It's been too long

I haven't posted in quite some time.  I'm not feeling very motivated. We have a nice quiet life, with the same old things day in and day out.  Only my family looks over here and they already know most things, well because they're part of my post.

But, maybe it's time to reconsider.  I really should keep some record of the slight sliver of sanity we've managed to retain.  For some, crazy, reason I have this - let's call it a 'hunch' - that this fragile monotony is about to end as we know it.

I have my sources - pretty reliable sources that have enlightened me to the calm before the storm.  So, I'm hunching down, preparing for what's to unfold and I'm going to keep my little unread blog updated.  Just to say that I actually followed through on something.  Just to remind myself that as day to day busy we may have been, it's all about to change.  Again. And I'm not ready.  But, that's never stopped us before!!

Cheers =)

Goodbye 2008

 

So, now that 2008 is over, it's time to reflect on the big events of the past year.

We've all had our ups and downs and here is our top things for each member of the family:

 

Danny:

• New Job
• New house
• Lost 35 pounds

Stephanie:

• Finished my first book
• Had weight loss surgery and lost 60 pounds in 9 months
• Saved up and bought my new snazzy Sony Dslr!!

Allie:

• Moved to a new gym and absolutely loves it!!
• Broke her elbow which opened up a whole new set of firsts:

1. First ride in an ambulance
2. First surgery
3. First one in the family to have hardware put in their body.

• Started a new Charter school. 

Addison:

• Started preschool
• Addie became fully potty trained!

Andrew:

• Started a school type setting and is now being introduced to mainstream preschool!!
• Had tubes put in
• Has a solid vocabulary - still hard to understand him but more often than not, he can communicate his needs and wants! HUGE SUCCESS.
• Can attend the childcare at the gym!

Playing Around

Ohh, I got a new toy....here are some pics from my super duper new camera.  At this point I know how to push the button to take a picture and how to look at pictures I have already taken.  Yeah, I have a loooong way to go...

My favorite subject:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Awwww, aren't they cute??  Now, before you even ask, NO!  I could NOT get one single picture where all three kids were looking at the camera at the same time.  It just wasn't happening because one pint size child was ALREADY bouncing off the walls and would not, could not, sit still.  At all.  Here's how some of the other pics turned out:

Ahh, yes, she thought the whole point of me asking them to stand on the landing was so that she could jump off the last two stairs to where I stood.

And here...well here, they've switched places and she's trying to sneak UP the stairs and is almost out of the picture.  Also, if you look real close, the smiles are quite forced.  This is because I've already threatened their lives...stand together, stand still and smile, dang it. 

Last, we have just two kids because the other one has been kicked out of the picture.  But what you don't see is that she's off to the side, practicing her spider princess tantrum and Andrew is watching mesmerized, too enthralled to bother looking at the camera.

The other five or six pictures I'm not bothering to post are combinations of the above pictures and stories.  At some point, I knew when to consider myself defeated by the thralls of obtaining unlimited candy.  I didn't stand a chance!! 

Really, quite the memories!

Ewww

This is why parents get gray hair:

Another view, you say.  Okay:

Ahh, yes, there SHOULD be an elbow somewhere in there, but at the time of this picture, it was in two separate pieces. 

One more pic:

Most of you know that my lovely gymnast came crashing off the high bars at gym and not only dislocated her elbow, she broke it as well.  Since then, she's had surgery and will be getting her cast on Monday.  This child has to go all out....blaaaah!