Merry Christmas!

I am so not with the program this year. Usually, I have my Christmas Cards printed, addressed and stamped by Thanksgiving and in the mail the day after. This year, they've been printed, but have sat on a shelf waiting to be prepared. I've gotten out two. Yes. TWO of them. And those ones were hand delivered. So, I figured I would at least send a quick end of the year update this way, post some pictures, and if I get around to getting the cards out, it will be a bonus. Sorry. This is just a strange holiday season for me.

In January:  Sierra threw us an amazing surprise baby shower for Makenley. She recruited the help of some of our friends, and it turned out fantastic. Kai'Lani turned 9 on the 18th.

In February: We celebrated Arianna's birthday with cupcakes and a balloon release. We also celebrated Zion's Birthday. Arianna would have turned 6, and Zion turned 5 on the 27th. We continued to prepare for Makenley's arrival. We also got a puppy--Cookie.

In March: We welcomed our beautiful Makenley to the world on March 10th. She made quite the entrance with her rapid delivery. No doctors made it, no NICU staff made it....our nurse caught her alone. She was 4lbs 2 oz, 18" long, and absolutely beautiful. A week after her birth, we almost lost her, due to an accident by a nurse in the NICU....but thankfully she recovered. Most of March was spent in the NICU and the Ronald McDonald House in Reno, as we anxiously waited for her discharge. She came home the last weekend of March.

In April: Phoenix started Baseball, and played for the Cubs. We remembered Arianna on the 5th, and celebrated our anniversary on the 24th.

In May: Sierra turned 12 on the 21st! There were lots of baseball games.

In June: There were warm days....Makeneley went to the beach for the first time. There were carnivals, baseball games, concerts in the park, Carson Valley Days, sleepovers, campfires and smores.

In July: Bryce turned 4 years old on the 1st. We did Hometown Celebrations, bike parades, concerts in the park, 4th of July celebrations at Lake Tahoe. We went to Muir Woods Monument in California and the ocean. We had two large pools set up in the back yard, so there were a lot of swim days.

In August: Phoenix turned 8 on the 12th. More baseball games, large---very large sleepovers for the kids (20+ extra kids for one!). Campouts, fishing, beach days, bike rides, firepits, and friends seemed to be the themes as we said goodbye to summer break. In August, Sierra started 7th grade and her first year of middle school, Kai'Lani started 4th grade, Phoenix 3rd, Zion started all day kindergarten, and Bryce started preschool. Bryce landed himself an ambulance trip and overnight stay in the hospital after coming down with an awful respiratory infection, but recovered quickly and came home the next day. All kids are doing well in school and enjoying their classes. I had surgery.

In September: All 5 of our kids started soccer. Ken and Sierra were also referees. The rest of the next two months we lived and breathed soccer.

In October: October was SIDS and Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. There were proclamations signed, newspaper and news interviews and speeches and presentations. There was soccer and more soccer. There was Halloween and school dances, Nevada Day parades and at last....the end of soccer season. Makenley started saying her first words--"Momma", "Dad" and "hi".

In November: There were snow days. There was Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving plays and feasts in school. Thanksgiving spent with friends. There were NICU reunions for Makenley, and fun in the fall leaves. Phoenix brought home a straight A report card (after struggling last year...huge improvement!). The kids took flying lessons through the Young Eagles Flying club. Sierra actually got to fly the plane over Carson and Virginia Cities.

In December: There have been Christmas parades. Christmas plays. Christmas dances. Makenley cut her first tooth. Winter break and shopping. I had another surgery last week and Ken broke his arm. Tomorrow is Christmas...and Makenley's first Christmas. Tonight there will be lots of wrapping. Lots and lots wrapping. :)

It's been a whirlwind of a year.

We hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas and a very Happy New Years! Here's to hoping 2015 is a good year! Love to all of you.

Love,
The Terhune Family