10 Things

There are five rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random things.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you've tagged them.

10 Random Things:

1. I can't sleep with my hair down. It drives me nuts having my hair get stuck when I move around. It has to be in a ponytail... and Will hates it. :o)

2. I DESPERATELY want to be a stay at home mom. That's no secret. It's such an ache in my heart right now, so all of my praying friends, please put that on your prayer list. We need to figure out a way to make that happen. (Also, Will tests for Tech Sgt on Tuesday, he doesn't think he'll make it his first time, but you could still pray for that because then I could definitely stay home.) I know God is bigger, and will make a way when He's ready, but patience is not my strongest suit.

3. I love rap music. I really do. I love me some Lil' Wayne, Jay-Z, and Drake. I love the way their voices sound. I don't often listen to it because Will hates it and obviously the girls shouldn't be listening to it, but when I hear a new song on the radio, I love it!

4. I HATE cheese, milk and cilantro the most of all of my picky weird food things. Bleck! Soo gross! My step mom likes to make things with cheese and watch my reaction when I actually like it and then tell me there's cheese in it! Sigh... Milk just plain grosses me out. And cilantro? That just tastes like a giant cloud of stink.

5. I like going to the gym. I don't EVER get to go though... another reason I'm still fat. I hate working out at home.

6. I met Will at the Cactus Moon (a country bar). Embarrassing, yes, but it's true. He told me he was in love with me before we were even "official." We were engaged 3 weeks later.

7. My love language is Words of Affirmation, so I'm super sensitive and really need to hear nice things. I cry really easily, and I'm a sympathy crier. If I see tears beginning to form when I'm talking to you, I start tearing up. I can't control it.

8. I love doing hair and makeup. LOVE it. I got hired at MAC earlier this year when I was teaching part time, I really wanted to do it but then the next day was asked to take on the full time 2nd grade position. If I could go back to school I'd totally want to go to cosmetology school.

9. I really, really, REALLY want more tattoos. I only have the one heart on the back of my neck, but I would totally have a half sleeve if I was brave enough. I've got a few more that I have in my mind that I want.

10. I love all reality tv and rarely watch the real news. Fo reals. All of the Real Housewives, Jersey Shore, E! News, Battle of the Exes on MTV, Khloe and Lamar, The Bachleor, Jerseylicious, Glam Fairy, all of it. Really, ALL of it.

Questions from Danielle:

1. If money, schooling or time was no obstacle, what career would you choose?
I'd be a stay at home mom, but for real like out of the house career I'd love to be a famous stylist like Rachel Zoe.

2. What's the one thing you look forward to every day?
Kissing my girls and seeing them usually when I get home from work, since they are usually asleep when I leave.

3. What is your number one, all-time, favorite blog?
I love Kelly's Korner and Sometimes Sweet.

4. Biggest online pet peeve?
I don't really have one!

5. What is your all-time favorite book?
Well I don't get to read often anymore, but I love Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner and of course The Hunger Games.

6. What would your "last meal" be?
Easy- Crab legs and artichokes with lots of melted butter

7. Do you believe in love at first site?
I do because I experienced it with Will!

8. What would your ideal Sunday morning consist of?
Making a nice breakfast, having Will get up and all of us happily head off to church then to a nice lunch afterward.

9. Why do you blog?
I blog to get memories down forever, since I don't scrapbook!

10. If you had to choose one color to wear forever, what would you pick?

Probably gray. I have a lot of gray!

My questions for you:

1. If you could go back in time, would you study something different or have a different career?

2. Why'd you choose your children's names?

3. What's your favorite tv show?

4. How'd you meet your spouse?

5. What's your favorite website?

6. What's your favorite place to shop for your clothes?

7. What's your favorite thing about where you live?

8. What's the first thing you'd buy if you won the lottery?

9. What's your favorite way to relax?

10. Which celebrity do you want to be friends with?

I tag: Georgia, Lori, Ami, Jenny, and Meghan, and whoever else wants to participate!

Golf N' Stuff... Can't Get Enough

We're lucky here in AZ to have Rodeo Break! Two days off to celebrate our AZ heritage. Do you think we'd actually go to the rodeo? Ha! Maybe someday, but yesterday we went to mini golf! Hayden had such a blast hitting the ball then chasing it down. She's gotten a lot of practice at Papa and Grammy's house because they have a little putting green in their backyard.

Hole in one!

"I got it!"

Ella wanted in on the action!

We got in a few arcade games.

Then came the mother of all meltdowns as soon as we got to the car. She was so tired because she woke up at 4 am. Yes, 4 am. She kicked and screamed until she put herself to sleep. What a way to end a fun day.

Ella is 1!

Yesterday, my sweet little Ella Sophia turned 1! My how this year has flown by. Ella's first year was amazing, although she had such a rough start. Even thinking about it has me choked up. She was such an easy birth, such a beautiful baby.

We had a lot of trouble getting her over jaundice that first week and she had to have a light kit at home for as close to 24 hours a day as we could do. Although I do feel blessed that we didn't have to admit her back into the hospital. She had to have her poor baby foot poked almost everyday.

Once we got through the jaundice, I thought that we were in the clear. I thought wrong. Just as Ella turned 2 weeks old, Hayden got her first cold. That cold turned into RSV for Ella. My tiny baby started throwing up every single time she nursed. And throwing up a lot. Thus, she was having a hard time gaining weight. On February 14, 2011, we took her to the doctor for what I thought was just a cold. The doctor made her go by ambulance to the hospital to be checked for RSV. The ambulance was just a precaution because she was so little. (*Note* She had one breathing treatment while at the doctor's office.)

She was admitted to the hospital and given 2 or 3 more breathing treatments. She tested positive for RSV. Will went home to stay with Hayden and I stayed at the hospital with Ella. Well, then my world came crashing down. At 2 am the doctor raced in and checked her heartbeat because the monitor was reading over 300 beats per minute. Normal is about 140-160. 300+... is NOT good. In fact, it's almost cardiac arrest numbers. Without explaining anything to me, he and about 5 nurses ran in, grabbed her bed and raced her to the PICU. Then a huge team surrounded her doing everything they could to make her heartrate go back down. (*Note* I am in hysterics, and alone now.) I call Will, but he isn't answering. I call my mom and she immediately starts heading over to my house with the intention of waking Will up and take over being there with Hayden. I call my dad too and explain the nothing that I know. All I know is that I'm watching about 20 people surrounding my tiny now 3 week old daughter, holding ice on her face, crunching her legs to her chest, calling out counts of doses of medicine that are now reaching the teens.

It was truly the scariest thing I have EVER gone through. Will finally woke up before my mom got there, didn't understand a word I said except that mom was on her way over. He immediately left the house... leaving Hayden sleeping, and my mom about 5 minutes away. I can't even explain the utter fear in my heart for my precious baby girl.

My tiny baby filled with IV's.

Daddy and Ella

Grandma bringing Hayden to visit

Ella and Mommy

Mommy and girls

Papa and Ella

Mommy and Ella

After about 15 doses of medicine in a span of maybe 15 of the longest minutes of my life, Ella was stable. Through a week's stay in the PICU, 2 Echocardiograms, and NO MORE breathing treatments, we found out that Ella has WPW Syndrome. It's not as scary as we thought. She's now taking Propranolol 3 times a day, and it's simply a part of life now. She sees a cardiologist and wears a heart monitor about every 3 months.

All that said, it's been an amazing year of Ella. She's got her 1 year check up in the beginning of February, so I'll update her stats then, but I believe she's 20lbs now. She's almost walking, "talking" up a storm, in LOVE with Lenny (her Scentsy lamb from my BFF Tresa, that Grandma gave her for Christmas), and having so much fun trying to keep up with her big sister!

Military wife questions

1. How did you and your spouse meet?
Ha! Honestly, The Cactus Moon. A country bar! BUT we had a friend in common who introduced us!

2. How old were you when you two met?
I was 23, he was 21.

3. How long have you been together?
We were actually instantly together since the middle of August 2006. We spent the whole night we met dancing, then went out for breakfast with two of our friends the next morning, and talked everyday after that. He told me he was in love with me about a week later and I said, "I guess that means we're official!" We were engaged September 9,2006 and married June 8, 2007.

4. Where are you and your spouse originally from?
I am from Tucson, AZ where we met and still live, he is from Ocala, FL.

5. How did you feel about him joining the military?
He was in the Air Force when we met!

6. Where did your spouse go to Basic Training?
Lackland, TX

7. Has your spouse ever been deployed?
Yes, once from May 2008-October 2008.

8. Ever been to his promotion ceremony?
Nope because I couldn't get a sub for my class that day. I was really bummed.

9. How long have you been a military wife?
5 years.

10. Did you marry him before or after he joined?
After!

11. How did your husband propose?

He came by my house when I thought he was supposed to be working. We went up to Mt. Lemmon, where we had gone a lot. (There's not all that much to do here in Tucson!) He was acting really strange and fidgety but we went up to our favorite lookout. It was freezing and I was wearing shorts and was ready to go but he kept stalling until everyone else had left the spot. Then he got down on one knee when we were all alone. It was very sweet.

12. Where did you get married?
At a beautiful home downtown, The Stillwell House

13. How old were you two when you got married?
I was 23. He was 21.

14. Did he wear his uniform on his wedding day?
No.

15. Where are you and your spouse currently stationed?
Tucson, AZ

16. Do you live on base?
No, we own our home.... although we desperately want to sell and rent somewhere else.

17. How long were you married when you had to go through your first separation?
Almost a year

18. What is your favorite base so far?
We've only been at Davis-Monthan.

19. Do you think your spouse looks good in his uniform?
Of course!!

20. Do you think military life is more advanced than civilian life?
No! Just different struggles.

21. Do you like the benefits you receive as a military dependent?
Yes! I am extremely grateful for health and dental insurance!

22. Do you have a lot of military wife friends?

No, not really. Since I've grown up here, I still have my friends that I've grown up with.

23. What is the hardest part of the military life?
Right now, EXERCISES. They are happening every month and I have to have my whole family struggle to figure out who can help watch the girls since I'm a teacher. We're lucky because Will watches the girls during the day, then goes to work when I get home. So, we never see each other, but the girls don't have to go to daycare.

24. Do you own military wife stuff?
Actually nothing except the best framed poem that I got at my wedding shower.

25. Do you support your spouse as a member of the military?

Of course!

Military family

Tonight, I'm linking up on Kelly's Korner! It's all about military families tonight. As I should be grading millions of 2nd grade papers, I'm taking a break to share a little bit. My pictures are showing up weirdly huge, but you'll get the jist.

Will and I have been married for 5 years now. He's been in the Air Force for almost 7 years and we met here in Tucson, his first station. I'm from here, and thankfully, we haven't had to move yet, meaning my whole family is here!

We got pregnant with our first daughter pretty much the day he came home from his first deployment. Yah... that fast. Hayden is 2 1/2 now. (This was Hayden's first birthday photo shoot and Will was on his way to work.)

This is Hayden now, crazy "cheese" face and all.

A normal Hayden picture.

We also have an almost 1 year old!! Ella turns 1 on Jan. 23!!

Our beautiful girls at dinner last week.

11 months

I cannot believe that my little baby Ella is 11 months already! Time sure has flown by! Here's a comparison between my two girls at 11 months! They look NOTHING alike! (Yes, they have the same parents!) :o) They are basically following the same stats though.

Dear Ellabug,

You are an amazing 11 month old now! You have changed so much in the last few months! You have TWO teeth now!! You talk all the time and make silly noises. You wear a size 4 diaper, so does Hayden at 2 1/2! Makes buying diapers easy! You can stand for long periods of time but haven't taken steps yet. You have a lot less hair than Hayden had but you do have beautiful blond hair! You love to climb on everything, greeeeeaaaat. You love to play with your big sister and really love it when she lets you play! You weighed 19 lbs 10 oz last time you were weighed, but I don't know how tall you are. You still love your pacifier, but can go without it too. You just had your very first Christmas and enjoyed every minute of it! You're a handful to try to hold now, you are sooooo squirmy and can't wait to walk! You had your first earring issue this month and had a pretty raging earring infection, but we took you to Urgent Care and got you antibiotics and thankfully you got to keep your earrings in! I love you so much and can't wait to see what 1 year old holds for you!!

Love you,

Mama

Christmas time

Well, I guess I've been bad about updating my blog. Thanks Georgia for pointing that out! :o) I've been really busy and also lazy. I've been so busy because I'm taking over a 2nd grade class when we come back from break! I'm just a LITTLE stressed about it since it looks like I'll be pretty much doing things on my own, unlike my wonderful first grade team. Hopefully I can go back to them if there's an opening next year....unless I just LOVE 2nd.... and who knows, that may happen.

Anywho... I've created a 2nd grade blog that you should all start following. Strait Shenanigans. You should all add my blog button to your blog to get it out in the blogosphere!

Here's some of our winter happenings:

Ella's first meeting with Santa went as wonderfully as Hayden's did last year!

Ella had a bit of a crack issue before church.

Grandma got the girls new hats and mittens. Hayden loved hers.

We made salt dough ornaments.

Someone loves the Christmas tree.

Some wonderful naps have been taken... unfortunately not by me.

Sycamore had a fun Ugly Sweater Party!! I love my Sycamore family!

Hayden has so much fun at Puggles!

We made cookies with Grandma and Nana!

Alright, hopefully that little catch-up gets me out of the blog doghouse!