2019 family theme: Say Cheese!

Last year I know we were so inspired when we chose the family theme to "seek the good." Cancer brought me down low and it was the best reminder to remember that there is always good. Sometimes we have to search a little bit to find it, but it is there. God is in the details. and God is good. I hope our children will always remember our 2018 theme and seek the good throughout their lives. What we seek for, we will find.

For 2019, we had a theme in mind and we almost settled on it, but then I thought back to 2018 and its craziness (yes there was good, but there was also stress!) and I knew we needed something a little bit more lighthearted than what we originally thought of. After prayer, discussion, and thought we concluded that our 2019 family theme should be......

Say Cheese!

"In all of living have much fun and laughter. 

Life is to be enjoyed not just endured." 

-Gordon B. Hinkley 

This year is about having some fun!! It's about adventures and laughter and enjoyment. It is about taking hard, difficult situations and using humor to find happiness. It's about changing our attitudes and perspectives to find joy and pleasure and wonder in life. It's about smiling when we don't feel like it. It's about laughing at ourselves and our mistakes. It is taking each day and cherishing the gift that it is. It is letting loose and relaxing and enjoying our days and our moments. It is being corny and silly and goofy.

We made it a family rule that whenever anyone says "say cheese" everyone has to put a big ol' smile on their face. We want to smile more!

Say Cheese!

We set some fun goals this year. Well, I set some goals and then I decided that some of them will be family goals. ha! But they are good things like playing all of the games in our closet, eating more fruits and veggies, inviting lots of families over for sunday dinner, and going on an adventure once a month (though adventures won't always be everyone in the family each month). So far we have played a few games, successfully incorporated a few more fruits and veggies than we normally do (still working on increasing this one), had 5 families over for dinner, and have been on an adventure every month (universal studios with the older boys, legoland with the littles, and a family adventure scheduled this month--adventures make life fun.) Go us!

We also set some simple individual goals.

Kyler: learn to drum 3 songs

Kacin: learn 6 new magic tricks

Perry: learn to read

Layla: read Book of Mormon before baptism, learn to sing all the words to a song

Brinna: keep us smiling as she learns to talk

Mom: read 52 books

Eric: the year of the Eric!

Eric made a whole bunch of specific goals and a plan and I'm so proud of him for doing so. We are calling this the year of the Eric! While I won't share all of his goals and resolutions, I will share these two. He is studying from a paper copy of his scriptures each day and attending the temple each week. He is 100% on these two goals so far and I'm happy for him.

I am so excited about my goal to read more. 52 books! For many years, I averaged reading about 12 books a year. I love reading, but so many other things have gotten in my way. Last year, I stretched myself and read 24 books. Once I met that goal I knew I wanted to stretch myself again. So I decided this year I will read a book each week. I am having so much fun with this goal this year and I am well on my way. 

Looking forward to many smiles, much laughter, grand adventures, and a whole lot of fun in 2019!!!

another cancer update (a happier one)

It took me a good week to process all of my feelings and emotions after I wrote my last cancer update. However, I am happy to say that today I am in a much better mental space about everything. Cancer has sent me on a rollercoaster of ups and downs that I'm not quite off yet, but today I am enjoying the ride.

To report: My eyelashes are back! My eyebrows are pretty much back to how they were before. And my hair is making some progress. I actually had to go get my hair trimmed up because the bottom was getting much, much longer than the top. The top of my head is taking its sweet time to regrow. So I had to get rid of that mullet.


I don't put anything on my head when I go to church and I have gone a few other places without a hat. But, generally, because it is still chilly enough to, I wear a beanie most days. I am trying to pretend to be brave and comfortable with my new look, but I have never been a fan of short hair so it is a big adjustment.

My last lab work showed my WBC rising back up so that is a good sign. That helped me feel better for sure.

I went in to my oncologist's office for a "chemo teach" to hear about the two new drugs they want to put me on--Zoladex and Anastrozole. I am hesitant about these new drugs, but of course I want to give myself the best chances possible, and then pray the good outweighs the bad, so I decided to give the drugs a try. My anxiety was through the roof that day, but I was glad these two came with me for my first injection.

Look at that needle. Yikes! It didn't feel very good. But I dramatically laid down and covered my eyes and let them do it. Done until next month.



My side effects have been minimal so far and so I will start my daily pill tomorrow and see how I do on that.

This week I realized that I could lay on my stomach again. It has been nine months since my surgery and hence since I have been able to do that. That was glorious! And I can exercise now without much discomfort, too. And with my port out I can wear a seat belt again without pain (or using a clip or holding the seatbelt out so it didn’t rub my port).

This is one of my favorite quotes lately and I loved getting it in my inbox from my daily quotes from Gretchen Rubin.

peacemaker

Last week, when we studied from "come follow me," we read the Beattitudes. We spent some time discussing what it means and looks like to be a peacemaker. As we were talking, we all thought of little Brinna. She brings so much peace into our home with her smile and her sweetness.

Not too long after our discussion, I was folding laundry and Layla was feeling upset about something I told her to do or she couldn't do (I don't remember which one). She buried her face into her blanket and her knees and started crying. Within seconds, Brinna stopped playing with her toys and toddled over to Layla. She announced "sad" and gave Layla a series of hugs, kisses, and rubs on the head until her big sister calmed down.

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

the beach

We hit the beach in the morning before heading back home to Arizona. 

These are some happy children when they are digging in the sand, searching for shells, and running from waves.

Just enjoying a little bit of baby yoga on the beach. She’s always got a downward dog in her.

These next pictures are the grand finale of our time at the beach. 

Legoland

Since the older boys got a trip to Universal Studios in January, we took the little ones to Legoland!

We kicked off the Lego weekend by all seeing the Lego Movie 2 on saturday. We are all, led in huge part by Perry, huge fans of the Lego Movie. And this second movie was SO good! Perry had been anxiously and obsessively waiting for the movie to come out. He even asked to bring some friends with him. We brought two friends from the ward (the sweetest boys!) and Perry was so thrilled to be sitting next to his friends, eating popcorn, drinking "spicy juice", and watching a movie he was so excited about it.

We left with the three younger kids right after church on Sunday and drove to california. We stayed in a cheap hotel within walking distance of Legoland. Perry revealed to us his new love for playing Uno. We didn't even know that he has been playing at school with his friends and now loves it. So while we were in the hotel room he wanted to play over and over again. We happily agreed! I am excited that he can join us in playing games now.

On Monday, we walked over to the Legoland and enjoyed 7 hours at the park. I had never been before so I was pleasantly surprised at how much there was to do and how nicely it was set up. Our kids were the perfect ages for it. Well, Brinna wasn't tall enough for most rides (she is still shy of 30 in.), but we rotated who stayed with her and it was a really enjoyable day.



This was Layla's first big rollercoaster. While on the ride, they took the best picture of her going down the big drop--she had a look of pure terror! Her eyes were as wide as can be. Part of me wishes we had just spent the $15 and bought the print, but we didn't so I guess I'll just have to keep that moment in my own memory. She rode the ride two more times that day and her pictures on those two rides showed much more enjoyment than fear.





































Layla loved all of the Lego statues everywhere. And wanted a picture with just about every single one.









She got her hands up on this rollercoaster! Perry goes along with any and every ride. Never too scared. Just happy as can be.









Can you see Perry's legs dangling there? Proof that Perry rode this fun ride with me. He yelled, "I'm going to fall into the water!" the whole time.





I got Layla on it, too. She yelled, "I want to get off!" the whole time.





We loved the Star Wars Lego characters and displays.







Perry lit up when he saw the Storm trooper and again when he saw the big ships and scenes from the movies. (His mustache is red gatorade.)



















The ninjago ride was one of the few rides that Brinna could go on with us. It was in the dark and so she hated it! Poor baby.





This was Brinna's favorite ride--the submarine.







Our last ride of the day was the carousel. We had it all to ourselves. But really the park was not crowded all day. We did get a disability pass and used Perry's wheelchair because that just works better for him, but the waits were short regardless.



We couldn't get her on the horse! So she sat in the car on this one.





It was such a fun, quick trip. It was weird being there without Kyler and Kacin, but Legoland is much more suited to younger kids so it was all good.