So lucky...

I am in awe of how lucky I am to be able to call myself a stay at home mom!!! What a treat it is to be a part of that club. I must say though that Taegan was breaking me in early. On Thursday she decided to get up at 6!!! And Friday she was up at 6:30!!! Needless to say that was NOT what I was hoping for on my first days of summer vacation and on my new job, but then reality set in real fast and I soon realized I was no longer the boss! She was going to make the rules and I would figure out how to follow them. So here we are to Sunday and what a busy weekend it has been. We got the pool up and running, the patio is cleaned off and looking good. Dad and Justin ran the electrical out to the pool and put in a new plug for that, Taegan ventured into the pool three times now and we have had our first round of company for the pool!!! Whew...that was a lot. Not to mention a three mile walk today and some more cleaning. All which leads me to a bunch of pictures and a short post because I am off to bed. I start my Jazzercise class tomorrow with some friends. We are going to the 9:15 class-which has child care for Taegan-I hope she does okay and that I live through the hour class!! I can't wait to get this butt back into shape and maybe a bikini??? Probably not this year:(

Talk to you tomorrow.

Helping setup the pool.

Pointing to Dad about what he should be doing.

It is tiring to eat all my lunch!

This is her new setup in her room to watch her movies.

Playing with her new baby buggy we found at a garage sale!!!

Our first day home together!

All dressed and ready for her first swim.

Holding on for dear life...

Feeling a little unsure of the scary turtle guy...but beginning to like it.

This is it...

Playing in her water table!!!

With lots of mixed emotions-I am heading out of Indian Hills as a 5th grade teacher and into my car as a stay at home mommy!!!! WOW!!! The day is here and the time is nearing. I have about two hours left and I am in shock. I have not had time to process the drastic change that is heading my way, and if I had to say anything about it I will probably not face this fact until home alone later this week. I tend to let out emotions and feelings when I am alone and can wallow alone. We will see how that goes this week.

On the house front-we got the pool setup last week and all filled up, but it was TOOO unlevel. So we drained it(what a mess) and dug out the ground and leveled out the ground. A big thanks to Amy for coming over and helping Justin dig-because I was not a good dig partner. We got it all back in place and filled it up on Monday. We started the saltwater filter last night and it should be good to go this weekend. Just in time for the 90 degree weather!!!!

Taegan is practically running everywhere now and LOVING being outside. She throws a huge fit at bed time when we bring her in. I can't wait to put her in her floaty for the pool and see how much she loves that! Should be a fun summer with all the things we can do together. She is eating so well and really is doing well. The last day of daycare was a blur and we are eager to go see her again soon!!!

Happy hump day!!!

I can't believe it...

I can't believe that I have one day left with students until I am a stay at home mom!

I can't believe that I have three more days of being a teacher and then I am unemployed from a career I have had for 6 years!

I can't believe that my daughter has one more day of daycare and then she will be spoiled by me, her dad, and her grandparents as her daycare!

I can't believe that I have not yelled at someone today because of everything that is expected of us on such short notice here at school!

I can't believe that I am being given the best opportunity in the world to stay at home with Taegan!!!

I can't believe the emotions I am feeling right now about leaving all my teacher friends!!!!

I can't believe that my best friend's daughter is heading to 7th grade next year-I will cry tomorrow watching her leave school!

I can't believe how lucky I am to have an amazing support system in my husband, parents, and friends as I go through these next changes in life.

And.......if you are still with me-I can't believe I LOST 2 more pounds this week:)

A new job...

What a busy, fun weekend we had!!! I can't believe how fast it went and how fun it was. It was so good to be able to go to Manhattan twice(I love that town) and be with both sides of the family!!! Justin worked all day on Sunday, so Taegan and I hung and slept. She slept for 4 hours that day...that is a record!!! I planted some flowers while she slept and was lazy. It was a good weekend. Monday morning came and I was miserable....and still am miserable. My allergies are killing me and I think it is turning into a cold-YUCK! My asthma is bad and I can't stop blowing my nose. I have 4 more days with kids and then school is out....but the best news.

I got the job at Sylvan!! I am waiting to find out when the training will be and then I will get started with it. I am looking forward to this a lot. It will help us with the extra money and I will get to still be with kids! What fun it will be.

Okay-off to playday here at school with the kids! Wish me luck. Pictures to come soon....

Not surprised...

Well, this morning was weigh in and I wasn't shocked at the results!!! When I first stepped on it said I lost 4 pounds-can you imagine my excitement?!?!?!? I then stepped on again and again and again and it was much more accurate and said I gained a half pound. I imagined with no exercise this week that is what happened! So I was not too upset about it, just goes to show me that the exercise is what is helping me keep it off and stay in shape! So-off to walk tonight.

I also had an interview last night with Sylvan for teaching two evenings a week...I am very hopeful for this. I really do love teaching and am excited for the opportunity it would give me to teach at night and be able to stay home and play with Taegan for the days. Wish me luck on that-I should find out tomorrow whether I got the job and when the training starts!!!

For some Taegan news, she is a pistol! Yesterday when she was picked up from daycare we were told that she did not get bit(she has been getting bit by another little girl), but that she was a bully!!!! She would take toys away and cry until she got it...geez!!! I have my hands full and she is only 1. She continues to impress us with her walking and she is all over the place now. I love to just watch her walk to walk. She really has nothing in mind that she is going after, just walking all over. The breathing treatments are a struggle sometimes and others she is just fine. I am hoping she grows used to them!!

We are off to a graduation party Friday night for Justin's brother, one Saturday afternoon for one of my close friends(more like a sister really), and then maybe a Royals game Saturday night. Should be a lot of fun and busy all at the same time. Should have lots of pictures to share!

Have a super Thursday:)

Prayers...

Kayleigh Freeman lost her battle today and is at home with Jesus now. This is a little girl that I have followed since I started blogging and have been so touched by this family. They were really hoping to have the chance to take her home and allow her to spend her last few days with them at home as a family. God chose to take her with him! Please keep this family in your prayers...you can get to their site by clicking on her button on the side of my blog.

Mother's Day!

My girl and I on Mother's Day!

What a great day we had together!!! We woke up and did breakfast with my parents and spent some time with my grandpa as well. It was nice and relaxing and very low key. We then went out and ran some errands, grabbed lunch, and by that time Taegan was fast asleep. She slept for 3 hours, which meant I got to take a nap!!! I laid around and read the paper and then fell asleep. Justin worked outside for a bit and then came inside to watch TV! Taegan woke up and we played and I got my gift....a Cricut Create!!!!!!!!!!! I was so stoked!! Amy and Kate came over to play with Taegan while Justin and I went to clean the salon and then out to dinner we went with them! All in all a great day to relax and do nothing.

To my mom:

Thank you for being such an amazing mom to me! We have had so much fun together and have shared so many memories. I hope that I am as good of mother to Taegan as you have been to me. I look up to you in so many ways and love calling you my mom! What a lucky girl I am to have you. Justin, Taegan, and I are so lucky to have you in our lives. I love you so much!!!!

To my mother-in-law, Becky:

Thank you for accepting me into your family as your own daughter! What a relief it is to have you there for me when I need you. You have been such a great example for Justin and I in our parenting. We are so glad we have you in our livesand especially in Taegan's life!!!! Thank you for all that you have done and will do for our family! I love you!

We did have a busy Saturday though-first thing in the morning we went out to my grandma's grave and a planted a yellow rose bush for her! I can't wait to see it bloom and look beautiful for her. We then headed straight to the circus and had a ball. Taegan loved dancing and clapping for all the people there! She stayed pretty good for about an hour and then we got some snacks for her to eat and she fell asleep about 15 minutes before it ended. Overall, she did much better than I thought she would. Saturday evening Justin and I went with his brother, sister-in-law and parents to a wedding reception in Kansas City. It was a lot of fun and we had a nice evening together!

This is Taegan helping Amy type her Science final last night!

Notice the cute piggies she gave her:)

Weight loss...really?

Okay-I hesistate to post this for fear of jinxing myself, but I am going to anyways. I am back on the saddle again with the diet and WILL lose weight. There is no time like the present to get started and it is time to get my act in gear. Justin and I are doing it together again and are being each other's cheerleaders! We have to do this, not only for us-but for Taegan.

Sunday we went on a bike ride, Monday I walked 2 miles with Taegan, Tuesday another bike ride, and last night we took the night off! Tonight I am hoping for a walk again before it rains...

This morning was weigh in moring and well...drumroll please-I lost 3.8 pounds!!! WHAT? I have never lost that at one time. I have no idea why I lost that much and fear that next week it may be back. But for now, I will rejoice that I lost and take it day by day!!!

Have a good Thursday...

Birthday pictures and Doctor visit...

Here are pictures of her celebration with grandparents on Thursday and her big party of Friday...what a special girl!

Grabbing a drink...
Taking a look at a book.

Getting ready for the party to start-

showing off her balloon and outfit.

All the goodies!

The pig cupcake.

Kitchen from Grandma and Grandpa Ridgeway

Sporting her new sunglasses!

Showing off in her wagon from

Grandma Becky and Grandpa Greg.

I did not talk about the rest of her doctor visits and sickness last week because her birthday was much more special and we really didn't know anything. I took her last week to the doctor with her breathing for the lady to look at me and tell me I was crazy for bringing her in and that she was fine. It was all normal for her...UGH!!!!!! I was heated! So I went to Med-Assist that night to be given an antibiotic and told to start her on allergy medicine. A little relief because I knew something was wrong. I also knew that I had found a new doctor and was able to get her in to him this week! So we went yesterday and I walked out feeling like a new mom!!!!! What a wonderful guy he was. He actually got on the floor with her and played with her and interacted with her and told me right away that she has breathing troubles!!! He is treating her very aggressive right now because he felt like she was in a bad spot. With her history and my history he has a feeling she has asthma, but is going to wait and see if it will be a continous disease or just come and go-which would be more like bronchilitis! So right now we are being proactive with it. We had to buy a nebuelizer, 250.00 in medicines, and she had blood drawn on top of her 3 shots! Boy, she was super fussy last night. I felt like he listened to everything I had a concern with and really cared about it. I was soooo glad we went to him! Here are some pictures of her doing her breathing treatments last night. She did great with them-the TV is what keeps her attention during it!

She is laughing at Daddy here!

Pointing at the TV.

The party aftermath....

What a fun time we had on Friday evening. It was a lot of work to get ready for the party so needless to say I was eager to start the party and enjoy the time. It was busy, busy, busy that night visiting with everyone, doing presents and cake, and making sure things were going smooth! I was TIRED by the end of the night Friday and was starting to feel the week finally hit me. I had been running on fumes most of the week and just crashed Friday and Saturday.

Taegan had a ball and was wiped out by 7:30 and asleep by 7:40!!! What a tired girl. She got tons of fun stuff and loved all the attention. I could not believe the generousity of everyone!! Thank you so much for making it a super special 1st birthday.

Saturday was the KSU spring game that Justin and I had planned on attending, but I stayed behind with Taegan because I was not up to par and needed a day of rest. We took a 3 hour nap and it was perfect!!! What a great day that was to nap and have no worries. I love days like that. She had a ball playing with her new toys and let me just relax. Sunday we spent some time running errands, picking up the house, and then used our new bikes to go on a bike ride! WOW-we are out of shape. Taegan loved the pull behind cart she got to sit it while Daddy rode.

All in all it was a busy, but great weekend. Now we are in for a full month of May and busy weekends. Hold on tight!