We are FIVE!

I am a terrible blogger. I sat down a couple of weeks ago and started trying to figure out how photobucket worked these days. Seems like they changed alot of stuff. I couldn't figure it out so I just shut down the computer. Today I had more patience and figured out what I needed to do to "resize" my pictures. Since I have last blogged (way back in August) we have been super busy! AND we now have a 5 yr old! Lexie turned 5 on January 2nd. She is currently weighing in at roughly 35-36lbs but is right at 43 1/2 inches tall. Long and lean girlie (her daddy's genes). Here are some of her birthday pictures! Her pile of presents. On her actual birthday ] She had a fabulous birthday and birthday party. I can't believe she is five. That means that "big school" is just around the corner!! However, for now, she will return to preschool tomorrow and I will start my last semester of nursing school. WHEW! It's been a long WILD ride around this house!

Last day of summer dance class

Today was Lexie's last day of summer dance class. Usually parents sit outside and watch on screens but today we got the chance to go in and watch their class. It was wonderful. We LOVED it. Here are some of her "moves". Before class And my absolute FAVORITE one I captured. Pure joy!

First day back at gymnastics

Lexie had her first day back at gymnastics yesterday and she did wonderful. I was so impressed by her as when they called for her class she got right in line with no "clinging" to mama at all. VERY IMPRESSIVE! She went right on in and started working like she was a pro. Here are a few pictures from my phone. I was behind a glass so some are a little blurry. Ready to go! Got right in line She told me later that in the "bucket" there were balls. The point is to "not fall in mommy". :) Hanging on the bar Swinging across Cute little "balance beam" in the shape of a crayon Holding herself up. She loves this activity! They also gave her a sucker at the end of class and she got "free play" in their kiddie/climbing area. Yes, she was one happy girl when we left. She was NOT happy when I told her on the way home that they were closed and we couldn't go back and do anymore gymnastics. :)

Loves to Learn

I happened to snap this picture yesterday while I was cooking supper. This is a preschool book I picked up last week at Walmart. She is obsessed with it and wants to work in it everyday. I love that she is so excited about learning! This is one a snapped yesterday afternoon on our way to do a little shopping. Love this sweet girl! Today we start our first day at a new gymnastics facility. Hoping for a good day! :)

Back to blogging!!

Time to go back to blogging. I'm taking a FB break (indefinitely at this point) so I told my parents I would keep up my blog so they could keep up with Lexie bug and all the funny things that she does on a daily basis. I can't believe summer is almost over! We have done some fun things around here this summer. I just completed 6 hrs of summer school (to stay ahead) and I'm glad to say that I pulled off 2 A's to add to my transcript. Hard work but oh so worth it. Here is what we have done in pictures. I ran my first 5K a couple of weeks ago. I loved it! Lexie and Ryan came to support me and they had fun too. We spent many weekends at Splash kingdom where Lexie learned to swim (see video below). Those season passes were the best money we spent all summer. We made a visit to Hot Springs. We took our first dancing class in which Lexie LOVED. We start fall dancing in 2 weeks. This week is our last week at summer dance class and parent observation week. I can't wait to see her dance. She LOVES it! Lexie loved the Olympics (mostly swimming and gymnastics) and has asked to do gymnastics again this fall. I don't want to drive to the other side of town so we put her in a class at Bossier Olympiad. Here is the leotard she picked out yesterday. She is so excited to start back on Monday! My sister is officially moved into her new house in town and we have spent everyday together for the last week. I have enjoyed it so much. Love being so close. I'll close this post with a Lexism (for those that just love them. Yesterday we passed the gymnastics facility. Here is the conversation. Me: "Lexie, that's the new place you are taking gymnastics. It's called the Bossier Olympiad". Lexie: "Yay!! I'm going to be in the the Olympics". ME: "Well I don't know about that but that is just the name of the facility. It's not really the Olympics" Lexie: "Well if you do really good they put you on TV. Then it's the Olympics. I'm going to do that one day". Love this kid!

Happy St Patrick's Day (a day early)

I know that St Patrick's day isn't technically until tomorrow but I couldn't help posting this cute picture of my sweet girl. Last weekend we dyed shirts and tights with 2 other little families so they would have something to wear to their party today. I'm not very "artistic" but I have to say that these turned out super cute!!



This just makes me smile. Ryan has never been very good with "ponytails". I think he's slightly intimidated by having to do it "the right way" as Lexie puts it. However, on Thursdays and Fridays I have to leave the house for clinicals well before Lexie gets up so he is in charge of getting her dressed, fed and out the door to daycare. Lately he has taken on the challenge of doing her hair as well. It's funny b/c last semester he would just brush it and put a headband on her head. This semester he is not only doing ponytails, but picking out bows to go with them!



I feel so incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful husband. He works so hard to make sure that he is able to not only provide for us financially but he also supports me so much in nursing school. There are many nights that I spend hours studying when Lexie is in bed and he is so good about doing whatever he can do around the house for us and giving me the study time I need. Not to mention due to early classes/clinicals he has taken on the job of getting Lexie to school 4 out of 5 days of the week. I really love this man and there is NO WAY I would be 1/2 the person that I am without him right by my side.

School is going very well. We are 4 tests in and I'm doing very well. I have 2 tests and a final left and 4 more days of clinicals. I am so ready for that month long break (before summer school starts). Lexie and I will find plenty of stuff to get into. I'm hoping Ryan can take a couple of days off of work and spend some time with us too. Guess it depends on how many projects he needs to push out! Either way we plan on living up the month of May!

Finally making it back!

I can't believe it's been since August since I updated our blog. So much has gone on since that last post. I'll summarize and then try and do a blog at least 1x a week.

Shortly after I posted the last post my mom got sick and went into the hospital. After a long battle with an infection that led to sepsis, she passed away on October 19, 2011. We were heart broken. Eventually we learned that she had an infection in the rod that was placed in her hip several years ago. Due to her heart issues she was not a candidate eligible for surgery so they attempted to treat it with some really strong IV antibiotics. They worked for a bit but eventually the infection took over and she just wasn't able to fight it off anymore. It was such a heartbreaking time for our family. Thankfully we are all really close and were able to pull through for each other. I would be lying if I said it had gotten easier. Some days are easier than other but overall my heart is still broken and sometimes the tears come at the most random times.

While all of this was going on I was also in my first semester of nursing school. It was busy to say the least. Thankfully, I had a great group of friends that went above and beyond to help out anyway that they could. I have made the most awesome friends during the first semester and I love them like family. I'm pretty sure that it's true when they say that no one understands nursing students like other nursing students. Regardless of the issues I had going on I was able to pull off a 4.0 in my first semester.

Shortly after the end of the semester (as in a day later) we left to go to WDW for a week with my dad and step-mom. We had a blast and got home just in time for Christmas. Christmas was EXTREMELY hard (harder than I could ever have imagined) but we made it through. Then came Lexie's birthday. I can't believe my baby is already 4. She is growing so big everyday and I love this age so much!! I am now in my 2nd semester of nursing school and loving every bit of it. So far I've had 2 tests and pulled off A's on both of them. Hoping to keep that streak going!

I plan to hopefully keep up this blog a little bit more in the coming months. We shall see!! Here is a picture I took of Lexie this morning. I love this sweet girl!

Our last free weekend of the Summer.

This weekend marks our last free weekend of the summer. We have one more week until school starts back for me and Lexie will be back in preschool full time. Yesterday, we decided to use the day to head to Splash Kingdom in Canton, TX. Yes, I know we have one here but the one in Canton is just so much better. We got there around 12:45pm and true to form we stayed until they shut the place down at 7:00pm. Right before we got there they had some "rainy" weather blow through so the entire day was a cloudy day. It didn't get above around 88 and I admit that I told Ryan I NEVER thought I would be "chilly" at a water park in the middle of August in TEXAS! It was slightly chilly with the wind blowing and the water was cold. Lexie noticed none of the above. She rode every ride that she possibly could and would have STAYED in the Lazy River if we would have let her. This girl is a FISH. We had such a good time.

Her before we left!


Today we started out by going to church. Today was "promotion" day so Lexie moved up to the next Sunday School class. She was a little hesitant at first but once she saw they were doing art with glue, she was ready to go in! She did great and we are so thankful to be part of such an awesome church. After church we headed to eat and then to Sears to order new tires. It is time to replace all 4 of mine! Afterwords, we headed to Lowe's and then came home.

Lexie's newest place to "ride". She always says, "Daddy, I can ride on your head?". Silly girl.

My sweet baby. :)

Yesterday Lexie went to daycare for the day. She has been telling me for several days that she needs "baba time" (Barbara time). My baby love Mrs. Barbara! Since yesterday the school age children went back to school, Lexie got to spend some extra time with Mrs. Barbara. While waiting with my mom in the dr's office I got a text from Karen. Lexie apparently not only got her "baba" time but also talked them into letting her take her nap in the office. Who can say no to this sweet little face? I know I have said it before but I seriously LOVE all of the ladies at Lexie's daycare. They treat EVERY child like their own and you couldn't ask for a better daycare provider. I have NO IDEA how Lexie is going to survive when she starts "big school" in a couple of years. She absolutely loves her daycare! We do too!!



Today we went to the gym so I could get a good work out in. I've been going 1-2x a day for the last 4-5 months. I'm hoping to be able to continue to go at least 3x a week when school starts. Who knows, we will see. This is what I found when I went to pick her up. She had taken "chucky cheese" with her and she said he was napping while she did a puzzle. I can only imagine what the ladies in the daycare at the gym thought when she busted up in there with this big creepy mouse!

Wrapping up Summer time.

We are in the process of wrapping up our 2011 summer. I can't believe it's already almost the middle of August. School will start for me on the 22nd and I'm ready to get going.

The last couple of weeks we have spent in the dr's office. Believe it or not, we have made a total of 8 dr visits.The funny part is that no one was sick! Ryan has been receiving allergy shots 2x a week for the last 2 weeks and we are so thankful for them. Insurance currently covers them 100% and we don't have to pay the co-pay (40 bucks a pop!). We have seen vast improvements around here too! I have made a total of 4 trips to the dr including 3 updated immunizations, a physical, and 2 blood draws. Then 2 trips to collect the paperwork. Oh well, at least I'm completely ready for Nursing school now.

Lexie went last week for her 3 yr checkup and she is doing fabulous. Yes, I know she is actually 3 yrs and 7 months but due to the fact that she is born in the middle of cold/flu season, I was NOT taking my well child in for a visit at that time. She weighed in at 32lbs and was 40 inches tall! She is right about 40-50% for weight and 75-90% for height. She is right on track but I didn't need a dr to tell me that. I know she's perfect! Well most of the time. Mimi had an appt yesterday (just a checkup) and she is fine as well.

Last Friday afternoon we headed to Little Rock for the weekend to spend time with our family. My niece is in Girl Scouts and they were able to score us water park tickets for 11 dollars a person! That's cheaper than a child's ticket. We got there on Friday night and after supper we decided to go bowling. We had a BLAST! Of course I'm pretty sure Ryan won that round. He always does!

Our crazy group picture! (girls only!)LOL



Saturday we enjoyed the water park. Everyone else headed home at about noon. Not us. Lexie was ready to stay until she dropped. Thankfully by around 3:30 I convinced her to leave. This kid is a water baby for sure. Sunday afternoon before we headed back home we went out to eat with my sister, BIL and niece. Love these family times!

Lexie and Aunt Nea


Lexie and Aimee

Swim Lessons, Contests and School!

Lexie is wrapping up her last week of swim lessons and let me tell you, I'm impressed. She has always loved the water but she is actually SWIMMING (just a few feet) underwater. She is now diving for the little "toys" that throw in and going completely under when she "jumps" off the side. Lexie has enjoyed swim lessons so much and Ryan and I have enjoyed watching her "learn" to swim. I am planning on putting her in lesson every year.

Yesterday Lexie and I met up with my mom and her 2 sisters at her nursing home. She told me they were having a "beauty pageant" of some kind. Last week I took her a dress to wear thinking that is was just another activity. I started thinking that it was a "big activity" when I pulled up and had to park in the church parking lot due to the fact that the parking lot at the nursing home was empty. We walked in and there were TONS of people. Apparently what my mom deemed a "beauty pageant" was actually the Annual crowing of the King and Queen of the nursing home. There were a total of 8 women participating (mom being one) and 3 men. The place was decked out! I walked mom down while they gave a little speech about each participant. Then each participant was asked a "question". Mom's question was "What is the greatest gift you've ever been given". Mom's answer "My two girls". After the "voting" took place they announced the winners. Lo and behold MIMI won!! She was so excited and we were excited for her. Apparently, after talking with my sister last night, this is a big deal in the "nursing home world". I'm so proud of Mimi and so is everyone else!

Lexie and Mimi

Swim Lessons

This week Lexie started swimming lessons. I've been waiting for these 2 weeks since the beginning of the summer. We decided to sign her up at the local YMCA this year and so far it has been great. One of her best buddies (who also happens to be a neighbor) is also going so it was an easy transition into the class since they had each other.

Lexie LOVES the water. She has always loved taking baths, playing in the pool, playing at splash pads, waterparks and anywhere else she can get into the water. The only thing that worries me is that Lexie is fearless. She's pretty fearless about everything and the fact that she sees a huge pool and just immediately wants to jump in sometimes scares me. We have talked alot about NOT getting in pools (or any water for that matter) without mommy, daddy or another adult around and she does pretty good with that portion of it. I just feel that learning to swim is such a vital life skill and I'm glad the YMCA provides these lessons for the local community.


This was before we left. I was cleaning out my car and she decided that she would like to sit in the passenger's seat of my car in order to eat her snack. She is so cute.


This was at the very beginning of swim lessons. Her teacher was trying to convince her to go under. Yeah, she was a tad bit skeptical and wasn't buying it. I must say that this is such a "Carol" look. No lie. She got that honestly.


This is her "kicking". By this point she had warmed up pretty well and was having a great time.



Here she is practicing her "swimming arms".


Attempting to float on her back. :)


We have a long way to go but I'm hoping to continue lessons every summer so that she will be proficient in the pool.

Water play area!!

Lexie is a water baby through and through! We are lucky enough to live close to a park that has a "water play" area. She loves it. It's usually to hot to go early in the day so we usually make trips after supper in the evenings. It's only about a 5 min drive from our house so it's PERFECT for cooling off after a long day. Last Friday night we decided to try out her new bathing suit. You know, she just NEEDED that new bathing suit. :)

Waiting for the "buckets" of water to fall.


They always miss her because she never stands in the right place! I love how this picture turned out.


This is her silly face.


Doing what she does best. RUNNING!


So far we are enjoying our little "break" from school/daycare. Friday we did some much needed grocery shopping. Today we hit the gym and then headed to the library and to Brookshires for an Icee. She loves those things!! Today she starts swimming lessons for the next 2 weeks. I'm so excited to see how she does. I'll be sure to load lots of pictures tomorrow!