Round and Round We Go, Where We Stop Nobody Knows....

Just kidding.  I never stop.  

That is an issue. 

The next two months will be a whirlwind. 

A lot is going on. 

We are holding a quarter auction in March to benefit 

our Relay for Life Team for Clinton County Relay for Life. 

This has been a lot of work and cannot wait for the day to get here.  

I hope we have a good turn out. 

Our team is small but I firmly believe we can do big things.

I want this even to be more than just raising money for cancer. 

I want it to be family fun event. 

I am beyond thrilled that my mom, sister, daughter and I are doing this together. 

Without their help, I'd go nuts. 

We have eye appointments, a passport appointment and band event covering every Saturday in March, in addition to the quarter auction. 

In April, we have my niece's birthday, Easter and Xander's birthday.  

Not to mention, probably another band event and getting ready for vacation.  

The car needs maintenance before we go (not yet but before making a 14 hour drive).

Items need to be bought (more summer clothes, swim suits, travel stuff)

Arrangements need to be finalized for the dogs.  

We have someone lined up but I think we need to do a meet n greet with them

 because Abbie is a bit protective of the house. 

Goal Met

On January 2, I posted my goals for this year.  

One was to plan a family vacation.  Somewhere beachy.  

Well I did and we are going somewhere beachy but not just beachy.  

We are going on a cruise. 

Thanks to my sister's encouragement of how wonderful they are 

and a impeccably timed Facebook post by KMOV 

we are going on a cruise to the Bahamas. 

All four of us. 

We have been married 10 years this fall. 

Never had a honeymoon.

We have never done a family vacation 

aside from a group vacation to Holiday World 

and frequent Chicago visits which I don't count 

because that is a 2nd home to me. 

Ryan has done GenCon, 

I have done girls' trips to Nashville, Chicago, and a float trip. 

We need a family vacation.  

So yes, I suppose we could ditch the kids and go just us.  

A lot of people have asked why we are taking the kids.  

Because...that's pretty much it.  Just because.  

Because nothing beats seeing your kids excitement of doing something new. 

Because nothing beats getting away from it all with your entire family. 

Because our kids are at a "perfect" age to remember and enjoy this trip.

Because NOW is the time to enjoy our kids.

Because later we can go on a trip just the two of us. 

Because this just seems like we would enjoy it more.

Because I don't want to regret not taking them. 

Because I don't want to miss them. 

Because I don't want to think, ahh Serena would have liked this
or Xander would have enjoyed that. 

We could go just the two of us but what's the point.

We will still get alone time. 

We will get family time. 

We will have fun and they will have fun.  

Changes

People have asked me because of my posts recently of how "wonderful" my job is 

if I hated my old job that much or if it was that bad there or if I miss anything from there.  

My job had good days and bad days like any job.  

It’s just being this close to home and working for a family oriented company cannot be beat.  

Hands down the best move I ever made.  

I miss some parts of working there and I miss some people from there.  

But this job change truly is the best thing I have ever done 

and opened new doors for me like getting my producers license.  

I am just happier here.  

That’s all.  

Yes I am still in my honeymoon phase 

but seriously even in the worst of days I walk out of here smiling. 

 I am able to leave it all here.  

I used to let things fester inside all the way and just get more and more mad about things 

so when I got home, I was in a foul mood.  

Now, if something is bothering me, I have a 2 min. drive until I pick up Xander and once I see him anything that I was thinking about just goes away because that kid is a nut.    

This job was a good move for me.  

A good move for my family and good move for my sanity.  

I feel blessed that this opportunity came when it did.  

That's all.  

I am happy.

Welcome 2015!

2015 is here.

What are my goals this year?

Aside from the normal lose weight, I want to:

Participate in a 5k.  

I say participate because if I say Run and never get to that running point, 

I won't go through with it.  

So I say participate...meaning probably a run/jog/walk combo. 

 But I will do one. 

Go on a family vacation.

I want beachy but Ryan is not a beachy person.

Maybe mountains would be nice.

but I see GenCon being in a future before beach or mountains.

I also want to do Holiday World.  

I think Xander would love it. 

Figure out what's best for me and my family.  

Took a huge step last year by changing jobs

and by taking my insurance exam. 

So the job situation has been figured out 

but now I want to figure out other areas. 

First by decluttering our house.  

I was going to go through stuff and do a yardsale 

but decided I have been trying that route for 7 years

and made no progress and it is overwhelming.

So somebody will be getting donations.

I need to declutter.

I need to declutter our house but also our lives.

Some people just cause way too much stress.

Stress that I don't need.

Stress that causes problems. 

Goodbye 2014

It is Christmas Eve.  

One more week left of this year.

And I can honestly say I am ready for 2015.  

What has 2014 brought us:

Not one niece, but two adorable nieces to spoil.

I am godmother to one of those adorable nieces. 

I got to go to Nashville, TN with some of the best friends a girl could ask for.

I went to Nauvoo for Halloween.

I went to Chicago 15 times this year.  

3 long weekends with the family.  Countless trips alone.  A few with both kids.  

Twice without Xander and once without Serena.  

We saw the Mag Mile parade of lights. 

Celebrated Serena's 13th birthday there. 

I got to be there for my dad's birthday

Not to mention being able to be there every weekend before he passed for a month

I got to see my Naylor family a lot this year and I hope that continues.

I spent a couple weekends with the Harmans.

My dad lost his battle to his cancer.  

He fought hard but it really was his time to go.  

His battle lasted 18 months and a few weeks. 

He had countless surgeries.

Had a trach, a feeding tube and no tongue. 

His communication was down to a red and black dry erase marker with a white board.

Along with hand gestures (some good some bad), clapping and smacking things.

I miss him but glad his suffering is over.

Melanie introduced me to Zumba.

I liked it but quit going. 

I joined the gym and don't go near as much as I should

I have lost 8 pounds and 10 inches in 2 months.

I had another surgery this year because my gallbladder died and was becoming necrotic. 

I am one year post hysterectomy which I wouldn't change for anything. 

Except, I am now on Estrogen (weaning off).

I am Vitamin D deficient and on a weekly supplement

I have signs of osteoporosis

I take a multivitamin for women 50+

I take a Vitamin B complex 

So my hysterectomy solved one problem but I picked up a few more. 

I started a new job in May. 

Love it here.  

I am 6 blocks from home.

I also took my IL Producers test for Life and Health insurance

and passed.

We now have a kindergartner and 7th grader. 

Xander is still full of spunk.

Serena has changed so much over the last year.  

Really over the last six months. 

We are very proud of her.

Serena raised over $2000 for Relay for Life.

Our fundraiser this year (mark your calendars) is March 14th.

We are doing a quarter auction.  

Merry Christmas!

And Happy New Year.

Here's to a better 2015. 

Christmas

What is Christmas to you?

Aside from the obvious answer:  Christ.

What does it mean to you?

Family

I love my family.

And I have a lot of family.  

I have blood family, step family, family by marriage and VERY close friends that are like family.

I love each and every one of them.  

I love getting to go to mom's on Christmas Eve to see my Aunt and cousins.

I cannot wait to give people their gifts.  

I only have a few to shop for and that's for gift cards 

(don't hate on me they requested giftcards)

I love getting to shop for presents.

I love doing Black Friday with my mom and sister. 

Then some shopping with Ryan

And finishing up with Jessica.  Though that has not happened this year (yet). 

I love getting to see my nieces and nephews open presents.

I love playing games (the Woltering side is huge on games)

I love the family time.

I love our inside jokes.  

Spilled Milk and Cookie Cutter is funny to no one....except us. 

Say it and we will seriously crack up.  

People probably think we are crazy (and we probably are to an extent...)

I absolutely cannot wait to see my kids open their presents.

Every year we get our kids the bigger, most expensive gift from us.

Why?  

Because not every parent can afford to buy their kids the most expensive item 

and I don't want my kid to be the one to make another child feel bad 

because that kid's parents can't afford to have santa give their kid the most expensive toy.

May sound stupid or over the top but it's the truth.  

Be that kid once...you'd understand.

or be that parent once....and you will understand.  

This weekend starts our family Christmas.  

A week of Christmases.  

5 of them!

Tomorrow we have Naylor Christmas.  

2nd one I have ever had with them.

First one without my dad. 

I have to do it alone.  

well with the kids. 

But without the support of the person I will probably need the most this weekend...

because his work schedule is crazy 

he is working every day of the week 

they are not accepting time off requests. 

I am very thankful he has a job and they are working. 

Just this timing blows.  

I need my husband.  

I am looking forward to Christmas. 

As much as I will miss Dad.  

We have to move forward.  

So instead we will set new traditions and do new things 

and do as much as we can with Dad's family when we can.  

Then Sunday we have Christmas with Connie. 

Which is going to be probably a bigger struggle.  

Wednesday we have Woltering Christmas. 

I am looking forward to this.  

Games. Food and Presents

Then Thursday we have Christmas with my parents and siblings. 

That's the hope anyway.  I cannot wait to see my niece.  

Her first Christmas.  

And my other niece is going to be over the top excited about her gifts I think.  

I know I am.  

Saturday is Christmas with my husband's dad and brothers. 

The last Christmas of the year.

And guess what.....

I get to do that one alone too.  

He has to work til 5.  

Good thing I love my in laws. 

13!

13!  Yikes It's a scary number.  

Not because I am superstitious but 

because our oldest is now 13 in less than 24 hours.  

Where has the time gone.  

Earlier this year I did this for Xander's birthday.

I am going to take a stab at something similar for Serena. 

She has no real nicknames.  

Some friends use to call her SeSe.  

Her dad still calls her Bob.  

^That one just kind of stuck and is an inside joke. 

She wants to be an eye doctor when she gets bigger....

this is her goal .  

I am really curious to see if she sticks with that or decides something else.

Her favorite colors are blue, pink and purple. 

She loves fingernail polish, eyeshadow, lip gloss and body stuff.

She loves to do crafty things and draw. 

She has her father's brains, my gracefulness.  

She is a pretty good combination of both Voss and Naylor.  

Some days I am like..holy crap she is mine and not just on days she trips over her own feet. 

Then other days I see our niece Amanda or Ryan's cousin Valerie.   

Serena has a heart of gold.  She thinks of others. 

We are so proud of her involvement in Relay for Life.  

This is something that is near and dear to her heart

and let's face it there are far worse things for her to be involved in or care about. 

She is a special girl.  

She was the first grandchild in my family. 

She was the first baby in the group (and only for nearly 7 years).

This year has not worked out how we had planned.  

I missed her first concert but I was where I needed to be, 

and the best part, Serena understood that.  

Did she want me with her?  Of Course!

Did she complaint?  No. 

She made the best of it. 

Serena, we are proud of you.  

We are proud of your grades and honor roll.
Proud of your interest in band. 

Proud of your creativity. 

Proud of your heart. 

Proud of your willingness to give to something bigger than you. 

Proud that you tried something new. 

Xander can be mean to you but he loves you. 

One thing I hear from everybody is how much Xander adores his big sister. 

He can be mean but that's what brothers do.  

Trust me.  I pray that when you are older, you and your brother have a close relationship and are always there for each other. 

We love you!