Week 52

Last Sunday was Christmas, today was New Year's Day.  Christmas was a fun-filled, busy day, so I didn't get a chance to sit down and record anything about the day.

Our Christmas this year was wonderful.  We spent Christmas Eve at City Forest sledding, skating, and drinking hot chocolate.  Hurley had Hannah spend the night on Christmas Eve Eve, so Hannah also came with us.  We also had a fun snowball fight that morning.  The snow was perfect packing snow!  Later that evening, we prepared our "Jesus Dinner" and ate it while we watched "Elf."

On Christmas morning, we all woke up at about 7am.  Since we had to be at church at 10am, we couldn't really force the kids to sleep in!  Brooklen got a Playstation 4, 2 PS4 games, Redwings tickets, and new mini stick goals.  Hurley and Zaya got a JR. Kip Gymnastics bar, Shopkins, and Beados.  Hurley also got the pottery wheel she has been wanting and Zaya got an American Girl doll bed and Barbies.  Kaiton got a Paw Patroller and several pups.  The kids also got several super fun games and my parents gave them a full-size trampoline.

After church, we spent lots of time playing games, putting together presents, and eating delicious food.  It was a wonderful day.

The kids were super busy this past week with gymnastics and a few hockey sessions.  We threw in a few other fun activities, roller skating (2 times), Chuck E Cheese, ice skating, and plenty of game playing.  Hurley and Zaya also had some friends over and attended some gymnastic clinics.  Winter Break was a little bit of a bummer since I got really sick for 2 of the days and basically laid around the house.  I hate it when that happens on a school break, but I did my best to make up for it!

Yesterday, we went skating at the Roller Rink.  The three older kids had already qualified for the city races earlier in the week.  All three of them are SO fast.  Yesterday, however, Kaiton decided that he wanted to race too.  It was so cute!  He didn't really know where to go, but he got out there and raced in the 7 and under group.  Rob and I were so proud of him.

Last night for New Year's Eve, we stayed home and made 4 different kinds of pizzas.  Then, we played some games and watched a movie.  It was a nice chill evening at home . . . just the way I like it!  I'm looking forward to the New Year and I hope that it brings plenty of happiness for us!

Week 50

Well, I can't believe that we are almost to the end of the year.  I haven't done as well as I would have liked at recording things this year, and like always, I definitely haven't done a very good job at taking photos.  I was looking around my house this week and I realized that I actually don't have any photos from the last couple of years printed in my house.  Let's just say that I'm super embarrassed by that and I plan on working on that in 2017.

December has been quite a blur.  Last weekend we got a big snowstorm and we actually didn't have school on Monday.  The Menzies kids came over for the day and we had such a great time.  The kids played, we made cinnamon dough ornaments, watched the Santa Claus 2, went sledding at City Forest, and made 3 flavors of snow ice cream.  It was a day that I was grateful for.  I am glad I had the chance to spend time hanging out with the kids, but that they were also entertained part of the day with friends.

We've spent quite a bit of time inside lately and I am loving it.  We have been playing games with the kids and watching a lot of Christmas movies.  On Friday night, I was so excited to show the kids the original "Miracle on 34th Street."  They all really liked it, but the girls were exhausted and fell asleep at the end.

We had a chance to go to the Santa House this week.  I'm glad we made the trip a little earlier this year; we only had to wait about 40 minutes.  The kids all really enjoyed seeing the Santa House and Kaiton even sat on Santa's lap without crying!

Week 47

Thursday was Thanksgiving.  We had a really nice Thanksgiving alone at home.  It was a first one in a long time that we didn't celebrate with other families.  We spent the morning cooking, playing games, and just hanging around the house in our pajamas.  We got dinner ready and ate around 2:00pm.  After dinner, we cleaned up most of the food and then we headed off to the movies to see "Trolls."  The kids had gotten movie tickets from the "Switch Witch" after Halloween when they gave up their candy.  It was a real treat for them to see a movie in the theater and they were excited that they got drinks and popcorn too.  The kids really enjoyed the movie and Rob and I thought it was cute too.

Afterwards, I went to Kohls, Target, and Meijer to do some Black Friday shopping.  I could not BELIEVE the lines!  Luckily, however, I got everything that I went out to get!  Back at home, Rob and the kids at our pies for dessert.  Each of the kids wanted to make a pie so I helped them each make the pie of their choice.  I think that this is a tradition that I would like to continue.  It was fun to spend some quality time with each of the kids teaching them how to bake.  Brooklen made an apple crumb pie, Hurley made a coconut cream pie, and Zaya made a pumpkin pie with a gingersnap crust.

Yesterday, we bought our Christmas tree, put up Christmas decorations and spent 3 hours swimming at the community center.  I am so grateful for the time I've had this week to spend with my sweet family.  I love them so much and I am so grateful for them.

Week 46

Today's post will be brief.  I just wanted to express some of the emotions that I've been feeling lately. I feel a little on edge because I'm not sure where life is going to take this little family of mine.  We are unsure about where a job will lead us and when a new job might actually come.  It has left me with a feeling of uneasiness because it is hard to make any moves toward feeling more settled here in Midland.  I also am unsure where our family is really supposed to be.  I'd really like to stay in the Midwest, but I'm not sure if that's really where we should be or if that will even be possible.

I feel for my little kids and worry about moving them.  Would a move ultimately be better for them?  Will it be detrimental to them?  Of course, I know that I am a worrier and that I need to just let the Lord take the reins, but it is difficult to move forward when you have no control over a situation.

Week 45

Well, I'm finally getting around to uploading some recent photos.  First, are a few photos from pumpkin carving with my parents. The kids all did great this year.  Brooklen carved his completely by himself (my Dad only cut the top open for him) and Kaiton had a great time hammering little glow in the dark pegs into his.

Next up are Halloween photos.  These were taken quickly before the kids headed out to Trick or Treat.  I stayed back and handed out candy while Rob took the kids around the neighborhood.  We can out of candy in about an hour.  Soon many kids decided that our neighborhood was a great one to trick or treat in (it is!) and we had so many more kids than usual. Hurley was a butterfly (again), Brooklen was a baseball player, Kaiton was Marshall from Paw Patrol, and Zaya was a pirate (the funny thing was that she wore this costume on her first Halloween when she was 5 months old!!!

Lastly, Hurley had to do a project at school on communities and the good they can do.  We researched the Shelterhouse Resale shop since we have worked there several times in the last couple of years and the kids really love serving there.  Since I didn't have any photos of my kids serving there, I took the kids on Monday night for FHE.  The kids had so much fun sorting toys in the back room and organizing toys and stuffed animals out on the floor.  Here are a few photos I took of Hurley while we were there.

Week 45

Well, I'm finally getting around to uploading some recent photos.  First, are a few photos from pumpkin carving with my parents. The kids all did great this year.  Brooklen carved his completely by himself (my Dad only cut the top open for him) and Kaiton had a great time hammering little glow in the dark pegs into his.

Next up are Halloween photos.  These were taken quickly before the kids headed out to Trick or Treat.  I stayed back and handed out candy while Rob took the kids around the neighborhood.  We can out of candy in about an hour.  Soon many kids decided that our neighborhood was a great one to trick or treat in (it is!) and we had so many more kids than usual. Hurley was a butterfly (again), Brooklen was a baseball player, Kaiton was Marshall from Paw Patrol, and Zaya was a pirate (the funny thing was that she wore this costume on her first Halloween when she was 5 months old!!!

Lastly, Hurley had to do a project at school on communities and the good they can do.  We researched the Shelterhouse Resale shop since we have worked there several times in the last couple of years and the kids really love serving there.  Since I didn't have any photos of my kids serving there, I took the kids on Monday night for FHE.  The kids had so much fun sorting toys in the back room and organizing toys and stuffed animals out on the floor.  Here are a few photos I took of Hurley while we were there.

Week 42

On Monday afternoon, Rob left to go to Utah to hunt.  It was a crazy and busy week with the kids, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I had to have a little help from amazing friends in order to get my kids to all of their different activities; I consider myself lucky to have a network of support. 

Rob actually shot a deer on Tuesday, his first day out.  They never ended up seeing much the whole rest of the week, so they ended up with just one deer.  I'm glad he had a chance to go hunting and the kids were really excited to see the meat and the antlers that he brought back.

My parents actually came into town on Wednesday night.  Earlier in the day it had actually snowed and we were even able to make our first snowman of the season.  On Thursday, we took Kaiton to the library and then we went and picked the kids up from school to take them out to lunch.  In the afternoon, my parents helped me make dinner, prepare treats for gymnastics, and get games and crafts ready for the school parties.  They were such a BIG help!  On Thursday evening, Hurley had gymnastics and my parents went to watch her.

On Friday, we hung out a home in the morning and then after lunch, my parents took Kaiton to Bronner while I went to the school for the parade and Halloween parties.  After school, my Dad and I took Brooklen to hockey and then we came home and made pizza for lunch.  At 7:00pm, we went to open gym. Brooklen, Hurley, and Zaya played in the gym for 2 hours.

On Saturday morning, Brooklen had a hockey game at 8:45am in Saginaw.  We left around 7:15 and stopped to pick up breakfast at Panera on the way.  The boys won their game and Brooklen scored a goal.  He played awesome!  After the game, we went to Skyzone, the new trampoline park in Saginaw.  The kids loved it.  Hurley loved doing roundoff back handsprings, backpacks and back layouts.  Before we left, my dad did a claw machine.  He won 5 balls for the kids.  The kids thought it was SO COOL!!!    After the trampoline park, we went to Lehman's Green Apple Barn.  It was a gorgeous day and the kids loved playing outside.  Later, we came back and mowed the lawn and raked leaves.  My parents and the kids were such a big help!  

Today, we went to church and then played board games and carved pumpkins.  Rob came back tonight and while it has a long, tiring week, we survived and made great memories.