AND.... 365 days finished! I cannot believe I made it. There are more cheat days
than I would have liked, but I am so happy to have gotten as much as I did. The whole
pregnancy thing really threw me off. I don't know when I will do it again, but I love
the fact that this project makes me pick up my camera, even on days when I don't
want to. And those days always seem to turn out my most favorite pictures.
It was a good year. I love looking through and seeing all we have done and all
we have accomplished. Here is to 2016!
December 31st:
This New Years Eve was a little different. One of our dearest and closest
friends' cancer relapsed and she happened to be in Utah over Christmas. The
kids went and stayed with gigi and pa while I flew to Utah to take family pictures
for them and Jeff worked. I flew
in late on New Years Eve, so obviously the pictures from the last couple of days
are from other days this month. We may not have been together as a family today, but
watching such a close friend go through the hell that cancer is,
made us all stop and reflect on our blessings this year. It has been a good,
good, great year. We have been beyond blessed in so many ways. This family.
They are my everything. I am so grateful for them. And for a wonderful
job. And home. And health. And for a new baby to come in a few short
months. I feel like we finally have our calm and the peace that comes with
it. And I could not be more thankful.
December 30th:
He makes me laugh more than you can know.
December 29th:
We love love love having dad home.
December 28th:
Morning time snuggles with cousins.
December 27th:
These pictures just make me laugh, and I had to post all three of them. They
kind of speak for themselves, so I will just leave it at that.
December 26th:
Hello! From the snow visiting gigi and pa.
December 25th:
Merry Christmas! This may be my most favorite picture I took throughout
the entire year. I love each one of their facial expressions... it shows how
magical this morning really and truly was. We usually spend
Christmas at our family's homes, but this year we decided to stay home. It is
getting really hard to travel and pack with four kids... and next year with five, I
am not sure how we would have done it. So, we stayed home. And loved every
second of it. All four of them were beside themselves with excitement.
Christmas really is the best. And the whole day was absolute magic.
December 24th:
Happy Christmas Eve! We spent the morning talking to residents in dads
building and passing out candy. Cole and Crew showed off their piano skills
and they all loved being the center of attention. We went to breakfast at the cutest
little restaurant in Napa and ate hot homemade doughnuts. We drove home and
started our own Christmas Eve traditions. A big dinner and dance party and movie
and we went on our own Polar Express and drank hot chocolate. It was the perfect
night. And I am not sure if anyone is going to sleep tonight due to the excitement level
in our house...
December 23rd:
Jeff has to work on Christmas Eve for a couple of hours, so we decided to take
the kids to the hotel and spend the night with him there. I am not sure why sleeping in a
hotel room is so much fun when you are a kid, but it tends to lose its appeal when you have a two
year old that won't sleep in a pack n play and ends up sleeping in bed
with you most of the night instead.
Even with no sleep though, it was a good night. We went and looked at lights and
went to dinner and ate the yummiest cupcakes you can find. And of course
played superman for close to an hour. That is always the best part.
December 22nd:
Flying airplanes in shorts and a t-shirt at the end of December with an incredible
sky to look at.
December 21st:
A big bow, a tutu and dancing with her big brother. The day just
does not get much better than that.
December 20th:
The Sunday before Christmas. New Christmas outfits and cranky
baby faces that only want mom. (Because she needs a nap, of course.)
December 19th:
This boy's first wrestling match. I am so beyond proud of him. He called from
school one day and told us he was joining the wrestling team. We were shocked. There are a few
physical things he is struggling with due to his past cancer treatments.
He is doing incredibly well, but there will always be things that he will
have to work at more than other kids his age.
In fact, his oncologist has asked him more than once
if they need to write a note for PE, letting them know his history and excusing
him from specific things. He has not let any of it deter him in the least bit.
I am so stinking proud of him for even trying and I don't care if he loses every single match.
I don't think we will ever get over what he had to go through for almost all of
his childhood. That being said, I love looking toward the future with him
and seeing how far he has come and what he has accomplished in such
a short amount of time. These kids are amazing and we can learn so
very much from them.
December 18th:
Cute Crew's Christmas program. (say that five times fast!)
December 17th:
Sickness all around. And such a crappy week for everyone (except dad and Cole)
to come down with a nasty stomach bug. I am pretty sure I slept in less than 45
minute increments last night. Jake was up three times. Remi was throwing up a
few days ago, but still feels yucky and was up four times. Crew threw up four times.
Once in his bed. I am using all of the willpower I have in my brain to not
get sick. I don't have time. Luckily, it has not hit me as hard as everyone else.
Knock on wood.
December 16th:
Giggles galore. Sometimes I can't figure out why she loves that little tease as
much as she does, but she worships the ground that boy walks on. And she
obviously thinks he is pretty funny.
December 15th:
These two boys (the other one was at a wrestling meet) had a piano recital
at a nursing home today. They both played incredibly well, but I think their
favorite part is talking with the residents when they are done playing.
December 14th:
Yup. Those are lucky charms down there. With no charms in sight. Because
not only did the two year old dump out the bag, she didn't touch anything other
than the marshmallows. And the seven year old decided to hop right in and
help. They need to come up with a marshmallow only option. The sugar is the
best part anyway.
December 13th:
December 12th:
Our family activity today: Decorating gingerbread houses.
December 11th:
Christmas trees and saggy baby diapers and pigtails and
chubby baby legs. I love Christmas time. And I love her.
December 10th:
December 9th:
Goodbye beautiful New York. I really really wish I could live here, but my
husband wants to live on a farm away from people. I am pretty sure my dream
will never come true. sniff sniff.
December 8th:
*Museum day. We went to the Met. (I wouldn't do that one again. It was
cool, but too overwhelming.)
*The Night at the Museum, museum. Loved this one. We should have spent
all afternoon here.
*ate at Jacob's Pickles, which turned out to be our favorite restaurant the whole
week.
*and finally, saw the Times Square Christmas tree
December 7th:
Day 3:
*Central Park
*Shake Shack
*The yummiest cookies I have ever eaten. In. My. Life. I have even had
dreams about them since we have been back. (from Levaines)
*The high line
*Chelsea market
*and spending time with our cute sister Bryndee.
December 6th:
Day 2 of New York:
*Breakfast at the View. Which is the only rotating restaurant above the city. Was
so yummy and so cool.
*We were able to get tickets to the 911 museum and spent
hours in there. It was incredible, but so very sad and depressing at the same time.
Listening to the stories and seeing the artifacts that were preserved from that day
makes you realize just how very fragile and short this life is. You never know
what will happen when you wake up tomorrow morning. It was incredibly humbling.
*We walked the Brooklyn Bridge and ate at a really good pizza place, which
I cannot remember the name of for the life of me. (pregnant brain)
December 5th:
Day one in New York:
*we arrived early and I can't see straight because I don't do well on no sleep
and the red eye flight doesn't agree with me. But who cares! We are in New
York! After taking the subway and trying to check in to the hotel, we found out
our room won't be ready for hours. So of course food. *We ate at Wafels & Dinges.
So yummy. (this may not be the best place to come when you are six months
pregnant. I may walk away having gained a little too much weight.) *We looked
at the Christmas windows at Macy's and eventually, somehow made it back to
the hotel to sleep for a couple of hours which somehow turned into four. *Dinner time
at an Italian restaurant... and the best part of the day was the Christmas program we
had the chance to go to. It was located at the stake center which is on the second
floor of the LDS temple. (so cool) The program was like no other church Christmas
program I have attended. It was like a Broadway show. I was blown away by
the talent. But I guess that is what you should expect when you are in New York!
There were a few singers that actually are on Broadway. It was seriously amazing.
December 4th:
After missing our flight, (I am fully blaming this one on Jeff), we are now
on the red eye to New York for five whole days without kids. We are beyond
excited.
December 3rd:
Christmas time is here in our new Christmas jammies!
December 2nd:
December 2nd and the tree in our front yard is an incredibly brilliant red. I
love it. I just wish it started cooling off a little earlier... I love the weather here
but hate that there is no fall. I have had major withdrawals this year.
December 1st:
Bedtime stories with "cwewie".
