Another Year Gone...and Another Decade

Wow, it seems I just wrote about 2008 and now I'm writing about 2009! It also seems like it wasn't that long ago, we were worried about Y2K? And now its 2010... Where does the time go? We have had a great 2009. I tease about the luck of the Larsen's but truly we are blessed beyond measure. Crazy, funny things happen to us and we can laugh about it. We are all healthy and usually happy. Sometimes we carry burdens that seem heavy but really - things do pass and we get through them. Hopefully, we learn and get better and stronger. We have great people in our lives that helps to ease the pain. We both come from GREAT families, they are so supportive and such an important part of our lives. We have the BEST friends, that bring our lives joy and they also support us. I really am not sure what we would do without them ALL. Under each of the kids pictures, I wrote something about them, and I looked back at them today...and most of them have come true.
Stockton had all A's, but didn't quite get a 4.0 (he had a few A-'s), he loved soccer and then it did end this year, which he didn't expect - but that's how things change, he LOVES his new school and the opportunities it has given him, he got his Eagle, out of braces and his permit. He reach so many goals this past year. He really has grown up a lot. He is a typical teenager with typical problems. He still makes good choices and he is a great young man. Its amazing how he has matured. Next year, he has more things to conquer and bigger choices and decisions to make, but I KNOW he will do what is best for HIM. He is well rounded and I am proud that I have the privilege to have him be my SON.
Grace - my GIRL, did have a great year. She is getting older and things seem to bother her more. She is such a sensitive girl. She wears her heart on her sleeve (I don't know where she gets it from?). She did do great in dance, she was front and center and then moved up a team and has really found it challenging. But she will grow from it and get better. She has reached many of her goals too. She is so smart and is learning that she is going to have to work harder the older she gets. Math has become challenging to her, but she knows that now she actually needs to work hard, which isn't a bad thing. I noticed how big she has gotten and how she has changed when we did our family pictures in August. She is a sweet heart and I LOVE her!
Sara, my baby - that isn't so little anymore! She reached so many goals. She started piano and she loves it, she is the ONLY one I don't have to tell to practice (sometimes I want her to STOP - but I NEVER tell her that). She is reading so much better, she has worked hard and I think it will just get easier and easier for her. She is doing great in dance, school and tumbling. She loves life and is enthusiastic about things she does. She still prefers to be home with us then anywhere in this world, which I love and I know will change as she gets older, so for now we will enjoy it!
Brad once again, worked a lot of overtime. He is such a hard worker. He takes his responsibility as the provider, very serious. He never complains about going to work, he actually loves his job. We recognize the blessing of working for Chevron, so many people have struggled this year, with the economy, but we have had stability that we never would have had if he did construction. Sometimes trails become your GREATEST blessings. He still had the month of July off and most of December. We discussed just the other day, that even with all of his work, he didn't miss much of the kids activities - dance, soccer (he probably saw half of the games, but they play A LOT), basketball, whatever it was he usually was there. He loves us and we know it!
I have such a good life. I know it and I am grateful for it. I love my kids and my husband. I would never want to go through life without them. I have the best friends too, plus I have made new ones this year. I have reconnected with people, that I never would have dreamed of...I LOVE it and I love them. I have tried all kinds of new things. I am busting out of my little box. I went on an all girls trip - I went out of the country (without Brad)!! I have done fun, new things, pole fitness, really? Dodge ball, really? Some crazy things, but nothing that I would change.
We are looking forward to 2010. But I wish things would slow down, I don't look forward to Stockton going to HIGH SCHOOL, scary! I want my kids to stay little, but I love to watch them grow too! We are the LUCKY LARSEN'S!! Good things are going to happen in 2010! BRING IT ON!

Bull Wars for New Year's Eve...

Have you ever seen a MONSTER mug??
I had to put on the BLACK cowboy hat, Oh I could LOVE a cowboy!!
The 3 of us in our HATS, YEE HAW!!

The little girls, they loved it...

The Adams' family - Courtney, Shane and Theresa.

KyAnn and Chad...love these people!!

We saw a girl with theeee best "bump it" EVER!

For New Year's Eve, we were invited to go to BULL WARS. We always want to go to the rodeo, but in July we just don't have the time...so we went to watch just BULL RIDING...It was so fun. Theresa hooked us up with FREE tickets (doesn't get better than free and fun people). It was pretty exciting. And I have come to LOVE cowboys the last few years. I like them in designer jeans but their hats, oh their hats!! FANTASTIC! We laughed at the crowd, interesting to say the least. It was fun and exciting. They have little kids, who bull ride, it is soooo dangerous, ages 9-14, and we watched a little boy from the girls school WIN!! So that was fun. They had some crazy bulls that kept escaping when they were trying to get the bulls in the pen. At one time there were 3 bulls in the arena running around, and the poor cowboys on horses trying to lasso them. It was sad because one of the bulls broke its leg and they had to put it down, my kids heard and went to see that action but they missed it. They learned why bulls buck, it was a new, fun and a learning experience. I think we'd go again if we had the chance! Stockton went with friends, I'm not sure why he doesn't want to come with us anymore? After Bull Wars, we came home and played some games with the girls! We had a great evening with the kids, quieter than normal, but fun.

Vacation without me?

Brad's little brother, Bracken, asked him a few weeks ago if he wanted to go to Arizonia with him to watch Bronson play baseball. Since I went on vacation without Brad (Bahama's - I win), Brad went. He didn't take one picture, but there is a story I HAD to write so I could look back and laugh, it is totally the luck of the Larsen family. I didn't talk to him much, he was busy, I was busy, so we text a little and talked for a few minutes each day. He was gone for 5 LOOONNNGG days. It was good that he went, he had a great time. Bronson's team played up a year and took 3rd. He is an amazing baseball player. As I was talking to Brad one night, he said he was hit in the head with a foul ball??? WTHeck? He was walking down the 3rd baseline and there were games on the field next to him, he said he heard, "Heads up" and then he got knocked in the head!! For reals, that is funny! He is hit in the back of the head by a ball that a GOOD player hit, so he was hit HARD. I thought I would die laughing, why is it our luck that he gets hit in the head, what are the odds, 1 in a million...about the same as someone winning the lottery? Let's say it is the same...we don't have the luck of winning the lottery (we don't play either, that may help), we get hit in the HEAD with a foul ball! The people with Bronson's team, didn't want to sit by him after that? As the new year approaches, we are hoping for better luck and good things to come to us and everyone we know and love!

Christmas Day!

Sara on Christmas morning...

Yep Brad wakes up to THAT every morning, what a lucky guy. Me and Grace in my favorite spot...Fire!

Getting ready for the family picture...oops.

Love the timer...

Everyone opening more presents...oh some did chose $ instead of gifts.

Brock thinks he is cool too!

We eat good on Christmas!

Hurry, its a race for us..

Christmas dinner, we get out the china...

Brad, Bracken, Zoey and Sara.

Cathy and her boys, Tate, Bronson, and Garrett.

Brian and Karen, they come every year from California, its always nice to see them.

The kids woke up early this year. The girls came in and got us, then we opened a few gifts from Santa. Then my family came over and we ate breakfast and hung out for a while. Then we made some preparations for dinner with the Larsen's. The Larsen's came about 5, then we hung out for the evening and it was such a GREAT day. We got to stay home and we took a nap while the kids played with all of their new 'stuff''. It was awesome. I love Christmas, I love the traditions, I love being together, I love everything about it!!

Christmas Eve Traditions-Food, Family, Presents

Making sugar cookies for Santa... Stockton was making his favorite

cranberry salsa...
Sara and I supervised..

Stockton thinks he is so cool now that he is taller than both me and Brad.

His dad is still BIGGER...

Grace and her BFF, Brinley coming to borrow something, or getting something I borrowed...that's how we roll here.

Brad makes the cookies, I make the frosting, it works for us...

That night at Grandma's....YES!

Brady and Kelly.

Erin and Kate.

Julie and my boyfriend Shae :)

Stockton being chessy, Ian, Jake and Brock laying on the floor.

I read everyone a Christmas story.

Yes, that's me in my favorite place, in front of the fireplace...ALWAYS!

Kids running wild, before presents....

My family....LOVE 'EM!

Luke, Kayson and Chloe.

Stockton soooo excited...

2 minutes of MASS CONFUSION!!

Sara.

All the little girls in their matching PJ's...grandma does such a good job.

If you can't Dodge 'em, join 'em...

Me and Pleshette, thinking we are pretty good..

Lining up again...

Me telling Grace to call her dad...

Some action shots...a little blurry, but Sara and Grace were the photographers.

Theresa, the last one standing!!

Pleshette all alone!

We finally scored in 2 games....1 point!! We are terrible, but we will improve and it is so fun.

Me getting some advice from my fans....NOT!

Another new Adventure! We have tried pole dancing, Zumba and now we are trying Dodge Ball!! We had to recruit some players, so KyAnn invited some of her soccer team and we've added daughters (the ones that are 16+).. and we SUCK. Can I say that on here? I guess so, its mine. So when I told Brad, Lori and Stockton that I was playing, they were all so rude...Brad said you need to be 1. Quick and 2. have a Strong arm...you have NEITHER! You aren't going to do well, you will suck.(Can you believe he would say that?) Lori said, "you will be the first one out EVERY time!" Stockton said, "That's embarrassing!" So last Monday was our first game and Brad had to work and Stockton wouldn't go...So the girls and I went and they cheered their hearts out and guess what.....I was the last one out on the first 2, count them 2 games!! I made Grace call Brad and Stockton and tell them. I did pretty good. It was quite a workout. So this week, I brought, EVERYONE, including the Anderson kids, who were sleeping over, well I didn't do well at all. I think I was inhibited by their presence, I didn't even break a sweat...they are no longer invited, I do better!! They did get a kick out of it. When we got in the car, Brock said, "I don't know what is worse, your farts or watching you play dodge ball!" S-E-R-I-O-U-S-L-Y, I am going to smack him, right after I stop laughing. Earlier I cleared Big 5 with my gas problem....so he may have a point! RUDE! I know I am NOT athletic!!