Highlights-Lowlights

Highlights of 2010...

• Getting accepted to a master's program of nursing
• Paul's new job at Mercy, CMICU
• Daddy-Daughter Dance
• Going to Energy game with Connor
• I finished a run/walk- 2 miles in 22:23 minutes!
• Black-eyed Pea's concert with friends
• Connor's Little League
• Olivia's preschool/library visits
• My weekend with God in Minnesota; Pacem in Terris
• Connor Graduated from Tiger Scouts
• Baby Evan born in May
• My niece, Alex, graduated from High School
• Connor's birthday party with friends
• Connor's birthday party with family
• Olivia's tumbling
• Mom & Dad's Okoboji Anniversary Family Vacation
• Three baby nieces born in July!
• Grandma and Grandpa's swimming pool visits
• Connor passed Swimming lessons, on to stroke development!
• Connor living history farms camp
• Connor basketball camp
• Mercy Me concert with friends
• Cubs game with the kids
• Connor starting 2nd Grade
• Olivia's birthday party
• Olivia starting preschool
• I started college
• Olivia started dance classes
• Paul duck hunting and bringing home some ducks
• Pumpkin Patch visit
• Family get-togethers
• Watching Mary Poppins with friends
• Watching Cinderella with the girls
• Passing my first semester with a GPA 3.57!!

Low lights of 2010...

• Connor's concussion after a blow to the head with a bat on the way to the concession stand
• The episodes my back went out
• When the neighbor's tree fell in our yard and on our house
• Connor's high fever during Thanksgiving
• Barfy Christmas
• Unsuccessful weight-loss or exercise regimen

So all in all, the highlights definitely outnumber the low lights. Here's looking to a new year of highlights and low lights; the combo of the two provides a celebration of life.......

Looking forward to in 2011...

• Spring semester in college
• Spring semester of adjuncting for local college nursing students
• Connor's first reconciliation
• Olivia's spring preschool
• Connor's swim lessons
• Going to see James and the Giant Peach with Connor
• Connor's First Communion
• Olivia's dance recital
• Becky's wedding
• Connor's birthday
• Brett and Katie's wedding
• Trip to Chicago
• Vacation at Minnesota Washburn Lake
• Starting second year in college
• Connor starting 3rd grade
• Olivia's birthday
• Olivia starting second year of preschool
• Family get-togethers

Slip, Sliding Away!

Our snow angel!
Making a snowman at G&G Roberts' was a must per Olivia.
Poor Frosty didn't make it through the night, it was so warm outside!

Sledding down the hill with G. Roberts.

Big boy with his sled.

Going over the ramps!

Now the snow is melt, melting away!

Peace on Earth

Christmas eve day, the snow fell and accumulated on the ground--totaling to 5 inches. Paul and Olivia, drowsy and fatigued by their illness, laid in the master bed watching television. Connor and I played games and napped and I secretly worried who the next victim of the illness would be.

I held vigil by the telephone awaiting to see if I would be called off or into work. 2:20-don't need to come in, call and check in...5:20-stay home and Merry Christmas. After the first call, I decided to make a ham and a potato casserole for Connor and myself. Paul sauntered out for a taste of chicken noodle soup (our traditional post-illness soup from Dahl's) and he returned to bed with a reminder of his illness.

At one point in the evening, I let the dogs out and noticed the peacefulness the night offered. Sparkling snow flakes quietly, gently falling. A surreal sense of calm. I asked Connor if he wanted to walk in a winter wonderland and he just rolled his 7-year old eyes at me. So I made an excuse to go outside by taking the trash and recycling out. I sucked in the cool, crisp air and said a little prayer. What a magical night and a great celebration of our Lord, indeed! I stuck my head in the threshold and asked Connor to fetch the camera and then I took these pics.

Fresh-fallen snow on Christmas lights embellish the decor.
Love the sparkling snow, as if an angel scattered glitter on the snow.

Earlier that day, our front yard plants and bushes were blanketed with the snow.

A view from our front door, we live near a busy road but it was quiet and barren.

After dinner, Grandma and Grandpa Roberts came over to play games, but the game-playing was interrupted by Connor falling victim to the illness. We still worked our way through the traditional bed time stories read only on the night before Christmas. It was another sleepless night in the Roberts' household, interrupted with bouts of barfing.

The next morning, there was still excitement and joy but expressed in a volume 10 decibels lower than usual. I sat and looked around at my family, white as the snow, and decided this is Christmas 2010. I didn't take any pictures because I wanted to spare my poor family and plus, the flash would not reflect well off their poor, pallid faces.

I fasted and napped and watch the kids spring back to life by the end of the day, even their cheeks gradually pinked up. I ,on the other hand, felt the doom of being the next victim.

It's been four days and no signs, but I can't say if I'm confident that I dodged the barfing bullet. Hopefully, I was spared due to my recent jacked back...but like all things it's out of my control, so I'll just let it roll.

So my friends and family, this is my 2010 Christmas reality; I was still able to find some beauty out of our unlucky experience.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Unexpected

This week has been unusual:

I laid flat on my back from Monday-Thursday because my back went out and I've narrowed the cause to going to Curves on Friday and working out 110%. It felt good at the time but boy did it bite me back hard!

Just when I thought things were going better, Paul comes home last night feeling sick and barfs all night long. By 0500 am, Olivia started where he left off. So now half of our family is down with the "barfies" and Connor and I are hoping not to get sick.

On the bright side, we have about 3 inches of snow outside and it's going to be a beautiful white Christmas!

AND, I'm supposed to work tonight at the hospital but we're down to 5 patients and I willl probably more than likely get low-census'd. We usually have just one nurse care for 5 patients! But I'm glad that people are well enough to be home with their families, it's no fun being in the hospital during the holidays.

SO, I hope to be home with my family tonight and tomorrow. I guess I won't be able to dodge sick people but at least it will be nice to be together laying around, sleeping, maybe catching some movies.

Our score for being sick on the past two holidays is 2 for 2, I sure hope we'll make it up north to Mom and Dad's for New Year's Eve.

Here's hoping for a healthy new year!

"Christmasing" with the Roberts Family

We decorated a gingerbread village; Olivia decorated the candy store.
Marin decorated the bakery.
Don't you love my chalet?

Connor decorated the toy shop.

Evan enjoyed his prunes--we called it his figgy pudding!

While Evan ate his figgy pudding, the rest of us enjoyed a delicious prime rib dinner (made by the one and only: Paul--just the prime rib) the rest of the credit goes to Grandma Michelle; baked potatoes, broccoli, rolls, and yummy candy cane pie.

The highlight of the Roberts Family Christmas was Marin's prayer:

Marin: I want to do the prayer. It's a different prayer. You say what I say.

All: okay.

Marin: Dear God.

All: Dear God.

Marin: Thank you.

All: Thank you.

Marin: For our friends and family.

All: For our friends and family.

Marin: Thank you for our teachers.

All: Thank you for our teachers.

Marin: and our food.

All: and our food.

Marin: and our Grandmas and Grandpas.

All: and our Grandmas and Grandpas.

Marin: our brothers and sisters.

All: our brothers and sisters.
Marin: but most of all.

All: but most of all.

Marin: We thank you for Jesus.

All: We thank you for Jesus.

Marin: In Jesus name we pray.

All: In Jesus name we pray.

Marin: AMEN!

All: AMEN!

(I had tears of laughter and sweetness during this prayer, what a sweetheart!)

then. . .

the games began. . .

While we played Christmas Bingo, Wii bowling, and watched Christmas movies the dogs had visions of sugar plums and dog bones in their heads.

Christmases wipe out Indy.

We stayed overnight at Grandma and Grandpa's house and the next morning. . .

the kids were up early watching t.v. and snuggling!

We ate a delicious breakfast and then opened up presents. . .

but first a snap shot of the kiddos

and some candids!

Evan knows what makes Marin tick!

"hmmm, I'll just grab her hair and look at those polka-dots!"

Evan is better off hanging out with his wing-man, Connor.

Happy First Christmas!

Olivia is in hog heaven; lip gloss and a Wiggles' CD!

Marin likes her Olivia house.

Evan loved all the commotion and skipped his nap so he wouldn't miss a thing!

The wrapping paper was one of his favorites!Connor has got the whole world in his hands!

One of his favorites!

Dear Grandma and Grandpa Roberts,

Thank you for a wonderful time at your house. We loved Christmasing at your house and hanging out with the family. We had lots of laughs and smiles. We loved playing games with everyone. Thank you for your gifts and all of your love!

Love,

The Roberts Family

p.s. John and Sarah and girls, we missed being with you at Christmas but understand it would be hard to travel. Thanks for the chocolate-covered fruit and the kids' gifts. Hope you have a very merry Christmas with your new joys of your world.

Let it Snow!

2nd Grade Winter Party

who: You're Invited

what: Winter Party

where: Mrs. M-H's 2nd grade classroom

when: Friday, Dec. 17th

why: Snow much Fun!

Connor and his classmates watch the powder magically turn into snow with the touch of water. "Snow in Seconds," check out www.snowinseconds.com if you are interested in getting some for yourself, was well worth the party money used for Connor's class. (If I didn't link you to the correct place, then just google it) The kids loved it and could play for hours with it. The texture is awesome, it gets cool to touch after awhile and you can re-use it. . . so we sacked up snow and sent it home with the kids to play with.

If the kids weren't playing in the snow, they were making their own snowmen.
Love this picture of Connor's classmates.

One of Connor's buddies, making his snowman.

It was fun to see the kids' faces light up with surprise and awe when the transformation occured!

We also gave them some juice and snack-cakes and the Winter Party was a hit!