Looking Back on 2009

2009...How will it be remembered? What will our family remember most? Will it be the first African American President? The tough economy where many lost their jobs? The death and sickness of some close acquaintances? New friends? Challenges that nearly tore our family apart?



What is it that we will remember about 2009 when we look backwards in a few years? It's really hard to pick just one thing...this past year has been one of sadness, happiness, stress, relaxation, challenges, successess, unknowns, and new discoveries- all in one.



It has definitely been a long journey through 2009. To be completely honest, the past year began with some events that put our family at rock bottom...some events that challenged us as a family to take a good close look at what was important to us in life. Going through these challenges was not fun or enjoyable...but I have to say that after surviving and coming out on the other side, I could not be more thankful to have gone through it. Coming out of those events, our family is stronger, our marriage is closer, we are more content with the things we have, and are definitely a more spiritual family who believes in the power of God. We have seen him answer prayers; we have felt his forgiveness and mercy; and we have felt him carry us through times when we knew we couldn't make it on our own.



As we overcame those obstacles, many new and exciting things began happening to our family including a new job for me, and a job transfer for Jamie which put him closer to home. Both of these were blessings for our family.



We have experienced some wonderful family vacations...one in July with my family, and another in October with just the four of us. That time spent together is something so special to us. It doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing, just being together and enjoying the girls as they grow so quickly, is worth every penny spent on vacation.

We learned in October that we will be welcoming a new member to our family in June...the girls are so excited about having a new brother or sister. We will find out in January so stay tuned to find out... This has brought some other changes, including the fact we now need a bigger house, as we have outgrown our current one. It is on the market, but the economy is not helping it sell. We will have to purchase a new vehicle soon, as a car seat does not fit between Kinsley and Karlie in the backseat of our current vehicle. Oh well...it will all be worth it when we bring home our precious new addition to the family.

As far as our extended families go, we have had some moments this past year that have caused us to pull even closer to these extended families and to be thankful for having them in our lives. These relationships are very important to us, and we are truly thankful that our girls have so many people who love and care about them...what more can you ask for?

Don't get me wrong, things are not always rosey and wonderful in our lives...if I had to sum up 2009 I could do it with this quote,

"It began with us being thrown some big lemons, and it ended with us sitting back sipping on some wonderful lemonade looking toward 2010 and wondering what will come...whatever it may be."

Happy New Year to all of you. I hope 2010 will bring blessings and hope to you and your families.

Shhh...It's a secret

I love the honesty of 3 year olds.

Tonight as I was blow drying Karlie's hair before she went to bed, she kept turning and looking at me like she wanted to tell me something. I just thought she wouldn't tell me because she thought I wouldn't be able to hear her over the blow dryer, so I leaned really close to her and asked "What did you want to tell me?"

"I didn't say nuffin." she said...then she keeps looking at me with that look of "I really want to tell you something."

So I said to her again, "What is it? What did you want to tell me?"

Her reply, "I'm not going to tell you. Daddy helped me write my name in your birthday card, but daddy said I am not supposed to tell you about the card. So I can't tell you."

I just smiled, chuckled under my breath, and told her "If daddy said not to tell then make sure you don't tell."

She seemed content with that. She smiled, nodded her head, and said, "Okay, I won't tell."

Thankful...

Have you ever let little things get you completely stressed out? You know, things that don't amount to a hill of beans...yet affect us like it's the end of the world? Do you really take time at Thanksgiving to STOP and be thankful for all of your blessings, your family, your health, etc...or are you too busy worrying about getting all the food cooked and on a nicely decorated table, too busy checking the sale ads for Black Friday, or being totally consumed by football, that you completely overlook the fact that the purpose of the holiday is to stop and be thankful for your bountiful blessings? (You realize that by saying "you" I am really meaning "me".)

Well, tonight I had a moment that hit me square in the face. It hit me hard. And it made me realize that I take everything I have for granted. I am not near as thankful as I should be, and I treat little petty things like major events. Guess I needed a reality check and that is exactly what I got.

You see, a family at our church is pleading for prayers for their sister. She is in ICU and very ill. She isn't much older than me, and she has young children at home like me. I have been praying several times a day for her, as well as checking her caringbridge site for updates at least 5-6 times a day. It has been devastating to this familiy, but their faith is strong and many people are crying out to God on her behalf. How thankful I should be every day for my health and the health of my family! However, I don't. I don't stop near enough and truly thank God for these blessings.

Tonight on the caringbridge update, the family asked us to continue to pray for their family member, but to also pray for a 3 year old little girl with cancer. At the end of the post they put a link to the young girl's caringbridge site.

As I sat and read the updates, looked at the pictures of the beautiful child, and read the comments that people are leaving for the family, I felt completely guilty. I sat and cried my eyes out. Why this little girl? I have a 3 year old, also. Why do I think that I am so special nothing like this will happen to my family? How thankful I should be that my children have lived very healthy lives so far! Why do I think my family is invincible to bad things? Well, the realization is that we aren't. We haven't been lucky, either. God has blessed us thus far with the gift of health. I should be rejoicing daily and thanking Him profusely. But do I? Of course not.

Let's face it. I needed a wake-up call. And tonight...I got one. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I cannot get the little girl off my mind. And the sad thing is that she isn't the only small child going through something like this. There are children all over who are battling diseases and sicknesses. It's not rare. And my family is not invincible. Thank you Lord for reminding me how blessed I am and how thankful I should be.

Catching Up...

Haven't done my part on keeping the blog current. My apologies to those few of you left who check it for new posts quite often (Grandpa). Lots has happened since the last real post about everyone starting a new school year.

Let's start with Kinsley. She LOVES school. She has blossomed more than I ever thought possible. In fact, there have been no tears at all at school (except for a few times in the gym for PE...but that has been worked out.) After knowing how shy and timid she is, her teacher was even afraid that she would be one who cried for the first month of Kindergarten....not so. She went in the first day with a big smile on her face and has loved it ever since. She even enjoys riding the bus from her school to mine in the afternoon, and if we are early in the mornings, she likes to ride the bus (however that hasn't happened too much : ) )She is already learning to read, which is amazing to me. The thing that I feared worst about Kindergarten is happening...my baby is growing up and maturing before my very own eyes. I am so proud of her. She has really come out of her shell...she still has a ways to go, but the progress is huge!

Karlie Ryan goes to Dayschool two days a week and thinks it's great! The other days she is still at Mrs. Carla's and Bobo's. She gets spoiled rotten there, and I love it. They are more like a third set of grandparents to the girls rather than a babysitter...something that is not easy to find. We are thankful for them. She is growing up very quickly, too. She sailed right through the terrible twos without them actually being so terrible. However, I am not yet convinced that threes are going to be quite as easy. She is incredibly independent, and very smart. She amazes me everyday with things that she says or does.

Both girls are excited about Christmas- as long as Santa doesn't come in the house. And if he HAS to come in the house to leave the presents, then he BETTER NOT wake us up. They are not big fans of Santa...when we saw him at the mall (from the 2nd floor) Karlie screamed "GETME OUT OF HERE! I WANT TO GO HOME!" for the next 20 minutes. It was quite funny.

Jamie has taken up a new hobby- hunting. Whew, who knew it required so much gear and money to go sit in a field and shoot an animal. Oh wait...we haven't shot one yet. Haven't even seen very many. I don't get it. But he loves it. So I am trying to be supportive even though I really don't understand this new hobby. I just ask him not to "shoot his eye out" every time before he goes. Ah, he also has made a bet with a few guys at work about not being allowed to cut their hair until April....I never thought he would make it this long because it always bothered him if it wasn't buzzed....but when money is involved I guess he can do it. So if you see him and he looks kind of shaggy...it's all in the name of $40.

I absolutely love my new job this year. Fourth grade is awesome. It has been a really good year. I enjoy the time that the girls and I get to spend together in the car on the way to school in the mornings. Quality time that I try not to take for granted. Our lives have been so busy since school started (isn't everyones?) . When we aren't gone or busy doing something, I am trying to rest as I have been exhausted lately...this is due to the fact that we are expecting again. Our third child is due this summer and I have had more sickness and exhaustion with this pregnancy than either of the girls'. Could that mean a boy? We don't know yet but I will be sure to keep you posted. We have had lots of ultrasounds so far with this baby because this pregnancy is being considered high risk. Apparently I have a genetic disorder that makes me prone to blood clots...so at anytime a blood clot could form and block the baby from getting the nutrients it needs to grow and survive. I am thankful to have made it to the 12 week mark, but I also have been told that with my condition, this pregnancy will not be out of the "danger zone" until the baby is born. So, please pray for a healthy pregnancy that results in a healthy baby.

I know this is long...sorry. Just lots to say to catch up from the past 3 months....

Our house is still on the market. We are getting very antsy about selling it because we have finally found another house. The house that my parents lived in while I was in college is for sale and we have a contract on it contigent upon the sale of our house. This all took place this week, so now we are more ready to sell than ever before. We need the right person to come look at our house...So if you know anyone looking in this area....send them our way!

I know I say this everytime, but I WILL do better about keeping up. I will try to update the pregnancy, house situation, Jamie's hair, etc....Ha Ha!

For now, I think this is WAAAAAAY too long, and wonder if anyone made it through the entire post before falling asleep from boredom?

Candy canes and Christmas

So, I need to update...but that will have to wait for a day that I have some more time and feel inspired. Tonight I just want to share this story...

As the holiday season approaches, Jamie and I begin to prod the girls about things they really would like to have, as opposed to the "I want that!" for every commercial that comes on TV. So tonight we asked them, "What do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?"

Kinsley already had 1 item in mind- an inexpensive digital camera for kids. (hmmm...that sounds possible.)

Karlie immediately responds "A candy cane- just one candy cane."

"A candy cane? Don't you want some toys or something to go with all your Barbies?"

"Nope. Just one candy cane is all I want."

Wow, was all I could think.

How wonderful to be so content with the things you already have. Maybe I could learn a few lessons from her.

A new friend

Kinsley came home from school the other day and we had the following conversation...

K- I met a new girl in my class today.

Me- really? What's her name?

K- I don't know, but we played together on the playground and I sat by her at lunch.

Me- That's great, Kinsley. Is she nice?

K- Yeah, but she had to pull her card today.

Me- really? already? what did she do?

K- She called me a dootie head.

Me- (trying not to laugh) Oh....did you tattle on her to the teacher?

K- No I didn't tattle on her.

Me- Then who told on her?

K- I did.


Maybe I have given the whole "don't be a tattle-tale" sermon too many times.

A Week of Firsts...

When it rains, it pours...right? Well this past week all of our firsts came on the same day...

Karlie went to Dayschool for her first day on Wednesday.

Kinsley went to her first day of Kindergarten on Wednesday.

And I started the first full day in my new position with students-you guessed it- on Wednesday.

My morning routine typically consists of getting myself ready, dragging the girls out of bed in their PJs, and taking them to the sitter on the way to work. So, having to get everyone dressed, hair fixed, teeth brushed, and fed....well, that seemed nearly impossible. Especially considering that both of the girls became pros at "sleeping in" this summer.

We did it. I don't know how, but we did. And we even had enough time before we had to leave to take pictures.

Karlie enjoyed Dayschool...she doesn't talk much about it, but gets excited when she gets to go back. I had no worries about her. She walked right in the first day, told me bye, and headed off to play.

Surprisingly, Kinsley did great her first day of Kindergarten. Mom was a basket case, but she was calm and excited. We met her teacher out front. She gave me a hug and told me bye. NO tears at all (at least not from her, ha ha). That afternoon she even had another first- she rode the school bus from her school to mine- a total of about a 30 second ride...but she enjoyed the ride.

Exhaustion doesn't even seem to be the right word to describe the 3 of us Wednesday night. I made the mistake of wearing a new pair of shoes, so I had 4 blisters on each foot. My legs were hurting, my feet were sore, I just wanted to go to bed. It was a great day, but getting back into the swing of things for a new school year is exhausting. My new job is awesome. I am enjoying the older kids, although 25 kids in one class is enough to drain anyone...the people I work with are great, and the year has gotten off to a fabulous start. It is very refreshing compared to last year.

We're off to a great start. I will try to update more frequently and keep you posted on our school experiences this year.

Answered Prayers

Last week brought some answers to our prayers...

As many of you know, last summer I got a new job in the county where we live. I was very excited- it was closer to home- which was great considering gas was about $4 a gallon. However, I quickly realized that it was not the environment for me. In fact, the school where I was placed was exactly the opposite environment from where I had been for the past 6 years. Not just different- completely different. I usually can handle changes well. I can "roll with the punches", adjust to new environments, and keep on truckin. No matter how hard I tried to be happy, my new environment was literally killing my spirit on a daily basis. It just wasn't the place for me.

When my former principal heard that I was unhappy, she called and offered me a temporary position back at my former school (she is awesome!). At first, we didn't think we would be able to do it financially because I would only get paid a daily rate (instead of my salary), I wouldn't get any benefits, I only got paid for the days I was there (no sick time), and when the temporary position was complete, I would be unemployed- unless something opened up. To be completely honest- it was a RISK. A big one.

The more we thought about it, and the more unhappy I became, we decided that money was not worth the unhappiness and decided to take the risk, knowing that something would work out because we fully trusted that God would take care of us. But, I have to admit- we were really nervous about it.

So February 1 I began my new position. It was like a breath of fresh air to be out of the smothering environment. Friends and family immediately noticed a change in me. I realized quickly that we had definitely made the right decision...or had we?

As the end of the school year approached (and so did my temporary job), the possibility of a job coming available for next year looked pretty dim due to extreme budget cuts in the county. I applied anyway, interviewed, and found out at the interview that, in fact, there were NO jobs open in the entire county. I applied at another school closer to home, and thought there would be a position there, but nothing.

For about 2-3 weeks I wondered what exactly God had in store for our familyI couldn't sleep, and everytime the phone rang I ran to answer it, hoping it would be a job offer. I was constantly trying to figure out the next step for my life...should I have stayed where I was unhappy just to have a job to help provide for our family? am I supposed to stay home and be a mom? should I pursue another career? is this an opportunity to move to another county away from our families? or should I just be patient?

I know it's only June and most people are just beginning to enjoy their summer vacations, and next school year is the farthest thing from their mind...but for me, not knowing if I would have a job in August was eating me up inside. I wasn't sure how long I could go without a job (I have always had a job- since I was about 14 I have always worked after school and during the summer, I continued to work through college, and picked right up after graduation) Not having a job was a HUGE deal for me. So, Wednesday I decided that I could not let this ruin my summer at home with the girls. I had to quit obsessing about it and worrying about it- worrying was not going to make a job appear. So I decided to completely give the situation over to God. I prayed for him to take the burden fand carry it for me. I prayed that His Will be done and for me to be okay with whatever that was.

This past Thursday Jamie and I were on our way to Nashville for the CMA Fest and my cell phone rang around 4:30. Without thinking a thing about it, I answered... and with that phone call, all of my worries were lifted completely off my shoulders. One position (in the county I had worked for 6 years) had become available and they were calling to offer it to me. Thank you Lord!

So, our prayers were answered and I have a job for next year. I know the women I will be working with and they are all great. I am very excited and can now relax and enjoy the summer. So, for those of you who have prayed about my job situation, THANK YOU! I have the most wonderful family and friends that anyone could ask for.

Now, let's get busy enjoying summer vacation!!!!

I love you anyway...

Okay, I know you are shocked because I don't usually post twice in one week (gasp!) BUT...tonight I had to share a funny with you.

Kinsley's prayer before going to bed tonight:

Dear God,
Thank you for this day.
Please help me sleep good tonight.
Thank you for keeping daddy safe on his fishing trip today. (Aw, how sweet...)
Let daddy know that I still love him, even though he didn't catch a big catfish!
Amen.

Summer Break is Here!

While it isn't officially summer yet, here at the Spears' house it is close enough! The way we see it, mom home from school = summer vacation. So we have spent most of our time the past 2 weeks outside.

Remember last summer how we had a picnic lunch outside almost everyday? Well, that didn't last long this year, as Kinsley was stung by a bee on our 2nd day outside. So, lunch has been moved indoors for the time being.

Kinsley's new passion is the sprinkler. She LOVES to play in it- Karlie, on the other hand, HATES the sprinkler. She had rather sit in her little kiddie pool and watch. It is quite a site to watch...Kinsley wears her goggles so that the water doesn't get her in eyes, Karlie sits and watches from the pool, which occasionally gets a few hits from the sprinkler...which then causes lots of screaming and crying. Fun times! Here are some of the latest pics...

"I may look funny, but there isn't any water in my eyes!"

Happy in my little pool...
"Momma, tell that spwinker to stop!"

G-O, Let's GO!

Kinsley celebrated her 5th birthday today with 8 of her friends and 3 of her favorite high school cheerleaders. She LOVES cheerleading so she decided about a month ago that she wanted a cheerleading themed birthday party. It was the first "friend" party that she has had and overall I would say it was a success. We ended up with good weather, except for wind that kept blowing all of the decorations around. Here are some pictures from the party:

Sidewalk chalk should always be supervised play

So, tonight after supper the girls asked if they could go outside and play while I cleaned up the kitchen. They have just gotten to the point where they will play outside without me or Jamie right by their side. So most nights after supper that's where they go. While they are out, they come in and out to give updates of what they're playing or tattle on each other.

Tonight they asked if they could play with their new sidewalk chalk that they got for Easter. They love sidewalk chalk and since we don't have a paved driveway, they draw on the garage floor. Kinsley has been practicing writing her numbers, letters, people's names, etc. Sidewalk chalk is great! Right? Well, maybe I should have asked where they planned to draw.....

Graceful

Have I mentioned before that poor Karlie is not gifted in being very graceful? Well, those of you who know our family or have read our blog over the past few months know that Karlie has been given the nickname "Knothead". She falls ALL the time and seems to always hit her head. Tonight we had another fall so I wanted to share pictures of the newest knot... She made it down the deck stairs just fine- it's the straight, flat sidewalk that seemed to just jump out at her.

Thank goodness her pediatrician knows us well or we might be getting a visit from DCS...her knees are scraped and bruised, if you look really close you can tell she has a busted lip (from 2 days ago), and there is a scrape on her right arm. Maybe I should put her in a bubble suit.

Easter Pics

We had a great Easter. The girls enjoyed dying eggs, eating candy, hunting eggs, eating candy, flying kites, eating candy, getting a visit from the Easter Bunny, and eating candy. Did I mention they enjoyed the candy?

Here are some pics...

WE did it!

This past Saturday I finally completed my Graduate program!! I sat through the last class, turned in the last set of papers, and found out that I had passed my Comp exam. Yippee! This is a great accomplishment for not only me- but my entire family. Notice that I titled this post "WE did it". That's because I absolutely could not have made it through this program the last 2 years without my family.

Jamie has been wonderful to entertain the girls on nights when I had papers that needed to be written, projects to be done, or books to be read. Both of our families have volunteered countless Saturdays to keep the girls while I was in class and Jamie was unable to watch them. The girls have also been wonderful through this- not always understanding why mommy couldn't spend the day with them on Saturdays, but willing to give that up for a period of time.

I have to say that it has truly been a family effort and I couldn't have made it through (and maintained a 4.0) if it hadn't been for Jamie and our families. Graduation isn't until May so technically I don't have my degree yet, but for me- IT'S OVER and it feels very very good.

The last step in the process is taking the Praxis in June in order to get my Administrator's license...after that, I don't plan on going back to school for a L-O-N-G time!

Some laughs from the girls...

I love sitting back and watching the girls as they grow and as their personalities develop. They are two completely different children. Their personalities couldn't be farther apart on the spectrum. Jamie and I get a kick out of listening as they interact with each other. Never does a day go by without something happening that we sit back and laugh about. Two particular instances happened today.

First up is Kinsley. She is a total GIRLY GIRL. She loves cheerleading, lip gloss, fingernail polish, purses, jewelry, and changing clothes several times a day. As soon as we get home from the babysitters house, the changing begins. And on days like today where we have nowhere to go, it is her favorite thing to do. I have seen at least 10 different ensembles put together today. The funny part about this- she has ZERO sense of style. Take a look at the #1 pick for today...

Yes, you see it right. It's a shirt with cherries, purple shorts with a flower pattern, socks, and plaid shoes. Jamie and I got a good laugh out of this one.

Karlie, on the other hand, is a rough and tough tomboy. She is always into everything. She has no fear. The problem? She is as clumsy as the day is long. One of her nicknames is "Knot Head." She first got this nickname right after she was born because of a cefalohematoma (sp?) that was caused from her being vaccumed out (even though she was born via C-section).

She has had many bumps and bruises from falling and running into things so the nickname still seems appropriate. Today she continued this tradition by falling and hitting her head on the corner of the refrigerator. She was trying to balance on top of a ball. She fell, couldn't catch herself, and went head-first into the edge of the refrigerator door. I know this isn't funny- or it wasn't when it happened...but after we knew she was okay, her daddy immediately called her a knot head and the laughter began. Below is a picture of her right after she was born and another one from today...just so that you understand why the nickname is perfect.

Ready for Spring

I hate winter. Plain and simple- winter stinks. Everything is dead and ugly. It is cold, windy, and just miserable. I have never been one to be very fond of winter. I think it's downright depressing. I love sunshine, warmth, tanned-skin, and the beauty of things that are alive and blooming. I do love summer, but I would have to say that Spring has to be the most inspiring and revitalizing time of the year- not only for plants and flowers, but for my inner self.

This winter has been an especially difficult one as our family has faced many challenges. In fact, at times we were shaken completely to our core. It is definitely a winter that I am ready to be finished with- in fact, it's one that I hope to forget and never have to be reminded of...so I am looking forward to Spring with more fervor than ever this year. I am ready for new beginnings, new growth, and revitalized strength. More than ever I want to put the past in the past and look ahead toward the future- a fresh start, if you will.

I fully believe that everything happens for a reason...sometimes we don't always see or understand the reasons, but eventually things will come into focus. Taking a look back at the last year, I can see God working in my life. He has been preparing me every day for the challenges He knew I would face. I honestly feel stronger than ever coming out of the trials from this winter. I feel closer to God than ever before, and know that HE will always take care of me if I let Him. I must trust that He knows what I can handle, and that He will never give me more than that amount. Trials only make us stronger- without them we would never grow, we wouldn't realize how much we need Him, and we wouldn't appreciate the truly good times in our lives.

Although there is still snow on my deck as I type this, the weather forcasters say that Spring weather will be here by the end of this week. Ah, warm weather...recess at school...flowers blooming...playing outside with the girls...Comp exams...Graduation (finally)...and who knows what else this Spring will bring for our family. I can't wait to find out!

Spring, please come quickly!

The trip to Knoxville

The following is a text that I received from Jamie today as he, his dad, his uncle, and his cousin traveled to Knoxville for the UT v. Memphis basketball game. It was so hilarious (and well-written I might add) that I had to share it. I had no idea Jamie had this type of writing ability...maybe he should start keeping up the blog since I am terrible at keeping it updated.

Anyway, the following is copied exactly from my cell phone...

It was that time. The time to head to the land of orange and white, God's country. After our usual stop at a fast food joint, the journey began. It started as always with a discussion about high school basketball and a prediciton of today's huge game. We then entered the interstate where I knew it would be just a short time and we would be there. A good nap was in the line for me.

All of a sudden I heard this pop, similar to that of a balloon busting, followed by a lot of air. I knew the food Uncle Marty had eaten had not had ample time to have settled -so he, for once, was innocent. The sound continued and it finally hit me- we have a flat tire. I wish I had had a video recorder. It was a sight comparable to a *(I think I better leave the comparison out)- we had to remove the tire.

This is probably the first time in our lives that you saw four guys swallow their pride and do what most guys don't do. Yes, we did it- we got out the instructions and began reading in hopes that one of us four rednecks could figure out how to remove the spare tire. After passing the instructions back and forth several times, we finally discovered where the wrench needed to be placed in order to begin the process of removing the tire. After 15 minutes, the spare tire was off. We then had to figure out where the jack needed to be placed in order to remove the flat tire. We put our brains together and decided the resting place for the jack. We were able to lift the van and remove the flat. We maneuvered enough to get the spare on. Guess what? Yes you guessed it- the spare tire was low- in fact, it was almost flat.

We were fortunate enough to have a device which plugged into the cigarette lighter and we were able to air the once-air-deflated spare tire to near maximum capacity. We were all frozen but could not have been happier to be on our way to see the Vols play.

Believe it or not, this all took place without any cursing, swearing, or wrenches being thrown!

You can imagine how many texts it took to tell the story. And if you know these 4 men who were traveling together, this story is absolutely HILARIOUS! There are a lot of comments I could make, but I think I will just keep my mouth shut. Hope you enjoyed that as much as I did.

Catching up...

So it's been since October that I last posted...sorry. Things at our house have been busy and didn't leave much time for blogging. Actually there wasn't much to blog about. It seems like the past two months have been stressful and like our entire family has been in survival mode. I don't know how we get there, or if anyone else feels this way, but sometimes life seems to turn into survival instead of enjoyment. Get up, get ready, take the kids to the sitters, go to work, pick up the kids from the sitters, come home, cook supper, do dishes, give baths, read stories, put kids to bed, pick up the house, go to bed. It is so easy for me to get caught up in the routines of everyday life, that often times I forget that life is supposed to be enjoyable. I forget to "stop and smell the roses" if you will.

One of my New Years Resolutions this year is to do a better job enjoying life. I don't want to look back on this time in my life and have any regrets...I want to have fun, not take life too seriously, and make sure all of my family and friends know how much I love and care for them. I am extremely blessed with wonderful people all around me - I'm not sure what I would do without them. I want to be a more positive person- trying to remind myself to always see the glass as half- full instead of half-empty with streaks on the glass and a chip at the top. I know this won't be easy- isn't it always easier to see the flaws than the blessings of others?

I have greatly enjoyed my Christmas break from school. The girls are at such fun ages- we have had a blast! In fact I am not looking forward to going back to school on Monday...(more on that topic coming soon). This break has made me wish I could spend more time at home with them, but since there are bills to pay, I have decided that I must enjoy and cherish every moment that I am with them.

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year! Hopefully I will do better posting more often!

Since it's been so long since I posted, here are a few pics that were taken since Hallween- just to catch you up.

This was taken in Pigeon Forge, TN. Jamie and I went with some other couples from our church at the beginning of November and had a BLAST! So beautiful!

Karlie's idea of keeping warm and still looking good!

I know this is blurry, but it's my only picture of the girls in our first snow this winter. This was a present for my birthday- it fell on Dec. 11th and we got a snow day from school on the 12th!

Posing in front of the tree...Karlie kept checking out her big sis to see how she was supposed to pose. It was hilarious to watch her imitate Kinsley.

Karlie's favorite present of all- CHAPSTICK and lip gloss! We have to hide it from her on a daily basis.

Kinsley rockin' out to her Hannah Montana guitar...Karlie got one too. We are at Jamie's dad's house...do you think he likes UT?

Kinsley's first cake in her Easy Bake Oven.

Part of Kinsley's gift from us was redecorating her bedroom. We painted and got new bedding. Decorations are still in the works.

I have been feeling kind of crafty lately...so my latest project involved paint, ribbon, and Kinsley's boring white lamp shade. I think I'll keep my day job.