2013 - 2014

Where in the world did 2014 go?

Life has been crazy, busy and wonderful all at the same time.

Usually at the end of every year I reflect on the past and post my goals for the future..... guess what? I started that post.... and just deleted it because we are already in the middle of January and I just barely reopened my Blogger. Time flies when you're having fun! Sometimes even when your not.

2013 Holidays - They were hectic but good.

Thanksgiving 2013 I spent alone at home and working a second job at Macy's to pay towards Alexys' cheer fees. The kiddos were the lucky ones and went with Paul to see Grandma and Grandpa Brooks in Eastern Oregon. They both had a great time and were blessed to have lots of with their grandparents.
Chandler, Paul and Grandpa Steve went camping on the Summit Creek Property the day after Thanksgiving. They spent the night in the new cabin, made huge fires, and Chandler even got to drive Paul and Grandpa Steve around in Grandpa's new UTV. He said he really had a great time and it was special to have one-on-one time with family. Alexys on the other hand got spoiled by Grandpa Gerri doing Black Friday Shopping in Baker for the first time. Grandma Gerri took her to pick out her birthday gifts and just have a wonderful girls day! I am so blessed that the Brooks Family really spent some extra time with the kiddo's over Thanksgiving break and made it extra special for them. It was hard for me to have the holiday without the kids but it was for a good cause.

Christmas 2013 was wonderful. The kids and I really missed all of our family in Utah but it was nice for us to have a Christmas at home with no where to go this year.

Our 2013 Christmas Tree

Christmas Eve we all took the train to downtown Portland and the kids passed out hats to the homeless and each had a set amount that they were given to bless the homeless. It was a really neat experience to watch the kids try to find the people that they felt needed their blessings the most. As a mom, I had plenty of tear filled moments as I saw the kids reaching outside of their comfort zones and really trying to make connections with people. I do have to say this was the highlight of Christmas for me. It was everything I hoped it could be.

Christmas Eve Dinner Table Setting



Paul and the kids sorting out gifts!



The stockings were hung...

After blessing the homeless in Portland we went home and made Christmas Eve Dinner together as a family, opened up our presents and watched Christmas movies until we were all ready for sleep.

Christmas morning we all slept in.... woke up and went through our stockings to see what great surprises Santa Clause left us.... and spent the entire day as a family in our jammies watching movies. It was the best ever!!!

New Year's Eve...... I was sick and in bed early. Alexys went with Jordan to a family party and Paul and Chandler slept through the new year with me. See how fun our family is? LOL

So now on to 2014. We are simply blessed. Alexys had a brief set back with cheer because of a MCL Strain but by the first of the year she was back and working hard. Her Competition Season has officially started and is going to be crazy and exciting. We are really excited for all of the trips we get to take and places we will have the opportunity to see throughout the season. Here are a few pictures from this month so far.

Alexys!

Alexys and Jordan. So glad he came to support her doing what she loves!

Waiting for awards.

P4 Team

Alexys, Coach AmyLynn and Coach Heather. Best coaches ever!

Alexys and her Coaches having fun!

Competition Floor

Thankfully I am done working at Macy's since it was only a seasonal position and was blessed to be offered extra hours for a couple months at my day time job. I plan to enjoy my children, be thankful, be happy and be positive. When one door closes another one opens and we really have gotten off to a great start this year.

Who knows when I will be able to update next - from now till mid April I will be busy working, working, working, being a Mom and a Cheer Mom. Every weekend has something to do with cheer so if you don't hear from me.... I am okay, Just enjoying my children. :) Much Love

SUMMER

TGIF - Happy Friday Peeps

April through August had it's ups and it's downs; major highs and some rock bottom lows. All I can say is that I am thankful and grateful for the friends and family members who supported me no matter how right, wrong or indifferent my decisions have been. You know who you are...... THANK YOU!

Over the summer we had some great times. We took at trip to Las Vegas in June and hung out on the strip.

We got a family tattoo... temporary

Alexys designed them :)

Hung out at the pool

which had really cold water.

Alexys, Paul and I went to the Miss USA Pageant at Planet Hollywood Resorts. She totally should have been a contestant.... and would have won!

 And that was the point that Paul and I decided it might be worth it to do it all over again. No we are not remarried and who knows if we ever will be. But my children got their "daddy" back and we are moving onward. Paul visited us in Utah over the 4th of July weekend which made it very easy for us to decide to take the leap. Shortly after that I was giving my notice to ESG, which was harder than I had thought it would be because I really enjoyed working with the AMAZING people I encountered there.

The kids and I arrived in Oregon just a couple days before Paul's birthday, this was planned so that it would be special and as you could tell from my previous post it was. From there the kids and I spent a few weeks settling in, took our last summer trip up to Eastern Oregon for Labor Day to spend time with the Brooks family in Summit Creek camping. On the way there we stopped at Multnomah Falls which is even more beautiful than Bridavale in person.This was was the weekend Paul taught Chandler to drive! He was pretty fabulous driving a stick shift for the first time.

Columbia River

There was a peek of our summer.... Alexys was cheering for RCHS and it was fast, crazy and furious. It was hard for her to move because she didn't want to leave her school or her cheer squad behind however I still believe that everything happens for a reason and we had even more changes with the kids starting school and the beginning of Fall... All of which I will talk about in my next post.

Everything Happens For A Reason

I have lived by the words "Everything Happens For A Reason" for a long time. I firmly believe these words. I know we all have freedom of choice and we can choose our paths in life but I still believe that God is driving things and there is a reason for the outcomes; sometimes simply a life lesson that needs to be learned. 

By all means life hasn't always been easy. I have had some major bumps in the road, major highs and lows. I am blessed for each of them though. Each bump, high, low, hill to climb or pit I feel like I am falling into has made me the person I am. 

2012 Has had some all time highs and some all time lows. This year has been a year of of joy and happiness; also a year of loss, tears and sorrow. 2013 our little trio is starting off with some major changes, struggles and challenges but I believe that we will pull through and hope that it is going to be a great year. Essentially we are starting over; not fresh but a new beginning. 

I think today I will enjoy reflecting on our year and all of the highlights because tomorrow is a new year, a new start, a new beginning and for us a new change - 2013 Will be the year that WE MAKE IT!

On a side note: This blog will replace our previous family blog, it will also replace our Arizona blog because even though we will remember all of those good times we are starting over - so it was fitting to create a new blog where I can share our new lives, the up and the downs. 

Be Happy, Be Safe, Be Thankful, Be Grateful, Be Strong. HAPPY New Year!