The Dudley Bunch: Blank

Dec 14, 2009

Blank

Have you ever had so much on your mind, that it actually kind of goes blank? That's me. Not like totally a blank slate, but blank like I have no personality because I eat, sleep, dream about my to-do list. I am not even kidding, but I thought my life was crazy busy before....uh no. I know what you're all thinking...Yes well it's christmas time, we all feel that way, and indeed that is true enough, but let me describe my past 12 days and I don't care if you want to skip all the reading and just look at some of the pictures, but this is just so someday I can look back and laugh:

12 days ago: Sister Rose came home from the hospital and the home care began. 3 physical therapy sessions a week plus 2 nurse visits.
10 days ago: Anissa and Shanna, Sister Rose's daughter and granddaughter moved here from Topeka, Kansas. I picked her up, she was in tremendous pain (hip injury), we went to the e.r., I rushed back and went and taught art in school.
9 days ago: We got our Christmas tree, but after 4 different tree lots, it was too late to get it set up, so we left it tied to the car roof
8 days ago: Went to church and early pec meeting with the tree tied to our car...yep that was us. Oh yeah, and I forgot to do my calling and ended up teaching relief society with 5 minutes to prepare...awesome.
The past 7 days:
set up and decorate the tree
MRI appointment for Anissa (about 3 hours long)
Housing appointment for Anissa (about 3 hours long)
2 other doctor appointment for Anissa (my sis in law handled these)
2 more art classes at school
2 days at health and welfare with anissa (again angie rescued us)
house hunting for Anissa and Sister Rose
Dance lessons for the girls
piano recital
piano lessons
scouts
Tatym's school christmas concert
about 30 phone calls to assist Anissa with setting up her new life here in Boise
dentist appointments for ALL the kids
presidency temple session (deep breath)
ornament exchange party
Ashlee's 30th birthday (a much needed girl's night!)
Worked on Christmas presents for Tonya and my parents so I could send them to Canada with Blake's family
a spontaneous ufc fight night party

and then just the usual:

cooking, (for 9),cleaning, laundry, kids, groceries, and bills....forget Christmas. I haven't even started that yet. Usually I have baked up a storm by now, made chocolates, bought presents by this time. So I guess that leaves me about 10 days right?

Santa...please leave me a tropical vacation under the tree, I'm gonna need it.

4 comments:

jenniho ♥ said...: Oh hun - I've been thinking of you the past couple of days since we talked. You are one of the most generous, good, and insane people that I know! I love you and wish I were closer so I could help. So I know with all of your extra time you've been searching the town trying to find me the perfect gift...I'll let you off the hook this year! (Lets do a girls weekend in January as Christmas gifts to each other.) Good Luck, breath...you will look back and laugh..; December 16, 2009 at 6:20 PM
amysteed said...: wowzers Kara, you are one busy lady! I love the mental image of your van in the church parking lot...tree and all.; December 16, 2009 at 6:22 PM
cindy W said...: I totally hear you...it's sad. you kinda feel like you should be just full of holiday spirit, and it just doesn't happen cause you're too busy!
WAH!!
ugh...
so when am I going to be included in girl's weekend??? i need one too!!; December 16, 2009 at 6:53 PM
Sweetarita said...: I feel for you girl! I hate it when we have to remind ourselves to actually BREATHE.....unfortunately the pre Christmas meltdown is inevidable....my sister and I always joke "Have you had your's yet??"Hope your next few days are JOLLY!; December 16, 2009 at 9:11 PM

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Our Story...the short version

Tim and I met in 1994, after his mission while I was in University in Lethbridge. After breaking and entering the Prince of Wales hotel that was under construction in the middle of February, we started spending a lot of time together. ( If you need more info about our meeting/breaking and entering...call me). Tim left that summer to go to Kansas City to take some science classes for Chiropractic school. While he was gone, he managed to get another girlfriend. Needless to say, we went our separate ways...and I was a little bitter. I guess he liked me best though, because for the next two years, he called me anytime he was home on semester break. Eventually he wormed his way back into my heart, and the rest is history. We married in October of 1996, and have been blissfully happy ever since. He is truly one of the best men I have ever known, and a great husband and father. That isn't to say he never drives me nuts...I am only human after all.

Family Vacations

There is nothing better than a family vacation. We have made it a huge priority to take vacations as a family. Not all of them are extravagant. In fact, some of our favorite memories are our trips to Alberta, or to the mountains a couple hours away. But one of our family's favorite destinations is Cancun, Mexico. What's not to love...the beach, ocean, food, and company is always outstanding. We went again last fall and had a blast. The kids were all at ages where we hope they will remember it. We had so much fun playing in the sand, and just hanging out together. The kids all got to swim with dolphins, and I was happy to be the photographer...in fact I may have gone overboard with my 500+ pictures. Here are a few of our favorites. Happy Memories.

Sisters

I have been blessed with 2 sisters. I didn't always think that was such a treat, but as I have gotten older and hopefully wiser, I have come to realize that sisters make the best friends. There isn't anything...(and I mean anything), I won't talk about with my sisters. A couple of years ago, we started having our "girls weekends", and let me tell you...that is fun. Undoubtedly someone is always nursing or pregnant, but it is still a blast. I was even lucky enough last year to be part of Kami and Tonya's births. I have always wanted to be on the other side of labor, if you will, and just be there as a support. Kami gave birth to Kiyomi in February, and Tonya to Walker in July, and I was there! They were both so amazing, and it was so cool to be part of it, and I am grateful I was in a position to go. Anyway...I love my sisters! Blood and all the others I have adopted to my heart over the years.

Family

Not only are Tim and I lucky to have our sweet kids, but we are blessed with great parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews. It is funny to see how big both families are getting. There are soon to be 24 grandkids on Tim's side, and soon to be 13 on mine. It is so much fun to get together with them whenever we can, and our kids have such fun when they are with Grandparents or cousins. It is a real blessing to have so many people who love you, love your kids, and are involved in helping them become the great people you want them to be. I don't think there is any way we can overestimate the value of such support. I am especially grateful that family is always there in the tough times, even more than when it is all fun. Just want you all to know how much we love and appreciate you all, even if we are too dumb to say it very often. There you go...a full serving of cheese. But I really do mean it all!

The Dudley Bunch