MAY! What!? A few pics....keeping us real!

I can not believe it's May 2015! I'm sorry again for my lack of blogging however life has been grand and that's because we believe anything is possible, that anything can be accomplished with action and we take one day at a time while opening up new opportunities, experiences leaving endless memories! That's us! Now for a few pictures....AND remember, if we can - you can!

Our little angel is doing very well after her hip and groin surgeries back in January!

 Our homeschooling involves the younger crowd too! Schooling doesn't have to confine you to being inside, outdoors is where life is living and thriving! This picture below we are painting with water colors! 

 The birthday's around here are endless. One after another! This is our first of many bowling parties!

 May 15th our son seen below will be having his first surgery. His second (at this time is unknown) will be done at the Children's hospital for a kidney removal. 

 I persevere. I continue to find that hour a day for me! AND of course it involves our great outdoors!

Strength is slowly coming!

 Views from today's home school hike!

 I know this looks like I'm going to the washroom in a self cleaning toilet struggling with bad posture, however if you don't try - you will never know if you could have exceeded or not!

 Our littlest angel loving paddling. She's so beautiful!

 Our creations continue! Seen below, we are selling many different styles. This is our Gypsy Dream line! All our creations our children help make, they complete all the bead work, prep, and design beautiful handmade dream catchers while teaching life skills 

Embrace your surroundings and most importantly, love each other without judgments! 

Maybe the journey isn't so much about becoming anything. Maybe it's unbecoming everything that isn't you so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place. 

(sexyfoodtherapy.com)

Live your best life - Me. 

Shifting to another journey......

First off......I want to say I have been sharing through blogging for years. I have been on and off battling if I should continue blogging. I've come to my conclusion. This is not my last post. I fight within myself....post, share and hopefully inspire, or if not inspire - allow others to know they're not alone in a world of challenges. I know I, we as a family have A LOT to offer, however I'm finding with my full time homeschooling, adding public school, therapies, endless doctor appointments, surgeries and on and off challenges, and escalating health issues within our immediate family that when I want to share, I want to sleep too, so my posts are limited. SO I want to apologize to all my readers. I'm going to keep my blog open in hopes I can rekindle my writing but for right now - I'm going to focus on my book. I am all for the bucket list. I've seen Oprah. I've tattooed my body to everything that means everything to me..... I have conquered being afraid of judgement. I am living my life freely while teaching my children to be themselves. Too not be afraid of judgments, too not be afraid to seek out opportunities and live their life. I'm a loving mother. I advocate for difference. I accept anything and everything if it's healthy and not harming another. I believe in compassion for all. Tonight I write with a large inhale allowing myself to focus on my bucket list - my book. If you don't hear from me, you know I'm still writing. (I will post more awesome family pictures, more experiences....(smile) - you know us - we've been around) Life is not meant to waste, life is only here momentarily for all of us to enjoy. However my writing is dedicated to my book. To conclude...."Live your best life, start your bucket lists - teach your children to thrive, to live, to just be happy - whatever that may be" Love you all and most importantly love yourself - Me. 

The fun continues......

Celebrating my nieces birthday! It was a nice night to see extended family again!

After my nieces birthday dinner I asked my husband if he was interested in a date. A date?! We don't go out together ever. We arranged it with one of our responsible teens to look after the fort while we snuck out. Literally that's what happened. While I was out at my nieces birthday dinner, Gerald was putting the rest of our kids to bed. Then he snuck out of our house and I picked him up out on the road so our dogs wouldn't bark! From there, we didn't know what to do. We usually cruise Walmart looking for specials. lol However this time, I said, "No" So we checked out our local resort. They were having a live blues band playing at "Smoke on the water" However we were only there ten minutes. Then we left finding an abandoned gazebo looking over the marina. Every time children were mentioned, the conversation was dropped and our rule was, to find something else to talk about. Our future endeavors. What did we want for ourselves? For us? It was a nice three hours! 

The next day I visited with a friend (a sister) that I met over thirty years ago! 

Saturday night one of our daughters turned 15! She wanted to go out for sushi for dinner, then we saw the Cinderella movie. It was cute.

Easter Sunday we had all the Grandparents over. Three sets. I made this Easter bunny cake for my granddaughters birthday. We also celebrated her 2nd Birthday on Easter!

 Two turkeys and a lot of food later.....we celebrated. 

 And celebrated.........

Easter Monday we decided to venture out. We went to Milner Gardens.

 I love this picture. A reflection off of the pool water. A gorgeous Easter Monday it was! 

I haven't been writing as much as I used too. I've been preoccupied with all these celebrations, home school, family trips and just planning life. I'm planning summer up until Christmas now. I've even slacked once again on my fitness however I'm back again climbing the Notch while adding push-ups, triceps, and sit-ups. You know - all that fun stuff when you feel like just sitting and staring at the ceiling during the downtime. But that's not me. Living and experiencing is a must!

Our weekend was awesomely busy with celebration after celebration.

That's the way life should be. 

Emily's Angels Update "Thank you"

Emily's stroller arrived today! Seven months of dedication, hard work and support from our community, friends and family, Emily's stroller is finally here! Other then health, there is nothing more important then mobility! Thank you to every one who supported Emily's Angels! As seen below there is room for years of growth! We have a few adaptions to make however it's ready to roll! 

We have been struggling with a jogging stroller we purchased fifteen years ago for a toddler. Emily was uncomfortable and her legs would stick out the sides. The terrain we pushed her over in the old jogging stroller was always a fight. Emily would scream. The belt straps didn't fit. Today for the first time we wheeled Emily over our driveway with ease. 

 I wanted to take this opportunity to thank every one from the depth of our hearts. I am so proud of our children that worked steadily and consistently for seven months for their sisters mobility. We as a family raised $5000.00! It brings tears to my eyes knowing that all our children gifted this amazing stroller to their sister. So she can continue to experience without limitations. It brings tears to my eyes knowing that our children learned an important life skill. That we can work hard for what we need. That life's needs shouldn't be just handed to us. That's why we didn't apply to a charity. I wanted our children to learn that they can provide, and to respectfully leave the charities to others in need. I am so very proud.

It brings tears to my eyes that not only did our children learn valuable life lessons, to not only support and show dedicated compassion to their sister. It brings tears to my eyes on how our friends, family and our community supported us along the way. Without all of you, this stroller wouldn't be here today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  

It brings tears to my eyes because our family fundraiser wasn't just about Emily's mobility anymore. It was about human connection. Emily's Angels brought out the best in people that I haven't seen in a long time. Maybe I wasn't looking, so it brought that enlightenment back to me. To our family. To each other. That I am very thankful for.

Emily's Angels brought hope and strength to so many people. When I reflect back over the months of fundraising, over the course of our daughter's surgery and recovery, I couldn't do it without all of you. This was truly an experience we will never forget, and while pushing Emily's stroller I will always be reminded on every ones support and love. 

Thank you so much.

At a later date and warmer weather, we would like to have a community celebration. This will be announced within a month's time.

With dedication, action and believing you can - you can do anything. Dreams do come true. It came true for us!

An update, we continue to fund-raise now making Emily's Angels Dream Catchers. Our fundraising efforts will not only go towards our daughters needs, we hope eventually we can help with various supports and activities for special needs children.