December and Christmas

I love Christmas time...I love having a tree up in the house....or two as we did this year....the holidays are all about family time for us....as much as we can sit down and enjoy atleast!!!

The kids made cookies with their daddy.....which they loved doing.....

There were many times were we just hung out as a family on the weekend....and didn't do much....this winter once it started it truly has not stopped....it has either been so cold that school has been cancelled or its been snowing.....so we have for the most part just hung out at home.....

Christmas this year did not go as planned...I was fortunate enough to be able to take 10 days off from work....while the kids were on break....Andrew was able to work from home during that time.....which thankfully he was home to help....Syd ended up getting sick on Christmas Eve and sick enough that we had to take her to the ER at 7pm on Christmas Eve in a snow storm....thankfully she had something that could be cleared up with antibiotics.....it took her the rest of the time we were off to get better....it was a long week....we didn't get home from our ER trip until 12:15am on Christmas Day....the kids were worried that Santa wouldn't come because they were not asleep.....thankfully they went straight to bed....and even more thankful is that my family was able to just come to us on Christmas Day....so we didn't have to move Syd again and she was able to just stay at home....and sleep as she needed......the rest of our time off was pretty much dedicated to her....and trying to get her better....

We did get one night out without the kids....but it ended up being a early night....so we could just hangout.....and New Year's Eve we went to our neighbors....it was a lot of fun....since most of us have been cooped up with this nasty winter.....

Overall December was relaxing....which is good....since we had no idea what was in store for us in January....

1 year later

Where to begin....well first its been quiet some time.....but thats another story....

1 year ago plus a couple weeks our family was rocked to its core...besides me facing a spinal fusion surgery....Andrew then was laid off....not something we were even prepared for....our world was shaken up and turned upside down....to say the least

We had no idea how we were going to make it....or how we were going to pay for insurance to stay on cobra....so I could have my surgery and not to lapse since I needed the surgery and did not want to have issues with a pre-existing condition.....besides all those things we had no idea how we would keep it from our kids....so they would not have to worry about grown up things....and further more it was right before thanksgiving the standard kick off to the holiday season.... we wanted to try to make christmas stay as much the same as possible....even though we were scared shitless about having to pay for basic needs yet alone christmas presents for the kids.....I remember just a week before all this happened to us looking at a website to help out people who were so much more in need than we were at the time....and trying to figure out a way that we could pay it forward.....cuz I never once thought we would be in that type of situation

So last thanksgiving was not a joyous holiday....we were not thankful for the hand that we were dealt or the financial catastrophe that we could face in the coming weeks....yes we were beyond thankful for our family and friends that helped out in more ways than one....without them we would have not have made it through that time....but we did not want to be dependent on anyone.....but we had to swallow our pride and just move forward.....

Last thanksgiving was not relaxing.....we didn't take time out to just hang out as a family of 4....it was spent more with trying to figure out how we were going to survive....schedule my surgery as soon as possible....and hope that Andrew would find something quickly....all the while trying to not take out stress out on each other.....

1 year later our life has changed drastically.....we are beyond thankful that Andrew's unemployment did not last months....it was only 4 weeks....and it was the best birthday present anyone could have given me....since that was his first day!!!

1 year later our thanksgiving this year was nothing like last year....yes we have worries and stress....but it is not the same as what we were facing a year ago....even though we were not able to celebrate thanksgiving with all of the family due to illnesses....we made the best of it as we could......and we were fortunate enough to have two full days of downtime with the kids and each other......where we were able to watch movies, make cookies, have a tea party, play games....and just be a family....something that was pushed to the side last year......

I am thankful this year for everything that we have been given....because I know what the other side looks like....

Halloween

So the past few months....I have not been that great at keeping up with this....life has just gotten busy.....

In october we did a few things....we went a apple orchard with the neighborhood....the kids saw some farm animals...we went on a hay ride....

We also did football sundays....the kids had fun playing together while the adults got to hangout and watch the game.....

Halloween was a cold night....as per usual in MN....Syd was Minnie Mouse and Breyden was Patriot Ironman....this was the first year that both kids had fun....Breyden has had fun prior but this was the first real year that Syd did....we walked the neighborhood with the neighbor kids....Breyden was a lot quicker than everyone else....but he did stop to wait when asked....Syd was in her element with Mia and Ella....all three walking holding hands....it was a site to see!!!

Gearing Up for the 4th of July Weekend

I love the 4th of July....I always have...as a kid I loved it because it normally meant my mom and I went on vacation....which was always fun!....but now I love just hanging out with the family, close friends, and neighbors.....its an easy holiday for us....and I think that's its one of my favorites.....

Since we have been back in MN we seem to have our normal routine for the 4th weekend....this year we are adding in running the half marathon at the crack of dawn on the 4th....our friends whose house we go to in the afternoon run this event....and this year we decided why not join them!.....normally we go hang out with our friends....which is a lot of fun.....and then come home to watch fireworks....

The rest of the weekend will be planned around just hanging out as a family....more than likely we will go to a beach and let the kids swim and build sand castles or dig holes to China.....one of their favorite activities.....we may do a couple other outings....but that really depends on if Andrew can move or not after the half on Thursday!

The 4th has always been us just hanging out and having down time as a family....and I can't wait until we can repeat it again this year!