Happy Birthday, Cameron

It was a birthday party squeezed into a little section of time between work and the boys' piano recital but we managed to celebrate. Happy Birthday to the best partner, cheer captain, pep-talk-giver, dish washer, little kid bath giver, kid tickler, date night planner, friend, comedian, shower singer, back scratcher, teacher, homework helper

We LOVE You

Prebirthday date:: shooting range - it was the funnest! I wanted to plan something a little different from dinner and a movie.  Also, I really wanted to see the target to zoom back and forth like on the movies :) What a great date.  I think we'll do it again. 

Christmas Prep at OUR house

This year my goal has been to have a Christ-centered Christmas Season.  I wanted to help my kids focus on the true meaning of this holiday.  I wanted to teach them service and gratitude.  We started the month off with this advent I found online:

The last two years, I've done something similar - I wrap 12 pictures of Christ and we open one a night for the 12 days of Christmas and read a scripture about each one - but this year when I saw this advent I decided a whole month of the stories of Jesus would help us remember.

Cameron's mom gave us a nativity to paint together.  Our first family night of the month we painted it together.  After we talked about acts of service we could do through the month and came up with a list.  Our list changed over the month as things came up.  I'm amazed at how many opportunities there are for service when we are looking for it.  We came up with simple things and harder things.  It's been fun to talk to the kids about things they've done.  Even Isaac has said things like, "I made her happy because I opened the door for her!  I did an act of kindness!!"  Even our 2 year old Ella's joined in the fun, "I'll be a peace maker." she says.

Austin decided one thing he could do was to make duct tape ninja stars and hand them out to his friends and people that "sit by themselves at lunch".

When scouts was cancelled because his leader was sick, Austin and I delivered this little get well kit.  Austin opted for the ring and run method of delivery.

Our family provided part of Christmas for a six year old girl.  The kids couldn't believe that a kid would put SHAMPOO on her wish list.  "What? Her family doesn't have enough money for soap?!"

The boys played Christmas music at a nursing home.  Then they gave a resident from our ward there a hug - which is kind of major for them.  It's hard to hug strangers (especially when you're 8 or 10 and they're 93 and you don't know them!)

We've also found other ways to incorporate a more Christ-like attitude in our celebrations.  We read this talk that ties the Grinch story in with the nativity.  Then we had a "who feast" with 'Mean Grinch Green Brocolli', Roast Beast, Who-Pudding, and Who-Hash.  After, of course, we watched the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.  Actually, we TRIED to watch it but Isaac accidentally deleted it instead of pressing play on the DVR.  He was pretty devastated but Landon cheered him up and we watched something else instead.

Our service acts included delivering a lot of cookies to a lot of different people and places.  Isaac loves to help in the kitchen.

 Kids are kids and they still fight and get a little greedy for Christmas presents but I have noticed them trying. Isaac won this Reindeer in one of those 'claw machine' games.  Ella was sad she didn't win.  He said he'd share it with her because, "that's what Jesus wants me to do."

This night we went on a Christmas light scavenger hunt.  It was good quality family time.  I highly recommend this idea.  The kids loved it.  See if you can beat our record for the most snowmen - we found 68!!  (we also found 4 santas on motorcycles but that might just be a Mtn Home thing! ;)  )

The smiles on these faces are proof positive that GIVING can be better than receiving.

christmas is coming...

...and this family's first present is... NO MORE DIAPERS!! yay!

a year in review :: the first 6 months

This year has been one for the record books!  I haven't done the best documenting.  So with no further ado, here are some highlights : a year in review {2012 - the first 6 months} 

 

We spent the first 6 weeks of the year in TLF on base - I spent 75% of that time in the car; I'm sure of it  Cameron was nominated for Company Grade Officer of the Year - When I saw the prize I really wanted him to win :)  And of course, I thought he deserved it!  He really did.  Ella turned 2 in January.

We moved back into our house.  ALL the kids loved laying on our new carpet in the big empty rooms before we got our furniture put back in.  Cameron and I took a trip to Denver to see a neurosurgeon - surgery is scheduled for 3 weeks later.  We spent every Saturday that month watching the big boys play a little b ball

 Brain Surgery took over the next 6 weeks of our lives.  We couldn't have done it without all the help of our friends and family.  I am BLESSED beyond anything I deserve to feel 100% better.  I am grateful everyday for my new health.  I have learned and grown and become better.  Looking back, this month was TOUGH - tougher than I ever could have imagined - but my load was made light by all the support I had from family and friends.  It was all worth it for me and I wish there was some tiny possible way I could repay you.

My best Colorado friends visited me - I may not remember much (and I know I did some "drunk texting") but I still think about how much it meant to me to have you come see me - especially you girls that drove SO far to see me.  Love you.  I got to take a ride on an electric wheel chair :)  I was on walking restrictions but still had to get out!  2 weeks post op : getting the staples out was possibly more traumatic then my surgery - good thing I'm good at pretending to be tough.  My med regimen was intense for a while.  Flowers from Aunt Camille were a weekly highlight.  Cute jammies and slippers from friends make lounging around so much funner (thank you everyone - my lounge time wardrobe is a million times better!).  While I was in the hospital I spent DAYS throwing up.  This sandwich was my first meal I enjoyed - and believe me it tasted better than anything I've ever had!

In April I blow dried my hair for the first time in 6 weeks.  I came home to see my kiddos after missing them like crazy for the past 6 weeks.  Sharlene helped me take the kids to Isaac's art show and my mom came to help me take the kids to the zoo.  I took the kids to the park solo.  I thought they'd play and I could sit.  They begged me to push them in the swings - thankfully Landon saved the day.  The pinewood derby - my first "public" outing - I didn't last through the whole time.  Isaac rocked the house on his soccer team

In May Isaac got his first REAL haircut.  He cried because he said he, "looked like a man".  Austin played baseball like a pro.  We had plans to do a big 1-0 birthday party and I just couldn't pull it together to do it.  Sorry Landon.  We made the day special, starting with breakfast.  Landon loved his birthday cake pancakes.  That night we created a birthday tradition (that didn't last because we were afraid of fire danger during our late summer birthdays...).  Landon wrote a birthday wish on a paper lantern and we let it go.  We jumped in the car and followed it until it disappeared.  We were all laughing and giggling and saying, "there it is!"  "I see it!"  "Oh wait that's not it!"  I think his wish came true.  Landon also played on the All Star baseball team this year.  Austin was a proud supporter.  (I still need to go through the baseball pictures....)

In June the Grandmas had to get back to their own lives.  I was sad to see them go.  I was grateful, though, that I had packed the freezer with meals before my surgery.  I was still struggling with fatigue and surgical pain.  I went back to Denver for a checkup.  Things looked fantastic.  My MRI picture was the most beautiful brain I've ever seen :)  I couldn't believe how much better I was feeling, even though I was still struggling.  I was thanking God everyday for how well I felt.  We started Austin's allergy treatments with a new doc.  That meant retesting.  I was disappointed to find out he had developed more allergies.  Boo.  Cameron had a little accident of his own this month.  He crashed on his motorcycle.  His knee and wrist  broke.  He tore his ACL and MCL and fractured tibula, fibula, femur and he lost 33% of his meniscus.  Knee surgery was scheduled for July.  We called on family again to help us.  Thanks, again, Sharlene for dropping everything to come help us.  We spent some warm days in the sun.  There wasn't a lot we could do between my recovery and Cameron's injuries.  Sharlene hadn't seen the Falls of Twin Falls so we stopped to take a look.