The Happy Old Year: 2013

This year like any other had ups and downs, but I didn't realize how many bright spots there were until I started compiling this list. I am blessed. Here in semi-chronological order are 2013's greatest hits!

One of my posts was published on Healing Hamlet. It may not sound like a big deal, but any time my writing is appreciated is a huge deal to me. on January 25th

Theme park trip! on February 20th

Isaac switched from an AFO (a brace that goes up to the knee) to a Ucb (shoe insert). I switched braces as a kid a million times: bigger, smaller, none at all. It was NOT a linear progression, but for Isaac's simple case of club foot it is. Yay! on March 4th

Leeloo's First Birthday! on March 7th

Riley's first Leprechaun trap on March 17th.

Our First Wedding Anniversary on March 21st.

I opened an Etsy store. I made a bunch of pretty spring wreathes and listed them in my store, If I Only had the Time. I didn't sell any last year, but it was great to finally stop talking about it and do it. It leaves the door open to sell other things later. I like having it. In April.

Riley got her first haircut. On May 12th.

Riley started swimming without her floaties! In Summer 2013

I got braces again, which is kind of a bummer, but I needed them. There were a lot of changes in my gait over few years and it was time to correct so bad habits. I'm very grateful we could find someone who finally cared and wanted to help! I'm super thrilled to have relatively cute shoes for my braces too. Woohoo! In June.

Isaac finally got to go to Lego Robotics camp! In June.

The kids' first Disney trip! In July.

Riley started preschool in June, a summer program, but by fall we had moved her to her new school for pre-K 3 which she loves! Here's Riley and Isaac, 5th grade!, on the first day of school August 2013

Riley turned 4!

This summer I was asked to write a piece for a book of inspirational woman! I was actually nominated by someone who reads my blog. It was a great experience for me having a real life writing deadline to talk about myself. It was due to out by the holidays, but it will be available for Kindle and in print in January.

I had all the hardware removed from my back!on Sept 10th

Isaac won Honorable Mention in a costume contest at school for his Dr. Who costume. On October 24th

Riley carved her first pumpkin! on October 27th

First ever family costumes for Halloween. We were all characters from The Great and Powerful Oz: Mike was Oz, Isaac was a flying baboon, I was China Girl and Riley was G'linda. It was awesome. on October 31st

Isaac turned 11! on November 15th

Isaac's first report card of fifth grade was straight A's! December 21st

I've had an overall increase in mobility this year. I did not "ditch the crutches" as I had hoped I would, but I use them more than the wheelchair.

Goodbye 2013!

Christmas: Super Nailed It!

I'm not saying it went off without a hitch. In fact, I suffered my own personal worst nightmare. I bought two new educational games for Riley's Leap Pad tablet in the fall when they were on sale and LOST them. They simply vanished. I found the receipt so I know I'm not crazy. I even have a witness to me "putting them away", but they never turned up. I HATE losing things. I was super bummed. It actually happened twice this holiday season, the one gift card Mike didn't immediately pass to me seems to have walked off, but at least there's not a time crunch to find it since it's ours. Other than the lost items, I suffered a lot of unexplained anxiety this holiday season. It was so unlike me and there really weren't horribly stressful situations occurring. Things were well in hand, I had healed to the point that I felt more myself than I have in a long time and opportunities for merriment and memory making were everywhere. I'm 90% sure it's the hormone regulation method causing me distress. After the New Year I'm detoxing from this crap and trying something else. Fingers crossed for a more permanent and natural solution.

We had thoughtful gifts (store bought and home made) for all our wonderful friends and family. Mike did home roasted flavored coffees again. He always uses fair trade certified green coffee beans, but this year both the coffee and flavors were completely organic. The kids stockings were bursting at the seams (I actually had to wrapp stuff and stick it under the tree last minute). We had an amazing family Christmas card to follow up "Happy Smallidays." For the first time ever we weren't late to Christmas brunch. Not only were we on time we were the first ones there! The host was stunned. It was a result of my careful planning (including something for the kids to do while we sit in the car waiting for Daddy Christmas morning, which we didn't need for the first time ever) and Mike being much more on the ball with his project.

It was a huge deal to have all our gifts so well received and to see our kids so delighted. I worked hard all year collecting gifts and a lot of them involved interviewing spouses/debating with my spouse/ninja-like stealth. It was sooooo worth it. It was a very Merry Christmas. I was so grateful to spend it with my whole family the one I was born into, the one I married into and the one I made. On top of all that I was beyond overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness and generosity of others this season. I am still in shock from all the love and kindness. As if my heart weren't bursting with happiness already Christmas dinner was perfect!

For a few years now, I do a roast in the crock pot with veggies and potatoes for our Christmas dinner. Some years it turns out better than others. Thanks to an amazing book we gave as a Christmas gift (The Science of Good Cooking) we had new knowledge of how to prefect it. I highly recommend that book, Mike called it "how to cook correctly." He would not let me wrap it until the last minute because he wanted to read as much he possibly could. We ended up ordering ourselves a copy. In the end it was worth a little studying because the roast was AMAZING. Great end to a great day.

This holiday season we had tons of fun, spread some Christmas cheer, baked, spent time with friends, gave back to those who helped and supported us during the year and kept the magic alive for the kids for another year.

I hardly stepped foot in a store thanks to gathering Christmas gifts through the year and online shopping. I highly recommend not shopping in-store in December if you can help it! Those cute jammies I gave the kids for Christmas Eve? $5 each pair online with free shipping. Aren't they adorable? That awesome Hello Kitty outfit? $6.00 -marked down from $40 to $20 minus the $15 rewards money I got for buying Mike's gift on the online black Friday sale- I win! I'll keep my sales/deals & coupons brag short.

This Christmas was full of love and gratitude. We were all grateful. In a comedic twist Mike and I both gave each other mops and cameras. The kids were absolutely ecstatic. Even Leeloo was rewarded for her good behavior. I actually wept exclaiming "oh, my heart" as Riley opened one of her gifts Christmas morning. I felt her joy and it was overwhelming. It was a wonderful Christmas.

Merry Christmas From Our Family

Merry & Bright Looking at Lights

I'm not exaggerating when I say we have been super busy since Halloween. I don't think we've had a weekend without plans since then. It's all good stuff and I'm very grateful to have friends and family who want to see us. I love school, library and city Christmas events. I'm beyond ecstatic to be able to pet and babysit all my awesome little buddies. We've had so much fun! It's really been great! In fact, loving all these events and opportunities is the problem. I'm finally "up to it" and I want to do them ALL! There aren't enough days in the month for it.

I just didn't realize how fast the pace had been or for how long. This week we finally had a day that was just us. It was nice. There was still lots to do and Riley was still on the mend from her cold, but it was nice to slow down. I had been bummed Riley missed her cookie party, but everyone got to decorate cookies anyway. I was also disappointed we didn't get to go to the Grinch event at the library. I've been trying to get us there for 3 years, but something always comes up. So really we have no idea what we're missing. I was so worried about missing something I even wrote "light looking" on our jammed December calender.

Something came up on the day I picked so we decided to do it tonight. I'm glad we waited because everything was up and wonderful. Even random neighborhoods we cut through to get to our favorite displays had great stuff. Interesting stuff like the house with several different kinds of birds or the large inflatable Christmas monkey! It was a nice "chill pill" for me. There was no need to keep pushing myself or fret about "missing" things, Christmas is here. Tomorrow's Christmas Eve, it'll all be over in a jingle or two. I'm so grateful for the memories and to start slowing down! Merry Almost Christmas!

C is for Christmas Cookie!

I had grand plans for trying a new kind of cookie for Santa this year, but Riley ended up with a fever Thursday night. Her sudden illness threw a wrench in things and caused her to miss her class cookie decorating party. So we did regular sugar cookies after all. On Friday night we made the dough and she cut the shapes. Today we "decorated our heads off!"

Isaac decorated cookies at the same time at his grandparents' house with his cousin. They made gingerbread ninjas! I think Santa will be pleased.

A Little Merriment

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Past & Present

Wild Wonderland

We went to the night time holiday festivities at the zoo this year, merriment ensued.

Blessings: Living Social deals, living close to the zoo, kids filled with holiday spirit, and I'm especially blessed to have good friends to spend an evening with!