Just One Little Thing...

The other day I was going through Brock's backpack and stumbled across this vocabulary test.  I casually glanced over the score and scrolled down to his sentences.  That last sentence caught me off-guard.  I stopped in my tracks and re-read it.  Then I glanced up to the top section where it showed the definition of the word.

 

Affection: feeling of love or attachment

 

...and my heart felt like it wanted to explode:)

 

 

This year has gotten off to a great start. I'm sure it can be credited to many things,

 but to me, it is just too big of a coincidence to NOT be credited to ONE thing.

 

Since the beginning of the year, we have been working REALLY hard on our family goals.

On the first Monday in January, we gathered together and had our annual family goal planning FHE.

We each suggested a few things we thought our family should work on and then we voted on the top 3 things we each thought our family should focus on this year. After that, I got busy printing them out and the kids and Cole dug through church magazines to find pictures for our poster.

 

After a  few minutes of cutting and gluing....voila!

We hung this beauty beside our kitchen table as a daily reminder.

 

It always amazes me how accurate our goals for the year turn out to be.

After we had already set these goals, our Bishop issued a challenge to each auxillary to help the members in the ward focus on 2 things: temple attendance and scripture reading.

 

I was so grateful that those 2 things were already in our own family's goals. 

 

Last year we also had the goal to read scriptures 5 days a week. I have a calendar in the entryway from the garage that we marked off each day that we read.  The calendar is completely full!  That is, until May.  From May to July there are a few sporadic marks and then from August on....nothing:(

That isn't to say that we didn't read at all from August on, but we completely quit keeping track, having a routine or putting any consistent, meaningful family time into studying the scriptures.  It mad me sad when I took that calendar down. We did so good at the beginning of the year, but for the life of me, we just couldn't work out any consistent time from the summer on. 

 

It bothered me...bad.

 

Then, during a sharing time, a member of our Bishopric, who has 5 little kids, began talking about his family reading scriptures at breakfast each morning.  I didn't hear much else because what I DID hear was an answer to my prayers.  Reading scriptures in the morning is easy-peasy for us.  Even on days I work, I am here until the kids go to school. 

 

On the first day back to school, we began our new scripture reading time.  So far, it has been perfect.  Cole and I work really hard to make sure we have breakfast all ready by a set time each morning and the kids eat while I read to them.  We don't try to get through any set amount. I just read and ask questions and explain things.  It has been so great so far.  I do miss hearing them read the scriptures, but for now, this is working.  Also, instead of eating breakfast on the barstools and leaving when they are done, everyone eats at the table and we all clean up together.  It requires a little earlier wake-up time and a little more forethought into breakfast and morning routines, but it is working!

 

I have been amazed at how excited they have been to hear the stories. 

I am amazed at what they recall from day to day. 

And I am humbled by the power that has entered our home, even when our scripture reading is meager.

 

Cole and I were eating lunch the other day and I was telling him how amazed I was at the difference I could feel in our home. I mentioned that I couldn't believe that scripture reading could really make that big of a difference.  He mentioned that we have also more than doubled the meals that we sit down at the table together and eat. (We also made a family goal to not eat out at all during the week.  If we don't, then we can order pizza on Friday night.  The kids have been totally on board with this and have helped plan out the meals and even help cook them.  This has saved us tons of money and has taken a huge load off this workin' mama!)

 

We reflected on the general atmosphere of our home for the remainder of lunch and came away with an extreme gratitude for the principles of the gospel. For me, one of the hardest things about going back to work was that it became so hard to balance it all - to keep a clean house, plan and carry out FHE's, keep up on laundry, prioritize my time, spend time with my kids, support them in their activities, make meals and eat at home, organize and follow through with scripture reading, get homework done, stay on a budget, etc.

 

No matter how hard I tried, I felt like I could never get it all done or stay caught up. 

I ran and I ran and despite giving it my all...I was always lacking.

Ironically, the things that fell by the wayside the most were our scripture reading and FHE's.

 

Since January, I've done a great job at making sure we are reading our scriptures and having our Family Home Evenings....and do you know what?!

 

My house has stayed clean.

The laundry has gotten done.

I've had time to sit and play the piano.

I've had time to put together puzzles with Allison.

I've had time to play basketball with the boys.

I've had time to listen to Kaitlin chatter about school happenings.

I've had the energy to laugh and flirt with my husband.

I've had the ability to shop and plan meals.

We've stayed right on budget and have been able to differentiate between our wants and needs.

I've been able to fulfill my calling and feel the Spirit direct me in those efforts.

I've still worked my normal hours and I still have all the extra responsibilities and tasks that I've always had... 

but somehow...it all gets done.

 

And do you want to know what I think?! 

I think it's TOO big of a coincidence to not be directly associated with ONE thing...

 

reading those scriptures and putting Christ back at the center of our home.

 

All of this reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures found in Matthew 11:28-30 that states,

 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

 

It's amazing how quickly I forget that I don't have to try to figure it out all alone. The minute I turn it all over to him, he puts everything into its proper place and really does make my burden light.

 

Many years ago at an EFY session, I heard a quote that I have loved ever since.

 

"The minute that you turn your life over to the Lord, you will find that HE will make much more out of your life than you can by yourself. He will increase your opportunities, expand your vision, and strengthen you. He will give you the help you need to meet your trials and challenges. You will gain a stronger testimony and find true joy as you come to know your Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, and feel Their love for you."

 

I know this is true.
 I have been strengthened.
 I am able to "SEE" through the silly stuff and focus on the important things.
And I have felt a sweet joy in being able to be the mom, wife and daughter of God that I want to be.

 

I am so grateful for this month, this fresh start of a brand new year,
to learn again the lesson that I've learned so many times before.

I am grateful for the feel that is in our home right now and for the small changes that are taking place, even the softening in a little boy's heart that lets him write the words,

"I have affection for my brother."

 

I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows the desires of his daughter's heart and waits patiently for me to return to Him. I am grateful for His outpouring of love each time I do return and for the simple changes that He helps me make.

 

I'm grateful for the simple process of picking new family goals together and for their daily reminder for us to aspire to more. It isn't anything grand, but it is happening - little by little, step by step - our family is becoming more and more like the family we really want to be:)

 

"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass."

Alma 37:6



 

Our 1st Pinewood Derby

Let me start by saying how annoyed I am that no one ever warned me about ALL of the things I would have to learn when I became a mom of a scout! I mean, really...I went through 6 years of Young Women's classes...all of them teaching me about the qualities and skills I would need to be a good wife and mother...and let me tell you, NONE of them ever mentioned needed to be adept at a band saw or belt sander! I mean...this Cub Scout Pinewood Derby thing is NO JOKE! Haha!

Having said that, it sure was fun once the cars were finally done, but good grief was it hard to get to that point.  I consider myself fairly independent, and generally, I can do pretty much anything that needs to be done, but these cars sure seemed hard! Thankfully Cole is more daring at the belt sander than I am and was able to get the boys' cars to ABOUT the shape they wanted them in!

It is funny to see the boys' personalities shine through on the projects they undertake.  Brock knew from the very beginning the shape that he wanted.  He also wanted his thin.  Brandon, on the other hand had no idea.  We had to search for a while before he found a design he liked.  They both knew exactly what they wanted their colors to be though. Brock also liked his wheels painted like white walls.  The eyes and tail were a last minute addition to Brock's car.  While looking through some stickers, I came across some google eyes! I set them on both boys' car, just as a trial.  Brandon came home and pulled his off right away, while Brock loved them! The eyes inspired him to add a tail, too! I also thought it was funny that everyone could guess who's car was whos!  Brock is definitely the wilder of the two!

Brock called his "Shredder!"

Brandon's car didn't really have a name, but was sure to add his baseball number, #10, to it!

Cute Kaitlin was such a good sport! I promised her that next time the boys got to make something fun, I'd let her, too.  Well, the first car that Cole tried to sand into Brock's design got a little eaten by the belt. (When I say a "little"... I mean a lot!)  Cole filled it all in bondo and sanded it down again.  She hurried and painted it just before the derby!

The pictures don't really do justice to just how cute it looked! She was sure mad when she handed the car over to Cole and Ladd to add weights and it came back with that giant bolt sticking out of it! The boys thought it looked like a steering wheel, but she hated it! She wasn't too thrilled about the nuts glued all over it either!  We tried to explain that it wouldn't be competitive at all without the weight...but I think she'd have preferred to have it lose in style than covered in metal!

Sweet Brother and Sister Craw! He is our Cubmaster and he is amazing! He actually purchased the track this year because he was tired of always getting double booked and having problems renting one.  He lost his legs in an accident several years ago and walks around with 2 prostheses. He doesn't let anything hold him back and even had the boys over and taught them how to melt down lead for the weight in their cars.  I just love he and his wife to pieces and am so grateful for all the time and hard work they put into Cub Scouts.

This is Sister Tyler, the boys Wolf leader.  They are amazing! I really can't describe how grateful I am for them and for how exciting they have made Cubs. The boys earned their computer belt loop and she was making Brock explain how he earned it!

All ready for the derby to begin!

 

 

 

Brandon's car won "Most Awesome!" He thought that was a pretty cool award.  He also took 3rd in the Wolf Pack.  He should have taken 2nd, but the software broke halfway through and they didn't really do it right...oh well, he was happy with 3rd and got a cool pin for his uniform.

Brock's car won "Funniest!"  He loved that! He told me later that he got the best award that any of the cars could get.  His car wasn't quite as fast as Brandon's...and we have no idea why!  He was a good sport about it though.  We teased him that 3 was his lucky number, because he took 3rd in every heat!  At the end, in the Grudge matches, he found that his car raced a little faster with the tail out and Brandon's car beat the car that ended up ahead of him in 2nd. Oh well, it was fun anyway!After all the structured races and heats, I think all the boys had the most fun in the grudge matches! They all picked their buddies and raced and raced and raced! What a fun night! (And boy am I glad we don't have to worry about making derby cars again for a whole year!)

My Word for 2013

Well, I woke up this morning with every intention to write this post.  In fact, it was really the only thing on my list.  With one kid sick at home from school, I envisioned a relaxing day of snuggling, blogging and napping!

After this morning's events...I now KNOW of a surety that I picked the right word {wink!}, but I also laugh at the irony of writing this post today!

So....drum roll, please.... 

My word for 2013 is "SEE."

I know this word has been used by others in the past, and I, myself have tossed it around a few years, always picking something else instead.  Even this year, I was pretty sure I had narrowed it down to the right choice, which didn't include "SEE."  However, try as I might, I just couldn't get the word out of my head.  Little by little, the word I thought was the right one became less and less important to me and the little concept of "SEEING," became more and more important. 

I've had multiple experiences that have pushed me in this direction, but 2 days ago at work, I had an experience that confirmed my choice of words. As I was helping a sweet patient get dressed and ready to leave the hospital, I couldn't help but notice the scars across her chest.  Knowing those scars and her perseverance through the events surrounding them must have quite the story to tell, I asked her how long it had been since she had had breast cancer.  25 years ago, in her 40's, this woman was told that she had Stage 4 breast cancer.  The cancer had spread extensively in her liver and other various areas.  She was given a 2% chance of survival. Refusing to give up, but unwilling to live her last year hooked to an IV pole and in a hospital, she sought out other options.  Today, she is cancer free, according to her because "she used her mind and power of vision to get rid of the cancer."  She practiced guided imagery.  Several times a day, using an image of her liver scan, she would "SEE" her body carving away the cancer. She continued this for months, and each time she followed up with her doctor, he was amazed that her cancer, was, in fact, shrinking away.

I soaked up her faith, her miracle, and her confidence in the ability to "SEE" positive outcomes.  I reflected on our conversation many times throughout the rest of the day and by the end of the day, I was sure that my word for this year needed to be "SEE."

Several years ago, while searching for the perfect quote to go above my tub, I came across a quote that has stayed with me.  It says, "If we could clearly "SEE" the miracle of a single sunrise, imagine how our lives would change."  I've reflected on that so much.  So often in life, we forget to really stop and "SEE" the beauty and the wonder in the world around us. We forget to "SEE" our kids, our spouses, our friends and neighbors.  We forget to "SEE" God's hand in our lives.

I know for me, I make such a good effort at being there for my kids and being involved in their lives, but I don't always "SEE" how much their faces light up when I'm there, or how much they love it when I cheer for them.  I don't "SEE" the ways my husband tries to show me that he loves me.  I don't "SEE" the pain in people's eyes, and I don't always "SEE" their pleadings for love.  I don't always "SEE" myself as my Heavenly Father "SEES" me, and sometimes I don't "SEE" others as Heavenly Father "SEES" them either. I make lots of choices and decisions daily, but I don't always "SEE" how those choices affect me. I don't take time to "SEE" myself succeeding at the prayers of my heart and I don't take the time to "SEE" the beauty of the future ahead. 

I want to "SEE" the world around me more clearly.  I want to "SEE" a friend's silent plea for help, I want to "SEE" the difference scripture reading makes. I want to "SEE" my life change as I concentrate more fully on taking the time to "SEE" life as I am living it. I want to "SEE" all the good that goes on, not only just around me, but all around the world.  I want to "SEE" the big things, I want to "SEE"  the little things....I just want to quit blitzing through life so fast that I am missing things.

As I mentioned before, an event this morning makes this goal extremely ironic!

As I was coming home this morning from picking Allison up from preschool, I was reading a note from her teacher and was also talking to her.  When I rounded the corner to go to my house, I noticed that I had passed a friend sitting in her car in one of my neighbor's driveway.  I never waved or even acknowledged her.  In fact, I didn't even "SEE" her until I had passed her.  Determined to "SEE" (having been thinking of this goal the past couple days), I threw the van into reverse and backed right on up to say hello!  I did "SEE" her with her hands on her face and thought, "Oh, she's so excited to see me!"  That thought was immediately followed by a "TINK!" and a small jolt!  Oh yeah, you guessed it...in my eagerness to be sure to "SEE" my sweet friend, I totally and completely FAILED to "SEE" the mailbox behind me!  Ah! You can imagine how embarrassing it was.  Especially since I can't stand spacey people! Haha! So much for my nice calm, relaxing day of staying home blogging and snuggling! Now I have a mailbox to replace! Sheesh! (Thankfully it just snapped a vinyl post and didn't do any damage to the van.  Hopefully it won't be too hard to fix!)

Well, now you can see why I need to work on "SEEING" things! Lol!  In 3 Nephi 18:25, it states, "I have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might truly feel and SEE."  I am grateful for the events that have surrounded me over the past 2 weeks of soul searching  and am so grateful for the sweet tender mercies that have led me to really focus on "SEEING" what goes on around me and "SEEING" what is most important. 

I have a frame in my room that I fill with each year's word.  As I was searching for the perfect quote or a cute word art of the word "SEE," I came across this beautiful picture that I created after we celebrated the life of my sweet Madelin.  The impact of these words never ceases to bring me to a quick halt and causes me to reevaluate the focus of my life.  I know that this year will be a year filled with overwhelming gratitude as I take the time to come unto the Lord and really "SEE."





A Year...

Today started like any other average day. Multiple attempts at waking kids up, rushing through hair and finding socks, scriptures and breakfast, and rushing out the door to be sure Kaitlin gets to choir on time.  Only, somewhere during that short 5 minute trip to the school and back, I was reminded that TODAY was NO ordinary day...and with that simple reminder, a flood of memories came washing back.

It never ceases to amaze me what things my mind decides to forget, and which things it engraves in the recesses of my brain so permanently that their every sight, sound, smell...feeling... are still as fresh today as they seemed to be all those days ago.  365 days ago to be exact.  One year ago today, when life as we knew it CHANGED.

I will never forget the morning that poor, sweet nurse came walking in Brandon's hospital room with a bottle of insulin and a syringe.  We had been admitted around 4:00am and had barely gotten any sleep.  As of yet, no one had mentioned anything of any significance to us.  We knew how high his blood sugar had been when we got to the ER.  We also knew that we were very fortunate to not have to fly to Primary Children's because one of the physicians in town was willing to take his case.  I'm sure I knew what it all meant. I know my mind, all those years of medical training and teaching and critical thinking, I know I knew what it all meant.  But the moment that nurse walked in trying to give my son insulin? Well, Cole and I totally lost it.  We were in total denial.  We still hadn't spoken to anyone official, no doctors...no one...  I think we both hoped that it was all a bad dream.  We prayed it was a fluke, some bizarre virus that exhibited a high blood sugar.  Bless that nurse's heart because he must have sensed our absolute horror at the thought of having our "perfectly healthy" son take insulin.  Needless to say, he left without pushing the subject.  2 hours later when Brandon's blood sugar was again 400, we were ready to listen when an incredible doctor sat at our bedside, in his white shirt and tie - fresh from church, to explain what was going on.  I will forever count his presence that day as a sweet tender mercy from a Heavenly Father that knew what we needed.  Our normal doctor was gone that day and this doctor was taking call for him.  He spoke so patiently and so tenderly and was so gentle as he relayed all the details we needed to hear.  He answered each of my questions with pointedness and facts...and when it was all said and done...Cole and I both realized that our worst fears really were true - Brandon DID have diabetes.  We decided right then and there that it would never win.

The next several days in the hospital whirred by, but I can remember the queasiness I felt each time I looked at the nasty IV in his right antecubital.  I can remember the twinge of pain I felt each time I watched him poke himself in the finger or jab a syringe in his perfect little body.  I remember the helplessness I felt as I watched him try to absorb all that everyone was trying to teach him.  But somewhere in there, I also remember feeling pride.  I remember feeling like, "Yeah, we can do this. Bring it."  I remember feeling like if there was anyone who could do it - we could. I remember watching my son perform his injections fearlessly and realizing that he had more courage than people 10 times his age.  I also remember feeling the strengthening power that I truly believe came from the prayers and fasting of hundreds, if not thousands of friends and family while we were in the hospital.

I remember the day we came home from the hospital.  I was so scared to let him out of my sight.  I was sure that for the few minutes I went to the bathroom, something bad would happen.  I watched his every move, his every breath...for days.  Then, one day, he wanted to go to the park to play with his sister and brother.  Fear took hold of every part of me.  I couldn't let him; I went along.  And he did fine.  And each day began to get a little easier.  He even went to school...a whole 7 hours without me...{gasp!}...and he did fine. And day by day, the crazy hand we'd been dealt became less horrifying and more like an everyday, average day for us. 

And now the days have turned to weeks, months...and even a full year since that crazy early Sunday morning.  Life feels normal.  Brandon has triumphed.  Diabetes has not won.  It will not win.

As soon as January 1st came, my mind began counting down to today.  It was weird to think about what we were doing a year ago, before insulin and carb counting and 3am blood sugar checks and regular doctor visits and all the other things that come with diabetes. I decided I wanted to have a little celebration.  When I talked with Cole about it, he said, "It's not really something you want to celebrate."  While I agree, I also believe that January 8th, 2012 is a day that changed Brandon Roundy forever.  Without any warning or prep, he developed a whole new skill set.  A whole new attitude. A whole new routine. He emerged from that day, and the days that followed a different Brandon than the one that went to the ER that night.  He changed, he matured, he rose to his potential.  And I gotta tell you, this kid has only had a few days where he has even let it get to him.  For the most part, he has kept trodding along determined to live a normal life.  I honestly don't know how he does. it.  I know I have had more than my fair share of heart-breaking sobs in the shower or alone in the car. (I don't know why they always seem to hit me then!)

Yes sirree! I knew we had to do something to celebrate!

We started the day out with the boys wearing their "Band of Buddies" shirts.  I honestly don't know what Brandon would do without Brock.  Brock has looked out for him so many times.  Diabetes may be a diagnosis of one person, but it has definitely been a family effort and I have been so proud of all the kids for all they have done to support Brandon through all of this.

Later that night we had Cafe Rio pork burritos and celebrated!

We stared with a video I threw together for Brandon.  It was cool, but I was so busy today with so many other things that I wasn't able to do what I would have like to. I guess it probably meant more to me than anyone else:)

Here the boys are pretending that they gave the bear too much insulin and he had a seizure and wasn't breathing. (Nice, right?!) The balloon you see is Brock attempting to resuscitate the bear, but not wanting to do mouth to mouth! (You gotta know they are nurses kids, huh!)

Brandon pulled back out his Rufus, a bear the JDRF gave him. In the hospital, he practiced giving shots to him.  We had some fun reliving those days.

We also remembered what it was like to give shots to an orange.  It's pretty cool that even my 4 year old can give a pretty awesome shot...to an orange at least!

After having some fun with the shots, we each wrote a note to Brandon and sealed it in a balloon.  Brandon popped the balloons with his syringe!  This one is Allison's note.  She is explaining that it says, "Happy New Year!" Lol!  She also said that they back of the note had songs written on it.  If I had only gotten a picture of the look on her face as she explained her note.  It was such a sweet moment.

 

 

 

 

For those of you that may not know about insulin pumps...this is his.  He got the Ping Animas. Most people go with the Medtronic, but he really wanted a PING...and I thought, why not?!  It holds insulin and pumps it in through a cannula (a lot like an IV.)  He changes his site every 3 days.

This is his current site. 

Of course, as diabetes often does, it decides to show up in the most inopportune times.  As we were just finishing up the celebration, he realized he wasn't feeling very well.  Yes, you are reading that right, 48.  Needless to say, we were all up in a flash scurrying around to get some fast acting carbs in his system right away.  Well, that low blood sugar pretty much took the stuffing right out of him for the rest of the night.  We called it a night, tucked my brave little boy to bed and then sat with him a while as the emotion of a year caught up with him. 

 

I honestly don't know how this tough guy does it. 
He is my hero. 
He is my inspiration to persevere and to be positive. 

I am so grateful for his courage, for his strength and for his determination.
He is one in a million, that's for sure....and I am so glad he is mine!

New Year's Eve

We had so  much fun this New Year's Eve. Usually New Year's Eve is really no big deal around here.  We never go to parties. We never have anyone over. More often than not, the kids and Cole are all fast asleep by the time midnight comes and I am up, all alone bringing in the New Year.

Not this year!

We were complaining to a friend about how boring our New Year's usually is and he began telling us that they let their older kids bring the celebration to their house so that they know where they are and what they are doing! He told us that we had better start making some fun traditions now so that our kids want to bring their friends over and stay home!

Thankfully I had seen some fun ideas on Pinterest and had already been planning on setting a new tradition in motion!  After breakfast, I began taping balloons all over the house!  The kids were going crazy with anticipation!  Over a hundred times I must have been asked, "What are we going to do with these?"  The unknown was killing them!

Finally I explained the rules and we were off!

Kaitlin got to pop the first balloon and it sure was funny watching her try to pop the thing! She bounced on it, rolled around on it...all to no avail! Finally she resorted to a push pin...which made us all jump! 

The first slip of paper said, "Play a game!"

We unanimously decided to head to the church for a game of basketball! I grabbed the next balloon because I was sure it would take longer than an hour;)

Sure enough, 1:00pm came while we were still at the church and Allison got to pop the next balloon! A snowball fight! Thankfully they had a wise mom who also brought along the indoor snow balls!  We headed to the nursery and had a boys vs girls snowball fight!  Needless to say, the girls got clobbered! You sure can tell those boys are pitchers because there was nothing they couldn't hit...Kaitlin and I on the other hand, there wasn't much we did hit! Lol!

After we were all worn out, we headed home.  The next several hours flew by as we read a book by the fireplace, had a thumb war, wrote goals for the new year, made cookies, and cleaned the toy room(gotta throw a chore in there somewhere!).

The closer we got to midnight, the more excited the kids were! At 9pm, we had a hot chocolate bar and then the party began! The next hour we turned on the radio and danced! The music the radio station was playing was awesome! We turned off all the lights, got out some glow sticks that I got on clearance at the end of spring (boy have those things come in handy all year!), and danced our little hearts out! We did some country line dancing, some break dancing, some swing dancing, and even a little slow dancing! I haven't danced that much since high school...and boy was it a blast! We ended up dancing the WHOLE hour!  Finally at 11:00 we had a little toast with Fresca (it's sugar free) and our fancy champagne glasses and shared our favorite memories of 2012.  We realized what an incredible year it has been.  Sure, it's been a rough one, but there were also so many "firsts" this year! We were amazed at all that had gone on, so much of it forgotten.  By the end of our "toast," I was overwhelmed with gratitude and awe at the blessings that had been given us. 

With the remaining half hour, we decided to have a little Wii Tennis Tournament.  Brock swept the whole family AGAIN! Grrr!

Just before midnight we grabbed our pots and pans and spoons and headed outside to celebrate! Just at midnight a neighbor set off a spectacular fireworks show and we hooted and hollered as we brought in the new year! It was freezing, but it was a blast! Finally we headed back in and Cole and I headed off to bed while the kids settled in, all together on the couch for a movie! (It wasn't 10 minutes before they were all out cold!)

The balloon popping each hour is definitely a tradition that will be around from here on out...

Goodbye 2012...bring on 2013!

Add caption

It always ends up being boys against girls! Poor Kaitlin doesn't have a chance when I am trying to run around the court with Allison on my hip! She's a good sport though!

We played a few hundred games of SPEED (okay, maybe that's a mild exaggeration, but we played a lot!) and I ended up winning! Again, poor Kaitlin, she was trying her best to be a good sport, but the boys just love to gang up on her!
Of course she got her revenge by beating both of them in a game of HORSE!

Allison's favorite part of the night was the "toast!" She loves that fancy glass and kept trying to "clink" it with everyone over and over again!

A very intense Wii tournament!

Cute little Brandon...wiped out after having a low blood sugar and getting beat in his tennis match!

I caught Brock on his "travel the house" dance! He was scootin' it all over! He has quite the little swivel hips! We definitely need to watch out for that guy! And holy cow can Brandon break dance! He is amazing!

The next morning we had our traditional pancakes!  Happy New Year!

Roundy Family ABC's of 2012

 Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

 

I love writing our annual Christmas letter. It is one of my favorite things to do, in fact! However, this year, life was crazy. In an attempt to cut out some of the unnecessary business that surrounds Christmas time, I decided to cut out mailing out Christmas cards.  I had every intention of still writing a blog post (which was ambitious since I haven't written a blog post for nearly 2 months), but that just didn't happen.  I sure have missed the chance to reflect though...so even though it's late, I'm still going to write one!

 

Roundy Family ABC's of 2012

 

A - A is for Braves! "A" is the very first letter that Allison learned and it isn't because it is in her name! Uncle Ladd had an 'A' on his truck that stood for the Atlanta Braves.  Since it is Brandon's favorite team, he draws the Braves 'A' symbol all the time.  Even Allison knows how to draw the Braves symbol!

 

B-  Baseball galore! We spent an awful lot of time playing baseball this year! The boys both made their first All-Star team and had a lot of fun playing teams from all over Utah!

 

C- is for Cougars! This year was an all-time high in visits to BYU! Grandpa bought us a membership in Cosmo's Kids Club and we've been able to go enjoy lots of games. We've even almost got the entire Cougar Fight song memorized!

 

D - is for Diabetes.  It's not a word unfamiliar to us, but since January and Brandon's diagnosis, we have all become experts. Even Allison knows how to ask how many carbs things have.  We have all become a little more aware of the foods we eat and have learned all about shots and blood sugar and insulin!

 

E - is for our new ELF, Kirby! He came to us this year for the first time.  We like him because he looks a little different than everyone elses elves.  He is a good elf and tries to remind the kids to do good things like brush their teeth, clean up after themselves and get to bed on time!

 

F - is for fishing! The boys learned how to fish in Cub Scouts and each caught 2 fish on their first try!

They also got their first fishing poles!

 

G - is for Gizmo and Junior, our new (old) pets! In September, we got our first family pets - a poodle and a Shitzu! They are father and son and are the sweetest little things ever! They live outside still (we aren't ready for indoor pets just yet), but have been a great addition to our family. Allison loves to sit outside for hours and snuggle with them!

 

H - is for baby HUNGRY! Not just for me...but HUNGRY for all the cute babies that will be born in our family this year.  First of all, my sisters Ashley and Heather are both pregnant. Then, my sister-in-laws, Krystal and Amy are both pregnant too! Heather and Krystal are both having girls around Valentine's day...and I can't wait!

 

I - is for INSANE courage. We have had to do lots of things this year that have required 20 seconds of INSANE courage. It's our new motto...and because of those 20 seconds, the kids have been brave enough to do back flips, dive off of a diving board and bear their testimony!

 

J - is for our first JDRF Walk! Brandon's team, Brandon's Band of Buddies, earned more than $3500 dollars and had over 100 people there to walk with us! He won an award for having the most people there to walk with him! We are so grateful for our friends and family that have been such a huge support during all of this!

 

K - is for our Kater bug! It's crazy that she turned 10 this year! She is such an awesome kid and is the best big sister ever! Cole and I don't know how we lucked out to get her, but we sure are pleased as punch that she is ours!

 

L - is for Landon. Landon is my sister's little boy that was able to come spend a few weeks with us this summer.  He fit right in and we all had a blast having a family of 7! 

 

M - is for Midway, our annual vacation destination! This year was particularly important because the kids made some awesome memories...they learned to ice skate and also went tubing at Soldier's Hollow for the first time. Midway will always be "our place!"

 

N- is for New Year's Eve.  This year was our best one ever! Thanks to an awesome idea off of Pinterest, we played a fun game of popping balloons each hour that told us what to do.  Our favorites were our hot chocolate party and turning on the radio and dancing for an hour!

 

O- is for overwhelmed! Life is not all rainbows and flowers over here!  Somedays I feel like we will never have clean laundry again and somedays I wonder if my kids will die at 20 from all the fast food they've eaten! Other days, I'm just grateful for good jobs and grateful for all the many blessings we have.

 

P- is for Priesthood ordinances.  This year Cole got to baptize Brandon and Brock. It was such an awesome thing to watch. We are so proud of them for deciding to be baptized!

 

Q- is for quiet moments! Yes, there are a few of them around here! Book reading is one of our favorite things and there is nothing like a quiet house and a warm fire to make reading a little better! I've got some awesome readers!

 

R- is for river! We spent most of our summer hanging out and playing in the river that runs near our house. We would pack a lunch and bring our boogie boards and mom would bring a lawn chair and a book and we would play all day long!

 

S- is for San Diego vacation! We finally did it! We got all the way to San Diego. We had so much fun playing at the beach, boogie boarding and looking at the seals.

 

T- is for temple. We are so lucky to have one right here is our backyard. Kaitlin made us a beautiful temple block that says, "I'm going there someday!" It reminds us everyday to make good choices!

 

U- unlimited laughter. One thing is for sure, between our crazy twins, our 10 going on 20 year old, our 4 going on 16  year old, and my 34 going on 14 year old, we are pretty much in stitches most of the time!

 

V- is for van! Yes, we own one now! We affectionately refer to it as "the Beast!"  Really though, it runs like a champ and has saved us a fortune in gas! We really do all love it!

 

W- is for wedding! Heather and Caleb got married this year. It is so fun to have another brother-in-law and to watch cute newlyweds!

 

X- is for eXcercise! We are trying hard around here to make a little extra effort to place a lot of importance on taking care of our bodies. 

 

Y- is for years! One of our favorite quotes, "The years realize things the days never knew." Days keep flying by, and we realize more and more the importance of making the little moments count. Cole and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary his year!

 

Z- is for Zions. Zions is still one of our favorite day trips! This year Cole and I hiked the Narrows at Zions for my 3oth birthday! We spent the night in the camp site and hiked all day! Then, to cool off, we rode bikes down the canyon 3 or 4 times! It was the perfect way to celebrate turning 30!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve as a Family

Christmas Eve is one of my favorite moments of Christmas.

After we leave Grandma and Grandpa's house, we head home, just the 6 of us.

 

With the lights all dimmed and the Christmas lights on, we give eachother the gifts that were so painstakingly picked for our secret person.  There is a magic that fills the air, a thickness that is so full of love and happiness. I absolutely love the excitement as each kid runs to the tree and digs out the gifts they got for someone else!  It is absolutely the coolest part of Christmas.

 This year Brock had Allison! She was super excited about all of the gifts, but was more excited about a monster truck that he gave her than anything else. She squeeled with delight when she saw it.

 

Kaitlin had Brandon and got him some really cool cars and candy and all kinds of things!

Brandon had Brock and got him a Jazz basketball and a cool blue football.

Allison had Kaitlin and got her a basket for her bike and a new liscense plate that says, "Daddy's Girl."

 The main thing the kids all wanted for Christmas was new shoes.  Brandon wanted Reebok Zigtechs and Kaitlin and Brock both wanted Nike Free Runs.  Cole and I found some awesome Zigtechs for all of the kids at a great price. They were all super surprised and excited about those!

 

Cole also found 1st baseman mitts for both of the boys.  Brandon has been wanting one forever and was so excited about finally getting one.  Brock got the exact same one, but for a lefty.

 I made each of the kids quilts this year.  I used to do it every Christmas, but for the past couple had stopped because we were starting to stockpile quilts.  I worked so hard on these one to pick just the right thing for each of them.  Kaitlin's BYU and pink quilt was probably my favorite!

 The boys sure loved their favorite baseball team ones, too!

 

After exchanging gifts and setting out cookies and Caffeine Free Diet Dr. Pepper for Santa, we had a little family toast with Sparkling Cider. Each person shared something that they were grateful for about Christmas.  There was a beautiful feeling in our house that night, especially when Brandon said he was so grateful for his pump.  Sometimes we all forget just how blessed we really are...