This one's for Ali.

One thing that I have become infamous for is rearranging and changing my house around frequently. When Ali lived close she used to love watching Tyler walk through the door at night to find big changes.. the look on his face is usually the same- "Ooooohh. Anne's been busy". It is a classic, which I love! He rarely minds what I do, and usually ends up liking it. And has come to understand that this is just part of what I like to do.
Most recently I redecorated our bedroom and Ali wanted to see it. So I took photos of all the rooms I have changed a bit since she left six months ago... I miss you sis, and look forward to seeing you in March! XO XO

It's been three years...

I've been thinking a lot about my sweet dad today since tonight, about now, marks three years since he passed away. In some ways it feels like it happened yesterday because I can remember that week so vividly, but when I think about all that has happened in the time since it feels like forever.

For my friends who don't know much about what happened I want to share a little bit about this major trial/lesson/experience in my life.

On June 4th 2004 my dad went into surgery because he had been suffering from a mysterious illness with his lungs. For months prior doctors had seen "masses" on his lungs through x-rays but had done biopsies which always came back negative for cancer, so he had been treated for valley fever, was given an asthma inhaler, etc. And had only gotten worse.

So the plan was to go in, remove the irritating masses from his left lung and be done. I happened to be in town visiting my parents that day and when my mom didn't call or come home from the hospital after several hours Tyler and I felt something was wrong. Much later that evening my mom finally returned from the hospital looking like she had seen a ghost. She brought with her the worst news possible. My dad had stage 4 Lung Cancer, his left lung was covered and had been completely removed and the cancer had already spread to his lymphnodes--a bad sign. At the age of 47 he was given only 6-9 months to live. We were shocked and horrified!

Within a week Tyler had asked PwC for an immediate transfer from Denver to Arizona and I was back to spent as much time as possible with my dad. Pregnant with Ashley at the time, I chose to lay with him to talk...watch family feud...and rest with him throughout the hot summer while he suffered through chemotherapy and radiation. He was miserable, but kept his sense of humor. In fact one day while in the pool he discovered that now, with only one lung, his body tipped to the side when he floated! He liked showing that trick off.

So the 6 months mark came with Christmas and we enjoyed a wonderful family vacation to Acupulco, Mexico on Christmas day, happy to still be together and now not knowing how much longer things would last. He was doing so well... we were beginning to hope this all could possibly go away.

But the cancer progressed and he fought, and it progressed and he fought and we lived and we loved and we journaled and we video-taped, we cherished every moment for the next 19 months.

Until December 23th 2004 when I received a call from my mom while in Utah for Christmas that something was wrong. Dad was going. I caught the soonest flight I could, ran through the door at 4am and spent the next week with all of my family loving him. It was a Christmas like no other. A Christmas that no one could ever imagine. A Christmas that, in looking back, was what Christmas is all about, which is family and faith and love. But it wasn't easy.

He passed away surrounded by my mom and all of his children around 9pm on Sunday night January 2, 2005. It was the sweetest moment shared between my mom and him as they connected so tenderly just before he went. I'll never forget that.

I love my dad so much, I miss him and have found that writing this tonight was much, much more for me than for anyone else. I wanted to share the things on my mind and express my love on this meaningful night. Thanks for listening.

Anyone Feeling FAT?

Join Me! I decided recently that I am going to start a new exercise program and tried it for the first time today. It is simple in theory, made for moms who can't leave kids easily and done in a very short time. We'll see how it goes.

I bought myself a jump rope. I'm doing 500 jumps a day, ideally in 100 increments (or less as I found was necessary this morning!) and then doing 200 sit-ups a day on my new big exercise ball! That's it.

I haven't worked out in about a year so this morning was pretty funny, but I do feel SO much better than I did just before that when I had two otis spunkmire cookies for dessert after breakfast.

Told Ty that he should expect me to do all 500 in a ROW by my birthday in March, and we will think back on this day when I about lost my life on the basement floor.

Anyone else want to try this? I'm sure it will tone our bodies into an unrecognizable condition in no time.

Anne

Sledding fun!

Great times with family in Utah!

We are having such a fun time this week with our families. We still have a week to go and have already done so much! Christmas was wonderful, relaxing and so happy! Here are a few pictures of our time here...
Mom with our new Christmas puppy!Christmas Eve matching jammies

Mom's beautiful home during a big storm. I love it!

Couple classics from the Newlywed game

Last night at the Hillstead's we played a very memorable game of the "newly wed game". Around the table we had Brett, Heidi, Anne, Ty, Steve, Shauna, Ali, Blake, Todd, Natalie, Jake and Jenna, Zach and Katie. We had some amazing laughs and learned Oh so much about one another. In an effort to remember the night Ty and I are documenting some of the funniest lines.

"Her mom's a... talking Parrot!" - Steve

"B-Dogg... keep it coming!" - Heidi

"That's Sulfur, Nat" - Todd

"Every man's his own Kasanova" - Ty

"Pink and white, black, black, pink and white, pink and white"

We laughed our heads off. Thanks for the fun, y'all!! I'm sure there is plenty more to come!

T'was the Night Before Christmas

As I mentioned before, Christmas is coming early to our house. Tonight is Christmas Eve and I am getting all this blogging done while I wait for the kids to be good and asleep... and while Tyler assembles Luke's new desk chair...
Tonight we went for Mexican food and then over to the Temple to see the beautiful Christmas lights. We like this tradition because it helps us all to focus on our Savior at Christmas, not just on Santa Clause. We came home to new matching Christmas p.J.s .... oh shoot! Tyler just went outback to throw a box away and caught a glimpse of the big present I had waiting for him, delivered by a friend! Ugh. I HATE when that happens. Anyway, the kids were darling and happy and excited and threw magic glittery oats for the reindeer to come eat. It's been a fun night!



This might be my favorite picture of the season! It completely sums up what tonight was like for us trying to keep these kids from bouncing off the walls!

We pulled it off!

I am happy to announce that the ward Christmas party is official in the record books! After much preparation and effort we and our committee turned out a really fun, and I must say successful party! Here are a few pictures Ty took just before it began of the main breakfast room, the kid's craft room and Santa's picture place.

The next generation of Dunkers

When I came into the Hillstead family I loved almost everything about them. One of the things that was hard for me to swallow, literally... was the dunking 'til soggy of their cookies and grahams, etc. I will admit in the last few years I have begun to do a QUICK dunk myself...but now look...my kids are crazy about it too! The next generation of dunkers has arrived!

Dinner with Luke's Teacher

As a child I remember having several of my elemenatary school teachers over to our house for dinner. It was so special I will never forget it. I decided to make this a tradition for our family as a way to say thank you to the wonderful teachers who do so much for our children, and I invited Luke's kindergarted teacher over for dinner this month. What a special night it was! Luke has never been more helpful in the kitchen, setting the table and making namecards... he read the entire book "Bears on Wheels" to us at dinner, showed her his sword collection and even some ninja moves which he can't use at school! She gave us some very nice Christmas surprises after dinner. I think we all had a wonderful night!

Park days in December

I am reminded on days like this why we love living an Arizona. What a beautiful day it was at the park!

My Christmas Party

Last week I had a bunch of friends over for a Christmas party, white elephant gift exchange. I've been having these ever since high school and my holidays just don't feel complete now without one. As always, we had a wonderful time eating and laughing and everyone went home with a lovely new gift. Thanks for a great time, ladies!

Puppy Love!

My cousin's dog recently had puppies! We visited yesterday and had so much fun cuddling and playing with them. It almost, ALMOST made me wish we could get one for my mom!

The Stockings were Hung...

It's the craziest thing. The temperature has dropped to like 60 degrees here and I am FREEZING!! Was just in a long, hot shower contemplating whether or not I should turn our heat on because we just had our A/C on three weeks ago ... and I thought about how relative things become here! We cool our house down to 79 or 80 degrees here in the summer, which actually feels very refreshing and now I want to heat it when it drops below 74 degrees inside. It is COLD!

Christmas is coming quickly, in fact Santa will be stopping at our house this Saturday night. We spoke with him about it at the mall and he said that would work out fine, so that we don't have to bring all the gifts home from Utah. The kids are thrilled!

The house is looking festive, we love this time of year. I am attaching a few photos I took this week around the house. Merry Christmas everyone!




Our Sunday morning Nativity...

Pictures from India

These are a few of the pictures Tyler took in India last week. The first two are of the hotel which he said was very nice. The next three were taken around the PwC office and the last five were taken while site-seeing. All in all he said the trip was worth it... and he actually came home better rested than he left because he took two sleeping pills and slept 13 hours straight on the flight back! Yeah!

Half way around the world!

I think it is now safe to share - now that he is on his way home- that my husband has been half way around the world all week! He left on Monday for INDIA!! His company is auditing a company that outsources to India and he needed to go there to check things out... what that really means I don't exactly know!

He did fly first class... and said it was one of the most amazing experiences of his life. The flight was 14 hours long, out of Chicago but he ate well, slept well in a seat that reclined into a twin bed, and was well entertained! He has his own TV with all sorts of TV shows and movies not yet on DVD available. When he arrived at the hotel there it was so nice it was equiped with a Brookstone massaging recliner. And I was feeling bad for him having to go?!

Having him so far away has definately been weird. They are 12.5 hours ahead of us so we have only been able to talk 2 times a day for a short while, right when I am starting my day and he is getting in bed and visa versa. I will feel great to have his sweet self home tomorrow!

As for the homefront we have been plugging along. If is it not one thing with these kids it is another.... and I just try to keep up and keep perspective. This morning I seriously thought to myself...."take it one hour at a time! You can survive this hour!" Jake has been throwing up on and off since Sat night and I woke up to a messy bed again, had to pull the sheets and deal with a fussy, sad, cold baby-- while getting Luke out the door by 8:00. Talk about your rude awakening!

Tonight I am having a Christmas party with all the YW leaders I worked with for the last 2 years. I am looking forward to it and it is fun to get ready for. Anyway.. . that is it for today!