oops, I did it again!

Really?? I am that far behind again?!!! Well, I can say that it has been wild and crazy around here since I last posted but that really is no excuse. Christmas is underway and I have a lot of things to post so hopefully you will come back and check on us soon....:)

Playing catch up....Abbott style

Okay, since the last real update was for Karter's birthday I will just do a little Abbott family recap:

March: Spring Break....., Karter's 11th birthday, hanging with extended family, hanging out, BBQs, parks, fun....

April: Easter egg hunts, track meets, baseball season begins, basketball games, Salt Lake City trip, Johnston Anniversary celebration, time with family, aquariums, movies, Brynlei in Disneyland....

May: Nate's birthday, mother's day, more basketball games/tournaments, more baseball games and nights at the ballpark, funerals:(, piano recital, dance recital, school awards: The boys all earned the Roadrunner Award, Karter, Peyton, and Traevn all received awards for perfect attendance (Brekken's darn tonsils got in the way of him getting this award) and Karter received the coveted Give Me Liberty award for fifth graders being one of only about 6 in the entire 5th grade!! Big accomplishment!!!, school graduations, Karter's last year at elementary, Brynlei's last year at preschool, Memorial Day, graves, BBQ's, swimming, scout campouts........

June: still baseball season & games, sleepovers, Chad's wedding, basketball camps, scout camps, nature camps, dance camps, parent's big 40th anniversary celebration, father's day, pictures, parties, swimming, stitches, parties, family, cousins, get-togethers.......

July: more dance camps, nature camps, July 4th, swimming, hikes, Brekken's 8th birthday/party, Brekken's surgery(to get those darn tonsils and adenoids out), more stitches, friends, camp-outs, family, birthdays.....

August: Brekken's baptism, back-to-school shopping, teeth cleanings, haircuts, dance, piano, basketball, anticipating soccer season, back-to-school nights, birthdays, swimming, organizing, getting ready for the new school year, last week of summer, and basically just trying to keep up with life:)

Slacker alert!!! I have been such a slacker, I cannot believe it's been almost 5 months since my last post. A LOT has happened in our life. Summer is almost over and school will be starting again in a couple of weeks. I will try to catch up this week. :)

Happy 11th Birthday Karter!!! Seriously can't believe you are that old!! We love you tons and hope that you have the best day ever!!! Keep being you!!!

Random Thoughts

Wow, where does time really go? You start out with such good intentions and then you blink and it's like a year has gone by. I can't sleep tonight, I have too many thoughts on my mind. I was looking over our blog and I realized just how much I have missed or have been behind on. Have you every just stepped back and really taken a look at your life as it passes you by? Oh how I wish that it would just all slow down. Every moment comes and then it's gone and you look at your baby and realize that he's not quite a baby anymore or at all and that he is closer now to the age of moving out then to the time that you had him. And that's when you realize that life just goes on no matter how hard you try to slow it down or stop it completely. I cannot believe that it's been almost 11 years since I was brand new to this parenting thing. That is quite a scary thought in itself but then I realize as I look back over the past 11 years how amazingly we have made it to this point... I am not in any way the perfect mom or anything close but I love my children and I pray that I can cherish each moment that I have with them because all too soon the day will come when they will open new chapters in their lives and move on from this one...

I was listening to Karter's Ipod the other day and this song came on and I remember the first time that Nate and I had heard it with him and for some reason it brought back memories of us anticipating his birth and hoping that our children would only inherit the good of both of us and I just had to laugh because more and more I can see so much of myself and Nate in our children and yet they aren't quite, they are better, they are each one so unique and different and completely who they were meant to be.

Anything like me...

I remember saying I don't care either way
Just as long as he or she is healthy I'm ok
Then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen
And said "You see that thing right there well you know what that means"

And I started wondering who he was going to be
And I thought heaven help us if he's anything like me
He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride hes bike to fast
End up every summer wearing something in a cast
He's gonna throw a ball and break some glass in a window down the street
He's gonna get in trouble oh he's gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

I can see him right now knees all skinned up
With a magnifying glass trying to melt a Tonka truck
Won't he be a sight with his football helmet on
That'll be his first love til his first love comes along
He'll get his heart broke by the time he's in his teens
And heaven help him if he's anything like me

He'll probably stay out too late and drive his car too fast
Get a speeding ticket he'll pay for mowing grass
He's gonna get caught skipping class and be grounded for a week
He's gonna get in trouble we're gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

He's gonna love me and hate me along the way
Years are gonna fly by I already dread the day
He's gonna hug his momma, he's gonna shake my hand
He's gonna act like he cant wait to leave
But as he drives out he'll cry his eyes out
If he's anything like me there's worse folks to be like
Aw he'll be alright if he's anything like me

Sorry if this post is just random.

Happy 9th Birthday

Traevn Parks!!

I cannot believe how grown up my kids are getting. This past year has just flown by, it seems like we were just baptizing Traevn. Traevn is such an awesome kid who continues to amaze me on a daily basis. He has dealt with his AS condition better than any kid I know could. He knows how unique he is and I am truly inspired by him daily. He is so incredibly smart. He loves school, piano, art, video games (and completing them within 1-2 days of getting them), building legos, etc. He has the biggest heart and sincerely loves people for who they are. We love Traevn so much and hopes that he has an awesome birthday. The past nine years have been the best!!

Love you T-bone!!!

Happy Valentines Day!!! Nate, I Love you Babe. You still make my {heart} flutter !! Glad you have been in my life for the past 17+ years!! Love ya!!