School pictures

One thing I love about my children going to daycare is getting their pictures made. It was a little pricey but I couldn't turn down pictures of my sweet babies. I thought I'd share. They're getting too big, too fast! I don't know what Jared and I ever did to deserve such beautiful blessings from God!

Busy Year so far

Well, it's been quite a year so far. There have been great things and not so great things in our life since the new year. We started the year off with Landry getting pneumonia for the 3rd time. We found a great pulmonologist who didn't take long to determine the cause of her recurring pneumonia. She doesn't swallow correctly. Seriously, why have my kids had the most random things wrong with them. First, Colt couldn't poop and now my daughter can't swallow! I am thankful that both are fixable. Of course Colt is fine (other than his hard headedness). Landry started Vital Stem therapy with a speech therapist. She goes to her daycare 3 times a week. Each session is about 45 minutes. She connects stimulators to her neck which are supposed to wake up her muscle making her swallow. She has one week and then we'll do another swallow study xray to determine if her swallowing has improved. We're keeping our fingers crossed!

So after 5 days in the hospital and two weeks off of work, life seemed to be getting back to normal.

February was a sick free, no hospital visit month.... until Jared called me to come get him from work b/c he was having horrible stomach cramps, fever and throwing up! I have to say it was almost unbearable to see him in so much pain. They never really got to the bottom of it. They ruled it as a stomach virus. He did do a stress test which turned out great. He did blood work which showed his diabetes is under control. All of his levels came back fair or good. They've always been fair or poor. I'm so proud of my husband. From the time he was diagnosed 3 years ago, he's lost almost 60 pounds (15 most recently since we've been using advocare products and going to the gym). So he seems to be back to normal (well as normal as he can be) for now.

Then a few weeks after his hospital visit, I came down with the flu! I've always thought my immune system was rock solid. I never get sick yet I'm around sick kids all the time. So I took one day off of work, Jared was Mr. Mommy that weekend. I recovered from that and now, two weeks later, I am home with strep throat. WHAT!? I've never had strep either. What is going on? I've missed so much school this year.

Between my flu and strep we did go through an awefull storm. The tornadoes that hit our area was way too close to home. I was at school and had no idea anything was going on. Our principal made an announcement for everyone to get into the hallways. What?! They must be overreacting right? We've never had to do that. Some of the kids were scared but most of them didn't really understand what was really going on. Little did I know, a tornado actually destroyed a building 1/2 from where we were! After that scare was over, I talked to Jared and he told me to stay at school because another one was on it's way. I hung around as long as I could until my dad called in a panic telling me there was a tornado in Forney that did a lot of damage. He didn't know where. So I start to panic because my kids were there at their daycare. So I left in the pouring rain and hail to go get my babies. Thank God, they were fine. A tornado touched down and tore up a neighborhood and a school only a mile from my kids daycare. Later I found out that the owner at their daycare was praying while having all the kids in the hallway. I'm so fortunate that my kids are under the care of such sweet Christian people. So that was a very scary day. But God was definitely watching over all of us!

Here's a few pictures from the past few months.


Easter Day at my parents

With memaw and pepaw

hunting for eggs at Uncle Jaime's and Uncle Joe's



'Don't I look pretty in my Easter dress?




Cousins ready to go get some eggs


Wonder if they'll always look like they love each other so much?!


Glow in the Dark Easter egg hunt with Lex and Luke. So much fun!


Go RAngers!!!




The devastation from the tornado that came too close to our house

This one is 1/2 mile from my school which is where I was trying to keep my 24 first graders safe

She absolutely would not look at the camera. Stubborn little girl!

My compliant child!

One of her Vital Stem therapies. She only has 6 left! These are stimulators on her neck attached with tape. They are shocking her muscle as she swallows. It's crazy what they have to help these weird situations!

She loves her memaws spaghetti!

Mama wanted to try on her new swimsuit. (which clearly is a bit too small!)

She wasn't too happy about me interrupting her bath time!

2011 At a Glance

So apparently I can't raise two kids and keep up with a blog. I have learned that this is the only way I can look back at events in my kids lives and remember. So I'm gonna make a better effort at blogging. I've just posted a few pictures from our summer. So many things have happened. Colt and Landry started going to daycare. I've like it so far except that they always seem to be sick. Hopefully they'll build up a good immune system and not catch everything eventually. I started my 4th year teaching 1st grade. I'm just about burned out teaching 1st. I want to try older. But I'm working on my masters. I'm going through a program that will take me 3 years. So I really don't want to take on a new grade and be working on my masters. So I will continue with my masters for now. When I'm done, I will concentrate on studying for the second level test and get certified to teach either Jr. High or High School. I know it's a jump but I need something different. Jared is still working for Kirco Welding Supply. The summer time is very busy for him so he's ready for things to slow down a little. I can't think of anything else but the pictures can sum things up. Life is a going by so fast. I have to stop and things sometimes, that one day I will wish my kids were still small.



My precious baby girl


Cheering for the Rangers


Sweet boy (only about 30% of the time)


He was worried about his sister falling in the water!


We spent alot of our time swimming this summer


Bubba gave me a banana nut muffin (before I'd ever eaten anything solid)


Whoops! I pulled a table on my head at Rio Lerma


Loving me some Carmona's with daddy!


Pulling up (before I could walk)


Swimming with friends at City Lake


Summer fun at Ham's Peach Orchard


Love to swim!

The past several months

Well as always, I have alot on my plate. I don't take the time out to blog. But an old friend reminded me that I need to record some of the things that Colt is doing now because one day I'll look back and laugh. I cannot believe how fast he is growing and turning into a little boy instead of a toddler. He is such a sweet boy most of the time. He does love to test the waters on a daily basis. HE loves to climb and jump off of things. I feel very fortunate that he seems to be indestructible! Hopefully that will last a while!! It has definitely been an experience trying to take care of a 2 year old and a baby. Landry has become the best baby. She was a little grouchy the first few months. She wouldn't let anyone hold her except for me. But now, she's the perfect baby. She never cries unless she needs something. She has recently discovered her voice. She likes to see how loud she can scream. It was cute the first few days. It's still cute most of the time. Just not when we're in the middle of the store or in Church. For the most part, Colt loves his little sister. He still doesn't call her Landry. He calls her sister. HE loves to kiss on her and hug her. He also loves to hold her, with mommies help of course. Some of my favorite things Colt says..... he says 'no bully" when Bully (our chocolate lab) does something to annoy him. He says 'mony milk' which means chocolate milk. He says "pwetty gurl" to his sister all the time. He says "all done" when I try to take his picture. We are trying to continue potty training since he completely forgot everything he learned when Landry was born. He's so use to getting candy for going potty that as he's "going" he's saying "candy" with a big smile on his face. He prays with us every night. Sometimes he thanks God for everyone in our family. Sometimes he thanks God for his candy. It melts my heart to hear my 2 year old son "talk to God" He also tells us he loves us. There's nothing better in the world. Landry is growing like a weed. She's in the 99th percentile for weight and the 89th for height. So she's a big girl just like her brother. She has just recently started crawling. Now my life is really going to be chaos!!!

On a side note I do want to mention that I am thankful, as a teacher, to be employed right now. I'm not even going to get on my soap box and talk about how ridiculous the legislature is being right now about cutting educational funds. I'll just say that I am lucky to work for a district that has handled it's money smart. I am continuing with my masters (even though with the budget cuts, they eliminated the requirement). I am one class away from being half way done. I will graduate December 2013. It's difficult at times but I have a very supportive husband who picks up the slack when I'm overwhelmed.

Here are some pictures from the past few....okay several months.

After daddy shaved his head


We had some visitors. Our honeymoon friends from Kansas (the friends we met on our honeymoon) came to visit with their son, Cody. Colt had the time of his life.


Landry got her ears pierced.


He absolutely loves his little sister.



We spent the morning swimming and then took a trip out to Hams Peach Orchard to eat a burger and get some peach ice cream. It was so yummy and the kids loved it!


We were trying out some new hats we got for the summer time


8 months going on 16 years!


Colt went to his first Rangers game with daddy and mommy. He had more fun playing with the water bottle fan but it was still a fun experience for him.


Trying not to fall asleep during church


Such a happy baby


They both love the pool


Colt loved it when mommy caught a fish. He had to come kiss it. Yuck!

Whirlwind Life

Well, obviously I thought I would have more time than I do now. I thought, I'll be home for 8 weeks and I'll have plenty of time to help more around the house, have dinner ready, maybe get caught up on laundry. Boy, was I mistaken. This little girl of mine doesn't like to be put down. In fact, she has to be touching me at all times. Not her daddy or her uncle Jakie, but me. So I've gotten creative and learned to do lots of things with a baby attached. My poor baby boy though, has really been rudely awakened. His world has turned upside down. He's acted out in different ways here and there but overall he's handled being a brother pretty well. Landry has gotten a little better at being put down. I guess people were right when they told me God gives you the easy on first so you'll have another. Needless to say, I think 2 is all I can handle. 1 boy and 1 girl is perfect enough for me. So here's a few pictures (not in any order) that I've taken the past few months. Enjoy