Tis the Season

Well, December is here already! Can't believe time has flown by so fast already this year. Christmas break will be here before I can even blink - not that I'm complaining ;) I am looking forward to a week and a half off of work to spend with my little man. I think we will be up North for the first week, so that is something to get excited about!
I am going to keep this post short, so here are a few of my favorite things about the holidays coming up: (What are yours?!)

*Almond bark pretzels (already made them :)
*Flavored popcorn - there is a new store in town called Just POP'D.. so GOOD!
*Wrapping presents
*The only lights on are the ones on the Christmas Tree
*Easton's nativity set
*Holiday decor
*Spending time with family
*Glitter
*Warm coffee drinks
*Stockings hung with care
*Volunteering
*Warmth and Love you feel this time of year

Easton's Christmas Tree

Love this little man

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving! I love this holiday - not because Black Friday has now turned into Black Thursday (ridiculous), but because I get to see my family and great friends. Thanksgiving is a holiday to remember the good (and bad) that we have/had in our lives and how we have overcome the obstacles, a time to be thankful for what we have been given and who we have had in our lives along the way, and who is in our lives now. I have a lot to be thankful for this year - and here are just a few:

1. My little family whom I absolutely love. My little man, my husband, and Kona are the biggest part of my life and I can't imagine my life without them.
2. My parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and in-laws. I am so thankful to have in-laws that I adore and get along with so well, as well as such a tight-knit family that I've been blessed with. I don't know how I got so lucky?!
3. My amazing friends. Each friend is special in their own way and each one is amazing - nuff said :)
4. My job. I love my job. The calm days (hardly ever) and the CRAZY ones. I love my job. Period :)

This year we are hosting Thanksgiving! My mom, dad, sister, sister-in-law, and friends Matt, Megan, and new baby P will be here to spend it with us :) I can't wait to have everyone here and be thankful together! Turkey is already in the oven, now it's just time to clean the house and keep E occupied and out of the kitchen!

I hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving and hope they get to spend it with people they love.

Whew!

We have been extremely busy these past few weeks! Marcus has been out of town for two weeks, and was just back for 48 hours. I dropped him off around 4:00 today for at least another week trip in Louisiana - so once again, it's just Easton and I for a little while longer.  We went to the pumpkin patch this past week. I was there two years ago, but it was a whole different experience this year with a little one. There is so much to do out there, it's almost unreal. Easton had a lot of fun, and so did I!

This past weekend was the Susan G. Komen run/walk for a cure here in Omaha. My friend Sara and I did it and we had a lot of fun. It was a chilly morning, but it felt really good to get up early in the morning and walk over 3 miles :)

We have only a week and a half left until the 1st quarter of school is over and 2nd quarter begins. Parent-teacher conferences are this week and next, so I have a busy week ahead of me. Marcus and I will be traveling to Minnesota 3 out of 4 weekends here coming up. We have 2 weddings and a hunting weekend with family, so that should be fun. Before we know it, it will be Thanksgiving and then Christmas!

Easton is SO close to walking - here is a video of him taking steps and then dancing to "Happy Birthday" for his uncle Teal's birthday today :)

Then... and Now

Today is the first official DAY OF FALL! I cannot explain how much I absolutely LOVE this season and time of year. It's my favorite! I was looking at old pictures and found some from the fall. It got me thinking about how much has changed in the last 2 years that Marcus and I have lived here in Omaha. We moved here in July of 2010 right after we got married. We found a great house to rent and we both settled in to our new jobs. We LOVE this area and the people we have met here. We are so blessed to have had this experience to move to a new state and city and absolutely love it from the start!

Here is a picture recap of then.. and now!

At the Pumpkin Patch October 2010

Just us 3 - October 2010

1st Fall with Easton - October 2011

:) 3 months old - October 2011

1 year old - September 2012

Family portrait - September 2012

Fabulous FALL!

I absolutely love this fabulous season that has graced us with its presence the past few mornings. Fall is by far my favorite time of year. I absolutely love wearing sweaters and light coats with cute scarves. Boots are also a great addition to any wardrobe!
I love the crisp morning air. Makes it that much better to take a run/walk after work each day.
I have decided to decorate our front porch this year for fall/halloween and cannot wait until we can go pumpkin picking at one of the amazing pumpkin patches around here :)
If I remember correctly, I made a checklist of "To-Dos"/things I'm excited for last October and think I will carry on the tradition this year as well! Here goes:

1. Take a run/walk at least a few times a week to get some "fresh, crisp" air

2. Visit a few pumpkin patches in October

3. Take lots of pictures of E man

4. Make chili (or enjoy my husbands ;)

5. Make more russian tea mix - or possibly try to make homemade pumpkin spice lattes (just like the ones at Starbucks)

6. Cut my hair (STILL debating this one)

7. Try and new lipstick/gloss

8. Make more time for loved ones

9. Enjoy my quality time spent with Easton while Marcus is away

10. Try and craft small projects

11. See family at a cousin's wedding

12. Check into Masters Programs and make a decision :)

13. Enjoy bonfires in the evenings

14. Go on a hay-rack ride

15. Count my blessings

Remember to wake up each morning THANKFUL that you have another day to spend with those you care about - not everyone gets that opportunity :) Have a wonderful week!

What a Birthday!

My little man is 1 - and what a fun day we had celebrating his birthday! Easton's family and friends came over to our house last weekend for a Dr. Seuss themed party. There was lots of food and games to play. The weather started out rather gloomy, but just as evening approached, the sun came out and we had to move the games to the backyard where there was some shade. We had lots of family out of town come down to celebrate and lots of friends come over. Easton had been sick the week before his birthday and on his actual birthday, we found out he had his first ear infection. Needless to say, he wasn't quite himself for his party, but he did pretty well considering :) Easton got lots of fun gifts that he loves playing with and some very cute clothes that I can't wait to put him in, haha. He is becoming quite the guy - so much fun to be around these days - and acquiring a bit of a temper. (We're working on that). He is not walking yet, but his pediatrician has reassured me that he is a normal little boy who gets around fast enough the way he does right now.

Here are some birthday pictures of his fun day!

Had to share a picture of him when he was one DAY old.

Food Table

Opening gifts on the back patio

He tried grabbing the flame

Didn't like his hands dirty

Oh what I wouldn't do for another month...

It's that time again.... time to go back to school for the year. My summer vacation is coming to a close and I will be heading back to work this coming Wednesday the 8th. This summer has gone by so fast and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with my little man! I can't believe he is going to be ONE soon! 

We have much excitement coming up in the next few weeks. I go back to work, my students come back the following week, and then our families head down to Nebraska for Easton's birthday on Saturday the 18th. I can't believe that a year has gone by since I had that little boy... it seems like yesterday. I honestly cannot remember Easton growing up after we were back at home, (it really is true, time goes by too fast.. thank goodness for pictures) but I remember every single tiny detail of that day that Easton was born, even down to the time things happened. I wish I could rewind time and watch him grow up all over again, but I can't. He is such a fun little guy to be around and I am excited for our families and friends to be here to celebrate his 1st birthday. Nothing else matters that day, but him :) (I will be sure to upload pictures after the weekend)

We took Easton to the zoo today... one of the first days that it wasn't 100 degrees, so we could actually enjoy it! E enjoyed the petting zoo, but wasn't too fond of riding the carousel. He enjoyed sitting here, but the instant it started moving, he tensed up and almost started crying! Anyways, it was a good way to spend my last weekend with the family, before I go back to work :)

Here is a picture of our little man... two weeks shy of turning ONE!

Playing in his new toy box - made by Grandpa Corey

Say a little prayer...

Well... I did it. I finally got the massive mole checked out on my right temple. I have had this mole for as long as I can remember, but it was just a year or so ago that I noticed it starting to get bigger and changing color a bit. I asked my ob-gyn about it when I was first pregnant. She told me to wait until after the baby was born and then go and get it checked out. Well, here we are almost ANOTHER year later and I finally made the appt. I feel rather guilty because I didn't make time to make the appointment earlier.
First off, finding a dermatologist should not be too difficult, but I had to search around for a female that I thought would be a good fit. Most of the dermatologists at Methodist are males.. but alas, I found one :) Hard to get in to, but she is someone I felt very comfortable with.
Anywho... she took a look at the mole and wanted to do a biopsy today because of how it looked and how it had changed. Also, with my grandmother having had melanoma years ago, and now my mother being diagnosed with melanoma just a mere two months ago, the family history wasn't looking too promising for me... so that was another reason she wanted to sand it down and send it in to the lab to get it checked out. OUCH. I didn't realize that getting a needle in my temple 5 times to numb me would be so painful.. but here I sit with a massive headache. Oh well, it's well worth it in the end to have some peace of mind. I won't know any results until next week, but if those of you that read this could take a second and say a small prayer that it comes back benign, that would be greatly appreciated. :)

Oh, and just a quick piece of advice... if you have a mole or something that doesn't look or feel right, don't do a Danielle and wait over a year to get it checked. Make an appointment!

I'm BACK!!

Life is good :) Marcus is coming home tomorrow (three weeks toooooo long) and my little man and I are getting back on to a schedule after being out of Omaha for 9 days.

I went to Happy Hour at Baby Blue last night with KT... sushi is sooo yummy!
The weather has been nice this week, so Easton and I got outside and into the pool!
I made a new summer playlist that I can't help but smile at... one of the songs is my new favorite.. check it out here! Such a wonderful summer song that makes me only think of the lake. 

I am feeling crafty today and have some ideas to decorate the interior and exterior of the house - so I am going SHOPPING!! Stay tuned friends :)

Lake of the Woods - Ahhhhh

The black plague

It's been close to a month now since someone very near and dear to me was told she had melanoma. THANKFULLY, it had not penetrated the skin yet and she, along with her dermatologist, were VERY proactive in getting it checked out. Therefore, a procedure was done and no chemo or radiation needed to be followed up at this time. Whew!
This is one of those cards in life that I can't help but feel pulling me down. No matter how positive one person can be, and how much strength it takes to fight back the tears after getting a mind-blowing phone call like that, there comes a breaking point for everybody. Today has been mine. It's weird, because it was close to a month ago, and I haven't really cried yet. I understand everyone deals with certain issues differently, and this is a prime example of how I deal with things. I attempt to hold back the tears and frustration and try to stay positive until one day I just can't hold it back anymore. I feel as if this "black plague" has been overshadowing me - even in the midst of fun times and positive things - but I just haven't been able to shake it. I feel like such a hypocrite right now because I get so frustrated with people who are always negative or who can't seem to look at the positive side of things - and that is ME right now. There are so many positives with this situation, and up until this point, I have looked at all of them. I think it's just that I haven't dealt with my anger or frustration or sadness throughout the whole situation yet, which is why I'm being the one thing I HATE being - a negative nancy. Maybe I just realized that "it could be so much worse" and I need to be grateful for yet another light at the end of the tunnel!

Happiness is an attitude.  We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong.  The amount of work is the same.  ~Francesca Reigler

So much!

Marcus text me yesterday and told me... "you need to update the blog." I honestly hadn't even thought about how I hadn't blogged once again, in over a month. May was WAY too busy and it literally has flown by. I didn't even know where to begin with this blog post, so I searched through my old posts and found this one: http://marcusdanianderson.blogspot.com/2012/02/months-time.html
In order to un-jumble my thoughts, I am going to put it into list!

*Easton crawls all over the place and pulls himself up onto EVERYTHING!
*I've survived his first few "boo-boos"
*The school year is OVER! I am officially on summer vacation (until August 8th)
*We have hired two new teachers for next year - VERY excited about it
*Easton now has 7 teeth
*Someone's eyes are BROWN... somedays hazel :)
*I finished my first 7k trail run - what an experience!
*We took our first - but not our last - trip out to Mahoney State Park
*I can't wait to take Easton to the pool this summer
*I had a great 1st Mother's Day
*Easton has his own swimming pool in the backyard :)
*We are currently working on mastering the "sippy cup"
*Easton is eating more "real people food" and loves it!
*His length percentile is finally MORE than his weight percentile!!

I'm sure there is more, I am just having a hard time coming up with all of it. Once again, I'll upload some pictures of our ever-growing little man!

Ready for the lake :)

1st time on the grass

Sara, Katie, and I at the REO, Styx concert

After the 7k Lucky Bucket run

Easton's 1st bike ride

Mother's Day in his pool

Eight

I don't know about any of you, but I cannot believe that Easton is 8 months old today! He is growing up so fast and I feel almost like I can't keep up with everything he has been doing lately! There is constantly something new he picks up. For instance, the other day - I swear he was singing along with the radio. I brushed the thought aside at first, but when he continued changing the pitch of his voice to match the song that was on, it became apparent. He is crawling... backwards! He is doing exactly what he is supposed to be doing in order to crawl - but he is just going the wrong way! Grandpa Corey called it his "Michael Jackson" crawl, which when you see it, there is some resemblance, haha! He definitely does not have ANY trouble getting around the living room. The next item on our list to buy is a gate for him.
I can safely say that I cannot wait for this summer - for my one and only job to be Mommy :) I have a feeling my summer will consist of heading to the gym and then taking E to the park or the pool with his friend Maggie! We will also be making a few trips up North. Grandpa Corey has already gotten Easton his first life jacket and is so excited to have a "fishing buddy"! Summer is upon us and I am having trouble containing my excitement!!!

Not much else is new around here. Marcus is still busy working as am I. Work has been really crazy this year and I will not bore everyone with all of the crazy, hectic details. I don't think any of you would believe half of it anyways ;)

Once again, I'll leave you with some pictures of my world :) Maybe even a video!

He looks like such a little boy in this picture :(

Check out those teeth :) He now has 6!

Love those big eyes

Easter weekend with family in Omaha!

We went to a baseball game

Easton's new bath toy! He loves it!

My little Easter bunny

:)

Saw Corey Combine and naturally HAD to get it - it is a book too :) Easton LOVES this!

8 MONTHS OLD TODAY!!! Where does the time go?

This is a pretty funny video

I need to get a better video of Easton crawling backwards... and I'm not even going to give you a date, because clearly I cannot keep my promises on updating :( SORRY!

Artsy Fartsy

As I was spray painting outside this weekend, my neighbor called me "miss artsy fartsy" and that just stuck for the title of my post :) I have been pinning on Pinterest and have become slightly addicted... (that might be a bit of an understatement). I have been busy all weekend doing DIY projects and decorating our house a bit. Now that spring is on it's way, I feel like we need some flowers and other changes in our home. I have a few pictures of the projects that I have completed and am going to upload. If you have any questions on how I did something, just ask! I'd be more than happy to pass on the information.

Spray painted mason jars with faux gerberas

Scrapbook paper in a frame. Use vis-a-vis marker on glass (wipes right off!) Nice way to leave your significant other a little note! Spray painted recycled wine bottles with flowers.

Glass beads and gerbera daisy with ribbon intertwined through. Nice centerpiece

Fun flowers

Spray painted mason jars again - I LOVE!

Scrapbook paper over 12 x 12 wood shelving board

Old window with chicken wire and memories :)

All of these projects were easy and affordable! If I can do them, so can you :)

One of those days

Two posts in two days... WOW, you guys are lucky :) Haha, actually, I'm not sure how positive this post is going to be... I personally need a little "pick me up" - ever since waking up this morning, I have been in one of those "moods" where all I want to do is break down and cry. Surprisingly, I have not done so.. YET. My stomach has been in knots all day and I haven't been able to figure out why. Have you ever had that feeling where, even though you're not having your worst day ever, you still want to go to bed early in hopes that tomorrow is a much better day? That's today for me. Like I said, it hasn't been an awful day - believe me, I've had worse - but it isn't the best day either. Whenever I have a moment to stop and think or I start having thoughts swirl inside my head, I just want to curl up into a ball and cry my eyes out. I even went and worked out, thinking that would ease some of my sadness, but unfortunately that didn't work either. Then I get home and feed Easton and decide to take a quick shower... well, that didn't last long. Easton started crying 1/4 of the way through and I had to quickly hurry up to tend to him. Ever since then, he has been so fussy and only stops crying when I hold him - which by the way, does not help me AT ALL do anything for myself - including eating supper.
One of the worst feelings is not being able to soothe your child - and tonight is one of those nights. He is almost inconsolable. I feel as if he is so over tired and just can't seem to fall asleep. Then to top all of that off, it gets even worse when Marcus decides to call. I love talking with him, but it's almost more difficult to hear his voice when he is away. Only 3 more weeks, right? :(
Anyways, enough of my banter - I am going to try and get my son to sleep and then maybe get a little something to eat and go to bed.... If any of you are having a day like mine today, I hope tomorrow is better for you.

Choices

I have been thinking about what I was going to blog about... I told all of you it wouldn't be a month until my next post, but it is pretty close - I'm sorry.
This whole weekend has got me thinking about some of my goals that I have yet to achieve. I am, once again, without a husband... for 3 weeks. It's just Easton and myself. In some ways, I am excited to get some quality 1-on-1 time with my sweet baby, but in another way, I am a little nervous about doing everything without any help. Yes, I have done it for 11 days before, but 3 weeks is a bit longer and my sister-in-law is no longer living with us. A very wise woman told me that when one has a good job, there has to be some unwanted things that go along with that job. This is very true. After having my "pity party" today, I realized that I need to "buck up" and look at this situation in a different light. I need to remember that we are very fortunate that Marcus has such a great job, and if he needs to travel - then he does. I was googling earlier and came across this poster for success and thought it fit for this post.

1. Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.
2. Work at something you enjoy and that's worthy of your time and talent.
3. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
5. Be forgiving of yourself and others.
6. Be generous.
7. Have a grateful heart.
8. Persistence, persistence, persistence.
9. Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.
10. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.
12. Commit yourself to quality.
13. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
14. Be loyal.
15. Be honest.
16. Be a self-starter.
17. Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong.
18. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
19. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.
20. Take good care of those you love.
21. Don't do anything that wouldn't make your Mom proud.

Life is all about CHOICES... and right now, I have a few choices to make on how I move forward in my own life - with family, work, and relationships with others. I can either look at the negatives of my hubby being gone, dwell on the stress and extra work that I have to get done at school, or dive into the past and remember how I was treated in a certain situation that is hard to forget; OR I can look at the positives of my hubby being gone, forget all the extra stress and treasure the last 9 weeks with my seniors, or put the past behind me and be the bigger person about that certain situation. I choose the latter. 

In ending this post, I just want everyone to think about the choices that you may come across on a daily basis... before you go on impulse, remember some very wise words: always choose to be the bigger person - it will get you farther in life :) 

A Month's Time

It has been a month since I last blogged... so I decided to give a bit of an update of how many changes have happened since then.

* Easton sits up all by himself - for very long periods of time
* My coworker and mentor had a stroke about a month ago and has lost a majority of her vision - and will not be back for this year at least :(
* E has learned to throw a ball and then get mad when it doesn't come back to him
* A 4th tooth is making its appearance
* Marcus has been in town for almost a month now :)
* I have a new, growing love for spinning
* Vegetables and fruits are quickly becoming a daily occurrence - and someone's new favorite food!
* "The Mohawk" has returned in full force
* A certain little one's eyes change color daily, but most recently, the color has been BROWN :)
* I am going to gain a sister-in-law on June 7, 2012!!!
* The month of February has gone by amazingly quick
* Easton has become THE happiest baby.. even more than before.. and I am thoroughly enjoying it!

I'm sure there are more changes that have occurred, but my mind is suddenly going blank. I have  a few pictures to share with everyone.
I hope the remainder of February is good to everyone :) I promise it won't be another month before I write again. Who knows... I may have a an idea brewing for a post tomorrow... stay tuned!

He has become scared of this toy

snowfall in February

eating green beans

1st time swimming :)

"I like to grab my feet a lot"