So Much at One Time

I don't share a whole lot of what is really going on behind the scenes in our lives.

Recently we have been on overload with all that has been happening.

This past year has brought a lot of uncertainty into our life. We have been kind of lost as to what we should be doing exactly. We knew we were supposed to be here where we are.

But are we still?

We know we should be in school.

But the rest is still to be determined I guess. We thought we had answers when we got a call from a housing place in KC, we were on a waiting list for, called and said we were accepted and could move in Jan. The more we talked about it, as good as everything sounded and that is what we wanted, it just didn't all feel right.

Why does it have to be so hard? I just wish it weren't.

Well, we now had to make a new plan.

So, our first step, in December we decided it was time

to make some changes to try and get ahead.

So, we turned in our notice and started to prepare the house to move. We did not go far, but we did downsize. A lot. We put basically our whole house in storage.

Which is maybe the hardest part but, it is only very temporary.

My saying through all that is going on is... We need to step back so we can move forward again.

So that is what is being done.

So in the future we are trying to figure out School

for Justin and everything that goes along with that. Which is so much easier said than done.

It's amazing how over the past month or so I have felt very calm, ready to deal with anything that came my way. I took things as they came and dealt with it with ease.

At least I have felt that way. I hope I showed it outwardly the same.

It was not as hard to leave our house and neighborhood as I thought it would be.

I think the feelings I have had was a confirmation that we were on the right path and we are doing what we are supposed to be at this moment.

This is the hardest part I think now because we don't have answers to where to go from here. So I hope in a short time, it will be told.

Goodbye's

We had to say goodbye to Myka. There were a lot of things leading up to this. Part of me knew the whole time we had him we could not keep him and we had to let him go. But, it is hard to let go sometimes. It seamed like the timing was right though and he has good people to take care of him and devote all of there time to training him properly now. He has an assigned trainer with him at all times. He is working with him for a few weeks then, will find a new home for him after the month of full training. He is a Siberian Husky (blood tests just confirmed he has at least 1/32 % of wolf in him). They are hard dogs to have because they just require way more than most any other. Huskies are very smart and they just need people or other dogs "their pack" to be with.

He really was a good dog. He just has a few issues from being abused in his past which has made him sometimes agressive, and mostly when other people were around. He was not like that when we first got him. I don't know what happened. Justin felt that he was being protective of our family because we had been so nice to him, and he did not have that so much in the past. I love how this picture captures him.

Hayden loves dogs. This one was no exception. Justin and Myka..... They loved to rough house and wrestle together. Hayden's last hug goodbye Myka loved to jump onto our bed and roll around and snuggle up in our softest blanket. He also loved to lay on top of us or sit on us wherever we were. Every morning he would run straight in to us and sniff our face and snuggle right up against or on us. Has to be in the center of attention wore out. It was hard to get a picture with him actually asleep, he never wanted to miss anything.

Hayden still asks where he is. He then tells us... "Myka, new home?" He knows that much but I am sure does not really understand it all. It is sad. I know the hardest part for me (besides missing him) was just wondering if he will be okay, and picturing his sad face wondering where we are and why he is in, yet another new place. I am sure there is a lot more I could say and go on about to fill in some gaps. I do know he is being well taken care of. And he will hopefully have a wonderful new home soon.

We will miss you!

Visit from Lisa's Family

We had a very short but fun visit with Heather, Mike and Mom and Dad Hastings.

We decorated our gingerbread house together.

Which was devoured even faster than it was put together.

We met at the dam and walked along the trails, watched the Eagles and other big birds.

Alyssa woke up with a fever that morning.

Grandpa had fun teaching Brandon to skip rocks across the water.

Lisa and Heather had talked about watching one of their favorite movies (Sweet Home Alabama) together for a long time and finally did!

It's always so good to have visitors, especially from family.

Remembering 2008

I want to remember the past year that went by so quickly before any more time slips away..... So... The year of 2008 for the Finley's Brandon: Turned 6. Played on his first sports team playing T-ball. Went from Kindergarten to 1st grade. Got glasses for reading. Spent a lot of time playing with friends in the neighborhood. Loves anything that is, Ben 10, Star Wars, Transformers. Loves spending time with Dad and also playing the 360 together. He has lost 4 teeth. Has grown like a weed! His dad is proud that he is taking after him in height. Has excelled greatly in his reading! Alyssa: Turned 4. Started preschool in the fall and absolutely loves it! Has a very imaginative mind and pretend plays all the time. (So if you ever hear her talking to herself, you will know why. This is very frequent) Loves everything girly and not girly. Dress up, moms makeup, nail polish, dirt, mud, all bugs, (yes she picks them up and carries them around with her) Hayden: Turned 3. Diaper free! He kind of did this on his own with only a little prompting and back up from mom and dad. Loves to play with his cars, trucks, trailers, trains etc.... finally figured out that watching TV or movies is sometimes fun. Scared us all with his accident at the swimming pool. Which I am so thankful he is okay from that. Finally went to nursery the week before his 3rd birthday. Loves people. Obsessed with trailers, hitches, motorcycles.... and points them all out as we drive down the road. Loves to be with his daddy. Lisa: Was called to Young Women's 1st counselor over the 14 and 15 year olds, at the beginning of the year. Stayed busy with her calling. Started this blog to keep family up to date and to not forget some memories. Tries to keep up with the 3 kids and Justin and the house etc... enjoyed time together with playgroups and outings with the kids and family. Justin: Always busy with something. Work, School, trying to find time for himself and family. Enjoys his basketball times on the weekend. Started a new job. Changed his focus on his degree for school. Lisa gave in and he finally got his motorcycle he's been wanting since before we were married. (Which is now sitting lonely in storage because of winter) Justin is a wonderful dad who the kids all love! He can always make you happy when you are down. As a family we really enjoyed our trip back to Utah in February to see all of our family and friends. We had a visit from Grandma Finley. We really enjoyed all of the time we can spend with Becca, Matt and the girls from being so close. Aunt Heather came to stay for a bit over Summer. Justin and Brandon took a fishing trip to his friends farm in Ks. In May, Lisa's whole family was together in St. Louis. We were looking into buying a house in Kansas City to be closer to his corporate office after he started working from home, only to come home from a weekend with the realtor to find out he was let go. Started working at CALO as a Recreational Therapy Assistant/Residential Coach, which sparked his interest in getting a degree along those lines, because he loves people and loves to make a positive difference in others lives in a positive setting. We got a dog, Myka, who is a Siberian Husky and was about 9 months old. He turned one around Thanksgiving. We love to spend time together as much as time allows between all of our busy lives. We are Thankful for all of our family and friends and everything we are blessed with in our lives.

Day after Christmas

It was good to spend some days together with daddy's time off.

It was so beautiful the day after Christmas, we had to take the kids out doors to run off some energy! We found a wonderful spot with lots of grass and room to run and play and to just be kids.

Hayden loved this tall grass so much he kept attacking it. All three just being themselves

Brandon got this cool hand carved walking stick from his Uncle Matt for Christmas.(That Matt made) He was so excited to try it out. He loves it!

Alyssa and her fairy wand, always playing make believe.

This was a good day!

I do not have a picture on my current files.... but,

If I had access to a computer this day I would have wished my sister just older than I am... Liz ,Happy Birthday here....! We miss you so much! I am glad you were able to be with the family.

Bald Eagles

On Dec 3, it was one of the first of the cold days ahead.

I had dropped Justin off at work and thought I would take a drive by the dam on the way out since it is right there.

When I pulled down into the parking lot I saw a tree full of Bald Eagles!

I started to count and there were at least 25 just in that tree! I counted about 15 more in trees further down and in other spots. So the total being around 40!! That is alot.

It was an amazing sight to see all of these beautiful huge birds up so close in there own place.

Justin took these with our great camera we got for Christmas.

It looks like he was cleaning his bill?

Justin was right underneath them! I love this one, I wish I could zoom a little closer without distorting it.

This would be all the bald eagles I saw at the beginning of Dec. As you can see quite a few flew off, and one is as I took the picture... and this is with our other camera.

This Eagle is eating a fish, it has part of it hanging out of it's mouth.

Later that week I took Brandon back to see. As we were coming down the hill we saw two big deer in a field ahead by a dirt road.

I then saw a cat walking along the dirt road towards the deer.

I drove towards them and when I got to the edge the cat looks at us and the deer look at the cat and they all run! The cat after the deer. That is when I realized how big that cat really was and it was not just a cat but a bob cat and it ran right after the deer.

It was kind of cool to see. Wish I had a good camera for that one.

I love all of the beautiful nature around us here.

Christmas day

In our bed in the morning

lining up in the hall Hayden with his stocking (he woke up with a fever that morning) Brandon so excited!

Alyssa...... what a grin!

We had a very low key kind of day. It was a good Christmas. A few of us were sick and we all just sat around and played and took naps and really did nothing. Which was really nice for a change.

It was nice to have nowhere to go and just be together.

Holiday fun...

We had so many different fun activities before Christmas we did with friends and as a family I want to remember.

Hanging out with the girls ..... Alex, Izzy, Taylor, Alyssa and Brandon

Becca, Matt and the girls came for a short visit before Christmas

Alyssa at her school party

Brandon's fun elf hat from school.

The kids had fun helping me make tons of gingerbread cookies!

Hayden helping out.

Holiday time

So Finally some pictures from the Hollidays!

Hayden with Mrs. Clause.

No one was scared to talk to Santa this year.

They were all consistent in asking for the same thing.

Hayden=a trailer and a truck

Alyssa=Barbies

Brandon=Ben Ten watch

(yes Alyssa is great at doing goofy things with her mouth for pics)

Some fun activities.... Alyssa and Hayden decorating Christmas ornaments. A very Random picture..... Since I never posted on my 30th Birthday!!! This was us out at dinner. Becca and Matt were along with us to also celebrate Becca's Birthday the day before.