Chapter Books

Wow! already reading chapter books...you woke this morning with a fever and sore throat...so I kept you home with Ayla and I. You didn't want to miss school and Ryan was suppose stay the night so you were upset that we had to change plans. Last 9 weeks you had perfect attendance, you was the November Student of the month among the 1st grade and you won a reading award. I am such a proud mama! You have a practice spelling test every Thursday and if you get all 12 correct you don't have to take it again on Friday. They get more difficuly every week and you thought I was punishing you when I had you write the ones that you missed 10 times each. I tried to explain that I was not punishing you...that this is how you learn the words. Site words are different from the ones that you can sound out...you simply have to recognize them. One week after I had made you write each word 10 times each, you passed it on that Thursday (you usually do but this was a hard week) you said "I am glad you made me write them now." It is so awesome to watch you grow and learn...it amazes me just how quickly you learn academically and physically. Junie B. Jones First Grade at Last is your very first chapter book. I look forward to watching you continue to learn and grow into an awesome man of God...I know you are going to do great things :)

About me as of today...

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I am a child of God.. I don't always get it right but I try harder everyday. I love the sound of laughter in the walls of our home...a safe place for us to be real. I love my husband more today than November 20th 2004...he makes me smile! Sooo, I embrace my laugh lines :) I over use "I love you" and "I missed you" I don't make the beds daily...I let the kids jump on them~ We have a bedtime schedule...they sleep in there own rooms :) However, Kelan would still sleep with us if we allowed...he said so just the other day. I am not a girly girl...I don't have acrylic nails or fancy pocket books. I sport a ponytail most days. I married my best friend and high school sweet heart...our love story is my favorite. I get on my own nerves most days... I am the wife that gets up at 4:30 am and packs my husband's bucket... I just recently started drinking coffee 1/2 cup in the morning with Brown sugar & maple creamer..yum!I I realize that I can't please everyone... I am afraid of loss... I love to bake and entertain.. I work 2-3 days a week as a nurse... I spend to much time on Pintrest... I love to exercise it's a stress reliever. I need words of encouragement..especially from Dan. I like to play and make up silly songs and sing them to annoy my family...lol I am listening to "Without YOU holding my heart I'm falling apart."

First Grade...new chapter~

New year, new school, new friends...when I look at this photo it takes me back to this day. Tring to be strong for you and encourage you. Wondering if we were making the right decisions for you...cause we only get one chance to get it right. Today, you were overwhelmed with emotions...fear, excitment, doubt and saddness. Fear of the unknown...excited, to meet new friends....Doubting, that daddy and mommy were right....and sad, missing your old school and friends. Fighting back the tears and letting some fly, this day was an emotional roller coaster for all of us.

Your getting so big...seems like we were taking you to your first day of K4 just the other day. Time really does fly~ I love watching you grow into a little man...your kindness and love amazes me daily.

Oh that precious face...love you sooo much! Your buddy Michael switched to public school this year to...nice to have some familiar faces. Playing football this year also made it easy for you because some of your team mates are in your class.

Soo when we picked you up from school...that frown was turned upside down. "I loved it!" You had a surprise hanging around your neck...Ms. Fitzpatrick pulled you tooth! I was warned by some other moms that she loved to pull teeth. You were so excited...and proud of your little tooth necklace.

"Be strong and courageous do not be terrified do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Ayla turns 4

She loves Olivia the pig...and she sings "O liv ee ah...do do do do" all the time. One of my favorite quotes from Miss Ayla is "Mama Olivia's on and I can't watch it without my best friend." Oh course mama ran right to watch Olivia with her. Sooo anyway...when planning her 4th birthday we just had to do an Olivia party but we chose to do an Art party. Ayla loves to draw pictures and paint so it seemed appropriate.

Being the "Martha" that I am (so all my friends call me) I made the decorations for the party. The paint cans I purchased from Lowes (empty cans) and instead of "Behr" paint I chose "Pig" paint. Made my own label and put this adorable photo of Ayla on the lid. This photo shows her colorful personality.

The aprons I made out of dishtowels and duct tape...love that I found splattered paint tape at walmart.

Cakeballs...YUM! Cannot have a birthday party without cakeballs. I cut a styrofoam plate cut it to look like a painters palette and placed cakeballs in different colors to look like paint on the palette. Placed them on either end of the guest table and used the paint cans as centerpieces.

The bags were so much fun! I placed newspapers all over the floor of my kitchen and the kids and I splattered paint all over the bags. Great evening of fun :) In the bags were M&M's, crayons, paint candy that I found at a bulk candy store and of course a paintbrush.

My amazing friend Shawnna was gracious enough to come and make "balloon art" (the hit of the party) bless her heart I know she had blisters by the end of the evening. Other activites were face painting (thanks Dusty another amazing woman of God), edible art (fruit loops on yarn...necklaces) a photo booth. Lauren (my photographer of these awesome photos) helped by printing the photos of the kids from the photo booth. As the kids arrived to the party I had the wooden 4x6 photo frames out for the kids to paint (purchased at Michaels craft store) and when they left they had a frame to put there photo booth photo in. I have such wonderful friends that are so kind to offer their talents at my kids birthday parties.

Ohhhh the cupcakes...lemon, reese, oreo, red velvet and bananna pudding. Need I say more? They are filled with these delicious ingredients. Kristy, another friend of mine has baking cupcakes down to an art :) I made the little palettes out of foam board and put the duct tape around the edge...the cake well I will just leave that one to a memory.

The birthday girl and Brenan...this is were we found them while cleaning up after the party. Love the look on Ayla's face in this photo. They are so stinking cute...he also had to sit with her while she opened presents :)

Happy Birthday my sweet Ayla! May the Lord bless you with many more...you are such a independent amazing child and I love every second of being your momma :) Thanks to my bff Carrie for capturing this moment~

Meltdowns & Wrestling

Ayla's first words this morning "Mama I'm about to puke." Gotta love a stomach bug...however, that was it the only episode she had. Afterward, she melted down in the bathroom floor as her dad and I tried to convience her she needed to take the motrin and antibiotic she was prescribed the day before for Strep Throat. Meltdowns are common in our home...you will soon find this out the longer you stick around. Got my 30 Day Shred in today with Jillian Michaels...I am on day like 29! Yay me! I have to say if I had a news years resolution (which I never make one)...it would be to take better care of myself. I have been living up to that this far. Reading my bible every morning, exercising and feeding us "healthy" foods. We are only on day 25 though...I choose to be positive! Dan and I washed the Volvo which really needed to be done considering we have had it about a month now and this is the first bath it has had...he kindly asked me to dry it so he could get in bed to prepare for the night shift. Biggest news of the day was Kelan's first wrestling practice...he is pumped! However, his meets will be on Sunday mornings for the month of February and we attend church EVERY Sunday morning. SOooo he had his meltdown in the hallway while leaving practice...letting me know that he played football and baseball because dad and I asked him to at least give it a try and NOW I want to do something and you are gonna tell me NO? I didn't say NO I just said we have to discuss this with daddy.... stay tuned for the outcome..... My first real Blog :)