Who Do You Jingle With?

We're nearing the home stretch on the fundraising for the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis! All things seem to be in order as we prepare for Siobhan's big day...practicing her speech, getting out costumes together for the costume contest, gearing up our legs for the run, lot's to be excited about!
We're doing our best to make Siobhan and our team the top fundraisers. So have you donated yet? Are you planning on joining our team? Click here if you would like too contribute. If you would, please make the donation directly to Siobhan-just click on her name!

On Today's List

Before, you read any further, Have you headed over to join our team for the Jingle Bell Run/Walk? After tomorrow, registration goes up to $30 so do it now!!!! There's also a kids 1K and the price is always $10. And, of course, you can donate any amount you like until the day of.

Now, since it's Monday and I haven't blogged in a years(!!!!!), I'm going to create my to do list so I have some ownership over how I spend my day. And just FYI, this post will probably be boring. So here's what I hope to accomplish:

*Do one more load of laundry and then fold and put away all the loads that I've done between yesterday and today. If I do anymore today than what I've already done I'll get overwhelmed and it won't get completed. After falling ridiculously behind on my laundry, I need to pace myself.
*Come up with something to feed my family dinner. Pancakes? Maybe-We're having leftovers from last night, done!
*Acquire birthday treats to take to Siobhan's class and then deliver them-1/w way done
*Attend Jingle Run planning meeting at the Arthritis Foundation this afternoon.
*Get dressed in clothes other than sweat pants-done!
*Figure out our clothing for family pictures this weekend. I would like my brain to stop keeping me up at night thinking about color/texture/print combinations and the disasters that are possible.
*Take books to library.
*Vacuum Mr. Will's bedroom so he'll stop eating sequins (it's a long story) -That one's done
*Blog something interesting this evening.

I need to bare in mind that I'm giving myself until the end of day to get this all done.

Whenever the Arthritis Foundation has a big event, they always choose a child with JIA to be an honoree-sort of the face of Arthritis and 'voice for hope' to show that life can be normal. Back in June, we were able to meet James Light who was the honoree for the Arthritis Walk. He was super sweet and very inspiring. You can read it here. Siobhan even sees the same Doctor!

Well, we were given the opportunity for Siobhan to be the honoree at this years Jingle Bell Run/Walk so we jumped on it and we just got word last week that it's official! How exciting is that!!!! We're so happy and excited to be able to share her/our story with everyone who is struggling with arthritis and to bring awareness to the fact that there is a huge need for more research, but ultimately, what we need, is a cure!

For this event, our family will be able to help in some of the planning of the event, work with local media, share our story with the community and Siobhan will be able to start the race. We also started a team just like we did for the walk back in June.

Now, I really don't like to solicit people for money or ask a lot from people, but this is obviously something that is really close to our family so I am going to put it out there. So here's where you come in....

1)We need team members to fun with us! There is a $25 reg fee which goes toward our fundraising goal of $1500.

2)If you don't live close, you can still donate to our team. A lot of very generous people donated to us for the last walk and I definitely don't expect that again. But the option is there. If you've never donated before, just know that any amount helps.

3)Come and cheer us on! There is going to be a lot of fun stuff going on at the Jingle Bell Run/Walk so come and get into the holiday spirit and cheer on 'Siobhan's Secret Weapons'. Through this whole arthritis journey, the moral support has meant just as much to us! Surrounding ourselves with people who want the best for Siobhan has been awesome!

If you're interested in helping us one way or the other, here are the event details:

When: Sat December 3

8.30-10am : Registration

9.15am : Holiday Costume Contest!

9.40am : Kids 1k Run with Elves

10am : Timed 5k Runners Begin

10.10am : Untimed Joggers/Walkers Begin

5k Results + Awards Ceremony to follow.

Where: Trolley Square-Southwest Plaza

How: You can run or walk, timed or un-timed

So if you want to join our team head on over here and find our team. This go around, we've called our team 'Siobhan's Secret Weapons'.

Forget Not

The talk by President Uchtdorf, wasn't it amazing!!! Watch the entire thing here. You will be not be disappointed!

Monkeys and Elephants and Dinosaurs, Oh My!

A few weeks back (well, like a month ago) we went to the zoo! We don't venture out for things like that very often because Carson and I are seriously out numbered by the amount of kids we have. But we went with Grandma and Grandpa so that helped a lot-a few extra hands.

We've been looking forward to going to the zoo for a long time because Carson's company installed a bunch of air compressors for a dinosaur exhibit. The air compressors made the dinos move and some of them even sprayed water. Since we have a little boy in our family who adores anything of the dinosaur persuasion, it was bound to be a big hit!






We also saw elephants, and I didn't know this, which are apparently Audrey's favorite animal. We spent a lot of time there listening to the one of the zoo people (docent?) talk all about the elephants they had there which were a grandma, a mommy and a baby girl. So fun!

This is a big elephant outside the habitat. It does a little bit of moving and water spraying which Carson's company also did.

We also saw the monkeys which is always fun! There was this one baby monkey (I can't remember what kind-black with big, white, long tails-sort of look like a skunk) who kept bouncing all around the habitat and he had fun jumping up to the window and making faces at the girls. So cute!!!

We had a great time at the zoo!

Take a Look

If you're not a regular reader of our arthritis blog A Stint in Juvy, head on over there and take a look at our great news about Siobhan and her arthritis!

Blog Lovin' For The Boys!

There has been a serious lack of blog love for the boys in this family. I don't have any big stories to tell per-se.....og wait, that is not true! Mr. Will broke his arm last week, which is so sad. He has a blue cast like Thomas the Tank Engine. Also, he loves Thomas so much! He's mostly potty trained with the exception of #2 and night time. But we're working on it! Sir Ethan is rolling around which is so fun to watch. Also, he got a hair cut and always, he's so handsome. We had to graduate from the bumbo because he tipped over in it a few times. He's the happiest boy in the world!

Mr. Will while we were in Portland wearing my grandfathers old cowboy boots.

Is it just me, or does he look so tired in this picture?

Ethan doing what he does best-being adorable! (pre-bumbo tipping)

Mr. Will watching Thomas The Tank Engine while reading Thomas The Tank Engine with Thomas and his Friends.

Mr. Will loves the dishwasher. Also, he changed a setting on my camera so that for a while, it was black and white and green. It took be a while to fix it.

He loves his saucer!

He always mugs for the camera every time I pick it up. So funny!

Doing what he does best-playing with his trains!

Right after his first hair cut.

Mr. Will was very insistent about wearing Carson's Jazz jersey.