A shout to the world.

It's funny how much your life can change on a dime. It doesn't feel like it's been almost 3 years since we left Reno. It doesn't feel like it's been almost 4 since we were married and found out we were expecting a baby. It doesn't feel like it's been almost 4 since we were anxiously waiting to hear about whether or not we would be moving into our own home. Some of these feel like it's been longer than so many years, and others feel like it's been shorter. But time passes all the same.

It also doesn't feel like that 9 months ago we found out we would  be adding a fifth addition to our family. And it doesn't feel like that 7 months have passed, along with that illusion. I've kept it relatively quiet, and not that many people know. Today, however, makes the day we were due to welcome that little one into our lives

The day after Christmas we found out, and 3 weeks later it would be confirmed. And then at 9 weeks I went in for our first ultrasound and found out our little one had passed away probably that very morning. For 2 1/2 weeks we waited, and finally my body got the clue. But I would end up at the hospital doing an emergency procedure due to extreme blood loss. Through it all, there were a few people that were there for my family that I still can't thank enough. But Ray and I decided we would continue to keep it quiet (We were planning on telling people the good news at 12 weeks.) and continue on. Not even Carly knew, which I'm very glad for. However, today I just want to acknowledge the little one that would never be, and remind myself that it did happen. It was a hard month- a very hard month- as I've never dealt with anything like that before. But Ray was a solid rock and gave me so much support and so many options I can never thank him enough for.

We have decided, with finality, that we will just be sticking with the 2 amazing kids we are so lucky to have. 3 would have been great, but 2 is the number for us. Some people say money shouldn't play a factor into how many children you have, but I disagree (for our family.) I love being able to take my two on vacation, I want my two to be able to go to college without having to put themselves into debt, I want my two to experience stability financially in their lives. Money, of course, is not our only factor. Carly had a hard time adjusting to her brother, and now she seems to be on a great path developmentally. I do not want to derail her from that. Wesley is finally at a point where he doesn't scream when I leave the room, and is experiencing independence. I do not want to upset his progress, either. Ray and I got married with kids- heck, my whole adult life has been with child. Although I do not want time to pass quickly at all, there will be a time when my babies leave the nest and Ray and I can do things for our relationship (More so than an occasional night or weekend.)
There are more reasons, and you might not agree with any of mine- and that's fine! But Ray and I have decided that 2 is our number.

But #3, had you made your appearance into our lives today, tomorrow, yesterday, or any other time- we would have loved to have you. Carly would have continued to be an amazing big sister, and Wesley would have fallen into the roll of big brother with ease. I have accepted the fact that you were not meant to be, but am thankful for the time I did have with you. (Even if it included my first morning sickness experience out of three pregnancies!) For those couple of months, you had me set on 3 being our number!

Thank you to you all, who offered up your support during that time so freely. My mama, Ray's mom and stepdad, my friends- Amber and Katie who let me text them continuously, Megan, who would come and sit with my all day at the hospital so that my husband would know I wasn't alone, my RT friends who listened to me vent over the internet. And most importantly, My husband. (And I am sure I am missing someone, and for that I'm sorry.) Without you all, I probably wouldn't have gotten out of bed that month.

#3, it's no longer like you never happened. And that's really all I wanted. You did happen, and you did change my life, and I thank you for that. I love you <3

Daddy, Where are you?

This blog post is going to be all mushy and about my husband, so don't say I didn't warn you...

Ray left for Texas last Thursday. Some nerdy convention goes on every year (Apparently it's huge) and it can better his skills used for work, and so they send him every year. He geeks out and loves going, while I get super jealous and hang out at home. But, in all honesty, he deserves this trip.

A couple of days ago, I pulled the trash can out of the closet to take the trash out and froze.
'When was the last time I took the trash out?' I thought to myself. I stood there and scrunched up my eyebrows just trying to remember. THAT'S just how long it has been since I have taken out the trash myself. It's not because I let the trash overflow or anything like that, but because my husband is so awesome that he takes it out without word before it can even get to that point. The same goes for the recycling bins every Tuesday (which I put on the curb this morning, and contemplated whether or not I was supposed to break down the boxes myself?) and the big trash can on Wednesday. I'm pretty sure the only thing he doesn't do automatically is the diaper pail, and I think that's just a man thing, haha.

He does so much more than the trash, of course. In the past week I've often wondered how happy I was being a single mom when it was just Carly and I. Of course, I was working then whereas this week it was just me and the kids hanging out at home but still. I don't know how military wives do it. Ray's not only my husband, but one of my best friends. Watching shows off the DVR wasn't the same. Renting a movie from Redbox wasn't the same. Grocery shopping wasn't the same. Even sleeping in my big king size bed, with one cat snuggled at my side, one cat at my feet, a toddler at my other side, and a dog at HIS feet, and it was still lonely. (Not to mention to soft snores of my pre-pre teen on the other side of the room!)

I have a pretty great husband, and he's a pretty awesome daddy. Wesley has asked the 'Where's Daddy?' question a lot the past few days, and the first thing Carly asked me when she came home yesterday was "How is Ray liking Texas?" Both will be happy to have him home.

Tomorrow morning :)

Playing catch up...

I've decided I'm going to blog more. I think I need an outlet, and blogging should be perfect for it, right? I'm also going to update the layout of this blog, seeing as it's years old.

So let's talk. What has gone on in the past year? Well... not a lot, I suppose. We'll start up about where I left off...

Ray bought me a Kindle for Mother's Day, and I fell in love with it immediately. I spend too much time with my nose buried deep in it. Then for Christmas, he upgraded my Kindle to a Kindle Paperwhite (I think he was just sick of the amount of batteries I was going through on the reading light!) Again, I found myself completely in love! The only way it could be better is if the E-Ink was in color, but that's not even available technology yet! Wesley also turned 2 that month, which marked the end of him being a baby at all. It was bittersweet!



Summer the boys and I (Did I mention I am babysitting another little boy during the day? Well, I am and have been since early 2012. Wesley and Paul are total BFFs and I am not quite sure what they would do without each other!) spent some time out in the backyard keeping cool. This year, my goal is to talk Ray into a bigger outdoor pool, but we'll see.


In early September, my amazing friend Megan and I attended the Kelly Clarkson concert at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. It was amazing as Kelly herself put on a good show, but the company I had was pretty great too!


Shortly after the concert, Ray and I packed up the kids and headed to California for a week at Disneyland. My mom was supposed to meet us there, but had some work conflicts at the last moment and didn't get to go. She sent my little sister, Jordan, in her place and we all had an amazing time. Other than one day where it was 104 degrees (In SoCal... What?!) the weather was beautiful and teetered in the 70s/80s. The only hitch? Indiana Jones was CLOSED! How dare you! GASP! So, I suppose that just means we'll have to go again soon. Wesley is still a bit too short for some of the rides, and while he enjoyed Cars Land, he'll be excited when he can ride all of the rides in that area too. (And also Star Tours.)



Oh, let's back up for a second. My son is COMPLETELY obsessed with Star Wars. Completely. I mean, he loves Toy Story and Cars, but Star Wars is his true love. He can name all of the characters, he loves to lightsaber duel, and his new thing is using his hand to Force Push you. Yes. Ray and I are very proud!


So, let's move on.

Carly started playing Basketball in November, and it recently just ended. She started out not knowing the game at all, and transformed into a pretty good first time player! Her team was awesome and ended up undefeated, plus she made some good friends along the way. I can't thank her coaches enough for having the time and patience to help Carly learn the game! We can't wait for next year!


Thanksgiving came and went, and we celebrated my oldest turning 9 (which makes me want to cringe and cry all at once!) with family here. Christmas was the same way, my spoiled kids became even more spoiled and enjoyed most of their Christmas presents.
Shortly after Christmas something happened I am not quite ready to talk about. Over the period of the next 3 months (leading up until now, March) would be some of the most happy and devastating moments we've had. Eventually, I'll talk about it, but for now I am not ready.


Last weekend, my friend Amber flew in to spend some time with us for the weekend. I hadn't seen Amber since the last time I was in Reno and so it was AMAZING to have her here! Mix my Reno BFF and my Bowling Green BFF and I was pleasantly surprised to see Amber and Megan immediately click! We all had a great time, getting tattoos (Yes, I'm not longer a tattoo virgin!) drinking, (Too little and too much all at once!) and seeing a Pink concert in Nashville (AMAZING!) There were several times over the weekend where I was doubled over laughing so hard. Ray watched the kids ALL weekend (I can't thank him enough!) and it was just so much fun. (Didn't bring an actual camera this time, so we didn't have too many great pictures at the Pink concert!)


So, I guess more went on than I thought... Tomorrow, Ray heads to Austin, Texas for work where he'll be for a week. Last year when he went, we were infested by Ants and the fridge broke. Let's hope for an uneventful week this time, huh?
Coming up in May, Ray and I are heading back to Florida without the kids for a long weekend by ourselves. We plan to be big kids, and hit Disney World the entire time. I'm pretty dang excited! Hopefully we'll be taking the kids later this year too.
My mom is talking about coming up in June, which will hit right after Wesley's birthday (And the birth of my Niece, however that's a different story for a different time. It's coming to a point where I have a lot of nieces [And one nephew!] and it's messed up how little I get to see any of them.)
So, that was 2012 (and a bit of 2013) in an instant. I'm going to keep this updated more regularly, and probably bore you with the events of my day/week/month. But... get over it! :)

Weigh in, Weigh off.

The scale is such an intimidating item. I'm pretty sure it's my least favorite part of doctor appointments- including those with blood-work! When I was pregnant with Wesley, I'd made Ray stand back 15 feet while they weighed me, and sometimes even resist to look myself.
In late 2008- early 2009, a lot of you know that I lost 85 pounds. It certainly didn't happen overnight, and it only happened after one day I decided that I wanted to work out and eat healthy.
Then, I think after Ray moved in and before our wedding I gained 5 here, 5 there. And while pregnant with Wesley I did well, only gained 20 pounds (And most of that in the last month when I stopped working.) However, the transition from being a working mom to a stay at home mom proved to be harder on me than I thought, and the weight slowly crept back up on me. After moving to Kentucky all the events that occurred within the immediate 45 days, I saw a lot of my hard work just fading away.

Well, 2012 there would be no more excuses. I'd make the most out of being a stay at home mom, but without the extra weight. I started my weight re-loss journey on January 8th, 2012 and as of March 31, 2012 I have lost 32.4 pounds. My goal has been 10 pounds a month, and (so far) I've been able to meet that goal every month. (Jan- 10.8, Feb 11.2, Mar 10.2) It's funny, because I had the most days in March, and the least amount of loss. Even with only having three weeks in Jan, and 3 less days in Feb, I still beat out this past month. Seems March has been a bit harder to stick with my program than the first two months. But, I am determined to stick with it throughout April!

My ultimate goal, you ask? I'm not sure what the number is, but I know I plan to surpass my weight loss from 2008/09, and hopefully go much further than that.

Some people have asked how I've done it, or what is my secret... Honestly, I've just counted calories and resolved myself to stay under a certain number, and pushed myself to make friends with my elliptical nightly! (Usually twice a day, but always at least once!) My Fitness Pal has a great calorie counting app that has been so great to have! I am going to start incorporating a 3x a week stregnth exercise into my routine, but I'm trying to find one that doesn't require me buying more equipment. I've thought about buying Insanity, but $150 is a bit much right!

So, I'm just going to think skinny thoughts, and hope I can stay on this path! We are planning a family vacation for Carly's fall break in October, and I was to be fabulous! (And also involve myself in some of the family pictures this time- no more hiding!)
Wish me luck!

Ugh, mornings.

We have an arrangement, and it works. Ray sleeps in Saturday, and I sleep in Sunday. It really does work. But I find myself on Saturday mornings grumbling about how it doesn't work. I wish I was a morning person.

What would you do early on a Saturday morning, after your son had eaten breakfast, is already wearing his favorite Toy Story shirt, and is now enjoying the benefits on Saturday morning cartoons? My school books are staring at my dauntingly, but my tired brain is avoiding their glare. My classes this semester include the last of my general eds- Communications and History, and two specialties- Microcomputers and HTML, XHTML, & CSS. For someone who likes to talk, I'm sure it's surprising to some that communications is my least favorite. We talk about our feelings too much in that class. I find myself thinking, 'What the heck do I have a husband for then?!' After this semester (Well, I lied, I have one more general to finish...) I have a summer full of 2 math classes, yuck. But after that it's straight specialties. I'm so excited. Hopefully I can do most of them online so I continue just being home with Wesley, and watching Paul (toddler who I've been watching for 3 weeks. Wesley has already asked for him 3 times this morning. He misses his friend. I think he'd be happier if his sister was at least home, but she is with her dad. Both of my kids are little social butterflies.)
In any case, school is moving along, and I'm excited to be done. Once I finish my Web Design degree, I can hopefully do somethings from home as I work towards my marketing BA. So many likes, so many hobbies, and just too many to choose from. I think I talk to Ray about my career choices once a week or perhaps even more.

I guess I'll do some homework. Although, looking up potential dates and places to stay for our *hopefully* fall Disney World trip sounds like more fun. And I can't quite reach my book. I wish I was a morning person.

2011.

2011 brought us-

A move 2000 miles from home.
A layoff
A full time job
2 part time jobs
2 Disney World trips
2 car accidents
Some physical therapy
2 mommy visits
3 flat tires
and the list goes on and on.

But above all, 2011 leaves us with 2 healthy, beautiful kids, healthy family, a roof over our heads, warm clothes on all our backs, and food in all our bellies.

If 2012 has half the love that 2011 did... bring it on!

Steps in the right direction.

We took the kids to the rehab center to see Aunt Judy last night. Carly did amazingly well with it all, especially since anything resumbling a hospital frightens her (She was even nervous about coming to see me when Wesley was born.) She gave Aunt Judy a hug, and then just kept her distance after that.
Back story- For those of you that don't know, Ray's Aunt Judy was in a car accident just down the street from our home after babysitting Wesley for me. For that I will be forever grateful and forever guilty. This was the Monday before Thanksgiving. She was transferred to a hospital in Kentucky where we had a rough few days, but she is on the mend now and back in Bowling Green doing therapy so she can go home! 
Wesley thinks going to the rehab center is so much fun, since there are so many 'toys' for him to play with and touch. Although it seems we always take him over there when he is tired, because he loses patience fast. Judy is doing remarkably well though, and hopefully will be home soon.

I've been spending as much time as possible trying to get Christmas presents done for everyone. We are doing mostly home-made and personalized gifts this year. We really go overboard during Christmas time, and we are trying to take it easy this year- for even the kids. We move next weekend, so hopefully we can get moved quick, and I can finish all our Christmas presents for everyone. Mom and Jordan will be here soon as well, so it's all just so exciting! Hopefully we will be all moved in by the time they get here. That would be ideal! 
I suppose I should start packing...

Disney and Autism- How to make them mesh?

Not even just Disney, but any place with crowds- the grocery store, the pumpkin patch, the family dinners?
Parenting alone is a challenge. I don't know anyone who would deny that it isn't all rainbows and butterflies 100% of the time. Everyone has their ups and downs, and keeping up with the ins and outs can be frustrating.

But try parenting a child with Autism. Seriously.

I wouldn't trade my daughter for the world, not even close. She is the most beautiful, sweet, smart, and hilarious little girl I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with.
However, she can be so tiring.
We just spent a week at Walt Disney World, a trip that was supposed to also double as a birthday trip for her. The crowds overwhelmed Carly, though, and she can't handle herself when she is overwhelmed. We had several times a day where she would just meltdown and cry/scream over something seemingly ridiculous to all parties involved. Yes, children scream and throw fits, it's a normal part of life. But a child who is able to comprehend reasoning and control their impulses does not cry and scream over telling her that it won't be 9:00 am for 5 more minutes, that she cannot re-ride something for the 3rd time because the park is closed, that she cannot push strangers in line because she's in a hurry, that she has to watch a 2 minute movie before boarding a ride, that she cannot yell to people to move out of her way in line, that she cannot pinch you because you told her she could have a snack in 15 minutes, that is told no to eating lunch at 9:30 am. She just does not understand how to handle herself when she is disappointed with something.
Children such as Carly thrive in environments where they have schedules that are basically followed. Even just a, wake up at 6:30 am, bus comes at 7:45 am, get home at 3:45 pm, have a snack at 4:00 pm, eat dinner at 6:00 pm, bathe at 7:00 pm, bed at 8:00 pm. The schedule doesn't have to be stuck to as strictly as it sounds, but she needs some foundation. Being in Disney World there was none of that, and she can't handle it. Her first impulse is to hit or cry, and she doesn't know how to stop herself.

So, no what? I love taking my kids to Disney, but I can't do it this way again. I suppose I could have made her a Disney schedule to stick to, but I couldn't be sure how it would all work. How do you take an OCD/Autistic child to Disney, and avoid having "That child" that everyone stares and shakes their heads at? (I don't really care about that, because I'm the first person to tell you to mind your own business and keep walking. But she does.)

I think I'm going to meet with Carly's doctor and see about seeing a nutrionist and discuss the benefits to putting an Autistic child on a Gluten and Casein free diet. From what I've read about it, it does help with the impulse control and cognitive thinking for some. I just want Carly to enjoy herself and her life.

Wesley had a blast, but is happy to be home and not in a hotel room. He was also over his stroller by the end of the week, and I can't say I blame him. I love taking these two there, it's so magical. Having one cuddled in your lap and the other cuddled next to you while you watch a parade is an amazing feeling. I want to continue to take my children annually, but I need to figure out a way to help Carly first.

Wish me luck!

2011 reflected- a little.

It's amazing how alike the two kids look. Even with different fathers, they still look like little replicas of each other. Some people would tell me when I was pregnant that the age difference was going to be hard, but it's not at all. They love each other so much, it's amazing to see. 

It's been a long year. A bumpy year. A stressful year. I'm ready for some smooth sailing, and hopefully we get a little reprieve right around the corner. Ray might very well be back to full time in the next few days, which will mean we are back to regular health insurance, and reliable pay. It doesn't, however, look like he'll be teaching any classes any time soon. That's a bummer because it brings in some extra money to get things paid off. But, him going back to full time will be nice. Having health insurance again will be nice (Jacie types as she squints at the computer screen, wishing she could order new glasses.) Working at WKU has been nice, just because I still get time to be home with the kids, but also still bring in a little extra money. Although, Wesley is starting daycare tomorrow, and I have some serious butterflies about that!

I can't believe Christmas is just around the corner. And in between now and then I turn 26 (On the road to 30!) and my baby girl turns 8. This year we are taking her to Disney World for her birthday, and I am really excited to surprise her with it. When Wesley gets old enough to surprise with Birthday trips, we will always end up being at Disney for the Star Wars festivities. I hope he enjoys SW as much as all of us! I love being able to spoil the kids!

I really want to get back out to Reno soon to visit. Southwest just fooled me, claiming rates were only $59 one way. Trickery. $214 is nothing like $59!!! But, I will visit home hopefully after the first of the year. It's going to be a busy 6 months: Visit home, 4 weeks of working 50 hour weeks, Ray's birthday, Mike and Nicole's wedding, hopefully Star Wars Weekends for Ray and I, and then Wesley's 2nd birthday. And that's only through May! 

Whew. Bring it on.

My favorite isn't your favorite. So what?

I try so hard not to play favorites with kids, and I don't think there is really a way to play favorites with a huge age gap like theirs. What one needs is usually not what the other needs. It will different as they both get older, and transition into teens/young adults etc. Looking back on my childhood,  you can see how hard it was to keep it obvious that my mom didn't favor any one of us. Even now, I think she tries. Of course, Jordan will always be the baby- that will never change. And Carly and mom will always share a special bond that will never change.  But mom tried to keep things as fair as she could as we grew up, and I respect her so much for that. A three of us are so different in so many ways, and my mom makes sure to make us feel like no one of us is better than the other. Favoritism is so old, and so overplayed, and I am so sick of seeing it in the most ridiculous places.


Anyways, I want to go swimming. Both kids have some energy to blow off, and I think we will go do something! Days like today really make me miss living within driving distance to the ocean. In fact, I've bee pretty homesick all week. I hope this passes soon... It can make one pretty miserable!

Work is a cure for homesickness... Sometimes.

I really should update this more often...
I can't believe summer is over. Carly is in second grade, and it really feels like just yesterday she was my little baby. Today, she is such a grown up little girl, and it makes me just want to bawl.
Mom came for a visit and was able to go with us to take Carly to her open house AND her first day of school. It's so amazing how close mom and Carly are. Carly slept with my mom every night (And that made it hard last night, getting her to sleep alone, sans TV.) and they did everything together. I feel bad it's been 7 moms since we had seen mom, and I am so grateful she came up. We really need to make sure we are getting out there more often and vice versa. I told mom that we would try to come up before Christmas, since both Ray and I are off work for 2 weeks around Christmas. (Nice!) Wesley remembered mom, and she didn't think he would. But he wanted her to hold him right away, and spent the rest of the week following her like a lost little puppy. Having mom here made me so homesick. So, so homesick.

I really love this job. I loved, LOVED my DMV co-workers, and this setting is a bit different. A lot of the workers on the floor are student workers, and then you have the back office support staff, and we are all not, haha. (Well, I am, just not here! Next semester, I'll take a class here for freeeee.) But this environment is so much more laid back. Their motto is as long as the job gets done, that's all that matters. Right now, I ahve absolutely nothing to do until 2:00, and my boss told me that I could check email, go browse the store, anything to pass the time. Of course, we have had our busy times, and the busiest is yet to come- Rush Week. I've been working full time hours for this month, and next month be back to part-time, and that is perfect. That puts me mostly stay-at-home-mom with a little working mom rolled in. It also gives me the chance to work on my classes this semester. (4, bleh.)

It's been a busy, but great week. We loved having you here mom, and we are going to make it so we see each other more often. Thank you for all you did for the four of us, and have a safe flight home. We love you!

I promise, I'll post more often...

Time flies.

 One year ago today we still had 10 days to go before our due date, and 4 more to go before my next doctor appointment to figure out if we were waiting for not. It was a year ago today that I had my brand new iPhone I had talked Ray into, that Ray and I were laying sod in our backyard, and that I talked to Carly who was at her dad's and assured her her brother was not here yet. I remember Ray and I laying the remainder of the sod today, and then sitting on our deck in the backyard. In fact, I have a picture somewhere. It was after the sod was laid that I then made Ray go on a mile walk with me and the dog.

I honestly thought being a mommy of two would be relatively the same as being a mommy of one. I was very mistaken. So much more comes along with that, and they are two totally different children with two totally different personalities.  Even though a year ago today, Ray and I had biweekly movie nights, we all could pack up and head to the coast with hardly any thought,  my laundry was half what it was now, I love being a mommy of 2. And I wouldn't change it for anything.

At the Mouse's House

Ray and I went to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida for a long weekend without the kids. We had an awesome time, but missed the kids so much. Carly goes to her dad's every other weekend, but we had never been away from Wesley. We had such a fun few days, and got to spend time with our friends, Nicole and Mike, but we were ready to come home to the kids. We can't wait to go back early next year, and bring both of the babes with us. Carly is going to love all of the interactive things to do at Epcot, and my little Mickey Mouse fan is going to adore all the characters.

While Ray and I were in line for a ride at Epcot, we were behind a mother, her teenage daughter, and her younger son and daughter. Her little girl caught my eye right away after she asked her mom if she was allowed to scream on the ride. She was about Carly's age, had the same blonde hair, and She was flapping her arms as she asked. I noticed and observed that anytime she talked about or asked an excited question, she got anxious and started flapping her arms. She kept continuously hugging her mother over and over, and was so excited she couldn't hold still. I looked at Ray, and could tell her was thinking what I was thinking: That little girl has many of the Autistic signs that Carly has. In fact, she most of the same mannerisms. After chatting with the family for a few minutes we discovered that the teenage daughter was named Carly, and that the girl and boy were actually twins who were 6. The boy was about 6 inches shorter, so I never would have guessed. I asked the mom, very cautiously, if the little girl always flapped her arms. The mom said yes, and commented on how cute it was. That broke my heart. I wondered over and over while we were standing there about whether or not the little girl was autistic, and about whether or not the mom knew it. I shared a little about my Carly, hoping the mom would inquire more. I don't know if the girl was, and the mom knew it and didn't want to share, or if the girl was and the mom had no idea. Of course, the girl might not at all, which is best case scenario right?

That little girl has been on my mind for days, and I just hope that she is getting all the help she needs.

Our kids are definitely a different kind of awesome, but are amazingly awesome in their own way.
In the meantime, I leave you with a picture of a different kind of awesome-ness!

All about Carly K.

As most of you probably know, Carly is Autistic. She has a form of Autism called Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD.) All it really means is that she has a hard time understanding some things the same way most people do, is very anxious about a lot of things, and has a hard time in social situations. She has been in special education since she was four, starting at Pre-Kindergarten. In the state of Nevada, she qualified for special education with no problem, and was struggling with keeping up with her class. She was rated at below average in everything. So, of course I was worried when I saw how hard the course work was here. (National standards are rolling out, and soon all first grade classes will be the same- as will every grade!) So, we've been working with her and working with her. Last week, she scored 100% on her spelling test (!!!) and today we had her special education evaluation. Average scores. You hear that? Let me say it louder:
AVERAGE SCORES!
Average right now just means she is caught up. I know she is a super smart kid and will quickly move into above-average, but for now average brings a huge smile to my face. They were hesitant to put her back in special eduation. Her first grade teacher at the start of the year was so dismissive of her, and treated her like a horrible kid. Her teacher here, Mrs. Rudolph, had nothing but good things to say. She also said that she is not seeing the aggression that we were before, and that she has not been labeled a 'bully' here, like in the past. I am so stinking happy. They still qualified her for special ed, but it's minimal. They won't be pulling her out of the class for the special ed, but rather a teacher will be coming in for 1/2 hour for reading,and 1/2 hour for math a day. The teacher will sit with her as she works, and offer help as she needs it. The only time they will remove her from the class is when they see she is getting frustrated, and then they will offer her a 'break.' Sometimes, if she is having trouble understanding something she gets frustrated. Or if she is in with a crowd. When this happens, the best thing to do is remove her, and that's what they will do for 15 or so minutes to let her cool down.
The meeting went so well, the principal, special ed teacher,and her teacher had nothing but great things to say about her. I love it.
I am so stinking proud of her. So proud. She is such a bright, amazing little girl, and I know she has so much potential.
Just awesome :)

Bit behind..

Yeah, so I slacked a bit. Sorry!

Let's get you up to date!
My dad and Lexie came to see us, and we had a blast! We spent the weekend  at their hotel playing games, and at our house just relaxing. We were sad to see them go, but hope we can see them soon!
Christmas was awesome, the kids were spoiled as usual. They turned our perfectly packed living room into Toys R Us gone wild.

We left Reno December 30th for Vegas. We were supposed to leave the 29th, but the moving company showed up a day late, and made us miss our flights out of Vegas not once, but twice. We drove through Vegas in a blizzard, made it safe at 11 pm, and the next day Mark and Ray dropped me and the kids off at the airport and started the drive. The kids and I arrived in one piece and stayed with Ray's mom and stepfather. Ray and Mark made incredible time, and got there on Jan 2nd. We stayed with Tony and Dawn awhile longer because the moving truck took it's sweet time. New Planet Moving = Fail. DO NOT USE THEM! We were all moved in around the 10th? 12th? Anyhoo, Carly started her new school and loves it.

Fast forward to today- Wesley is still not crawling, but is cruising and trying to take steps without holding on. Carly is doing really well in school, and has already made a ton of friends.We are unpacked completely and enjoying the nice weather (50/60 degrees!) after two months of snow. It's raining today, but it's still so nice outside! Carly is taking ballet and tap, and loves it. She does really well, and has friends in the class. I'm getting ready to enroll her in swimming lessons as well.

That's my speedy update. I'll try to post more often now!

Carly says, 17 days left!

How many times can a kid see Santa, really? Well, for Carly it's at least 3. So far! The cool thing is not only is it the same Santa every time, but he has remembered Carly each time, and things she has told him. How cool is that? Especially considering home many kids he sees each day. Maybe he is the real Santa?!
I'm pretty excited for Christmas day. I know she is going to love her presents, and I know Wesley is going to love his... wrapping paper? Carly wants to make gingerbread cookies this year, and I happened to get a mix at Disneyland, with a cool Mickey Mouse Gingerbread man cookie cutter. She is also gung-ho about making sure Rudolph has something, too.
I think we are done shopping for the kids for Christmas. We had to rearrange a few things after Carly changed her likes, but we did it. I even finished stocking stuffers for both. Of course, that isn't going to prevent me from picking up a little something here and there when I am out!
I should take some pictures of our tree and stockings, they are pretty cute. It's funny how excited for Christmas morning you get- even as an adult!

Tis the Season...

Christmas pictures didn't go as well as I would have liked... Lately, Carly has been a bit of a terror, and today proved no different. Asking her to change out of her Christmas skirt and into some birthday clothes ended up with her in the dressing room for 30 minutes screaming. The portrait place was busy, and it was quite embarrassing. I'm calling her doctor tomorrow... something has to give and his last solution wasn't the solution.
Wesley did pretty good though, but didn't give his big smiles. I think our photographer was annoyed with Carly, and she hurried us along. Oh well, always next time, right? Those pictures can be seen here.We'll be sending off cards soon!
I hope none of the family minds, but Christmas presents are all mainly homemade this year. I'm actually kind of excited/proud of a few of them. I just need to put some finishing touches on them.
Short post, but will update more later!

Turkey, the number 7, and all in between!

Gobble, gobble! It was pretty cute how Carly gobbled, and Wesley giggled. The two are quite a pair! I have the pictures to prove it!

Seriously- adorable, right? Yeah. I agree. Anyways, onward!
Thanksgiving was good. We went to my mom's house where my mother, Jeff, Jordan, and one of my mom's friends were there. The kids wore their matching Turkey shirts I made, and they looked so cute. Wesley, sadly, took a bottle shortly before dinner, and had no interest in any other food. He wouldn't even suck on a bit of turkey, that little turkey! But Carly chowed down. Carly's dad came and got her for his Thanksgiving, and then we traded off the next day.
She's seven. Wow. How did that even happen? I really feel like I blinked and here you are. Ray and I took her to Build A Bear in the mall (On black Friday! We're nuts, yes!!!) But it wasn't too bad. We let her stuff a cute little bear we bought her that reflects her birthstone. Carly was so stoked that they had a Rapunzel outfit, as Rapunzel is her new favorite thing. She has a cute little Rapunzel bear now. We took her to Red Robin for dinner, where mom and Jordan met us. I worked for a few hours Thursday night on a cake for her, and was pretty impressed with myself with how it came out. Carly was beyond spoiled for her birthday, and now is eagerly awaiting Christmas to become more spoiled. Ah, kids!

We think we finally found a place to live in Bowling Green. It sounds like this guy is going to hold the house for us until we get there, and judging by the pictures it's gorgeous! We put our house up for Rent today, and already had some interest. Hopefully we get it rented soon! We are moving a couple of days after Christmas, so that we can spend Christmas with my family this year.
As always, pictures can be seen on Facebook via this link, including ones from Carly's Birthday and Thanksgiving. But until then, I leave you with these!

Overdue!

It's been awhile since I posted, but it's been a long month! We spent out week at Disneyland, and it was great! Carly, Wesley, Nana, Ray, and I spent so much time at the park that we were all walking zombies in the end. Here we were worried about Carly and the roller coasters and characters, but she LOVED it all! She met every princess, and rode every roller coaster. Even the super scary one she was barely tall enough for at California Adventure! Wesley was a trooper too, but insisted on someone holding him most of the time, so he could see the action as well. Carly even got to participate in the Jedi Training Academy, and they dubbed her a Jedi Padawan. She was too cute, and loved it! Pictures can be seen here.It was a great time for all!
Carly got home and immediately went on vacation with her dad. She just got home today after being gone a week! He took her to Phoenix to see her Paternal Grandma, and then BACK to Disneyland. Spoiled kid! During the time she was gone, Ray and I did some Christmas shopping, saw Harry Potter, and tried to finalize moving plans. It's been hard to find a house to live in, because we are still over a month away, and no one wants to hold a house that long. But it's looking as if I will be flying the kids in around the 28/29th, and Ray and Mark will follow suit, but by car, a couple days later. I'm nervous about moving away from mom, and sad about it, but excited about being somewhere new.

Nothing too new to report on the kids. Carly doesn't go back to school until Monday, but she is excited. She needs something to work her mind. I can't believe she is almost 7... Blows my mind! Wesley is almost 6 months old, and sits in the shopping carts and high chairs as well now. He isn't crawling yet, but is scooting with determination! He hasn't quite realized that getting on his knees would be easier... haha!

We are spending Thanksgiving at my mom's this year, but before dinner we are taking Carly to see "Tangled." She got to meet Rapunzel at Disneyland, and is now REALLY excited to see her movie. Then on Friday (Her Birthday!) we will take her to Build A Bear as a treat, and I am making a really detailed cake. (Pictures will be here!)

Anyway, I hope all is well with everyone. I will be back after Carly's Birthday and Thanksgiving with pictures. (I hope!) And Wesley has his 6 month appointment on Tuesday, so I will have stats soon!

Happy Halloween!

Well, it's almost Halloween, anyway! (And didn't I use that same blog title for last year's Halloween blog post?)
Carly's last day of school was on Thursday. She is now officially off-track until November 29th (I think!) On Thursday, they also had their Halloween party, at which they could wear their costumes. This was weird to me, because ever since she has been in daycare/school, this has never been allowed. But okay! More fun for the kids, right? Well, Carly decided to dress up as Jessie the Cowgirl from Toy Story 2/3, and so we dressed Wesley up as Woody the Cowboy. Since Carly was already in her costume, we put Wesley in his and snuck a few pictures through,

I know, super cute, right? Here is a link to some more of them. (This is the same link as the pumpkin patch pictures! Oh, and if for some reason those of you without Facebook can't see them, let me know please!)

Anyhoo, Carly is at her dad's until Sunday, and then we will take the kidlets trick or treating. I'm sure Wesley will sleep through the majority of it, but it should be fun anyway. Carly is dying to use the glow-stick wand that Grandma Dawn sent her, but we told her to wait until Halloween to make it more fun!

I want to thank everyone for all the birthday wishes and more than you sent my way. Thank you very much! It was a relaxing day, after being up in the middle of the night from 3 am - 6:30 with a baby! Ray let me sleep in until around 10 (Glorious!) and then we went to dinner with the kids and my friend Amber. It was nice! The night before, my mom had taken us to dinner as well. I feel very spoiled! I can now also drive the rental car in 2 weeks, because I am older enough to go on the agreement! (Priorities, right!)

I will be back with a Post Trick or Treating update on Sunday night/ Monday morning! (If not sooner, I want to show off some of my recent sewing accomplishments!)