Summer: Week 1

Our first week of summer (since school is out, it's "summer") has come and gone and our second one is halfway through.  Since it's been so long since I've posted, I figured I'd do a review.

I think I'll continue this throughout the summer, capturing little moments throughout the week.  Hey, I'm a stay-at-home mom for the time being and I'm going to enjoy every second and not blog very often.  Not like I do that anyway;)

On Saturday, we started the summer with a bang, literally.  Lucas taught himself to spin, but got dizzy and fell on the kitchen floor:(  So sad.  Thought we were going to have our first black eye, but thanks to a bag of frozen peas, it didn't even leave a mark!

 We then headed to Joplin to buy this little guy a pool!  We ate at Cracker Barrel and after he sat in the giant chair like a champ, he sat in a tiny one just his size and fell when he was getting out.  So, two bumps in one day!  This one did leave a bruise on the middle of his forehead:(

 We spent the rest of the day at home in the pool!  He absolutely loved it!

Monday morning started with coffee, flowers and the Bible for me.  As soon as I started reading, I heard this little man talking in his crib.  He is so happy in the mornings.  It's amazing!

We spent the afternoon at a park behind our house (which we'd only been to once before with Lucas)! He just loves being outside:)

Tuesday, we met Mimi, Poppy, Uncle Callen, and Aunt Cassie in Tulsa for Mimi's birthday dinner.  We had a great time walking around Utica Square.  Mimi gave Lucas lots of pennies to throw in the fountain. Then, we took some pictures.  Didn't get any of Poppy, Uncle Callen or Aunt Cassie:(

Wednesday after church choir practice, we ate snow cones!  This was Lucas' first experience and he was definitely pleased.  Nothing says summer like a snow cone in the evening! He and I shared Strawberry Banana:)

Several days this week he's practically fallen asleep in his high chair during lunch.  We've just been playing so hard in the mornings!  It's just the saddest thing ever, but I can't help but laugh at him:)

The week ended with us getting a new TV cabinet.  I need to post pictures of my living room remodel.  A few months ago, I posted that I was tired of my "matchy matchy" furniture, so I've been making my way toward more antiques and everything looking like it has a story.  Well, the last piece of the puzzle was the TV cabinet.  We are eventually going to get a wall mount for our TV, but for now we are loving this!  The color, the height and definitely the storage!

It was a great start to what's looking to be a fantastic summer!

16 Months

My dear sweet Lucas,

You are 16 months old!  Actually, you turned 16 months 6 days ago!  It's been a busy week.  Mama is now down with school, so she is looking forward to an entire summer spent with you:)

This past month, you have turned into a toddler for sure!  You walk everywhere, you climb, your vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds, you laugh when we laugh (like you know what we're laughing about), and your personality is continuing to come out!  We love it and we love you!

You have grown taller this month, somehow.  Your shorts are still too long for you, but your taller.  You can reach things you couldn't reach last month:)  It definitely keeps us on our toes!

You give kisses on demand, and sometimes just cuz you want to.  It's the sweetest thing on earth.  Your daddy and I just melt:)  You still have a love for reading, but this month you have your favorites.  You love "The Little Mouse; The Red, Ripe Strawberry; and The Big, Hungry Bear" and you love the "If You Give..." books.  You can pick out all the animals in each book and you have learned the word "mouse" and "strawberry" because of these books:)

Speaking of new words, you have also learned Daddy, "nana" for banana, Mimi, Poppy, GooGoo (for Grampy), Gaga (for Grammy), Nana, Papa, duck, quack quack, baby, puppy, boat, birdie, tickle tickle, and cup.  You say all these pretty consistently around Daddy and me and I can get you to say pretty much anything in the car (for example; Jesus, Bible and car).  However, you get very shy around others, so they don't hear you talk very much:)  We are working on that, but it's also kind of neat that it's a little secret just the three of us share right now!

You still love being outside.  You got your second freckle because of the sun:)  You got a slide and a ball this month that you are obsessed with.  You can climb up the ladder and go down the slide all by yourself.  We are also planning on getting you a pool and a sandbox.  I hope you like them too!  You also got little golf clubs and you love to push them around like your lawnmower;)

Also in this picture, you can see you first of many injuries to your head!  You fell outside at the sitter's.  She said you hardly cried!  You're such a tough little man.  I know you will get hurt many more times, but I just hate it:(  It's almost totally healed, though!

One change this month is your nap schedule.  You have moved to just one nap a day.  You go down at 1p (without your pacifier!) and you wake up about 3:15p.  The transition has been pretty easy.  There are a few days when you still have two depending on the day and how the morning goes, but for the most part,  you're a one-napper!  You still go to bed around 7:30p and wake up around 7:30a.  You still eat great and have tried a few new food this month.  One being ketchup!  You were eating french fries (I know, not very healthy, but that's how the day went).  I gave you a container of ketchup.  You dipped, sucked it off, dipped again, sucked it off, etc.  You never actually bit the french fry!  Haha:)  You also ate an onion off my salad plate.  A raw onion!  I'm sure it had some salad dressing on it, but you ate two or three!  It was hilarious; so unlike Daddy!  I hope you are not as picky as him;)  It definitely doesn't seem so right now.  We'll have to try it again, though!

We've gone on a few fun outings this month.  One was to our dear friends house for dinner.  You and Lily did so good sitting at her little table eating your food.  It was so cute you two just chatted away at each other.  It was like you were on a little date:)

We also went to Bass Pro Shop with Mimi, Poppy, Aunt Cassie, and Uncle Callen.  You loved looking at the fish!  You said "fishie" the entire time!

You are just soooo fun right now!  You continue to make us laugh and you continue to surprise us with your knowledge and your growth!  You are so smart:)

We just love you to pieces and are so grateful for your life and the privilege of being your parents.

All our love,
Mommy and Daddy

Mother's Day

We spent Saturday evening with my mommy, Lucas' Mimi:)

Tim grilled steaks, chicken and sausage.  He also made corn, macaroni and cheese, homemade crescent rolls, a homemade strawberry pie, and a homemade chocolate pie:)  My mom had made picnic potatoes and an incredible salad!  Oh my goodness, we could've eaten for a week!!  It was all delicious.  We spent the evening outside (since this is Lucas' favorite place in the world right now).  It was wonderful!  We ended the evening with a game of Shanghai Rummy!!

Sunday, we went to our church and I had nursery.  We then had brunch at Nick's dad and step-mom's:)  It was delicious.  We ate outside and the weather was beautiful.  Lucas even tried out the pool and his new life jacket!

Then we headed home for naps, then to Joplin with Nick's mom and step-dad for dinner at my favorite restaurant...Olive Garden!!!  It was heavenly.  Lucas loved being outside as we waited and he even knows how to smell the flowers.  It was so cute!

Lucas loved the breadsticks, we shared ravioli, and he even ate an onion from my salad!  I couldn't believe it!

After dinner, my boys and I went shopping and got some flowers for our home.  When we got home, Lucas and Nick gave me my gifts:)

Lucas got me these flowers!

And Nick got me some Sperrys!

It was a wonderful weekend spent with all our mommys and the wonderful little man who made me one!!!

Wednesday Love

When I graduated high school and applied for college, there was only one area I was interested in studying...biology.  I wanted to be an eye doctor.  My whole life...that's what I wanted to be.

I quickly put that down as my major and my first semester at OBU, my life was filled with the lab and the periodic table.  I HATED IT!!!!!!

I decided I needed something else.  So, after talking to my mom about it over Christmas break, we knew I liked math and numbers, so I decided to be an Accounting major.  I took Accounting 1 that spring, and barely made a C...only because I cried to my professor every day!!!  I HATED IT TOO!!!  What was I going to do? 

I decided to stay in the Business school, because there was nothing I was even remotely interested in, so I decided to be a Marketing major.  When I found out it was more than just sales, I was hooked.  I excelled and did a great job!  I double-majored in Marketing and Management and met some of my closest friends in those classes!!

I got a job as a Marketer after college and quickly built my client list and was making a lot in commission.  Nick and I knew we wanted to get married, but we needed to live in the same town so we could see each other every day.  We had only "weekend dated" our whole relationship!!  After he tried desperately to get a job in Arkansas with no luck, it was decided I would move to Miami.  I can find a Marketing job, right??

Wrong!!!!!  Nothing was availabe except maybe being a bank teller, then working my way up.  Which meant, years and years of working 8a-6p Monday-Friday and sometimes Saturdays.  No thank you!  So, I got a job as an aid at a local elementary.  At first, I hated it.  I grew up with a dad for a teacher and a mom who worked in the school system and I knew what their paycheck was and it was not going to cut it.  But then, I realized my love for kids and that I had a gift when dealing with them.  Hmmm....

At the same time, my uncle was getting something called an "Alternative Certification" to be a teacher, so I decided I'd try it out.  I passed all the required tests with flying colors and started looking for jobs.  Of course I wanted a job in Miami so I could work in the same school system as my husband, but after I interviewed for a 3rd grade job and they never called me, I decided to expand my search. 

I called a tiny school in Wyandotte (about 20 minutes away) and she asked if I could come down right then.  So, I asked her where it was, hopped in the car and met Mrs. Lyons.  We talked for a long time and she told me I was being interviewed for a Pre-K position.  She called me the next morning and offered me the job!!  I was thrilled!!  Nick and I were about 2 weeks from getting married and I knew I had a job when we got back from our honeymoon.

This is my fourth year teaching Pre-K and I love it.  I love my co-teacher and I love the little ones...kids older than 1st grade scare me just a little bit.  However, I started getting the feeling that I'd like to try a new grade.  I talked to Mrs. Lyons about this at the beginning of the year and she said she'd keep that in mind.

Well, she obviously did because this past Friday we had a school-wide staff meeting and I'm moving to Kindergarten!!!  I couldn't be happier.  This was where I wanted to be and I'm beyond excited for the opportunity and the confidence she has in me. 

This is obviously where the Lord wanted me; I wonder if I would've thought about that during Christmas break of my freshman year at OBU where I would be now.  But, there was a purpose to all that and I'm glad I'm where I am right now.  I'm excited for the change.  I will be posting the progress of my new classroom over the summer and all my trials and concerns and accomplishments over the next year.  I'm pumped!  Pray that the transition will go smoothly and I'll be an effective teacher and an effective example of Christ.