Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Breaking the trend...
I'm officially not going to be so outnumbered! We went in for our ultrasound last night and found out we're having a baby girl! We are thrilled beyond words and can't wait to have a girl in our family. I don't have a cute ultrasound picture because her head was facing down and she was covering it with her arm and hand. Because of this, the Dr. wasn't able to look at her upper lip so we need to do another quick ultrasound next month... hopefully we'll get a better picture then. Other than that, everything looks great and we are very excited- especially Aidan. He was wanting a sister so much and is just giddy at the thought of it. We can't agree on any girl names so we have some work cut out for us but other than that the fun part begins. Shopping! As luck would have it, I'm flying out tonight to spend a few days (without the kids or Brett) with Jordan and can do some fun shopping with her. I can't wait for the break and what a fun way to celebrate!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Not much (or TOO much!) going on!
I can't believe I've let another month go by without posting... actually I can. Not much exciting has been happening here...I feel like we're all just exisiting and trying to get through the month! March is my busiest month with piano- we have festival, the recital and group class all in one month on top of regular lessons. Trying to get these wonderful students of mine prepared to perform and be confident in that is always such a tedious and emotional battle but we usually make it out with smiles in the end! I've had enough kids crying at the piano the last few weeks, frustrated in how difficult it is to make it all come together, that I'm starting to think I need to invest in the big packages of Kleenex at Costco. Luckily we made it through Festival this weekend, now we just need to get through this week to the rectial next Monday and then we can all take a deep breath. It's always interesting to me that even though the physical schedule of teaching doesn't change during the months of February and March, the emotional side of it really wears us all out. I'm always so glad that we only do it once a year!
To top it off we've had sick kids... Ethan started with 4 days of a high fever, then as he finished that Aidan got the stomach flu, then when that finished Ethan's cold turned bad and his asthma flaired up enough to make me fairly nervous and to top it off he woke up at 4:00 this morning throwing up. Looks like round 2 of the stomach flu is underway! I'm exhausted... The good news is there are breaks in sight! I'm finishing my week early next week and flying out to Jordan's BY MYSELF for 4 blissful days of peace and quiet. I can't wait. Then I come home teach group class for 2 days and then I'm off for the next week and a half for spring break! I'm so excited to have a bit of rest and spend some time with my children and work on some projects before this baby comes.
Speaking of baby, I'm 20 weeks along- half way there! I'm not quite sure I'm ready to be half way done, but I'm for sure ready to be half way done with the pregnancy. We find out a week from tomorrow what the baby is and we are all on pins and needles. We're trying to just not talk about it because the pressure is on for that baby girl. We'll see...
One fun thing we did this weekend is take out the window in our dining room and put an outside door in its place, which is the perfect place to let the kids out into the yard! My wonderful brother Joseph, a freind of his from work (who made it a piece of cake!), and Brett worked hard all day and it looks great! Now I just want to get the deck built that will eventually come off of that door...who knows when that will come though. We just need to touch up the paint and paint the door and it will look great. My camera is broken, so I don't have pictures to post but I will get some on here soon.
I'm happy the snow has melted from the storm this weekend and it looks nice outside! Maybe spring is on its way!
To top it off we've had sick kids... Ethan started with 4 days of a high fever, then as he finished that Aidan got the stomach flu, then when that finished Ethan's cold turned bad and his asthma flaired up enough to make me fairly nervous and to top it off he woke up at 4:00 this morning throwing up. Looks like round 2 of the stomach flu is underway! I'm exhausted... The good news is there are breaks in sight! I'm finishing my week early next week and flying out to Jordan's BY MYSELF for 4 blissful days of peace and quiet. I can't wait. Then I come home teach group class for 2 days and then I'm off for the next week and a half for spring break! I'm so excited to have a bit of rest and spend some time with my children and work on some projects before this baby comes.
Speaking of baby, I'm 20 weeks along- half way there! I'm not quite sure I'm ready to be half way done, but I'm for sure ready to be half way done with the pregnancy. We find out a week from tomorrow what the baby is and we are all on pins and needles. We're trying to just not talk about it because the pressure is on for that baby girl. We'll see...
One fun thing we did this weekend is take out the window in our dining room and put an outside door in its place, which is the perfect place to let the kids out into the yard! My wonderful brother Joseph, a freind of his from work (who made it a piece of cake!), and Brett worked hard all day and it looks great! Now I just want to get the deck built that will eventually come off of that door...who knows when that will come though. We just need to touch up the paint and paint the door and it will look great. My camera is broken, so I don't have pictures to post but I will get some on here soon.
I'm happy the snow has melted from the storm this weekend and it looks nice outside! Maybe spring is on its way!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Isn't the reason we have kids is to live vicariously through them? Since my hair is already short, and the pregnant thing to do is to cut your hair shorter, I decided to go for Ethan's. Ok, it nearly killed me to do it. These pictures don't do it justice- it was just beautiful and I loved it. BUT, we were so tired of it constantly being in his eyes and in the way and now that it's done I'm so in love with being able to see ALL of his face and be able to kiss even more of it! He looks like such a big boy now!
BEFORE
His Joe Dirt Mullet
AFTER
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Family Updates
I wanted to update the blog on what everyone has been doing since its been so long and we're starting a new year. We've had lots of exciting changes lately and are enjoying where we are in life.
Brett started a new job a couple weeks ago and we couldn't be happier. He is working for a consulting firm located in Vancouver, Washington but they have been wonderful enough to take Brett on and allow us to stay and work from here (for now...we'll see what the future has in store). This company actually did consulting work for his past company (they do a lot of product development and training for collection agencies all over the country), which is how he had the contact, and he approached them about 6 months ago about a job opportunity. It's been kind of a slow work in progress, but once November hit and they decided they had a position open for him everything just fell into place. We feel really good about this company and the arrangement they have made with Brett. There is a lot of opportunity for growth and he is excited to take his knowledge of the industry and apply it to more product development and the effectiveness of how a company runs, rather than the day to day grind of running an agency. He's been traveling quite a bit these last couple weeks, but it hasn't been to bad and should slow down soon. They have expressed how happy they are to have him, which has only made it better. I have seen a change in him already- it's amazing how important it is to enjoy what you!
Besides the pregnancy, I continue to stay busy just trying to make life run and function smoothly- it's a good day if I can accomplish it! I have 24 students that I am teaching right now, and while it feels very busy and I don't really feel like I'm a stay at home mom, I truly enjoy my students and teaching and interacting with them. They bring me a lot of joy and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do something I love, while still being at home. I have a great arrangement worked out with my neighbor and she takes the boys 3 afternoons a week, while I teach, in exchange for 2 of her children's lessons. I even have a teenage student trading lessons and she comes to clean my house once a week! It's worked out really great and both of these trades have made it all possible. I am trying to get more healthy with this pregnancy, so we did the cliche thing and bought an elliptical the day after New Years (hey, we got a great deal on it because of the timing). I'm really enjoying being able to work out from home and not having to get up and have it done before Brett leaves for work. Now I just have to work harder to overcome the incredible sweet tooth (CANDY!) that this baby has.
Aidan is a true blue 5 year old, with all the emotions of a 15 year old. Maybe that's just the definition of being 5. Either way, its an adventure and a lesson in patience, but we so enjoy him everyday. He is full of stories of adventure and his imagination is in constant overdrive. He goes to preschool 3 mornings a week and is learning so much. The other night he even came down and sounded out a word for Brett and I that he read. It is so exciting to see him applying what he is learning and asking questions to keep learning more. He constantly talks about going to the big kid school next year and is looking forward to really being in school. He has great neighbor friends across the street that he loves to be with, but the thing I have most enjoyed is watching him and Ethan develop a great friendship. Not to say that they aren't fighting and yelling as much as they are loving, but when the 2 of them decide to play and have fun together I couldn't ask for anything more. He is a great older brother and is extremely excited to have another sibling on the way. Aidan loves to play outside, play the Wii with his friends (he keeps telling me how much we NEED a Wii), read educational books (not stories- he wants to learn about things. He borrows my mom's Smithsonian magazine every week and Brett and him read it at night), and just be social!
I still refer to Ethan as my baby boy...even though he's 2 1/2. Where does the time go? He is such a sweet, sweet child and I just want to munch on him all the time. We're experiencing a bit of the terrible two's right now. He has a constant desire to do everything himself and has developed a very feisty, stubborn side to his personality that has taken me by surprise. Aidan came out with that part of him, but Ethan has never really had it so it's been a bit hard to take. Not to mention that we have finally gotten rid of the bink and my once wonderful sleeper is having to be sleep trained all over again. We are a bit at odds with each other...then I just have to really look at him and he melts my heart and all is forgiven. I'm not ashamed to admit he has me wrapped around his chubby little finger. He wants to do everything like Aidan and the big kids, which is a constant frustration to him, but he keeps up well with them and enjoys being a part of the group. He also just likes to come and sit quietly on my lap and color or keep the beat with me while I teach piano. He is talking up a storm and we are loving getting to visit with him. We always laugh when we can't understand what he is saying... after asking him "What?" he always talks slower and louder. When I tell him that I can hear him, I just don't understand what he is saying, he comes in real close and wraps his arms around my neck and whispers it in my ear. I still don't know what he said but I sure enjoy the hug. Knock on wood as I say this but he has had such a healthy winter and we are so, so grateful! I am especially glad since I have been sick and don't know how I would've handled it with both of us. We had a trip to the ER last week after he broke into our medicine cabinet and took 15 laxitives, and then almost had to admit him in the hospital the next day after being dehydrated but that has been the most drama we have had. We are praying that the spring will continue to be well and while we are not getting too excited and jumping to any conclusions, we feel so blessed that he has been well and has been able to have a break after everything he went through last year. He loves to read books, build his trains, put together puzzles (which he is really good at), build his blocks and watch Zaboomafoo.
After that marathon post that pretty much catches up what is happening in our day to day lives! It's important to me to get this all written down...I am hoping to get this blog published into a book before the baby comes. I don't do any other journaling and feel like even though I'm not super consistent, I want to keep writing what is going on with us. I so enjoy reading what other people are doing- it's been such a wonderful way to keep in touch with all of you... I just need to spend less time doing it and be better about updating my own. :) Holiday pictures coming soon!
Brett started a new job a couple weeks ago and we couldn't be happier. He is working for a consulting firm located in Vancouver, Washington but they have been wonderful enough to take Brett on and allow us to stay and work from here (for now...we'll see what the future has in store). This company actually did consulting work for his past company (they do a lot of product development and training for collection agencies all over the country), which is how he had the contact, and he approached them about 6 months ago about a job opportunity. It's been kind of a slow work in progress, but once November hit and they decided they had a position open for him everything just fell into place. We feel really good about this company and the arrangement they have made with Brett. There is a lot of opportunity for growth and he is excited to take his knowledge of the industry and apply it to more product development and the effectiveness of how a company runs, rather than the day to day grind of running an agency. He's been traveling quite a bit these last couple weeks, but it hasn't been to bad and should slow down soon. They have expressed how happy they are to have him, which has only made it better. I have seen a change in him already- it's amazing how important it is to enjoy what you!
Besides the pregnancy, I continue to stay busy just trying to make life run and function smoothly- it's a good day if I can accomplish it! I have 24 students that I am teaching right now, and while it feels very busy and I don't really feel like I'm a stay at home mom, I truly enjoy my students and teaching and interacting with them. They bring me a lot of joy and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do something I love, while still being at home. I have a great arrangement worked out with my neighbor and she takes the boys 3 afternoons a week, while I teach, in exchange for 2 of her children's lessons. I even have a teenage student trading lessons and she comes to clean my house once a week! It's worked out really great and both of these trades have made it all possible. I am trying to get more healthy with this pregnancy, so we did the cliche thing and bought an elliptical the day after New Years (hey, we got a great deal on it because of the timing). I'm really enjoying being able to work out from home and not having to get up and have it done before Brett leaves for work. Now I just have to work harder to overcome the incredible sweet tooth (CANDY!) that this baby has.
Aidan is a true blue 5 year old, with all the emotions of a 15 year old. Maybe that's just the definition of being 5. Either way, its an adventure and a lesson in patience, but we so enjoy him everyday. He is full of stories of adventure and his imagination is in constant overdrive. He goes to preschool 3 mornings a week and is learning so much. The other night he even came down and sounded out a word for Brett and I that he read. It is so exciting to see him applying what he is learning and asking questions to keep learning more. He constantly talks about going to the big kid school next year and is looking forward to really being in school. He has great neighbor friends across the street that he loves to be with, but the thing I have most enjoyed is watching him and Ethan develop a great friendship. Not to say that they aren't fighting and yelling as much as they are loving, but when the 2 of them decide to play and have fun together I couldn't ask for anything more. He is a great older brother and is extremely excited to have another sibling on the way. Aidan loves to play outside, play the Wii with his friends (he keeps telling me how much we NEED a Wii), read educational books (not stories- he wants to learn about things. He borrows my mom's Smithsonian magazine every week and Brett and him read it at night), and just be social!
I still refer to Ethan as my baby boy...even though he's 2 1/2. Where does the time go? He is such a sweet, sweet child and I just want to munch on him all the time. We're experiencing a bit of the terrible two's right now. He has a constant desire to do everything himself and has developed a very feisty, stubborn side to his personality that has taken me by surprise. Aidan came out with that part of him, but Ethan has never really had it so it's been a bit hard to take. Not to mention that we have finally gotten rid of the bink and my once wonderful sleeper is having to be sleep trained all over again. We are a bit at odds with each other...then I just have to really look at him and he melts my heart and all is forgiven. I'm not ashamed to admit he has me wrapped around his chubby little finger. He wants to do everything like Aidan and the big kids, which is a constant frustration to him, but he keeps up well with them and enjoys being a part of the group. He also just likes to come and sit quietly on my lap and color or keep the beat with me while I teach piano. He is talking up a storm and we are loving getting to visit with him. We always laugh when we can't understand what he is saying... after asking him "What?" he always talks slower and louder. When I tell him that I can hear him, I just don't understand what he is saying, he comes in real close and wraps his arms around my neck and whispers it in my ear. I still don't know what he said but I sure enjoy the hug. Knock on wood as I say this but he has had such a healthy winter and we are so, so grateful! I am especially glad since I have been sick and don't know how I would've handled it with both of us. We had a trip to the ER last week after he broke into our medicine cabinet and took 15 laxitives, and then almost had to admit him in the hospital the next day after being dehydrated but that has been the most drama we have had. We are praying that the spring will continue to be well and while we are not getting too excited and jumping to any conclusions, we feel so blessed that he has been well and has been able to have a break after everything he went through last year. He loves to read books, build his trains, put together puzzles (which he is really good at), build his blocks and watch Zaboomafoo.
After that marathon post that pretty much catches up what is happening in our day to day lives! It's important to me to get this all written down...I am hoping to get this blog published into a book before the baby comes. I don't do any other journaling and feel like even though I'm not super consistent, I want to keep writing what is going on with us. I so enjoy reading what other people are doing- it's been such a wonderful way to keep in touch with all of you... I just need to spend less time doing it and be better about updating my own. :) Holiday pictures coming soon!
Where I've been...
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Aidan at school
One of the perks about Aidan's preschool is that his teacher's sister, Jocelin (who I went to high school with), is a fabulous photographer which makes for really awesome school pictures. You can visit her site here: http://www.photographybyjocelin.com/ . I love these pictures because most of the time he can't sit still long enough to get a good picture (along with the fact that he refuses to make eye contact) and she still got some good ones!
The whole class
I just love this picture. This boy is so full of life and laughter and I am so happy she caught that.
This picture made me laugh a little because it so reminded me of this next picture, which was taken by my friend Amanda- another fantastic photographer (http://www.amandaalexanderphotography.com/ ) when he was 2. Same serious face.
Happy Halloween!
We celebrated Halloween with a fun few days in Las Vegas first. We had a couple of free hotel nights that had to be used by November so we took the boys and had a fun vacation with just the four of us. Unfortunately our camera broke the first day we were there so I don't have any pictures to document the occasion, but we had fun going to the M&M factory (have you tried the new coconut M&M's? They are SO good!), Coke factory, Hard Rock Cafe, Shark Reef, saw the movie "Where the Wild Things Are," amongst seeing a few of the hotels and eating yummy food! The highlight was actually the night we went out to see the volcano at the Mirage and the fountains at the Bellagio. The boys just loved that- except Ethan was scared of the volcano. We went down last Tuesday and came back Friday night, just in time to escape the crazy's arriving for Halloween weekend!
For Halloween this year, the boys dressed up as matching vampires. I have a really cute monkey costume, that was Aidan's, for Ethan to wear but couldn't pass up him being a vampire with his long hair. My parents and Anson and Julia came over before for chili and then we all went out trick or treating. The boys had a great time- it was especially fun to see Ethan get into the spirit of it. Between the vacation and Halloween they've been tired and cranky for a few days but we're starting to come down from all of it and get back on a normal schedule again.
We're looking forward to a visit from Brett's mom for Thanksgiving, so we're busy working on the house to finish up some projects before she gets here. We're painting and decorating the boy's rooms, possibly building a new shoe shelf/bench to go under the coats, and trying to get the yard/garage/shed cleaned up and ready for winter. Lots to do! I'll post pictures as we finish things.
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