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Oh Ryker.

He is truly a gift to our family. I could say the usual about him, but it’s been said so much. He is just such a great balance of being calm in the snuggles and experiencing life. He continues to immediately bond with people that he comes into contact with. He loves horchata, Indian food and sushi. He is learning how to play harmonica and can instantly join a song with it and sounds pretty decent! He knows when he needs sleep, and is first up and READY to go!

He turned 8 in Texas and he was ready for his dessert and presents! We are hoping that we can find a concert/performance that Ryk and Russell can attend, similar to when AJ and I went to Imagine Dragons. Russell had the idea of going to a Blues Traveler so Ryk could see a harmonica in action. 🎶 

This kid provides life to our life! He burps and farts a bit more than I’d like, but I put up with him.❤️❤️❤️

Love you Ryk!

Mom

Texas

We enjoyed Christmas through New Years in Texas. This place is so special because it is where I spent so much of my time in the summers visiting my aunties.  It was so good to be around family that I don’t see or even talk to enough. I’ll share picture because...it does more justice than my words. 

❤️

❤️🎄❤️

Mom

Curable

This past year I struggled through some decent pain in my knee only during the  nighttime and while sitting. I finally went to check it out and was diagnosed with a shredded meniscus, and the recommendation was surgery to clean it out.

Fast forward, I did surgery and experienced limited mobility but with the exception of a couple days I was back up and at em!  I was grounded from running for 6 weeks, which was hard.  During recovery I experienced decent hip pain and reoccurring knee pain....etc. You know what...I sound old when I explain my pain. Let’s just say my left knee still hurts at night and when l sit. So that’s annoying, but possible diagnosis of hip impingement. It’s basically a Hoffman heirloom.

Fast double forward to Thanksgiving. Freak stupid accident, and my right (the good) knee takes a small bend and pop-pop-pop. I found out later I tore my ACL. I mean honestly, games and games of basketball and no real injury. But a small bend and BOOM! 

Now I’m looking to another surgery in a week. This one will be an hour longer, with 6x the recovery people of my last one. They’ll be crutches and braces and probably some tears. 

I found myself going through some unhelpful thoughts: why me? I’m broken. I’m old. I’ll never be the same again. My body is failing. I’m going to hurt something else. 

I’ve been leaning into more sport psychology and have some reading materials on the neuroscience regarding pain. I’m super interested on the benefits of mindfulness while I work through this rehab.

I learn so much from following other people’s lessons. “Instead of focusing on what you can’t do, focus on what you can do.” “Pain is interpreted through your brain and you don’t have to believe what you think.” “Everyday you get 1% better.” “Injuries allow you to strengthen all parts of you.”

In the end, this is just bump in the road. But my road is small compared to others. We have secured a bike in the basement.  I have awesome tools to help me: a cryocuff, elevation tool, and this awesome thing that goes over my incision so I can easily take showers!

I know the journey will be that, a journey. I created my mantra that I recite at night to calm my anxieties and ease any of my discomfort. 

I am peace. I am calm.

I am strong. I am healing.

I hold my mala and it makes me happy.

Mom

The E in SMEK

Hi I’m megan. I’m the M in SMEK! The story of Ern and I begins above the 3 point line. It’s where we met, where we dominated and honestly where I had the most fun.  And weve has a lot of fun, whether it was dancing in a disco in the Dominican, playing a competitive game similar to ping pong with adult beverages, falling on some wood chips and laughing so hard we peed our pants, or sneaking out of the house to do something scandalous like going to McDonald’s.

But truly when I racked my brain of all our memories to find my favorite ones I keep coming back to the basketball court.  When I think why this is...it’s because it when You and I were the most connected. We moved as one and no one could get past us on full court press. I never had to question where You were there because you were always there. Which is so symbolic of You. Always there for me: through breakups, through major events, through amazing times and hard times, you’ve  been my constant...my person. ...like sisters.

So as went through our life, and various love relationships we relied on The movie love and basketball to really guide us. Rule one : try really hard to not let your partner beat you in basketball. Coincidence that all of married people not as good as us in basketball.  Rule two: never settle. Like Monica in the movie, Ern doesn’t settle. She never has. So when Adam made it through the Ern filter I knew something special was happening.  Adam is the ying to Erin’s yang.  He cooks for her, he smiles at her. He honors all that is about her and that is something that I will be forever grateful for.  So as I initiate you Adam Carter as husband to Ern. And more importantly newest and final member to our SMEK club I present you with the item that truly started it all. Wear this proud tonight. Should you be in the doghouse, wear it. Should you want to make to her laugh, wear it.  Raise a glass, and let’s cheers the Carters!

*****

I’ve put off this post for quite some time. I don’t know why. Perhaps it’s because I had no idea how I could possible put into words how amazing this time was for me. Back in October I headed a bit early to help Erin prep for wedding festivities. I think I told everyone student and staff member that I would be gone, and I think I did this because I was just so excited.  I loved being with Ern as she prepared for her wedding.  We picked up the dress, learned how to pin it up, got things for the rehearsal dinner, went to the venue, worked out, relaxed, took the dogs out, coordinated, etc. On wedding day my kids were all dressed up, since they were in the wedding. I was just so proud and honored to have them be my kids! And Russell, man. I can’t say enough about how awesome he was. He let me do my thing with my friends but had the kids and himself wherever I needed him to be. And handsome...much. ❤️ The night of the wedding my parents were awesome and took the kids home. We ended up going out and one of my fave memories of us was coming out of this beach bar just dancing. All sorts of random dancing but it was awesome;) I think I’ve always mentioned this but it is always such a crazy thing for me when my family joins during SMEK time. I think it’s because when I’m with SMEK I instantly transform back to high school and then it always feels like a jolt that Im married with children! 

This wedding was medicine to my soul. My girls complete me. And my family is simply the best. 

❤️Mom

Dempsey Quote

The other night Dempsey was delaying bedtime. She told us, “grandma and grandpa tell great stories. They have a lot of stories to tell.”

Proud Ski Dad

Finally hit the slopes today, just me and they boys... so proud of them both, they both did so well!  AJ was great and let Ryker sit with me on the chairlift every time, which meant that he had to sit by himself every time, and despite wanting to sit with Ryker himself.  Proud dad of both!

Ryker

Adorable

Ryk is Learning guitar.

He’s being so patient, learning the fundamentals.

😍🥰

Momma

6

This girl has the coolest personality. She told me that she wasn’t interested in skiing outside (she’s used to the indoor place). She said it would be too scary. Following AJ’s lead, she tried it out in our backyard. The girl didn’t quit! “This is so fun!” “This is awesome!”

This year has been a big year for Dempsey. She started kinder, has learned to read and is increasing her social network! Last weekend she had her Get Air birthday party and it was great to meet her friends from school.  The whole scenario reminded me of a school of fish....and Dempsey was in the lead. 

It was fun to see her be a leader, because at home she doesn’t always have that option. Except when her Dad is involved 😉 Seriously, she really enjoys the leader role and she often takes it on when younger kids are involved. 

This picture was from Erin’s wedding (blog post to come later on this). Dempsey did such a great job, and totally helped Clare out too! It was so fun to hang with her and dance and dress up! 

This girl is full of unicorns and stuffies! She loves calling her dad “poopy” and scaring us with a loud “boo!”

This is who she is, a girl willing to take on challenges! She’s got the fight in her ❤️

She still comes to our bed almost every night and on hand I’m going crazy with it and on the other hand I want to hold her as close as possible. She’s the girl I didn’t realize I needed. I love cuddling her, and watching her be brave! I love her relationships with her friends, her grandparents, and her brothers. 

❤️Momma

Minecraft

These boys are teaching this girl how to Minecraft! It’s the cutest. Yesterday they created a zoo. They included foxes and didn’t know what they ate, so they googled it.

I’m down for that kind of tech!

❤️Mom 

Last little reader

So honored to observe and help little Demps learn and grow. She’s so cute.

Skiing

So proud of all of these kids!  They did great at their first ski lesson at Shredders