Ringing in 2011

When I got home from Indy it was straight to the store for hats and horns for the littles! You gotta have them to ring in the new year!

 It was so warm the boys played horse outside!

 And Lila Ray really enjoyed the New Years Eve brownies!

 It was a fun, laid back night surrounded by the people I love most! We watched a movie and as it was almost over.... I looked at my watch to see the New Year was less than 20 minutes away...I began to remember last New Years Eve when we rang in the new Year with Brad and Jenna at their house. It was the first pinky swear and we stuck to it. We had been going to do another this year although it was still undecided...and I began to really miss them. No pinky swear this year....and then the phone rang and that familiar ring....Hey Soul Sister.....was all I could hear. I picked up the phone and Jenna said...we are coming down! And they did!  That meant so much to us...and everyone got to ring in the New Year with their best friend! At 11:59...the 2011 pinky swear was made...3 date nights and a lake trip!

Two very special friends, indeed!

These girls...practically like sisters!

Jeremy was happy to be the first to tell "Bad" happy birthday too.
I have never met two people more
alike than these two!

So tired...but so happy with my BFF! I don't know what I would do without her!

Best friends every day of their lives!

Happy New Year!!!

New Years Eve Day Basketball

It was a day of basketball for us this New Years Eve and what fun we had in Indianapolis! Take this first picture in...really look at the cute little boys and how excited they are because after this one I took everything in color...it was not a black and white kind of day....it was a Kentucky blue day all the way!!! ooooohhhhh C-A-T-S Cats....Cats...Cats!!!!

 Everything was red and blue as it was the annual Kentucky vs. Louisville game!

Even my nachos were red and blue!

 We traveled to Indy to watch this game as we had tickets to see the Wizards play that afternoon. So we did what any devoted fan would do...we did everything in our power to see the game...and it worked out beautifully! Chris, Susan and Ben had tickets too so they watched the game with us...and my brother was going with us so he, Tonya and Syd joined us as well! Jillian's was rockin in Kentucky blue and it was so fun to watch the game with people we love and people who love Kentucky..that is always a bonus!

 Sydney came down to my end of the table with her new DS. Susan asked how old she was and I was able to tell her..how old she is today and when she will be 6...and as silly as that sounds, that felt really good...I know her birthday...it rolled off my tongue with ease. Last year was the first birthday that we had really celebrated with her...but even then I think I would have had to consult my birthday book for the exact date. She has only been in my life such a short time...it's so sad and yet so happy that I have her now.  So sitting in Jillian's with the Kentucky cheers all around us...we played with her new hot pink DS. The game faded around me and it was just Sydney and me...trying to build a roller coaster on her Phineas and Ferb game. And we did it...we built the coaster...we did it together.

 The game Basketball game was amazing as Kentucky pulled out a victory over the Cards....which means so much...it just does. We changed the boys into the Wizards wear and headed to the arena for some NBA action!

 The boys were so excited to see John Wall play....after Wildcat Camp with him this summer...he is like a living God to them...and it is like sugary sweetness to give your kids that kind of experience...one that makes them jittery with excitement!

 They wore their new John Wall basketball shoes that Santa had brought...........

 They wore their new Wall Jerseys that the Timmerings had given them...........

 And they cheered their hearts out when he came on the floor! The Wizards lost to the Pacers but Wall had an amazing game and was the leading scorer!

 To top it all off I got to share Donatos pizza...an absolute favorite of mine....with the boys for the first time! Oh it was a fun New Years Day for sure!

Looking back on 2010

Oh it has been quite a year! Some lovely things have happened...some changes have happened...but all in all it has been a good year!

In January I finally realized that Lila was going to be ok...after harnesses, braces, physical therapy and visits to so many doctors...she finally seemed to be standing on her own two feet...and I settled into the reality that Lila is Lila and no matter what she is going to do everything in her own way...on her own time, but that is was ok...really ok...and this was a really good feeling.

February brought a big snow...and it is the last time I can remember the court, joyfully together.  The snow fell and we all met outside to play...no drama..no grudges...just fun. This is a bittersweet memory as things have changed so much...and this makes me sad to my core.

In March Riggs and I did a 3K together...just a little race but quite an accomplishment for us at the time. It was so fun to share that with him...and I was so proud of us! He went on to do bigger and better things!

In April we took Riggs, Rollins and Sarah Kate to Chicago...their first trip to a big city...and I took Sarah Kate to the American girl store where she picked out Elizabeth...and I will remember the moment Elizabeth was out of the box and in Sk's arms forever! Jeremy and I also went to our first Oaks!

On May 20th...Jeremy and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary! I can't believe it has been a decade!

In June we beached it with the Timmerings....and it was the most fun I have ever had!

 

In July Jeremy completed...and almost died doing a half Iron Man...oh my goodness..it was awful...but he is now training hot and heavy to do the real deal...Hopefully he will be an Ironman in 2011!

Hot August saw Riggs' first Cross Country time trial...and we saw his potential but more than that how much he loved it!  We also recognized that our Sarah Kate has a love of learning...and reading and words...and started her in her reading classes with Miss Ann.

 In September Rollins joined Jonathan's soccer team...playing with 10 year olds at 6...and although we know he is athletic and a real go getter...we had no idea he would be a leading scorer on the team! This run....this prideful, happy run after a goal is an image I will carry in my heart always!

 In October we found for the first time ever there were enough leaves to play in in the back yard...Rollins played and excelled at flag football...we had an amazing Halloween and Riggs found out he had made the State team for Cross Country!

In November we realized how wonderful it is for mom to be closer to us and for her to have a bigger space!

In December we went to Orlando for Riggs to compete nationally in a cross country meet and he got to be on the podium.....we had a wonderful Christmas where Lila's reaction to every gift was just precious ...and we added Jack to the family!

2010 was good to us...and I hope and pray 2011 will bring us just as much joy and happiness...and peace with anything that remains unsettled in our hearts.We are so blessed.....so so blessed

Now I get it...

People...many , many people made the comment to Jeremy and to me that we were such good parents for getting the kids a dog. I thought that was such a strong things to say...and seemed almost odd to me that people would say that....and that that comment was said over and over again. Good parents my you know what, I thought...we are crazy parents...adding another living thing to take care of to our already hectic and busy lives. And I thought this to myself standing outside in the cold snow while Jack smelled around for just the right place to pee...Pee Already!  And I thought thought this to myself as he figured out if he got on the stool in the bathroom he could jump in the bath with the kids....Oh Jack!  I could give you a million examples...but none of the eye rolls, or deep sighs I have given over Jack come close to the love he gives and receives everyday in our family. All the children love him.....every last Hardy kid.....and he loves them too.   As I sat drinking my coffee this morning...instead of TV this is what I watched......Sweet Lila loving all over her puppy...and sweet Jack just let her love all over him and he even fell asleep surrounded my the love of my 2 year old. Happy baby...happy puppy...and now I get it. Getting Jack was a leap of faith....and I am so glad we took the leap!