"US" Time

Tomorrow is my last day of school for my students. Then Addison and I have 2 more days of post planning and then it's FREEDOM for 2 whole months (8 weeks)!!! Don't get me wrong...I love teaching and my adorable students, but I love my summers off!

Let's see, what are we going to do??? Well, we'll have a visit to my sister's in Jacksonville (which includes getting to welcome a new niece or nephew to the family, but not my sister's...my brother's fourth child), a visit from her and my adorable nieces and nephew here at our house, a couple days in Atlanta while Neil is out of school (hoping to go to the aquarium and Stone Mountain), a couple of visits with my parents (along with a beach trip), at least a weekend in Willacoochee with Neil's parents and family, we'll have a visit with Neil's sister and her husband and our nieces and nephews, which we enjoy the water park, I do have to set up my "new" classroom :( (but I get to be with my two best friends who are across the hall, so I shouldn't complain and I'll be recruiting, begging, and pleading for anybody who wants to help), lots of craft projects and "to do" things that I want to get to (which includes painting a couple of rooms and going through closets), back to serious potty training, and lots of pool time, friend time, shopping time and really anything as long as it involves the two of us...together time!!! I can't wait until Friday, so I can get started on my list and enjoy being a stay at home mommy for 2 months!!!

Families Can Be Together Forever

We were fortunate enough to get to go to Atlanta this past weekend to share an important day with our friends, the Hodges. Their family was sealed in the Atlanta temple this past weekend. It was a long awaited day for this family and we felt so blessed to get to be apart of it. Nicole and I teach together and work in Young Womens together, so it was great to get to share in their special day! Their girls are just precious! It was truly an answer to many prayers sent up above! Thanks for letting us be there, we love you guys!

I was also excited to get a family picture of us. Of course, we have to have some shots of Addison.

This is what you get when you tell her to say "Cheese"

Water Day

Addison had water day at school the other day. We had the swimsuit, put on the sunglasses, put on the sunscreen and were ready for the water, except she didn't want anything to do with the water...but I guess not when you have free reins to the tricycles while the big kids are busy playing in the water!

We learned something new...Addison takes after her daddy, she loves WATERMELON! She ate almost the whole piece. Looks like we'll be eating lots of watermelon this summer!!!

Updates

Neil starts a pretty adventurous day tomorrow! He will begin his rotations! He has been in PA school for a year and 3 months, where he has lectures upon lectures, pretend patients upon patients, tests after tests, hours and hours of studying, and now the "real" part begins! He is starting in family medicine and then working his way through eight rotations of different specialties. His least favorite that he is not looking forward to is OBGYN. His favorite falls in surgery, dermatology, pediatrics (for Addison) and cardiology. For him, he has the majority of his rotations here in Statesboro, so no more daily commuting to Savannah (especially with the rise in gas prices)! (If he was typing this...I'm sure there are fancy terms for all of the above). I relate it to student teaching, but at least I don't deal with life or death! What does this mean for me? Seeing as it's my post, we'll I'm not sure. I'm hoping more free time at night and on the weekends, but I won't hold my breath. He will be on call, if whatever doctor he works with is on call. Which means life may become more hectic for him (or me). What I'm worried about the most: I haven't spent a night by myself in a long time...maybe at college (I at least had roommates) or when I was home for the summer from college and mom and dad were on vacation (at least 5+ years ago). As my mom would say, "You have to put your big girl panties on and deal"! So, if Addison sleeps with me and all the lights are on...don't worry!

I was thinking about how I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel with Neil getting closer to finishing school. He might have normal work hours with less studying. He's been in school since we've been married, so we don't know any different. But I'm realizing that in a year he'll get a job and then he'll be extremely busy with getting settled in and depending on work hours, on call or not on call, life will still be busy, but different busy, just like now. Except he gets paid! It only took me 5 years to learn that we'll always be CRAZY busy and the light at the end of the tunnel is just a different busy, but it's our busy together that matters!!! I hope that made sense to you, it made perfect sense to me!

Other notes, Addison and the potty stressed mommy out to the point of putting the pull-ups in the closest and will try again over the summer. She started screaming and crying when I encouraged her to go potty. It became a dreaded potty scene of tears, dragging, and no success.

Also, I have had lots of people ask me if I curl Addison's hair. Because she has perfect ringlets and I obviously have straight as a board hair, but NO, I don't get up extra early to curly my 2 year olds hair or do I make her wear curlers to bed. She gets her curly hair from her dad. He keeps it cut really short to hide the curls! But, his mom and I have pictures to prove the curls!!! I get a kick out of people asking if I curl her hair though!?! I barely have enough time to get myself ready, her ready and out the door on time. Not to mention the mental picture of trying to get her still long enough to curl her hair...so, it's all natural. I worry about cutting her hair, because I would cry if her curls went away!

A crazy hair day

Even in pony tails it curls

I hear a little cry from the bed, so off I go! Good luck to my sweet husband, I'm so proud of you!!!

Potty Time

Addison has been very interested in going to the potty since the beginning of February. So, we bought her a little potty and she pooped in it the very next day. We tried for a couple of days at daycare, but she just wouldn't go pee in the potty, but would sit for as long as they wanted her to (my very obedient child...at daycare at least). At home, she'll poop, but no pee (I thought it was supposed to be the other way around)! I ordered DORA pull ups the other day and they came today! We tried them on and sat her on the potty twice in 10 minutes and nothing...so I told her to go show daddy her big girl pull ups. In between running to show daddy she wet the pull up!!! Ahhh...we'll try again tomorrow and the next day and the next! Sorry if this was too much info for you...just couldn't help but share our big steps of potty training!!!

Birthday FUN

Grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends all showed up for Addison's b-day party!!! The weather stayed decent and the food lasted for the whole party! Lots of cake and ice cream to eat...just couldn't get much better!

We were nervous about having the party because Addison was getting over the stomach bug that surprised us yesterday afternoon. But, I'm so glad we went ahead and had her party after knowing she was feeling better this morning! Thanks to all those who came and for those who wanted to be there!

We are blessed to have our little girl and to have such wonderful people in our little girl's life who love her so much!

Happy 2nd Birthday Addison

Amazing how fast time flies!!! I can't believe that the gorgeous little baby I gave birth to two years ago turned into a smart, fun loving, adorable little girl! She's not so much a baby anymore, but is quickly becoming a big girl! I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for my sweet Addison. You have brought me more joy and happiness into my life than I could have ever imagined!!!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!!!