Here comes Santa Claus...

AnnaKate and I headed to the mall last week for our traditional visit with Santa. We meet a friend and her little girl there every year. I love the tradition and the pictures with Santa seem so nostalgic.
I am all decorated and ready...bring on the holidays!

Thankful

Today I am so thankful. I truly have a wonderful and rich life with so much more than I could ever ask for. I have a wonderful family and amazing friends.

I am thankful for a wonderful friendship with "Nan and Slute"

I am so thankful to have my RTS girls.

I am extremely lucky to be able to have time to smell the flowers with this precious girl.

I have a wonderful job and work with the best people.

I am so thankful for grandparents.

I am so thankful for the best therapists in the world for AnnaKate.

I am so thankful for Cindy the CPAP..she has changed our lives!

I am so thankful to have the most loving, kind and hard working husband.

I am truly thankful for a wonderful family that I love to be around.

I am so thankful for AnnaKate's grandparents, Lou-Lou, granddaddy, T-T and Charlie.

I am so thankful for Holly. We have been friends for over 25 years!!

I am so thankful for "The Ten". My Converse friends are friends for life.

I am so thankful for running. It has taught me so much about myself.

Thanks for checking in on us and reading our blog. I am so thankful for you!
Happy Thanksgiving!

Gold Star!

We went to the sleep doctor on Monday for a check up. I told them that we had been using the CPAP all night-every night but it was not until they downloaded the results that they got excited. (Apparently people say they use it and when they download the results another story is told...)

AnnaKate started wearing Cindy on October 9 and she has slept with it every night! We had some rocky nights in the beginning but we pushed through and now it is just part of life. The doctor and nurse were thrilled and gave us a gold star! But the biggest thing for us is all the changes we have seen in AnnaKate since Cindy came to live with us. AnnaKate is is much happier, her attention span is longer and she seems to be developing so much faster. I am so glad that we have Cindy!!

**Also...I was positive that we would schedule another sleep study soon but he said we did not need one until next fall! Yippee!!!!

A Mountain Weekend

Our family had a mountain weekend this weekend. But Billy went in one direction and AnnaKate and I went in the other.

Billy went backpacking with a friend. He hiked over 20 miles with a very heavy pack. I would show you pictures BUT he did not even take a camera. Something about not having any room... :)

AnnaKate and I went with my parents to their mountain home. He was so relaxing and a true getaway weekend for me.

There was a lot of this...

Some rock collecting...

Flower smelling...

The fall leaves were still beautiful

Wrestling with grandaddy...

What a cutie...

I had such a wonderful weekend! I even slipped in 2 great runs amongst the falling leaves... it was so beautiful that I conquered the hills without complaint!

We got back and as I unpacked I walked by AnnaKate's room and this is what I saw...

Thanks to AnnaKate's great OT...AnnaKate can take off her clothes...anywhere...and I LOVE it!

Happy Halloween 2009

Wow...what a fun Halloween! AnnaKate was a Queen Bee this year. She was just precious!! A big thanks to my mom for helping me with the costume.

A fallen bee...

One of my most favorite Halloween traditions is the Meyer Center Trunk of Treat. The community and the Meyer Center do such a nice job hosting this for the kids.

AnnaKate and her "Super SLP"...(speech language pathologist)...

Dogs are AnnaKate most favorite thing in life....so sad she does not have one for herself!!

Joining in with her class.

Hmmm...what is in that bag??!!!

We went trick or treating at AnnaKate's grandparent's, George and Luckit's.

Again...the best part was seeing Dean!

Then we went to her great grandparent's house...Kenny and SweetCakes.

Boy was she pooped....but we still had neighbors to visit!!!

We had such a fun time visiting friends and family!



Side note...on Halloween I ran in another 5K. I was so excited because I beat my last 5K time by almost 1 minute. I finished at 25:56. Bring on the half marathon in December....