Aunt Kathy

Scott's aunt was diagnosed with cancer the week after Christmas. A week later they said she had 2-8 weeks left to live if she did nothing. If she had surgery and started chemo her life expectancy would be 1 1/2 -2 years. She had surgery last Saturday and then passed away on Tuesday. Scott and I have talked about so many things the last couple of weeks that have been brought up because of this experience. It has made us look closer at our own lives. How many chances have we missed to make someone's life better, to feel more loved or appreciated? What can we do in the future to improve the relationships with those we care about? Do those we love, know that we love them and why? If we died right now, what would people say or remember about us, what would we wish we would've done differently?

It has also made me so much more grateful for my knowledge that life goes on after death. That when we lose loved ones, it's not the end. They have gone on to a better place and when we mourn we are mourning our loss of their presence in our lives.

Happy Birthday Tylee

Our little smiley Tylee isn't so little any more. I can't believe she is already 10. In a couple of years she will be taller than me and I just learned last night that her feet only have about 1/4 inch to be the same size as mine. How time flies! It seems like just yesterday she was this size. She was the sweetest, cuddliest baby ever. She didn't like anyone but me, which at times was wonderful and other times a little overwhelming.

Although she has grown a ton, she's as sweet as she was then and still loves to cuddle and I'd like to think she still loves me the most.

This isn't clear but I had to catch the moment. You can't really tell but she is very pink in the face. She wasn't too happy about one of the presents she got. She would also die if I put on here what it was. I'll just give a few clues instead. You wear it under a shirt and it comes in training sizes.

New Years Eve

My sis-in-law took some pictures of my kids on New Years Eve and posted them on facebook. I snagged them to put on here. Thanks Tanelle.

Avery about ready to freeze to death while watching the firework.
My nephews and my girls bestest cousins.




Bayler and his uncle Channing. You can't tell they're related, can you.

2011

We always have fun on New Years Eve and New Years Day but I never have pictures. I think it's because both of these parties involve a massive amount of yummy food. Who has time to take pictures when you are stuffing your face? Not I! We had lots of fun on both days. After these two days I'm so ready to start my new years resolution of eating healthier. Notice I didn't say, eat less. I just would like to make better choices on what I eat. Just for the record I'm writing my new goals.

*Eat healthier

*Work out the whole year, no quiting 1/2 way through the year

*Family prayer, morning & night, we're always bad in the summer

*Scripture study, same problem as above

*Reunite a child with his/her mom

*Only saying positive things about other people. Please feel free to remind about this if you see me doing otherwise!!! I'm serious.

*Enjoy my kids more!!

*Not taking on more than I can reasonably handle.

I'm proud to say that a made a hard decision yesterday that had to do with the last one. I got a call from DCFS with a foster placement. I was so excited about it when she said a 9 month old baby girl. Then she went on to say a little boy that just turned 2 and another little boy that just turned 3. So it was a sibling group of three, AGAIN. My first thought was yes. I did it before, I can do it again. Then I remembered that soccer registration starts at the end of this month and I will be consumed with papers, peoples, soccer balls and all that stuff. I said NO. Even though it was the right choice for this moment in my life, it was still hard and I felt a tinge of guilt. I know we could have helped these kids, but I have to keep my own kids in mind. During soccer season my kids are lucky if I remember to buy milk so they can have cereal for breakfast and dinner. I can't imagine having 3 more little peoples around to care for. Maybe we'll be ready in a few months. Point of the whole story, I haven't failed at any of my goals yet and it has been a whole week. Good luck with all of your goals for the year.

Christmas Day 2010

Addason and Tylee planned something special for Christmas morning without any help from us. They saw the idea in the Friend and decided to do it at our house. They put a gift under the tree that said it needed to be opened very first. So all the kids opened it together. In the box was pictures of the story of Christ's birth. The girls slowly and sweetly told of the birth of baby Jesus and the gifts given to him. I was amazed that they felt no hurry to quickly tell the story and open their gifts. I think we have found a new tradition for Christmas morning. I didn't get many picture, in fact I didn't get any clear ones of Addason, sorry Addason. I love being in the moment and not worry about picture taking. Landon was the most fun to watch. He would jump up and down and was so excited about every single thing he got, even the church clothes. On one of the presents he said, "OH, I'm so excited. This is what I've always wanted."

I didn't think she would be that excited to get boots.
Bayler opening his ski pass that he already used a couple of times.

Christmas Eve

As usual, when we got home from Grandma's Christmas Eve party, the elves had left the kids a little something.

Carol's Christmas Party

This party is Scott's mom's mother and siblings and all their kids. It sounds like a lot of people, and it use to be, but not any more. Now it's mostly adults and teenagers and not so many little kids. Scott and I had fun visiting with Scott's aunts, uncles and cousins. The food was so yummy this year, we ate until we were ready to die, well, I did. We sang as Santa and Mrs. Claus came to visit. The kids were so excited to see Santa and to get another little gift. The girls always get the same thing so this year they made a deal with each other. No one would open their gift until all three had them. Then they would open them all at the same time. They said it was way better this way cause then it was surprise for all of them, not just the first one that opened it. After Santa we did the Nativity. As you can see from the pics, we are running out of little children to do the Nativity. Luckily we had good teenagers willing to participate. We might have to have the adults do it next year.

Addason being a wiseman, she really liked the material plus no one else wanted to be a wiseman.



The only time Landon sat still for more then 30 seconds.

Christmas Cooking

I seem to go from one extreme to the other. Last year I made a treat almost everyday until Christmas. This year I only made a few thing. I need to practice the philosophy of moderation in all things. My kids were disappointed they didn't get to help make more treats. The kids only had 2 days off before Christmas. One of them we made snowflakes to hang in the kitchen and dining room and we made and decorated gingerbread peoples. Bayler even joined in on the fun. I love it when all my kids are together talking, laughing and having fun with each other.

Mom's Christmas Party

We started the party by making Christmas ornaments for mom's tree. The kids weren't all that creative this year, it only took them about five minutes to paint them. Then off they went to play, scream, yell and terrorize each other. I guess that's what you're suppose to do when 2o cousins get together. We ordered Chinese for dinner so that no one would have to worry about cooking. Then we played two fun games with all 34 of us, sang some songs then we had special visitors from the North Pole. After everyone had a chance to sit with Santa or Mrs. Claus we did the Nativity and read a neat Christmas book about having the spirit of Christmas. The kids had a blast and didn't want to leave.