2012

 

 We rang in 2012 at my brother Dan and his family's home.

It was a fun goodbye to a year full of ups and downs and lots of memories.

And a wonderful celebration ringing in a new year and hope for what it holds.

We loved being with loving family and sharing in their joy.

Our new nephew/ cousin, Seth, was blessed the next day on New Year's Day, so it was a great start to the year.

Our New Year's Eve was full of laughter, games, glow in the dark dancing, root beer floats, celebrating birthdays, and lots of hugs and kisses at midnight.

Since their home overlooks the whole valley, we were treated to a gorgeous fireworks show when the new year rolled around.

The kids were loving it.

We couldn't believe they were all still going strong.

Who brought those annoying noisemakers????
What a good sport :)

 

  

Sometimes I love to think about all that the past year has brought.

Sometimes, though,  I feel depressed thinking that I'm still in the same place in so many areas of my life that I was a year ago.

And the year before that.

If a year is going to pass anyway, I would like it to find me a little bit better.

Guess that's some motivation for this year.

snow

Snow!

We got snow today.

It has been such a strange winter with no snow AT ALL.

As I drove children back and forth to piano lessons this morning, we watched it start to pile up.

I wanted so badly to just keep them home for a snow day and play in it together. (Snow never lasts long around here.)

Unfortunately, the older two had finals since it's the end of their semester.

So I had to be responsible and send them.

But speaking of snow...

While we were still visiting at my in-laws after Christmas, they did get a small bit of snow.

Chris and his dad went in search of enough to play in.

They found a good spot for some sledding.

The kids had a blast with their cousins again.

The little ones showed no fear.

It has been the only snow they have seen this winter.

Until today, of course!

ice skating

When we drove into Chris' hometown on Christmas day, it felt very strange because there was not a flake of snow to be seen. 

He could only remember one time in his life when they did not have a white Christmas. 

Well this year was definitely the second. 

 This meant that the pond was available for skating...frozen over and all clear. 

We had just been talking recently about ice skating as a family.

 It's surprising that none of our kids have ever tried it out. 

 Grandpa collected the ice skates for us. 

And the next day it was off to the pond.

Carlie ended up being the only child big enough to fit into the skates who wanted to give it a go that day.

Everyone was a little tentative at first while Chris checked the ice.

But it took no time before they were all "skating" around all over the place.

Sliding, diving and rolling, too.

Grandpa helped Carlie get the feel for it.

While Chris tried to channel his inner Evan Lysacek.

Pretty impressive.

I'll just take a second here to say that, for a moment when we were getting ready to go,  I had the thought that I should find some skates to fit me.

That I should join in.

You know,  you do miss 100% of the shots you don't take. (you know?  it's the old life is too short thing.)

But then the better judgement part of my brain kicked in and reminded the cliche part of my brain that you also suffer from 100% of the knee injuries you ask for.

You see, the one and only time in my life that I ever went ice skating was in college.

I went to Sun Valley with some friends and I did ok.

But before we took off our skates, we wandered outside in the deep snow.

A snowball fight started somewhere.

I really don't remember now if I was trying to throw a snowball, dodge a snowball, dance a jig, or just walk through the snow.

But somehow I dislocated my kneecap and injured the ligaments in my knee.

The end.

Of my ice skating.

Good bye forever.

Maybe that has something to do with why my kids haven't been before.

I guess it's not such a big surprise after all.

Neither is my klutziness.

For the record...this was during my freshman year of college.

Long before Chris and I were together, but we did live in the same dorms and were good friends.

He still remembers me climbing hills in the snow in that wretched leg brace.

Wow!

I know how to digress.

(Someone likes to talk about herself...)

Carlie started to get the hang of it.

And the little kids loved pulling Chris around.

The kids found this abandoned little boat next to the pond.

It had thick pieces of ice in the bottom.

They were yelling for me to come and take a picture of them inside.

What a fun day!

christmas

We were sad to see the Christmas season leave us.

It was such a great time around here.

We finished our shopping early (mostly), so that we could focus on all the other amazing STUFF that goes into the season.

There was definitely lots of fun stuff.

I think Christmas Eve has become my favorite - even more than the actual day.

I love the tradition, anticipation, fun, and love.

We started ours with a delicious brunch with neighbors.

The girls danced for us.

And Austin, of course, is never too shy to shake it.

So he followed with his own performance.

And then they goofed around...

In the early evening, we started our festivities.

It was wonderful.

With our children getting so grown up, it is becoming so much easier to focus on what Christmas is really about.

Chris said it was his favorite Christmas Eve ever.

Love it.

When the kids were finally decked out in some new pjs, it was time for bed.

It was definitely a record for shortest sleep on Christmas Eve this year.

It began with a bloody nose at 3 something in the morning.

They actually stayed in bed for a pretty long time after that, but not with any sleeping going on.

Then, after a few hours, they were all in the bathroom.

(not sure why?)

And all three heard a distinct "ho, ho, ho!" from the other side of the door.

They said it was loud and clear and was just next to the door.

They dashed straight into our room, where they woke up dad, accusing him of saying it.

I told them that dad had not moved a muscle.

Or a vocal cord.

They made me promise in a million ways before they would believe me.

They all had the "heebie jeebies", as Austin said.

That was it.

Christmas morning had begun.

Santa doesn't wrap any of the gifts he leaves at our house...I guess since he never did that when Chris and I were little, either.

But that means that we are always so excited trying to watch everyone at once as they look at their things for the first time.

How fun.

Luckily, they take a while to take it all in.

Like Austin, for instance.

He was so excited about the little Lego sets he got!

He looked them over and over and over.

They he emptied out his stocking, exclaiming excitedly about each thing.

Then he went around the room looking through each person's gifts with them.

He was so happy.

And saying it was the best Christmas.

Then, after quite a while longer still, he suddenly realized that there was a cool new scooter sitting on the floor right in front of his stocking.

He had been walking around it the whole time.

It was his main gift and he hadn't even realized.

We got a good laugh when he suddenly said, "Hey, COOOOOOOL!!!!"

We had a nice relaxing morning and yummy breakfast.

Then it was off to church.

It made me wish Christmas was always on Sunday.

What better way to spend part of our day.

Even my kids (who were very skeptical of having Christmas on Sunday) loved it, too.

The rest of our day was spent driving to Council and visiting all the Stoker family.

We had a delicious Christmas dinner and opened presents with them.

Christmas is such a blessing to our family.

It is definitely a hustle and bustle time, but it always fills us with more joy ,gratitude and giving.

Good stuff.

hip, hip, hooray...it's a birthday!

Lots going on around here lately.

One momentous thing, in particular...

Two cuckoos turned twelve. 

 They started back to school after Christmas break on their birthday. 

And that did not make them happy. 

But their birthday festivities always seem to extend for several days, anyway, so I wasn't feeling too bad for them. 

 They are happy to be another year older. 

They both seem so content right now. 

Chris and I are so incredibly heart-swelling proud of them.

 I handled the day just fine. 

 Hardly even got emotional. 

My trick was to not think about it. 

At all. 

 Except - until a few days later.

 That's when I realized my kids have actually turned twelve years old. 

Sneaky little buggers. 

I was always a bit scared of this age.

I am very comfortable around little kids.

I like them and they like me.

But I have always been nervous to reach this point in time.

Middle school.

Young Men, Young Women.

Attitude.

But, as it turns out, I love this time.

I love having good conversations together, playing games together, learning new things together, exploring the world together, laughing together and seeing them start to really learn what makes them successful and happy.

How lucky I am.

 And all this prompted me to pull out something I haven't seen for a long time. 

An old video from the hospital when our twins were born.

It's special to me. 

Chris made it for me when these sneaky kids were just five. 

For mother's day.

If you want to watch it, I'm sharing it here.

(I can't believe I am, but I am.)

 

And, now to address a few things.

1.  I know it's alarming and frightening, but before you comment that I looked like complete hell, just realize that after a day of labor, hours of pushing, and an emergency c-section...my body thought that hell was exactly where it had been.

2.  Luckily, my heart and soul were in Heaven.

3.  And, also to address the big concern.

No, the twins did not have a different father.

You just didn't recognize Chris with his darker locks. ;)

4.  The bizarre contraptions we were feeding our little preemies with are called haberman feeders.  They are used for babies with impaired sucking ability.  We used them in the beginning as they tried to get used to eating.  Carson, especially, got so tiny by the time we left the hospital. But these helped them adjust to breastfeeding and normal bottles.

5.  I actually cried when they kicked us out of the hospital.

I didn't want to leave and be the one in charge and responsible for these two little things.

And I still kinda feel that way most of the time.

But I love them so much.

And am so glad I get the chance to mess them up a little.

time for some christmas music

The season wouldn't be complete without attending a few concerts and recitals.

Our elementary school doesn't usually have any kind of holiday concert.

I wonder if that's unusual or a sign of the times.

I remember that as a staple of Christmas from my growing up.

Snapping my fingers as hard as I could when it was time for "Up on the housetop, click, click, click

Down through the chimney with old Saint Nick.

Anyway, we had a good time listening to the fun songs that Carlie's middle school choir performed.

It was perfect...short and sweet.  And really fun songs.

It has been fun having them play some Christmas music during their piano practices.

This week they played them at their Christmas recital.

Good job, you two.

Fa, la, la, la, la....

sometimes life gets messy

Forget all that sugar, I'll take more of those smiles. 

Love those two. 

They were having so much fun together...love, love, love it.

 

Someone was very pleased with her work.

And they did have their work cut out for them since the frosting packets we had were almost as hard as a rock.

And definitely tasted like glue.

Maybe it was??

We had to be a bit creative.

One for my mouth, one for the house.

Two for my mouth, one for the house.

Three for my mouth, one for...

Someone was feeling very sassy.

And doing lots and lots of trash talking.

And someone's big sister finally decided she'd had enough.

Bring it.

That is awesome.

Looking pretty sweet.

heehee.