Happy 6 year anniversary

I feel very blessed to be happily married to my best friend. Chris is an amazing husband and a wonderful father. We have been incredibly fortunate and I can't wait to see what the future holds!

We started our weekend with dinner at the Iron Horse, a really nice restaurant in Ashland. A friend of Chris's recommended it and the food was excellent! On Saturday we stopped for a quick breakfast at Chic-fil-a, then chose new area rugs for the house. We took Audrey to dance class then headed to Belvedere Plantation. The weather was gorgeous and we had a great time!



Dad and Audrey checking out the animals

She did so well at feeding the goats! Must be all the practice she gets feeding the dogs!

She preferred to walk around

My favorite flower of the bunch!

She absolutely hated the pony ride...at least we got our $6 back


Her very first pumpkin!



Pumpkin picking is serious business...

Hugging her pumpkin (which she kept calling an apple!)


Favorite picture of the day, to be framed!





Before we left we bought an apple pie and a picture frame. Chris picked his very own pumpkin which I know he plans on carving into a creative masterpiece. Audrey passed out in the truck on the way home and took a loooong nap. Then we headed to Richmond for our anniversary dinner at Cheesecake!


She would NOT look at the camera!

Tired :)

It was such a great weekend. I wish we had Columbus Day off tomorrow, but it's a work day for teachers (not even a real work day, we'll be stuck in professional development classes all day!) Thanksgiving can't come soon enough :)

October already?!

WOW, the days and weeks are flying by! We are staying so busy with school, dance class and other activities...and it looks like October will be our busiest month yet with all the Fall Festivals going on (LOVE IT!) Next weekend Chris and I celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary. After dance we're taking Audrey to the pumpkin patch (weather permitting) and for dinner we're going to The Cheesecake Factory. I think the last time we were there I was 8 months pregnant with Audrey :) The weekend of the 16th is our town's Harvest Festival and on October 30th is our school's Fall Festival. I love this time of year; changing leaves, cooler weather, football and yummy apple pie!

A couple of weeks ago Aunt Sarah and cousin Isabella came up for a visit. Soon they'll be here for good and we can't wait! The girls have so much fun together and they are almost too much cuteness for one person to stand!


Isabella and Audrey (and Asia) looking at the bubbles


She's girly AND she plays in the dirt!



Fun on the swing...






Apparently Bella just said something hilarious!









Bath time fun!




They can even entertain each other:



One thing is for sure, our lives would be so dull and boring without those girls!! I'm hoping I can keep up with the blog this month, with everything we have going on. At this rate Audrey will be turning 2 before we know it!

Too busy to blog!!

It's been a very busy week and I'm exhausted! I have very cute pictures and updates of our sweet kid, but they'll have to wait :) All you need to know is that she's just as wonderful and perfect and amazing as ever! Hope to blog (for REAL) SOON!!

First Dance Class

I was so excited when a studio near our house (and by near I mean 20 minutes!) offered a dance class for 18+ months. I immediately bought Audrey a leotard, tutu, and her first pair of ballet slippers. Today was her first class and we're both hooked! She was awesome. Her teacher, Ms. Kiki is so sweet. Audrey didn't really follow ALL of the directions. Her teacher tried to get the girls to do things like touch their toes, raise their arms over their heads, and bang their hands on the floor to make "thunder." Audrey didn't want to do any of those things, she just wanted to dance. She did an awesome job of bringing Ms. Kiki her circle (or "kircle" as Audrey says!) Her favorite part was Freeze Dance, probably because we do it at home all the time. Chris had to work, so Grandma and Grandpa came to take photos and video. I managed to get a ton of pics when I wasn't participating :)










Standing on her "kircle"


She laid down to rest more than once!






Taking another break








Getting a sticker for being soooo good!








Admiring her sticker








What a wonderful first class!

I'm so glad we'll be doing this together. I think it's a great way for her to socialize and experience new people, new things. I can't tell you how proud I was to watch her get out there and dance her heart out. I hope this is something she really likes and decides when she's older to stick with it...but if not, that's ok too! I'm looking forward to trying soccer, gymnastics...whatever her little heart desires!

Freeze dance video:

Back to work

It was a pretty effortless transition for Audrey and myself. I had no problems waking up ridiculously early and when I go to wake Audrey she's in a ridiculously happy mood. She lays in bed and snuggles with Dad as I load the car and it's off to Grandma's we go! With as much bonding time we had over the summer and as she's grown to be a momma's girl, she has no problems with me leaving. My work day flies by and before I know it I'm back at Grandma's where Audrey is waiting for me at the door.

Working during the day really makes me cherish the evenings and weekends so much more. When the weather starts to get cooler we're going to try to go for walks a few times a week after dinner. For now we prefer to stay inside and dance like crazy, rough house, and play with our toys and read books.







I bought Audrey a potty this weekend. She has shown ZERO interest and honestly, I think it's way to early to potty train at this age anyway, but I know the first step is up to me...introduce the potty!



She really likes sitting on it, but when she actually used it, it freaked her out a bit. Now she barely sits on it for 20 seconds. Eh, I don't care for it too much myself.





School starts for realsies this week! And we are jumping in head-first; Scott's first football game is Wednesday night and I start my graduate math class on Thursday night. Audrey's first dance class is Saturday morning...very little down time, but at least these weeks will fly by!

The end of summer makes me want to cry

I don't think I've ever felt like this! I am always SO READY to get back to school. But there has never been a summer so fun and so special...a lot of great changes and tons of fantastic memories. The fact that today is the last day of summer break is a bit difficult to accept. BUT I HAVE WONDERFUL NEWS!! I'm looping up with my kids to 3rd grade...yes, those wonderful, awesome 7 and 8 year olds are mine for another year :) That means a whole new curriculum and the first year of SOL tests (eek!) but I get to spend 5 days a week with the coolest kids I know. All of those tears at the end of last year for no reason, lol.

As much as I will miss Audrey, I am so happy she'll get to be with Grandma and Grandpa everyday. She loves them so much and it is truly her second home. And even better? My sister in law is moving here with my sweet niece in October! The girls are going to have so much time together and become the bestest of friends.

Yes, lots of good things coming up this year...Ryan and Mimi's wedding in November, a new niece or nephew in the spring just to name a few. I have a feeling it's going to be another incredible year!


3 months, 3 weeks and 4 days until Winter Break!

♥

Sometimes I look around and can't believe what I see...an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, and a warm home. I feel very blessed and don't ever want to take it for granted!

Who knew that driving a minivan could be cool?

Ok, it's not, but this is a very funny video and I'm totally getting this on Itunes:

She Who Is My Little Girl

I was at school yesterday looking through my mail. Someone left a beautiful card in my box and I wanted to share it:

She Who Is My Little Girl

I loved you from the moment I saw you.
I adored every little thing about you.
In you I see all my hopes and dreams
For the future begin to blossom

I'll teach you to believe in yourself,
To trust your inner voice,
And to believe in true love.
Then I'll give you wings
and teach you how to fly.

Then with part of me holding on and part of me letting go,
I'll watch you spread your magnificent wings and soar.

With our shared dreams, as well as separate aspirations,
You'll become everything you were ever meant to be...
Smart, strong, and independent
With a kind, tender, and passionate heart.

But no matter how high you soar
Or how far you go,
You will always be my little girl

-Suzy Toronto

Big thanks to whoever left this...I'll be saving this card to give to my sweet girl at the perfect time.