Merry Christmas

Since the economic weather outside is frightful, we decided to forgo our Caribbean Christmas tradition. The kids tried to make do.

Wishing you a warm Christmas and hope you have a healthy New Year.

The Duff Family

Family Home Evening

Tonight for Family Home Evening we listened to our favorite Christmas CD (John Denver and the Muppets), finished decorating the tree, and made our Gingerbread house. Yes the gingerbread house came in a kit but we had to do all of the work. It turned out pretty good if I do say so myself. Tomorrow we'll eat it. Hope you are all having a great time getting ready for Christmas.

Diabetes for a Day

This year my sister took the challenge to be a diabetic for the day to help raise awareness about the disease and the need for a cure.

Thank you Heather for being a wonderful sister and aunt.

Please follow the link to Heather's blog and read all about her day.

http://www.heatherhatch.typepad.com/

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving we had so much to be grateful for. We went to West Virginia to spend Thanksgiving with 19 of the Duffs. It was a great meal followed by games, golf, sleep and shopping.

Unfortunately the day after Thanksgiving Dawson got sick. His immune system just can't keep up with all the viruses that go around during this time of year. We spent the next 4 days at Farifax Childrens Hospital. He endured a lot this hospital stay and he never once complained. We are so thankful that we were given this brave and courageous little boy. We are truly thankful for him.

Our friends and family rallied to help and support us and for that we are really grateful. My sister-in-law Anna brought me over a warm bowl of soup and 3 of the most delicious chocolate covered strawberries.

My friends from work made a great spaghetti dinner for the family once Dawson was home from the hospital. It was so nice to not have to worry about making a meal. I was really enjoying it until Dawson said, "Mom you should get the recipe for this. Its the best spaghetti we have ever had." Thanks D. The meal ended with great Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies that were out of this world. No picture to show you because they were gone in no time. The recipe can be found at kraftfoods.com.

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

What a weekend for Parker!

This weekend couldn't have gotten any better for Parker. This weekend Parker turned 9. He had a wonderful birthday. Parker got the ever coveted Lego Star Wars 1000 + piece Millennium Falcon and the new Star Wars Clone Wars DVD from Grandma and Grandpa Parker. Of course it had to come from the Grandparents because they don't care what his room is going to look like and they won't step on lego pieces every morning when I wake Parker for school for the next week or longer. (yes all 1000+ pieces are now all over his floor as he assembles) He also got a dirt bike. This is something that Parker has been begging us for. He wanted a real dirt bike that has a gasoline engine but that is just crazy. So when Matt informed me that Razor made a dirt bike that was designed for kids and was battery powered and "only" went 15 miles an hour I conceded. (even though it boldly states for ages 12+ right on the box.) I had a feeling that this was going to be a gift like the bb gun from The Christmas Story movie. I think he is too young to be flying through the trees in our back yard. He won't shoot his eye out but an oak tree at "only" 15 miles an hour is bound to do some damage. He was so excited. He just had to wait over night until the battery was fully charged. First thing Saturday morning Parker was off on his dirt bike. And less than 1 hour later.

Road Rash. I hate to say I told you so. It wasn't as bad as it could be. Thank goodness he was wearing his helmet.


This weekend was also Parker's football party. Parker had a great time and was awarded his team's MVP award. The coach told Parker how valuable he was to the team. Parker played both ways every game of the season. He was a great team leader on and off the field and ended every practice and every game by shaking his coach's hand and thanking him. He is a wonderful example to his peers.

We are so proud of you Parker. You are a wonderful young man. Happy Birthday buddy. You are an inspiration. We love you so much. We can't imagine the last 9 years without you.

Preschool Thanksgiving Program

Tell me this is not the cutest pilgrim girl you have ever seen.

Boo!

Happy Halloween from

Hannah Montana
Washington Redskin Clinton Portis (the white version)



El Eskeleto

We ate the Big Apple

This weekend we were invited to attend the Diabetes Research Institute Conference "Focus on Technology" in New York City. It's hard for me to pass up an opportunity to be surrounded by the best minds in diabetes research. It gives me hope to hear about all of the research that is being done to find a cure for this disease. Just last week we got some bad news about Dawson's health. For months Dawson's endocrinologist has been worried about Dawson not gaining weight. We have been watching him closely. Since Dawson's diagnosis almost 2 years ago Dawson has only gained .5 pounds. He weighs 48 pounds. The weight of an average 5 year old. Dawson is now 7. He has a BMI of 5. I was anxious to talk with the specialist in New York about different injection treatments that are used by many diabetics who struggle with gastric digestion issues. We are going to take it one step at a time. Lots of new doctors will see Dawson in the next couple of weeks. Between Diabetic Dietitians, Gastroenterologist, Endocrinologist, and Nephrologist appointments we are going to do our best to try and get Dawson healthier and fatter. This weekend was also a first for Dawson because he had a session with a child psychologist who specialized in children with diabetes. He was able to talk about his feelings about the disease and what he doesn't like about diabetes. It was a first for him and he told me later that day in the car that it felt good to talk about all of the things the disease makes him feel. I was glad he had this opportunity. I am not a touchy feely kind of person or mom. I don't walk around asking my kids how certain things make them "feel". I was glad he had this opportunity and I am going to try to talk about our feelings more.

The DRI conference was the perfect excuse to take the kids out of school for one day to spend 3 days and finally do New York City. Parker loves American history and this year Dawson learned about the statue of liberty so it was perfect timing. We had a blast as a family and made memories that I hope the kids will not soon forget. After looking at all of the pictures it looks like all we did was eat. In between eating we saw Time Square, went to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, saw Radio City Music Hall, Wall Street, Central Park and we even ice skated at Rockefeller Center.


We ate New York Pizza
Cupcakes and White Kastle Burgers




And to top it all off, we happened to experience one of New York's famous street festivals on Madison Avenue on Saturday. They closed the entire street and vendors from food, arts, crafts, and musicians provided a true sense of what it is like to "live in the city".

On the way home I asked the kids what they thought of New York City.
Parker "There are too many people and the city is filthy but it was a fun weekend."
Dawson "I loved it all. I could live there."
Reagan "It has really good food."

1988

A couple of years ago Matt and I went to a Def Leopard concert. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Love Bites" were number one songs the year Matt graduated from High School. When the concert started Matt couldn't believe how old the band looked. When he looked around everyone in the audience looked old to him too. It didn't occur to him that he was old.

They say that time increases in value as we age. After attending Matt's 20 year high school reunion I would say his time is getting pretty close to priceless.

I don't think anybody can attend their 20 year high school reunion and not feel old. Matt didn't care. He was really looking forward to it. Matt and his friends started talking about it on the phone and on their myspace pages months before the weekend arrived. Matt was so excited to see everybody and catch up on what has happened in the last 20 years. It surprised me that he had such genuine interest to find out and see how everybody was doing. I look at my high school years as a transitional time in my life. Not Matt. He loved high school and has wonderful memories of the time and people he grew up with.

Matt was a great guy in high school. He was well liked and respected. He had really great friends and seemed to always have a good time. People enjoyed being around him and he was always good for a laugh. A lot has changed for Matt in 20 years, however this weekend I realized a lot is still the same. Matt is still well liked and respected. He is genuine and sincere with his friends and he makes us all laugh.

A little grayer, a little balder, only a little wiser but still the same Matt. I love you honey. Thanks for a great weekend.

Fall

Fall in Virginia is one of the best times of year. It is beautiful. Because I grew up in Southern California where December looks and feels no different than May, I can really appreciate the change in seasons. Fall can be a busy time of year at our house. Between school and sports our time is pretty well taken up. Spending the day with hay rides, corn mazes, slides, kettle corn, apple cider, a pumpkin patch and my family made for the best fall day I could have wished for.