Top 11 for 2011

1) Being nomimated for Teacher of the Year my very first year teaching. I had the largest student vote, their were only 6 nominated out of 75.
2) Being able to get another job at another great school after being let go.
3) Took Colton to Disneyland for his 1st time ever! (Man I love that place)
4) I was able to attend my best friend's wedding in California in Sept. (might I add without children) I was SO happy that I was able to be there we have been friends for 18 years and counting.
5) Rick and I were able to go to a long time friend's wedding at the Four Season's in Santa Barbara in November. It was by far the most extravagent wedding I have ever been to and it was our first night away from both the kids EVER!!
6) I turned 30!!! Had a wonderful birthday celebration with friends and family.
7) We all remained in overall good health throughout the year.
8) I got a more fuel efficent vehicle, the gas prices were driving me insane with my Edge. Loving my 29 road, 40 hwy mgp now!
9) This year marks the 8th year that Rick and I have been married. I can't believe how time has flown! Here's to many more wonderful years with my love.
10) Colton started preschool this year he goes 2 times a week with his bubba and he loves it. Its also the last year that Jackson will be in preschool, next year he will be a kindergartener! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT!!!
11) By far the best purchase of the year....my IPAD....I freaking love that thing and so does everyone else in the house.

God's blessings over flowed this year as they usually do. I feel like a lot of things in my top 11 had to do with purchases and thats not what makes us as a family by any means but its been a pretty quiet (thankfully) year. I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store!

Hold your excitment...

...for 2 posts in a matter of a week this month! I know, I know...I am getting CRAZY! I was thinking about this evening how quickly my 20's are coming to a close and I thought I would blog about what happened in my 20's.

~~At 20 it was the worst year for our country, Sept. 11th, I will never forget...ever. I also lost my Grandma Arlie, I still miss her face!
~~I turned 21...being legal to drink is a milestone for anyone I don't care what you say! Not a huge drinker but I did love that I was able to when I wanted. Now, I rarely ever get carded (aw...sad face)
~~At 22 Rick went into the Army. He needed a change and he is glad he did it. I also got to marry the best man around. I know I am sure most people with blissful marriages say this...but I mean it. I am SUPER lucky to have met and married my best friend and the best daddy to our boys!
~~At 23 I graduated college and moved to Italy to be with my stellar husband a week later. In the 1st month I was there, we drove to England (yes, under the English Channel and everything) and visited Germany. Rick had a lot of training this year to prepare to go to Afghanistan, so amongst the changes of moving to another country I was often by my self trying to figure things out.
~~At 24 I moved back to Texas for a year while Rick was deployed to Afghanistan. This was the HARDEST YEAR OF MY LIFE! Within the 1st week of being deployed there they lost 15 soldiers in a helicopter crash...I knew at that moment this was going to be a long year. I was a paralegal for a law firm during this year as well. I don't think I have ever cried as much as I did this year. But, I learned a lot...I learned what is important in life and what is not. I learned that communication is the key to making any relationship work and not to sweat the small stuff even with the ones you love the most. Most of all I learned that God can bring you out of the darkest times and fill your heart with more joy than can ever be explained. I would have never gotten through this year if it weren't for the God's grace and love.
~~At 25 I moved back to Italy to await Rick's return. Quickly after Rick returned from Afghanistan we found out I was expecting. Never knew I could get so large....ha! At 7.5 months along I flew back to Texas where we were going to start a home because Rick was getting out of the Army. Rick flew back 10 days before we welcomed Jackson Devaun 9lbs 1oz 21.5inches of blessing (and he was 2 weeks early) into our lives. Never knew my heart could love another so much until I saw his perfect little c-section head/face.
~~At 26 we continued to watch Jackson grow into the wonderful, full of energy little boy that he is. We also bought our first house in Houston, TX. I was fortunate to be a stay at home mom and be there for Jackson's milestones.
~~I can honestly say that 27 and most of 28 were a blur of momminess (if that is even a word) establishing ourselves in Houston. Trying to find a good church to call home. Just living life to the fullest. I did loose my Grandma Shirley which was really tough since both my grandma's played a huge part in raising me. At the end of my 28th year we found out we were expecting again....who knew what surprises would come.
~~In my 29th year I had (via c-section) Makayla Jean....oh WAIT...nope surprise in the delivery room after 4 ultrasounds....Colton Richard 9lbs 5oz 20.5 inches (2 weeks early like his big brother). Colton seriously was a replica of Jackson at first. I swear Rick and I would look into his little bassinet and be like...serious dejavu! I didn't think I had room to love another as much as the 1st...but you sure do! God makes your heart just a bit bigger to fit everyone in. This same year I decided to get my teaching certification and started working full time as a teacher when Colton was just 6 months old. Then the rest is history...or stated in the blog below.

Seriously my 20's were filled to the brim. I cannot wait to see what is in store for my 30's. I am blessed beyond anything that I can express. Here's to my 30's....

It's been awhile...

...that phrase seems to fit this last year of blogging. I have done a terrible job at trying to keep up with this thing. But working and taking care of the kids most evenings by myself because of Rick's schedule is not very condusive for much of any free time let alone blogging. My 1st year as a teacher just finished up last week. What a glorious year it was. I truly feel like this is my calling in life. I enjoyed being apart of 130 kids lives this year. It has given me some prespective into how I want to be as a parent when my children are in HS. Not that we haven't all been there, but now as a parent its funny how "parent-like" your ideals are. Times have changed even since I was in HS, although for the most part its still the same drama just another time. The last part of this school year has been an emotional rollercoaster to say the least. In March we found out that the state was going to be cutting education in the budget. (which I personally think should never be an option) Because of that the district I work in decided that they were not going to renew contracts to the teachers that were 1st year to our district. So, 15 of us (at our campus) in March got the notice from our administration that we were not going to have a job next year. I am a fortunate person that I am able to stay at home with our kids but as I said before I LOVE my job. I looked forward to going to work everyday so this news hit me with such heartache. We wished our admistration got to choose who left our campus, but that was not the case. The district just did a broad sweep. Right after we were told this news I was nominated for Teacher of the Year (1 of 6 nominees out of 140 teachers). This was such an honor. Its hard to get a nomination like this especially when you work at a campus with a wonderful faculty. Over March and even through the end of May I was told on mulitple occasions that I had a chance to be hired back. SO its like sitting on a teeter totter....I have a job....no I don't have a job....I have a job....you get the point. I was finally told definitively this last week of school that there was no chance for me to be hired back. So needless to say the last week of school was filled with many tears. The last projects we watched in class...made me cry....saying goodbye to all my kids sweet faces....made me cry....have lunch with some great co-workers/friends....made me cry. Even writting this today makes me tear up. It was SO hard to say these goodbyes...and I am notoriously terrible at goodbyes anyways so that doesn't help. I am going to miss my job. I am looking forward to being with the boys and Rick is for sure looking forward to not being Mr. Mom while I am at work. I am a firm believer in that God has a plan. I know it was God that lead me to this job and God will lay the path for whatever is in my future. I will write sooner than later...promise!