The 'Catch All' Post.

Here is the spot that I will throw all of the things that I want to squeeze in for January.  We have been having spring like weather in Boise.  Highs in the 40's and 50's.  That is crazy for this time of year.  Hannah stayed over with us this past weekend.  The girls spent much of their time outside, long boarding, hover boarding and walking the dog.  It was fabulous!

 

We received some beautiful plant baskets that I have managed to keep alive.  However a few of them were starting to suffer.  Valerie was over and pointed out that they may want to be replanted and spread out.  I frivolously went out and purchased these awesome matching planters and went to work.  I love how they turned out.

 

While I was at it, I repotted my aloe vera.  We have enough for a lifetime of burns and cuts.  It is like miracle gel!

 

 My sister-in-law, Sherry, sent us this beautiful music box.  Willowtree Remembrance Music Box.  "Memories - Hold Each One Safely In Your Heart".

Bailey officially graduated intermediate dog training class.  He did amazing and has calmed down so much.  We plan to repeat the class (free of charge), as the doggie distractions have been a really good learning tool for him.  The only time we have been having trouble with him is when we first let him in the house.  He was running around like a wild man for 10-15 minutes.  At the recommendation of our instructor, we have been bringing him in on the leash.  After about 10 minutes, we let him off.  He seems to be doing very well with that system.

Here is Kendall playing musical heeling with Bailey and the other dogs.  Kendall is very competitive and was happy that Bailey won both times.

 

For graduation, the dogs get a bowl of soft serve ice cream with a bone and easy treat topping.

 

 

The Awana Grand Prix 2019.

Well, it was that time of year again...Pine Car Derby race.  My dad came down a few weeks ago and helped the girls put their cars together.  He has never done a pine car before, so this was all new to him.  Kevin was typically the one helping them, as he often made a car himself.  The night before the race is car check in.  The girls realized that the axles of their wheels were all bent up and not all four wheels were touching at the same time.  It must have been all that hammering that my dad was doing.  However, all was not lost.  Some of the guys mentioned that this is actually a strategy.  I do not know if I buy that, but the girls cars held their own.

Here are all the medals up for grabs.  There are three divisions, 3rd and 4th grade, 5th and 6th grade, the Leader Division (aka all the dads that want to enter a car). 

I am always very impressed with the imaginations of these kids!

 

Sidney volunteered to photograph all of the cars at check in.  She did a great job.  Here is the picture of her car.  She wanted to do a car just like Kevin's Cal Poly car last year.

It was a great night of racing, food and visiting with friends.

Hannah cleaned house this year with a medal in both design and speed.  Kendall won a medal in speed for her 'Aquafresh' car.  Sidney did not win any medals, but had a great time helping out!

This is Us.

 I know that this is a title of a very popular television series, that I have yet to watch.  However, I love the frankness of the title.  Each January, I take the girls to get 'fun' pictures.  They usually dress up and act crazy.  This year, we decided that the three of us should go together.  Here is how it all shook out.

 

  

 

 

 

Not sure if I can make this girls stop growing?  I just cannot believe how fast the years have gone by.  I swear, Kevin and I just brought her home from the hospital.

And this one, her quiet wit.  She is a cutie, a smarty pants and such a compassionate young lady.

 Now for the crazy...

Kendall's 12 Year Old Interview.

 

What is your favorite color?  Royal Blue.
What is your favorite toy?  Hoverboard.
What is your favorite fruit?  Strawberries.
What is your favorite tv show or movie?  Heartland.
What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?  Beef Nachos. 

What is your favorite game?  SkipBo.
What is your favorite snack?  Goldfish crackers.
What is your favorite animal?  Sloth.
What is your favorite song?  Little Do You Know
What is your favorite book?  Hunger Games
Who is your best friend?  Avery, Brookelynn, Paige, Hannah, Chloe, Lauren, Emily, Jessica (wowsers!)
What is your favorite cereal?  Honey Nut Cheerios.
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Gymnastics.
What is your favorite drink?  Diet Pepsi.
What is your favorite holiday?  Christmas.
What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  Bunny.
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?  Chocolate chip pancakes.
What do you want for dinner on your birthday?  Orange chicken and rice.
What do you want to be when you grow up?  Lawyer.
I am very proud because… I get good grades.
If I were President I would… ban eggs and seafood.
I am afraid to …eat seafood (I am sensing a theme).
Name one thing you do really well?  Communicate.
Describe what it means to be a good friend.  To be honest, caring, loyal and supportive.
What is your favorite time of day?  Lunch, because that is when I get food.
Describe your best day ever?  Sleeping in, then going to do something with my friends (teenager already).
Describe your favorite hobby.  Reading and drawing.
Climbing trees is… relaxing.
I wish there were a law that said…no eggs or seafood are allowed.
What makes you feel sad?  Looking at the memory box I made for my Dad.
What makes you feel happy?  My friends and my family.
Pretend that you can fly whenever you wanted. Where would you go?  New Jersey (clearly she has never been there:).
If I could choose a different name, I would choose…Renee or Arianna.
Where do you want to go on vacation?  Hawaii (she just might be in luck).
What is your favorite thing to do with Mom?  Talk her ear off.

 

Kendall Turns 12.

I am not sure how this happened so quickly, but Kendall turned 12 this month.  She has grown into such an amazing young woman.  She is beautiful, smart and incredibly witty.  I love her.  She keeps me on my toes. 

Grandma and Papa flew in the actual day of her birthday and we had a family celebration.  Papa also helped them build their Awana derby cars.  How I did not get a picture of that I cannot figure out?

 Sidney decorated the table for Kendall's party.  She had us write messages to Kendall on the balloons.

The next day, Kendall put Grandma Karen to work helping her make 'pup' cakes for her friend party.  Kendall and Sidney have gotten pretty good at baking and decorating.  Typically, I have to leave the room since there is a tremendous amount of nonsense and mess that ensues.  At the end of it all, they are tasked with cleaning up. I find it best if I do not come back until that part is done.

They turned out very cute.

 

Kendall's friends came over and enjoyed dinner and 'pup' cakes before heading out to Urban Air.

 

No joking aside, these girls went non-stop for four hours at Urban Air.  They shut the place down.  The workers even had to unlock the doors to let us out at the end.  This group of girls is most awesome.  They are good girls, adventurous, supportive of each other and super silly!

Happy Birthday Miss Kendall!

Bailey's Bandanas by Sidney.

Sidney has been busy at work these past couple of months.  She loved the bandana for Bailey so much that she decided to make a few more.  Before she knew it, friends and family were asking us if they could buy one.  Currently, she has made and sold north of 20 bandanas.  It has been fun for her.  To that end, she asked if she could start a blog and tell people about her business, and mostly talk about Bailey.  I helped her get one going.  Here is the link to Sidney's new blog:  https://baileysbandanas.blogspot.com/  It can also be accessed in the sidebar of this blog. 

Here is Bailey at dog training on one of his rare moments of calm.

Another rare moment of calm.

This is what he usually looks like.  The boy likes to play hard.  He does not know an enemy.  Our current class has seven large dogs.  The first day was kind of nuts as they were all getting to know each other.  By class number three, they seem to have hit their groove.   

Ready or Not, Here Comes 2019.

Many have asked how we are doing?  It depends.  Most days, we are moving forward.  Some days we are sad, but we still move forward.  Then, there are the days that just breathing is hard.  Each of us have had a mix of those.  We are trying to enjoy the little things in life and forge new traditions.  To that end, I jumped off the deep end and booked a vacation for the girls and I.  It will not be until later in the year, but it is a full fledged vacation.  Kevin loved to travel and explore new places.  He absolutely would have wanted me to keep doing that with the girls, but I am terrified.  Do not get me wrong.  I am well traveled and have traveled all over the world, often alone.  Yet, this felt different.  It would be just us.  We are blessed, in that, after hearing about my planned adventure, my parents asked if they could mirror our vacation. Of course, vacations are always merrier with others (correction:  mostly always). 

The year starts out bittersweet.  We will move on, yet we will never forget.  We will keep Kevin's memory alive, while living life to the fullest!  It is tricky and confusing and happy and sad and a myriad of emotions that I cannot even begin to understand, but here we go!

My sister in law, Sherry, sent us these beautiful flowers.  They bloomed forever, each day surprising us with another gorgeous lily opening up.  They were a bright spot for us!

Our friends, Wes and Heidi, sent this awesome basket to us after Kevin's passing.  It was a basket full of dirt with instructions to water.  I can handle that, right?  So far, so good.  Here we are six weeks later with a beautiful 'something' growing up.  I need to find the card.  I am sure it told me what these beauties are, but I am just enjoying watching them grow.  I sent a picture to Wes the other day, and he replied, "Well all be...Glad it worked and you are enjoying it.  We were concerned it was just going to be dirt."  Nope!  It is going to be something beautiful!  Thank you, friends.

The girls are doing well.  Again, they have their moments.  Kendall had such a moment, the morning of her birthday.  It comes unexpectedly.  It comes out of nowhere.  She was simply tasked with cleaning her room.  Yet, there was a box.  In it were awards from the Awana Quiz Bowl, Awana Grand Prix and Gymnastics.  I could hear gasping coming from her room.  In one of my positive parenting moments, I went to check if she was hurt.  She was not physically hurt, but she was in full sobbing mode.  She was missing her Daddy.  All of these tokens reminded her of him.  He was at every one of these events.  He would not miss them for the world.  He was such a supportive Dad.  I held her as she cried.  I reminded her of how proud he was of her.  Yes, we will each continue to have these moments, and we will hold each other and remind each other of his love.

As one year ends, the new blog books come.  The arrival of them is always anticipated.  The girls read it online periodically.  However, when that box arrives they are excited.  They read for hours.  Here they are, this week, reading the books.  Sidney dove in before even taking her coat off. 

Kendall stayed up until 11pm reading her copy (on a school night, UGH).  I am so thankful for your friendship Kristin Brandt and for blessing me with this nugget of an idea years ago.  My girls will have these memories forever.  Oh, and thank you for the suggestion of Sling TV:)

Here is to a new chapter.  We will not close the book on the old chapter, but we will put one foot in front of the other and keep going!