New Jeans I Found on a Blog

I follow a couple blogs.  Last week I checked in on one that I enjoy, however she doesn't post often.  Before I even finished reading it  I ordered the jeans she promised me I'd love.  Now, I haven't bought new jeans in a looong time.  Like nearly two years.  I need new jeans.  Bad.  So I ordered them.  They were only $40 and since I was a first time buyer I got them for $23.  Shocking.
I've never ordered any type of pants on line - ever - let alone jeans.  A little while after I checked out I was already having buyer's remorse knowing I was not going to hall them to the mall to get my money back.

The package was on the counter when I walked in this afternoon.

I slipped into the bedroom to try them on and low and behold I LOVE them!  Quite possibly the best jeans I have ever owned.  I am beyond thrilled.  I would pay $5 to be able to wear jeans to school tomorrow!

Adventures in Turning 9

Dear Victoria,
  I planned for days for your ninth birthday.  I didn't sit down last night until after ten last night after  we shopped for your new outfit for today…I made sure the house was just perfect…so when you woke up this morning it would be amazing.  You were bouncing around the house in your jammies this morning you were so excited.  You wanted to come to school with me.  After we dropped off the boys, we got donuts.  In that short time Christian threw up at daycare and I had to go and get him.  Laura offered to keep you at school.  Nothing was going to rain on your parade!  I took you to lunch at Cup N Cone.  Daddy met us there and you smiled the entire time!  After school we went home quickly because we planned on celebrating at MOA.  On the way there our (brand new) tire blew up on the highway during rush hour.  The police came and daddy had it changed in under nine minutes.  We continued on to the mall with the spare tire.  We ended up in horrible construction traffic.  It took us two hours to get to the mall.  Only to find out Sea Life shut down early today!!

Finally we made it to Cadillac Ranch.  You ended up loving your dinner, enjoyed your dessert (almost as much as Brecken!) and even rode the bull!  You asked to go to Build a Bear….which after the night we had, Daddy and I were happy to take you there.

After that, you were jumping around saying, "This is the BEST birthday ever!"

It didn't all pan out the way I planned, however, it is a birthday to remember.

I could not love you any more than I do.  Thank you for being the best daughter I could ever have dreamed of.  Thank you for being so kind and patient - to everyone - but especially your little brothers.  Thank you for being such a thoughtful little girl with wonderful manners.  Thank you for loving me the way you do.  Thank you for making me a mommy.

Happy Birthday Lovey!
All my love,
Mommy

Once a Team Always a Team

When I started teaching I named my class Team 214.  

I give a speech a few times a year that once you're a member of the team you're always a member of the team.  No matter how old you get, I will be here for you.

After ten years, I taught first grade for a year and we were Team 109.

Then I went back to second grade with seven of my first graders and we were Team 212.  Not a very nice ring to it, however, that year we were tight.  Tighter than most, having that a third of the class was together for two entire years.  

Laura sent me this picture the other day.  

With the picture it said, "This is exactly why I love to work with you.  You are an amazing teacher who truly cares about children.  I know his afternoon will be better because you took the time to listen.  He needed you at that exact minute and you were there because you would stop anything to help a student or a friend.  Love ya!"

I am seriously so lucky to work with her!

Who wouldn't LOVE to hear those amazing words?

Last week during my prep I heard my little friend crying in the hall.  I had him for two years and can recognize his cry as I would recognize one of my own children.

I went out, put my arm around him and we went for a walk hand in hand trying to talk out the issue he was having.

Usually that's all it takes.  One fast walk to shake him out of his funk.

But this day I ended up splitting my banana with him and he silently read for about ten minutes back in my class. 

Then he looked up at me and said, "I'm ready now."  We high fived and he headed back to third grade.

This is the reason I teach.

To really make a difference.

Very rarely is there an actual picture or someone who notices.

I am so appreciate Laura captured it for me!

It Finally Sold!

After four and a half months…45 showings…we accepted an offer on our house.
Good-bye Maplewood - HELLO STILLWATER!

Brecken's Second Birthday Party

I have been purchasing goodies for Brecken's party for weeks now.

The last items were the balloons just a couple days before the party.

Liv came over Friday night to make her amazingly delicious Pin Wheels.  So many people RAVED about them.  They really are delicious.  

The Mickey Mouse cake turned out adorable.

I just realized I showed have photographed it from the side too.

These two are too much!

Between their looks and size they could be twins.

I LOVE seeing them together almost as much as they love to see each other.

And now we have Baby Leighton to enjoy too!

Three cousins just over two years between them.

My grandma holding Leighton.

So sweet!

Brecken completely understood his birthday this year.

He was so excited for his guests to arrive.

He would carry his gifts to the living room.

He was thrilled when I told him he could begin opening them!

Nearly every single person invited was able to attend.

Have a house and yard full of friends and family that were there to celebrate Brecken warmed my heart!

My favorite part is always the cake.

He's been practicing blowing out candles since his real birthday 11 days before.

He had no problem blowing them out.

Happily clapping for himself.

Lots of cousinly kisses!

Mickey gear everywhere!

Great Grandma and her youngest great grandchild.

My parents have been on a road trip for three weeks.

They were in Disney World for part of the trip.

Showing up with lots of Mickey things during a Micky party was perfect!

They got B a Mickey Mouse comforter for his new room!

So perfect!

Liv made an acrostic poem to celebrate Brecken.

I loved it!

Joe and Rosie gave Brecken a bubble machine.

Oh, what a hit with all the kids of all ages!

He got a Mickey tool set.

We had such an amazing day into the night celebrating.

We denied five showings this weekend just so we could focus on Brecken. 

I am so glad we did.

Everything was just perfect.  Just like him!

Birthday Books

After each birthday party, for each child, each year, I make them a birthday book.  I had a free book coupon for a while now (expires at midnight) and decided I would do an 8X8 for Christian's book.  I got the entire thing done tonight.  It's ordered.  It was fun.

The trouble is Brecken's second book should be close to being finished with his party coming up this weekend.  However, I am still on the page where he's in the NICU.  I sit and look at the pictures and cry and cry.  I can't think straight.  I don't know what to write.  I don't want to leave out too much, but I also don't want to add the sadness into his book.

I just made Christian's in one night.  I told myself, less is more.

Hopefully one day (soon) I can get myself together enough to finish Brecken's FIRST year book.

Look Who's Two!

Dear Brecken,
   With your birthday comes excitement and tears.  Happy tears.  We've been through so much since that morning you were born.  You've brought me to a whole new level of parenting.  You have taught me so much.  I truly could not love you anymore than I do.  I love everything about you.  The good and the difficult, I wouldn't change one thing.  You are perfect.

You were less than a week old in these pictures. 

I was stressed and exhausted.

I remember that…

but when I look at these pictures all I see is love.

 

You were actually hungry and wanted to eat my face.

I'm so grateful we have these gorgeous pictures to remind us how small you once were.

Being small didn't last long!

You are the biggest Humphrey baby and toddler!

You grow so fast!

You're catching up to your brother.

He has accidentally worn your clothes more than once!

As you turn two you want nothing more than to be a Big Kid.

You've been climbing out of your crib for a couple months now.

I've given up trying to keep you in it.

When you wake you climb out and knock on your door asking for me.

You often try to escape your carseat and quickly climb way into the back to sit by Christian aka CheeChee.

You want nothing to do with highchairs.  You will kneel or stand on a regular chair and eat just fine.

You started using utensils and a napkin very early.  You just want to fit in with the rest of the family.

At bedtime you want story after story.  One night I wanted to see how long you'd read for.  After 50 minutes I gave up and finally put you in your crib.  

You don't want to be carried; you want to walk independently.  

Even if I need to hold your hand you pull away and just want to walk.

At the park you run and climb with CheeChee & Sissy with no problem…

except when you run and laugh and fall on your cute little face.

You are potty training yourself.

You love your Big Boy undies.  

You cheer for yourself every time you go even if everyone else forgot to cheer!

Even though you really want to be a Big Kid you're still a typical two year old who 

LOVES Elmo.  Or should I say Melmo?  You lay your stuffed Elmo down for a nap and shhhush all of us, with your little pointer finger flat against your lips, because he's sleeping.  Elmo is the only thing you'll sit still for.  Elmo is currently teaching you the ABC's on youtube.  You love it and you're beginning to recognize your letters!

You also LOVE Mickey Mouse.

You call him Mee Mee.

You will have a Mickey Mouse birthday party in a couple weeks and a Mickey Mouse room when we move in a couple months.  You will only sit still for the intro of the Mickey Mouse cartoon, however, you love his books and anything else with his picture on it.

Your favorite foods is cheesecake.  However, you're not picky.

Your favorite books are Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, I Spy (you're amazingly good at spotting things and won't stop looking until you find it!), & The Little Blue Truck.

Your favorite friend is Lyla at daycare.

Your favorite activity is the water park.

You LOVE the Lazy River with Mommy.

You go down the slides with ease.

But most of all you LOVE your Sissy and CheeChee.

You follow them.  Sometimes, even lead them.

The three of you get along perfectly.

Nobody could have completed our family more perfectly than you.

Looking forward to celebrating you non-stop for the next two weeks!

Love you the mostest,

Mommy