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Holiday Card 2008

Yes, it is over a month since Christmas, we did send these out a couple weeks before Christmas. But since traditionally I also post it to my blog, here you go....



I wish to say that 2008 was even better then 2007, but unfortunately that was not the case in the Pickert Household.
We started out the year with a huge loss. Melissa’s father, Ken, died from Multiple Myeloma (cancer). Losing another parent has been devastating and we really miss him. For those that never had a chance to meet Ken, he was such a wonderful man whose favorite things were his Grandchildren and good conversation.
Unfortunately, a couple months later we also loss our little dog Maggie when she was hit by a car. She was an awesome dog and Nick and Melissa miss her sleeping between their heads at night.
And in the “death comes in three” categories, Melissa’s Grandma also died in September from Dementia.
We did bring a new life into the house. In March we did get a new Shih Poo, Lucy. And while she will never live up to her older sister, Maggie, she is a pretty good dog, especially around Carter.
Nick was busy with work again. Pepperberry Gardens even was part of a booth with Stonepocket at the Midwest Fall Home & Garden Show and even won “best landscape booth”. You may have even seen him on WCCO-TV talking about it. At church, Nick started his term as Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus and safely installed a 48,000 pound boulder outside in the front of Our Lady of the Lake Church.
Melissa has been enjoying staying at home but recently did take a temporary job. She is still active in MOMS club and her quest to visit every site on the internet!
Jeffrey is an active first grader who loves math and music and is not such a fan of writing in school. He recently joined Cub Scouts. He still loves to do anything outside, and even is our household’s snow shoveler.
Samantha is enjoying her last year of preschool and loves to color and write words. She started dance this year and is our little social butterfly.
Carter turned one on Halloween and is really giving us a run for the money. He walked and got his first teeth before he turned one (before his brother and sister did) and gets into everything. He loves being with his family and getting all the attention. He is starting to make sounds and we swear he can say mama, dada and up!
Ole Scooter the Chihuahua is still trying to be our guard dog. And Max got to enjoy a hunting trip to South Dakota (with Nick and Jeffrey).
We are hoping 2009 is filled with adventure and good fortune.
Merry Christmas Love,
Happy Hannukah Nick, Melissa, Jeffrey, Samantha & Carter,
Happy New Year Max, Lucy & Scooter

Ok...Ok..

Did so well in November and then sucked it with writing since then... so this is my obligtory January post... will post more "tomorrow"

C-Ya!

Its New Year's Eve..

.. and Nick and I are sitting here on each of our laptops watching Dick Clark's special. As you can see I never did the choose joy challenge. It has been hard to choose joy this holiday season. Though some special and some anon people did help Christmas be better for the kids and us.
Even so, I am in a funk. Thirteen days from now it will be one year since my father left this world and it is really effecting me. In one way I am so upset to be getting close to that "anniversary" but in another way I am happy to be 20 min away from being out of 2008 and all the misery it has brought to my life. We need a good 2009.
I do still need to post my Christmas letter and card... will do that sometime... I have been rather tired with working and all.
For those of you out there, Happy New Year.

C-Ya!

Choose Joy: December's Blog Challenge

Midnight Scrapper has another great challenge... this one for December called "Choose Joy". Here is the challenge for those of you stopping by:

Okay, so you've heard the saying: "Choose Joy". I love the saying, but I must admit, it is not as easy as this two word sentence makes it sound. For the month of November, I challenged you all to find something to be thankful for and blog about it. I know it was hard, but I also know that it was not impossible. I had good news, bad news, a friend pass away, reunions with old friends and even some birthdays and holidays. I took the bad with the good and found something each day that I could be grateful for. We are certainly blessed!
So, if you are up for another challenge - here we go!
1. This will officially start on December 3rd and will end on December 31.
2. The challenge of this blog will be similar to our Gratitude Blog idea. Look for JOY each day and blog about it. It might be something as big as attending a wedding or as small as how cozy your slippers feel...it's up to you. CHOOSE to find joy.each.day.
3. There are a few extra challenges for this one too...don't worry - don't
stress....have fun! Those that complete the journaling AND the photos will be
able to be have their name in the drawing for the prize TWICE. Each week, you
must post at least 3 photos based on the themes I have chosen.
Week 1 (Dec. 1 - 6) - LOVE
Week 2 (Dec. 7 - 13) - RED
Week 3 (Dec. 14 - 20) -GLITTER/SHINE
Week 4 (Dec. 21 - 27) - FAMILY
Week 5 (Dec. 28 - 31) - PEACE
Now, I know some of you are about to throw in the towel on this one because you either don't like or know how to post photos on your blog or you are worried about finding pictures suitable for the theme.Well, you don't need to worry! I will help you! You can take pictures yourself (preferably), but if you have to - you can use stock
photos that are available free on line! If you don't know how to post a photo,
contact me and I will walk you through it! As far as finding pictures for the
themes...go with your own interpretation! You can have your regular photos of
course, but please include at least 3 each week that follow that week's theme.
4. If you are going to participate in this challenge - please comment in this post
(on my blog - not here) so I will know. I will check on your blogs as often as I
can. At the end of the month, you will need to come back here and follow the
directions for being entered into the drawing for the GIFT AWAY.
5. If you have any questions - please let me know. I tried to type this up as clearly as I could, but I do have two toddlers running around me at the moment (my JOYS). =]

So wish me luck... again I could really use to find the joy in my life.

C-Ya!

The Wii... talk us into it...

Ok... talk me into a Wii...
I am leaning 75% towards getting it and have seen it a couple times but haven't bought it. The console and a couple extra items is more then we usually spend for the family on the holidays but I do have some garage sale money that I want to put towards it. As you can see the oldest kids are 6 and 5, which I have heard is a good age for it. And they do play and enjoy Uncle Aaron's DS. In a way I am being a little selfish because I want it. I have tried it too and had fun and was a little sore afterwards.
And once I am convinced I need to convince Nick... he is even less inclined to get it.. though I did say if we did he can get me the wii fit and I can have a smokin hot body!!!
Thanks!

C-Ya!

Last Month of 2008!

Well here we are in December... as you see the "thankful" challenge is over but rumor has it midnight scrapper has a new one coming out. Till then I have some general thoughts...
*Congratulations Vikings on an awesome game yesterday! You really made football fun to watch and I am proud that you were one of just two home teams to win yesterday. We spent the first half watching the game at our friends up the block and then at halftime the kids and I went home so we could all get to bed and it was a lot of fun.
*Beware of Carter's teeth!! He seems to have gotten over the horrible teething (at least for right now) but now we have to watch out because he wants to bite EVERYTHING and EVERYONE! I think Jeffrey and Samantha have each been bitten and he has nipped at me more then once. And it HURTS!
*This week is another busy one at night with something planned at least 3 out of 5 nights for one of us. With working now I am not always as excited to go out at night to various meetings.
*It was nice to have a LONG weekend. We spent much of the time doing some major house cleaning. Our recycling and trash guy are going to 'love' us as well as the Salvation Army!!! Nick was the most gung ho and has gotten rid of a bunch of stuff (though in my defense he really hadn't gone through a lot of it in years - whereas I had).
*I knew Thanksgiving was going to be hard this year with my Dad gone and I was right. Ever since the beginning of last week I have been in a funk. Unfortunately I doubt it is going to let up for awhile because Christmas is going to be hard and then we are going to come to the anniversary of his death. I still don't think it is fair that he is gone and I truly wonder if we did everything we could.

C-Ya!

Today I am thankful for.... friends

Today is the last day of the challenge and I am grateful for midnight scrapper for starting it for us.
Today I am thankful for friends. Whether you are my IRL (in real life friends) who I have spent a ton of time with or my internet friends who I just know by a nickname and a series of posts. You all have touched my life and made quite an impact (personally and on my wallet!!!)
I think we truly realize the importance of friends as we become older... and as my family shrinks I am grateful to have these friends to stand by me. I have friends that drove quite a ways (across town) to attend my Dad's funeral and are willing to watch my children whenever I need help. I have friends that have been a shoulder to cry on and are there to laugh with. I have friends that have known me for years and friends that I have just met. I am grateful for each and every one of you.

C-Ya!

Today I am thankful for.... music

Today I am thankful for music. I have always been a music lover... I have played a couple different instruments and have sang in various choirs... I love various types of music.. I think music can have a profound effect on mood... whether it is upbeat and makes you happy or it is sad and makes you cry.
I cannot imagine life without music. And I think whoever invented the car radio and ipod are genuises.

C-Ya!

Today I am thankful for.... books

Today I am thankful for books. I am a fast reader. And I am a big reader. This means I can devourer books. I have actually had a few times where I have read a book in a night, and other times in 24 hours. Nick jokes with me about how I can read a book in two hours (an exaggeration unless it is a kids book). I don't know how come I can read so fast probably just a lot of reading when I was younger. And yet I have a ton of books at home to read, and even more on my list at the library. Ever since Carter was born I haven't had as much time, and now that I am working even less. But I still enjoy books and am grateful that we have so many to choose from. And as an adult I can choose to read whatever I want (with some nudges from the book club I am in). I do have to say, my favorite books are chick lit... they are usually light enough to take me away without depressing me... though I have read some real tough stuff. And now if I start a book and don't like it I don't waste my time and read it. Life is too short.
So to anyone that has written a book, thanks! Maybe I will return the favor some day and write my own book.

C-Ya!

Today I am thankful for.... my father

(taken on Thanksgiving 2006)
Today I am thankful for the one person I missed the most today. Today I am thankful and missing my Dad.
With this challenge I find it really appropriate to write this post on Thanksgiving. See, Thanksgiving was probably one of or the favorite holiday of my father. I don't know if it was because he loved to grill the perfect turkey or if he loved always having it at their house or if it was because with Jewish and Christian relatives, this was the one holiday we all "agreed" on... probably a mix of all three. And that made this holiday really hard, especially for Mom and me... of course adding on the death of my Mom's Mom this year didn't make things any easier.
My father was the best person I have ever known. He would do anything for anyone and along with that he would talk to anyone. The conversations my Dad had were legendary. When he died I posted the eulogy on here so I wont re-tell everything but I do want to say a couple things.
Last year at this exact moment my Dad got to fulfill a dream, he got to take his whole family to Mexico. That says a lot about him, he was all about his family, especially his grandchildren. He always made me feel special.. whether it was him always calling me his favorite younger daughter or him always being there for me when I needed him.
But he isn't here now when I need him and for that I feel it is so unfair. I talked to someone yesterday who had also lost her first parent this year and we decided there is no way to sugar coat today when you are missing them so much.
Even so, I do want to thank God for the 28 years I had with my father. In many ways I am a lot like him, and I feel that is a good thing. Dad, I know you know how much we love you but I want to say it again, I love you so much.

C-Ya!

Today I am thankful for.... my son, Carter

Today I am thankful for my baby, my buddy, Carter.
Many of you know he was a surprise, the best surprise I have ever received. Looking back at the first year of his life I realize that he was put on this earth for a purpose. It was like God knew all the bad stuff that was going to happen to us so he first wanted to bring us something good, something that would not let us fall into a deep, dark dungeon of depression. You really do not have as much time to mope when you have a baby to take care of (not taking anything away from the other kids, they are just a lot more independent). A year ago this past Monday, Carter was my first child I ever had to bring to surgery, it was scary but also a blessing because it "fixed" him. Carter is the hardest of all my children to leave every day to go to work because every day he is doing something new. And he is learning everything faster then Jeffrey and Samantha. And speaking of Jeffrey and Samantha, he loves his older brother and sister so much. Of course tops on his list is his Mommy and Daddy, his face just lights up when he sees us, and he gets jealous when any of the other kids or Lucy wont let him get to us when we come home. One of the first sounds Carter could make was the mama sound.. and even though he is not saying it towards me yet... I love to hear it. Carter can be quite the handful at times, he loves to try to get into cupboards and pull things out to throw or chew on and his new favorite game is throwing things down the stairs.
I love my angel, Carter.

C-Ya!

Today I am thankful for.... my son, Jeffrey

Today I am thankful for my first born, Jeffrey.
I always say there is nothing like you first time having a baby. Everything is new and unknown. Jeffrey is my child that we get to try everything out on. This year Jeffrey is in first grade and wow has he already learned a lot. Before school started he could only read our names and No and now he is reading short books to us. His does well in math but really feels challenged in english, especially writing. Jeffrey use to be my laid back child but that has changed a little bit since he has gotten older and hangs out with his Dad. He is still the kind of kid that has just a couple close friends and can have a bad day when they upset him. He also still wants to be a landscaper some day, even if Dad tells him he should do anything but. Jeffrey loves being the older brother to Samantha and Carter, whether it be teaching Sami how to write words or giving Carter hugs and kisses. And Jeffrey usually tries to be the helper around the house, though he would rather vacumn over picking up his toys any day. I was thinking today about how I feel I never see him (even with working) because he is in school all day.
I love you Jeffrey.

C-Ya!

Today I am thankful for.... my daughter, Samantha

Today I am thankful for my girly girl Samantha.
I always knew I wanted at least one of each... so after I had Jeffrey and got pregnant again I knew I wanted a girl, though I was surprised to get my wish. In so many ways she is such a girl, she is highly sensitive and many times you have to be careful about setting her off, but in other ways she is just like the guys, especially when it comes to playing in dirt and sand. Lately she has really enjoyed dresses and she even wore a no sleeve shorter dress to church yesterday (when they high was in the forties). Nothing can take her away from her coloring, she hates to stop to even eat and watch out if you come to our house, you may leave with many pictures (she even gave one to the pizza delivery woman once!). In a way I want Samantha to be just like me, but in other ways I want her to be better then me. I do not know if it is because she is a girl or because she has a brother just 17 months older then her, but she is soooo smart. The stuff she is doing and trying to learn amazes me, I wonder if Kindergarten is going to be boring for her (of course there is all the projects that she will love). And she is awesome at helping Carter, she feeds him, gets him things and makes sure he is doing alright. She has a dimple on each cheek and is wrapped around her father's finger.
I am so thankful for Samantha, I love her so much.

C-Ya!

This Week I am thankful for....

If anyone has been a regular reader of my "today I am thankful for" blogs, you may be wondering why I haven't mentioned my children. I mean of course I am thankful for them. Well I thought it was appropriate to wait till the actual week of Thanksgiving to say why I am thankful for my kids. And just to change things up, since my sons always are bookends with being the first and last kid born, I decided to go in reverse alphabetical order starting with Samantha (can you tell I put a lot of thought in this?)
And then on Thanksgiving I am going to write a special post about someone special to me.

C-Ya!

Today I am thankful for.... medication

Carter has a horrible case of teething mixed in with a small cold. He is miserable!!! I am thankful for that we have medicines though, because it seems to help. I just feel so bad for him... he walks around and is not happy doing anything for too long. I just hope he feels better soon.

C-Ya!