Absolutely Incredible Kids Day

I just recently read in a magazine that the third Thursday in March is Absolutely Incredible Kids Day.  This year, that day falls on March 21.  I have decided that starting this year, I'm going to write Aubrey and note and keep them for her until she's old enough to read them.  I challenge you to show your kids how incredible you think they are!

Mama's Heart Swells

I feel like I fell off the blogger wagon.  It has been a long time since I have posted anything here.  It seems that we've been really busy, but we haven't really been doing much of anything!

Aubrey made me really proud the other day and I have to share it here.  I generally ask her the best and worst things about her day when I pick her up from preschool.  One day a couple weeks ago, I asked her those questions - I don't remember what she told me the best part was, but the worst part was that one of her friends, Zach, had to turn his card to red and he had a bad day, and she was sad that he had to turn his card.  When she said that, my heart was just bursting that she was able to show that empathy.  She gets her big heart from her daddy!

Aubrey has been taking gymnastics during the day at the Y since she began going there in the fall.  After the last session, she was moved up to the next class, which meets on Monday evenings.  I generally am teaching on Monday nights, but last night was the first class and Wright State was on spring break, so I got to take her.  She was so excited that she was going to "night" class and that her friends Lauren and Ashlyn were in her class.  It was fun to watch her learn and practice the skills and interact with her friends.

We have been doing some fun things this past month.  A good mom would have been snapping pictures of all these events to post, but I kept leaving my camera in the room or in the car . . .We went to Sandusky to stay at Castaway Bay (indoor waterpark) over President's Day weekend.  We took Papaw, Mamaw, Kaitlyn, and Camryn with us and we had a really good time.

Last Sunday, Aubrey went roller skating for the first time, at a real roller rink.  She has roller skates that she skates with at home, but it was different going to the skate rink and using real skates.  I have deiced that roller skating is harder than ice skating!

I have been busy with work - doing a lot of out of county professional development for teachers and teaching a class on Monday nights at Wright State.  Aubrey has been spending Monday evenings with her grandparents, alternating between the Wynes and the Wulbers.  She is having a ball and doesn't really seem to mind that I'm not there.

A few weeks ago when she was with Grandpa Wulber, they stopped at Ace Hardware in Versailles and saw some friends there.  Aubrey told them that she would get to spend a lot of time with Grandpa that day because Mommy had class, and her classes are long!

We are looking forward to spring coming soon here.  We are ready for the grass to get green and the flowers to start blooming.  Aubrey enjoyed a little time playing outside yesterday with our neighbor, Chloe, but we need more time to get outside and burn off our energy!

-A

Happy New Year!

I love snow, so it is a great time to be living in Ohio.  Last Wednesday was not a good day to be out driving, but it created a nice snowfall to play outside in - Aubrey got a new sled for Christmas and was able to sled off of our porch because the snow was piled up so high.  She did have a little trouble getting back to the porch in the midst of all the snow in the middle of the yard; I had to go out and carry her!

This past Sunday, Aubrey and I went ice skating with mom, Camryn, and a few kids from church.  Aubrey has been skating before, but she got brave enough to skate a little on her own.

Aubrey and I went bowling on New Year's Eve with my family and she stayed up until midnight!  I think she actually stayed up that late a couple years ago when we went to the Spencer's, but she didn't remember that and was very excited to stay up late this year.

We have really enjoyed our Christmas break this year.  I am now in the process of taking down all of our Christmas decorations; it may take me the rest of the week!

We hope that each of you has many blessings in 2013 and that God's peace and love surround you each day!

-A

Getting Into the Christmas Spirit

Christmas is my favorite time of the year.  I know that Christmas is technically one day, but it really starts for me on Black Friday when I wholeheartedly begin Christmas shopping.  Christmas, for me, is the whole season and is really about spending time with others and sharing in our blessings through gifts.

Christmas is meaningful to me because it allows us to perpetuate the gift that God sent to us in His son many years ago.  Because of that gift, and only because of Him, we enjoy many blessings and good things in this life.  I try to make gift-giving not only about the Christmas season, but all year through, but Christmas gives us the perfect opportunity to share.

This season is special because there are many traditions associated with it, as well as lots of family time.  Everyone has quirky families.  My cousin said, a month or so ago, that when our family does something, we do it big . . . what she means is that when we get together or when someone needs something, everyone is there.  That is what makes it so special and meaningful.

Ever since I can remember, my parents have taken my brother and I to cut down Christmas trees.  When Ryan and I were dating, he went along on the trip, but didn't get a say in the tree because it wasn't "his."  Christmas is such a special time for me, Ryan and I chose to get married the weekend before Christmas.  I cannot find a picture of the first time Ryan and I cut down a Christmas tree together, but here's Aubrey's first tree.

Yes, that is Ryan cutting it down.

One year, Ryan and I got a very tall tree that almost didn't fit into our house.  We have lower ceilings in the new house.  This is the tree that Aubrey wanted this year.

 This is the tree that we brought home!

Another tradition that we have is baking Christmas cookies.  We we were young, my mom and her sisters all got together to bake cookies and my grandma took us kids to the movies.  Now, all the grandmas are doing the baking and so the kids get to help as well.  Here are the girls helping with the measuring last Saturday.

Aubrey sat on Santa's lap when I was away for work this year.  She called me after they were done and very excitedly told me that Santa had told her that she was a good girl this year.  She couldn't believe that she was on the good list.  I tried to tell her that maybe Santa had the wrong kid, but she was convinced that he knew who she was and that she was good!  I guess I'll agree with Santa.

Very soon I will have to begin wrapping presents, my least favorite part of Christmas :).  Then it will be time to gather with family and friends and share our blessings.

We hope that you all have a Merry Christmas and as you begin looking towards the new year, that you'll be blessed in 2013.

-A

What are you thankful for?

Aubrey has been waiting for Thanksgiving for a few days and she knew right away when she woke up this morning that it was today!  I'm not sure why she is so excited, except that she knows Thanksgiving meant that we have 5 stay home days.

I asked her what she was thankful for and she said "Mommy, Lilly (her doll baby), turkey, and vanilla."

I am thankful for having a beautiful, healthy little girl.  I am thankful for a job that keeps me busy, but is enjoyable.  I am thankful for Ryan's parents and my parents who are willing to help out and watch Aubrey on Monday nights so I can teach a class.  I am thankful that I have friends and family close by that we can visit with often.  I am thankful for being blessed with many comforts and I am thankful that I have resources available to share with others in need.

It is going to be a beautiful day.  Aubrey and I hope each one of you have a Blessed Thanksgiving.

-A

Welcoming Kids Into Worship

I recently read an article in Thriving Family about kids in Sunday worship.  It was interesting timing for  this article.  I was reading a newsletter submission that my mom wrote for our church about having kids in the service this past summer.  While I enjoyed Aubrey being in the adult service with me, she was sometimes a distraction because although she enjoys singing, she doesn't enjoy sitting still.  I wanted to share the article with all of you because it gave me a different perspective.  You can find it on Thriving Family's website.

Trick-or-Treat

Aubrey was very into trick-or-treat this year.  We went looking for a costume in early October and couldn't really decide on anything.  She was wavering between being a cat or a dog, but when we went to the store, she didn't see anything she liked.  So, she finally decided she would like to be a bumblebee and so I found a costume for her online.

When it came in the mail, she could hardly wait for Halloween when she could wear it.  When I told her that she would get to dress up for trick-or-treat, to visit Great Grandma Wyne, for preschool, and for church, she was even more excited.  She started telling people that she got to wear her costume 4 times this year.

So, here is the little bumblebee in all her glory.  I don't even know what to do with all the candy we have!

-A