OK lunch box thief......stay away!!!

It says plain as day Jayden M. What is the confusion?? For the first two days of school another little girl who is not in Jaydens class and has lunch before Jayden has been going and taking Jaydens lunch box because she's obsessed with how cute it is, and eating her lunch before Jayden can get to it. It better stop or the mama claws are coming out!!!!!

oops, how could I forget.....

My mom came down from Atlanta Georgia for her birthday this year and as luck would have it, she got to experience Jaydens first ever real pedicure..............actually, for Jayden it was a mani/pedi combo........not sure it was relaxing for mom but they had a blast!!
Who wouldn't fall asleep after all that pampering!!!

Jaydens First Day of Pre-K 4

After months and months of figuring out where we wanted to send her to school we finally decided on I Cento. Private school is very important to both Jonathan and I and we could not be happier(so far) in our choice of schools. On the first day of school we got to her class room and I did not even get a hug bye, just a "bye Mommy" and that was it. I guess part of me wanted it to be harder for her to leave me but I am glad that she feels just "that" at ease with starting her long road of school.

Her school is Mon-Thur from 9-2 and my work schedule is 7:30-1:30 so Jonathan has the wonderful task of waking her up and getting her fed, dressed and off to school(I'm sure he is really appreciating the uniforms). Then I pick her up from school at 2pm. Obviously we are only on day 2 but everything seems to be running smoothly and according to schedule.

Jayden waking up for her first day of school....wish she woke up that happy every morning!!

There is a chance that my husband might not appreciate a first thing in the morning picture, but I happen to think its adorable!! She is so excited about starting school!!

I was actually shocked at how much she loves her uniforms. I was worried at first bust she thankfully wants to wear them.

The sad thing is that she was perfectly content leaving behind...

As soon as she hit the classroom door, she was off to play and make new friends......I don't know where she gets the social butterfly syndrome from!!

Jayden and her teacher this year Mrs. Reese.

Boring Summer For Jayden

We started this summer off with a bang by taking Jayden to Disneyland for her 4th birthday. Unfortunately, that wiped up out financially leaving no money to get her any sort of summer pass to anything here where we live. We know now for the future that we still need to budget for that as well because it left a pretty boring three months for my baby girl. We don't even have access to a pool so other than the fun week at Disney where we did not get in the water once, she got in a pool a total of 3 times the entire summer. She endured a 60+ days streak of 100+ weather and hung out with me or Jonathan all day while we were at work.....probably not every kids dream. Jayden is probably way more forgiving to me than I am to myself. I promise to make next summer way more fun!!

June brought my little baby girl turning 4!!

I cannot believe my daughter is 4!! It seems like only yesterday I was holding her in my arms for the first time. My how time goes by. If someone knows of a way to stop time, I will pay top dollar!!

May was a blast!!!!

We poured all of our energy into May 17-24. It was our family vacation to California!! It was Jaydens birthday present and our 6 year wedding anniversary celebration. The whole trip was so wonderful and so amazing its going to be hard to not put every single picture up....

Jayden took this picture and I give her credit for trying...after all we were going up and down on a carousel........our first day at Disneyland was also our 6 year wedding anniversary..........I love him more now than I did the day I married him...

She loved the Teacups!!! She loved them a little too much for me though!!

If you know Jayden, you know that she is obsessed with ALL things Tinkerbell so to get to do the Tinkerbell "pout" with Tinkberll was really fun to watch!!!

Another huge moment, was me riding a rollercoaster. I have rode a rollercoaster since I was 7 years old because I have always been horrifically scared of them. But for some reason on this trip, I just felt like I had to get over this fear and try to see if I could enjoy them......it let out a roller coaster riding beast!!

Hanging at Venice Beach

Taking a walk on the Santa Monica Pier...

April brings a reunion after 14 years!!!!!!

I had not seen my father since I was a 14 years old and a Freshman in high school, and I had only spoken with him a handful of times since then as well. The reunion that I had with my legal father was one that was wonderful, amazing moments. I may never get a moment like that again and I may never see him again. But, this moment will live on with me forever!!!! Forgiveness is powerful and so is my God!!

So much to catch up on, starting with February!!

February

February was a wonderful month full of many fun things. Its my birthday, and Valentines. People always laugh because I have always called February the month of me!!

For my birthday this year, the theme was "Forever 29"...although Jonathan has informed me that if I don't embrace turning 30 in 7 months I am not aloud to have a party....he knows me all to well. It was really fun, we all dressed up like men and played poker.....the husbands were so nice to be at our beckon call and serve us while we attempted Texas Hold em'

This is the shirt that Jonathan bought for me to wear from the little girls section at Wal-mart. It was a little snug but I had been eying it for six months so I was so excited!! Jonathan did many things this year to spoil me and give me a great birthday month but my biggest present of all was.....
yes, my beautiful red Blackberry Curve........can I just say I love it!!!!

Valentines

Valentines was especially neat this year because my mom was in town visiting so she gave us a free night of baby sitting and a chance to go out. This year was fun because we went to the Cheesecake Factory, yummy!!

So that pretty much sums up all of February.....and so the catching up continues...

My Husband Rocks Fridays!!!

I know, shame on me for how much I have neglected my blog spot over the past couple of weeks. I have been so busy but it is no excuse, I will try to get back into the swing of things. And what better way than with a My Husband Rocks Friday. Jonathan rocks because I am so glad that he gets to go to the Independent Christian Film Festival that is here this weekend in San Antonio. I am so glad for him!!

My Husband Rocks Fridays!!!

My husband rocks this Friday because he is working like a crazy person and he did the dishes for me!!

Egg Nog

Okay now I have officially had it and can I just say YUM-O!!!

My Husband Rocks This Friday...

Just because he does...........and he is spending all day with us on Saturday, Jayden and I dont ever get that so its a big treat.

Christmas Survey

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate.......I actually have never had egg nog

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa? who's that?

3. Colored lights on house/tree or white lights? white. always white.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? no, but that's a good idea. maybe next year.

5. When do you put your decorations up? the day after Thanksgiving (my favorite day of the year)

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? dressing, some people call it stuffing.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? probably the decorations.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think deep down, I always knew.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? yes

10. How do you decorate your tree? bulbs, lights and ornaments

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? never seen it really...... i've seen the little bit of sleet we get here in Texas, that's it.

12. Can you ice skate? yes. love it.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I love all gifts.

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you? being with family and seeing Jayden open gifts.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? my husbands pumpkin roll

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? decorating the tree and the house the day after Thanksgiving and not a day later, Black Friday shopping, opening a gift Christmas Eve, and day after Christmas shopping. If you cant tell gifts is my love language.

17. What tops your Christmas tree? a star

18. Which do you prefer-giving or receiving? i love both.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? I cant choose, I love them all.

20. Candy Canes- yuck or yum? eh.

21. What do you want for Christmas? I have a whole list if you really are interested????

22. Do you attend an annual Christmas party? usually at the church and my grandparents Christmas party.

23. Do you dress up on Christmas or wear PJs? PJs during family breakfast and presents. Then we will dress up before family dinner.

24. Do you own a Santa hat? no

25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with? Just Jonathan and Jayden and then this year we are starting the tradition of a Christmas Dinner that family is invited to.

I love Christmas!!!!!!!! :-)

.....but I love The Bachelor

So, our church has decided to do a challenge for the month of January to close our minds off to all secular media and focus more on family and our relationship with God. The rules are this:

1. No TV
2. No Music unless it is Christian
3. No Internet (unless used for work purposes)
4. 30 minute family devotional each day
5. Journal your experience

Okay well for most people, one or two of these will be hard for them and the others not so hard. Other than the Christian music thing because that's all I pretty much listen to anyways, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE WILL BE HARD FOR ME!!!!

30 minutes of a family devotional will be hard because we have never been able to even do 5 minutes. It might help that all the small groups have to start January 1 doing that bible in a year so I will have tons to read which will hopefully help with the 30 min. devotional thing.

I don't even know where to begin with the no TV rule. I don't feel that I am obsessed with the TV but when a particular show that I like is in season I don't want to miss an episode. I just got finished with Dancing With The Stars and I did not miss an episode.

I have been so excited because about 3 weeks ago, I found out that the all new season of The Bachelor kicks off January 5th. I am totally obsessed with this show no matter who the contestants are but this one is every so important because they pick Jason, the jilted bachelor from last seasons Bachelorette to be The Bachelor. Then about a week later I get the news of the January Challenge at church. One of the main things Pastor Phil said was that its all about doing what works for you. If you cant do one of the rules don't feel like you cant do any of the other challenges, just give it your best. Great, my out to do the challenge except for Wednesdays from 6-8 and still feel good about myself. Or so I thought.....

So last Monday I was getting very excited about The Bachelor because I had just seen a commercial about it and I was on my way to work so I figured I would call my best friend Danica and let her know that we were on for watching it together every week(we love gabbing about the show) and literally as I almost pushed the speed dial to call her a song came on. Now normally a song could have come on and I would have not even paid attention but this particular song is one of my favorites now so when given the chance to hear it I will usually stop what I am doing and turn it up to listen and sing along. Naturally I know the words to the song and what the song is about but little did I know that as I was singing a song that I had sung thousands of times before it would convict me in a whole new way.

I know that wordy blogs can sometimes be annoying but I really felt like this was a story I wanted to share and I could give you bits and pieces of the lyrics but I want to share the whole song with you:

Empty Me
by American Idol Contestant Chris Sligh

I've had just enough of the spotlight when it burns bright
to see how it gets in the blood.
and I've tasted my share of the sweet life and the wild ride
and found a little is not quite enough.
i know how i can stray
and how fast my heart could change.

empty me of the selfishness inside
every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
and any foolish thing my heart holds to
lord empty me of me so i can be filled with you.

I've seen just enough of the quick buys of the best lies
to know how prodigals can be drawn away.
i know how i can stray
and how fast my heart could change.

empty me of the selfishness inside
every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
and any foolish thing my heart holds to
lord empty me of me so i can be filled with you.

cause everything is a lesser thing
compared to you, compared to you.
cause everything is a lesser thing
compared to you so why surrender all?

empty me of the selfishness inside
every vain ambition and the poison of my pride

empty me of the selfishness inside
every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
and any foolish thing my heart holds to
lord empty me of me so i can be
lord empty me of me so i can be filled with you.
oh, filled with you.
empty me.

That is it right there, its like BINGO, I get it. "and any foolish thing my heart holds to Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you". The Bachelor is foolish as is anything on TV really. Foolishly, it is something my heart holds to and does not want to let go of. Do I want to be filled with The Bachelor or filled with God?? Easy answer for sure!! Why is it an easy answer?? Because "everything is a lesser thing compared to you".

I don't think any song could be a more perfect theme song for this challenge!! I am going to need serious prayer and accountability for the month of January. To be able to keep the commitment that I so badly do want to keep. I am going to keep my Journal online because its easier or me that on notepad. So I will get to share with you in my journey along the way. Thanks to everyone for listening to me ramble on and on.

Any comments??????

My Husband Rocks Fridays!!!

My husband rocks today and everyday for so many reasons. I am celebrating how much he rocks today because he is going to help me finish putting up the lights and getting our Christmas Tree this year even though it seems almost pointless now because we are so late doing this year. We might not have Christmas stuff up yet but we are enjoying our laziness together!!

Our Thanksgiving Holiday!!

Well, we went to Georgia for Thanksgiving and I must say that driving through the night is no easy task but it was well worth it to have Jayden asleep 11 hours out of a 16 hour trip. We left Monday night at 10pm and I took the 10pm to 7 am driving shift while Jonathan and Jayden slept in the back and then he took the 7 am to 3 pm shift. We had Thanksgiving with my mom, Joe and all of us girls.

After Thanksgiving dinner we all went out side and took family pictures and that was actually fun this year because we did it in my parents back yard instead of in a studio.


Then after all the picture taking we loaded up in the car and went to our annual Stone Mountain Christmas in Stone Mountain Georgia. It was a blast!! Just cold enough but not miserably cold. The Polar Express 4-D was really cool and one of the highlights for sure!!



All in all it was a wonderful trip but nothing beats being back home!!! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.