Merry Christmas!

It is hard to believe that it is Christmas time again! This is our first Christmas in our new home, it is even more of a special time for us. As a family we have new memories to make and traditions to start! Decorating, crafts, baking, and searching for Sunny (our beloved Elf on a Shelf) have filled our house, all making it a truly magical place. Lyndon is so excited for Christmas! Her keeps saying "Santa is coming" or "Christmas is coming", even though I don't think he really understands what either of those things mean just yet. Lilly is keeping herself with school as she has classes right until December 23rd. Hubby and I are off from the December 22nd until January 4th...together! We are looking forward to just spending lots of time together and visiting friends and family. It should be pretty wonderful, I think!

From our house to your's we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 (Not every photo is perfect, but oh how they hold memories and make us laugh!)

Sunny

The Elf on the Shelf has come to our house! He came tonight, and the kids named him Sunny! 

We can't wait to see what trouble he gets into this holiday season ;).

The big 3-0

Happy Birthday to Me! I'm 30 today! 

Every time I say that, I go through this crazy range of emotions. Is 30 old? When I'm with dropping Lilly off at school, and I look at the parents around me, I feel young! When I think of going back to school, with all the 20 year olds, it feels old! I don't really think I feel old though. I think of where I was 10 years ago, early years in university & going out on the weekends, and I definitely don't want to be there again. I had so much to learn, yet thought I knew it all. 

Hubby, asked me this morning, if I am happy where I am after 30 years. In terms of my family & friends I could not be happier. I am surrounded by the most wonderful group of people, who love and support me though it all. I'm happy of what Hubby and I have accomplished together it terms, of finishing school, our home, and our beautiful family. My career, well lets just say it is a work in progress. I know that I'm not really bad off. I'm ahead of where a lot of people are, and I've moved up quickly over the years in my field. It just isn't the field I want to be in, so as we know, I'm making that change a priority.

I'm excited to see what the next 10 years will bring. I'm excited for the adventures, and the challenges ahead. I'm thirty now, and I will embrace them head on!

Happy 30th birthday to me!

An unexpected bump in the road

I know things have been quiet here again. It's busy season for photography. Between that studying for my mcat, and normal life with two kids, I'm feeling stretched pretty thin right now. On top of all that, I found a really tender spot suddenly in my right breast. Want everything around you to feel like it is coming crashing down around you? That is pretty much the perfect way for it to happen. I've waited a few days for it to go away, and it hasn't. I've poked and prodded, to the point where I bruised myself, feeling for 'things' that shouldn't be there. What did I learn? I have no idea what I am feeling for! I think everything feels like 'something' and end up more confused, frustrated, and scared than anything. I saw my doctor this morning, and feel somewhat better. She is sure what she is able to feel is just a cyst, which is inflamed, is why it is sore. Just to make sure though, she is sending me for an ultrasound. Since in her opinion it isn't 'critical', it will probably be a couple of weeks before I get in for one. I'm ok with that. Especially since I'm heading to Vegas next week with a bunch of girl friends. We are all going to celebrate out 30th birthdays, which happen this month. That's right I'm only 30. No matter what too, as old as I feel about turning 30, I feel too still to young to be worrying about these kinds of lumps and bumps. 

Grade Two

Lilly started Grade 2 on September 1st. It is unbelievable to think that she is already back in school, as it feels like the summer just begun. (Granted with all the rainy weather we had in June and July, it almost did!) Lilly was quite excited to go back. Not because she got to see the friends she hasn't seen in months or to meet her wonderful new teacher, Mrs. S.  No she was primarily excited to go back because it mean she got to wear her new Twinkle Toes shoes to school. She had been dying for a pair of them for months, and was promised them for back to school. It was literally all she talked about for weeks! The apple definitely does not fall to far from the tree after all ;)

On the first day, I took the morning off of work, so I could take her to school myself. Something that is a treat for me, and I really enjoy. Although I don't know if she really needed, or for that matter really wanted, me there. She met up with a one of her friends as we walked into the school, and then sat and chatted with her the entire time I was there with her, waiting for the family group assignment for the day. It was pretty cute to overhear their conversation about summer, and how they were best friends. I just held Lyndon a little closer, and secretly wished in my head for him to stop growing up on me.

I'm so proud of her, and excited for what this year will hold. My resolution for the new school year, though is to stay more on top of lunches! I promise to have them ready the night before and not be scrambling in the morning.  After three days, I'm still good...we will see how long it lasts ;).

Lessons in Bike Riding

One of our big things over the summer has been teaching Lilly to ride a bike without her training wheels. She isn't exactly the most athletically inclined child, and when she ventures out is protected from head to toe. We are still working on this one...not quite there yet. Lyndon of course is right there beside her the whole time though!

Need this today...

Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great. ~ Mark Twain

I think I need to put this somewhere I can see it every single day!