HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

My daughter Chelsea suggested I start a blog quite awhile ago.  I really love reading hers!  I thought it was a GREAT idea for me as well.  It has taken me a LONG time to begin.  I think I was intimidated by it all.  No, I know I was.  How do I write?  How do I post pictures?  How does this and that happen?  What will I call it?  What will I write about?  Well, with the New Year here and the beginning of all that is new, I decided now was a good time to start my blog.  I don't know how to do it, or how it will look once I hit that button to post this.  But, I'll figure it out as I go!

2011 was quite a year!  One that had some amazing memories.  Some good and some not so good.  The year began with our Green Bay Packers winning the Super Bowl!  That was sooo amazing!  Especially for my husband Sean who is a HUGE Packer fan!

In  February Sean entered us in a contest with the Milwaukee Bucks.  He didn't tell me he did.  He had to submit a letter telling them why he loved me.  The winner of this contest would win a $10,000 Diamond Ring!  Well, we were one of the 3 couples chosen out of 1000's of enterants!  On Valentine's Day we went to The Buck's game.  We were sitting at court side before the game started.  We got to watch the players practice.  We also met the other 2 couples.  One of the couples was younger.  It appeared that she may be recovering from cancer.  They didn't have the money for  a wedding but would love to one day.  The other couple was again younger than us.  The wife had served in Iraq a couple years ago while her husband took care of their 2 young boys.  Both couple were really nice.  We had a GREAT night!  We were told that several times during the game we would be brought out onto the court to do various things.  One time we were just introduced.  One time we played a "newlywed" type game.  At another time we went out and the crowd got to text in what they wanted us to do at half time... "share our story", "romatic kiss" or "dance"!  Well, anyone who knows my Husband, he was PRAYING that we would dance!  Before the 3rd quarter we were told the crowd voted we had to dance!  YES!!!!!  Throughout the night they would bring the ring out and show us, "TEASE" us with it!  It was a beautiful heart shaped center stone with 6 diamonds on either side of it.  So at the 3rd quarter we had to go out and DANCE FOR THAT RING!  Anytime Sean & I were out on the court, we were center court!  Always!   So the song started and Sean danced his BUTT off!  The younger couple had no idea how to dance and just hopped around.  The other couple tried to tango for some reason.  Sean & I just went out there and HAD FUN!  The whole night was fun!  Then the crown had to text in which couple they wanted to win, #1, #2 who was us or #3.  When there was 2 minutes left in the game they called us couple out again.  The owner of the jewelry store walked back and forth in front of us with the ring while the announcer talked.  Then the owner STOPPED IN FRONT OF US and handed Sean the ring!  WE WON!!!  Sean placed it on my finger infront of all those people.  Sean's old boss happened to be there and taped the dance and the win with his cell phone! 

 

In March our oldest son Cody turned 21.  WOW!  I have a son who is 21!  I took a picture of him holding up the outfit he wore home from the hospital when he was born.  He was 4 weeks early, weighed 5# 8oz and 19".  He is now 6' 4"!!  Where'd my baby boy go?  I'm proud of the man he has become.  He has a job he loves.  A house he shares with his cousin and a good friend.   He's a good responsible man.    I'm very proud of him!

 

In April our oldest daughter Chelsea turned 23!  That is a HUGE WOW!!  I can't believe I have a child who is 23!  I am also very proud of Chelsea.  She moved to Florida when she was 20 to follow her dream to dance!  She worked for Disney World for a year.  There is where she met Matt, her Prince Charming.  After a short stay in Wisconsin, they packed it up and moved to Seattle where Matt is from.  Matt is a Recruiter for companys like MicroSoft and Amazon.  We are VERY happy that Chelsea chose such a wondeful man to share her life!!  After Being a Nanny for awhile she took a chance and again followed her dreams!  She opened her own Dance Program!  Today she is the owner of Emerald City Dance.  In her first year she has taught over 500 different children dance!

In May our daughter Cylie turned 11.  This was hard.  :(  She is growing up wayyyyy too fast!   It's freaking us out!  She's a good kid!  She had a bad couple of months at the end of 2010 with Migraines.  She was in and out of the hospital with them.  The year 2011 was better as far as the Migraines went.  She did have a very difficult year with being Bullied though.  Cy is a VERY athletic girl...VERY FAST!  She wouldn't go out for sports though because the boy who was the Leader of the Bullying was also in all thoses same sports she loved.  :(  We fought through the year with help from the school and the boys parents.  Only the bullying got worse, it carried over to the other kids in her class.  Cylie is a fun loving, carefree, fashion talented, sweet, BEAUTIFUL tween.

June was a fun month!  Our Niece Kaylin graduated from High School.  At her graduation party we surprised her with Chelsea being home!  Also surprised my Mom!  Neither of them knew Chelsea was going to be home!  Kaylin and Chelsea has always been so close!  Kaylin is Chelsea's Maid of Honor.  :) 

In July my sister in law Cyndie, my cousin Debi who is Chelsea's God Mother & I gave her a Bridal Shower!  Not only do I have children who are adults, now one of them is getting married!!!  It was a bittersweet feeling.  I was so happy for her!  She looked so beautiful and glowed!   When Chelsea flew back to Seattle after the shower, Cylie went with her!  Cylie was able to spend the rest of her Summer vacation with Chelsea and Matt in Seattle!  She had a GREAT time!

Also in July Cirrah turned 9!  WOW AGAIN!  I can't believe our youngest daughter is 9.  :(  Cirrah is AMAZING!  She has Autism.  She is NOT Autistic.  Autistic is not what she is, it's what she has.  She is Smart  Atletic  Brave  BEAUTIFUL  Sweet KindHearted  Sensitive  Funny  Kind and EVERYTHING ELSE!!!  Her smile will steal your heart!  

        

At the end of August our family flew to Seattle to get ready for the big day!  MATT & CHELSEA'S WEDDING!  We flew in a few days early to visit and settle in before the wedding.  Two our past forgein exchange students also flew in for their SISTER'S wedding!  Jan from Germany, who was our first student and Renato from Brasil, who was our 3rd.  Renato also brought his girlfriend Dani, who later in thier trip became his FIANCE!

One September 2, 2011 our daughter married her Prince Charming, Matt!  It was one of the happiest days of my life!  I literally have NEVER seen a more beautiful bride!   She was absolutely stunning! 

The wedding was PERFECT!!  It was exactly as she had dreamt it would be!  It was so sweet to see Matt crying as she walked down the aisle.   As happy as Sean was that our daughter was marrying a GREAT man, it was difficult to let her go. 

To hear them exchange their vows and see the pure happiness on thier faces was priceless!!

This day was by far the best thing that has happened to our family in a long time!  We love Matt alot!  He's a good man and treats our daughter perfectly!  A Father & Mother couldn't ask for more.  We really like his family alot as well!!  It's nice to be a HUGE blended family!!

Also in September Our youngest son, the baby of the family, Caleb turned 8.  OMG I can't do this anymore, these kids are getting too big!  Growing too much!  I've asked each and every one of them all through their childhood to promise me they would never grow up...  Caleb is so much a BOY!!  He is so SMART!  Very advanced!  He LOVES sports and is so good at them!  As tough as he is, he is also sweet, gentle, caring and sensitive.  He LOVES to snuggle!  He has to touch you all the time!  :)

On September 27th Sean & I celebrated our 25th Anniversary!  What an incredible feeling knowing I have been married to him for 25 years!  He has been the BEST husband, BEST father, BEST friend I could ever have asked for...hoped for!  I can't wait to see what the next 25 years will bring together!





This Fall was filled with change.  We moved into a smaller house.  It's a tight fit but it'll work for now.  I started a new job.  I LOVE it very much!  Caring for people is something I've always loved doing.  Being in the ER is a very exciting and challenging job, but I love it soooo much!  In  November the bullying got to be too much and couldn't be taken care of.  So made the difficult decision to move Cylie to the public school.  We are very comfortable with the decision!  She is doing GREAT!  She has TONS of friends, getting good grades and back to "CYLIE" again!

So, as long as that was, that was our year!  I promise the next blog posts won't be this long.  Well, I'll try!  With the New Year here I hope that all of you have the BEST year you can.  I pray that God blesses you. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  WELCOME 2012!!!