January 2018

We were very much ready for the New Year by the time it arrived. January is ALWAYS a difficult month. I don't know how or why, but somehow Derek ALWAYS gets night shifts somehow...

This year I got to coach volleyball for the young women at our church again every Friday night. We had so much fun and took 2nd place AGAIN this year!

It was so chilly here in San Antonio and WE LOVED IT!

We even had an ice day at school and stayed home to jump on the trampoline full of ICE!

It was a busy and exhausting month and of course ended with the 1 year of Dad's passing and it brought back a slew of emotions, BUT we made it through the month and had a lot of fun along the way!

Eden purchased face paints with her Christmas money and enjoyed making creations on her face and all her siblings. She is going to be a really talented artist when she gets older. I'm so impressed with what she creates already! She is a gray cat!

I finally took the kids out of the house and visited with actual real live people! I find I really like hiding in my hole called a house and need to get better at stepping out. We all had so much fun! I spun Connor a little too much on this spinner and then put him on the swings at the very end of our adventure and the poor kid threw up all over. It was so sad and I felt so bad, but he didn't seem to mind much. It was fun to get in fresh air and just PLAY!

My Christmas present from Derek! We named her "Dora the Explorer".

I LOVE HER SO MUCH!

I let the kids play on the playground after school one day. This is my love/hate relationship with that. I LOVE that the kids play outside. I HATE the sand. But, they had so much fun so we rolled with it.

Kael purchased these tiny little caterpillars with his Christmas money.

Worth every penny!

I thought I might have overheated them the first day and killed them because they stopped moving, BUT all 5 lived and grew and became beautiful butterflies we could release. It was AMAZING!

I love that my kids like learning new things and just trying them out!

Kael got the "Thunderbird award" on Thursday Jan. 11th. I had it on my calendar and I still forgot to go! It broke my heart. I missed both Eden and Kael this year. I'm just so grateful for good friends who snapped a picture for me and thought of me! It's basically student of the month.

Derek somehow got off early that day and because I felt so bad we surprised the kids with McDonald's at school for lunch! They seemed to really like that. It was a first for Derek being able to eat lunch with them and made all right in the world. It was a really great day.

Connor still loves dressing up. He was pikachoo today.

Derek worked nights during stake conference, but we risked trying to go and it was so much fun! The kids got to sit on the floor and color in the primary room while parents watched on a projector. It was so nice finally being able to go and sit and not worry about screaming kids, which totally happened at least once. I've got the best kids who try so hard to be good even when it's tough.

A month is never complete without visiting our Pinkston family and snapping a photo. It is our happy place. It brings our family so much joy to be with people who love us! Connor was loving on these pups that day and I had to snap a photo. They are so cuddly and friendly, but still accidentally knock him over ALL the time. They are the sweetest dogs though who you can't help but love and cuddle. They are like big bears. We love our Albus and Luna.

The next day brought pinewood derby prep. It wasn't until February, but Derek was working A LOT and knew he would miss the derby, so we got to work! It turned out amazing and I'm so proud of those boys! We had to take some breaks and play at the playground.

The Reaper!

We have loved the chilly weather, which has been so good for walks and playground!

Sweaters and jackets have been so nice!

Our ice day consisted of bundling up and playing on the trampoline and then curling up and watching shows all day. It was really cold, but so fun! The kids wished it would snow so bad, and it just wouldn't. Doesn't mean we couldn't have some fun though.

 The caterpillars grew so much! It was gross! The next day they all started forming the J shape to make their chrysalis.

This sweet boy won't stop growing too.

 The caterpillars hanging in a J and then they magically formed chrysalis. It really seemed like magic.

These two silly stinkers are always asking to get their photo taken. They get along so well, and Connor just adores Elara and she mothers him so well. I love seeing how the kids interact together and the beautiful relationships they are creating with each other.

Waiting to become butterflies! Habitat all set up and ready!

 Poor Eden catches strep throat every single year! She can't get a break. I'm pretty sure Elara had it too, but it was over the weekend and by Monday she was feeling better and then poor Eden got hit.

Good thing she has these two dogs to comfort and love her.

When life is too exhausting to get up off the floor. The poor girls were so sick.

So thankful for modern medicine that can make them feel so much better and Dad could take them on a daddy daughter date for donuts and chocolate milk.

 It didn't take too long to bounce back and have epic dress up battles with her little brother.

Me and my volleyball girls!

2nd place! We will get Cibolo next year! Couldn't have done this year without the amazing Amy Hunter. That lady has mad volleyball coaching skills and was so fun to play with!

These girls bring me so much joy! Eden and Elara cannot wait to grow up and be just like them.

I'm so glad for the good examples they are for my girls and how hard they worked to improve their volleyball skills!

Dad was cheering us on I'm sure. He gave us that extra edge we needed.

Pinkston party at Mamacita's!

We cannot get enough of these people and this good food!

Kael insisted I take a picture of his big chip.

They became butterflies!!! It was an amazing journey and I thank Kael for this amazing experience sharing his Christmas present with his family. 

It was so much fun! Kind of gross at times, but life is SO AMAZING! Heavenly Father has set the perfect plan and these creatures were beautiful and seeing a small part of creation and the miracle that it takes for a caterpillar to become a butterfly was just inspiring.

We ended the month with this HOOLIGAN!

Those are indeed my camp papers... He felt that I needed to reorganize my camp books, so he helped me out and had a dance party on all the papers. Instead of getting mad I took a photo and then reorganized my book because it was much needed.

I love my little Monster!

My visiting teacher brought me flowers on Dad's one year anniversary. It was so nice to remember. I thought I was doing great until the one year hit and all the memories came back and it was hard not to be full of emotions for the next month. It was a really difficult experience, but I'm glad I was chosen for it. I learned from young women's that we were divinely chosen for this life and I can stand and say why not me now. I miss my Dad every day. I miss calling him and telling him stories. I miss asking for advice that I probably already know, but I love his reassurance that I'm on the right track. I miss playing basketball with him. I miss his hugs. I miss his goofy face. I miss so many things.

But, it was the trial we needed to face and why not me?!

I want to take what I have learned and help others who may go through similar experiences. I want to help and comfort, and support others with the knowledge I've gained.

So why not me?