My New Year - 2014

For the last few years I have seen people choosing a Word for the year instead of making resolutions.  I thought I would take a stab at it this year.  I've been mulling it over and I think I have finally come up with my word for 2014.

Persevere

I found this definition that I thought really went with what I wanted to do this year.

persevere:  to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.

Last year I felt like I had a year of giving up.  I was exercising really well and then I got hurt in February.  After multiple chiropractor appointments, doctor visits, working with athletic trainers, and an MRI I still haven't figured out what is wrong with me and how to make the pain go away.  Because of this I have started and stopped exercising many times over the last year, giving up when it got too hard. I let my healthy eating go because it was just too hard to try to eat good when my family wasn't on board with me.  It resulted in a year of bordering on depression again and feeling like I wasn't accomplishing anything in my life.  

Then a few bright spots entered in.  I finally found an adult dance class that I LOVE!  It's so fun dancing with ladies my own age and especially with my sister.  The teacher is fantastic and so full of energy, her good vibes just feed your soul.  I have also been doing a lot of Family History Work this past year.  Mike and I have been able to take Michela and Hunter a few times this year to the temple to do baptisms and I've also been able to give names to other family members so they can get involved as well.  I have so many names to do work for and find new names every day!  It is such a wonderful way to spend some of my extra time and helps bring the spirit into my life and my home.  

My sister in law, Stephanie, introduced me to the Green Smoothie Girl and I have really fallen in love with her 12 Steps to Whole Foods Program.  I have resolved to get my family eating healthier this year and we are taking it one step at a time.  This month it is introducing green smoothie into our diets.  We have been making smoothies for a long time, and I've been drinking green smoothies, but my kids have shied away from the green stuff.  I decided this month that we would try to have green smoothies every morning.  

Somedays have been better than others.  Some kids have been more stubborn than others, but they have finally all come around!  I think these green smoothies are really helping with their digestion and I love the fact that they are starting off their morning with a power boosting start.

So my goal this year is to Persevere.  To not give up and to stay the course in the changes and decisions I am making to improve my life and my family's.  I know it won't always be easy and that we won't be perfect everyday, but I also know that I have the strength to keep going.  

Gingerbread Houses with the Lewis Family

Our wonderful neighbors, the Lewis Family, invited us over for a night of Gingerbread house decorating.  They provided everything, all we had to do was show up.  The kids all had a great time coming up with their own creations.  After decorating houses we had ice cream and hot fudge.  Yummy!  We had so much fun getting to know the Lewis Family better and using our creativity.

Tyler getting an icing beard from Ben.

Mommy helping Laina

Aria was so proud that she decorated her house all by herself.

Laina ate more candy then was on her house!

Michela's was Artistic Perfection

Hunter built a Gingerbread Nativity.

I think Chase's had the most candy on it.

Tyler, Laina, Aubrey, Chase, Ben, Aria, Hunter, Summer, Michela, and Sam

Adventures in Pumpkin Carving

The kids really love carving pumpkins.  I don't enjoy the mess, but I love all the creative carvings they come up with.  Michela wanted two pumpkins this year.  She came up with a howling  wolf and Chewbacca.

Hunter's pumpkin had a wicked grin.

Chase and Mike collaborated on Mickey Mouse.

Aria came up with her own pumpkin face and it was too cute.

Laina and I worked on Ariel together.

I think there were some top notch designs this year!

Halloween Party

This year we decided we wanted to be something really fun for the family Halloween party.  We all loved watching Despicable Me 2 this summer so we figured it would be perfect with the 3 girls.  Mike was Gru, Mauri was Lucy Wilde, Michela, Aria, and Laina were the girls, and Chase and Hunter were Minions.  I had a lot of fun making the minion costumes and went thrift shopping for the majority of the other costumes.

We had fun at the party, eating, catching up with family, and playing games with the cousins.  Everyone came in fun costumes.  I know Mike doesn't always enjoy dressing up, but I'm glad we have family parties like these.

Christmas Day

We are in California for Christmas again.  We love coming out here to spend time with the Hunt family and get out of the snow.  Unfortunately it is quite rainy here this year, but at least there are enough breaks to get out to play or go walking.

Christmas morning started off with little children periodically creeping out into the hall to check the time.  I told them they couldn't come out of their rooms until 7:00.  The funniest was when I slipped out at about 6:55 to go to the bathroom and ran into Hunter checking the clock.  When he saw that he had 5 minutes left he gave an exasperated moan and slumped back into his room.  He is such a funny kid.
The kids loved finding what was in their stockings and opening the little gifts that are with them.  This usually tides them over until the rest of the house wakes up for present time.

 Laina enjoyed counting her candy cane kisses.  While we waited for Craig to wake up Michela let us open the box full of the presents she made.  She had made marshmallow guns for everybody and a marshmallow fight ensued.

The kids took their guns out and waited by Craig's door.  We could hear his laughing and yelling when he walked into their ambush.  Even Grandma got in on the action.

The present opening seemed to go on all morning.  The boys opened Legos, science sets, and even a much wanted microscope for Chase.  

Michela was all about clothes, clothes, and shoes this year.  What else would a teenage girl want?

The little girls got learning toys, Legos, and lots of new Barbie furniture for their garage sale doll house at home.

I got some brand new running shoes to help me stick with my workouts and Mike munched down on his annual apple fritter.

We had Craig this year and we set him up with a little Giants gear and stud wear.

It was even more fun this year because Jaxon and Jordon were there to open presents with us.  

They are such cute little guys, everybody loves them to pieces.  

After presents we busted out the food and had a delicious brunch.  Tiff had made cinnamon rolls, orange rolls, and a yummy frittata.  I found a recipe for a banana caramel french toast bake.  So good!  Of course there was lots of fresh fruit and we couldn't forget the bacon or we might of had a mutiny on our hands.
Beautiful Christmas day that will be full of cherished memories.  I'm glad the kids and Mike love being out with my family at Christmas as much as I do.