17 years and counting....

Yesterday was mine and CJ's 17th Anniversary.  We really didn't do anything special, just went out to eat and to the movies.  I can't believe that it's been 17 years, it seems like yesterday that we started our family.  It is so funny to see this picture, CJ placed the cake ever so gently in my mouth; so as not to get any on my dress.  I was not so nice, my Mom always says; "Start as you mean to go on!"  If I had been nice, he would have been disillusioned when I showed my true colors. LOL. 

We had such a great day, the Chiefs had won the playoff game, the weather was beautiful and our families had all made it safely into town.  Unfortunately, we weren't a good luck charm for the Chiefs this year, they lost today.  Maybe they would have won if they had played yesterday on our actual anniversary.  Yeah, that's the problem; they played on the wrong day!  Oh well, maybe next year.

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I have a great picture of mine and CJ's hands on our wedding day.  Just our hands, I love it, can't find it but love it.  I wanted to recreate something like it with all of our hands.  I think it turned out pretty good, Sissy kept moving that's why her's is a little blurrier than the others. 

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I don't know what it says about us, but a customer gave us this plaque to hang in the restaurant.  It cracks me up every time I read it. Luckily, they're really good customers; they just caught on to us really quick! LOL!

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Mom starts something new.....

No, the something new isn't cinnamon rolls. The something new is because of the cinnamon rolls. I finally got off the bleachers and joined my children in Taekwondo and by the way, in case you weren't sure; white is not SLIMMING! NOT AT ALL!!! Especially white that has alot of new stiffness and seems to stand away from your body, I really am not that big. At least, I don't think I am. "I hope I'm not," she cries plaintively.

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My mom made these silhouettes of my kids, they are probably one of my favorite Christmas presents of all time.  Dad said she worked for hours on them.  They'll probably hang in my home forever, that's how special they are to me.

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Letting go.....

 Tomorrow I have to do something I vehemently denied that I would ever do, let one of my children go back to public school.  I truly, truly thought this day would never come; I just was not prepared for the possibility. Hunter decided in October that he wanted to go back to school and made it perfectly clear that he was not happy at home, it literally broke my heart.  I don't want that for him, maybe I don't want that for me; I'm not sure.  He really wants this, so tomorrow he will board that bus and go back to a system that I think is failing.  Hopefully, I have instilled the morals and strengths, that we find important as a family; into this boy of mine.  Hopefully....

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Since we were already jumping through the massive amount of hoops that the school district required of us, we offered to let Koty go if he absolutely wanted to.  He doesn't!! Thank you, God!

 Of course, I didn't give Ry and Sissy the same opportunity.  They have never attended public school and God willing, they never will.

The pictures obviously have nothing to do with the topic, but I love them and decided to share.  We went on a nature hike and I decided it was a wonderful opportunity to use my new tripod.  I love how crisp the pictures are.

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Random Picture thoughts

 A boy and his car, what could be scarier? LOL. We found this car on craigslist right after Christmas and knew it was the perfect car for a 16 yr old boy.

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A sleeping child, what could be more peaceful? Sissy has been suffering from 'growing pains' (we think) in the middle of the night and wants mommy to rub her legs, it usually ends with her sleeping with us. The peacefulness is a ruse, she kicks and hits in her sleep, she's a real stinker.

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Almost Wordless Wednesday!

My mom called and told me to run outside and take some pictures of the fog, this is what I found. Hoar frost, weird name I know, but very cool looking stuff.  Go ahead and click, the frost looks so cool up close.

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Holiday Wrap-up!

We had a great holiday, I pray all of you did as well. We started our celebrating on the 21st by attending the ballet. It was my second time going, but Sissy's first. We started by dressing up and going out to dinner, just me, Sissy and Gramma. Gramma presented Tanyn with some Christmas ornaments to honor the occasion, a beautiful pair of ballet slippers and a nutcracker; she couldn't wait to hang them on the tree.

We had such a great time, it was truly magical to see my daughter and my mother enjoy each other and have a great time together.

We picked up our celebrations on Christmas eve, with a wonderful candlelight service at the church my Grandfather attends.  It was so wonderful to be back in this particular sanctuary, my husband and I were married there almost 17 years ago; it brought back great memories.

The above tree is one of the things I love about the Lutheran church, the decorations on it and the vestments that the pastor wears all have meanings and tradition behind them.  It's just comforting to head back to a service that you grew up with, my kids enjoy the more contemporary services; but I feel so at home with the more traditional Lutheran service.

My entire family showed up for church service, which was really awesome; I don't think my whole family has been in the same church since I got married.  My grandfather really enjoyed showing off the grands and great-grands to his friends.

Christmas morning we got up and opened the gifts that we got the kids and then loaded up to head to Grandma Janet's(my MIL).  This is where we met with some difficulties, my husband's car broke down on the way to Grandma's house; literally.  We're pretty sure that the gas lines froze up and the car couldn't be restarted.  Now if you've ever had to have your car towed, you know that they can take 1 maybe 2 people with the car.  We are a family of 6, along with all of the gifts, snacks and drinks that we were taking along on our travels.  Luckily or maybe supernaturally, police and motorist assist showed up on the scene as well.  We had the car towed to a place within walking distance of our house, so Chris was able to walk home.  The police officer put the 4 kids in his car and I rode with the motorist assist guy, they took us to the local gas station where my mom rode to the rescue to get us home. Thanks, Mom.  I told the kids that better be the first and last time I see them get out of a police car!!  I was so grateful to the people working on Christmas day and their kindness to my family. Chris's mom, ever flexible; packed up gifts and breakfast and came to us.  Thanks, Janet; we appreciated it.   

We finished our Christmas celebrations at my moms house, where we took family portraits, opened gifts and ate until we were ill.  Definitely have a diet in my future.  I look at this picture and am shocked at how much my kids have grown, my oldest two boys are as tall or taller than I am.  When did this happen?  Am I shrinking?  It's kind of sad to look at a family photo and see young men where little boys used to stand, I'm just not ready to face it.

  This is a picture of my entire family, not my extended family, just my parents and siblings families and of course, Greatpa.  I think this might be the first picture in decades of all my family in one place.  I think it turned out great and I'm glad we were able to take it.

I hope you and yours had a great Christmas and are looking forward to a Happy New Year!

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