Lookout Skiing Trip

The Saturday after Christmas we went up with my family to Lookout to ski.  We had an amazing time. 

 Lilah was a skiing pro

 Collins first time snowboarding

 Lilah and Haven on the ski lift

 Ella Bean

 TJ and Hayden. It was also Haydens first time snowboarding.  He did amazing.

Alicia and Jacob

Our Southern Belle

The day after Christmas we found out Belle has oral cancer.  She had a huge tumor underneath her tongue and it had rotten away most of the bottom of her tongue.  She had surgery done to remove 8 inches long 2 inches wide of her tongue.  She came home and wouldn't eat or drink.  She then lost blood supply to the end of her tongue and it began to rot and fall off.  Once again she went into surgery.  She came home and again wouldn't eat or drink.  We were thinking we were going to have to put her down.  But our Belle is a fighter.  She is now eating soft food.  She is drinking as long as we add a bit of milk to her water.  Slowly she is gaining back all the weight she lost.  The results came back and they are giving her 2 to 6 months to live before the cancer comes back.
Its crazy how many memories get tied into a dog.  To me Belle is everything I love and miss about Texas.  We got her shortly after having Collin. I was a super woman back then who was willing to tackle a newborn baby and puppy at the same time! Collin and her are the same age.  To Bryan she is his hunting partner.  The one always by his side.  They have walked many miles together and had many adventures.  She loves to hunt and get those birds :)  
She shares my dad's birthday with him.  She was Rocco's partner in crime and now she is Gunner's best friend.  She loves to spin circles over and over and over again.  She is a jealous b*tch and hates whenever someone else is getting more attention then her.  She has been my running partner and my roller blade puller.  She has traveled all around with us.  She sheds all the time!  She protects, loves, and at times drive us crazy.  Belle is our family.  We are happy to have the extra time with her.  Our family is praying for a healing miracle.  My God is able.  We love our Southern Belle.

2015

Hello to a new year!  Im not going to lie….I already thought it was 2015.  No joke.  The older I get the more I realize time is a crazy thing.  I can't keep up with it.  Im trying to grab on to each day before they sneak past me. Enjoy moments I have before they are gone.  So with that its a new year with a new word :)  

My word for this year is perseverance.  

noun

1.

steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc.,especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

2.

Theology. continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.

"….let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…."

I don't want to start this race running hard and strong and end it weak and limping. I don't want obstacles or hard times in life to hinder me from running my best race. No I do not.  I want to stay steadfast.  I want to hold tight to Gods promises.  To fix my eyes upon Him and keep running.  
I also don't want to get over confident in my race.  Thinking Ive been running for so long and so hard that I have it all figured out.  Thinking Im a spiritual giant.  I want to remember that I am weak, broken, easily entangled in sin, and in need of a savior.  Throw off my pride and stubbornness.  Come to Him with a humble heart.
My prayer this year is for my faith never to become lukewarm or stale.  For God to move through me and into others lives.  That I use His strength to continue the race marked out before me.    

Collin needs milk

This is the story of Collin and the milk container.  Collin decides he will have cereal for breakfast.  The milk in the fridge is gone so he goes out to the garage to get another gallon.  The milk is from Costco so it is wrapped in plastic (one of many reasons why I hate Costco milk!) and he can not get the plastic off. He decides he needs his pocket knife to do the job.  Collin tries to use his pocket knife to cut off the plastic wrap but ends up poking a huge hole in the milk container.  He walks in the kitchen, finds Parker, and tells Parker he needs some tape.  Collin takes the tape and tries to tape over the hole in the milk container.  However, it is not working.  By this time I walk in the kitchen to find him taking a big roll of paper towels out to the garage.  We did end up saving some of the milk and he was able to have his cereal :)

Football and Rain

Saturday we headed up to Pullman Wa with our friends for a WSU football game.  It was a day full of rain, coffee, nachos, and ponchos!!!  I must say we did end up leaving in the 3rd quarter as the Cougs were getting their butts kicked.  We left to eat sushi though so it was a win for us!

 

Halloween

We started the night off with Bryan's amazing chili!!!  He should seriously compete in a contest.  Hands down the best chili around.

Can I tell you how happy I am that we got another year of Halloween dressing up out of Parker.  Chantel (his girlfriend) and him went as Mickey and Minnie this year :)  I must say it was pretty adorable!

Lilah was a masquerade princess and Collin was Peyton Manning.

We packed the house full this year.  My sister stayed with the kids and her husband Scott came down. Our dear friends Nate and Annie came over with their three littles. And Lilah had a friend from school over.  The ladies got Starbucks and walked the kids around the neighborhood.  The guys sat on the porch passing out candy.  We all met back up with great stories about the night.  

We found this crazy bug while out trick or treating.  We brought it back in a baggie for the guys to see. After researching we found out it was a Jerusalem Cricket.  I must say it was pretty creepy looking. Have you ever seen one?!?

  

Hibernation Mode

Summer has left and the cold has crept in. Fall is here with Winter looming close behind. Its raining and dark out today.  When it gets like this I go into "Hibernation Mode."  It entails lots of coffee, hair in a bun on the top of my head, and a comfy pair of sweats.  I will most likely read lots of books.  There is nothing better then a good book.  Any suggestions??  I also find this as my time to slow down.  Reflect on my inner self and really listen to God.  Its my time to grow personally.  It can be a hard time and I struggle with a lot of emotions.  God will prune and reveal. However through the hard part of it always comes something better.  He will help me grow in my relationship with Him, He will work through insecurities with me, and He will use all I go through to help someone else.