Snow Day! Tuesday, February 9th

SNOW DAY! YEAH! What a fun day! The girls were excellent and such good little helpers!

We spent the first hour shoveling the driveway snow into a huge pile. I let the girls sled ride down the pile, which helped pack it down. Then we went inside to warm up. After a couple of hours inside we were experiencing a little bit of cabin fever, so back outside we went. The girls now wanted me to help build an igloo. I must say it turned out pretty awesome!!!

My girls are so stinkin' cute! I told the girls we will make the igloo big enough for the whole family to fit inside, the next time it snows. Looks like I will be busy this week!!!

Welcome Back from Iraq

(letter from my Dad on Sunday, January 31st, 2010, Last Day in Iraq)

To my family and friends,

I am sitting here in at tent at Camp Klecker where this adventure started nearly 19 months ago. I will be leaving here tomorrow morning to catch a flight to Dubai and then on to the States. I sit here with mixed emotions. The joy of a reunion with my wife, children, grand kids, and the rest of my family is foremost on my mind. Re-connecting with good friends who have supported our family through this adventure,will bring a since of relief and happiness in the knowledge that you have been there to make the time pass quickly and without to many bumps along the way. A debt for which it will be difficult, if not impossible to repay.

During the time that I have been gone, many people have asked, "Why". My good friend Bill Watson said it the best. "If you know Todd, you wouldn't have to ask that question". Those of you that know me closely understand why I decided to do this. It is not a mystery. In fact, I know that many of you would have done the same thing if circumstances in your lives were different. Know this, I have loved every minute of being here. At the same time I have missed being with my family and friends. Each of you have made contributions that made it possible for this to happen and for that I want to thank you.

There is an interesting quality about living in a war zone environment. I have never felt more alive then when I have been closest to the grim reaper. Every time we went out on mission I realized it could be the last. You learn to understand and accept that concept. You have to accept it or you cannot function. That reality was made more real this last week. I thought that I would make it through this mission without any causalities. Unfortunately that didn't happen. This last week we lost an employee who died from a mortar round that dropped into his chu. He was with another employee. One survived, one died from the blast. I was hoping to return home and say that we didn't lose anyone while I was here, but that is not the case. It reinforced the idea that each of us lives on borrowed time. There is no promise of tomorrow. We cannot change the past. We have each day to improve ourselves and the world around us.

If there is one important lesson that I take back with me, it is to cherish each moment that we have. Keep those dear to us close. Be patient and understanding. Forgive quickly. Be mentally prepared for the worse. Give thanks to God for a new chance as each day dawns. When I came to Iraq I had no ill conceived ideas or misconceptions about what I had to offer. However my goal was to one day look back 20 years from now and say that I had a part in building the foundation of a new born country. Iraq has been at the mercy of one invader after another for thousands of years. For the first time they have the chance to decide their own fate. What they do with it is up to them. I leave knowing that I did just a little bit to help it along the way. I rely on the "Butterfly Effect". You just never know what influence you had on one individual who could change the future. One Iraqi said it best. Iraq is like a torn carpet. It can be mended, but it will not look the same. Maybe it shouldn't, but it will be up to them to make it happen.

It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that I close this chapter of my life and begin the next. What that chapter will look like I do not know. My children have made it clear that my lone adventures are over. I believe that my wife is up for a challenge after she retires, so maybe my next adventure will be "our" adventure. I know this much, I am not ready to sit back and watch the world go by. It is not in my nature to do so. So again, thanks to each of you. I am looking forward to seeing all of you soon.

Sincerely Yours,

Todd or Alan or Jidu

Alan Laney

FOB Commander

FOB Kalsu MND-SInternational Narcotics and Law Enforcement Babylon

EMAIL: alan_laney631@hotmail.com

Top Decorating Mistakes

Macy's Top Decorating Mistakes Seminar - January 30, 2010

My Mom and I went to Macy's Furniture for a Seminar today to talk about top decorating mistakes. We had a really good time. We didn't learn anything new, but it was nice to hear other opinions on the dos and don'ts of decorating. Before the seminar, Mom and I went to lunch and created our own list first. So below you will find two lists. Our list and the list from the seminar.

Top Decorating DON'T list (according to Macy's Designers)

1.) Too much is too much - Too many pillows on a bed or couch and too many pictures on a table are the most common. Too many items in a collection. Rotate through the collection. Don't feel the need to display every Nick knack you own. Below is the example from the seminar.


2.) Only Boats should float - Anchor your area rugs. A common mistake is purchasing an area rug that is too small for the room. The front two legs of your sofa or chairs should rest on the rug. The placement of your pictures is another top decorating mistake. Pictures hung too high appear as they are floating off the wall.

Pictures should be placed at eye level, which means 57-63 inches from the floor to the midpoint of the picture. If you are hanging over a sofa or other piece of furniture, anchor the picture by hanging it 6-10 inches from the frame to the top of the furniture.



3.) No Ugly - Don't keep furniture or accessories that were past down to you that you don't like or that is not your own personal taste. Don't buy things just because they are on sale.

4.) Slipcover Nightmares - Bad fit, avoid one size fits all. Custom is the only way to go and please No Afghan throws. Plastic covers are still out. Sorry!

5.) Lighting - Too much or not enough can change the whole mood of a room. Your living room is not an airplane runway. Do not over light with halogens. Put your lights on dimmers.

6.) Don't be afraid of color - Pick the items you would like to decorate your room with first, then pick your paint color. It's a lot easier this way.

7.) Favorite color - Don't make your favorite color your main color. Remember that colors create a mood. Red is a lively color not a soothing color.

8.) Look at items in your own home - Don't buy anything the first time you see it. Take a swatch of the upholstery fabric home with you to view in your own home. Same goes with flooring and other big purchase items. These are the items you are going to live with for a while so you want to make sure you get them right.

9.) Don't be mad for a fad - This includes lava lamps, beaded lampshades and animal print throws.

10.) Pee Catchers - Do not buy rugs that go around your toilet or on your toilet. Frankly, they are disgusting.

Top Decorating Mistakes (according to Lindsey)

1.) Need to Update - Not replacing builder grade light fixtures and hardware. The worst is the Hollywood lights most commonly used in bathrooms. (I admit mine is still up in my master bathroom. I am patiently waiting for Lance to hang the new one.)

2.) Floating pictures - Pictures hung to high or too low.

3.) Ignored ceilings - It is okay to paint your ceiling a color. Even a fresh coat of white paint on a ceiling works wonders.

4.) Chopped up flooring - Okay, this is probably more of my own personal taste. I really think that the only time you should transition from one flooring type to another is when there is a door that divides the rooms. A bathroom should be tiled even if it on the same level that is carpet. Changing flooring types in every room you enter chops up your house. I love love love that my whole first floor is hardwood. It flows comfortably.

5.) Too much clutter and Nick knacks - I used to struggle with the opposite problem, too sterile and not enough accessorizing. I am doing better.

6.) Color - You don't have to paint every room a different color. Pick one main color and go from there. In addition, NO focal walls. This just tells me that you can't commit and you are scared of color. It's just paint people.

7.) Unfinished Projects - Yep, have a few of these for sure. Missing baseboards and drywall repairs. Also, please paint your wall vents when you paint your walls. Otherwise they stand out like an elephant. Not painting them just draws attention to them.

8.) Matchy Matchy - Don't buy the whole show room. Add your personal touches. Too coordinated makes the room lack personality.

9.) Improper use of Pictures - Family pictures should not go in the bathroom. Still life's of fruit should not go in the bedroom. Oh and my biggest pet peeve. Don't put pictures of your children in your bedroom. The bedroom should stay an intimate retreat. Pictures of you and your spouse together only.

10.) Scale/Proportion of you furniture, accessories etc. Sometimes it looks much better to replace five small things with one large scale item.

11.) Relief Society Decorating - Take down the cross stitches. Home made is cool, but only if done in a tasteful manor.

12.) Fake plants - Guess what they look fake and they collect dust and all kinds of nastiness. Real is the way to go. There are a lot of low maintenance plants out there. I need to take my own advise on this one. I don't like seeing fake plants in other peoples homes and yet I have a few scattered around my house.

13.) Kids Toys - Oh yes. We all have them. Purchase furniture that can easily hide them away.

14.) Don't forget to entertain - Not inviting people over to enjoy your home is the biggest decorating mistake. Why spend all that time and money decorating if you never have people over to enjoy it.

What's on your Decorating Don't List??? Please post any additional suggestions.

Painting Sketch

First and for most...I am very thankful that my friend Rachel Reuss is home safe from Haiti. She went to Haiti a little over a week ago to do some missionary work for Lifeline. She is an amazing women and has obviously been through a lot. I am so impressed with the sacrifice she has made to be with the people in Haiti.

On a lighter note...This week was amazing. An opportunity came across my desk for a new position located downtown. Monday I had an interview and by Thursday morning they extended me the offer. For the past three years I have worked in Oral Care so it will be fun to experience all of the P&G brands. I will begin my new role sometime at the end of February. I am looking forward to a fresh start and being able to drive to work with my husband is definitely an added bonus.

It has been wonderful being back at work. I really enjoy my job and the work that I do. It has been so good for me to get back in the swing of things. I now feel a little bit of space between me and the events of three months ago. Which brings me to the pictures at the top of the post. Lance and I have commissioned a local artist to paint a portrait of us with our beautiful son. I was able to pick up the preliminary sketch on Friday. Carin does such a wonderful job. I am very much looking forward to seeing the final painting. We have been asked to live with the sketch for a while and when we are ready, we give the sketch back and she begins the painting.

http://www.carinhebenstreit.com/

Snow Day Thursday, January 7th

I love snow days. The girls get so excited and want to dart out the door as soon as they get the chance. I really enjoy shoveling the driveway while the girls make snow angles. The girls each have a small snow shovel to help mommy, but they would rather make paths to run on in the middle of the street. This past week it was nice to have a substantial amount of snow that they could actually play in.

2010 New Years Resolutions

2010 Resolutions

1. What are the non-essential things that clutter your days and steal your time?

Why is it that I feel like I still have too much stuff? Too many toys, clothes, nick-knacks, unnecessary things that clutter our home and our minds. My goal every year is to Simplify.

I think as soon as Lance and I decide that we are 100% sure that we do not want to have any more children, over half of the stuff in our basement can be given away...but we are not both on the same page yet.

Even though, I said over and over again that I was done after my first two. The Parker situation has really changed everything. I think ending on that kind of note is sad and depressing. We just may have to have another baby to get through this last experience…don’t tell Lance I said so. Not even thinking about it until I am done with school. Then we will see. What was the question again?

2. Does the time I spend ____ enlarge or restrict my capacity to LIVE, LOVE, and SERVE in meaningful ways?

Watching TV in the evenings can restrict my capacity to live, love and serve. I know it can and why do I let it. We have DVR, so really there is no excuse for me to let any television show get in the way of living, loving and serving others. That’s just dumb right.

Facebook – yes since the whole bedrest thing I have become addicted to facebook. I need to remember that it can be used as a tool. A tool used to stay in touch with long lost friends, keep family updated from far away (Hi, Dad) and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hours on end are just not necessary.

We need to spend more time doing Family Home Evening with the girls, having the missionaries over for dinner, reading the scriptures and praying together.

3. What are the unfinished or un-started things that could add vigor, meaning and joy to your life?

Continue working towards finishing my MBA at Xavier University. I was able to complete a whole semester, but still have a year and a half to go. I know we are here on this earth to learn. I definitely have the love of learning.

This summer I want to do some work in the backyard. I missed out on last summer because of being on bedrest. I would really like to do some projects in the yard with the girls. I have fond memories of working in the yard with both of my parents; I want the girls to have the same experience. I wish my girls to ultimately have the same work ethic that my parents and grandparents have instilled in me. You can be instantly gratified from doing work in the yard and I feel that it is the best kind of exercise as an added bonus.

4. What are the habits you may have developed that do NOT serve a useful purpose?

Nagging. Yes I am like every other women when it comes to nagging my poor husband. I am goal oriented and very driven…doesn’t mean my husband is. He really hates the Honey Do Lists.

So, that about sums it up for goals for 2010. Bottom line…2009 was an incredibly challenging year for our family. I have said that, because of my son Parker I lost a whole year of my life. First, with being on bed rest and then the several months he was in the hospital. Really, it’s because of Parker that I didn't lose a year, but gained a lifetime. I will forever be grateful for the redirection and hit over the head of the importance of having a Christ centered life.

Thanks Erin for the four questions above. They are the perfect questions to ask ourselves when created our New Years Resolutions. Love you!

Happy New Year!

We were so glad Erin and Reuben (my sister and her husband) invited our family to spend New Years Eve with them at their home. We had such a good time playing games and the kids had a blast.

The kids played with Bendaroos on the dinning room wall. It kept them entertained for a while.The group included: Lance, Lindsey, Laney and Samantha - David and Debbie Felsheim (Reuben's Parents) - My Mom, sister in-law Megan and Jared for about a minute (he wasn't feeling well) - Erin, Reuben, Evan and Logan.

5....4....3....2.....1....Happy New Year!!!!

Cheers! Happy New Year!