I have decided that I will try to update this blog at least once a month. That way, I will have plenty to write about each time and it won't get too boring!
Haven is reading everything she can get her hands on. She reads on the way to school and any other time we have a few minutes to spare. Her class is in the "book it" program and they are trying to read 20 books a month per child (each child gets a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut if they read that many books). I don't think we will have trouble making that quota! I love hearing her read, it's so sweet to hear her sounding out the words. She doesn't have to sound out many, most of them she already knows. I am so proud of her! She has mastered her third sight word list at school and only has one more to go. She is moving to first grade reading at the end of next month! There is always something fun going on at school, which makes it so much more appealing for her. They are having a storybook parade next Friday and the kids get to dress up as their favorite storybook character and march in a parade. I don't know what Haven is going to be yet, but I'm sure she has plenty of ideas. They are also doing an art exhibit of all the children's art work. They have a company that mats and frames the pictures and you can buy them as a keepsake. I am looking forward to seeing Haven's work! Needless to say, school keeps us mighty busy!
Janna had her baby this week and she is so precious! I am so excited that she is finally here. I'm quite certain that little one will be spoiled in no time! There is just something so wonderful about a new baby, so exciting! I am planning to spend the day at Janna's house in a few weeks, doing nothing but holding Zoe and spoiling her rotten. heehee
We are having the most volatile weather lately! The leaves are changing and falling everywhere and you'd think we would have temperatures to match this lovely fall foliage. But, it's still in the high 70's most days : ( It's chilly in the mornings and evenings, but it's flip flop weather during the day! Oh, I am longing for the cold weather! I have all these cute sweaters and jackets but nowhere to wear them! I suppose it will be cold soon enough and then I'll be longing for spring....
Business has been slow for the past several weeks, but has really picked up lately. I think this warm weather makes people want to get their yard in shape. It's been nice having Aaron home more though. We have spent a lot of time together doing fun things with Haven. She loves playing games with her daddy....except when he wins, then she's mad! She's such a sore loser. Something we are trying hard to nip in the bud before she is older, no one likes a spoiled sport!
Haven is doing very well in violin. She is very happy to be using the bow now, so she really looks forward to lessons! She also loves to play the piano, which drives me just a little nuts! She reads the words to the songs, but makes up new tunes for them and plays along. It's really cute, but sometimes that constant banging is annoying! She is really progressing in gymnastics and can now do an excellent forward roll. They are working on back handsprings and all sorts of different things. It's her favorite part of the week!
I try to make a mental note of some funny things she says, but I always forget them once I sit down to type. She always has us laughing! We went to Nagoya a few weeks ago and Janna was commenting on how good the zucchini was. I didn't think much of it at the time, but Haven must have made a mental note of it because we went to Nagoya again the other night and she asked me...
"Mom, tonight can I try that...bikini at Nagoya?"
"What?", I asked.
"You know, that bikini or chick-ini...."
Understanding dawned "Ooooh, you mean zucchini."
"Yeeeaa, zucchini" she beamed.
I got a good chuckle out of that one! I wish I could remember all the other funny stuff she says...I will have to keep a notebook handy for next time!
Friday, November 7, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
This and That...
So, I couldn't sleep last night and I laid in bed thinking of all sorts of things to write about. See, the beauty of waiting so long between blogs is that I have so much to write about when I do blog! And I also feel a little silly rattling on about things that I know only a handful of people will be reading. I guess it's mostly for my benefit anyways, a journal of sorts to remember everything : )
Ok, first of all I am so excited about fall! It gets me every year....I'm never ready for summer to end, but then when October gets here and the leaves start changing I get so antsy for cooler weather! I've written about it before, but there is just something about the changing season that makes me so exuberant! We have our Fall Festival coming up at church soon and one at Haven's school too. I am thrilled that fall is almost here! I got mostly money for my birthday so I have been shopping like crazy lately, finding all kinds of good deals.....on fall clothes no less! I can't wait to start wearing them! I've already been shopping for Haven too and have found some really cute things for her as well! I get really excited when I find good deals on clothes, I guess because I hate spending so much money for just one outfit! So, anyways...I am excited about fall for several reasons, hehe!
Haven is doing wonderful at school! We had our first parent/teacher conference a few weeks ago and the teacher had nothing but good things to say. Haven is progressing beautifully and is actually very much ahead of the game, as we hoped she would be. The teacher informed us that by Christmas, Haven will be taking first grade reading classes. I am really excited for her because her reading skills have improved so much over the past few months and I want her to stay challenged so she doesn't get bored. She has lots of friends and enjoys every aspect of learning. Over all, I couldn't be more pleased with our choice : )
Haven is also progressing quite well with violin. She just started using the bow, much to her delight, and is catching on very quickly! It's a little rough on our ears right now, since she only plays two strings, but I love that she is learning something that she will have forever! I know that one day she will be able to play beautifully, and all the hard work will have paid off! She is still taking gymnastics which has proved to be her favorite. She looks forward to Monday's all week long. She has learned how to do a forward roll and is working on a back handspring. They do all sorts of things in class so there is no telling what she will learn to do this year. I'm glad she enjoys being active and trying new things. She has become really good friends with a little girl in her class and they stick together like glue. It's so sweet!
Softball season is coming to an end...tournaments start on Tuesday and we play until we lose 2 games. That could very well be the first 2 that we play, haha! I have so enjoyed being at the field watching them play. I have cheered, hooped, hollered, and jumped more than I ever did as a cheerleader in high school! They started off pretty rough but they've really improved their game and actually won 3 games. Win or lose, we've had a blast and I will be sad to see it end. I think they will be playing in the spring, so I'll have that to look forward to.
Aaron and I will be celebrating our 9 year anniversary this month, and I have to say...where did the time go? I know we all say it, but it really is so true. I just can't believe it's been that long. We were both so young when we met, I feel like we have grown up together. It's hard to believe when you get married that you will love that person even more the next day and the next and so on. You think you know what love is, that you have it all figured out and then bam, it hits you.... love is so much more than you ever thought it could be. It's all those firsts that allow you to understand what life is like when you share it with the person you love. When you have someone to share all those moments with, it just makes life even more worth it. I remember our first house, our first Christmas, the first meal I cooked(one I think Aaron would rather forget, haha), finding out I was pregnant, holding Haven for the first time....all these and many more make up our life together. When I look back on my life, it's all these moments that I remember, that make me smile. It's been a wonderful journey filled with love, laughter, tears, joys, sorrows, heartaches and unforgettable moments that we will cherish always. I sincerely hope the years to come are just as sweet. Ah, I'm a little teary now so moving along....
Life is about to get so busy again. It seems there is never much of a break! I do enjoy staying busy though, I hate to be idle. The holidays will be upon is in no time and with everything else going on, we will be running around constantly. Sometimes though, early in the morning, I just like to sit and soak up life. Just this moment and nothing more. Life comes at you fast, so if you don't take a moment to enjoy it, it may just pass you by! I am learning more and more to live in the moment, take nothing for granted and bask in every blessing. Life is about more than just living, it's about breathing in each moment and soaking it all in! When things get hectic and I feel like I might cave under the pressure, I just try to remember that life is a precious gift that shouldn't be wasted. Don't worry, be happy....and I am, truly I am.
Ok, first of all I am so excited about fall! It gets me every year....I'm never ready for summer to end, but then when October gets here and the leaves start changing I get so antsy for cooler weather! I've written about it before, but there is just something about the changing season that makes me so exuberant! We have our Fall Festival coming up at church soon and one at Haven's school too. I am thrilled that fall is almost here! I got mostly money for my birthday so I have been shopping like crazy lately, finding all kinds of good deals.....on fall clothes no less! I can't wait to start wearing them! I've already been shopping for Haven too and have found some really cute things for her as well! I get really excited when I find good deals on clothes, I guess because I hate spending so much money for just one outfit! So, anyways...I am excited about fall for several reasons, hehe!
Haven is doing wonderful at school! We had our first parent/teacher conference a few weeks ago and the teacher had nothing but good things to say. Haven is progressing beautifully and is actually very much ahead of the game, as we hoped she would be. The teacher informed us that by Christmas, Haven will be taking first grade reading classes. I am really excited for her because her reading skills have improved so much over the past few months and I want her to stay challenged so she doesn't get bored. She has lots of friends and enjoys every aspect of learning. Over all, I couldn't be more pleased with our choice : )
Haven is also progressing quite well with violin. She just started using the bow, much to her delight, and is catching on very quickly! It's a little rough on our ears right now, since she only plays two strings, but I love that she is learning something that she will have forever! I know that one day she will be able to play beautifully, and all the hard work will have paid off! She is still taking gymnastics which has proved to be her favorite. She looks forward to Monday's all week long. She has learned how to do a forward roll and is working on a back handspring. They do all sorts of things in class so there is no telling what she will learn to do this year. I'm glad she enjoys being active and trying new things. She has become really good friends with a little girl in her class and they stick together like glue. It's so sweet!
Softball season is coming to an end...tournaments start on Tuesday and we play until we lose 2 games. That could very well be the first 2 that we play, haha! I have so enjoyed being at the field watching them play. I have cheered, hooped, hollered, and jumped more than I ever did as a cheerleader in high school! They started off pretty rough but they've really improved their game and actually won 3 games. Win or lose, we've had a blast and I will be sad to see it end. I think they will be playing in the spring, so I'll have that to look forward to.
Aaron and I will be celebrating our 9 year anniversary this month, and I have to say...where did the time go? I know we all say it, but it really is so true. I just can't believe it's been that long. We were both so young when we met, I feel like we have grown up together. It's hard to believe when you get married that you will love that person even more the next day and the next and so on. You think you know what love is, that you have it all figured out and then bam, it hits you.... love is so much more than you ever thought it could be. It's all those firsts that allow you to understand what life is like when you share it with the person you love. When you have someone to share all those moments with, it just makes life even more worth it. I remember our first house, our first Christmas, the first meal I cooked(one I think Aaron would rather forget, haha), finding out I was pregnant, holding Haven for the first time....all these and many more make up our life together. When I look back on my life, it's all these moments that I remember, that make me smile. It's been a wonderful journey filled with love, laughter, tears, joys, sorrows, heartaches and unforgettable moments that we will cherish always. I sincerely hope the years to come are just as sweet. Ah, I'm a little teary now so moving along....
Life is about to get so busy again. It seems there is never much of a break! I do enjoy staying busy though, I hate to be idle. The holidays will be upon is in no time and with everything else going on, we will be running around constantly. Sometimes though, early in the morning, I just like to sit and soak up life. Just this moment and nothing more. Life comes at you fast, so if you don't take a moment to enjoy it, it may just pass you by! I am learning more and more to live in the moment, take nothing for granted and bask in every blessing. Life is about more than just living, it's about breathing in each moment and soaking it all in! When things get hectic and I feel like I might cave under the pressure, I just try to remember that life is a precious gift that shouldn't be wasted. Don't worry, be happy....and I am, truly I am.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
New Scoop
Ok, so I am officially ashamed of myself for waiting so long to write! However, in my defense, I have spent the summer doing a whole lot of nothing, so I haven't had much to write about....until now : ) My last post was in May which was the end of the school year for Haven. Well, of course she graduated K-5 and we had a wonderful, long, lazy summer. It's good to have a break for a while, but I am always glad to get back into a routine again. Haven started school a few weeks ago and absolutely loves it! She is doing really well and has already made several new friends. She comes home every day with some new story to tell us, which is always hilarious! We are pretty busy right now with so many different things. We are in the PTO at Haven's school and I am also the room mother for her class. They are doing a fundraiser right now and they have a Fall festival coming up in October. I'm sure they will have me doing all kinds of wonderful things in no time! Haven is taking violin lessons which she started last Friday. She did really well for her first time, but she was disappointed that she didn't get to use the bow. She must have thought that she would just start playing right away, without even learning the strings first, haha. She is also doing gymnastics....her first class is tomorrow, so we will see how that goes. I really think she's going to love it since she bounces around the house like an acrobat. It will do her good to get some extra exercise in and also learn the right way to do flips and such so she doesn't hurt herself. Aaron is playing softball, so we are at the ball field 2 times a week on top of everything else! I honestly prefer being super busy rather than being bored. I really enjoy having to be somewhere different everyday and I especially enjoy seeing Haven try new things. I think this will be a great year for her! Speaking of trying new things.....I am actually studying for my insurance license exam! I am going to work from home being a producer for my dad, who owns an Allstate agency. With Haven back in school, my days are pretty quiet so I thought I'd like to do something to fill them up and make some extra dough at the same time! Why not take on one more challenge? LOL! So, anyways, there are all kinds of interesting things going on and I'm sure many more to come!
Friday, May 16, 2008
Goings On
Well, I finally have some good stuff to write about : )
We are taking the youth group to another church tomorrow for a big youth get together. They're having softball and volleyball and who knows what else. And then a cookout later on in the evening. It should be a lot of fun and I hope the young people enjoy it! Stuff like that is always fun when there are a lot of other young people to fellowship with. I think it's nice to get together once in a while with people you don't get to see all the time. We'll be gone all day, since it's about 2 hours from here, but it'll be worth it!
I am so busy right now, I don't know which way is up! Haven graduates next Friday night and there will be a little reception afterwards. Lisa and I are sort of the "party" committee, so to speak, and it has fallen our lot to decorate and get all the food and so on...we have enlisted the help of my mom as well since she has a real knack for this sort of thing. The graduation caps and gowns arrived and I took Haven's home with me so I could press it. As it turns out, it's HUGE! The sleeves are way too long as is the entire gown. So, I called Jostens, which is where they ordered them from, and I waited on hold for 22 minutes only to hear that they are out of stock in that color until June 1st! I was hoping to get a new one sent to me in the right size and send the other back, but no go! So, Susie (my mother in law) is going to hem it for me so that I don't have to pay an exorbitant amount at an alterations place. They are so adorable, light pink for the girls and light blue for the boys. I will post lots of pictures of the graduation! So, next week will be ever so hectic with buying all the food and decorating and everything else. Haven doesn't have to go back to school until next Thursday because the K-5 class is all done with their work for the year. They are having their pictures taken on Thursday in their cap and gown. And then Friday is graduation!! I am so excited. Aaron's grandparents are getting to come, which is wonderful because they live in Alabama and are getting up in age, but Aaron's parents are bringing them! And my whole family is coming too! We will take up one whole side of the church, LOL! Now, I've got to figure out what to get Haven for a graduation present...just one more thing to add to the list!
Aside from all that, we are going to Alabama next weekend for the Memorial Day meetings at Bro. Homer Longoria's. We're leaving after the graduation party on Friday night. So, I have to be all packed and ready to go when we leave to go to graduation! I love Memorial Day weekend though, because we finally get to go out on the lake! I'm really looking forward to it!
Haven's birthday is fast approaching and I think we have settled on a party idea. I've been asking her about several options and trying to figure out what she wanted to do and she's decided on having her party at Build-a-Bear Workshop. It looks like a lot of fun for the kids and they get to make their own stuffed animal to take home. I've just got to figure out the date and who all to invite. I want to keep it pretty small since we are having it in a store like that. I don't want a hundred kids running around grabbing stuff off the shelf, haha.
We have received 3 graduation invitations already and I need to buy gifts for them! I just don't have the time, AAAH! Well, money is usually the best bet for graduation anyways, so that may be what they get! We have so many birthdays coming up....7 that I can think of, possibly more! Whew! Once June is passed, things usually slow down, for a while at least.
Aaron is still as busy as ever, but has had some time off this week due to the weather. It surely has been rainy lately, but I don't think he minds getting to sleep in a bit ; ) I certainly am looking forward to sleeping in again!
I have tackled some Spring cleaning this week, getting rid of as much as I can! I took a good bit of Haven's clothing to some consignment stores and I have some of my own to take as well. I'm going to clean out her toys some time in the next few weeks, to make room for the new stuff she will get for her birthday. I may end up having a yard sale because toys always sell really well. I have some other stuff to get rid of too, so I may as well just have one and be rid of it all, even though I do hate the hassle. Ah well, I will have to see what all I have and decide if it's worth having a yard sale or not. At any rate, all this stuff is going somewhere, even if it's just to the Goodwill!
Aaron and I looked at some houses on the internet last night. We don't really have the time to go out and drive around all day looking, so we just searched for some houses for sale around here and looked at the pictures. I figure if we see something we like, then we can go look at it up close. We found a few that we like, but we both want different things....I think it will be an uphill battle trying to choose something that suits us both, since we are both determined to have our way, haha! So, the search continues....
I will post again as soon as I have something interesting to write about, but it may not be until after graduation! I'll have some pics up soon too!
We are taking the youth group to another church tomorrow for a big youth get together. They're having softball and volleyball and who knows what else. And then a cookout later on in the evening. It should be a lot of fun and I hope the young people enjoy it! Stuff like that is always fun when there are a lot of other young people to fellowship with. I think it's nice to get together once in a while with people you don't get to see all the time. We'll be gone all day, since it's about 2 hours from here, but it'll be worth it!
I am so busy right now, I don't know which way is up! Haven graduates next Friday night and there will be a little reception afterwards. Lisa and I are sort of the "party" committee, so to speak, and it has fallen our lot to decorate and get all the food and so on...we have enlisted the help of my mom as well since she has a real knack for this sort of thing. The graduation caps and gowns arrived and I took Haven's home with me so I could press it. As it turns out, it's HUGE! The sleeves are way too long as is the entire gown. So, I called Jostens, which is where they ordered them from, and I waited on hold for 22 minutes only to hear that they are out of stock in that color until June 1st! I was hoping to get a new one sent to me in the right size and send the other back, but no go! So, Susie (my mother in law) is going to hem it for me so that I don't have to pay an exorbitant amount at an alterations place. They are so adorable, light pink for the girls and light blue for the boys. I will post lots of pictures of the graduation! So, next week will be ever so hectic with buying all the food and decorating and everything else. Haven doesn't have to go back to school until next Thursday because the K-5 class is all done with their work for the year. They are having their pictures taken on Thursday in their cap and gown. And then Friday is graduation!! I am so excited. Aaron's grandparents are getting to come, which is wonderful because they live in Alabama and are getting up in age, but Aaron's parents are bringing them! And my whole family is coming too! We will take up one whole side of the church, LOL! Now, I've got to figure out what to get Haven for a graduation present...just one more thing to add to the list!
Aside from all that, we are going to Alabama next weekend for the Memorial Day meetings at Bro. Homer Longoria's. We're leaving after the graduation party on Friday night. So, I have to be all packed and ready to go when we leave to go to graduation! I love Memorial Day weekend though, because we finally get to go out on the lake! I'm really looking forward to it!
Haven's birthday is fast approaching and I think we have settled on a party idea. I've been asking her about several options and trying to figure out what she wanted to do and she's decided on having her party at Build-a-Bear Workshop. It looks like a lot of fun for the kids and they get to make their own stuffed animal to take home. I've just got to figure out the date and who all to invite. I want to keep it pretty small since we are having it in a store like that. I don't want a hundred kids running around grabbing stuff off the shelf, haha.
We have received 3 graduation invitations already and I need to buy gifts for them! I just don't have the time, AAAH! Well, money is usually the best bet for graduation anyways, so that may be what they get! We have so many birthdays coming up....7 that I can think of, possibly more! Whew! Once June is passed, things usually slow down, for a while at least.
Aaron is still as busy as ever, but has had some time off this week due to the weather. It surely has been rainy lately, but I don't think he minds getting to sleep in a bit ; ) I certainly am looking forward to sleeping in again!
I have tackled some Spring cleaning this week, getting rid of as much as I can! I took a good bit of Haven's clothing to some consignment stores and I have some of my own to take as well. I'm going to clean out her toys some time in the next few weeks, to make room for the new stuff she will get for her birthday. I may end up having a yard sale because toys always sell really well. I have some other stuff to get rid of too, so I may as well just have one and be rid of it all, even though I do hate the hassle. Ah well, I will have to see what all I have and decide if it's worth having a yard sale or not. At any rate, all this stuff is going somewhere, even if it's just to the Goodwill!
Aaron and I looked at some houses on the internet last night. We don't really have the time to go out and drive around all day looking, so we just searched for some houses for sale around here and looked at the pictures. I figure if we see something we like, then we can go look at it up close. We found a few that we like, but we both want different things....I think it will be an uphill battle trying to choose something that suits us both, since we are both determined to have our way, haha! So, the search continues....
I will post again as soon as I have something interesting to write about, but it may not be until after graduation! I'll have some pics up soon too!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
We're Back!
It's been too long since my last blog! We actually got home from vacation last Saturday but I am just now getting the time to sit down and write something. We had a wonderful time, of course! The weather was good and the crowds weren't so bad. We tackled Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Sea World while we were there. We also did some shopping-we had a huge outlet mall practically in the parking lot of our condo-and had some delicious FOOD too! Overall, it was an awesome trip! I can't wait to do it again. We are thinking of making it a yearly vacation, but we will probably go in October/November when it is a little less crowded. We shall see : )
Haven is graduating K-5 on May 23! We are having a little party at the school for all the little graduates. I'm sure it will be a proud and tear filled day. She's growing up so fast! Since we were gone all of last week, her teacher sent her worksheets home with us so she could catch up on the work she missed. I did not realize what all she knew until I sat down with her to do her work. I was amazed! She didn't even need my help, except to read the instructions telling her what to do for each page-and really, she could have read that herself!. I am so proud of her! Knowledge is a wonderful thing! She loves to learn....and she was so excited to have "homework", like the big kids! I think she is going to miss going to school once she is out for the summer!
We are entering the busiest two months of the year for our family. Between now and the end of June, we have at least a dozen birthdays...not to mention Mother's and Father's Day. Memorial Day is also on the horizon, as well as the aforementioned graduation. We have already had one baby shower this month and we have another one on Sunday. Tomorrow is a fundraiser at Haven's school in which I will be participating. Next weekend there's a wedding and Mother's Day and my mom's birthday....there seems to be no end in sight! I do love all the hullabaloo though.....I hate to be idle and bored. There is definitely enough to keep me busy!
Haven will be turning 5 this year and I want to do a big birthday party. Every year since she was born I have said "we won't do a big birthday party this year, we will just wait until she is 5 and make a big deal out of it". Well, that plan hasn't worked out so well. Of course, her first birthday was insane! We had a huge luau themed party and invited about 100 people. And that pretty much set the tone for every year thereafter. We don't usually invite that many people, but we always have a party. So, this year will be no different. I am going to make a big fuss though, since it's a big one. I have been talking to Haven about what kind of party she wants and I'm looking in to several options. I still have some time to plan it, but I want to get the ball rolling since there is so much going on right now.
I have a newfound love: Smoothie King! Oh my goodness! I decided to try it the other day and I am hooked! It was so delicious, I fear I am addicted. Maybe if I have one every day for a while I will get burnt out on it and move on to something else. But I don't know, it sure was tasty! And it's healthy too, that's what's so great about it.
I am designing a website for Aaron's business. I thought I would hate doing it, but it's actually turning out to be quite fun. I didn't think it would be so easy, but I am already almost finished. I have to add some photos and then it'll be ready to go. I like being creative sometimes and I do love to write, so it was a nice little project. And now it will be one more avenue of advertising for the business. People like to see the work you can do before they make a decision, and a website is a good way for them to find out what a company is all about. I am hoping my hard work will prove valuable and help to bring in even more business. Of course, right now I'm not sure what we would do with it, haha! I guess we'll just keep booking jobs as far out as we can! I use the term "we" very loosely, I actually don't have much to do with the business. But I like to sound important too! heehee
I better say tah tah for now as I have a lot to do today!
Haven is graduating K-5 on May 23! We are having a little party at the school for all the little graduates. I'm sure it will be a proud and tear filled day. She's growing up so fast! Since we were gone all of last week, her teacher sent her worksheets home with us so she could catch up on the work she missed. I did not realize what all she knew until I sat down with her to do her work. I was amazed! She didn't even need my help, except to read the instructions telling her what to do for each page-and really, she could have read that herself!. I am so proud of her! Knowledge is a wonderful thing! She loves to learn....and she was so excited to have "homework", like the big kids! I think she is going to miss going to school once she is out for the summer!
We are entering the busiest two months of the year for our family. Between now and the end of June, we have at least a dozen birthdays...not to mention Mother's and Father's Day. Memorial Day is also on the horizon, as well as the aforementioned graduation. We have already had one baby shower this month and we have another one on Sunday. Tomorrow is a fundraiser at Haven's school in which I will be participating. Next weekend there's a wedding and Mother's Day and my mom's birthday....there seems to be no end in sight! I do love all the hullabaloo though.....I hate to be idle and bored. There is definitely enough to keep me busy!
Haven will be turning 5 this year and I want to do a big birthday party. Every year since she was born I have said "we won't do a big birthday party this year, we will just wait until she is 5 and make a big deal out of it". Well, that plan hasn't worked out so well. Of course, her first birthday was insane! We had a huge luau themed party and invited about 100 people. And that pretty much set the tone for every year thereafter. We don't usually invite that many people, but we always have a party. So, this year will be no different. I am going to make a big fuss though, since it's a big one. I have been talking to Haven about what kind of party she wants and I'm looking in to several options. I still have some time to plan it, but I want to get the ball rolling since there is so much going on right now.
I have a newfound love: Smoothie King! Oh my goodness! I decided to try it the other day and I am hooked! It was so delicious, I fear I am addicted. Maybe if I have one every day for a while I will get burnt out on it and move on to something else. But I don't know, it sure was tasty! And it's healthy too, that's what's so great about it.
I am designing a website for Aaron's business. I thought I would hate doing it, but it's actually turning out to be quite fun. I didn't think it would be so easy, but I am already almost finished. I have to add some photos and then it'll be ready to go. I like being creative sometimes and I do love to write, so it was a nice little project. And now it will be one more avenue of advertising for the business. People like to see the work you can do before they make a decision, and a website is a good way for them to find out what a company is all about. I am hoping my hard work will prove valuable and help to bring in even more business. Of course, right now I'm not sure what we would do with it, haha! I guess we'll just keep booking jobs as far out as we can! I use the term "we" very loosely, I actually don't have much to do with the business. But I like to sound important too! heehee
I better say tah tah for now as I have a lot to do today!
Monday, April 14, 2008
A Little Update....
I am not making good on my promise it would seem...it's just very hard to find the time to sit down and write!
I am exceedingly happy that vacation is a mere 6 days away! I know I will not want to come home at the end of the trip. I suppose that's the only downside to going....having to come home. Silly me, at least we are getting to go! Haven is chattering about it and wanting to look online at all the rides, even though she has already been to Disney World twice! I'm not sure how much she remembers from the last time we went, but there are definitely certain things that stick out in her mind. I think she will enjoy it even more this time because she can ride almost everything now that she's a little taller! This week will be hectic trying to get everything ready to go before Sunday. There always seems to be a million things to do when you're trying to get ready to leave for a week. I think I enjoy the preparation as much as the trip. It's so exciting getting everything ready to go!
Haven will be graduating Kindergarten in just 5 short weeks. I really can't believe how fast this year has flown by. The girls are wearing pink caps/gowns-how adorable! I can't wait to see her walk down the aisle and get her little diploma. I'm sure I will cry buckets! It has been so good for her to go to school this year. She is like a little sponge absorbing every drop of information she can get. It's been fun to see her learning new things and getting to be so big! She'll be 5 on June 3rd, which almost seems impossible! My, how the years just fly by. She has brought so much joy to our lives, I can hardly remember what life was like before she came along. Most uninteresting, I suppose! She definitely adds a unique element to the mix, so spunky and full of life! She acts like a grownup half the time, always crossing her legs and talking with her hands. She is growing up so fast. In a lot of ways, I'm glad....but sometimes I just miss my little baby girl. But that's just how it goes, they have to grow up sometime! I'm just thankful that she is healthy and happy : )
Aaron is still as busy as a bee, putting in 10 and 12 hour days! It's just that time of year, when he leaves early and gets home late. After owning this business for so many years, I've gotten used to it by now. He's home a lot more in the winter, but the work is slower. I'm always thankful for a busy summer. He is doing a lot of big projects this year like ponds, sidewalks and landscape lighting. He really loves tapping in to his creative side! I'm always amazed at his ability to learn something new and just do it. He has taught himself so much about landscaping. He really is very talented and I think he likes to toot his own horn from time to time, heehee. Well, not really, but he always has pictures in case anyone is interested in what he's been working on! I guess we're all a little proud of ourselves at one time or another.
I forgot to mention it in my last post, but my Strawberry Shortcake DVD's arrived in the mail! It was exactly how I remembered it. I made a big deal about it with Haven so she would want to watch them with me. She was like "what's this?" She's only ever seen the new SS, so she was a little confused. I told her it was the old SS that I used to watch as a kid. She watched a couple episodes with me, but I just don't think it was as interesting as her new stuff! I rather liked it for the simple fact that it took me back to my childhood, and I like anything that does that! Ah, well, it will probably collect dust on the shelf, but I'll know that anytime I want to be 5 again, it'll be there waiting for me : ) I am a silly sentimental fool, I daresay!
This is it for now, much to do! I'll try to post again before we leave and I'll have lots of pictures when we get back!
I am exceedingly happy that vacation is a mere 6 days away! I know I will not want to come home at the end of the trip. I suppose that's the only downside to going....having to come home. Silly me, at least we are getting to go! Haven is chattering about it and wanting to look online at all the rides, even though she has already been to Disney World twice! I'm not sure how much she remembers from the last time we went, but there are definitely certain things that stick out in her mind. I think she will enjoy it even more this time because she can ride almost everything now that she's a little taller! This week will be hectic trying to get everything ready to go before Sunday. There always seems to be a million things to do when you're trying to get ready to leave for a week. I think I enjoy the preparation as much as the trip. It's so exciting getting everything ready to go!
Haven will be graduating Kindergarten in just 5 short weeks. I really can't believe how fast this year has flown by. The girls are wearing pink caps/gowns-how adorable! I can't wait to see her walk down the aisle and get her little diploma. I'm sure I will cry buckets! It has been so good for her to go to school this year. She is like a little sponge absorbing every drop of information she can get. It's been fun to see her learning new things and getting to be so big! She'll be 5 on June 3rd, which almost seems impossible! My, how the years just fly by. She has brought so much joy to our lives, I can hardly remember what life was like before she came along. Most uninteresting, I suppose! She definitely adds a unique element to the mix, so spunky and full of life! She acts like a grownup half the time, always crossing her legs and talking with her hands. She is growing up so fast. In a lot of ways, I'm glad....but sometimes I just miss my little baby girl. But that's just how it goes, they have to grow up sometime! I'm just thankful that she is healthy and happy : )
Aaron is still as busy as a bee, putting in 10 and 12 hour days! It's just that time of year, when he leaves early and gets home late. After owning this business for so many years, I've gotten used to it by now. He's home a lot more in the winter, but the work is slower. I'm always thankful for a busy summer. He is doing a lot of big projects this year like ponds, sidewalks and landscape lighting. He really loves tapping in to his creative side! I'm always amazed at his ability to learn something new and just do it. He has taught himself so much about landscaping. He really is very talented and I think he likes to toot his own horn from time to time, heehee. Well, not really, but he always has pictures in case anyone is interested in what he's been working on! I guess we're all a little proud of ourselves at one time or another.
I forgot to mention it in my last post, but my Strawberry Shortcake DVD's arrived in the mail! It was exactly how I remembered it. I made a big deal about it with Haven so she would want to watch them with me. She was like "what's this?" She's only ever seen the new SS, so she was a little confused. I told her it was the old SS that I used to watch as a kid. She watched a couple episodes with me, but I just don't think it was as interesting as her new stuff! I rather liked it for the simple fact that it took me back to my childhood, and I like anything that does that! Ah, well, it will probably collect dust on the shelf, but I'll know that anytime I want to be 5 again, it'll be there waiting for me : ) I am a silly sentimental fool, I daresay!
This is it for now, much to do! I'll try to post again before we leave and I'll have lots of pictures when we get back!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Amazing Grace
It's hard to put into words exactly how I feel, but I do feel the need to write about something most extraordinary. Just last night, I met a little girl whose very existence has given me pause and caused me to dwell on the awesome power of almighty God. A little girl who once lay at death's doorstep is now as healthy and happy as can be. Her very presence made my heart sing and my spirit soar. I have always known what God can do, but to see with my own eyes what He has done...it causes a great sense of pride to well up within me, but at the same time, makes me feel so humbled. To know that I serve a God who is capable of such a miracle and that He is concerned with every detail of my life, well, sometimes it's more than I can comprehend. Since meeting this little girl, I have thought much about all that God has done for me and wondered how many times I have not even thought to thank Him. So many times we take for granted the little things in life-like making it home safe every night, or barely missing an accident because we're running late. We never know what tomorrow holds, but I am so thankful that He holds us in the palm of His hand and is in control of every aspect of our lives. I feel as though something inside of me has changed, almost as if I see things in a new light. Life is so fragile and we are not guaranteed even one day. To know that God is more than able to bring us through any thing we may face in life is a wonderful comfort to me in times of trial. I am amazed at how He has worked things out in my life....circumstances I thought were insurmountable, pieces of my past I thought were irreparable, God has somehow worked it all out for His glory. He can take a situation that seems so hopeless and with His restoration power, turn it all around. I have recently found this to be ever so true. A severed friendship, now restored through God's amazing grace. I know that there is nothing too hard for the Lord, if we'll only let Him have control. He is becoming more real to me as I am tried in the fire and my character is being molded to reflect His very image. I don't want to fail to give Him glory and honor for all He's brought me through. His grace will always amaze and astound me.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Pictures...finally!
I have been deservedly rebuked for being so slack in my postings, so I am determined to do better : ) I finally added the pictures I've been promising so here they are....
I just thought this was so cute! Haven set up her Barbie dolls at the table for dinner!
Haven with her doll house!
The new car!
2008 Nissan Pathfinder SE
I haven't written in a few days because I don't want to just write about nothing and that's pretty much what's been going on lately...nothing! I am thoroughly enjoying my new car and still fiddling with all the buttons and gadgets in it.
Mom and dad made it back from Australia, barely! Well, to hear mom tell it anyway. Their flight from Sydney was VERY turbulent due to some really bad weather. Mom was convinced they were going to die and by the time they got to San Fransisco where they had a three hour layover I think they were about dead from exhaustion. They have about 500 pictures from a wonderful place that they enjoyed immensely, but plan to never visit again, haha! The food was terrible, but they survived. I'm going to try to get some of their pictures downloaded on here in the next few days (don't hold your breath!).
The countdown to Disney continues...only 10 days! I just hope Aaron can enjoy it with us. Poor thing is working sun up to sun down and practically falls in the bed every night. I'm afraid once we get there he'll realize how worn out he is and sleep the whole week, haha! Nah, he loves the rides too much. I do hope he can get some extra rest though, since he has the week off. Again, we can't complain about being busy! It's such a blessing!
I've ordered a portable DVD player for the car since our car didn't come with one in it. I think I will actually like this one better than the built in kind. The screen tends to block the rear view mirror when it's down and it bothers me to no end. Plus, whoever is sitting in the front row is forced to watch it as well, even if they don't want to. With a portable one, we can strap it on the headrest of the first row and Haven can sit in the back and watch it without anyone else being interrupted by it. It comes with headphones so we won't have to hear the constant lull of the thing being on. It also has iPod docking built in it so that if you have movies downloaded on your iPod, it will play through the DVD player. Pretty cool, huh? I'm going to download a few shows before we go to Disney World so that Haven will have some new stuff to watch. Another perk is that this DVD player can go anywhere we go, instead of only being able to use it in the car. Not to mention, the portable ones are about one tenth of the price of the built in kind. Yes, I am sure I'll like this kind better : ) Man, this paragraph looks like an advertisement on the pros of buying a portable DVD player! How terribly interesting for you all, sheesh!
Well, that's all the incredibly exciting news for now. I will write again soon!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
New car...
Well, I have been a bit slack in posting lately, but it's been a little hectic. Since my last blog....I GOT A NEW CAR! My hat is off to Aaron for holding out! We actually went through a different dealership and got an amazing deal! It's a 2008 Pathfinder. I was going to post pics today but Aaron has the camera and I was in the mood to write now. I'll post some later : )
Mom and dad will be flying out tomorrow from Australia and arriving home on Saturday. It's already Friday over there because there is a 15 hour time difference. It's really weird because when they fly out of Sydney it will be Saturday. They'll fly 20 hours home and it will still be Saturday. Crazy! They've had a wonderful time thus far. Mom accidentally ate Kangaroo at one of their fancy dinners. She said it tastes like steak so that's what she thought it was. She was appalled when she found out! Kangaroo is the equivalent of Deer to the Australians. We (not me) eat Deer, they eat Kangaroo. I say, nasty!
It has been very cloudy and rainy lately, which I love! Except for the fact that Aaron gets behind when it rains and he's already so booked up that he can barely get it all done. But if it's going to rain, it's going to rain and I might as well enjoy it when it does! I know everyone thinks it's completely insane to love the rain so much, but it's just so comforting to me. I have always loved the rain and sometimes prefer it over sunshine. It depends on what I'm doing. It was chilly today though, which I hate! It's supposed to be almost 80 degrees tomorrow-I wish the weather would just stay put for a few days instead of changing constantly!
We leave for Disney World in 2 weeks and 3 days! I'm so looking forward to a week long vacation! And now we have a big vehicle to travel in with plenty of room! Should be a nice trip! We've already booked our condo and purchased our tickets so we're all ready to go, but I think the next 2 weeks will drag by. I sound like a kid at Christmas time, haha! When it comes to Disney World, I am a kid! We're all looking forward to it! Everyone likes to have some time to relax and have a good time!
It was very late the other night as we were finishing up the paper work on the car and Haven was tired and ill. Aaron had taken her out of the office to look at some cars in the showroom while I finished up with the finance manager. All of a sudden she came to the door and exclaimed "Mom, my bottom itches!" The poor man across the desk just chuckled, no doubt wondering what in the world prompted that outburst! I was mortified...to say the least. I just laughed it off and explained it away by going on about how kids say the craziest things! I tell you, when you have kids, dignity becomes nothing more than a fond remembrance!
Mom and dad will be flying out tomorrow from Australia and arriving home on Saturday. It's already Friday over there because there is a 15 hour time difference. It's really weird because when they fly out of Sydney it will be Saturday. They'll fly 20 hours home and it will still be Saturday. Crazy! They've had a wonderful time thus far. Mom accidentally ate Kangaroo at one of their fancy dinners. She said it tastes like steak so that's what she thought it was. She was appalled when she found out! Kangaroo is the equivalent of Deer to the Australians. We (not me) eat Deer, they eat Kangaroo. I say, nasty!
It has been very cloudy and rainy lately, which I love! Except for the fact that Aaron gets behind when it rains and he's already so booked up that he can barely get it all done. But if it's going to rain, it's going to rain and I might as well enjoy it when it does! I know everyone thinks it's completely insane to love the rain so much, but it's just so comforting to me. I have always loved the rain and sometimes prefer it over sunshine. It depends on what I'm doing. It was chilly today though, which I hate! It's supposed to be almost 80 degrees tomorrow-I wish the weather would just stay put for a few days instead of changing constantly!
We leave for Disney World in 2 weeks and 3 days! I'm so looking forward to a week long vacation! And now we have a big vehicle to travel in with plenty of room! Should be a nice trip! We've already booked our condo and purchased our tickets so we're all ready to go, but I think the next 2 weeks will drag by. I sound like a kid at Christmas time, haha! When it comes to Disney World, I am a kid! We're all looking forward to it! Everyone likes to have some time to relax and have a good time!
It was very late the other night as we were finishing up the paper work on the car and Haven was tired and ill. Aaron had taken her out of the office to look at some cars in the showroom while I finished up with the finance manager. All of a sudden she came to the door and exclaimed "Mom, my bottom itches!" The poor man across the desk just chuckled, no doubt wondering what in the world prompted that outburst! I was mortified...to say the least. I just laughed it off and explained it away by going on about how kids say the craziest things! I tell you, when you have kids, dignity becomes nothing more than a fond remembrance!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Laundry Day
One thing I love about Monday: it's clean sheet day! There is nothing quite like slipping between cool, freshly washed sheets. If it wasn't such a hassle I'd strip the beds everyday, but I suppose once a week will do. Goodness, I don't know how some people go who knows how long without changing their sheets! OK, I will not get on my hygiene soap box (no pun intended, ha!) today ; )
I am quite pleased with my productivity today. I really got a lot done! Mondays are usually that way because of the weekend. I tend to go into overdrive trying to get everything back to normal. I have so much cleaning and straightening up to do, and of course stripping the beds! I like to clean the house on Monday, but sometimes it doesn't get done until a few days later because of all the other stuff there is to do. Like laundry....does it ever end? There are only 3 of us, but heaven's sakes we do have a ton of dirty clothes! I have to wash all of Aaron's work clothes separately, so that's a whole load in itself each week, and then there are lights and whites and darks and towels....and so on and so forth. Of all the household chores though, I do like laundry the best. I just love folding all the clean clothes and putting them away, especially Haven's stuff. I love the smell of the detergent wafting through the house as the clothes are washing and drying. It sounds so silly, I know. I think it reminds me of being out of school for the summer when I was a kid. There was always something comforting about the smell of clean laundry all through the house. To this day, I still love the smell of laundry in the summertime. Oh boy, here come the men in white coats, haha!
Well, now that I have shared my housework rituals with you and bored you to tears, I'll move on. We had such fun at "Let's Paint Pottery" on Saturday. I have pictures, but they're on my phone and I'm having a time trying to download them. I will keep trying and maybe post them in a day or two! Anyways, I painted a small bowl which is to be my ice cream bowl. I painted it in green, yellow, coral, and aqua with some brown in there as well. It turned out very cute, just a little rough around the edges, so to speak. The people at the table next to us thought it was lovely, but (ahem) I don't like to brag. hee hee. Aaron painted a speed boat/bank which is to be our "boat fund". More than likely, you couldn't fit more than 50 bucks in there so we might want to get something a little bigger! Haven painted a plate that had a princess crown/tiara on it. She wrote "Princess Haven" on it and it turned out quite adorable. Saturday was actually a lot of fun all around. The 3 of us spent the whole day together which doesn't happen nearly often enough. Aaron has been working most Saturdays because he's been so busy, but it was raining so we stole him away!
Anytime Haven does something (good) without being asked she says she did it without permission, which is to say she did it without being told to. Today it was "mom, I made my bed without permission" and tonight "mom, in the morning I am going to get up (for school) without permission". I think she learned that word at school. I can just hear the teacher saying "you have to ask permission to do this or that..." I am still in awe at how good she is reading. I sat down with her today to read some books, but she was reading to me. She can sound out all kinds of words, hard words too! It's really amazing what she has learned this year. I'm really glad that we decided to put her in K-5 . It's so wonderful to see her learn new things, and she loves it too!
It is getting late and I still have a load of laundry to get out of the dryer. The smell is wafting up here and calling my name....or is that those pesky men in the white coats....
I am quite pleased with my productivity today. I really got a lot done! Mondays are usually that way because of the weekend. I tend to go into overdrive trying to get everything back to normal. I have so much cleaning and straightening up to do, and of course stripping the beds! I like to clean the house on Monday, but sometimes it doesn't get done until a few days later because of all the other stuff there is to do. Like laundry....does it ever end? There are only 3 of us, but heaven's sakes we do have a ton of dirty clothes! I have to wash all of Aaron's work clothes separately, so that's a whole load in itself each week, and then there are lights and whites and darks and towels....and so on and so forth. Of all the household chores though, I do like laundry the best. I just love folding all the clean clothes and putting them away, especially Haven's stuff. I love the smell of the detergent wafting through the house as the clothes are washing and drying. It sounds so silly, I know. I think it reminds me of being out of school for the summer when I was a kid. There was always something comforting about the smell of clean laundry all through the house. To this day, I still love the smell of laundry in the summertime. Oh boy, here come the men in white coats, haha!
Well, now that I have shared my housework rituals with you and bored you to tears, I'll move on. We had such fun at "Let's Paint Pottery" on Saturday. I have pictures, but they're on my phone and I'm having a time trying to download them. I will keep trying and maybe post them in a day or two! Anyways, I painted a small bowl which is to be my ice cream bowl. I painted it in green, yellow, coral, and aqua with some brown in there as well. It turned out very cute, just a little rough around the edges, so to speak. The people at the table next to us thought it was lovely, but (ahem) I don't like to brag. hee hee. Aaron painted a speed boat/bank which is to be our "boat fund". More than likely, you couldn't fit more than 50 bucks in there so we might want to get something a little bigger! Haven painted a plate that had a princess crown/tiara on it. She wrote "Princess Haven" on it and it turned out quite adorable. Saturday was actually a lot of fun all around. The 3 of us spent the whole day together which doesn't happen nearly often enough. Aaron has been working most Saturdays because he's been so busy, but it was raining so we stole him away!
Anytime Haven does something (good) without being asked she says she did it without permission, which is to say she did it without being told to. Today it was "mom, I made my bed without permission" and tonight "mom, in the morning I am going to get up (for school) without permission". I think she learned that word at school. I can just hear the teacher saying "you have to ask permission to do this or that..." I am still in awe at how good she is reading. I sat down with her today to read some books, but she was reading to me. She can sound out all kinds of words, hard words too! It's really amazing what she has learned this year. I'm really glad that we decided to put her in K-5 . It's so wonderful to see her learn new things, and she loves it too!
It is getting late and I still have a load of laundry to get out of the dryer. The smell is wafting up here and calling my name....or is that those pesky men in the white coats....
Friday, March 28, 2008
Spring Fun
It was such a lovely day out today that Haven and I decided to soak up some of it and have some play dough fun! I took her little art table out on the front porch so we could play and enjoy the beautiful Spring day!
Pretending to eat her blue "Oreo"
She was rather proud of this little endeavor!
My incredibly sad birthday cake!It was so nice to be outside having a good time! We took our activities outside a lot last year just to enjoy the summer sunshine! I'm glad it's warm enough to start doing that again. Haven had a ball...it was such a little thing really, just playing with play dough, but to her, it was wonderful! It's nice to do things together : )
Yesterday and today were very productive days. I had a lot of little nagging things to get done and it seemed I was on a roll! It feels so good to get things off your mind! There is always something else waiting to clutter it up (my mind, that is).
I am very much back on track with my workouts. It feels so good to be back at it. Even when I don't see the results, I know that I am working hard to get to my goal and that feels good! I can tell I took a few days off because I am having to get used to it all over again. My stamina wavers a bit on some of the harder workouts, but the good thing about workout videos is that you can hit "pause" any time you need a break! I had cardio tonight and Haven did some of it along with me. She's so funny running and jumping around. She's actually better at some of it than I am! Anything that Aaron and I get involved in soon becomes her newest favorite thing to do. She is enamored with these workout videos! She definitely has the energy for it, whew!
Tomorrow we're going to "Let's Paint Pottery". It's basically self explanatory....you pick out some pottery and you paint it. It's a lot of fun. We've been several times and it's neat to see how Haven's painting skills get better with each piece she paints. The only problem is...what to do with it once you've painted it! Haven's pieces are in her room, but I don't really want anyone to see mine, haha! Ah well, it's a jolly good time even if we won't be winning any awards ; )
Haven just walked into the room saying "jab, cross, hook, uppercut". LOL! That's a karate sequence from my workout video! She really does pay attention to it!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Spring Fever
I have recently become such a fussbudget in regards to keeping the house neat and tidy. I think it's mostly because we live with mom and dad, and we don't have as much space as we're used to having. Everywhere I look, there is something that doesn't need to be there. I am cleaning out every nook and cranny, every closet, everything I can get my hands on! It probably also has something do with Spring. I just want everything to be cleaned out and fresh! I am trying not to make everyone crazy, but I'm making myself crazy in the meantime. The other day when Haven and I got home from school she went to her room to play. I hollered out "Haven..." and before I could finish my sentence she retorted "I know the rule, don't make a mess!" Poor thing, I don't want to make her neurotic by constantly harping about being messy. I am really trying to chill out a little bit and realize that she is only 4 and she is going to make messes. As long as she cleans up (or at least helps me clean) then we're okay. I have taught her from an early age to pick up after herself and put her dirty clothes in the laundry basket. She is actually very good about tidying up after herself, so I can't complain. It's just all of a sudden, I am obsessive about it! I've always been neat and clean, but this is like overdrive. I am constantly looking around the room for something out of place so I can straighten it up. I vacuum every other day because my pet peeve is dirty carpet! With Haven eating in the living room, you are going to have crumbs in the floor, so I just pull out the vacuum and voila, wonderfully clean carpet! It feels so good to sit down and see a clean house. OK, the other side of the story is this.....seeing toys everywhere or little messes here and there makes me realize how truly blessed I am to have Haven in my life. I can't constantly worry about having a perfectly clean house. I have to take time out to enjoy her and spend time with her. She is already growing up so fast and I don't want her to only remember what a neat freak I was! I want her to remember the fun times we had and how she was comfortable and safe at home, not that she could never make a mess. OK, so it's really hard to find a balance. It's pretty much just realizing that even if there is a mess, it will get cleaned up eventually. But sometimes the more important thing is right in front of me, waiting for me to read a book, or put a puzzle together : )
So...I think I am going to get my Pathfinder. It would seem that Aaron's stubbornness has paid off. I spoke with the salesman at he dealership yesterday and I think they are willing to accept our terms. He said to give him a few days to work out the details, so we should know something by next week. I am keeping my fingers crossed because I know that Aaron will not concede unless they are willing to meet us halfway. I have to hand it to him, he is a good haggler. We'll end up with a pretty good deal, thanks to him. I'll post pictures when/if I get it!
I was trying to post some pictures from Easter, but I'm having a little trouble with it. I'll try to post them next time!
So...I think I am going to get my Pathfinder. It would seem that Aaron's stubbornness has paid off. I spoke with the salesman at he dealership yesterday and I think they are willing to accept our terms. He said to give him a few days to work out the details, so we should know something by next week. I am keeping my fingers crossed because I know that Aaron will not concede unless they are willing to meet us halfway. I have to hand it to him, he is a good haggler. We'll end up with a pretty good deal, thanks to him. I'll post pictures when/if I get it!
I was trying to post some pictures from Easter, but I'm having a little trouble with it. I'll try to post them next time!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
A Weighty Issue
I have currently lost about 4 pounds...not that great, but at least I am losing! I have strayed a wee bit from my workouts, only because the past few days have been really hectic! I am going to get back to it tomorrow if it kills me! Working out really isn't the hard part....it's dieting that I hate. I HATE drinking water, but I am trying to do it as much as I can to help in the battle of the bulge. I cut back as much as I can, but sometimes I just want what I want. You only live once, why be miserable? I think indulging myself (in small ways) is better than telling myself I can't have it and later on devouring way too much. It's a mind game with me, but I am determined to win ; )
Haven did not go to school today since mom and dad were leaving for Australia. I would have had to pick her up early and it's such a long drive to just turn right back around and go get her. Besides, they wanted to spend a little extra time with her before they left. Many tears were shed as we pulled away from the airport. She's already missing them terribly. As soon as we pulled in the driveway tonight, she asked when they were coming back. Ah, well...as busy as things are, 2 weeks will fly by!
Things are going splendidly, business-wise. Aaron has never been this busy in all 7 years since he started this company. He's got more work than you can shake a stick at! (what does that mean exactly...?) Anyways...to God be the glory! We certainly have to give Him the credit for this. I know His hand is in this business, I have seen it so many times. He certainly takes care of His own! A lot of landscaping companies went out of business this year because of the drought and whatnot, but we haven't missed a beat. Even all through winter, he's been covered up with work. I am ever so thankful that the Lord has seen fit to bless us with a prosperous business. We are undeserving to be sure, but He just pours out blessing upon blessing. My heart is so full I can hardly express it all. God is good in so many ways!!
Haven did not go to school today since mom and dad were leaving for Australia. I would have had to pick her up early and it's such a long drive to just turn right back around and go get her. Besides, they wanted to spend a little extra time with her before they left. Many tears were shed as we pulled away from the airport. She's already missing them terribly. As soon as we pulled in the driveway tonight, she asked when they were coming back. Ah, well...as busy as things are, 2 weeks will fly by!
Things are going splendidly, business-wise. Aaron has never been this busy in all 7 years since he started this company. He's got more work than you can shake a stick at! (what does that mean exactly...?) Anyways...to God be the glory! We certainly have to give Him the credit for this. I know His hand is in this business, I have seen it so many times. He certainly takes care of His own! A lot of landscaping companies went out of business this year because of the drought and whatnot, but we haven't missed a beat. Even all through winter, he's been covered up with work. I am ever so thankful that the Lord has seen fit to bless us with a prosperous business. We are undeserving to be sure, but He just pours out blessing upon blessing. My heart is so full I can hardly express it all. God is good in so many ways!!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Cold Monday
It was quite surprising to walk outside this morning needing a jacket, since yesterday it was in the 70's! I really do hate this Georgia weather. I have already moved our winter clothes out so I could make room for summer clothes and I'm having to pull out sweaters and boots! Oh, how I long for the warm days of summer....when you know without a doubt it's going to be hot, very hot!
We are still car shopping, trying to find the best deal. It has been quite frustrating, to say the least. I am usually ready to sign whatever they put in front of me, but Aaron is a haggler to the bitter end! We have a deal on the table that's pretty good, but we're going to do a bit more shopping before we decide. We may end up with no car at all, if Aaron isn't willing to concede at least a little. I would have a 2008 Pathfinder in my driveway right now if he weren't so stubborn...humph! But I do love him for it...he is very invested in our well being and wants the best deal possible. Such a sweetie, he is....always looking out for us. It has been quite an undertaking to tackle car shopping on top of everything else this week. Aaron has 9 big landscaping jobs ready to start and we've hardly had time to squeeze in trips to the car dealership. So, that's why it's taking so long to get it done....hopefully we'll have something settled by the weekend, new car or not!
Mom and dad are leaving for Australia tomorrow...for 2 weeks! I must say, I will miss them terribly. Since we live here with them, their absence is very apparent any time they travel. BUT, I am happy for them that they are getting the chance to go and I hope they have a simply marvelous time. They're going to get to feed and hold a baby Koala bear.....aww! I told them to take LOTS of pictures! We'll be leaving for Disney World two weeks after they get back! Yipee! I'm so ready for a vacation! Can you tell? heehee
So, this wasn't so interesting....but you read it anyway ; )
We are still car shopping, trying to find the best deal. It has been quite frustrating, to say the least. I am usually ready to sign whatever they put in front of me, but Aaron is a haggler to the bitter end! We have a deal on the table that's pretty good, but we're going to do a bit more shopping before we decide. We may end up with no car at all, if Aaron isn't willing to concede at least a little. I would have a 2008 Pathfinder in my driveway right now if he weren't so stubborn...humph! But I do love him for it...he is very invested in our well being and wants the best deal possible. Such a sweetie, he is....always looking out for us. It has been quite an undertaking to tackle car shopping on top of everything else this week. Aaron has 9 big landscaping jobs ready to start and we've hardly had time to squeeze in trips to the car dealership. So, that's why it's taking so long to get it done....hopefully we'll have something settled by the weekend, new car or not!
Mom and dad are leaving for Australia tomorrow...for 2 weeks! I must say, I will miss them terribly. Since we live here with them, their absence is very apparent any time they travel. BUT, I am happy for them that they are getting the chance to go and I hope they have a simply marvelous time. They're going to get to feed and hold a baby Koala bear.....aww! I told them to take LOTS of pictures! We'll be leaving for Disney World two weeks after they get back! Yipee! I'm so ready for a vacation! Can you tell? heehee
So, this wasn't so interesting....but you read it anyway ; )
Friday, March 21, 2008
T.G.I.F.
Oh, how I do love Fridays! Haven is out of school on Fridays so we get to sleep in a little and loaf around all day if we want! Of course, this is all going to change in a couple of weeks. The school has informed us that the Board of Education requires a certain number of days for the school year, not just so many hours. So, to be on the safe side and not be shut down, they are going back to a 5 day school week. Wednesdays and Fridays will become half days, so we'll still have some extra fun time! I'm in a bit of a dilemma as to know what to do for school next year. The school she goes to now is about a 25 minute drive each way and about 20 miles....80 miles a day! With gas and tuition we are spending a small fortune every month. I like the school, but they do leave a lot to be desired in some areas. I really don't mind paying for her to go to a private school, but if I'm going to pay, I would rather her go somewhere that has more to offer. However, since she started K-5 this year, being that she's only 4, no other school is going to let her go into first grade being only 5 years old. The state requires that they be at least 6 years old to be in first grade. She turns 5 this June and won't be 6 by the start of the next school year. This means that if she goes to a different school this year, she will have to repeat K-5 and all the money we have paid will be wasted. The only thing I can do is home school this year so that she can move into first grade and then the next year she can go to second grade at whichever school we decide on. This is probably what I will do since she won't be going to the same school as she was at this year, and I don't want her to repeat K-5 either. Aaron and I have been discussing it a lot lately and we think this will be best for her. She is going to be very bored if she has to repeat K-5. I would rather her move on now instead of wasting this whole year! So anyways....it's always something!
An interesting opportunity presented itself today....Aaron has been working for a few months on a huge project and is finally almost done. A lady from a local magazine contacted Aaron about advertising in their publication. She had to meet him at the job site to talk to him about it, so Aaron mentioned maybe having an article about this project published in their magazine. I'm not sure how it came up, but Aaron told the lady that I enjoy writing and blogging-not professionally, just as a hobby. She told him that if I wrote an article on this project they would publish it and Aaron would have a full page advertisement in their magazine. She also told him that if I wanted to write any other articles that they would be most welcome and to give her a call if I was interested! I have no idea what I would be writing about, but I know I would enjoy it! I'm just not sure I would be that great at it. Blogging is one thing, but actually writing articles that who knows how many people would be reading....I don't know about that. I feel compelled to at least try it though. I have always wanted to write.... a book, or an article or something....I just love to write, about anything! So, I will probably give her a call and get all the particulars. Perhaps I will find that I'm not so bad at it : )
In other news....we are planning a trip to Disney World/Sea World in April. Haven is so excited, everyday she asks if we are going tomorrow, haha! I hope it won't be overly crowded. We got a good deal on our condo, so I'm thinking it may be their off season. I guess we'll find out when we get there!
I have been nostalgic lately and I've been trying to find some shows and movies that I watched as a kid. Who remembers the real strawberry shortcake? Yes, well I have located all of the old episodes! I am beside myself with glee! I told myself I was ordering them for Haven-after all, she would enjoy seeing the same old cartoons I watched as a kid, right? But the cold, hard reality is that I will wait anxiously for them to arrive in the mail, tear them open and watch every single episode in one sitting, all the while remembering how my heart sang as I watched her flit across the screen spreading joy everywhere she went! Call me silly and childish, but there is something about finding a good old memory from your childhood....it just makes you feel all warm and gooey inside. Somehow, though, I don't think watching it will be quite the same as it was when I was little and all I had to worry about was whether or not the Peculiar Purple Pie Man of Porcupine Peak would again wreak havoc on Strawberry Land. It will more than likely just make me feel ancient....to think that something I watched as a kid is now considered "vintage". Yikes! Ah, well I will be glad to have them anyways and maybe Haven can enjoy them too!
An interesting opportunity presented itself today....Aaron has been working for a few months on a huge project and is finally almost done. A lady from a local magazine contacted Aaron about advertising in their publication. She had to meet him at the job site to talk to him about it, so Aaron mentioned maybe having an article about this project published in their magazine. I'm not sure how it came up, but Aaron told the lady that I enjoy writing and blogging-not professionally, just as a hobby. She told him that if I wrote an article on this project they would publish it and Aaron would have a full page advertisement in their magazine. She also told him that if I wanted to write any other articles that they would be most welcome and to give her a call if I was interested! I have no idea what I would be writing about, but I know I would enjoy it! I'm just not sure I would be that great at it. Blogging is one thing, but actually writing articles that who knows how many people would be reading....I don't know about that. I feel compelled to at least try it though. I have always wanted to write.... a book, or an article or something....I just love to write, about anything! So, I will probably give her a call and get all the particulars. Perhaps I will find that I'm not so bad at it : )
In other news....we are planning a trip to Disney World/Sea World in April. Haven is so excited, everyday she asks if we are going tomorrow, haha! I hope it won't be overly crowded. We got a good deal on our condo, so I'm thinking it may be their off season. I guess we'll find out when we get there!
I have been nostalgic lately and I've been trying to find some shows and movies that I watched as a kid. Who remembers the real strawberry shortcake? Yes, well I have located all of the old episodes! I am beside myself with glee! I told myself I was ordering them for Haven-after all, she would enjoy seeing the same old cartoons I watched as a kid, right? But the cold, hard reality is that I will wait anxiously for them to arrive in the mail, tear them open and watch every single episode in one sitting, all the while remembering how my heart sang as I watched her flit across the screen spreading joy everywhere she went! Call me silly and childish, but there is something about finding a good old memory from your childhood....it just makes you feel all warm and gooey inside. Somehow, though, I don't think watching it will be quite the same as it was when I was little and all I had to worry about was whether or not the Peculiar Purple Pie Man of Porcupine Peak would again wreak havoc on Strawberry Land. It will more than likely just make me feel ancient....to think that something I watched as a kid is now considered "vintage". Yikes! Ah, well I will be glad to have them anyways and maybe Haven can enjoy them too!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Bad Morning...Happy Spring
I was too tired to write anything last night, so here I am this morning, ever faithful : ) My morning started off badly, but is slowly getting better. Haven didn't go to bed until midnight last night and had to get up at 7 am to get ready for school. Needless to say, there was much fitting and whining about getting up. Of course, even when she goes to bed at 8:30, she is still horrible to get up! Some mornings, I just want to crawl back in bed rather than have to wake her up. She sure makes home schooling seem very appealing....at least she could sleep in a bit. But then I might be ready to pull my hair out by days end. I wonder how well she would do with me as her teacher....hmmm, I will have to think on that one. Anyways, back to the horrible morning....Haven was still very grumpy as we headed off to school and whined for a solid ten minutes about being cold. This is an every morning ritual, whether it's 10 degrees or 90 degrees, she is cold in the mornings. So, I have the heat blasting us in the face, meanwhile I am roasting! She continued to whine that she was sleepy and wanted a place to lay down to go to sleep. AAAAAAH! To make matters worse, we were driving Aaron's truck this morning....which only has a bench seat (no backseat)....so she was sitting right next to me and all the while she is griping and complaining. Finally, I had had enough and I told her so. She settled down soon after and the rest of the ride to school was rather pleasant. She is out of school tomorrow so she will definitely be sleeping in! Only two more months of school and then she will be out for the summer....joy of all joys! I will not mind sleeping in a little myself : ) I'm surprised at how well I get up in the morning. I have always been a late sleeper, but once Haven started school all that ended. I have adjusted pretty well, but sometimes when I get back home I take a little nap, hehe. So, all that being said....most mornings are ok, but today definitely wasn't one of them. Now I have vented and am feeling much better! Moving on.....
We went car shopping yesterday and we took one of the cars for a test drive. Haven was sitting in the back seat with the sales lady and was talking her ear off. The lady was telling Haven how pretty she was and Haven piped up "Yes, I know. Everyone loves me. They just want to eat me up." A vain one she is! Speaking of cars....we MIGHT be getting a new one in the next week or so. The lease ended on my car and I am driving Aaron's truck in the mean time-UGH! We shopped a little yesterday and found one we like, so we'll see!
We are still deciding about a house....we still really want to build, but haven't found any land we like yet. We have talked about buying a house, but you can't get exactly what you want unless you build. We haven't looked all that hard for any land because we weren't sure we wanted to build. Once we make up our mind about it then we can really start looking!
Today is the first day of SPRING!! Oh, I am so excited about winter being over. I just hope we don't have any more cold weather. I have already moved our winter stuff out of the closets to make room for summer stuff. I just couldn't stand to look at those drab winter clothes any more! They are still around just in case we do have some more chilly weather, but I won't pull them back out unless I absolutely have to! I know I am so silly about it, but I just love this time of year! Well, that's all that's on my mind for now....I think it was plenty....
HAPPY SPRING!!!
We went car shopping yesterday and we took one of the cars for a test drive. Haven was sitting in the back seat with the sales lady and was talking her ear off. The lady was telling Haven how pretty she was and Haven piped up "Yes, I know. Everyone loves me. They just want to eat me up." A vain one she is! Speaking of cars....we MIGHT be getting a new one in the next week or so. The lease ended on my car and I am driving Aaron's truck in the mean time-UGH! We shopped a little yesterday and found one we like, so we'll see!
We are still deciding about a house....we still really want to build, but haven't found any land we like yet. We have talked about buying a house, but you can't get exactly what you want unless you build. We haven't looked all that hard for any land because we weren't sure we wanted to build. Once we make up our mind about it then we can really start looking!
Today is the first day of SPRING!! Oh, I am so excited about winter being over. I just hope we don't have any more cold weather. I have already moved our winter stuff out of the closets to make room for summer stuff. I just couldn't stand to look at those drab winter clothes any more! They are still around just in case we do have some more chilly weather, but I won't pull them back out unless I absolutely have to! I know I am so silly about it, but I just love this time of year! Well, that's all that's on my mind for now....I think it was plenty....
HAPPY SPRING!!!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Another Day...
Ah, to finally sit down at the computer for a moment of peace is a thing of beauty : ) Although it is almost midnight! Nothing extraordinary happened today, just the usual....but then, I guess everyday is extraordinary just because we are alive and well! I am alive, barely, HA! I had Kenpo tonight for my workout, which is basically Karate...whew, that is quite a workout! I'm doing much better than I thought I would with exercising. Aaron and I are both doing it so that helps to keep us motivated. I usually end up working out late in the evenings which probably isn't the best time to do it. It just seems like the day gets away from me so fast that before I know it, it's almost time for bed! I'm usually pretty pooped once I'm done...the workouts are an hour long, six nights a week.... sometimes it's hard to get it done, but then I think...it's only an hour out of my day and I know it will be well worth it in a few weeks when I can really start seeing results! So, I push a little harder and before I know it and hour has passed and it feels great to know I stuck it out! Ok, enough patting myself on the back...
I baby sat for my cousin today for a couple of hours. She has a newborn and an 18 month old. It seems like so long ago that Haven was that little. I almost felt all thumbs trying to feed and diaper a baby! Haven was such a big help. It made me realize how easy it will be when we have a second baby. She's just like a little mama, it was so sweet : ) Bless her heart, she has asked over and over for a baby brother for her birthday, which is June 3. She just doesn't realize how long it takes to get a baby. I told her maybe next year ; )
Now for a little bit of Haven....
Today she asked for an ice cream sandwich and I told her they were all gone. She said "Why did y'all eat all the ice cream sandwiches? They were for me!" As if she didn't eat half the box, or more!
The other day we had a some terrible storms come through. There were tornadoes all over and we had major hail here at the house. We were all talking about it and we told her about the hail being kind of like big chunks of ice. Later on, she told my dad "Poppy, there are two kinds of hell....the kind that's like ice and the big black hole where the devil lives." We got a big kick out of that one! She is very aware of hell all of a sudden...probably from hearing about it at church. She is constantly talking about how bad people go to the devil. It's nice that she is learning right from wrong....but it isn't so nice when she blurts it out in the store about someone passing by!
One Wednesday night, recently, I was all ready for church and sitting on the couch with her. I was wearing a new ring I had bought...one of the big ones, that takes up most of your finger between the knuckles....I thought it was cute and didn't really think she even noticed it, but all of a sudden she said "Mama, you don't need to wear that big ol' Jezebel ring!" I guess she told me! She must have been learning about Jezebel in Sunday school!
Ok, that's it for now....even my fingers ache!
I baby sat for my cousin today for a couple of hours. She has a newborn and an 18 month old. It seems like so long ago that Haven was that little. I almost felt all thumbs trying to feed and diaper a baby! Haven was such a big help. It made me realize how easy it will be when we have a second baby. She's just like a little mama, it was so sweet : ) Bless her heart, she has asked over and over for a baby brother for her birthday, which is June 3. She just doesn't realize how long it takes to get a baby. I told her maybe next year ; )
Now for a little bit of Haven....
Today she asked for an ice cream sandwich and I told her they were all gone. She said "Why did y'all eat all the ice cream sandwiches? They were for me!" As if she didn't eat half the box, or more!
The other day we had a some terrible storms come through. There were tornadoes all over and we had major hail here at the house. We were all talking about it and we told her about the hail being kind of like big chunks of ice. Later on, she told my dad "Poppy, there are two kinds of hell....the kind that's like ice and the big black hole where the devil lives." We got a big kick out of that one! She is very aware of hell all of a sudden...probably from hearing about it at church. She is constantly talking about how bad people go to the devil. It's nice that she is learning right from wrong....but it isn't so nice when she blurts it out in the store about someone passing by!
One Wednesday night, recently, I was all ready for church and sitting on the couch with her. I was wearing a new ring I had bought...one of the big ones, that takes up most of your finger between the knuckles....I thought it was cute and didn't really think she even noticed it, but all of a sudden she said "Mama, you don't need to wear that big ol' Jezebel ring!" I guess she told me! She must have been learning about Jezebel in Sunday school!
Ok, that's it for now....even my fingers ache!
Monday, March 17, 2008
The Story of Us
Well, I have decided to jump on the bandwagon and create a blogspot of my own. I really enjoy writing about the goings on in my family, so I figured why not share it with everyone? Most of you will not take much interest in what I write about, but maybe a few will. And for those of you who are just itching to know what we're up to....this is just for you ; )
So, to catch everyone up to this point....in short, I have been married to my husband, Aaron, for 8 years and I have a four (almost 5) year old daughter, Haven, whom you will hear much about in this blog. There is a whole lot in between, of course but that could take days. Aaron owns a landscaping/lawn maintenance company-going on 7 years now. It is amazing how it has grown year after year. He is busier than he has ever been and we are ever so thankful for that! Haven started kindergarten this year and is learning more than I ever thought possible at her age. I am a stay-at-home mom and I really enjoy it. I am finding that the older I get, the more I enjoy the little things in life. Like folding laundry and putting clean sheets on the bed, putting away shoes and toys and making dinner. It seems I have found my niche , and I am more than happy with it. Life seems to be at an even pace now and I am soaking in every minute of it. Learning to live in the moment and enjoying it for as long as it lasts. Things change much too fast for my liking, so I am trying to embrace it all as it comes.
So, this is pretty much our story, minus a few details.... ha! I will write as often as possible and update on the goings on around here. I'll try to get some pictures posted as well, for the handful of people who will even look at this! Hope you all enjoy this!
So, to catch everyone up to this point....in short, I have been married to my husband, Aaron, for 8 years and I have a four (almost 5) year old daughter, Haven, whom you will hear much about in this blog. There is a whole lot in between, of course but that could take days. Aaron owns a landscaping/lawn maintenance company-going on 7 years now. It is amazing how it has grown year after year. He is busier than he has ever been and we are ever so thankful for that! Haven started kindergarten this year and is learning more than I ever thought possible at her age. I am a stay-at-home mom and I really enjoy it. I am finding that the older I get, the more I enjoy the little things in life. Like folding laundry and putting clean sheets on the bed, putting away shoes and toys and making dinner. It seems I have found my niche , and I am more than happy with it. Life seems to be at an even pace now and I am soaking in every minute of it. Learning to live in the moment and enjoying it for as long as it lasts. Things change much too fast for my liking, so I am trying to embrace it all as it comes.
So, this is pretty much our story, minus a few details.... ha! I will write as often as possible and update on the goings on around here. I'll try to get some pictures posted as well, for the handful of people who will even look at this! Hope you all enjoy this!
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