Under the weather...

I will be back to posting as soon as I can see the screen and not feel awful. I am fighting rough allergies(I hope that's all it is) and the meds are making things blurry. So...here is to feeling better!!!

Loving my "job"...

I am sooo lucky to be able to stay home with Taegan. I can't put into words how much I love waking up to this little girl and being able to love on her and interact with her all day. It has to be one of the best feelings in the world. I am so grateful to Justin who is working so hard to give me this chance to be at home with her. I think he enjoys it as well because he has a chance to relax and play with her at night because I am also having the chance to get things done during the day!!! What a special "job" I have.

However, I am also loving my other job of subbing a few days a week. My first day was last Friday and then I was there again yesterday. I LOVE teaching and when you sub, you can teach and interact with them without the worry and stress of are you wasting too much time because you have all these other guidelines to follow. I just get to be ME...how fun!!! I have a two day job on Thursday and Friday of this week and look forward to being back in 4th grade...it really is the best of both worlds. Taegan enjoys playing with her grandmas while I get some teacher fix days and we are all happy!!

I am off to play with Taegan-what a "job" I have:)

Playhouse building...

We have been BUSY this weekend! I can't believe it is already 9 on Sunday night. About three weeks ago we picked out the swing set/playhouse we liked for the area that we have been working on in the backyard. It came in 4 huge boxes and an instruction booklet that told us it would take 24 hours for 2 skilled people to put together. Well, I think we are defying the rules!!! Justin and Dad started bright and early at 8 on Saturday morning and have done awesome on it so far. We decided with only 2 weeks left before football season started(we have season K State tickets) that we better take advantage of the 75-80 degree weekend!!! After a bit of a misunderstanding between my Dad and I, we got underway. Mom and I decided it would be best if we unloaded the boxes and tried to organize the pieces, while the guys were hard at work. This way we were all being productive. Don't forget we also have a little Miss Taegan running around helping as always too!!! It has been a busy, fast, and productive weekend!

This is 3 boxes of wood pieces, we hadn't opened the 4th one yet.
Just getting started, about an hour into it.

The end of the 1st day-great progress.

Taegan having fun, while the guys are working.

End of day 2!!!

Getting back in the groove...

Well, I think I am back in the swing of things from our vacation. The laundry is all done and done again, the suitcases are put away, the fridge is restocked, and we are having a ball!! Although, it has been a bit of a busy last week since we have been home.

Saturday Justin and I played in an all day slow pitch tournament and had SOO much fun. I really do love that sport and have missed it for the last 10 years. I had no idea how sore we would be the next day. We could barely lift Taegan out of her crib!!! That night we had a big get together with a bunch of people I went to school with. All of their families came-about 50 people in all. It was lots of fun and Taegan had a great time with the kids. Sunday we had to clean the salon, catch up with my parents and try to get rested up!

Monday was a catch up day for me around the house and yesterday we spent the morning getting the car worked on. It had a safety recall, some rattles, and it had just gotten keyed on Saturday. Taegan and I spent over 2 hours walking around and wasting time...not that much fun with her!! I have my first sub job on Friday and I can't wait to get back there and see everyone and the kids!! Gonna be tons of fun I think. Today, we got up a bit late, got ready, and went over to see Miss Jeanette(Taegan's old daycare). She had a lot of fun. I will leave you with some pictures...oh yeah-when did Taegan grow up??? She looks so big to me today:(

Just being cute.
One of my favorites lately.

No she isn't always perfect!

But she always loves to smile!

Hanging out with her friends at Jeanettes.

Family Reunion in Colorado...

We had so much fun!! We headed out Friday morning at 10 and made the long(9 hour) trek to Loveland, CO. I can't believe this, but we made it in 2 stops with a 15 month old. She did so great. Once there we got to meet some of the family, did dinner and then off to bed for the night to prepare for the reunion the next day!!! That night was TERRIBLE! Taegan fell asleep at 10, woke up at 10:30, slept in the bed with me from 11-3 but it was awful sleep, woke up at 3 and was awake until Justin woke up at 4:15, we decided to go drive around at 4:30, and she was asleep by 5. So we slept from 5-8 and then it was up for the day!! Yikes, not how I envisioned the night.

We arrived at Estes Park and the lodge to get checked in and the fun started. Everyone got there around 3 or 4 and from there on out it was a time for everyone to talk, laugh, and just relax. That is how we spent the next 4 days. What a ball we had. One day we went down to town to do a brewery tour and then back up to our hideaway in the mountains.

I had never been to the mountains, so this was quite an experience. I couldn't believe how beautiful they were and how BIG they are. We climbed one of them the second morning we were there and I really thought that one of my lungs was going to collapse. I have asthma, and WOW was I hurting as I climbed higher with little air. I made it to the top though and what an accomplishment that was. I was glad I did it...very pretty up there!! I will leave you with the rest of the trip in pictures instead of words.

The start of the trip she is watching Tigger and relaxing.
We are excited to be heading out on our vacation!

My very first view of the mountains-I LOVED it.

This is our view from our lodge.

The Ross group that made the climb to the top.

Us at the top of the mountain after I caught my breath.

Taegan trying to get in on the basketball action one day.

Eating some snacks, having a drink, and watching the boys play.

She loved the horses at the Budweiser tour.

Sporting Grandma's sunglasses!

This is the mountain we climbed.

A picture of the river that went all the way down the mountain going out of town.

My last view of the mountains heading home.

Heading out...

Well, we are leaving on a Saturn Outlook:) I wish it was a jet plane-we would get there faster, but we take what we can get. I can't wait to have some fun and relax a bit.

Talk to you soon...

Unemployed???

Well, it is official I have received my last paycheck as a full time teacher. I was a bit sad today when I looked in the bank account and it was there and I knew that next month on the 5th it would not be there:( That meant I officially did not have an out of the home full time job!!! Yikes. I am so excited beyond words that my dream of being a stay at home mom is coming true-but I wasn't ready to let go of the money yet...too bad.



On top of that I went out to the car today and found a nail in the tire-so off to Big O Tires we went to get it fixed. Justin met us for lunch to help waste some of the time we were waiting. Now we are home, Taegan is down for a nap, and I am off to be lazy I think. I really should be packing or cleaning or something since we leave Friday-but there is always tomorrow. We are going to a super fun pool that we have in town tonight and I can't wait to have pictures of Taegan playing in the water...

Darn it....Happy Birthday KATE!!!

I had written a post and scheduled it to be put up last Friday and for some reason it never made it on there...darn it! So....

Happy Birthday Kate.....we love you!!!

Her birthday is the day after mine and we enjoyed celebrating together with dinner last week!!! She is such a super girl and a pleasure to have in our lives. I taught her 4th and 5th grade and it was so much fun. That is how I met her mom and now we are best friends. I am lucky to have you there for Taegan, Kate. You love her so much and take care of her like she is your sister. Thanks for being you...

Thank you...and catching up...

Thanks Amy for my birthday post-I loved all the wonderful pictures. Just not so sure about those younger ones!!! I had a great birthday, we did dinner Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for it. Wow-am I that special? Each night was with somebody different. I loved sharing the evenings with everyone. I must admit that I am NOT ready for next year and the big 30...so we won't even talk about that yet.

It is going to be a fast week because we leave on Friday and head to Colorado for a family reunion. I am so excited to see everyone, get away and relax, and watch Taegan play with everyone. It will be a great time. I am however a little nervous for her sleeping there. She is just not a fan of her pack and play lately, and that is what she will be sleeping in for 5 nights. Could be an adventure!!! The car ride should be another adventure as well, but we have the DVD player hooked up and she is really into watching stuff so I hope that helps!!!

Here are some pictures of the last week-none from any of the evenings of dinner though:(

We explored with sidewalk chalk this morning...she had a lot of fun.

Taegan and I went to the zoo last week and she loved seeing all the animals, well all but the hippos-she is crying in this picture because he is looking at her!

She got her own "laptop" while we did some shopping!

This is what she does while I do her hair every morning.

She has started putting everything around her neck, here is Daddy's work belt!

This is her favorite place at my parents, watching the birds eat!

Grandma was being nice and letting Taegan play with her laptop.

Playing with play doh...she really enjoyed this and liked the taste of it!

She enjoyed playing with my balloons at Red Robin that I got with my birthday dessert!!!