Some Are More Than Amazing!

I have been working on my official fist post of the year. New resolutions... new goals... bucket list items I want to conquer this year. Milestones I want to set in order to really feel like I have achieved something by the end of 2016. Because quality and success is measured on achievements. Right???

Maybe not... Maybe that's not quite fair.
Goals are helpful. Goals push us to be better versions of our selves.
Setting examples not only help us to be better versions of our selves but they also inspire others.
And I am inspired!

Today, I am inspired by a young girl named Kaila. Not because she runs marathons or because she is successful in business. I am inspired by this young girls story and the thoughtfulness that she has shown my Brown Eyed Girl!

Kaila, like my Brown Eyed Girl, has Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis (CRMO). Kaila is 14 years old and has been diagnosed with CRMO for the last 7 years. Last year, Kaila created Kaila's Komfort. What started out as a Girl Scout Silver Award Project turned into a passion for touching the lives of others who have been affected by the same rare and painful auto inflammatory bone disease she has. Kaila’s project idea was to create care packages for children and adults around the world that were recently diagnosed with CRMO.  After the Award Project was completed, she decided that she wanted to continue with her newfound passion.

Kaila creates each care package especially for that child based on their likes/interests, types of treatments they are receiving and so on. 

Today, my Brown Eyed Girl received her Kaila's Komfort package in the mail!

Inside, Kaila put together several items within a purple, mesh cinch sac. 

She included a CRMO Awareness t-shirt for my beautiful girl to wear! The awareness ribbon for CRMO is purple - a perfect fit!

A handmade hot or cold rice therapy sack made from an awesome horse sock! Right up my horse crazy girl's alley!

A purple CRMO Awareness bracelet.  

New Legos!

Frozen jelly beans and an Elsa coloring board.

Kaila sent a personalized note as well and mentioned she shared a love for horses and cats too!

Kaila also includes a letter with a lot of information about CRMO, and resources for finding family support on facebook and the internet. I actually have learned so much after joining one of the family support groups on facebook that she lists. 

It's not a cure but it sure brought a HUGE smile to our home today. 

If you are looking for a charity or a great cause to support this year, I would invite you to swing by Kaila's Komfort and support this young girls vision of bringing a smile and joy to other kids that have the same bone disease as she does... as my Brown Eyed Girl does.

 

Holidays Out

The last 45 or so days of 2015 were a whirl wind.

We were so blessed this year to get to spend time with Handy Man's Sister and our beautiful nieces! The girls came out to our house twice. We spent a whole day showing the California Chickies how to sled.

Our Brown Eyed Girl and Mr Blue Eyes had their first slumber party!

 

The girls woke with the.... butt crack of way, way before dawn. When you are early to rise on the "farm" chores come before breakfast!

 

They fed Miss Kitty in her house and gave her some fresh water and loves. 

 

We broke those city girls in by having them feed the horses. 

They smiled big and jumped right in!

I think they loved it!

I know Handy Man and I really enjoyed having them at our house. We miss them dearly and our visits always go by so fast. I dream of a day when these cousins can spend more time together or even better, live in the same state some day.

The kids learned to ice skate this winter!

We all spent a wonderful family day skating a few weeks ago. Grandma Rhonda, Grandma Debbie, Daddy!! It was so much fun. Skating with Daddy of course was the coolest part of the day.

They both idolize Handy Man and his ability to skate and play hockey (in their eyes) like a pro.

Grandma Rhonda showed off her fabulous skills. I have to tell you, I don't care if it's ice skating, water skiing, snow skiing... this lady can pick up right where she left off 30 years ago. That Grandma Rhonda is something else!

Grandma Debbie was no slouch either. She dusted off her "dancing skates" (according to my Brown Eyed Girl) and really relished the sight of watching her son teach her grandson how to skate. Dreams of being a Hockey Grandma danced in her head.

I too strapped on a pair of shiny skates. I didn't even make it a full lap around the ice before the "hall monitor" equivalent of the ice rink spotted me, sought me out and started trying to be helpy-helperson about Skating 101. I smiled politely and thanked my lucky stars I was on skates and so rusty or I would have toe-picked him in the eye. 

Handy Man thought is was soooo hilarious. (giant eye-roll)

I shall practice and get awesome! Either way, it was a wonderful family filled day I shall treasure forever!

Over the Holidays we battled 348703401 people to catch a glimpse of Santa's reindeer. I thought Handy Man's head was going to explode when he saw the three-hour-long line that wrapped around the store. Thankfully, I decided to be a cheater, scooted around to the back of the store via the horse care isle (I know that isle very well) and we gave old Dancer and Prancer the sneak attack. 

The reindeer thrill was satisfied in about 10 minutes and we happily went on our way!


Handy Man FINALLY built me a stocking tree. We don't have a traditional fireplace in our new house and I was so tired of laying the stockings on the floor in a pile until Christmas Eve.

The kids helped me paint it.

 

Handy Man installed the hooks where I wanted them.

 

I am not sure where I am going to store this mammoth the other eleven months out of the year, but I love it!

Ohhhh Yes! Thomas came to visit us again.

He showed up a little later than normal... I think he contemplated not bothering to come considering he was pretty sure the kids were shaping up to be on the naughty list. But something finally clicked and suddenly he was there one morning.

He was up to his normal shenanigans this year. Only a few new places or tricks up his sleeves. I told him he needed to step up his game next year.  

We of course went to see Santa. We waited in another long line - no shortcuts this time. The kids were troopers though.

My Brown Eyed Girl asked for a Lego Hotel and a Robot Kitty of some kind. Mr Blue Eyes asked for a monster truck with big wheels, a four-wheeler and a gun. Santa asked him to repeat the last request again and he smiled widely and said, "I really want a new gun!" Santa's eyes got wide and he said that my dear son needed to ask his mom first about that one. (snicker-snicker)

We did a bunch of baking.

The kids LOVE making holiday dipped pretzels.

Their temporary nicknames were "dipper girl" and "spa-winkle guy."

Grandma Debbie helped them make Christmas sugar cookies. Using a rolling pin was awesome. They ate a LOT of cookie dough.

Christmas itself was very quiet this year. Just Grandma Debbie and us. Grandpa Matt was in California helping Aunt Nicki and Uncle Drew move into their new house. Aunt Nicki and Uncle Drew are expecting a new baby boy any day now and Grandpa Matt was a huge help!

Grandma Rhonda went to Arizona this year. Never fear, we had the pleasure of having Samantha, the Wild Child while she was gone!

Everyone made out like bandits!

Santa delivered just about everything on their wish list. 

Handy Man took the first ride on the gift he has always wanted. Santa just brought it 30 years too late!

While mom, dad and Grandma Debbie lounged in our pj's and sipped on mimosas, the kids dug in and kept themselves entertained all day long with new toys and adventures!

We hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season as well. Merry Christmas and let's make 2016 a wonderful New Year!