14 days and counting...............

14 days and counting.........

I have been neglecting many things as of the last few months. Of course computer time is one of them.  It didn't help when the "blue screen of death"  appeared and we had to completely replace the hard drive.  Not the end of the world except for Windows 8. Not liking it yet.

I have spent the last few months trying to keep my head above water. My Mom and her cancer treatment.  The trips to chemo and other doctoring.  The keeping her spirits up (attempting), trying to find the right thing that will make her feel better, trying many times unsuccessfully.  It was brought to my attention that i'm not the one dealing with my mortality.  Yes very true and I've tried to take this into account.  But even with this, trying to keep someone flushing the pity pot is hard work.  Its also tiring walking on eggshells. Thank you has been said many times, by Mom for taking care of her and by my siblings for taking the brunt of it.  We are past the halfway mark for chemo, so that means only another 63 days til chemo is done.  We will just keep waiting for the next chapter to see what else this year will hold.

In the midst of dealing with Mom, Annika had her bladder surgery.  I ran the house with the help of my father-in-law from a hospital room.  Surgery went fine, we were both anxious to go home the next day.  I was more anxious when I found out the  nurse couldn't read and gave Anni the medicine she should have only had if she was in a lot of pain.  This would account for what happened over the next few days after.  Annika came home tired and partially snowed from meds. She perked up the next day, then downhill we went.  Annika was plugged up tight.  With the help of some wonderful little medicine things turned around within hours.  Within 36 hours she was back to our little demon. The countdown with her is done, we did the surgery, it worked we should be good to go (I hope)

In trying to keep my head up, I was thrown back into the deep end with Linnea.  She decided to become one with the bathroom floor.  I watched the whole thing.  Our bathroom is small, so falling from the toilet means you will either hit the wall, door, floor, or tub.  Linnea chose the first 3.  We went to the ER.  We had MRIs and a CT scan.  Blood work, EKGs.  Then a EEG, sleep deprived EEG.  Telling a teenager to stay awake is not a easy task.  We have seen a neurologist, a neurosurgeon, and a cardiologist.  All to be told that something doesn't quite seem right, but lets wait another 6 weeks to check things over again and make a decision then.  But in the meantime your child can't ride her bike, climb a mountain, run with her friends, be left alone. Oh and lets put her on this medication that will probably make her feel like shes in a fog, afraid to walk up stairs, or for that matter be afraid to leave the house.  Oh yes this is so much better. So more days to count down for the next chapter.

The one who doesn't cause any ripples, my Ulrik.  He decided splashing was more his style and puked all over my feet.  He is having a hard time with Grandma being sick.  So he sees the social worker at school 1 day a week.  We are letting him wear his "chemo cap" to support grandma one day a week to school.   This seems to help, but then again he still looks hurt.   I try so hard to make sure he doesn't feel left out with the girls getting so much extra attention.  I'm not sure I'm succeeding, there it is again a mothers guilt. I try to take him by myself to his guitar lesson, that's our 45 minutes together with no one else. We usually sneak a treat along the way, but he can never keep it a secret.  I guess he won't be a senator.

And then my husband..... he decides to have a ulcer. Oh make that 2. At least it explains his constant complaining about his "heartburn".  I really should buy stock in Alka-Seltzer and Tums. Medication, and more testing to come. Yup another next chapter in the year.

Now this weekend is Mothers Day.  A time to celebrate Mom. ME,ME,ME! I don't like Mothers day, I haven't liked it in 14 years.  My first Mothers day was spent without a new baby in my arms.  People around me trying to forget or avoid what had just happened. My husband, wonderful Mr.T, got me a ring (well 2, but) it wasn't expensive, it isn't anything overly special. But it hasn't left my finger in 14 years.  Even when my old crappy wedding ring broke I always had on my "MOM" ring. When I got my new ring made I debated about welding my new ring to the old "MOM" ring. In the end I'm glad I did. Its still always there, its a symbol that no matter whether we had more children or not I will always be a Mom and someone was making sure I wouldn't forget it. My children know that its just another day.  It just gives them a excuse to maybe be a little nicer to each other, indulge me if I want to go to the cemetery for pictures, or leave me alone if the tears start rolling. But just because I don't like it doesn't mean I can completely forget the fact that I am a Mom or  all the wonderful women I have in my lives that are Moms. I will say Happy Mothers day to you, but please don't expect flowers, cards, or candy from me. I have my children all of them to be thankful for, but I don't need a special holiday to remind me or them of how important we are in each others lives. Without Zachary, Linnea, Ulrik, Baby Bailey and Annika I wouldn't have the title of MOM, I'm perfectly content with getting a quick hug or cuddle everyday to make me feel special. There's still many more chapters in that book to be written.

And then there is the 14 days......... 14 days till school is out.  14 days till I have to remember to feed all the kids, remember sunscreen, keep Danger Dude in the plastic bubble.  I see a broken something in the future this summer, why not, not  like the year has been all stellar.  Remembering to sit down each day and work on reading and writing. But yet its also a time to stay up late, stay in bed longer, camp out in the yard, explore.  Can I make sure that there is some fun in summer this year? I'm not sure yet, I'm not sure about the summer chapter.  I don't think 14 days to prepare for 3 months is enough. 

This is the song that is playing in my head right now, at least the most appropriate to post.  I am TITANIUM, I will not fall.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRfuAukYTKg&feature=player_detailpage

Enjoy your weekend.

Final countdown....

Its been a few weeks since I've really had time to do much for me.  Well Piper is content, and everyone else is at school so time for me.  Annika had strep throat for almost 2 weeks and we didn't know it.  She had no other symptoms, mostly based on the fact that her daily antibiotics to prevent UTIs were suppressing things.  The naughty bugs have left the building, thank you and hallelujah!!!  We had the IRIS pancake breakfast.  I think it was a great success. While there it was announced that IRIS is getting a house.  No more office front, I'm so excited to go see it when its ready.  I like many other IRIS families were heartbroken when the original office flooded last year.  Thankfully the angels have been patiently waiting to welcome everyone home.  Linnea and Matthew won at BINGO.  Linnea won twice and being gracious gave her second winnings to Ulrik who had worked his kester of all morning.  Everyone went home happy and full of pancakes and bake sale items! For Annika this translated into 5 cupcakes over the course of 5 hours.  The kids did a great job helping out.  I quit therapy on my foot.  I have the knowledge to work on it on my own.  It was just one more appointment to try to keep track of. I determined we ate out waaaaaaaayyyyyy to much in the last month plus.  I counted Domino's receipts and determined we had eaten over 50 pizzas from there.  I think it's time to lock that website on the computer. 
Now onto the countdown......
Today is Monday.  Two more days till Wednesday.
Wednesday is a big day. 
Wednesday is the day Mom goes back to the oncologist. Wednesday is the day we find out if the cancer is gone or if there is more.  We find out what treatment may be necessary, or if any is needed.  Big day. 
For me there's something equally important.  My husband turns 40. Oh my 40!
When I think about all he has done and overcome to get to 40, it makes me look at all I've done to get to 35.
A, of course I was born (duh).
B, I survived childhood.  I didn't have a bike helmet (would have come in handy when I ran into the parked car), I rode on a 3 wheeler, I flipped over the 3 wheeler. I came out a stronger person due to the bullying(teasing in my day).  I learned empathy dealing with my Dad being sick and in a wheelchair, on crutches, in a hospital bed.  I learned how to cook, thankfully I improved on this accomplishment.  Painfully evident on my waistline and hips.  I learned how to be a friend.  I do fail at being a good friend some days as I get to wrapped up in my life to remember to check in with others. I learned to accept ME, march to the beat of your own drummer, hard lesson, but important. C, I graduated high school.  I managed to do it after failing Algebra for 4 years.  I didn't have to dissect anything (thank you lord), I never got sent to the principals office and I had a rocking station wagon.  I took my ability to play an instrument and used it to go to Germany and Austria my senior year.  I was able to experience my heritage.  Granted it was under the watchful eyes of chaperone's, but I saw a world so full of history that is really where my story began. 
D, I became a wife,I met Thomas.  Who knew all those nights he pulled doubles would have gotten him a king size bed and 4 kids.
E, I've been to hell.  Made it back with the stretch marks to prove it.  The trip to get back has put me in such a completely different place then I would have ever imagined i would be.  I ride the river of grief everyday, a consolation price for my initial trip.
F, I became a Mom.  In school my best friend Ruby would joke I was going to have a dozen kids and treat them like donuts.  Well I would have loved to keep going but Mother Nature, my heart and God told me to stop I really don't think I could handle a new baby and a new teenager at the same time!  I just wish someone had shut off the biological clock when they shut off my fallopian tubes. 
G, Ive learned so much, I've met some amazing people, Ive watched my butt expand, Ive had pain, I've felt pain, I've grown from pain.  Ive given life, I've watched it be taken away.  Ive cried tears of sadness, tears of joy and tears for no reason at all, other then the commercial made me do it.  There is so much we have done, will do, and are doing right now, that is simply amazing.  Simply awesome, and simply terrifying.  Has my life to today been a horror, a comedy, a drama, or an action filled story? (I watched some of the Oscars last night,sorry) Do our lives play out like a combination of all these? I really think they do, but the good guys don't always finish first.  Sometimes they come in dead last but they did it.  The money doesn't always just flow.(sucks but hey very rarely do the bank robbers NOT get caught) , the cars aren't always pretty and fast ( hey have you seen the granny van) and everybody feels real anguish, pain, and heartbreak.  But everyone feels real joy, real excitement( even if it is just a package from Amazon).  Ive been trying so hard to practice what I preach and that is find one thing to be thankful for everyday.  Easy, thank you for another day...... wrong dig deeper my friends.  Friday I was thankful for the voice from the backseat, belting out "Stars" Saturday I was thankful for getting a cup of hot chocolate with Linnea and listening to her without having anyone else to interrupt her.  Sunday I was thankful I finished reading a book to Ulrik, I didn't enjoy the book, but it was the time I spent with him and only him reading it.  Today, of course I'm thankful for breathing, easy peasy.  Ive already been thankful many times today.  I said "thank you" to Thomas for going to work today. I said "thank you" there were still frozen waffles for breakfast. I said "thank you" the kids all went to school.  But I haven't yet had the one special thing to come across yet, the day is still young it will come.
Last on the countdown, Friday.  i get to spend some quality time with one of my favorite partners in crime, my little sister Catie.  Our quality time will be spent in a tattoo parlor, in opposite chairs getting fresh ink. I'm so excited.
Our song of the week is "Stars" by Grace and the Nocturnals.  Hearing it from the mouth of a 4 year old is music to my ears.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml7TmC__eDc

14 years and i'm still standing......

Happy 14th Heavenly Birthday to my first born, my born still, my special angel, son Zachary.


Missing Piece

by: Libby Schmit

I never held you in my arms,

but I carried you within me for 263 days.

I only have things to remind me of you,

but you have the piece of my heart you took the day you went away.

My life is forever changed,

my heart will never be whole.

You will always have the missing piece,

deep within your soul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Juggling can be painful.............

Wow, how many balls can you keep juggling at once?  I personally can not juggle real balls, not a prayer!  With my vertical imbalance I'm lucky I can stay standing some days.  But apparently I'm quite adept at "juggling."  My skills will be seriously put to the test in the next weeks.
         2 weeks ago my Mom went in for her physical, she had mentioned a change in a old scar on her breast but just left it alone for the holidays. The mammogram was clear, but the doctor opted for additionally testing.  A ultrasound saw something, so then onto a biopsy.  The biopsy revealed it was cancerous.  Then started a whirlwind of appointments and testing.  A MRI confirmed there was a mass, over 6cm.  Ok, next step deciding on a single or double mastectomy.  Mom said "I have no attachment to these things, take them away." Ok, double it is.  So then came more waiting and finally surgery yesterday.  Well all said and done, there was cancer in both breasts.  The left one had just not been detected on any of the imaging.  THANK YOU ANGELS for helping push things in the right direction.  Now we head into recovery mode.  As Mom was laying in the hospital bed last night in and out of it, we knew she was going to be fine when she was still able to crack a one liner and flip me off.  Hoping today she will be more awake and coherent and able to get up and move a bit.  We will not know till the 6th of February if she will need chemo or not, but we will throw that ball into the air to juggle if necessary.  Its going to be a interesting few weeks as Mom enjoys sitting still, but isn't all about being the patient.  She will just have to accept this and enjoy it.  Shes earned it. 
             Juggling the tween, in 2 more days Linnea will officially be a teenager.  Officially she will be there, technically I think we have been there since September when school started.  She has her moments when I see glimpses of my little flower, giggly, sweet, silly, and just a plain goofball.  Then there's the days of her tough girl attitude, loud music and growing up.  She loves her 80's hard rock, her dark clothes, and hiding in her room.  Such a adjustment.....
           Juggling the preschooler............. Attitude Annika, so opinionated.  She knows what she wants and she is not afraid to tell you.  She has nothing wrong with calling you names to get it.  She is becoming very familiar with a kitchen wall!  I don't know if it is added stress at home or if something has changed with her kidney reflux.  We have had almost 1 or 2 accidents a day and this has not been a problem since she was potty trained.  I changed her appointment to sooner to meet with the doctor about surgery.  So throw another ball in the air, because its looking sooner then later.
            Juggling the boy, there 's not much to juggle here.  Other then his energy and want for yet another Skylander, Ulrik is such a easy keeper.  He is helpful, quiet, understanding.  He looks so forward to every moment he gets to play the Wii.  To run to the store with just me, to share a secret treat between us. He really enjoys when we get to sit and read before bed.  I feel badly when it doesn't work out to give him this quiet time together.  But yet he just keeps rolling along with it all.  Oh I hope HIS teenage years stay this easy!
         Juggling the husband............ We have been dealing with Thomas and his acid reflux for awhile.  It has gotten to be plain annoying!! He decided the other day to "screw it" if the medicine isn't working then fine I'm not going to take it.  So today it off to the "gag me with a spoon" doctor to see if things have changed.  So............am I looking at the possibility of a third surgery for the year?? I have a feeling definitely more doctoring. UGH!
I'm trying to keep sane, while juggling. I painted half the kitchen yesterday while waiting to hear how Mom was.  I think I might just have to go get the paint to finish the other half tomorrow.  Ive got the bathroom to paint still, but Ive been stalling on that one, so I can change things a bit.  New cabinet and light take a little extra time and money.  Annika and Ulrik especially love to craft with me.  I found a salad spinner for under 5 bucks at IKEA.  They have been patiently waiting to try to make some spin art crafts of sort.  I'm looking forward to it also.  We just made our donation for the upcoming IRIS fundraiser.  Ulrik and Annika had a blast helping to pick out fleece and stuff our "Hooters"  I hope everyone enjoys them. 
Juggling, I have Moms recovery and subsequent care.
Juggling, Linnea becoming a teenager
Juggling, Annika and her kidneys
Juggling, Time for Ulrik
Juggling, Thomas and the acid
Juggling, every ones schedules
Juggling, Zacharys 14th heavenly birthday
Juggling, Juggling, Juggling.


You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.
Eleanor Roosevelt

A couch full of Hooters

Our Pinterest snow balls

 

 

 

Happy Anniversary!



Yes that really is Mt. Rushmore!

Well 14 years ago I stood in front of family and friends and the head honcho upstairs and married this guy with a southern drawl, red hair and tattoos.  In redneck fashion we had us a shotgun wedding, with the knowledge that the little one inside me would be appearing in less then 6 weeks. We had originally planned on waiting until August of 1999 to get married and have the big party and wear the fancy clothes.  I woke up right after Thanksgiving in 1998 and had a feeling come over me that told me we needed to get married sooner then later.  I think back now this was probably Zachary chiming in.  So we looked at a calendar got days off work and had things planned, plotted and invitations in the mail in less then a week.  We looked through the closet found some dress clothes and we were ready. We picked a day that neither of us can forget the date.  Thomas can never use that excuse,
1-9-99, pretty damn easy!!! 

Our lives forever changed the day we said "I do."  Little did we know how much our lives were going to change in less then 4 weeks after that.  We had our marriage seriously tested and we hadn't been married for a month yet!  We have been to hell and back together and survived the trip.  A little banged up but we are still standing.  I have been so blessed with my self proclaimed a-hole.  He continues to provide for our family and me.  He gets up every weekday to go to work, so I can continue to be a CLO(chief life officer) sounds sooooo much better then homemaker, wouldn't that make me a carpenter?! He puts up with my food, lack of fabric softener in his clothes, and my super corny sense of humor.  I put up with his attitude, video games, and his warped sense of humor.  Together we make a pretty good match.  We communicate, that is the most important thing we have. We also went into this relationship with the knowledge that we could not change each other(well Ididn't say waistlines) but we needed to change together to grow together(again I didn't say waistline).  We have maintianed our individual selfs, but have also melded into what I think is a pretty amazing couple(toot,toot, my own horn).  We have been blessed with 3 amazing children here on earth and 1 amazing angel upstairs.

Yup, im corny like my Mom!
Linnea 2002
 

Yup, I got my Dad's voice, Roar!
Ulrik 2004

Yup, I got Mom's cuddly nature, but Dad's firey red hair and attitude to match, the best of both worlds!
Annika 2009

Holy Moly this kid is crazy!!!
Ulrik and Linnea 2004

All our children together!
September 2008

 All these things wouldnt have ever come to fruition if he hadnt stayed late one night at work and offered up his pager number(dates us a bit) and I hadn't thrown caution to the wind and paged him a couple days later. Im forever grateful for whatever spirit picked up my hand and led it to the phone.  Thank you Thomas for a amazing 14 years, I'm looking forward to the next 14 and many more after that.  I love you!





Woo hoo 14 years!!!!


 

Our song. Louis Armstrong, What a wonderful world

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

.

Christmas Eve before Church

Wow how the time flies, another year.  In 7 days Thomas and I will be celebrating our 14th anniversary.  Then 23 days later our "little flower" Linnea will officially become a TEENAGER!!!  With those days counted comes another countdown, 35 days will be Zachary's 14th birthday in heaven.  In the words of Annika "holy wackamole" 14 years, 13 years, all these events feel like they just happened a few years ago not past the 10 year mark already.  To think, yes I already have a teenager who is a amazing part of our lives, and soon I will have a second one who can argue back, haha! I am praying for beautiful calm weather on both January 25 and February 6.  I will be setting the alarm and waking up Linnea to do something very special for her birthday.  At 2:12 am we will be awake celebrating her entrance into the teenage years!  Pictures to come.   

We had a wonderful Christmas. on the 22nd my brother, sister and their families came over and we demolished a crock pot of sloppy joes and desserts. The kids got to spend time together, annoying each other and playing. Christmas day was just ours. The kids didn't get up till after 7. I had the alarm set for 730 so Grandma had time to watch them open present before work. Santa brought some nice and needed items. Annika had the best line of the day with her first gift. "This isn't what I asked for!" She asked Santa for only 2 things, a nightie with her twin "Merida" from Brave on it and Meridas horse "Angus". The first present was a tshirt I had made. After being shown that there were more gifts she decided to wait and see if it was there. And yes the last present was indeed what she had asked Santa

Annika and Angus

Annika and her twin Merida

 

Ulrik and his knives

Ulrik received his first and second pocket knives, and Linnea received a pile of pens along with 700 sheets of paper in a binder.  That will hopefully save a few notebooks so we can make it to the end of the year. We spent the afternoon watching "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" and the timeless classic "A Christmas Story" I think we watched 12 hours of the 24 hour marathon. 





Christmas break was relaxed with nothing to do but the daily house stuff.  I got to sleep in with the kids, lounge around all day, play outside, play referee, and spend time together.  On the 29th we went to Thomas' sister Tina's house and had another round of good food and good company.  So many memories have been made around the kitchen table.  Maybe its the food that gets everybody settled there or its just where so much live centers around that brings us there. 
We had snow over break which was great for the kids, but not for me.  Once again I'm on the injured list.  Maybe soon I'll find a way to get off of it.  Bonus part the kids shoveled the driveway......TOGETHER!!!!  No argument (gasp!) They were rewarded with Pizza Hut for dinner, again no argument! 

They did it together!

 

We all slept through the New Year. New Years Eve the kids were treated to a fireworks display in the neighbors backyard.  It was quite spectacular for about 15 minutes and then "BOOM" the yard lite up bright red and the show was done.  No firetrucks, no ambulance so it was all good. Thomas and I spent time watching "grown up" movies that had no animation in them.  I've got the instant que on Netflix down from 357 to 350.  I'm working my way there! 

Today everybody went back to normal.  Kids back to school, Thomas back to work and Annika and Piper storming the castle together, and after a week apart storming is exactly the way its been.  By Monday morning everyone, including me will be sliding back into our routine.  Lets hope we can infuse a little magic so it doesn't become so plain old day in day out the same.  I'm sure I can find a recipe on Pinterest for PIXIE DUST!  Everyone is slowly coming home, first Linnea and next will be Thomas and then the boys and Grandma.  Time for me to bring the clean kitchen to life and make a dinner for my family, here's some pictures of December at our house.

The boys in the hats I made them that actually FIT!!

Christmas 2012

Well another year has passed us by.  It is crazy how being busy makes time fly, I thought it required throwing the clock!  Lets see how things went around here.....

Linnea turned 12 in January.  She survived the 6th grade and made the "A" honor roll once and the "B" honor roll 3 times.  She continues to excel at Math, thankfully she got Thomas' math genes and not mine. In April she had her 1st communion at our new church along with her cousins.  She started confirmation classes in September and is learning a lot of things she missed by not attending Sunday school over the years.  I'm thankful our pastor is open to lots of questions. On Thanksgiving she completed her second 5k Turkey Trot benefiting IRIS.  She remained relatively healthy until school started and then once again we began fighting with all the bugs.  After some testing we found a vitamin D deficiency and once again her Iron very low.  This has been a ongoing problem since she was a infant.  Hopefully now with the right combo of vitamins we have her on the right track.  She is very much into music, especially the 80's, who knew our cassette tapes would find a second life! You can find her these days in her room writing and rocking out to her stereo or like a young teenage girl, on the phone or now days on the computer emailing and instant messaging.

Ulrik turned 9 in September.  He has continued to grow, grow, grow.  I'm hoping we have slowed down for just a little while.  He is patiently waiting for basketball to be offered through school so he can give it a try.  His feet are now wearing men's shoes, I'm not sure he can swing track with his gunboats!  Ulrik had a great year of second grade and was very excited for 3rd grade since he has his same teacher from last year.  He adores Mrs. Tuma and works well with her teaching style.  He continues to be all boy, this summer he got sidetracked by a nasty infection in his knee after a "Danger Dude" moment on his cousins bike. It took almost 10 days of heavy antibiotics to get him back up to cruising speed.  Thankfully "chicks dig scars" because he has another keeper.  Right now he is starting to learn to play the guitar and he is busy with finger knitting, its a start, hopefully next year he will move up to real needles which will make Grandma Carol very happy. We are also still quite the legomaniac, building many creations from the floor of his room.  He still very much enjoys his superheroes and shooting the "emenies." Very rarely will you find him sitting still, unless he's knitting or reading.

Annika turned 4 in August.   We very quickly picked up on potty training in June and haven't looked back, this was awesome considering the issues we have had with her kidneys which delayed timing abit.  She started preschool in September and has quickly picked up her alphabet and numbers.  She loves to do her "homework" and write her letters and numbers.  She really enjoys being crafty with her scissors, paper, and crayons.  We are starting to learn to tell time, and to learn to read also.  She very much enjoys annoying Linnea, a task I think she takes pride in. Ulrik and Annika enjoy annoying each other also, but you can find them often building with the pink Legos and chatting. In October we ventured back to Children's to see how her kidney reflux has progressed, unfortunately it appears we will be having surgery next year some time to have a ureteral reimplantation on both kidneys.  We did discover that her right kidney is tipped which could be part of the reason healing has stalled on that side.  Good news those is the left kidney has completely healed. She continues to be the spitting image of her father with the curly red hair and the spitfire, stubborn attitude to match.

Thomas continues at Xcel Energy, he has been with the company for 13 years this past June. For Easter this year I was able with some help to give him a big surprise. His Dad came and visited from Georgia.  He was very, very surprised! This was a wonderful visit for all.  The kids enjoyed teaching Grandpa how to bowl and play Ping-Pong on the Wii, and Thomas got to spend some time reminiscing with Dennis.  I continue to be the CLO(Chief Life Officer) of the house.  I keep busy with keeping track of everyone and everything.  With some help from the kids this years projects were mostly outdoors.  Ulrik and Linnea helped transplant 2 trees to the backyard and plant Grandma’s tree in the front yard.  It took them over 2 hours to dig the hole.  We almost completed the rock garden but we ran out of rock.  We planted tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, and squash. We were able to can 40 jars of salsa from the garden this year. We only had 1 pumpkin make it and we picked the squash too soon, but we are learning.  We had a lot of busy days this summer with my nephew Matthew(8) and niece Piper(2) still coming over for daycare.  I helped out with crafts at VBS and  got a new partner in crime at the same time. At the beginning of November the flu hit our house and knocked me down.  I ended up with a ear infection that spread to the surrounding tissue and nerves.  It was a little frightening when the doctor tells you not to be home alone.  The right side of my head was numb, I had no voice and  had limited use of my right arm.  I had my first and I hope only MRI.  Thankfully we caught things in time before surgery became necessary.  With antibiotics and our chiropractor I'm almost back to fighting shape. The kids enjoyed this time as we all camped out on the couch sick together and I had no voice to tell them what to do!   I have been teaching myself how to crochet with mixed results. I started making dishcloths and have moved onto hats and scarves.  I attempted a pair of fingerless gloves, but after the first one, not being able to fit anyone but Bigfoot, I decided to not attempt mittens anytime soon.  The kids and I completed the "Little House on the Prairie" series this winter and are now working on "The Boxcar Children" We enjoy our reading time.  I continue to volunteer with IRIS.  Thomas and I once again manned the kitchen with wonderful help for the pancake breakfast.  My biggest contribution with some help from my Mom was using my knitting machine to make 500 blankets for a training session. I was literally up to my elbows in yarn and blankets!

At the end of July we a wonderful family vacation to Itasca State Park again.  We took Grandma Carol with and everyone RELAXED!!!  We went to the Mississippi Headwaters quite a few times. The goal was to not leave the park except for 1 day and we succeeded.  We experienced the headwaters in the morning, afternoon, and at dusk. It is amazing how nature changes so much depending on the time of day.  The kids enjoyed picking up rocks for the garden and walking in the Mississippi, they also enjoyed plenty of pool time at the cabin.  Many hours were spent enjoying mother nature and her bounty.  Thomas and the kids went hiking and again climbed Aitin Fire tower. Linnea has made it to the top twice, Ulrik made it further then last time.  We were fortunate to have wonderful weather the entire week, it rained starting at 2am the day we left.

We hope you have had a wonderful year and been blessed with good days.  The road might not always be smooth, but its still a fun ride.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Wish

The heart of Christmas is hope
We need hope.
We need Christmas!
The New Year gives us time.
We need time to grieve.
But most of all to Heal.

I wish you the gift of peace

from an aching heart;
I wish you the gift of

strength for the day ~
I wish you the gift of recognition,
I wish you the gift of remembrance,
I wish you the gift of care,
I wish you the gift of belonging,
These are the gifts I wrap in prayer,
And loving send your way.

May the memories of this Season
Come on Gentle Wings and
Bring you, your family and friends
Love and Peace.

Merry Christmas from heaven,

Zachary Andrew

 

 

 

 

 



Linnea 7th Grade

Ulrik 3rd Grade

Annika - 1st day of preschool

Christmas card picture
 

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season! 
Love and Peace
Libby and the Crew