Merry Christmas!

I can’t believe it is December already! This year has flown by and my favorite time of year is already upon us! This year we have had so much to be Thankful for and continue to count our Blessings. Just before Thanksgiving, Olivia and I were able to once again attend the Go Red for Women Luncheon in Coralville. Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of nearly 500,000 American women each year, yet women were not paying attention. In fact, many even dismissed it as an “older man’s disease.” To dispel the myths and raise awareness of heart disease as the number one killer of women, the American Heart Association created Go Red for Women – a passionate, emotional, social initiative designed to empower women to take charge of their heart health. This is a great event to raise awareness and have a wonderful time. We helped at the Heart Friends vendor booth for some of the day. This group is the one we have been with since Olivia’s birth. It is a group of Heart Parents and doctors and nurses who try to spread hope and awareness for CHD. After we had walked around a bit someone from one of the pampering booths asked Olivia if she would like a red streak put in her hair and her nails done. Of course, she couldn’t pass this up! After her nails were done, she asked for a massage! I didn’t get any of this special treatment…Although; I do not deserve it as much as Olivia does! Later that week Vinton had a few festivities to kick off the Holiday Season. There were Llama rides and Santa! At the end of the month our family embarked on a new tradition. We went and cut down our very own Christmas tree! The kids loved being out in the open space, with nothing but fields of beautiful Christmas trees. Soon, we spotted the perfect one….Daddy cut it down, yelled, “Timber!” and we drug it down to be netted and put in the trailer to take home. The kids helped me decorate as we ate cookies and listened to Christmas Carols. We also started another new tradition this year. “Wings,” as Olivia has named him, has come to stay as our Elf for the Christmas Season. Although, we sometimes we still forget to take off our “Sassy Pants,” he is a gentle reminder! At the end of November I was asked to do an interview with The Rivers to Rivers show on IPR. Here is a link if you’d care to listen. It is regarding rural healthcare. Kendra's IPR Interview The first weekend in December my mom took the kids and me to an indoor water park in DSM. We were supposed to go for the kids’ birthdays back in September, but mom ended up being sick. With the weather being cooler, now was the perfect time to go! We also attended Valley Junction’s Town Christmas Celebration. The next day we hit the mall on the way home. Thomas could not get enough of that train! Last week we went to Clinton to have a slumber party with my Grandma, Aunt Tee and Melissa and our cousin Emma. We all stayed at Grandma Brewer’s Farm. Olivia has been counting down the days for this! Aunt Tee took off work and had all kinds of activities planned for her and the girls. She made up these adorable signs and bought them all kinds of snacks (Yes, she’s awesome)! They loved every minute of it (except when Thomas tried to join in on the fun!)… In the evening we attended a lighted train display and fireworks and then drove through Eagle Point Park’s Christmas Display. I don’t think those girls got to bed until 11:00! However, they were still up at 6:30am…poor Aunt Tee! On the way home from Clinton we attended a special celebration at CRANDIC in Cedar Rapids. The kids were able to meet Santa (again), but this time he, Mrs. Clause and the Grinch arrived via train. They rode right up to us on the train. It was amazing to see! You will have to excuse the picture. It was dark and I didn’t have my good camera with me, but you get the idea! Thanks for tuning in; I hope you enjoyed the many, many pictures (I think the people I’m with begin to roll their eyes at me, ha ha). I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. God Bless. I will leave you with one of Miss Olivia at dance class. Next week is her Christmas Recital!