Bella

This is Bella. Isn't she the cutest thing EVER! We have been talking about getting another puppy forever. I was the reason we hadn't done it. I just wasn't sure I was ready for another dog. The kids asked me all the time when we could get a new puppy. So I started doing some research.
There were certain things I knew I wanted in a dog, and I found a breeder who had 2 puppies that I knew I could do. So we went to take a look. We bought and paid for Bella before we left that day. We left her there and they were going to deliver her on Christmas morning. So fun!! We went back later that night to get her. Landon and I couldn't leave here there. When we got her she weighed 2 1/2 lbs. Today she weighs 4 1/2 lbs. She will probably only weigh 5-6 lbs when she's full grown! My kids are in heaven! She's a good dog, as far as dogs go. We love her!

A Rough Couple of Weeks

Even though I decided to start fresh on my blog this year, there are a couple of things that need to be documented in order for other things to make sense. Plus, there are just some things that happened that are worth remembering. A week before Christmas, I had just finished wrapping some presents and was putting everything away when my phone rang. I saw that it was the Jr. High and wondered what Whitley needed. It wasn't Whitley. It was the school nurse telling me that Whitley had hurt her wrist in PE. I could tell she was trying not to alarm me, but suggested that I come and get her and maybe get some xrays. I knew it was bad. Whitley is tough as nails and I knew she'd never be in the nurse's office, in the middle of PE, unless she was really hurt. So I jumped in my car and went to get her. I could tell instantly her wrist was broken! So we headed to an urgent care for xrays where they confirmed that yes, it was broken. They informed us that we needed to go see an orthopedic surgeon to have them put a cast on it. They asked if I needed a referral to an ortho. Well it just so happens that I have spent some time with an ortho in the last month with Colton who's knee was swollen and they thought he'd torn his miniscus. But that's another story! I called and made an appt. with my ortho for Thursday morning to get her a cast. That would be 3 days before Christmas! Thursday morning Whit and I head for the ortho. I had several other things to get done that day, and then we had tickets to the Nutcracker that night. When we get there, they take more xrays of her wrist, and then the Dr. comes in to see us.

He shows me the xrays, and then points to this one and tells me that her bones are not lining up (see the arrow above) He would like to do a cat scan so he can see it better, but that she might need to have pins put in to get it lined up. Otherwise she could lose some of the mobility in her wrist! Being the good mother that I am, I am cracking up while he's telling me this. Seriously?? We just had to have several xrays and an MRI on Colton's knee like 2 weeks before this. (miniscus not torn FYI-no known reason for the swelling in his knee) I think maybe he thought I was losin' it because he said that he could try numbing it with a couple shots, and then moving it by hand. So I figured what the heck! If it saves me a cat scan and surger let's go for it. Whit wasn't as convinced. We tried. It was UGLY (I'll save you the details). We failed. We went for a cat scan, and were scheduled for surgery for the next day. Friday, 7am. She did beautifully! She had very little pain. After a week in a half cast, she got a cast that goes up past her elbow. Pins still in!! She'll get that one removed in a few days and then go to a cast that hits the middle of her forarm. Good times. Oh and did I mention that she got braces this morning? Well she did. Poor Whit. Life is a little rough right now!

Drumroll Please.....

I'm BAAACK! Ok, it's really not that exciting except maybe to me. Last year was crazy, not that every year isn't, but I just got behind. Once you're behind, getting caught up is overwhelming. So I just blew it off. But I'm ready to go again. So I'm starting with New Year's. We had a pretty low key night. Heidi's family came over and we ate and played games. Then around 11pm we went out to light our fireworks. We tried to hold the kids off until midnight, but they weren't havin' it. Turns out, that was ok. We had more fireworks than I thought. It took us almost an hour and a half to light them all off! Every picture of Jimmy is like this. PUNK! Keep your eyes open.

I've decided that I'm going to put more pics of myself on here too. As I have looked back, there aren't a lot of pics of me on here. I'm always worried that I look fat, or ugly or whatever. I just decided that who cares! Maybe I am fat and ugly, but my family won't even remember what I looked like it I don't put a few pics of me on here. So enjoy!

Giveaway Tip

My cousin Brooke is having a giveaway and I thought it was worth sharing.

http://iwannatalkaboutbrooke.blogspot.com/

She's giving away a swimsuit from this fabulous place.

http://www.hapari.com/

(Yes I'm still alive. Yes I'll return to blogging for real someday)

Back in the Saddle Again

I have been working out/running fairly consistently since Colton was born. Now that I think about it, there really wasn't a time when I wasn't pretty active. I played basketball all through Jr. high and high school and did a little cheer leading as well. (don't laugh, we were a competitive team and it was a workout). I even took an aerobics class in college. Landon and I have always had a membership to a gym, and I'm too cheap to pay for it and not use it. Every once in a while I fall off the wagon for a few weeks, maybe even a month. But then that little something clicks in my head and I get right back in the saddle again. So yesterday, after spending the better part of December with a sugar cookie in my hand, I climbed back in the saddle and went for a run. Okay, a brisk walk. But you've got to start somewhere. Plus I knew that I would be playing basketball today and that if I was too sore I would be toast. (again, don't laugh. It sounds a little "dikey" but it's a great workout) So I guess I'm not calling it my New Years resolution. Just "back to normal".

Landon, not so much. He hasn't worked out consistently since high school??? He's dabbled in a little racquetball here and there. Which is a great workout, if it was consistent. But lets be honest. Why would he?? I try to tell him about keeping his heart healthy and whatnot. But the man can not workout, eat whatever he wants, and not gain any weight. Something not right about it. This year he started talking about really working out again. I was all for it. He told me that he thought if he worked out 5 days a week, and ate better he would be in "prime condition" when we went to the beach in July. He was drinking water and eating small meals all day yesterday. He's really into it. I hope for his health, he sticks with it. And I'm not going to complain if tightens and tones things up a bit. With his metabolism, it won't take much. I'll keep you updated at the progress around here.

**On a side note. While talking about goals with the kids, I had a momentary lapse in judgement and told them if we could read The Book of Mormon cover to cover by June, we'd get a dog! It sounds easy enough, but with our crazy schedules we thought we'd need that much time. Now I'm trying to decide if it's worth mine and my children's salvation to sabotage the whole thing. MAYBE???

New Years Eve

For the first time ever fireworks were legal in Arizona on New Years Eve! So you know the whole neighborhood had a stock pile. We started firing them off sometime around 9 with our neighbors. We could hear people around the corner firing off as well. By midnight our entire neighborhood was covered in a thick layer of smoke. We had everything from sparklers to illegal, straight from Mexico, shoot up in the air like the professionals fireworks. The kids were out of their heads.

I grabbed the video camera and handed Lan my camera. This is what he got.
Yep, that's it. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

We had a great Christmas this year, as usual. The kids always get to open 1 present on Christmas Eve. And it's ALWAYS Christmas pj's. They know this, and yet they're still super excited to open them. I think it's just the whole idea that they're that close to the "real deal"!

After they were changed into jammies, we finished up our advent calendar. Colton and Whitley are getting a little old for this, but Kennedy was way into it. They let her put up the Santa Claus. 5:30 AM Waiting in our bed while Landon "checks to see if Santa came", and turns on some lights and the camera.Opening up the flood gates. I so remember this feeling as a kids. The excitement. The anticipation. So fun.

I think Whitley has the best reactions to her presents. She so wanted this Kindle.I think my favorite gift we gave the kids this year were these awesome "Who is your hero?" posters. Colton favorite scripture story is Samuel the Lamanite.
After we had finished opening everything and the kids were checking out all their new stuff, Landon asked Colton to get something from the family room. Santa had brought the family one last present and we were helping him find it. He stood right next to it for several minutes, telling us he couldn't find whatever is was Landon had sent him in for. Finally Kennedy glanced his way and went nuts when she the the big present. How did he miss this thing? It was wrapped in shiny blue and silver paper!! It's an air hockey, ping pong combo table. We are going to put it in our loft for yet another space for the kids to hang out and have fun.

Later our parents and grandma great came over for more gifts and breakfast. I didn't snap 1 single picture! We tried something new this year with our gift giving, and it really simplified life. it really helped us focus on Christ and the first Christmas so many years ago. It is definitely something we will continue with. I'll have to explain in another post. This one is already to long.