Our New House

What a wonderful time of year to move into a new house. Not only do I get to decorate it for all the time, but I get to add the extra touches of Christmas decorations to it too! I love Christmas time and all the wonderful memories that are associated with it. I love spending time with my family, which we are excited to do again together this year. I love the music, the smell and just the overall feelings that Christmas brings.

Last night Matt and I put Mace to sleep, turned on the Christmas music, made some hot coco and decorated the tree together. First time in 10 years that I haven't had to beg and plead for him to help hang the Christmas lights on the outside of the house and to help with the tree. So thankful for him being such a great sport!

Because Mason is a curious toddler we only put the ornaments on a select few that we have collected over the past 10 years. It was hard picking and choosing which ones would make in on the tree as the bottom third of the tree is naked. Now to work on Mason to not touch any of the tree. He has been crawling under it, which is fine, it is pretty cool looking up into the tree at the lights.

Anyhew, most of the boxes are unpacked. Pictures have been hung and we are getting more and more settled into this home. Mace has the run of the place and loves to explore all the rooms and closets. As he has figured out how to open the doors in this place. He loves to climb the stairs both of them and just wanders throughout the house. I have a lot of trust in this kid, even though when I go upstairs I get to see the destruction that he has left in his wake.

He does love to listen to me sing to him and will sit on the floor and listen to me then clap when I am done. He also claps at the end of a song in the Backyardagains show too. I also play the piano for him and he likes to help play the piano with me. He is a good little boy and is growing everyday. He is a very smart little boy. He isn't talking per say but he knows exactly what we ask him to do. He still has his chores that he does, his fav is feeding the dog and being an overzealous waiter and tries to take the food bowl back from Archer before the dog has cleaned out the bowl. It is very cute!

I have been going to the gym at Matt's work which is great. Since Matt gets home so early I can go before I have to start dinner up so it has been great. I am going to run in the Charlottesville 10 miler coming up this March so I am training for that and working towards that goal. I am am going to run a half marathon later next year too. Not sure which one or when it will happen but I will do it. I am ready to cross an item off my bucket list. So things have been going well here for us.

I tried to upload pix but it said that I am out of storage room, WHAT!?! Anyone else have this issue. Please let me know!

WE HAVE MOVED!!!

It is official. We signed our life away on Nov 1 and started moving things over that day. We were all the way moved in 2 days later on the 3rd. It was a short and hard move. We spent many hours driving back and forth loading and unloading stuff in our van on Friday the 2nd, it is a 2 hour round trip just to get from our house to the rental. Yes we call it the rental now because that is what it is and as of yesterday, WE HAVE A RENTER! Anyhew Friday we did 3 loads, 2 of which were with 3 vehicles. And Sat we had the big well somewhat big moving truck and had to make 2 trips with that thing. But we are in our amazingly awesome, big, beautiful home.

~Mason found this while we were packing and started to have way too much fun! I couldn't help but take pix~

The house is still being put together, but about a week ago from today we had almost all of the boxes unpacked and put away on the main living areas. That does not include the storage areas in the basement and I have no idea what are in those boxes yet. Still a work in process. Also yesterday I did put some pix up in the living room, so I feel like my house is becoming my home.

~Mace enjoying his last croissant in the house, the day before we moved~

Mace is enjoying the new home and the 2 flights of fun stairs he gets to climb up and down on. He loves to climb the stairs and I am thankful he is so good at it because that is what he is always doing. Sometimes he does it when I don't know he is, like when I am making dinner I will turn around and he is already half way down the stairs to the basement where his toy room is. But mostly we are watching him. He knows where his room is for nap nap and where the diaper pail is for dirty dippers, which I now make him throw away. Oh and because of the move I found out that he will listen to direction. He knows how to, "put it back," "clean up", "put your toys back in the crib", "trash trash, throw it away", and now "lets feed the dog." He has his little chores he does now. When he throws his dinner on the floor out of protest, I make him clean it up and throw it away. (the dog is usually out on the deck because Mace tries to feed him his food and the dog is getting fat.) He helps me feed the dog. We cleaned up his toy area in his play room the other night before bed. He is such a little helper and I love it. I also like seeing the results. I ask him to do something and he does it. I know that will not last forever and there are times he doesn't want to throw his own dirty diaper away but he is learning.

~Only pix I took from moving day. Too many things to do, too much stress.~

Archer had a hard time adjusting to the new house but seems to be acclimated to it now. I look forward to getting a fence for the backyard so I can just let him lose in the back. We have narrower lots at this house than the previous area and his "potty" area is a little more restricted. It is funny though because I put him on the leash to go potty and when I come in Mason likes to take the leash from me, with the dog still attached and he will "walk the dog". Archer doesn't like it because he is attached to the kid and the kid is pulling him around but he deals with it, and I don't let him stay attached for very long. but once I detach Archer Mason will still carry the leash around with him around the house. He loves holding it. Archer still doesn't like Mace all that much, excpet when Mace is feeding him food. He still keeps distance. Which is fine. Archer is an old man and doesn't put up with baby stuff anymore.

We are so thankful that we are in this house because we have so much more family time. Matt is home around 3 everyday and it is so nice to have so much time with him and as a family. We are really loving our new home and area! Hope this post finds everyone well. If you want our new contact info please email me or msg me and I will get it for you!!!

Family Picture Time

SAY CHEESE!!!! 

Today we took our first professional family pictures! We (me) have been wanting to get them done since Matt got home in June but we delayed and delayed and delayed and so it is. At least we got them done in time to be edited and sent out for some really nice Christmas cards. It was fairly cold and near the end Mace just didn't want to do anything any more. Gave him water and he was soaked and freezing. Here are a few of my favs! We had over 75. 

~Love the Paci~

 ~One of the only few with out the paci~

 ~Our fav family picture. Everyone is perfect~

 ~sweet sweet tender love~

 ~My head shot for my studio website! I look amazing! (if I say so myself)~

Halloween 2012

Time to play catch up! I have been out of the loop and out of access for a couple of weeks and this past week I just didn't update my blog. I know some of you are wanting pix from Halloween so here they are. Mason was the Itsy Bitsy Spider, that was the actual title of his costume, and I recycled my old HS costume this year. Because we were in the midst of moving this year we didn't for the first time since we moved out here, hand out candy at the house. We went around the neighborhood to say our goodbyes and then we went to our church's trunk or treat. Mason had a ton of fun with the young women with whom he attached himself to all night. He loves the young ladies and they all love him too. So most of the pix from the night are of him playing with N. Also Mason no longer walks. He runs everywhere and getting a clean pix of him that is not blurry is next to impossible with my camera phone. So sorry they are blurry and grainy but this is our life. A running 1 year old. 

 ~Super excited high 5~

 ~Mace was running back and forth into N's arms.~

Daddy Time

I love nights like these where Mace and Daddy have a ton of fun together! On Tuesdays, Matt watches Mason for me while I teach and they have had really great bonding time. Last night Matt got home from being gone all weekend and Mace just wouldn't leave Matt alone or any of his things. Mason was carrying Matt's military boots around and taking an interest in them. I said put him in your shoes and this is the fun time we had with that! I love seeing how happy Matt is. It is a new side to him and I LOVE IT!

Ever Growing Baby Boy

Next week Mason will be 15 months old! OH MY GOODNESS! He is growing way too quickly. We are definitely in the fun play attitude stage of his life. He loves us and shows his love all the time. He will even go up to strangers and hug their legs or give them "loves" as we call it. He gives the pictures of doggies in his books loves too. Super cute!

He is a flirt. He loves the ladies. He has to watch every lady, young or not as young but he loves to check them out. And sometimes if you are lucky he will get up close and personal with the ladies. Not sure how to break some habits he developed through nursing, if you get my drift.

~Mason loves to stick out his tongue at us now!~

He no longer just walks he RUNS and runs and runs! Diaper changes when he sees me grab a diaper he runs up to me while I am setting up, grabs the powder and then runs as far away as possible from me. We call it the powder dash! He runs to the bath tub because he loves his baths and he runs to the door to meet Daddy when he comes home from work!

Mace and Matt have quite the little relationship. Mason is different with Matt. He gives him more loves on command than he does to me, but I get a lot anyhew so I am not that jealous. He loves to spend time with Matt. Every week Matt and Mace get their time while I teach and for the rest of the night Mason prefers to sit with Daddy and show him his books and such.

He loves to read his books. Flip through them and find the doggies which he then proceeds to do his "woof woof" for. He knows doggies and loves all of them so much! He likes other animals too but he will always flip to the back of the books with the doggies.

He has a new fav show to watch and I never thought that I would let him watch the newer style cartoons. He loves The Backyardigans. There is singing about every 2 minutes and all the music is a different style so it keeps him more interested. He bops around and watches and dances as much as possible to the show! It is fun to watch him enjoy music. He is going to be my musician. He adores music and can't get enough of it.

~This is Mason's silly, I want something so I am going to do an extra cute and charming smile for you to get it, look~

Mason is overall a great kid. He has his moments like every kid but I am so thankful for him in my life. I now know how lucky I am to have been able to get pregnant and to carry him full term. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father blessed our family with this special little spirit. I know we have some other special spirits waiting for their chance to come down and I am so excited for when they do arrive. No announcements now but hopefully it will be soon!

~Here Mommy! Have a blueberry~

~Hi Grandma and Grandpa!~

Sad Day

Things have been very difficult for the past few days. Plus side, Sept 30 we found out I was pregnant. No fertility drugs no nothing. I went to the doc on Monday the 1st and throughout the week. Based off of various blood work test my hormone levels weren't going up as they should and I was expected to miscarry our very first spontaneous pregnancy that we have ever knows about. Saturday Oct 6 I miscarried the baby and that was that. Not happy. Very upset. Sad. but at least I got pregnant and we might be able to do it all on our own now and not have to spend thousands of dollars. Silver lining I guess.