMILY!!

Gingerbread Houses

The boys did their annual Gingerbread House.  They always have a good time putting it together but that poor house covered in candy never makes it very long.  Slowy, slowly the candy starts to disappear and then it's just a frosted house without decorations!

Go Back

I was at Walgreens tonight and had just walked out the door when I ran into some kids who were hanging around outside the building.  I recognized them as kids from our church who ride the van to Wednesday night service.   I stopped and chatted with them for a few minutes, noticing one of the girls didn't have a coat on in this 20 degree weather.  After chatting with them, I hopped into my van and as I was pulling out of the parking lot noticed they were just hanging by the building.  As I'm driving down the road I hear the small, faint voice say "Go Back".  I'm thinking "Go Back" and do what?     "Go Back" and make sure the kids are okay.  I'm not feeling very well and just want to go home.  I'm not in the mood to "Go Back".   I turn the van around and head back to Walgreens.  As I pull in the parking lot they are still in the same place.  I roll down the window and tell them that I was concerned about them and asked if they were okay.  They said yes they were justing waiting for a ride.   I tell them okay and as I drive off I think about my own two kids.  These kids are 11 maybe 12 years old.  Out in 20 degree weather.  What parent would let thier child that age be out in the cold, with no coat at that time of night?  I sometimes wonder what in the world are parents thinking?  Can they be so involved with their own selves and lives that they can't even give the attention theier child needs?  It saddens me.  I said a little prayer for all of them asking the Lord to protect them and watch over them, not just now but in the future. 

Iowa Energy Game

The kids at Renn's school receives reward tickets during the day.  Renn had enough saved up that he bought two tickets to the first game of Iowa Energy's basketball season last night http://www.nba.com/dleague/iowa/.  Kevin and Renn went and boy what a blast they had!  While there they won two more tickets to a game in February and two pizza's.  They saw several people they knew as well.  Highlight of the game was halftime where they had Acrodunk http://www.acrodunk.com/.  Both Kevin and Renn said it was one of the most amazing things they have seen. 

It Pays To Get Up Early

This morning Van and Bonnie from 1040 WHO radio http://www.whoradio.com/main.html were giving out pork loin roasts from 5am to 8am.  I told Kevin since he gets up at o dark 30 to go work out at the campus he should try and get us one of those.   So, off he went to the fairgrounds where they were giving them out.  He showed up about 4:55 and was out of there by 5:15am with a roast.  I told him it pays for him to wake up that early then he can go do all the early bird giveaways!!