Grandma and Grandpa Crazy

I have cool Grandparents. I really do. I have been able to get to know all four of them. Grandpa Kent left this life August of 2003 and I miss him greatly. Gramma Happy is just that, happy so loving and involved in life. She has taught me many things about life and has provided me with guidance in many parts of my life. This post is about Grandma and Grandpa Crazy though... They are cowboys in every sense of the word. They are both in their 80's and still live alone, run a farm, and teach and take care of so many people. Well they were taking care of us again Friday. They got on the ATV and went up in the mountains to go find Christmas trees for all of us.  About 6 miles into the canyon the ATV started smoking and broke down. Grandma and Grandpa were stuck with out a cell phone and no way to keep warm. With more strength than I can imagine they both made it 2 miles in the dark night it was 15 degrees. They kept falling and both got very scratched up. Then grandma had to give up. Grandpa is so brave he keep going he made it 5 miles and then he couldn't make it up the last hill. Luckily someone came into the canyon and found Grandpa they drove to where Grandma was and brought them out of the canyon. My aunts and Mom insisted that they go to the hospital, they are both doing OK. Grandma has frostbite on her lower legs, and may loose toes or her feet, they both are dehydrated but they are doing well all things considered. Again they are teaching me so many lessons, the strength of love, the strength of the will to live, and that age is an attitude not a number. I love you Gram and Grampa Crazy, thank you for the gift of knowing you.

National Toy Hall of Fame

Well this is great!!! They have inducted the stick into the toy hall of fame. I am thrilled. While shopping for Christmas toys this year I was taken aback by the the amount of useless toys in the US. Honestly! So the stick will join the cardboard box in the national toy hall of fame.  I thought that my grandparents, my parents, my husband and I, and my children have all played with and enjoyed the stick. So congratulations to the stick I am actually thinking of wrapping up a stick to put under the tree for my kids, I'll even put it in a cardboard box.

To help you all reminisce about your own childhood I have found a list of the toys that are members of the National Toy Hall of Fame. 

Alphabet Blocks

Barbie (I disagree with this one)

Bicycle

Candy Land

Cardboard Box

Checkers

Crayola Crayons

Duncan Yo Yo Set

Erector Set

Etch a Sketch

Frisbee

G.I. Joe

Hula Hoop

Jack In The Box

Jacks

Jigsaw Puzzle

Jump Rope

LEGO

Lincoln Logs

Marbles

Monopoly

Mr. Potato Head

Play Dough

Radio Flyer Wagon

Raggedy Ann

Rocking Horse

Roller Skates

Scrabble

Silly Putty

Slinky

Stick

Teddy Bear

TinkerToy

Tonka Trucks

View Master

Veteran's Day

Veteran's day has become such an important holiday in my life in the last six years. I used to not even celebrate the holiday and only knew it was Veteran's Day if I looked on a calender. Now I remember those men who have given of themselves and their family's who have given part of their heart. I remember those that never came home and those that came home with visible or not visible scars. I remember my grandfathers who sacrificed so much. I am proud of my military heritage. Today when I called my grandfather to tell him thank you (a new tradition that I began about 4 years ago) I became sad because I thought back to my grandpa Kent and how I never told him that I appreciate the sacrifice that he made to give me the life that I lead now. Thank you Grandpa I love you and I miss you. 

Tonight I will hold Michael and My Boys a little tighter when we have family cuddles and book reading time. I will remember that freedom is not free. I will remember Grandpa Kent, and Grandpa Steve. I will have Miles call his Papa Jay to thank him. I will cry happy tears for being able to hold my soldier tonight and sad tears for those who are separated from their soldier.

Mickey Ears

So Ari and I received one of the best wake ups from our Sunday nap.  A little explanation, in March 2008 our family went to Disneyland and we bought both boys Mickey Ears.  Miles loves to wear his Ears.  So today he has been running around in just his Ears and boxer briefs.  I took  his Ears off before going down for the nap.  Apparently he woke up from his nap and immediately put those ears and came running into our room.  As we are laying their we hear him run in, and climb up on the bed and peak over my shoulder.  This is what we found!

#27

It's official.  We are, as of this afternoon number 27 on the AAC Adoption waiting list for the placement of our little one prayed for, Abeni.  We are so freaking excited....  So here is a picture of 27 dominos representing ourselves on the list.

First letter to Abeni

I have decided at every major adoption milestone I will write a letter to Abeni, so when she is older and wonders she can know just how loved she was before she was ever born. 

Abeni,

     Today we mailed in the Formal application to adopt you. But did you know..... before Daddy and I even got married we talked about adopting you. Did you know..... even though we weren't the first people to hold you we held you in our hearts for years before we held you in our arms. Did you know...... Miles and Isaac waited for you too. Miles often tells me "we are missing our stister Abeni." He also shared his fruit snacks with you before you were born. Did you know...... we thought about you planned for you and worried about you for years before we finally held you. So today as we officially begin our journey to you I wanted you to know that we love you little girl. We are waiting anxiously to see your face to hold your hand to learn about the person you are and watch you grow into the woman you will be.

Love Mom

Happy Halloween

Last night was Halloween; one of my favorite holidays. The boys both got lots of opportunities to wear their costumes this year and even go to do a little trick or treating during the week. Miles trick or treated at his pre-school party, Isaac trick or treated at Kids on the Move. Thursday night we had our Halloween dinner. We ate yummy mummies, bat wings, and monster brains. All three of my boys loved it. After dinner my Mom called and asked us to come trick or treating at the state volleyball tournament so she would have a chance to see the boys in costume. Because the state volleyball game falls on Halloween the volleyball team (aunt Havala) trick or treat a day early in the hotel. The girls were still playing when we got to the hotel so we played in the leaves and made leaf monsters and leaf storms. Well the trick or treating never happened, we tried hard but it just didn't happen. So Miles and Isaac trick or treated to Omma and PaPa's van and then to Karli and Carson's car. Friday was a crazy day, I woke up to the wonderful news that the money we needed to pay for the first phase of little miss's adoption was finally in our account. I wrote out a check and finished up the paperwork. Michael got off early so we finished up costumes and made mini caramel apples together. Then the boys woke up from their naps and jjyyy b cccc Isaac is helping me post where was I. Oh yeah so we all went and mailed the paperwork. Michael and I are excited, it feels like finally getting to start opening that present on Christmas morning. We went to Grandma and Grandpas and did a trick or treat. Then we went to Karen and Juli's I never quite know what to expect out of them on Halloween. This year they were witches and the garage was a spook alley, Everyone looked so great in their costumes and we got to laugh and play like we were all kids. I think that is why I love Halloween; it is an excuse for adults to imagine again.