Christmas Cantata

The girls were in the church's Christmas Cantata. It was called "It's the Truth Ruth". This was Eden's first cantata. She did very well. She was a traveler and also an angel. 

Eden was an angel

Olivia singing her solo, she enjoyed it, but you can't really tell. 

Olivia also had a speaking part. It was really cute. 

Friday....

This Friday, the 12th will be five yrs without mom. I sometimes haven't realized it until its that day or even later on in the day. But this year, I have been so focused on it. I do not know why, but I am very emotional about it. I know I should be, but it just seems even more so. I am missing her like crazy, needing her all the time, and just wanting my kids to know and be around her. I know these things are not possible now, but its still hard to deal with that. I want to sit beside her and talk, and make cookies and fudge with her. I loved when she made fudge. Olivia really wants to make some so I think that will be out project when school gets out. 

I want to share things with the kids that I learned from her and by her, by doing them with the kids. I just want to slow down and enjoy them, so they will not regret me or the time i should of spent with them. I want to be with them, but until the money i don't have pays for a maid to do the laundry and cooking, cleaning, etc. Its me, and we will work through these together. 

I encourage you, who may read this, to call your mom today. Give her a hug if you are close, or just tell her something that you appreciate about her. I would if I could, even though my main source of contact is my cell phone and she barely knew how to work hers when she was alive. 

Thank you for your ears and eyes. Enjoy today and thank God for it! 

thanksgiving with family

Decorating cookies with mimi   "Its a turkey"

Happy Birthday Garrett

Grayson and Bella relaxing watching a movie      The gang getting ready for the cookies

Olivia with her final project

Haley and her masterpiece

Mimi and Eden busy at work

Tickie at Thanksgiving lunch

After lunch activites...snowboarding. Everyone had a turn.

Daddy and Eden Andy and Grayson watching the Wii

Grayson running outside

Playing at Chrissy's

The candy monster

Grayson wanted to play the Wii with daddy instead of make ornaments.

Olivia holding some cookie cutters we used to make ornaments

Eden finishing up her ornaments

The cinnamon ornaments

Helping mommy bake brownies and clean up :)




So we have been busy in the kitchen the last few days. Experimenting with making ornaments, baking for my Christmas party at work, making cookies for girls scouts (not sure, but we were asked to make them). Anyway. Today while taking a break from the kitchen and playing go fish with Olivia, the candy monster invaded my kitchen counter and well you take a look. He now has a very full belly of holiday candy, mostly mint Hershey kisses. 

The mess we saw on the counter...

the reason we knew who it was...see the booster pushed over to the counter

his answer to who ate the candy? i dont know, shoulder shrugged and all :)

Surgery Update

Well we thought Grayson was having surgery on Dec 15th. He has to have is tonsils and adenoids out, because he has large tonsils, so large that he has sleep apnea. He also has a blood disorder call VonWillebrands type 2 B. Which is not very common. Because of the bleeding disorder his Blood specialist at the children's hospital here said he will have to stay in the hospital for 2-3 days after the surgery. After that we will go to stay at the Ronald McDonald house for the next 7 days. Total away from home 10 days. So besides the fact that we would of been gone from the girls too for 10 days, we would also be there during Christmas. SO we have changed the date and will not have the surgery until we return from Florida at the end of January. Here is a pic I took of us yesterday. We are very nervous, but confident with the Dr's here and their cautiousness. 

Yeah i know i look crazy, but he was moving i had to hurry

movie stars

SO the girls were supposed to be cleaning up the play room, but instead they were too fancy for cleaning and became movie stars. We took a few pictures then made them clean up anyway.

Saturday morning mom got to sleep in and daddy hung out with the kids. That afternoon daddy was hanging out with Grayson and the girls and i had movie night. We watched the American girl movie Kit Kitridge, we later had story time. I had to take a picture of them reading to each other and getting ready for bed. Isn't this a sweet picture.

The Great Wolfe Lodge

In front to the wolves (Eden was terrified)

We had soo much fun friday night at the great wolfe lodge. We took the kids for a fun afternoon and evening. I walked for March of Dimes and in return we received free passes to go to the park. It was amazing. The kids were all over the place. We even got Olivia and Eden to ride a big water slide. You will see it in the pictures, its blue. The lst picture is of garrett and I, and we are almost ready to leave (we look beat), if you couldn't tell.

Olivia in Front of the big blue slide we rode together.

two parents who are ready to go home, after a full day at the indoor water park!

Daddy with Eden and Grayson playing in the kiddie pool. Garrett look likes he needed a hug, and gave one to himself :)