"Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot, but the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville - did not."

Look at these 2! Just as cute as can be! Where did they get all that tinsel you say? Well- let me tell you. The children in my neighborhood thought it would be fun to decorate the trees on our main entrance drive with tinsel! Lots of tinsel- like the trees that are being decorated off of Bee Caves Rd. and the side of 1431. I , on the other hand, have been the Grinch about it all month long. I think it looks trashy - very trashy. My OCD (Over Cleaning Disorder) has been itching to get rid of it since the moment it arrived!

About a week ago, I pulled over on the way home from the grocery store all by myself and unwrapped one of them. One of the AWFUL ones wrapped up in that horrible red tinsel. I was so proud of myself and would have stopped to undo all of them had I not had ice cream melting in the backseat! I also thought- maybe I should at least let the children enjoy their AWFUL decorations until after Christmas.

But today- Christmas was over. I didn't have any ice cream melting in the back seat and I had 2 very good helpers. I stopped at each tree as Kaci and Bailey took turns unwrapping all 8 of them.

I feel so much better now :) A little like the Grinch.....but at least I didn't steal Christmas until it was over! Besides.....I am quite sure the teenagers who decorated them had no intention of coming back to undecorate them. Am I right?

YUMMY!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!
Kaci's hot cocoa in her new Radio City Rockette's mug!

Merry Christmas!

Look at the HOTTIE I found at the bar on Christmas Eve! Merry Christmas!

On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, on Vixen.....

One of my favorite traditions each year is making and spreding reindeer food on Christmas Eve.

It was late and it was cold....but there was a job to be done!

We know the reindeer enjoyed it! Merry Christmas!

Just add water!

Grayson brought SNOW! I must admit- I thought this stuff was pretty cool. Tonight when Grayson came over she told Kaci and Bailey she had a surprise for them after dinner. Who would have guessed she brought a can of snow? Certainly not me! Some fluffy white powder in a can- just add water-and WAHLAH! SNOW!

It was a little messy so they each got a plate and headed outside!

Look how cute their snowmen turned out. Grayson's looks like a little artist with his hat on. Not sure what the mystery material it was made from was.

Kaci's had some nice leaf buttons down his middle.

After playing in the snow every girl needs a little Starbuck's cocoa and
FREE Wi Fi to help warm her up~

"It's good!"

Here is Bailey's artwork that is displayed in the school hallway! I just love it.

It is an abstract football player and field goal.

Getting Ready for January 14th....

Oh man! Can you see my tear drop about 3/4 of the way down? ACK!

If you have old eyes like me it may be hard for you to read....

Again- here is what Kaci wrote:

"Hi! My name is Kaci Borchgardt. I am 9 years old and in Mrs. Peterson`s 3rd grade class. You may have seen me around.

I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 7 (the summer before I started 2nd grade) I was drinking a lot of water, going to the bathroom a lot and I was tired all of the time. I also lost a lot of weight. I had to go to the hospital and that is when I found out I had diabetes. My Uncle also has diabetes. He helps me feel better about having it. He has had it for 27 years.

Now I have to check my bloodsugar with a finger prick before I eat. Each year I have to prick my finger about 2, 190 times. I also have to take a shot with insulin in it after I eat. Each year I have to take about 1, 825 shots. Can you imagine that?? Yeah it hurts. Sometimes I wish it would just "poof" disappear. Some of the reasons why I don't want diabetes is because the shots and pricks hurt and I can't have sweets as much as I used to- unless my blood sugar is low.

If I don't check my blood sugar or take my shots the side affects are blindness, heart disease, liver failure and even amputation.I volunteer to help raise money every year. I hope that you will too!! All the money you, and others raise, will go to the doctors and scientists so they can buy supplies to find a cure."

"It is what it is!"

Today at Kaci's Holiday party she was allowed to have 2 marshmallows, 3 strawberries, 5 pretzel sticks, a bite of cake and a very small amount of chocolate dipping sauce. All while I watched the other kids shovel their faces full of sugary, crappy goodness!When I checked her sugar (granted her lunch insulin had only been working for about 45 minutes) Her meter said HI! Not like, " Hi - how are you doing? " BUT rather HI- like HIGH.... which in meter language means a blood sugar reading of over 600! (It should be between 80-160)

We washed her hands and rechecked and the second time it registered as 579. That is the highest is has EVER been...it wasn't even that high when we were in the hospital! I assume the diet coke I ordered with her lunch was not a diet. I ALWAYS try it to make sure- but today I didn't. So an extra shot at school- and then another extra shot at home and we finally got it down to 151 about 6 o'clock tonight. If only I would have taken a sip! I think it is easy for all of us to take for granted something as simple as being able to eat what you want without having to count carbs and calculate corrections and figure insulin and shots. I think it is easy for us and other students to look at children with diabetes and think that it is not so bad....because you don't see the storm inside of their bodies.

It takes my breath away!

It breaks my heart!

It makes me cry!

It makes me angry!

I want to scream!

It makes me doubt!

It makes me hurt!

It makes me sick!

It fills me with guilt!

And then I think- "It is what it is".....and I hurt some more.

** I also found out today that the principal at Kaci's school will not allow the Take Away stories to be attached to the School Walk folders. Breaks my heart, makes me cry, makes me angry, I want to scream, it makes me hurt, it makes me sick! -- and then, It is what it is.

We will still find a way to share her story. It is a story worth hearing. I am sad that the principal does not see that. I am sad that she is not willing to give these children a chance to share what they go through each and every day. **

"Just give hope a chance to float up.... and it will"

I am so excited to say that after talking with Amy Hyman at the JDRF offices and Kaci and Bailey's PE teachers at school- the school has finally agreed to host a JDRF Kids Walk!! The presentation will be held on January14th. Then the children will have until February to collect donations for JDRF. The school walk and money counting day will be held on February 11th. There are 2 children (other than Kaci) at the school who have diabetes.

I have "counted money" for 2 other Kids Walks and it is ridiculous how excited I get. It feels good to volunteer! It feels good to see other kids that are going through the same thing as Kaci. It it wonderful to see kids helping other kids! -It is wonderful to hear the stories of children with diabetes. To hear the hope in their presentations! To read in their own words what it is like to go through what they do everyday for the rest of their lives....or until the cure is found!!! And it is great knowing that there is money going towards more research everyday!! That our family is not alone in fighting this disease.

When children are able to connect this disease to someone they know....they tend to work harder to collect donations- so we have decided to attach a "Take Away" story to the collection envelopes that the children who are directly affected write themselves. It will include a picture of the child and even their own signature at the bottom. Kaci got to work right away on her story and this is what she came up with. I am so proud of her.

"Hi! My name is Kaci Borchgardt. I am 9 years old and in Mrs. Peterson`s 3rd grade class. You may have seen me around.

I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 7 (the summer before I started 2nd grade) I was drinking a lot of water, going to the bathroom a lot and I was tired all of the time. I also lost a lot of weight. I had to go to the hospital and that is when I found out I had diabetes. My Uncle also has diabetes. He helps me feel better about having it. He has had it for 27 years.

Now I have to check my bloodsugar with a finger prick before I eat. Each year I have to prick my finger about 2, 190 times. I also have to take a shot with insulin in it after I eat. Each year I have to take about 1, 825 shots. Can you imagine that?? Yeah it hurts. Sometimes I wish it would just "poof" disappear. Some of the reasons why I don't want diabetes is because the shots and pricks hurt and I can't have sweets as much as I used to- unless my blood sugar is low.

If I don't check my blood sugar or take my shots the side affects are blindness, heart disease, liver failure and even amputation.I volunteer to help raise money every year. I hope that you will too!! All the money you, and others raise, will go to the doctors and scientists so they can buy supplies to find a cure.

Thank you,

Pack 565 Can't Be Beat!!

Tonight we went to Bailey's Boyscout Pack meeting! It was awards night and the night they received their popcorn rewards. Bailey was chosen to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. I was so proud of him.

He was also chosen to lead in the Pack Chat....." Pack 565 Can't Be Beat!"

When we arrived you couldn't help but notice the 12 marshmallow crossbows stacked on the front table. Bailey couldn't wait to get his - but I gently reminded him that they were for the top 12 popcorn sellers out of the 50+ boys in his pack. I told him I did not think he would be receiving one- (but knew that he would be receiving a$20 gift card to Toys R Us for his sales.) My heart melted when he said, "It's OK if I don't get one Mom. I won't cry!" Well- I am not sure if that was true or not- but I was elated when I didn't have to find out. Turns out Bailey was one of the top 12 sellers and walked away with a marshmallow crossbow after all! I love this picture. He was so excited! 6 of the top 12 sellers were in his Den!!

Look at the smile! Way to go~!

Waiting on Santa.....

The little lights aren't twinkling, Clark!

Love this little crazy street over by mom and dad's house. We try to make it over there to see the lights at least once every year. It is so much fun! The families sit in the middle with Santa Claus and hot cocoa and take dontations for Brown Santa! - Wow! That is the Christmas Spirit!!

The gingerbread house is always my favorite!

Kaci and Bailey take turns reading pages from the big pages from

"The Night Before Christmas!"

I love this sweet nativity......This house believes!

Here is the gang! - minus me!

And here is the gang- minus Amber!

Sisters and Best Friends!

Boo Awards!

Today was the Boo Awards at the Hyatt hotel downtown. Such a fun event and one I wouldn't miss for the world. When we arrived this year we were greeted by Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. I love this picture of all of us. Too bad the Christmas cards are already done! This would have made a cute one!

The first thing we did was pick our table and grab some snacks! YUMMY! The best bread and sweets you have eaten~

While we waited for the awards to begin- we got to watch the big screen with some of the pictures from Walk Day. Here is a picture of Bailey's on the big screen-- a picture of his picture! ha ha

The Honey, Rufus and Kaci Team walked away with 5 awards!! AMAZING! Kaci and Bailey both received the Golden Sneaker Award for raising over $1,000 on their own meter for the team.

The team also received the Bronze award for raising between $2,500- $4,999. The Honey, Rufus and Kaci team raised $3,492.84. We doubled what we raised last year. AMAZING!

Bailey received the Helping Hand Award for being a sibling of someone with diabetes.

I am so proud of my kids. They work so hard to help themselves and others. They are caring and compassionate. They are strong and brave. Here they are with Mrs. Amy from the JDRF offices. We just love her!

We love Ms. Vicki too!

The last award the team got was the Spirit Award. Our team received the Spirit Award for many reasons- some of which Ms. Amy announced during the ceremony. (the kids lemonade stand, Clint's piggy bank matching challenge, Uncle Chad's April money match, all the school walk folders Kaci has stuffed- over 5,000!)- and more!

Here is the poster from the walk trail on Halloween this year. i just love it!

Here we are with all our loot! Merry Christmas!

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

Here are a few more of the special ornaments you will find on our tree. Each year Kaci and Bailey get to buy a new one....it is fun to look back through them and see who was the favorite character of the year!

This is Bailey's Boots the Monkey ornament.

Kaci made this one in the first grade!

Each year we also make one ornament with the kids pictures in it. This is Bailey in 2007.

Dora was a favorite of Kaci's for a very long time!

This is my sweet baby Kaci on her first Christmas!

Bailey picked out this Diego!

This one actually belongs to Clint. Not sure the story behind it...but one of Bailey's favorites!

This was my Christmas present from Kaci last year. I just love it!

Kaci's newest creation. Love this Christmas tree made of popsicle sticks, and wagon wheel noodles! Amazing how a little glue, paint and glitter can really make things sparkle.

This one is Baileys. What an awesome job! The handmade ornaments are always my favorite!