everybody just keeps getting older

So we had a couple birthdays this past weekend and it just sort of shocks me how we all just keep getting older.  It seems like time is going by so slow, but then another year is past and before you know it, your in your 30's and wondering how that happened. 

My family's (immediate family including my siblings and nieces and nephews and parents) birthdays start in August and end February.  Then from March through July nothing.  So our string of birthdays is fixing to come to and end.

In 2013 Jack turned 2 in August. Abigail turned 8 in September, and Austin turned 6 in October. 

 I myself turned  30!

We are like legit grown-ups now!

This this past weekend my husband joined the 30 club.  I'm super excited about being in my 30's.  I just have this feeling it's going to be some of my best years.  Not that my 20's were bad, but it did consist of a lot of  pregnancy, newborns, lack of sleep, too much weight gain, job stress, financial stress, and most of that has passed now. 

My sweet little niece Audrie just turned two this weekend as well.  

We got her those little rubber boots she's wearing.  They light up and everything!

Love her!

Two of my handsome guys at the party.  The other was off playing!

As much as I enjoy celebrating birthdays, I'm sort of glad to have a break from them for a while.  

a table without chairs

Back in July I picked out our new dining room table.  We didn't even know what house we were buying, but I knew I wanted this table.  The only problem is that we haven't picked out any chairs yet.  

Brent had a ton of help putting the table together.

Abigail has already learned to let the men take care of putting things together, while the ladies sit by and watch. 

The final project!

I love it!!

Now we just need to get some chairs.

good for a laugh

here is the text I got from Brent this morning

Just FYI they were a new pair and I made sure he knows to please bring them home.  I hate spending so much money on underwear, but you get what you pay for.  I'm not losing that $4 dollars.

Staying Positive in January

January is usually my least favorite month, but this year I'm trying to stay positive. 

So obviously, when I saw Asha's link up I had to join in!!

We've had some good things happen so far this January, so hopefully that will continue.

It's been a while since my last randomness post, so here ya go....

Here is Jack sporting his new, super cute, beaver hat.

Jackson and Daddy snuggling on the couch.  He is still so attached to his bottle.  It's going to be a battlefield around here when we decided to take away the bottle.  

I'm in no hurry!!

Austin is student of the month for his pre-k class this month.
This is hanging on the bulletin board outside his classroom.
He is so proud!

A miracle has occurred, Austin ate a vegetable.  

If you are new here you may not have read about how picky of an eater Austin is, but believe me when I say he is in category all his own.

Not only did he eat corn, he ate a whole entire helping of it!!

This just made me laugh!!

If you haven't checked out all the hilarious Ermahgerd pictures, you should definitely google it.

Class of 2002

Ten years ago I was 19.  I had just recently graduated from high school, gotten engaged, and started college.  I was living at home with the parents still.  I was so excited to finally be out of school and start my life. 

Brent and I had been dating for three years already at this point and a wedding was in the works.  I was going to school to become a teacher and Brent was going into accounting. 

We were so young, but ready to be grown ups.

Ten years later we've been married for 9 years.  We have 3 kids.  I am a fifth grade math teacher.  Brent is NOT in accounting, but he's happy with his job.  I'd say we have had a pretty busy 10 years.

I'm not going to lie and tell you that I wouldn't change a thing, because I most definitely would.  We have made some major mistakes, as all young people do, and if I could redo some things I would.

(mostly financial things)

That being said, I really couldn't be more happy with my husband, even after 9 years married and 12 years together.  Sheesh that's a long time!!

I think my greatest accomplishment in these past ten years are the three little people that Brent and I brought into this world.  My kids are my life, and I can't even remember what it was like ten years ago without them. 

So many things have changed in ten years, but I would say mostly for the better. 

I'm hoping the next ten years doesn't go by quite as fast and that we make fewer mistakes. 



Class of 2002 float in the homecoming parade.  I'm on there sitting between the two orange balloons. 



Kelsie and Grant did me a huge favor and took my kids to the parade so that I could ride on our class float. 

Aunt and Uncle of the year awards!! 

Brent was bummed because he had to work and couldn't make it. 

I didn't take these pictures so I'm not quite sure what's going on here.

Jack Jack sippin on his juice.

It was HOT!

Halloween buckets for parade candy and necklaces!

Grant, Austin, and Chelsea

Chelsea is Grant's sister and my kids occasional babysitter.

I think Kelsie forgot I was a blogger when she took this lovely picture of herself!  She might think twice next time! LOL

My boys!

here it comes

Friday night after the parade we went to the high school football game, but it didn't last long.  It started pouring down rain on us before the end of the first quarter.

Brent and Jack

Austin with his new favorite person, Chelsea.

It is so rare that me and Brent take a picture together, so even though I don't really like the angle of the shot I had to keep it.

Saturday afternoon the class of 2002 met at the park for a family day.  It rained the entire time, but the kids had fun playing in the puddles.  I didn't take pictures.

Saturday night we had our adults only social/party.  I wish more of our classmates had shown up, but it was fun.  It was so funny to see how much people had changed in ten years.  Some for the better and some for the worse.  A few lucky people looked exactly the same. 

I think it's so bizarre how I saw most of these people practically everyday from third grade to Graduation and then suddenly it's been ten years since I've seen many of them.

We are the only high school sweethearts!!

Brent LOVES to do his thing on the dance floor!! 

He really does have pretty good rhythm.

Well here's to another 10 years!!

Randomness

- Things are super crazy busy around here, hence my lack of blogging. Although I do get on blogger almost everyday and read others posts. Reading blogs is part of my relaxation routine after Jack goes to bed.
1. Bath
2. Facebook
3. Blog reading
4. Bed

I look forward to this time every night. I know I know, you wish you had this exciting life. Don't worry maybe someday!

- Brent (the husband) just started a new job. We are really, really happy about this, but it could be long hours without Daddy around. In fact he is leaving for Pennsylvania this week for some training, so I'll be experiencing my first dose if single working mother. Pray for me!

-I took a long break from pinterest but I've recently found myself drawn back to the site to pin hundreds of holiday pins! I need to stop and actually do/make/cook some of these things!

-The following picture is just really cute, so I thought I would share.

-The next picture is really old, but I love it. Abigail and Elizabeth (the two in the middle) have been best friends since kindergarten. We LOVE Elizabeth and her family. I really hope they stay best friends forever. BFF

-I've mentioned in previous posts how much Jackson loves to play outside. This is him right after coming back inside from playing in the heat. He was so sweaty his hair stuck straight up. (he did have pants and shoes on outside just in case you were wondering)

Well look at that, two posts in two days!! What has gotten into me?

Back to business

We are back in the swing of things around here. We have completed the first of our 36 weeks of school. All in all it was a pretty good week.

I'm super excited about this year because I'm teaching fifth grade math for the first time. There are so many fun and creative ways you can teach math. I'm really looking forward to this change.

Abigail started 2nd grade. Can you believe I have a 2nd grader? Only 3 more years and I will be teaching her. Yikes!

Another HUGE change this year, Austin started pre-k!! I was a little anxious about how he would act, but so far so good. He had a panic attack over the thunder that started during recess, but other than that he is doing well! He doesn't cry when I leave him, but he does fuss in the afternoon when I don't let him get on a bus. He wants to ride the bus soooo bad.

Jackson is still staying with my mom or Brent during the day. He has been unusually clingy and fussy. I think he misses having the big kids around. He's not used to being by himself.

Brent is starting a new job in two weeks. He'll be working for a contracting company, making more money and getting good experience, but probably having worse hours. Unfortunately when you need money, working long hours is a necessity.

Wow, so it didn't dawn on my how many changes our family is going through right now.  We've been in a spiritual, emotional, and financial rut for the past year or so, that I'm happy for some change. 

Can't wait to see what these changes bring!