And Yet We Move...Again

As most of you probably know by now, our family has successfully relocated to the scorching deserts of Arizona. We are very excited to be together as a family again - the month and a half prior to the move that we were separated was the longest month and a half of our lives. Doug secured a wonderful home for us - the girls and I are definitely loving all the space we have now. Seriously, our old home could have fit into the area of the dining room, kitchen, and garage (and yet, we were so happy there :0) The landscaping doesn’t match what we had back in Oceanside, but since we weren’t really able to enjoy it much before, we’ve been able to cope with the numerous cactus, aloe plants, and sun-scorched palm trees.


Doug is happy to be back at work with a manager who respects him and teaches him skills that will help him advance. His commute now is 20 minutes - much better than the hour or more he was driving to Costa Mesa. With Doug working so close to home, the girls and I havebeen able to meet up with him for lunch a few times. I am amazed at everything there is to do now that I don’t have work distracting me from my domestic duties. It still seems that I can never keep up on the laundry or dishes, but I have been able to unpack most of the boxes in our garage, which is more than I ever accomplished back in Oceanside. Aiden and Reilly are extremely active and curious - about anything and everything that crosses their path. I am much busier now than I ever was before - trying to keep up with the two of them is the best workout I can think of. Aiden has proven to be quite the little fish - she loves anything and everything water, which means that we spend a lot of time outside in our little blow-up pools or at one of the many local splash parks. Reilly loves playgrounds and has proven she did not inherit her mother’s fear of heights. Anytime we go to the park, I have to keep a watchful eye on her because she usually tries to find the tallest slide or structure she can and starts climbing away. Both girls seems to be fearless, which is great and scary at the same time.

We are looking forward to our vacation to California this next week. Doug’s younger sister Bethany will be getting married on the 26th of July, so we’ve decided to take some time away for the family. Doug has made plans to spend lots of catch-up time at the beach, as well as a day at Wild Rivers, so we will make sure to take lots of pictures and post them on here later.

I know this is a rather long update, and I apologize for taking so long to catch everyone up to speed. As always, we hope things are going well for you and your loved ones. I appreciate all of the recent emails and updates on everyone’s lives. Hopefully, I will be much better at blogging with the extra free time I have had bestowed upon me!!

Love you all!!

March Rolled in Like a Lion...

So, it is hard to believe but we are already into the third month of this year. Yikes!! Already, this new year has brought lots of fun and exciting changes, mainly a new nephew and a new niece. Keegan Anthony was born on Thursday, January 25th. He weighed in at a healthy 9 lbs. 1 oz., and was 20 1/2 inches long. Berlin Isabella was born on Tuesday, February 13. The little beauty weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz. and was 21 inches long. Finley is adjusting well to having a new little sister around; he is definitely stepping up to the plate as the big brother.


Work and school continue to keep Doug and me busy. We have tried taking some time off together so that we can all hang out as a little family. Today the girls and I got to hang out with their cousins (Avery, Kemry, and Keegan) at the Carlsbad Outlet Mall….we had a blast. The girls loved having so many people around to show off their walking and signing skills to, but Reilly did get a little jealous when her mama was holding Keegan for a little bit. No worries Roo, you’re still my little baby girl.

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Greetings...

It’s Christmas time, which means family, friends, and lots of good times. While we are not planning to do much this year, we are excited to have some time off work so that we can hang out as a family. Relatives will be in town, which means lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins for the girls to play with…they love any excuse to play!

The girls continue to grow each and every day (obviously), but I just can’t believe how quickly this past year has gone by! They are not yet walking, but they’re almost there…I am not in any hurry, though, because once the footsteps start, I know I’m done for :)

  

Work has been busy for me and Doug…which means that we relish the hours we get to spend with the girls. Christmas time also means shopping, and little (or no) time off for the retail industry. Doug will be able to take some extra time off, since even University of Phoenix gets a bit of a Christmas Break, so that will be a nice little vacation for him.

  

We are grateful for all of the blessings that this past year has brought us - new jobs, a transfer back to California, new nieces and (soon-to-be) nephews, and a perfect little home close to the beach. We are thankful for our health and safety, for friends and family, and for the love of our Saviour.

We hope everyone has a wonderful and merry holiday!!

 

The BIG One...

That’s right folks, Aiden and Reilly have officially turned 1 year old. Doug and I can hardly believe how quickly their first year has flown by! We have learned so much more from our two little chickens then I think we will ever be able to teach them. They are honestly our pride and joy, and they bring so much light and happiness into our lives. We wish all of you could have been present as we celebrated Reilly and Aiden’s special day, but since we know that wasn’t possible, here are some pictures from their little birthday bash.

 

  

 

     

 

 

 

 

Welcome to our Blog...

Hello and welcome to our new blog!! Since I am not the best at emailing or phone calls, this is my attempt at keeping my family, friends, and loved ones up to date and in touch with the happenings of our little family.