Looking back on 2010

This year has been a whirlwind of a year. I wish I could say that I have written down every memory of the year when it happened, but I can't. The only thing I can do is look back and remember and hope that I do much better next year.

January 2010

We started off the year by moving into a larger home. Some friends of ours here in San Angelo were needing to rent there's and we needed a larger house and since we still weren't quite ready to buy a house we chose to rent another year and move into a much larger and nicer home. We have thoroughly enjoyed having more room for our growing family and now we don't want to leave. We just signed another 1 year lease so we won't be moving any time soon...Phew! In order for me to have the motivation to unpack we decided to host a New Year's party with some friends from the ward. Our house was full of people. It was a blast! I love having people over at the house.

This year also brought in a new job for me which was another reason why I needed motivated unpacking. I knew that I wouldn't have much time to spend on the house once I went back to work full time. I took a position as a Math aide at Lincoln Middle school in San Angelo. For numerous reasons taking this job was the right thing to do for me and my family. I had a really hard time going back to work, but I loved every minute of my new job. The first day I was there I found out that I was to be teaching a 7th grade math methods class. This is a second math class that the students had to take when they didn't pass the math TAKS test. It was challenging, but oh so worth it as you will see.



This pretty much sums up January.

Balmorhea, Texas (June 22 -24, 2010)

While I am actually sitting down at the computer I thought I should probably try to get a few blogs out of the way. I have been so bad this year. Since going back to work I have not been the greatest at keeping up with my blog and what the girls have been up to. Speaking of going back to work...I finally got a job as a 5th grade Math teacher! I am so excited!!! It is going to be a tough year with a tough class and being pregnant, but I know that it will be successful! Besides I get to take Elyse with me and that makes it worth it just to have my daughter at school with me!!!

Clay and I were very lucky this summer. We got a two week parent vacation from our children. I know some may say that I am horrible for doing that to my kiddos, but it was probably more of a vacation from us to them! They had fun visiting two different sets of grandparents for two weeks! the first week they spent with Grandma Sherry in Ruiodoso, MM. This was the week that I went to Girl's Camp (which was absolutely wonderful this year! It was not nearly as hot as it could have been, the facilities were nice, and the girls that were in my level were wonderful young women!) The second week the girls spent with their Grandpa and Grandma Hooten in El Paso. They were able to attend a vacation bible school in the mornings and play with their cousins in the evenings. They were definitely kept busy while away from us!

On our way to pick the girls up from El Paso Clay and I took a mini vacation to a neat place in West Texas called Balmorhea. If you live in Texas it is a MUST SEE! The pool is a naturally fed aquifer that is crystal clear. It was like swimming in Hawaii. In fact I haven't seen anything like it since I have been to Hawaii. It was a fresh water pool that had fish in it. Clay and I did snorkeling for two days! It was wonderful! The campgrounds aren't really anything to talk about other then it was just a place to sleep.

On Friday evening we went to the McDonald Observatory in the Davis Mountains and were able to look at the stars through telescopes! It was pretty neat!

We had a great time together. It was fun to work together to set up the tent and to cook dinner. We haven't really been camping since we went to Utah 3 years ago. we decided that this little place is going to be our place for our family every year to go to. It is only 3 hours from here and is well worth it.

After our two days there we drove another 3 hours to El Paso to pick up the girls. We drove home on Sunday...we made a spur of the moment decision to take the girls to the pool at Balmorhea. Elyse LOVED it! Madyson not so much. She was actually scared of swimming with the fish. We couldn't get her beyond sitting on the stairs. Oh well! Maybe next time!

My mama would be so proud!!!

I have officially accomplished something that I have wanted to learn FOREVER! I have tried braiding Elyse's hair for about 3 years and could NEVER do it. I began to think I wasn't cut out to raising girls because EVERYONE can french braid...well except me...until NOW! I am proud to say that after spending a week with a bunch of teenage girls who love to have their hair braided at Girl's Camp I have officially learned to French Braid. It is not perfect, but it is getting better...trust me! It has looked much worse! Thanks to Elyse for having so much patience with me to practice on her. Madyson was a trooper this morning. Usually she doesn't want me to touch her hair, but on Sundays it is a completely different story. She loves to get dressed up for church and will let me do her hair. I was almost halfway done before she decided she didn't want her hair done anymore when Clay bribed her with some candy...hey...can I do that every day just so I can do the child's hair???

June Scrap Swap photos

Here are my June Scrap Swap photos for those who need them!

Madyson's Birthday!

I am such a terrible mommy! I forgot to write yesterday for Madyson's birthday. Better late then never I guess. I can't believe my baby girl is 3! She is NOT a baby anymore. Aughhhh. those days were nice! But she is growing and learning so much! She has flourished this past year! I can't believe how much she has learned. Madyson really started talking this past year. For about 6 months after she turned 2 I was beginning to wonder if she had some speech problems! Well not anymore!!! She is as verbal as can be! She says complete sentences and has learned many new words this year. Including a new word for her yesterday..."ours." It was so sweet to hear her sharing with her big sister! Another big milestone for Madyson was learning to go to the bathroom. We started training her around 2. It did not happen as quickly for her as it did for Elyse. In fact it was awful! She finally became pee pee potty trained just after Christmas. She hasn't had an accident in a while. For a while there it was a more than a couple of times a week. Now it is very rare for her to have an accident. Noticed I said that she was completely pee pee potty trained. The other has been a struggle. She would wait until her pull up was put on at night and then do her business. But something FINALLY clicked!!! She is now officially potty trained! Yay!!!!
Mady had a great day! I am really sad that I have gone back to work and have missed spending the day with the girls on their special day. It is frustrating for me yet at the same time I know I am doing what I need to be doing at this time.

Madyson...Mommy loves you! I love your laugh and your smile. I love how you talk about all of your primary and church friends when you come home. I love your prayers. You are thankful for everything! That makes mommy's heart swell with pride. I have loved you since the day you were brought to me. I know that you are a sweet daughter of Heavenly Father. I love you for who you are and the brightness you have surrounding you!

Love, Mommy!

The big 5!

April Fool's Day is here again! This date honestly had no significance to me until 5 years ago when we welcomed a brand new baby girl into this world. She was beautiful! She was so tiny and I was so afraid that I would drop her. I loved wrapping my fingers around her small fragile hands. She was a gift given to us by our Heavenly Father to keep and cherish FOREVER. How I miss the little girl that I could hold and rock to sleep. The little girl that would lay down and take a nap with me when I got home from school. I miss those days when she was a baby, yet...I love that she can clean up her own toys, go to the bathroom by herself, play with her little sister, be concerned when I am sick in the mornings with every smell known to man bothering me. I love the little girl that she has become! My Elyse Bryanne has sure grown up so fast. And I love her just as much today as I did when she was given to me to hold for the first time.
Elyse has accomplished much this year. She started preschool here in San Angelo. She has made so many friends and I have seen her blossom from September until now. She has learned to read...although I can't say she is a proficient reader she is doing really well learning how to and I admire her courage for trying something new. Elyse is learning how to ride a bike with training wheels. It is a little scary for her and I admire her willingness to try something new even when it may not be comfortable for her. The GREATEST accomplishment Elyse had this year was the will power to STOP sucking her thumb. She has been sucking her thumb since she was a year old and it was really hard on her, but with lots of prayers and perserverance it paid off for her. I will tell that story in another entry at some point.
My baby girl is growing up...I guess that is what they have to do no matter if we as parents like it or not. I love my Elyse with my heart. She is the little girl that reminds me of myself and I LOVE her for that!
Happy Birthday Elyse Bryanne! I love you so much!

I will post pictures soon!

Shame on Me!!!

I have been so bad about posting since I have gone back to work. I have thought about the things that I could blog about, but I just have not had the energy. I am really enjoying my job. I am teaching a 7th grade math class as well as helping other teachers. I am hoping to get a full time teaching job in the fall. Clay is really liking his job. He is working tons of overtime which is good for our pocket book.
We are having Clay's family in town this weekend. We are really excited! The girls are super excited to see their cousins and Grandma and Grandpa!!! We are going to have a fun weekend!
The girls are growing up so fast. Elyse has started reading and is loving it! I am so proud of that girl...it's not even funny! I can't believe that my little girl turns 5 in less then a month now. She is enjoying preschool. This week is Dr. Seuss week and they have being doing a lot of fun things. I wish I were better at taking pictures!!! Elyse also started soccer two weeks ago. She is showing some athletic potential that I honestly thought that she wouldn't have. She is doing great!
Madyson continues to make us laugh. Last night I took the girls to the park before Elyse's soccer practice. A lady from church was their with her daughter and gradaughter so the girls had fun playing with them. When it was time to go I told Madyson that we were leaving and Madyson turns and shouts at me, "I'm not finished, Mommy!!!" It was hilarious. If looks could kill you from laughter I would have done that last night! She is a doll.
I will try and be better at posting. I think it is a great outlet for me and a way to remember what is happening in our lives!
Our last piece of news that I am sharing is that we are expecting baby # 3 sometime in November/December. I am honestly not sure when because this is very recent. We are excited yet at the same time I am really worried about having to work with 3 kids. We now need my job for the insurance not the money (who would have thought?)