Snow!

A very nervous mommy at the Grand Canyon

Snow on the Canyon


Me and my boys


Cooper

Caden

(this picture says it all)

~~~

We took the boys up to Flagstaff again this year for my birthday/snow trip. It was really cold and a lot of fun. They couldn't get enough of snowball fights and sledding. We also ended up going to the Grand Canyon since it was close. I had never been in the winter before and the snow was really pretty. I think the boys were too young to understand the significance of being there, but at least now they can say that they have. As for me, I started getting dizzy just walking up to the railing. I'm surprised Manti was even able to get me to go with my fear of heights... (must have been the 2 new pairs of shoes bribe). Anyway, we loved the snow, and in spite of the slippery ice, I think we all would still love to live in it someday!

Christmas 2010

The boys in front of the tree

Cooper almost ready to have his training wheels off

Caden with his new "Rock It" Huffy bike that Santa brought

One very happy little boy

Arizona Sunset

A recent picture I took out in front of our house of a December sunset.

It's Fall!

Coco

Caden

Caden in the leaves

It's finally Fall! That's what Caden told me when the leaves finally started turning yellow and falling off the tree. He's been learning about seasons at preschool and has wanted a leaf pile to play in for the last few months. He finally got his wish this month... (gotta love Arizona)

It was so much fun to watch him throw the leaves up in the air and play with Coco.

Sugar and Spice...

I thought it would be way too soon to be able to tell today, but the sonographer was 99% sure we are having a baby girl! She said normally she won't even say this early, but it was pretty apparent from the views she had of the baby. Talk about surprised and elated! This will be so different, and very exciting. I can't even imagine how much this is going to change our lives...

Cooper

Playing Wii before the surgery

After his final soccer game

Cooper turned 7 last Sunday and had a tonsillectomy the week before. It's been a pretty rough 2 weeks with him recovering and refusing to eat (more than normal). He has lost way too much weight and is still not eating like he should be. He had to stay overnight in the hospital so he could be monitored and then was discharged the next day. It's been such a difficult recovery...I really hope neither one has to ever have surgery again! I knew it would be hard to see him in pain, but I didn't expect that getting him to eat or drink anything would be such an ordeal day after day. I'm sure glad we celebrated his birthday the weekend before!

Accepted!!!

I just found out today that I was accepted to NAU's Graduate program.

I am so happy!!!!

After bracing myself for a possible rejection when I was opening the letter from NAU, (after all, it did take 11 weeks to hear back from them) I was very surprised to find out that I was accepted to their Master's program. I started laughing. Eventually the tears set in as I realized how much I wished I could have shared this with my Dad, since I'm the only one of his kids to go into education like he did. It was also the first time I really felt like I was "moving on" with my life since the last few years have been a nightmare of neverending deaths and funerals. I have felt so "stuck" for so long and unable to move forward.

I've been wanting to pursue a degree in Early Childhood education since I first started student teaching 10 years ago, but it seemed so out of reach and a very long time away.

I'm thrilled that I finally get to move forward with my life and accomplish something I've wanted to do for a long time. Even though it won't be easy, I'm excited for my children to see the process as well. I'm finally moving on and that's a very good thing!!