Merry Christmas!!!

It's hard to believe that we have reached the end of 2006! What an unbelievable year it has been. We had Kimball turn 10, Kaden turn 7 and Kyra turn 5! (And she started school!!!) Kierstin joined us this year after what must have been one of the most trying times of our lives. Our family was reunited in what can only be described as a blessing hard earned. There were a few moments when I was unsure of how we would overcome all of it...and then I would look around at all that I am blessed with and remember that the only option was to get up and find a way to move on in happiness. My faith was tested as well as my perspective...but I am happy to report that all is well in our home. Larry stays busy with exciting projects. The children have new friends like you see with Kaden in one of my favorite pictures. That is Jackson in that picture with Kaden. He lives next door and is around alot. We also had the great privelege of moving into this house. The blessings of that move happen every day. I am so proud of my kids and how they have handled themselves and all of the storms around them these past years. They deserve a little peace. Kimball is growing up so fast and I love that every night all he wants to do is talk before he goes to bed. Kaden is still playing baseball and wants to get back to it in the spring. Kyra is bound and determined to be a professional singer...a star, she says. I think I remember saying that as well...oh, wait...I still say that. :) Kierstin is a true joy and a blessing. I take her everywhere with me and I am constantly amazed by what an angel she is. She truly has a remarkable spirit and always has a way of making people smile. The girls down at the school just love her.

We had the honor of participating in a project that looks as if it might happen again. The little blanket project that could did so much more than I thought it would and everyone who had any involvement in it was so proud of what we were able to do. My children had the chance to deliver the 550 blankets and could not stop saying how great it was. Kimball said that he had never had to say "you're welcome" so many times. It was remarkable.


It is hard to believe that it is now time to move on to a new phase in our lives. We have so many babies around and our family is amazing. There is no greater joy for me than to know that so many of us are here and taking care of each other. We have so much to be thankful for and I can't wait to see what the new year brings.

And just when you thought you had seen the face of evil...Luca posed for this one and I thought it was too funny!!!

So, it has been suggested that the serious picture of Kyra is a little...evil. I want to state for the record that I am well aware of the fact that it looks a little angry, but nonetheless, I think it is a beautiful picture and that has more to do with the photographer than Kyra. I know that I am a little taken away with her little face these days, but I just loved the pictures and seeing how she is growing up and all. SO...I won't bore you all with my ranting about how pretty she is, because, let's face it...she can be pretty ugly too...like Mom always said..."pretty is as pretty does". So, we all think our kids are gorgeous and that is a good thing. No one else has to check in on my sanity to make sure that I know that she looks wicked. I got it. :)

The Taming of the Shrew

This is here for Brittany. She was saying how ugly Kyra is in her pictures, as we have all seen, and I told her I would share more of the little diva. What in the world will we do with her?

World Trade Center Visit

This is a picture of a church that stands just across the street from where the World Trade Center once stood. It has headstones that still stand dating from the 1700's. That alone was unbelievable. As we walked the little sidewalks we got to the front steps which you can see in this picture. To the left of the steps is what remains of a tree that had been damaged in the fall of the towers on 9/11. The most amazing thing is that in all of the destruction, not one pane of glass broke on this little church. That tree had protected it in the attacks. It was humbling to be there on those grounds for so many reasons.

And who doesn't love me in that pretty pink sweater. As a silly side note, Larry made me buy something a little more "New York friendly". I ended up in black for most of the trip.

New York City

I really did go to New York!!! This is Central Park and it was amazing. I haven't really talked about the trip alot, but I am so glad that I finally went. I wish I had done it a long time ago. It sounds silly, but I really felt that I fit there. I loved every bit of it. I found it all to be so beautiful. There is so much you could say about New York and there are more things to share about the trip, but it will have to wait for another time. I found this picture and just wanted to share.

Does it get any better than this?
I wasn't sure how these would all turn out but I have to say that they are just wonderful! I am so glad that we did this!!!

This is quite a group!!! Kimball, Kaden, Kyra and their cousins Haylee and Grace were willing at the end of a long day to let us throw them on top of each other for this great picture.

This is why we pay professional photographers!!!

What a day!!!

So, it turns out that a little thought I had a few weeks ago that I had no idea would go anywhere has taken off. Lindsey was so upset one day about the kids she works with over at her school. We started talking about volunteering and what we could do to help. I actually thought it was somewhat silly, but I said that it would be nice to find a way to make little fleece blankets for all of the kids at the elementary school she works with. I thought that it would be nice for the kids at our school, who are by and large rather priveleged, to gather the money and tie these blankets to give to these other children for Christmas. And so... I took it to the principal of our school and she said YES! And then she got the teachers on board and then they got other parents on board and it is just amazing! It is sort of surprising to me tonight how much impact one little idea, or one phone call can actually make. We are raising the money this week and buying the fabric next week and cutting it the next week and the kids are tying the blankets on the 13th! What an exciting thing. Well, that's all for tonight. I continue to be so happy with all that life is sending our way these days. Some days I wish life would just ignore me for a little while...even just 24 hours...but then things would just be boring.

So here he is...the King. Kimball is now 10 years old and it is just shocking sometimes. It is all pretty shocking sometimes actually. He is loving his school where he is in the 4th grade. He still thinks girls are dumb, which we are grateful for. He has some great friends and he is growing up way too fast.

It is really late for me now so I will go to bed like the rest of my family...but I will put pics up tomorrow of Kimball...can't forget about him!!! Good night!

Princess Kyra

Kaden had lost a tooth here and just had to share with everyone!!!

You just can't help but love this little girl. Kyra just won a pretty cool award at school for a painting that she did of her favorite place...the park. She had to get her nails done with me today. It was so fun watching her as she watched her nails getting pretty. Not that I like to brag about my kids, but how did she get so pretty??

This is the newest little one in our house. She is Kierstin Rachael Ganson. She was born May 17, 2006 .

Kaden, Kyra and Kierstin unwittingly hamming it up for all of you to see and enjoy just a few weeks ago. What more can I say???

Priceless

It has been a pretty amazing Thanksgiving week. We are so lucky to have been able to have so many members of our family here and enjoy our 80 degree holiday. Mom and Dad actually dared to have all of the grandchildren sleep over for two nights. The kids all said they had a great time. Of course, Kimball is now too old for little kid folly. It is becoming harder to entertain him these days. He is not bad by any definition, just growing up. In some ways it is amazing to see him changing into a young man, but in other ways, it is so very sad to see him grow out of the wonder of being little. I just tucked them all in for their last late night before Church tomorrow (changed to 11 a.m.---very grateful for that) and I walked back down the stairs to our beautiful little house, all clean because Larry has been busy. Everything smells like the chocolate chip cookies we made for our late night treat. The Christmas tree is up and lights the front living room. Everyone is sleeping. Well, almost...just as I wrote those words a little bird starting her chirping, no doubt woken up by the sound of Larry's snoring. She is quiet again and life is still. It is in these moments that I can stop and just smile at all the crazy wonderful things that happen all around me every day. Kierstin found out that she could roll from one end of the living room to the other today in the cutest little candy cane striped pajamas that Amber sent over. Kyra felt it necessary to help her from time to time. Atticus enjoyed being able to lick her hands at his own level. We all watched her figure it out and of course Larry and I remembered doing that with each of our other little monsters. That is the bittersweet part of them growing up...seeing them move toward something great means that they have to move away from something we cherish. It is all amazing, but I love the little days when a treat or a hug solves the problems of the world...now they are figuring out that we don't ACTUALLY know everything. We just guess most of the time. But it is worth every moment. So, for tonight, I am endlessly grateful for this priceless moment in my home...quiet, warm chocolate chip cookie, tree lit love. I know you will all mock my corny entry...but it's what I got at this hour. Happy Thanksgiving!

Round 1

Um, hi...I have just stumbled into this blogging thing and it looks like a great way to keep our family updated and to share pictures. Let's see how this works.