Embracing Each Moment

Oh, I just GOTTA SAY...

2011-11-04T11:06:00.000-04:00

GOOOOOOOO DAWGS!!!

We had a great time hanging with friends and family watching the GA/FLA Game last Saturday! It's so fun to listen to those FL fans talk smack before the game and during. Such a humbling moment for them when the 4th quarter was over!

Hmmm...talking smack already Joshy?

He's such a silly boy...who cares if you got the first touchdown...lots of game left son![

Ouchy...What's that? Huh?GA taking the lead?How's that feel

A litty pouty I see.I won't brag too much.I feel bad for the Alligator team.
But inside...I'm JUMPING UP AND DOWN!GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS!!!

Even Joshy's Daddy talked smack.Jarrett thinks is CrAzY!!!!

Joshy's Fashionista Sista!

And Avery looks cute as always in an oversized GA Jersey!

Daddy's been waiting to be able to share his love of college football with his little boy!

Such a fun day!

This is THE LIFE!

2011-11-04T10:42:00.000-04:00

Oh to be an infant again...

With my PatPat....

Without...

Getting ready to wake up to eat...

After a full tummy...

Can he be any cuter???

These are a few of my FAVORITE THINGS!

2011-10-24T10:41:00.000-04:00

Thanks Aunt Ami for our "Thing 1,2,&3" Outifits!

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-19T13:52:00.000-04:00

Pumpkins Pumpkins Pumpkins! A perfect opportunity for some updated family pics!

Our Lil' Man!

2011-10-18T12:05:00.001-04:00

First Day of School!

2011-08-22T23:10:00.001-04:00

Ready to Go!

Quick run-down of the drop offs...Anna was semi-excited and anxious all summer. Allison was most definitely excited and couldn't wait to start. Annalise's anxiety came to a head as we pulled into the parking lot of the school. It was a very hard drop off :( She didn't want ANY pics taken once we got to the school. Jarrett emailed the teacher once we got home to check on her and give the teacher all of our contact info. She replied quickly and said Annalise was doing GREAT!

HALLELUJAH!!! My sweet girl.

Allison couldn't get in her room fast enough. Because of our time with Annalise, Allison was slightly late to her school and she was itching to get into that classroom. She was gathering her bags before we stopped the car. She went right in and checked out the turtles! (She did tell me she was most excited about the microphone...if those teachers are smart...they hid that thing as soon as we left "meet the teacher" on Fri)! We had to stop and remind Allie when we were leaving to give us a hug and kiss. She did so with a trembling body of excitement and energy and waved her goodbyes!

Wow! She's a mess!

Heading into school with Daddy!

Pick up for both girls went really well...Allison excited to tell me EVERY detail. Also, her teachers gave me a good report and said she even bonded with another little girl whose mommy was also having a boy :) Annalise waved at my car when I pulled up and she definitely looked much happier than we had left her. She wasn't jumping in her seat with excitement, but she did tell me that she actually liked the school and was ready to go back tomorrow! She did let me know that several of the things she was nervous about weren't so bad and that Ashlynn (the other new girl), was very sweet to her and they were now friends!

Allison on our ride to Target to kill time before getting Annalise! (she earned a star for finding an item on their scavenger hunt today!)

After getting Annalise, we met up with the Cline family for a celebration time with Fudge and Caramel Sundays!!!

Abbie's morning went more like Allison's and Josh had a hard start like his friend Annalise. But, success was also his story by pick up time! Now it's time to PLAY!

Well, the day started off a little rough, but I love that all the kids ended up enjoying their school day!

Here's to a better start to tomorrow morning!!!

Meet Allie's Teacher!

2011-08-19T21:55:00.002-04:00

Allison immediately fell in love with Ms' "M" and Sissy! Yep, that's their names! Sissy was given her name as an infant by her older sister. The family loved it and it stuck (gonna be confusing to my little girl who calls her sister - "sissy!") And Ms. "M" got hers in college because no one could properly pronounce her first name. They are both highly energetic and loving! I was so excited to hear of all the plans and educational ideas for the year. Sissy has been working at the preschool for 19 years and Ms. "M" for fourteen years. Together, they have taught the four year old class as a duo for 10 years!

Allison will start with Flag Responsibilities!

Um...my shy girl...totally interrupting the teacher as she talks to the parents. Yep, her mic was on VERY loud and she kept saying "HELLO EVERYBODY!" She got a lot of attention and the teacher thought she was cute!

She loved the turtles and fish in her classroom!

Playing in the Architect/Construction station!

Wow, so much different from the 30 years ago when I was in preschool! Computers!

Yeah...here we go...a manuscript/writing station :)

She is SO excited to start school on Monday! I love the school and her teachers! So relieved!

Meet Anna's Teacher!

2011-08-18T20:49:00.001-04:00

Abbie and Annalise in their fun new outfits!

Annalise got to pick her seat and she chose to sit next to the only other new kid in her class :)
She also said she is excited to meet Ashlynn, as she has never been to public school either.

And here is Mrs. Caruso (we got her Dianna)! She has taught at this school for 22years! Annalise seemed to warm up very quickly to her and told us she was excited that she was the one picked to be her teacher!

Tomorrow is Allison's Turn!

Allie's Very First Dentist Trip!

2011-08-17T17:17:00.000-04:00

(Until our sweet Austin is born, my blogging will only consist of pictures and extremely minimal description as the pain in my hands/wrist are getting worse).

Annalise showed Allison the ropes and was a great example! Allison did great and loved the dentist!

Back-2-School Shopping!!!

2011-08-15T15:57:00.001-04:00

Friday night, after the summer party, Jessica and I took Allison and Josh for a special back to school shopping trip and frozen yogurt!

Most of my shopping was done on clearance sales throughout the summer. So, the majority of my time with Allison was letting her pick out hair accessories!

Allison showing Josh the bows she likes!

She fell in love with this purple and green outfit!

We mom's found more great sales than we expected on clothes and shoes and started running out of time (at least our goal time). The kids were racing down isles, yelling each other's names loudly, and making sure that everyone knew they were in the store! It was time to go...and get FROZEN YOGURT!!! - Healthy, right? HA! Check out those toppings!!!

They each were allowed to load up on whatever yogurt and toppings they wanted...including (between the two of them) gummy worms, jelly beans, m&m's, fruity pebbles, and more!

Let the SUGAR RUSH BEGIN!!!

The next day was Abbie and Annalise's turn! Off we go to Justice!!!

Annalise loves looking at all the accessories!

Because I had bought most of Anna's clothes throughout the summer also, I had agreed to buy her 1 outfit from her favorite clothing store, Justice! If she wanted more, she could spend birthday money that she had saved up. I've taught her how to shop clearance and she RACKED UP! She made sure to pick the expensive outfit for mommy to purchase :)

The girl's favorite part was trying on all the clothes!

After shopping, the girls had a Girl Scout Skating Party nearby! This was the second event of the summer and Annalise and Abbie had a blast!

Annalise and Kaylee!

And here is the girls review of the day...

Summer Party!!!

2011-08-15T15:54:00.002-04:00

Jessica had a great idea of throwing an "End of Summer Party" before our kids started school this year. Since our kids are going to school for the first time (as in...driving to a building where we, as moms, won't be teacher's), she thought we could make the day special for our kids to get them excited for school. We chose to go ahead and do this on Friday (even though our kids won't start school until the 22nd) because Morgan will be attending a 2 day middle school program tomorrow while Cassie will be starting off her kids homeschooling year!

To start off the bash, Cassie lead the kids in a game of "Charades!"

Then we had a pizza party!!!

Next, we set off the movies and saw Mr. Popper's Penguins! Mmm...ICEE's!

And if that wasn't enough fun and sugar for the day, we came home and had...
ICE CREAM SUNDAES!!!

And lastly, it's not a summer party without some swimming!!!

Blog Issues :(

2011-08-15T12:49:00.002-04:00

Blog is having technical difficulties these days in some of my posts with pictures :(

I will be attempting to work on this tonight and hopefully recent posts will be back. I will re-post "Summer Party" and "Back-2-School Shopping" when everything is back to normal :)

Carpal Tunnel Woes

2011-08-09T09:34:00.005-04:00

So, many of you have asked how I am doing and if I am ready for this baby...let's just say that ABSOLUTELY READY for Austin to be here. And as far as how I am doing? I am doing well. Baby is growing (he's a big one), I am basically healthy (no high risk concerns), I am HOT and swelling a bit, I'm tired (normal), and excited to meet our sweet little guy! However...

...As I am entering my 35th week, I am increasingly being plagued by a painful side effect that hit a good number of pregnant women in the third trimester - CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME.

I will say that I have never heard of this before as being something induced by pregnancy and I have not ever dealt with this issue ever before (pregnant or not). It is fairly common. It is extremely painful. And the the kicker is...there is basically NOTHING you can do for it! It is HORRIBLE! What started several weeks back at tingling and numbness in my hands, has increased to loss of use, throbbing, and burning sensations in both hands caused by swelling in the wrist. I have heard of Carpal Tunnel in individuals who use their hands in a repetitive way over a long period of time. I have known of all of the ergonomical devices and instruments that were out there to purchase to avoid this syndrome, but never took it too seriously and wondered "how bad can it be?"

OH MY! Shall I begin complaining to you now? Ugh! I am now at the point where I have very limited hand use. I can't open things, cut things, pick up small things needing a tight grip, pick up heavy things, text (which I need to stop again anyways), holding the phone upright while talking (must rest on shoulder), typing (without first icing my hands and taking many breaks...like I am now), drive my car with hands high on the steering wheel, and more. Night time is the absolute worst, I have lost lots of sleep and tears this past week. My hands now begin burning (as in ON FIRE!), and throbbing after laying down for any length of time. I am tired but not excited to lay horizontally anymore :( I no longer look forward to bedtime. I would rather be awake.

I have tried chiropractic treatment (recommended by my midwife) and was going twice a week. But now that I have seen no improvement, I have resigned treatment and just doing as much home therapy as possible. My sister-n-law (and also my amazing Doula), has made life a lot easier for me the last few days as she has messaged my hands for long periods of time to improve my circulation and reduce swelling. This is a temporary relief but such a NICE one! And just last night, she surprised me with a wrist brace and a menthol spray to help with the pain at night. I wasn't sure about how effective it would be and because my pain was so severe I really doubted the success rate of this wrist brace.

But, it worked! Last night, I placed my right hand (which is the most severe) in the brace and fell asleep. I actually slept a few hours without waking up in pain! I had some numbness and tingling in both hands but the throbbing and burning were no where to be found! Then 4:30 AM came, and sadly I did wake up in excruciating pain. This time it was in my left hand :( I grabbed the "middle of the night" ice pack, did some stretches and walked around a bit till the pain subsided. I did this on and off until around 7am.

So, here I am today, both hands are pretty much useless except for menial things. Obviously I am able to type a little. I won't be doing this much because it hurts after a few minutes (even when propped up on ice) and I have to take breaks. It also aggravates the nerves for later in the day and makes night time worse. Later, I will be heading to store to grab another brace for the left hand and see if that helps. I am very hopeful and excited at the possibility of getting at least a few more hours of uninterrupted sleep at night. We'll see.

I am hoping at this point to make it to at least 37 weeks and then spontaneously go into labor (safely and naturally)! The only remedy for the pain is post-partum! Baby is out, swelling goes down, pain disappears! Now that is my hope and prayer. There are also those few that go into months of continued pain that slowly subsides and those that deal with it for years after and/or require continued treatment or a minor surgical procedure. PRAYING THAT IS NOT ME!

Happy Birthday Jarrett!

2011-08-05T22:47:00.003-04:00

Today, 33 years ago, my incredible husband was born! Some may believe this to be a little bias, but I believe that I am married to the most amazing man of integrity, humility, and selflessness. He bestows a crazy amount of patience with me!!! He has extended unbelievable mercy and grace to me for many failures. He is one FANTASTIC daddy!!! This man is in LOVE with his family and we are head over heels for him!!! Words will never adequately describe how much he means to me. Heavenly Father, I am so thankful for the gift you have given to me in my spouse and for the gift my girls (and future boy) have been given in their daddy!

Now....bringing you to our breakfast table...
Aug 5th, 2011 @ 7:45AM

So thankful that Jarrett was not away on a business trip, we celebrated as a family during breakfast this morning before he headed off to work! Honestly, the girls were WAY to excited to see Daddy open his gifts and couldn't imagine waiting until he got home from work to see the surprise! So, we had to start FIRST THING!
This year was a fun surprise for Daddy. We were able to combine an amazing gift card given to Jarrett for Best Buy, some bday cash received, and some out of pocket money to purchase a Wii! Jarrett had talked about using the gift card towards it, but the subject was never made serious. Well, I grabbed the gift card and went to shopping!
He was VERY surprised!

(Love his smile!!!...yes, I know I have a few friends out there that want me to stop with all the gushy stuff, but I REFUSE! How could I not comment on that infectious smile! Handsome!)

The girls also picked out gifts to give Daddy individually. Annalise even spent some of her own money to buy the perfect present...boxers with golfers all over (she just HAD to get them!)

Allison picked out a fun Graphic t-shirt with Lego Star Wars Characters!

And the Main Course for Breakfast...
Mmm Mmm Tasty!

And then tonight, we celebrated with family and friends! Jarrett made a special request for Annalise's Chocolate and Raspberry filled Vanilla Cake. She does such a great job! Here is Josie wanting to join in on the fun of blowing out the bday candles with Jarrett!

Happy Happy Birthday Baby! I love you! Looking forward to some fun Wii competitions soon!

Austin's New Home!

2011-08-04T14:16:00.004-04:00

After washing new clothes and finishing a few projects, Austin's room is basically complete!Simple and Sweet!

The last project will be painting the changing table and adding it to the room. Oh, and Daddy does need to switch ceiling fans with the girl's room. As of now, and not pictured, is the pretty pink, yellow, blue, and green fan with butterflies and flowers. :) I was too anxious to wait for the true COMPLETE job before sending pictures!

Can't wait for little Austin Ryan to make the room fully complete!

34 Weeks and Counting!

2011-08-03T22:42:00.005-04:00

We are coming towards the home stretch and I am EXHAUSTED!!! This summer baby thing is just crazy! Annalise so graciously was born right before the summer. And Allison came in comfy "Orlando February!" But, Austin...Whew!!! Can I make it through August???

My family is so anxious and excited to meet our little man! As of today I am 34 weeks!

Allison was born a little early at 37 weeks and I have to say that if it wasn't for Jarrett's business trips scheduled over the next 8 weeks, I would be pulling for this one to come early too!

Just this past Sunday, some sweet friends of mine gave me a baby shower. It was such a sweet event and they did an AMAZING JOB! The food was DELICIOUS! The fellowship was so nice! The gifts were more than I could have ever expected! Even then shower games weren't cheesy :) They were actually quite fun and not embarrassing and grotesque (ya know, like those measuring bellies with toilet paper, and candy bar diaper games).

I am so blessed and humbled by the friendships, love, and support that the Lord has given me.

There were many more people not pictured but I decided my face and body were too swollen (which is why I am pinching my nose with Kourtney below) to be posting any more pics of myself than necessary. The only reasons I put as many as I did, was because I had to have pictures of someone there!

Unforgettable Friends and Memories! Thank YOU!

Nostalgia

2011-07-26T13:13:00.002-04:00

Ok, so go ahead and call it lame, but I had an amazing day/night this past Friday preparing for and partying at the NKOTBSB Concert!!!

For those of you that are too young (or too old) to understand the above acrostic...

New Kids on The Block (NKOTB)
Backstreet Boys (BSB)

Now, I was a huge fan in the 5th/6th grade...basically like my little girl in her love of Justin Beiber! New Kids were THE THING!!! Now, have I moved on and should they have? Yes. I will say that at first I couldn't believe the reunion happening with the New Kids a few years back...the dances were terrible, the receeding hairlines were not attractive, the fact that 40 year old men were singing songs about "girlfriends" hit me as a little scary, and the singing no longer impressed me like it did when I was too young to care about what they actually sounded like.
BUT...last year they announced they would be touring with Backstreet Boys in a collaboration effort and had some very successful shows. I still wasn't sure if I could believe it. And then...I was offered an opportunity to find out for myself. Should I go? Well, a sweet friend said she had an extra ticket I could buy from her and for some reason I jumped on it! It had to be the 6th grade heart pumping I am sure. And hey, if anything, this would bring back some memories, be a blast to hang with friends, and maybe even good material to make fun of.

My friend Kelly and some of her friends got together early Fri after my sister left for PA (a great distraction from my sadness of her leaving) to make T-shirts with NKOTB iron-ons, puffy paint, and more! Why? Because this was a late 80's/early 90's group that needed to be re-lived!

These are the boys I remember and the group I was excited to see...

The finished project! We are a little scary...I know! We had no regrets and weren't worried if we were the only ones dressed up. We were going back to the 80's and planning to PARTY! This was about US and no one else!

On our way! Kelly is ready!

Lauren and Betty were super cute in pink and couldn't be more excited to see Joey and Jordan!

And I had to be comfy and I thought white decorated tennis shoes with pink laces were a must to complete my outfit!

Downtown on the way to the Arena!

Had to take another snapshot for those that know Kelly and wouldn't believe her ability to lose inhabitions and be completely silly!!!

We ended up having to run to the arena because a wild storm was rolling in. Our planned dinner outside at Hamburger Mary's (which was rockin with NKOTBSB music), was ditched as we sprinted down Church Street to find shelter. After our "stadium" style food (such a bummer), we headed to find seats to see the opening acts. Matthew Morrsion from Glee did an amazing job. He has an INCREDIBLE Voice and Band!

And then....
The show we were waiting for exploded on stage! Screams kept us from hearing most of the first half of the show, but the guys actually danced well, had obviously all visited the gym, and put on an eye-pleasing show none the less!

When the screams began to settle and girls slowly started to lose their voices, we could hear the boys...geez....I mean "grown men" a little better. They actually sounded much better than I was originally anticipating. Harmonies were spot on! And they seemed on pitch and pleasant to listen to. The only downer to me was that Joey lost his boy'ish falsetto in "Please Don't Go Girl." The song had obviously been dropped a few keys to make it possible for the group to pull off. It wasn't bad. But, it wasn't the same.

Jordan Knight, however, seemed to keep his crazy high voice going strong. I have to say I have never been a fan of his sound (sorry girls), but was overly impressed he could hit the notes so confidently and stay in key!
Jordan's famous - "Ill Be Lovin' You Forever"

The place was filled with girls...ugh...okay..."women"...everywhere! And yes, there were men too...mostly husbands and boyfriends from what I can tell.

But, some had New Kids shirts on....?!?!?!? Think they were more than a tag-a-long...

The best suprise of the night, other than seeing Brian Littrell's Christian songs played by video during the pre-show wait (really cool), was having BOYZ2Men join the stage!!!

They were in town for Food and Wine Festival and decided to come grace us with a few classics and promote their upcoming album #TWENTY (celebrating 20 years together).

They were AWESOME!

The last song, HANGING TOUGH, of course, was a collaboration from both boy bands which was quite entertaining! The Boston based New Kids on one side, the Orlando based Backstreet Boys on the other, both sporting their town NBA Jerseys! Even though, my favorite "Man Band" was the New Kids, I think BSB won the screams because of the baised team being represented (a little unfair I must say...but way fun)!

After a few rounds of "WE WILL ROCK YOU," confetti went flying all over and the guys met together and circled up before high-fiving the event!

It was a fantastic evening out! No, my heart didn't flutter or skip a beat, and I did manage to keep all screams on the inside (more due to sickness than anything else). But, I can't say I wasn't giddy most of the night with memories of old songs and my pre-teen years!
However, I know I am getting old for a few reasons...

The sex symbol they believed they still were got on my nerves a little...or maybe a lot. Kind of funny at first when Joey lifted his shirt and the Arena went BAZERK! But, I was done with most of the shirt ripping, inappropriate body movements and gestures, and wished they would stick to the cool choreography and leave the vulger crap at home. I think they liked taking advantage of the fan demographic of 2011 that were choosing alcohol instead of cotton candy.

The screams were loud. Very loud. Each time one of the guys would yell loudly into their mic - "EVERYBODY SCREEEEEEEAAAAAAM," I would hunker down and cover my ears. That stuff hurts!

I don't mind the nosebleed section anymore. I can see the entire stage, have a mega screen to see the close-ups. And I don't have to stand the whole concert! Those lower levels don't get that luxury!

The concert may have went a few min too long in my opinon. I could have taken the concert being about an hour shorter. But, I guess with 2 opening acts, taking half and hour striking the stage of all instruments from the groups that actually use full bands, 2 headliner groups, and a surprise guest, what was I supposed to expect? And I guess being pregnant and uncomfortable didn't help. My lemonade didn't give me much energy. Now I know why many of the non-pregnant girls said they could have partied all night...hmmm...

So much for the negatives...probably a little grumpy from pregnancy and jealousy that I can't handle what the younger girls can :)

I had a great night out and a time I will never forget!!!!!

Hanging with the Matincheck Family!

2011-07-26T13:10:00.000-04:00

My sister, Ami and family came to visit last week and we had a blast! It's not often that we can get together since they live in PA. But, we take every chance we get! Here is a glimpse of our time together. I can definitely tell you that this pregnant girl couldn't keep up. I chose to hang at home during some of the outings and tried to remain stationary on the trips I did make. Thank goodness for lounge chairs at Aquatica, benches at Gatorland, and reclining leather seats at Monkey Joe's!

Gatorland!

Aquatica! (thanks to sweet friends)!

Playing "Minute to Win it!"

Sister's doing their favorite thing...EATING! Yummy Thai Food!

Monkey Joe's!

Can't wait to see them again at Christmas! I should be a few pounds lighter (I hope) and have a little more energy! As of now, I am enjoying the light schedule that we have this week!

Tiny Ballroom Dancers

2011-07-15T14:15:00.001-04:00

This is what happens when we let our kids take the camera for a few minutes. Apparently, Abbie and Annalise taught these little youngsters something new today and had to catch the moment. So glad they did! Would have hated to miss it!!!

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Sunny Days in Hollywood, FL

2011-07-14T14:00:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago, Jarrett had a business trip in the Ft. Lauderdale area (what a bummer, right?!)

He was coordinating various projects for a Firm Retreat for almost 500 attorneys (insert lawyer jokes here...)! The good news is that the girls and I were able to come along and spend the week at the resort with Daddy. The bad news is that Daddy didn't really get to have much play time and it was more like the girls and I only got to hear him snore at night :(

We did, however, have a great time visiting with friends during the week that kept us company! Some sweet friends of ours, the Perez's, just recently moved down to Hollywood a few months back and we were able to hang with them a few times which was wonderful! It is so good to catch up! Also, Jessica and her kids decided to come down for a few days and bunk with us and enjoy the pool. Then, Jackie, another friend (also Jarrett's boss's wife), came with her kids for the weekend! We were so glad to have friends and converstation for the week!

On the last day, Jarrett was able to come and swim, enjoy the day with us, have dinner out, and finally play! The girls were so exicted to play with Daddy in the pool. And he was EXHAUSTED!

The Resort view from our balcony!
The third picture below is the Retreat Group gathered on the beach for a group shot!

Jessica's crew and Our girls!

Jackie's Crew and Our Girls!

So wish we could have had more time with Daddy but I guess I should be thankful that we even got to tag along on this trip. We sure are spoiled!!!

School Changes

2011-07-12T12:44:00.007-04:00

The summer is in full swing and my girls are the busy busy busy! They are swimming, going on trips with mommy and daddy, having play dates, sleeping in, going to VBS, music camp, and enjoying the freedom to not have a schedule!

This will soon be changing....So, In a little over 5 weeks our girls will begin a new school adventure! After much prayer, Annalise and Allison will be attending school full time in the fall. Annalise was accepted into one of Orange County's Magnet programs!!! Allison will begin a 4 day a week preschool program in Downtown Orlando near Daddy's work!

Annalise has had mixed emotions about this adventure. We have homeschooled since preschool and she has enjoyed having the freedom to schedule school around play dates, holidays, family trips, and more. Now, we will be no longer doing Math and Reading laying on the floor of her bedroom. She will now experience the life of a public school student. We are nervous and excited all at the same time. Annalise received the news a few weeks ago and keeps asking questions. I think she is slowly turning her apprehension into giddiness as she is learning that we will be going school clothes shopping soon, she will have field trips to Sea World and Science Center this year, and she will be allowed to purchase school lunches from time to time :) See, there are things to be excited about, right?

And little Allison...she is SUPER PUMPED about the upcoming school year! She likes her new school and the playground :) She also loves that Daddy can take her to his office every morning to hang out a bit before walking down to the school. I am really looking forward to packing lunches (with little Austin Ryan in tow), picking up Allison and going Downtown each afternoon to eat with Daddy! This will be a great way to fill the gap between the 2 school pick up times. We may even visit a fun park, library, or do some grocery shopping some days while we wait to pick up Annalise.

This fall will definitely be a challenge with the new transition. We have no idea what it will truly look like until the time is here. A new baby, school changes, and Jarrett's work schedule with upcoming trips will make this fall an interesting new adventure! Whew! Just makes me want to get on my knees and start praying again. We will be doing lots of that over the next few weeks and months and would appreciate yours too!

Maternity and Family Pictures!

2011-07-11T17:23:00.003-04:00

Inspiration

2011-06-15T13:20:00.002-04:00

Is this phrase too impossible? My blog header needs to become more of a reality in my life today. Make every moment count. EMBRACE IT!

Live EVERY (single) Moment...Gonna bring out the Playdoh this afternoon with the girls and let them make a huge mess!

Laugh (a big belly laugh is imperative) EVERY Day...Think I may watch the Cosby show tonight :)

LOVE BEYOND WORDS!!! ...Actions speak louder than words!

Blessings

2011-06-14T10:49:00.003-04:00

Spending some much needed time in prayer this morning. A friend showed me this song a few weeks ago and it has a wonderful way of changing my perspective just when I need it. Please take time to watch and listen. Have plenty of tissues available.

The most powerful song I have ever heard...
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Annalise is 8!!!

2011-05-30T21:44:00.003-04:00

I just can't believe how old my girls are getting! Annalise turned 8yrs. old today! Because she had a busy weekend with an end of the year trip at a Orlando Resort with her Girl Scout Troop, we decided to have a low key birthday celebration this year. I'm not sure that this sweet princess has had a full nights sleep with the last 3 nights added together! So, we decided to have a small family party to celebrate!

Uncle Kam (her Aunt Cassie's brother) was also born on May 30th and celebrated with us too! Anna decided she wanted to bake her own cake this year and it was AMAZING! She wanted to have a layer with rasberries and pudding with Chocolate Icing! YUM!

(Yes, that is a Hello Kitty cake in front of Kam...he jokingly requested it, and we made it happen!)

One of the things Annalise requested to do on her birthday was for the moms to do "hair wraps" like they offered (for a pretty penny) at the resort they were at this weekend! We gladly said yes to save them money this weekend ($35 - $45 for what you see below)...and now realized we have missed our career and "money making" calling in life! Thanks to YouTube, we now know how to do this on our own! The wraps were much easier than I thought. However, it did take some time, but I love to save money!

This year, the coveted gift items were anything with Justin Bieber's name on it...

Yes, she is now officially has Bieber Fever!!! Here she is with her "Never Say Never" movie (which had already seen twice in theaters) - the story of His Life! Wow, to be 17 and already have a story of your life (good movie actually...at least I enjoyed it).

And yep...more Bieber Mania going on below! Here she is with her gifts from Nana and Pops...2 Justin Bieber CD's! Guess what music we are going to be hearing over the next several days on repeat...thank goodness that one is an accoustic version and I am actually looking forward to listening to it.

Man oh man I LOVE THAT GIRL! She is a sweet and special gift to our family!

Happy Birthday Punkin!!!