Wrapping up 2018!

Here we are, the last day of 2018! It. Has. Been. A. Crazy. Year. It has had some of the best, happiest times of my life all the way to some of the most sad. It has been full of laughter, tears, frustration, challenges, triumphs, losses, gains, beginnings, and endings. It has taken me to each extreme of emotion on the scale, and most of the ones in between. It has made me more introspective, more aware, and I hope more compassionate. It has taught me new things about myself, and reminded me of things I had forgotten. As bumpy as the ride has been, I wouldn't change a thing.

Tonight is another change...Cooper and I will be ringing in the new year without Amelia. She is 14 and 3/4, so she will be going to the New Year's Eve bash at the junior high, along with every youth in the area from 14-18 years old. She will have a fabulous time, she will make wonderful memories, and she will always remember her first New Year's Eve dance. But Coop and I are gonna miss her.

Christmas 2018!

Here are a few pictures from our Call Christmas party, and Christmas morning. It was different and hard to not have my dad there this year, but I know he's in a much better place and will always be watching out for us. I'm so grateful for these wonderful kids of mine. They are the best! Merry Christmas!

December almost in one post!

I'm going to just cram almost all of December into one post, so brace yourself. First up, the Nutcracker! Both Amelia and Cooper were in it this year. Amelia ended up being in 3 dances, plus a solo because she was understudying for an older girl who hurt her ankle. I may be biased, but Amelia did an amazing job! I have never seen her dance better! She kept up with those juniors and seniors like a pro! Here are a few pictures of the performance and rehearsals:

Amelia in her maid costume:

Amelia in her Snowflake costume ( I didn't get her in the Arabian, but trust me, she looked cute):

Cooper in his costume. He was the "book boy" this year, and did a fabulous job!

THESE kids! Love them so much!

After the Nutcracker, we were thrown into Christmas concerts! Up first was Cooper's choir:

Cooper is getting really good with his guitar playing, so he was able to show off his skill during the concert:

Right after Cooper's concert, Amelia had her orchestra concert:

I also want to take this time to point out Cooper has now passed Amelia in high by 1/2 in. He was on his tiptoes in this picture, and she had on heels. It's not quite that big of difference yet. Here's a picture of the morning Amelia found out her little brother had surpassed her in height:

Next post: Christmas! 

November wrap-up

I'm behind! The holidays seem to just make each day fly by and I don't realize how far behind I am until it's been almost a month! Here's what happened for the rest of November:

Sadly, my sweet father passed away a few days before Thanksgiving, so that week was spent with funeral arrangements, reminiscing, and spending time with family members. We didn't get many pictures, but we do have this one of the kid's first limo ride:

Although we weren't in much a celebratory mood, we had Thanksgiving:

The rest of November was a bit of blur, between prepping for the Nutcracker and getting ready for Christmas! Next up: Nutcracker, holiday concerts, and Christmas!

Milestones

These last few weeks have had some major milestones! First, Cooper had his last primary program. In April, he'll turn 12 and go into young men. Crazy to think about. Here is a pic from Sunday morning:

He did a fabulous job and I was a little teary when it was over.

The next milestone has been a long time coming: 

One year, 11 months, 2 weeks, and 1 day.

That's how long this girl had her braces on! She got them off yesterday! She was so excited, but a little sad to not see her orthodontist family regularly. While getting braces doesn't seem like a big deal, Amelia has gone through soooo much (surgeries, teeth pulling, stitches), I'm so proud of her for sticking with it! Her orthodontist gave her a bag of candy she couldn't eat while she had braces, and she signed the wall. 

Now she's just added a few thousand to her million dollar smile. 😉 Love you, Amelia!!!

Next up, Thanksgiving and the Nutcracker!

Straw Maze, Pumpkin Patch, and Trunk-or-Treat!

Next up on our October adventures was the straw maze! I love going each year, and while I still get completely lost, somehow Cooper has a sixth sense and can get out. Or it could be that he went with his class earlier in the week. 😂  It was an unseasonably warm day, and all of us were sweating by the time we found our way out. Here are some pictures:

Poor Amelia always gets attacked when I say, "funny picture".

Also, it was on this fateful day, October 20, 2018 that Cooper finally became as tall as Amelia. He was ecstatic! She was a little less so! 

Then today we had time to go to the pumpkin patch and pick out our pumpkins. We tried to take a family selfie......and you can see how they turned out: 

We did manage to get a few less than goofy pictures...kinda:

 We're planning on carving the pumpkins tomorrow, so I'll post when they are finished. Lastly, we had our ward's trunk-or-treat last night. Amelia wore her very expensive tutu, and Cooper was Percy Jackson from the Lightning Thief. Both came away with more candy then they can eat!

Cooper's last primary program next!