Wow! I can not believe it is New Year's Eve. I really wanted to post sooner but somehow the last week completely got away from me. We have been going non-stop (as I am sure many of you have too.)
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. We sure did. We spent the morning opening gifts from Santa and the afternoon with Danny's entire family eating, visiting and playing games. I have been going to these family gatherings for nearly ten years now and I am still amazed at the turnout. I am pretty sure it is because I come from a small family who are literally spread around the globe so everyone being in one place at the same time is unheard of. At times the large crowd is still somewhat overwhelming for me, but I am glad my children are involved in these wonderful gatherings that include grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and even second cousins. They have a blast and there are never any arguments when bedtime rolls around!
2008 has been a very eventful year as we have watched our children grow and reach new milestones. There were a lot of "firsts", new adventures, experiences and challenges. We have been enjoying every minute (well to be honest....maybe not every moment.), we are still proud to be their parents.
Brynn turned three last April. For a three year old she definitely knows what she likes and does not like (and apparently our tastes are very different). I figured I would have a few more years to pick out clothing before the pickiness would settle in, but I was dead wrong. She likes to pick out her own clothes and would wear a princess dress everyday if you let her. She loves being a "mommy" to her babies, having tea parties and going to the park. She started ballet and tap last June and is enjoying being a "ballerina." She had her first recital a few weeks ago which was hilarious watch. She really enjoys performing and has absolutely no stage fright; she sang and danced her heart out (it was too cute). This past September she started a Mother's Day Out program twice a week. She loves going and the transition was so smooth it was scary. She enjoys learning and loves playing with the other children. She is very affectionate and a great big sister to her brother and we feel so blessed to have her in our lives. She is a beautiful little girl!
Braden turned the big one this past April and started walking one week later....and from there it has been non-stop. This little boy has so much energy it is crazy! He warms our heart and has the biggest smile I have ever seen. He loves anything with wheels, cars, blocks, playing outside and water. I do "stress" water and if I believed in prior lifetimes...I would say he was a fish. Whether it is the bathtub, swimming pool, hose pipe, puddle or the water dispenser in the refrigerator this little boy will find it. He is crazy-in-love for playing in/with water (which means lots of locked doors around our house). He has really started talking up a storm these last few months adding new words daily. It is so much fun watching him learn and discover his world around him. He loves his big sister and her toys! He is a happy little boy and has brought so much joy into our lives.
This past year was challenging for me as I struggled with the idea of going back to work. I began to feel like I needed "more" (I think any mom out there understands what I am talking about) and being home all the time was starting to drive me crazy (hope that does not sound too bad).
I love my family and am grateful I get to be with my children everyday don't get me wrong, but I have literally worked since I was 16 years old (and if you count baby sitting since I was 12) and I was missing work. So in February I started working part-time at a Scrapbook store. I must say it is not like any other job I have had, but I am really enjoying it. I have met some great people and love being around others who enjoy the hobby as much as I have grown too. So it a nutshell....it was just what I needed.
Last, but not least....Danny completed his first team triathlon this past July. He biked 14 miles and ran 5 miles while his best friend swam 1000 meters. They placed 53rd out of 200. We are proud of him for accomplishing his goal! This past summer he began a new position within Applied. This was a blessing for us, not only is he now working a normal day shift, but his commute went from an hour (or more) each way to 15 minutes each way. Talk about helping the gas budget! He really enjoys working with this group, but with the uncertainty of the economy his company recently announced a layoff. It has been a rough year for Applied and the employees there. Unfortunately, Danny was notified before Christmas he will no longer have a job as of July 24th, 2009 and his work center will be moving to Singapore. If he stays with the company until the 24th of July he will receive a severance package. It was not the best news right before Christmas, but it definitely could have been worse. We are going to take things day by day.
I do not want to close with depressing news....so now some good news for our family. As I type my mom and stepfather are driving (but promised to stop before midnight) a moving truck from Lansing, Michigan to Hobbs, New Mexico with several stops along the way. My stepfather was offered a job he could not pass up (even in the middle of nowhere) this past summer. After spending six months apart (my mom was trying to sell their house) they have decided to rent it and she is joining him in New Mexico. We are SO excited to have them only six hours away. Please be thinking of them as they make their journey across the United States safely!
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. We sure did. We spent the morning opening gifts from Santa and the afternoon with Danny's entire family eating, visiting and playing games. I have been going to these family gatherings for nearly ten years now and I am still amazed at the turnout. I am pretty sure it is because I come from a small family who are literally spread around the globe so everyone being in one place at the same time is unheard of. At times the large crowd is still somewhat overwhelming for me, but I am glad my children are involved in these wonderful gatherings that include grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and even second cousins. They have a blast and there are never any arguments when bedtime rolls around!
2008 has been a very eventful year as we have watched our children grow and reach new milestones. There were a lot of "firsts", new adventures, experiences and challenges. We have been enjoying every minute (well to be honest....maybe not every moment.), we are still proud to be their parents.
Brynn turned three last April. For a three year old she definitely knows what she likes and does not like (and apparently our tastes are very different). I figured I would have a few more years to pick out clothing before the pickiness would settle in, but I was dead wrong. She likes to pick out her own clothes and would wear a princess dress everyday if you let her. She loves being a "mommy" to her babies, having tea parties and going to the park. She started ballet and tap last June and is enjoying being a "ballerina." She had her first recital a few weeks ago which was hilarious watch. She really enjoys performing and has absolutely no stage fright; she sang and danced her heart out (it was too cute). This past September she started a Mother's Day Out program twice a week. She loves going and the transition was so smooth it was scary. She enjoys learning and loves playing with the other children. She is very affectionate and a great big sister to her brother and we feel so blessed to have her in our lives. She is a beautiful little girl!
Braden turned the big one this past April and started walking one week later....and from there it has been non-stop. This little boy has so much energy it is crazy! He warms our heart and has the biggest smile I have ever seen. He loves anything with wheels, cars, blocks, playing outside and water. I do "stress" water and if I believed in prior lifetimes...I would say he was a fish. Whether it is the bathtub, swimming pool, hose pipe, puddle or the water dispenser in the refrigerator this little boy will find it. He is crazy-in-love for playing in/with water (which means lots of locked doors around our house). He has really started talking up a storm these last few months adding new words daily. It is so much fun watching him learn and discover his world around him. He loves his big sister and her toys! He is a happy little boy and has brought so much joy into our lives.
This past year was challenging for me as I struggled with the idea of going back to work. I began to feel like I needed "more" (I think any mom out there understands what I am talking about) and being home all the time was starting to drive me crazy (hope that does not sound too bad).
I love my family and am grateful I get to be with my children everyday don't get me wrong, but I have literally worked since I was 16 years old (and if you count baby sitting since I was 12) and I was missing work. So in February I started working part-time at a Scrapbook store. I must say it is not like any other job I have had, but I am really enjoying it. I have met some great people and love being around others who enjoy the hobby as much as I have grown too. So it a nutshell....it was just what I needed.
Last, but not least....Danny completed his first team triathlon this past July. He biked 14 miles and ran 5 miles while his best friend swam 1000 meters. They placed 53rd out of 200. We are proud of him for accomplishing his goal! This past summer he began a new position within Applied. This was a blessing for us, not only is he now working a normal day shift, but his commute went from an hour (or more) each way to 15 minutes each way. Talk about helping the gas budget! He really enjoys working with this group, but with the uncertainty of the economy his company recently announced a layoff. It has been a rough year for Applied and the employees there. Unfortunately, Danny was notified before Christmas he will no longer have a job as of July 24th, 2009 and his work center will be moving to Singapore. If he stays with the company until the 24th of July he will receive a severance package. It was not the best news right before Christmas, but it definitely could have been worse. We are going to take things day by day.
I do not want to close with depressing news....so now some good news for our family. As I type my mom and stepfather are driving (but promised to stop before midnight) a moving truck from Lansing, Michigan to Hobbs, New Mexico with several stops along the way. My stepfather was offered a job he could not pass up (even in the middle of nowhere) this past summer. After spending six months apart (my mom was trying to sell their house) they have decided to rent it and she is joining him in New Mexico. We are SO excited to have them only six hours away. Please be thinking of them as they make their journey across the United States safely!
With all the uncertainty that lies ahead we are thankful for our family and friends. We have healthy children; a roof over our head, each other and that is what matters. We hope and pray everyone has a happy and safe new year!
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