Lately

You've been playing with friends. Manny, Lil, Zach, Lij, Nick, Noah, Jordan, Luke, Jaymee, Michael. You've been hanging out with them a lot. After school, during school, for school, playdates, play days, sleep overs... It's been good for you. 

As of late you are loving Aunt Pam's place the most, though. You love being there and spent more waking hours at her house this past weekend than you did here. 

You love being with Zach. And even Lij, though he is the "youngest brother". You snowboard, whittle, play ship, come up with ways to earn money for homeless kids?, and even eat whatever Aunt Pam serves up for lunch or dinner. 

In no time, you should be milking goats, separating cream, and churning butter with them. ;)

Yesterday, we were both pretty ornery when we started school. I could feel your attitudue pulling me down further, and I predicted a mass melt down of sorts. So I called off school. 

You looked at me so funny. You asked why we wouldn't do school today? I didn't dare tell you it had anything to do with you too, for fear that you might try to get more days off of school in the future. :) So I said it was called a "crabby mommy day", and threw in something about how public schooled kids get random days off for conferences and teacher work days... 

You thought this was incredibly fun, and so we cooked and cleaned and played cars instead. It was good, and another reason I just love homeschooling. 

Today, we ARE doing school. Followed by a hair appointment for me. Followed by an afternoon with your Daddy at work while I have an appointment with the doctors. 

It's will be in the 50s today, and thankfully there will be thundershowers, because otherwise I would want to cancel the whole day and just go riding with you and Gwin. Of corse, the temps will be back in the single digits in the next few days. Such strange weather. 

And now I'm typing about the weather... 

Good time to wrap it up.

I love you, Muffin (if we're a lone)

Zeek (if we're with your friends) 

You're my Nib.

Riding with Morgan

Today, we went to see Gwin. 

Gwen and Morgan were there to clean up and ride. 

I cuddled and groomed Gwin. 

Then I rode her bareback while you and Morgan played in the snow together. 

It was a beautiful afternoon. 

You wanted to ride. 

Morgan rode Angel and you rode Gwin, together. 

It was so cute. 

I could see you growing up together to be ridding buddies. 

Gwen rode with Morgan on Angel. I didn't realize it was okay to do that. 

I know I always did it with my cousins when we were kids, 

and as much as I'd LOVE to with you on Gwin, 

I wasn't too keen on the idea. 

Now that I know it's fine we are SO going to start doubling. 

I can't wait. ;) 

Forever

If I don't write something, I never will. I always want to go back and recap for you where I left off. 

For now I'm just going to write on today. I'll "catch up" later, if I get around to it. 

We are back to school as of yesterday. You were not looking forward to it, but by mid-day you said, 
"Maybe I don't hate school like I thought I did." 
I could have told you that. :)

I think this was just the first time you ever really needed a break. 
We all did. It was the perfect timing. 

Many things in our home and family have changed greatly over the past month. 
We know that you don't realize how or why. And it's okay if you never do. 

We know that you know we have been hurting. I pray you have no idea how terribly. 
Nanna has helped us keep you from so much of what you don't deserve or need to go through with us. That's why you have spent so much time with her lately. She has been our God send for you. Never forget that God always takes good care of us.

It is our determination for a better life, home, and family for you that has given us much of the strength and hope to work so hard on what we are striving for.  

We're so grateful to God that the transitions have been smooth and seemingly undisturbing for you. 
We're also very happy that your upbringing is going to be much healthier, giving you a more stable foundation to grow from. 

I'm not sure how you caught on to it, but you've coined it perfectly a few times, and you couldn't be more right; you are finally a kid.

It brings tears to my eyes. It's so true. 
You deserve to be a kid, Zeek. 

We each deserve the blessings that are showing from becoming whole and well together in this family. 

I love you, babe. 

Elf Days Catch Up

Granted, this isn't all that was left. 

We didn't get photos of every single day, as I'd hoped we would.

A few remaining highlights from Spark-Fredo's December surprises:

Apparently, the whole lot of your cats joined Sparky 

for some base jumping off the bridge.

...or maybe they were having their own fun

and strung him up?

And of course, Gold Fish Cracker fishing 

in the bathroom. 

My favorite was the night that Sparky

painted you an adorable cat picture on a canvas  

leaving all the paints and supplies out for us to 

do our own painting to Christmas music 

the morning after. 

 Our sneaky little guy really made some fun for us that day.

And finally, the morning we woke up to Sparky praying

at your new Nativity set.

Even he knows what Christmas is about. :)

DC in Dec '12

  We went to Door County for the week after Christmas. 

I took the three dogs to Uncle Jeff's center,

where they were royally pampered with an entire room set aside just for them

and tons of day time play dates with all the other dogs.

We had an awesome time.

We went to the Wild Tomato for the first time. 

Amazing! 

We went to Hand's On Art.

Your Dad made a bowl. 

I made you a space cat plate.

You made Mea a new cat bowl. 

 One of the guys at the studio offered to take our photos for us. 

It was very nice of him. 

We made good memories

and it's awesome to have pictures of it, too. 

I'm so glad we have DC
and all the years of going on our little vacations
to the same getaway, the same restaurants,
the same beach, and studio, sights and sounds.

It's such a blessing.

Christmas

Our Christmas was awesome.

We were together, with Uncle Tony,

at our own house.

The gifts were piled up under the tree,

some from family and friends on Christmas Eve,

and some from your Dad and me on Christmas day.

You and your Dad spoiled me with some very special gifts. 

Things I will hold dear all my life and never forget.

You loved opening your gifts.

Of course, there were cats,

and bristle blocks (per your request),

more sea monkeys, and some awesome new 

prehistoric sea monsters you can grow yourself!

And more cats!

But among everything you received there was one 

thing that was surely your favorite...

FINALLY, you got your Nerf guns!

You LOVE them, and all their amo,

and the vest Uncle got you to go with them.

We love them too.

You may never know how special it was

for us to all be together this Holiday.

Together, was the best way we could have possibly been.

And your Dad and I got just what we hoped for this Christmas. 

US

Christmas Day at Nanna and Pupa's

We got to share Christmas with your two new cousins!

Michael's new brother and sister Evan and Abby. 

You really like them.

They are great kids!

Nanna and Pupa got you the big Lego mining set

you have wanted your "whole life", as you stated 

upon opening the gift. :)

We had such a fun day playing 

that we didn't even leave to back home until after dark!

Many of the us played in the living room 

with Abby's new kareoke machine.

You, Michael, Even, your Dad, and Uncle Chad

mostly played football in the basement on the XBox. 

It was an awesome and very memorable day. :)

Family Christmas Gathering

Again, not too many photos of this event.

We had our Christmas gathering with the Robinson family.

It was nice for your Dad and I to see our cousins, 

now that everyone is spread out and moved away.

It was especially nice for you and your new cousin Evan

to have some time alone together to get to know each other,

one on one.

Much to our surprise and delight, you were inseparable.

Evan and his sister Abby, are SUCH nice kids, 

and we're so glad to welcome them to our family. 

You, of course, wanted to go home to Nanna's with Evan

to play some more. 

So, we agreed to let you sleep over there,

while your Dad and I went out for the night with 

your Aunt Kim and new Uncle Chad.

It was so nice to be with our family.

All You Want For Christmas...

It finally came out!

 Not much more to say.

You're so sweet!