Anniversary

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

12/30/ 2003

Jake and I have been married 6 years!

6 years ago I made the most important decision of my life

6 years ago new life with Jake began

6 years ago today I wore a beautiful white dress and stood next to my handsome husband surrounded by friends and family

After 6 years we still long to be together as if we just started dating or were newlyweds.

Since that day 6 years ago we have experienced immeasurable joy and some heartache and through it all we have been side by side. We experience everything together.

I don't know much about marriage - just about my own. I am not sure what makes certain relationships work or not work. For us I know we strive to make each other happy and put the other's needs before ourselves and that is how after 6 six years I can say I have a wonderful and happy marriage

Today, New Years Eve 2009 is the 10 year anniversary of the first date Jake and I had

Here is to many more anniversaries and happy years together

Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas.

Brody still doesn't understand holidays, presents and all that. I have to open the presents cause usually he isn't interested in them till the wrapping paper is off.

Brody has been really into puzzles lately and he got some really good ones.

We are so lucky that he has family that gave such great gifts

Of course there were some "extra fun times" like when Brody tried to play with one of the wise men that was part of the nativity of my mom's - the above picture is the result!

Though it was due to health problems which is unfortunate but we were lucky enough to have my Nana join us for Christmas this year. It was really great cause Brody and Ryan have never really been around her much and never much one-on-one time cause during family events there are many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Christmas Eve was at my parents house (as it usually is) and it was so much fun.

Jake has wanted to keep the tradition alive by making peanut brittle for Christmas every year. Jake's Dad always did it and he had a special recipe. The past couple years since Jake's Dad passed away he wasn't able to but we made time this year and it turned out great. I am not a huge peanut brittle fan but it was delicious.

There was LOTS of wonderful food to partake and, for my family, that is half of the holiday right there!!

It was so nice to see the kids enjoy grandparents, aunts and uncles

And of course cousins!!

More pictures to follow. Have to share pictures from the Christmas present we got for the boys

Getting used to a new camera

Our old camera of 5 years finally broke a few weeks ago. Though we couldn't really afford it, we went out and got an inexpensive camera cause I feel with children you can't go very long without taking pictures. Perhaps it is the young stage my children are at but I feel it is essential to capture cute moments and funny things they do.

The pictures above are just a fraction of the bad pictures taken with our new camera. The issue is there is a bit of a delay from the time you press the button to take the picture and when the picture actually is taken. A red light that shines before the picture is taken causes Ryan to make faces like the ones above. I have more time with Ryan cause of Brody's schedule so I take the camera out and experiment and play around with the camera. I just wanted to share the pictures cause I think they are hilarious - and there are so many of them!

A lot of things to mention

I have a lot of little things I wanted to mention and post pictures about...

Firstly, beautiful little baby Maddie is getting so big and she was being adorable by putting her fists in her mouth most of the night

Second, we had Jake's family Christmas party. It was really fun. Wonderful food and then we all enjoyed the Christmas gifts from Kris and Delaina - marshmallow shooters!

Here are the wonderful women responsible for all the fun - don't let the tough facial expressions and serious weapons fool you - they are really very nice people!

Every single person in the family went to war with the marshmallow shooters. No one is sure what problem caused the war but with marshmallows shooting all around it was intense!!
[I am also not sure who won]

I wanted to mention some wonderful moments with Brody

Brody has had a few fun moments with his brother. They are small and very little moments of eye contact and, with assistance from me, some playing and giggling. But for me it is huge cause it is like Brody is on his way to comprehending who Ryan is and what a brother is!!

Also Brody has been very cuddly lately (which I always love, especially when there are many out there who say children with autism do not show affection). This was fun picture that I snapped real quick because he was sitting so cute with his Dad.

We are starting some new treatments with a DAN (Defeat Autism Now) Doctor that Brody is going to now. Jake and I strongly feel that with the continuing therapies and now the new treatments, Brody is on his way to many changes. In the meantime he has had some real good days here and there. Brody - with his therapists and teachers - has been working really hard.

Also Brody social interaction, at times, has been amazing. This past weekend he got some wonderful one-on-one time with his Aunt Delaina and she encouraged more language which he did really well with and then he played with some Lincoln Logs for a long time with her building stuff. Then the night of the family party he played Lincoln Logs with some cousins and aunts and uncles. For Brody this was so great to see. He has come such a long way and it fills Jake and I with so much hope!

I love...

Lately I feel all I post about is my kids. I love more kids more than anything and at this stage in their young lives and my life they really are what my life revolves around. I just wanted to post about other things I love lately...

I have been listening to the New Moon soundtrack for weeks now and I love it. There were a few songs I didn't care for but after seeing the movie I like all the songs now.

I love these books. I read them last year around this time. True everyone seems to have fallen in love with them at some point in the past couple years. Say what you will about them but if you really have read them you know that they are extremely entertaining, a great story and interests people from teens to senior citizens.
I made cookies the other day and had some parchment paper left over from my sister-in-law cooking over here. I thought instead of greasing the pan I would use the paper as some people do. It was amazing cause even with tin foil and cooking spray I always find that cookies will still stick - this paper was amazing, it was so easy to take the cookies off. I am in love with it now!!

After the example of my older sister, every year around this time I make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Delicious and so moist and chewy- but of course you have to love pumpkin to like them!!

This has been a new Christmas classic for us. I just crack up every time I watch it.

If you haven't watched any of these little episodes type in a search for The Real Housewives of Late Night and watch the episodes (there are about 6 of them each about 7 minutes or so). They are especially funny if you have watched any episodes of the reality shows it is mocking

I don't have pictures to post from the house but I have always been loving putting up some Christmas decorations and dressing my boys in adorable warm outfits!

Tough day

I had a tough day with my boys.

Ryan was so cranky and wanted to be held ALL the time. He has a cold so I understand why he was such a handful.

For Brody it was a lot of things. No words or communication, pulling me all the time to try to get me to know what he wants, fixating on things he can't have or do, not eating what I want him to, messing with his poop, screaming and yelling for absolutely no reason. All of it just got to me. Again, I understand why he is this way but still frustrating.

I feel bad for my bad mood from the tough day. I feel bad for having this attitude. That is the only thing I can control and I let the things I can't control get to the one thing I can control and thus made for bad afternoon and early evening.

My penitence is posting pictures and saying publicly how much I love and adore my two boys in spite of the tough days.

Besides who can resist these adorable children...

Missing

December 2005

Thinking about Cliff today

December 2004

Remembering his funny stories, his sense of humor and the amazing wife and children he left behind. I was happy to love this man and so honored to marry into his beautiful family. I will always be thankful to him for raising such a wonderful man that I feel in love with and married