Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year.  We had our big family Christmas party on the 15th.  It was nice to see all of my aunts and uncles, the cousins that could make it (I have 35 of them...and almost all of them are married), plus all of our kids.  Santa comes and brings gifts for each child.  We eat, laugh, play cards and hang out.  It is a great time.

Christmas Eve we went to mass.  I was a bit nervous with taking the kids because it was a late mass but they all did very well.  They knew that Santa might still be watching them. 

Christmas day, the kids woke up at 6am.  They were ready to get to the presents.  After opening all the presents they played and enjoyed their time at home.  We headed to my parents at 10.  We do Christmas Brunch at their house and then open presents.  It is so fun to see all 9 grandkids (that range in age from 17 to 6 months) hang out and laugh together.  We opened gifts and played with all the new toys and games.  We came home that evening and the kids played until they passed out. 

Santa snuck my camera and took pictures

 Santa wrapped the living room up, so the kids couldn't peek. 

 Makenzi opening up a gift

 Arianna opening her gift that she wanted for MONTHS

 This is Braxton's reaction to the family getting an Xbox 360.

2012 Recap

Arianna:

Arianna Mary turned 4 this year.  She is getting so big and becoming a little girl instead of a toddler.  This year she has become extremely independent.  She started preschool this fall and attends school 4 days a week.  She loves school and has learned a lot of stuff.  Her favorite thing is spelling words (school doesn't do these, she does them on her own).  Another year that we are lucky she has guardian angels though.  In October Arianna was involved in an accident that she was very lucky she was not hurt in.  We had to watch her pretty close again for a few days, and made her take it easy but her angels worked overtime and protected her and the other person that was in the accident with her.  Arianna has also joined the swim team.  She is the youngest swimmer but she is determined to succeed, so she will.  She swam a 25 yard backstoke in November and did really well with it, her next swim meet this Friday!

Braxton:

Braxton turned 6 this year.  Braxton is in  Pre-first this year at school.  He has shown great improvement already this school year.  His reading level went from a level 1 to a level 3 in 40 school days!  We are so proud of him and his hard work.  Braxton is on a wrestling team and he really enjoys it.  In February he got his very first, first place at a tournament.  He was so excited!  We have fought a lot of sickness with Braxton this year.  Lots of strep throat.  Braxton has a heart a of gold.  This year he has used his own money several times to give to those in need.  He loves to help others!  He is such a blessing!

Makenzi:

Makenzi will be 9 years old in 6 days.  I cannot believe how fast those 9 years have gone by.  Makenzi is in the 3rd grade and loves school.  She has lots of friends.  Makenzi loves to learn about history...any facts she hears stick with her forever.  Makenzi has had a some Asthma trouble this year, our first experience with it.  She had a really bad case of pneumonia in January/February which took her out of gym, recess and swim for 2 weeks.  She also had an asthma exacerbation in October which landed us in the ER.  We are learning what to do and what to use as we go.  This is new territory for me as well.  She had a flare up of it again about a week ago after she stressed herself out really bad one morning.  Thankfully besides an inhaler we have a nebulizer (that seems to work the best for her).  Makenzi is on the swim team this year again.  She loves this sport.  This is her second year and the improvement we have seen has been amazing.  She is faster and smoother in the water.  As an 8 year old she has qualified for 2 state events (at her 2nd meet this year) but unfortunately she cannot swim them since she is turning 9 before the State meet.  She still has time to qualify as a 9 year old though.   She has also earned her first two individual 1st place ribbons this year.  She got them in the 25 backstroke and 25 yard freestyle.  She swam the freestyle event in a little over 18 seconds...this is 4 seconds off her best time last year!! 

Scott:

Scott is doing well.  He has been at a new job for the last 5 months.  He is home every day with this job which is very nice.  He is still driving semi/ 

Me:

I am done with my semester of school.  I am almost ready to validate for my program!!  Only 2 more classes needed.  I cannot wait to get those classes done!!  I am busy with the kids and all of their sports and school activities.  

6 more thankful days

Day 15:  I am thankful for Deer season.  We were able to put some meat in the freezer to help feed our family through the winter.  I love not having to spend money on meat!!

Day 16:  I am thankful for our vehicles.  We may not have brand new sparkly cars but they are reliable and get us where we need to be.

Day 17:  I am thankful for my nieces and nephews.  All of these little buggers bring so much joy to my life and my children's lives.  To see all the kids grow up together and be friends is awesome!

Day 18:  I am thankful for my friend Natalie and her 2 girls.  These 3 ladies are the most amazing, fun filled girls.  We enjoy spending our time with them and we miss them like crazy since they have moved to New York but I am so excited for the new adventures in their life.

Day 19:  I am thankful my niece J who is almost done with her chemotherapy, and feeling great!  She is such an amazing trooper and has kicked Cancer's butt!!  We love you J!!

Day 20:  I am thankful for our best friends L & R.  We may not talk every week, we may not see each other every week but we know that they are always there.  We think of them often and pray that things are well with them.  When we do get together we enjoy every second and respect each others views and decisions.  I am so thankful that 6 years ago we came into close contact with them again (somehow we lost contact between Mack being born and Brax being born, but just 3 months later we were hanging out again). 

Day 21:  I am thankful for my sweet little Godson Charlie.  Charlie was a blessing to our family this year and I am honored to be his Godmother.  I love the little turkey to bits and pieces.  He brings a smile to my face and I love when I can make him smile. 

Day 22:  I am thankful for being close to my family, and that my family accepts every in law (daughter in laws, son in laws, sister in laws, brother in laws) as if they are their own blood.  My two brothers and myself are married and all 3 in laws have been accepted into the family with open arms.  We don't always see eye to eye with each other but we respect each other and accept our differences.  On this Thanksgiving day all of us spent time together (with 9 kids included), my 96 year old grandmother joined us and my Aunt.  We had so much fun prepping for dinner, eating dinner, and playing games afterwards. 

Day 23:  I am thankful for my 96 year old grandmother.  She is the most caring, kind hearted woman ever.  She has taught my mom how to be an amazing woman as well.  I pray that my genes are just like my grandmas.  At 96 she is still living in her own home, she is healthy, and happy.  She is a true inspiration.

5 more Days

The next 5 days of being thankful

Day 11

I am so thankful for my parents.  My mom and dad are amazing examples of kind, caring, Christian individuals.  I will start with my dad.  He has always been there, he has worked jobs that weren't his favorite to make sure his wife and kids had what they needed. He taught us kids that just because we want it doesn't mean we need it, and that you may have to wait for things.  He loves all 9 of his grandkids and has taught each of them amazing things.  I am so thankful for him.  My mom, she is a type of person who will give up all of her plans to help somebody else out.  She was by our side through all 3 of my HORRIBLE pregnancies, leaving work early every day to come take care of me, take me to my doctor appointments (since I couldn't drive, move, or lay down without vomiting).  She watches the grandkids at any moment one of us needs help with them.  She goes to events that the grandkids are in and trust me there is a lot of those with 9 grandkids (football games, wrestling meets, swim meets, dance recitals, cheer competitions).  She is always giving, and we are so thankful she is in our lives.

Day 12

I am very thankful for Pepsi.  Pepsi carries me through the days sometimes.

Day 13

I am thankful for the internet.  If I didn't have the internet and internet classes I would be at college way more than I ever should be.  Plus the internet provides a lot of entertainment at night when I am laying around. 

Day 14

I am thankful for my husbands job.  This job provides us with health insurance (something this family can NEVER go without), money so we can put food on the table, clothes on our backs, a roof over our head, heat to stay warm and to pay our bills.  It also is nice because the husband makes it home everyday to see us!!

Thankful Days

A few more days of being thankful!

Day 8

I am so thankful for friends.  This week I had minor van trouble where the vehicle didn't want to start but nothing was found wrong at the mechanic.  So we decided to try it out around home.  Saturday Makenzi was going to have a swim meet in St. Johns (an hour from home) and I hated the thought of getting stranded there.  Well a great friend came to our aide and gave us a ride to and from!  She even had to travel an extra 15 minutes to get to us and then back track to get back home.  Friends rock!

Day 9

I am so thankful for my kids teachers.  Makenzi really likes her teacher and her teacher thinks she is a great student.  Braxton's teacher is amazing and has the patience of a saint.  She works so hard with all of her students and she can't talk high enough of Braxton.  It is great.  Arianna has a brand new preschool teacher and she is so nice.  Arianna really likes her as well.

Day 10

I am thankful for Makenzi and Arianna's swim team.  The girls love swimming and work so hard at it.  Their coaches are great with both of them.  It is so great for them to be a part of a team.  They all support each other, but they also have to be accountable to themselves.

Kenzi's first Swim meet 2012

Makenzi had her first swim meet of the season today.  The OST team headed to St. Johns.  The excitement was high today, and Makenzi and Hope were awake at 5am.  We had to be there at 8am so warm ups could start.  Makenzi swam the first part of the day and she looked amazing in the water.

Her first race was a 100 yard medley relay.  She was the first leg of the relay and was doing the backstroke.  The next girl did the breaststroke, then next was the butterfly, and then freestyle.  The relay team took 1st place.  A great way to start the day!

The next race was a 50 yard freestyle.  Makenzi placed 2nd in the 8 & under group.  She cut 11 seconds off her personal best.  When she swam this race, she looked amazing.  She just glided through the water. 

The third race was the 25 yard backstroke.  There were 40 girls in this race and Makenzi placed 8th.  Last year it took us all year to get her to qualify for 8 & under state time of 26.50 and she barely made it with 26.44.  On her first try this year she got a time of 26.72.  This is awesome, but now for state she has to qualify for 9/10 year old times.

The last race was another relay and the girls placed 2nd.  This was a 100 yard freestyle relay so each girl did a 25 yard jot.  The girls did really good. 


Hope (my 11 year old niece) did very well too.  She was in 3 races. 

In her first race she got 23rd out of 72 girls in the 50 yard freestyle.  This is an amazing accomplishment.  In the 2nd race of hers she got 24th out of 36 girls.  She did great.  The last race was a 200 yard relay where they placed 5th.  Each girl did a 50 yard jot.  It was a lot of fun to watch her swim.

First Week Of Thankfuls

Instead of trying to get on here every day, or waiting until the end of the month, I am going to do weekly posts of what I am thankful for.

Day 1

I am so thankful for my husband.  He works so hard to support this family.  He has changed jobs a couple times in the last year just to make things better for all of us.  He is a wonderful father to our children, he helps around the house and supports me through everything!  I sure do love him more and more. 

Day 2

Oh Miss Makenzi!  Makenzi is a beautiful, caring, understanding, blessing of a little girl.  Kenzi is the child that will drop everything she is doing to help somebody else out.  She loves school and works hard at her practices.  She loves to swim and is so excited about her first swim meet coming up.  She is a blessing that I am so thankful for.  It took a lot of strength and peoples help to bring her into this world healthy, but we did it and have blessed ever  since.  Love you Kenzi Anne!

Day 3

Little Boy Braxton!  This little guy brought so much life and chaos to our home the day he was born.  For being little he sure knew how to get a room of people to move.  He has always been quick to fight, but if he hurts somebody accidentally he is so sorry and loving to them.   He has a stubborn side that will come in handy some day if he can channel it for success.  The smile he has that shows his personality is amazing.  He is a such a lovey boy.  I could not ask for a better son!  Love you Bracky Charles!!

Day 4

Sweet Little Arianna!  This little girl came into our world 4 weeks and had her dad rushing room to beat the birth.  I can say she has continued to rush her daddy home from work on several occasions.   I think she likes to stress him out.  Arianna has been given back to us multiple times in her short little life and I thank God for that everyday.  2 times she has been in an accident and 2 times she has come out just fine.  I am so thankful for her guardian angels (Uncle Vince and Great Grandpa W and Great Grandpa B are working hard). Arianna is a spit fire, she has an attitude like no other 4 year old should have.  She is a smart little girl that loves life.  My 3rd little blessing.  Love you Ahna Mary!

Day 5

I am so thankful for the house I live in.  Scott and I were blessed with this house.  We live in the country just like we wanted, we landed in an area with an excellent school district, are close to my family, and in community that pulls together in a time of need.  Our house is perfect size for the 5 of us.  It is warm, beautiful, and clean.  It is supplied with everything the 5 of us could ever need.

Day 6

I am so thankful for my parents.  My parents are the most amazing people ever.  They would give up everything they have to help us kids out.  My parents have been by all 3 of our sides helping us with our families.  They love their 9 grandkids to the end of the world and back.  They spend so much time with all of us.  They are an example that I have learned great things from, and I hope my children learn from them as well as us.   Family is so important and I love mine.

Day 7

I am thankful for a great mechanic.  Yes I had car trouble today.  I dropped the car off at the mechanic right before he closed and he said no problem I will get right to it in the morning.  We can trust him and know that he isn't going to say things need to be fixed that don't even though I am female, we know that he has reasonable prices and he is quick about his work.  So thankful that he can get my car back up and running so I can run my kids around the county to where they need to be.