oops! another year has past.......

here's the run down.....

In JANUARY Cloey started Special Olympics track & field! She was on a unified team, meaning she had a typical peer to help her and their scores were averaged. She had a lot of fun and won 3 medals! She also won 1st place at a Special Olympics Dance contest. As a family we went up North for a "snow day" after a big storm. the kids really had fun, but everybody agreed it was fun to visit but wouldn't be fun to live with!

In FEBRUARY we went to a hoop dancing competition at the Heard museum with grandma (my mom). I enjoyed going to these when I was a kid and was excited to share that experience with my kids. I think they thought it was pretty cool. Cal started going to Lego Club at the local library with one of his best friends and it became a much looked forward to activity every other week. He also started a home school enrichment program where he goes to "school" every Friday with other home schooled kids and works on science and fun enrichment activities. He's made a lot of friends there and really enjoys it. I enjoy not having to teach Science at home anymore ; )

MARCH brought Cloey's 9th birthday! I told her she wasn't allowed to be 10 because that would mean I was old. She still asks me if she can "please be 10" I haven't agreed to let that happen yet. Our family participated in the Make-a-Wish walk. It felt good to give back to an organization that gave so much to us, It was a lot of fun too! We went to the Easter egg hunt in our neighborhood and of course the Easter bunny came

APRIL was crazy busy. We participated in CAST fishing day, a special day at lake pleasant were special kids and their families are given the opportunity to go fishing. Generous Fisherman took us out on their boats, Lainey was the only one who actually caught a fish and she loved it! Shy little Lainey was laughing and giggling and even reached out and touched it on her own. Cal and Ty have never had a successful fishing day despite several attempts so this was especially funny since Lainey was on my boat and their boat was the one that came up empty handed. At the end they wanted a picture of the "CAST kid" with the fish, so we held the fish up next to Cloey and she backed up as far as she could she wanted nothing to do with it, but she got a fish trophy anyway and is very proud of it! Lainey turned 4 and had a diva party at the nail salon with a few of her friends. Cloey had her 10th set of ear tubes placed, this time they put in semi-permanent T-tubes and we haven't had any problems since (knock on wood) Ty participated in the Pat Tilman, he enjoyed it and hopes to do it again next year. He also took Cal on an overnight Father's & son's outing, They rode around in a jeep and shot things. That's all I know & probably all I want to know. They both said they had a lot of fun.

MAY brought Cal's Baptism! I can't believe what a big boy he has become. It was exciting to see him growing up and making decisions for himself. We are so proud of him. We also started taking Cloey to Ryan House. A hospice & palliative care facility for children. This place is so fun & full of loving volunteers to listen to all of Cloey's "Guess What?'s" It gives us the opportunity to take Cal & Lainey to things like water parks & camping that Cloey can't do. It also gives them (and us) a break from her constant care. The facility has nurses & volunteers around the clock, but it feels more like camp then a hospital. The unexpected benefit has been the all the great friends she has made. I also started helping out with my Grandma (who is trying to fix up her house) & Great Grandma (who moved to a care home in Gilbert) more. Both of these women did so much for me growing up, I'm enjoying helping them now.

JUNE We took a 5 day trip to my family's cabin, near Flagstaff. Cloey got to go to Ryan house & we took the other kids to play in the woods I played in as a kid. We got to visit with Ty's cousin's family and had a really good time at the park in the cooler weather. I believe we also played a game of Uno late into the night, Cal won. I got to run away with my girlfriends to see Eclipse (the best of the twilight movies so far) and.........WE CELEBRATED OUR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!!! we got to go to a Scottsdale resort alone. (thanks Ryan house & J), we ate at fancy restaurants, window shopped at Scottsdale fashion square, & hung out by the pool and looked like regular 20 somethings who don't have 3 kids at home and a schedule full of Doctor appointments, therapies, meetings, IEP plan meetings at school, and beeping breathing machines. Guess what we found out?! We still REALLY like each other. It was great. but we did miss our little guys and the hugs we got when we got home were extra sweet.

JULY gave us a special visit from one of my best friends growing up & her new husband . (My Aunt who I spent every summer with). It was a welcome visit, They hung out with lonely me on the 4th while Ty worked. We also took a trip to Cincinnati Children's hospital to try and get some answers for Cloey. (read about it at princesscloey.blogspot.com)

AUGUST we were given GREAT seats to a Diamondback game by Ryan house, It was a lot of fun, Cal & Ty got to go with his best friend and his dad, and got a baseball! Then me Ty, Cal & Lainey went and Cal got another one! The seats were so close and right behind the dugout, we could see the sweat on the guys faces, even I thought it was cool. Cloey wasn't able to go because it was not handicapped seating, but Make-A-Wish provided us with some tickets later and we all got to go that time. They had so much fun & Baxter danced with Cloey. we took Cal & Lainey to Wet-n-wild water park too. That place is crazy! but the kids loved it, and we had fun chasing them around. Then my BFF moved away. We were all sad to see her family go, my kids lost their BFF's too. I guess this means we will have to vacation in CO at some point : )

SEPTEMBER I was in a stupid car accident, nobody was really hurt. I was sore from the airbag but cal was totally fine. We were the only one's in the car. It shook me up pretty good and really did a number on our van, which we were in no place to repair. Luckily some angels were there for us and we will never forget that. We realized how lucky we are that nobody was seriously hurt and that we have people who love us & are there for us. Then Ty turned 30 (better him then me) I took him fishing and to Dave's BBQ for lunch. Than another pretty lady took him to a dance (Cloey) he says it was a pretty good day. Little Lainey also started Preschool! She has really opened up and is loving it.

OCTOBER After fighting with Cloey's school for 18 months, they once again refused to provide the services she requires. They thought she was unable to learn in the classroom, and even though AZ disability law assured me that we had a case, we decided that if they didn't want our Cloey they weren't gonna have the blessing of having her in their school! This combined with Ty working in Scottsdale, my grandma needing help in Tempe, and all the other things we were driving around for, made us make the tough decision to move to Tempe. Someday we will be able to settle down. On the up side Ty and the kids buikt an awesome box fort in our new backyard that provided hours of fun. Ty work on Halloween, but was home for our church party the day before so we got to go to that together as a family and get to know our new ward. Cal was a bounty hunter from Star Wars the Clone Wars, Cloey was Ariel & Lainey was a Lainey-bug Princess. They are getting so big!

NOVEMBER After doing a little lactation counseling & teaching childbirth classes, I was offered a midwife apprenticeship. This is something I thought I would do after my kids were much older, and honestly didn't think I could do with Cloey. The midwife I am apprenticing with has been flexible and people in my life have really stepped up to help out and make it possible. I am really loving it and although it is a lot of hard work and I haven't quite figured out how to balance it with my family, I really think it's something I can be good at some day.

We are loving our little family and most of the time we love the craziness too. Thanks to all of you for peaking into, or being apart of our lives. And to all of our angels (you know who you are) We love you and THANK YOU for all you do!

Merry Christmas!