2013

I'll start with I can't add pictures and that makes me sad :(  I hope I can figure it out soon!

Excuse me... where did 2012 go?  Can I get a few of the memories back that I didn't document and now have forgotten??  I tell people often that I do not have a brain.  I will reiterate, that I do have a brain, I just don't have a very good memory! :(  THAT is why I take so many pictures.  Some say live in the moments, I say take pictures of the moments you are living in so that you can ALWAYS remember them. I try my best to live in the moments, but a month later If I did not document those moments by either pen, (which I have yet to do) or by photograph I forget that it ever happened, or what it was like.  SO, 2013 shall be the same, with a few changes.  I'd like to document those moments with my "good" camera. 
Technology is revolving around us so quickly... seems each year there is a new gadget that is better than before.  It took YEARS to get gadgets at one point, and now we are swimming in them.  I enjoy taking photographs with my phone as it is convenient, quick and easy to share with friends/family.  However, when it comes time to print those moments for my wall, or that scrapbook that has been collecting dust for a few months (who am I kidding, years) the pictures from my phone just do not have the quality I'd like to have.

Moving on..

Since it has been SO long since I have blogged here, I will catch you all up on what is happening around here... This may take a while.  Sit back, get your cup of coffee and enjoy with me. :)

Ok... May of 2012 was the last time I wrote, so here has what has gone on since then.

Mason and Micah both played T-Ball this past spring/summer.  Micah's team was a developmental team, and did not "compete" if you will. :)  Everyone played, score was not kept, and kids played in the dirt.. Fun in the sun!  This was Mason's first year on a "competitive" team.  We had a good team, with quite a few great players.  Mason loved hitting, and was pretty good at it for a first timer. :)  The team made it to the State Tournament, and ended the Tournament in 5th or 6th place. :)  Pretty grand!  It was one long season... March until June, but good times were had.

We made the move to Abbott in June!  We were blessed to not be on a time constraint to get out of where we were or into where we were going.  The owners of the home we rent allowed us to come and go and move in at our pace, A-MaZiNg!!  So we (I) moved in things here and there until go day, which was one random night in June. :)  Matt and I had planned to go that weekend, but on a Thursday night said, lets go. :)  So we loaded up a trailer and our truck and headed out. :)  Got a flat on the way there, but with umpteen tires on the trailer everything was ok.
     When we arrived at the house, there were close to 10 people there waiting for us, and ready to help.  Let me tell you, that 2 hours it took us to load up the truck only took 15 minutes to unload.  Thank God for good, caring people!  We are so blessed by this community, it's people, and the location of our new home.

We ended out Summer break with a trip down to Corpus Christi to visit Uncle Brandon (my brother) for his birthday.  It was surprise trip for Brandon, one that myself, Matt, the boys and my mother took part in.  My poor momma... It's been ohhh, NEVER that she has been in a car with 2 little boys who talk a lot and ask "are we there yet" more than one time.  This "Vacation" for her was more of a punishment.  She gave the boys an ultimatum on the way back.  Which went a little something like this.   IF you can go the entire way (5.5 hours) and ask "are we there yet" less than 5 times I will give you 5 dollars.  I don't even remember if they did or not.
    Aside from all that, surprising my brother was awesome, Mason learned to swim, Micah's 1st trip to the beach was wonderful for him, and Matt and I still are married and happy.  Wahoo! ;)

Summer is now over, school is starting.

This year, I started the year out a little different. I started as a long term substitute teacher for a sweet friend of mine.  I was blessed to be her substitute when she had her first child, and we then became friends and now family.  Blessed once again to be her substitute for another child, and things went well. :) I only cried once. :)

Once Lyndsey started back to work, I then began to care for her 2 children. K - 2 years old, and H who was 3 months old when we started.  What joy!  K is beyond brilliant for her age, for any age really.  She loves her mommy, loves to sing, loves fresh veggies, plays with anyone and anything, smiles with a crinkled nose, and squinty eyes, and I love her!!  H came into this world bigger than "average", and has continued on this path.  He also loves his mommy, has a face that lights up when he smiles, loves to be held, puts everything in his mouth, is sitting up, eats like a champ, and I love him!!! :-)
    Along with K & H, I get to share my hugs with another little fella that has been with me since K & H started but is only here 2 days a week.  C, C is 1 year old, has learned to walk since being here, is a great nap taker, loves to "go bye bye" and is a snuggler when sleepy... and I Love him!!!
    Just recently, I met another lovey dovey little fella that visits us a few days a week.  He is a gem, and loves to give kisses, loves tractors, loves it outside, loves "Ma Ma ( Mason)", and I love him!!  I am so so blessed by these babies!  It is a such a warm feeling to have them love me, to have their parents trust them here with me, and I love that little friendships are being made with these sweet hearts!

Coaches wife... that's me!

Matt started as Head Coach of Volleyball this year, his 1st year as head coach.  He has been assisting with volleyball for the previous 5 years.  The season went great, they got second in district, made the playoffs, but were not able to win that first round.  Matt is now in the middle of Basketball season, and there are VAST improvements being made. Basketball is pretty hard to teach during a 45 minute class period, and 1.5 after school.  It is a sport that HAS to be practiced, loved and learned from a small age in order to bring forth an intensity and knowledge to win games.  This year Matt is assisted by Coach P, and I believe that has played a MAJOR role in the level of basketball the girls are playing this year.  I do hope that they are able to continue in the direction they are going.  Good things can happen.  P.S. - I love basketball :)
     Speaking of loving basketball, I am coaching Mason's basketball team.  This is the first year that Abbott has brought forth a Youth Association competing in all prime sports.  THIS will be SO beneficial in the years to come, and I am happy to be a part of it.  Mason ins enjoying basketball, has really taken a liking to it (which I'm not complaining) ;) 

A half what??

Well I mentioned that I love this community, well a particular person in this community just so happens to be a previous team player, school friend and cross country runner (which I was but was NO good).  Ericha... yeah, I can see her back yard from mine.  It's pretty awesome!   So, we got the bright idea that it would be fun to run a Half Marathon... Fun??? Yeah, running any distance has never, EVER been fun to me, EVER!   Like I said, I ran cross country in my day, and I was terrible!  Coaches seem to think because you are skinny, and can run fast (short distance) that you would be a great cross country runner... wrong!  I bet I changed that perspective REAL quick! :)  It was a FUN time in my life though.  The meets, the people, the trips... Regional, State (got last place, but who's counting), and the coaches... FUN, fun times were had!  Anyhow, so yeah, bright idea.  Lets not only run again (10 years later) lets run 13.1 miles and train for 4 months to do so.  I didn't like running 2, TWO!!! Here we are starting with 4 the first week of training, then on to 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10... and made it to 12 miles on one of our long runs.  Run day was crazy cold, early and serious.  These runners (yeah I don't consider myself one of them.. yet) :)  are serious!  Our goal: Run, not die, and finish under 2 hours.  We had paced ourselves during our training to make this happen, but this just seemed so much more real life. 
     So we started: we ran, we did not die, and we finished under 2 hours (1hr 57 minutes for E, and 1 hr 59 minutes for me)  talk about cutting it close, but WE DID IT!!!!  As if it could not be crazier, we are going to do it AGAIN! :)

Now, just a few updates, changes, and pictures of the boys:

Mason
- Graduated Pre-K
- Started Kindergarten
- Lost his first tooth, followed by his second, and a third
- Got panther Star the 2nd week of school (and is panther star again this week actually)
- Learned to swim


Micah
- learned his ABC's
- has long curly hair
- starts Pre-K next school year ;-(

Well, I know this was L-O-N-G, if you stuck it out to the end.. GO YOU! Just for braving this long, (maybe boring) update I will clue you in on a little excitement for the future... We are ....

Not pregnant

but praying and allowing the possibility to happen next month.  Join us in prayer! :)

Thanks for sharing with me in my fun, beautifully chaotic, blessed life.  God is good... ALL the time!