Love/Hate

I have a love/hate relationship with August.  Some really great things happen in August.  But, summer comes to a close in August.

Loves:
Claire will be ONE on Friday!
Monica and Matt celebrate birthdays one week apart.
I have several friends who also have birthdays in August!
Things are new - a new school year is such a great feeling.
Fall is just around the corner, which means it will soon be getting cooler!

Hates:
It's hot!
Summer is ending.
I don't get to sleep in much longer.
My days of relaxation and lack of stress are replaced by lists. Lots of lists.

TWO

Aaron and I have been married for TWO years today!  What a wonderful two years it has been!  We have experienced so many joys, and a few disappointments in the last two years.

We had plans to go to the Ranger game tonight, but Aaron got sick, so we stayed in.  My parents got to enjoy the game instead!  Aaron and I had Chipotle at home, and he's been off and on asleep under three blankets.  He said he would like it if we turned off the fans and air conditioner and turned on the heater.  As an anniversary gift, I turned off the fan.

The best and most fun thing we've experienced since our first anniversary is becoming an aunt and uncle.  Our sweet niece was born almost one year ago, and it has been a joy to play with her and spoil her rotten!

The most frustrating thing we've experienced is fixing our foundation.  Our foundation shifted quite a bit last summer.  It got so bad that Aaron and I were unable to turn the key in our front door.  We just sent people to the back.  Having to repair your foundation is not a fun expense at all!!

God has blessed me beyond belief in choosing Aaron for me.  I am so thankful that I get to spend my life with him.  Daily, I look forward to the life that God has in store for us.  I know that it will be filled with love and joy, and that even with any difficulties along the way, there is no one else I would want to experience life with.  I can't wait for that is in store for us in year three!

July 15, 1985 10:10 AM

Twenty-seven.  I've made it to another birthday!  I've had a wonderful year, and I'm so thankful for the gifts that God has blessed me with over the past year.  My birthday was perfect in every way.  Aaron made French Toast for breakfast.  It tasted just like my mom's - what a treat!  We went to church, then to lunch with friends.  Aaron made a funfetti cake (my favorite!) with funfetti icing.  We had plans to go out to dinner, but I opted for staying home and just spending time with my husband.  Aaron and I were at Youth Camp for the week, and we arrived home on Friday.  Saturday was a busy day for us, so I just wanted to be at home and enjoy relaxing.  Aaron gave me some perfume, which I'm so excited about!  I had been given a small bottle of this perfume at Christmas, and I recently ran out.  Aaron got me a large bottle, so I'm set for a while!  We'll celebrate my birthday this Friday with our families.  Here's to hoping that 27 is just as good, if not better, than 26!

This Journey...

From May to August 2011, I lost 22 pounds.  I was extremely proud of myself, and so thankful for the weight loss, but I wanted more.  As the beginning of the school year started, I kept going to the gym pretty regularly.  However, I stopped seeing weight loss, and this was discouraging.  Then, I let myself believe that life had gotten too busy, and I stopped going to the gym.  I gained about 5 pounds back over the course of the school year.  And now, I'm bound and determined to lose again.  This is a journey.  A long one.  I know that I am so much better off than I was a little over a year ago, but I'm not where I want to be.  When I look in the mirror, I still see myself at the original weight.  Obviously, clothes fit differently, so I know that I look different.  I can see it in pictures.  But, I can't see it in the mirror.  I started doing Couch 2 5K.  People that know me know that I do not run.  Until now.  I just finished week 4, and it was kicking my butt!  Monica and I talked yesterday about running a 5K together in October or November.  Guess it's time to start finding one to run.  I also started Weight Watchers at the beginning of the summer.  There has been a little bit of weight loss, but not much.  I'm hopeful that it's partially because I am gaining muscle.  I'll try to remember to update some progress.

A Fiesta!

As I've said before, Monica and Matt are getting married in October.  I can't wait for their big day to get here.  In the meantime, showers have started, which is so much fun!  We kicked off the showers in a big way - with a Couples Shower Fiesta!

The decorations were great, and the food was better!  Monica and Matt received some really wonderful gifts, which they will love using once they're married!  We loved having everyone over to celebrate Monica and Matt.

Adelina took more pictures on her camera, but here are a few from the night!

Sweet Summertime!

School has been out for 2 weeks.  I loved my kids this past year.  They were great.  This year went by so quickly.  But, by the end, the kids were just about done with each other.  And I was a little done with their bickering.  They get so comfortable with each other, which is really great because it makes our class so much fun, but it also means they start acting like siblings toward the end of the year.

I've done a couple of workshops this summer already, and I have curriculum writing tomorrow and Tuesday.  But, then, I have nothing scheduled until the middle of July!  Hooray!  I love the summer, and the sleeping until I feel like getting out of bed.  I love the relaxation and absence of stress.

I hope that you get some moments of relaxation this summer!

Spring Break Project

This last week was Spring Break, so naturally, I started a new project.  Some people take vacations or relax while on a break, but I almost always start a project.  I cleaned my house, and then  I painted my coffee table.  For Christmas, Reed built Aaron and me a really great TV frame.  After we stained it, we decided that my thought of just painting it black was a better option.  So, we painted it black.  Aaron hung it a couple of weeks ago, and it looks fabulous!

Thanks Reed for the TV frame! I love it!

Since it looks so great, I decided  that our coffee table really needed an update in order to really tie the room together completely.  Let's be honest.  I'd really love a large, square, black coffee table, but Aaron would appreciate it more if I spent less money and more time on updating what we already have.  I didn't want to sand the table (it's the worst part, and the most important so the paint can really take hold), so I thought probably I wouldn't get the coffee table painted for a long time.  But, then I found a link on Pinterest that showed me how to paint the table without sanding!  Aaron and I went to Home Depot to buy the primer that was needed, and I was off to work!  It took me a couple of days from start to finish so that I could allow enough time for drying, but it turned out great!  Another project finished!

The Before... This just didn't quite "go" with the rest of the furniture.

New favorite product.  This was the best discovery ever!

In the process

After one coat of black paint

The final product!

Our coffee table belongs now!