12 blurry months...

It was a year ago today that I wrote this. I can't believe it's been a year already. I was actually washing the dishes today when it dawned on me and I became so over whelmed I started to cry. The feelings of that day washed over me, the panic and fear felt like it was going to swallow me up once again. I had to take deep breathes and call a close friend to share my feelings with her. We talked about that day, and the days and months that followed, then we moved on to how far we have come. How well he is doing on his special diet. How amazing he is. How inspiring the whole situation has been for so many people around us. After that I really calmed down and spent the rest of the day reminding myself that it is not a sad day or a scary day any more, it is a day to give thanks and remember how far we have come. We had some family over and shared a nice meal and I made him his favorite magic diet foods and it was wonderful. So perfect. I love that today we took a day that 12 months ago threatened to rip us apart and leave us blowing in the wind, and we turned it around into a beautiful day of remembrance and thanks. I am so thankful. So today I will end this day on my knees, but I won't be pleading, I will be giving thanks. With tears of joy.

Snow day

Funny story...we drove 2 1/2 hours up the mountain to take the kids sledding in the snow, just to have it turn around and dump on us this week. Silly us. The kids got a story this Christmas called Stranger in the Woods. Now I know it sounds scary but it's actually just about a snowman in the woods that all the creatures of the forest are wondering about. They finally get close to it and realize it's a yummy edible snowman. It's a cute book. We decided to make an edible snowman for the birds in our neighborhood and we got ideas from the book. After rolling up the snow we used a carrot for the nose {Don't think any birds around will be eating that, but you never know what might come take a nibble.} nuts for the eyes and mouth and then we sprinkled two types of bird seed on his hat and around the ground. It was a lot of fun.
This is the first snowman that the boys all helped with. Maybe next year the little girl will lend a hand too...

Had to get the muscle behind the project in the picture too, ha ha! It was so much fun to spend time in the snow with the hubby and kids. After we were done with the snowman we didn't want to be done with the snow so we grabbed our sleds and decided to go across the street to the field and see if we could sled down the hill in the back. My hubby was skeptical but I told him that the boys didn't need a super big hill this year and it would be easier to go up and down that way anyways.

I ended up being right {as usual...just kidding...sort of, ha ha!} We had a blast! At one point I just had to bring up how funny it was that we were having more fun across the street from our house on a little hill then we did when we drove 2 1/2 hours to go sledding. I think we went down that hill a total of four times and then called it a day. Of course there were a lot of little factors in that day that made it over all tiring and a tad bit frustrating, like driving that long and then finding out when you get there with 3 young boys that there is NO WHERE to go to the bathroom...ummm yeah. I won't tell you what we did, but desperate times call for desperate measures. But back to this snow day. If anyone needs to pee it's a hop, skip and jump away from home. Nice.

And away goes Bubu, all on his own.

Atty waiting for his turn. He did a lot better too, he got way too cold the last time. This day was bright, even I dare say a bit warm. Makes for a better time. He went down a few times, but he wanted to be pulled back up, little stinker.

Away goes Spike, push me faster daddy!

Snuggling the baby.

Even Lala and I took turns.

I just had to take a picture of my oldest son dragging the sleds home. How did he grow so fast? What a wonderful day. I've heard there is more snow headed our way. I'll get sick of it eventually, just not yet. If it's going to be cold...it might as well snow.

{Looking back in these pictures I realize it really does look like there is no hill at all, but there is, I swear. It's just big enough to be fun for the little ones and not scary. Even my hubby went down on his own a few times just for the fun of it, head first of course...}

Showing signs...

Sorry the video is sort of shaky, I was using my camera and couldn't get everyone in the screen at the same time. It's still so cute though that I just had to post! We've been working on signing and watching Signing Times videos {Love Them!} and they have come a long ways already, they even know more then they were showing in the video. I love when Bubu comes up to me and starts teaching me signs that he's learned, ah it's adorable! I've been having them sign through out the day to make it a normal part of their routine. I'd love to find a class or a tutor to work more closely with them. Sign language is a really great {and often overlooked} second language to learn.

...and now it's 1-1-11...

We had a wonderful New Years eve together, giving thanks for all of our blessings this past year and most of all giving thanks for each other! When I look back on 2010 I know it was hard, but above all I feel the love that surrounds this family and that is what matters most to me. We will keep going together into this new year... For some reason probably because the date today is all ones, I feel like it's a fresh beginning and I feel really good about what is to come, even the hard stuff...because it's life and there will be hardships. But I'm not afraid, I'm excited. Which is saying a lot coming from me because I can be a bit of a worrier. {and that is an understatement!}

We spend New Years eve watching the first Narnia movie together and we even ate our dinner while watching, some thing we rarely do and the boys get really excited when it happens. Lala wasn't to in to the movie, but she sure was cute. I'm not sure what I watched more her or the movie.

Then we put a puzzle together, don't let its size fool you, it was hard!

We took lots of silly pictures...

This being one of them...

We took so many we cracked ourselves up! Worse picture ever of me, but look at Spikes face, pure happiness...so cute! His laugh is so beautiful, it really is!

Had to get a picture of the hubby and I.

Great picture of my boys! By this time the baby girl had tapped out, she put up a good fight though! :)

Watching for fireworks at midnight and drinking our sparkling cider...they all made it this time!

We spent today up here, on the mountain, sledding! It was a beautiful day and we had lots of fun although it was pretty cold! We didn't last very long, I think we spent more time driving up there and back then we did actually sledding, but oh well.

Beautiful bundled up baby!

Daddy and Atty going down the hill.

She wasn't so sure about all the white stuff...hard to walk in ya know!

My little bundled up monkey, he was so brave, he even went down the hill on his own after watching Bubu do it. Always wants to be like his big brother...

Even Lala and I took a turn, poor girl ended up with a face full of snow, well we both did, but she took it like a champ!

Here is Bubu and Spike going down with their daddy, so cute!

*Cheering on the boys.*

The rest of the pictures are scenery, it was so absolutely gorgeous out I couldn't help myself and took way to many pictures. Actually the pictures don't even do it justice but I tried.

A wonderful day well spent. A great way to ring in the new year! Time to reflect on the long drive home. I have some big plans {Well not big in the bigger picture, just big in my little world.} and I guess high hopes for this year. I don't like setting myself up for disappointment, but I don't really feel that I am. I mostly want to change the way I look at thing, try to see things form a different angle and get more artistic. Spend more time creating and less time well, cleaning. And even though not a lot has changed or even looks like it will and things are still very stressful around here, I just have this feeling. A feeling of peace. For this very moment at least. And this is the moment that counts. :)

Peace to you and yours!