Happy Thanksgiving

Today is a day for giving thanks and I think I will do just that.

I am thankful for:
Brian - he is loving, smart, funny, and handsome. I love the way he brings Adelle in to wake me up on the weekends. I love the way he kisses me before he leaves in the morning and when we go to sleep at night. He is a wonderful husband and a wonderful Dad too!! I am so very blessed to have him in my life.

Adelle - I really, truly didn't know how much love I could have until she arrived. I thought I'd felt it all when I met/married Brian, but then I saw her and felt an overwhelming sense of joy/love/protection/pride that I had never felt before.

Angie and Maria - my sisters are my best friends! I can tell them anything, show them anything, ask them anything and know they will be honest with me. Without them, I wouldn't be who I am today. Thank you for looking after me Tub and Bin!

My Parents - have shown me unending support through all of my schooling (even now). They have encouraged me, held my hand, and made sacrifices for me (and us) and there is nothing I could do to express how much I am thankful for them!

My In-Laws - have shown me that while I knew I loved my husband from the moment we met/talked/emailed/texted, the love I feel for them came right along from the moment I met them too! They are knowledgeable, caring, supportive, and wonderful! Thank you all for what you have taught me, and what you will continue to teach me!!

My friends, my job, a roof over our heads, food in our bellies, and clothes on our backs.

Thank you to all of the men and women in our armed forces who fight to protect us. Thank you to all of those soldiers who can't be at home for Thanksgiving. You sacrifice the most!! Thank you!!

Thank you for those of you who read my ramblings and look at our pictures. There are probably only a few of you (and I know who you are) but it's nice to know people care!!

So as Brian and I prepare for another Thanksgiving Feast tomorrow (with my side), remember those in your life who love you. Remember those YOU love and have loved.

New-Old Pictures

So right before I went back to work after having Adelle, we got her picture taken. She was almost 2 months old! We went to Brian's friend Katie who owns her own photography studio called, Behind The Lens Photography. She was wonderful and captured an amazing amount of shots of our Sweet Girl.

Well, we just got the pictures in the mail and they are BEAUTIFUL!! Here are just a few!!

Adelle and Her Helmet

Adelle has been in her helmet since September 9th. She hasn't ever been bothered by it and generally wears it without fussing. At times she will play with the Velcro, but I think it's really because she likes hearing the sound it makes as it pulls apart, not because she thinks her head is being squeezed.

One of my students asked why she's wearing the helmet and I told him it was because she laid on one side of her head too much and it didn't grow right. He said, "Do you think that could happen to me and that I would need to wear a helmet? Last night I was so tired I think I didn't move. I even had a big drool spot!" I told him that his head should be just fine and that I did the same thing that night! He looked at me, smiled, and said, "Shoot, I really wanted the helmet but it's funny to know you drool!"

Awesome!

Anyway, we had Adelle's helmet appointment on Wednesday and Adelle has made excellent progress. If you remember this post about Adelle and her helmet, you will remember that she started out needing it because the diagonals of her head (from front to back) had a difference of 8mm. Well, on Wednesday we found out the difference was down to 4mm!!

We are so very happy that it is working and that she is growing! I was thinking that because she has been teething so much her head might not have grown enough to make even a 1mm change, but it did!!

Now she can keep running into things with her head and not hurt her head!!

Conferences

This last week has been crazy!! I had conferences, Adelle had a doctor appointment, Brian is hunting this weekend, I am scrapping/stamping this weekend... it's a mad house.

One thing I am very happy about is the fact that conferences are over. I don't really mind them once I am actually DOING them, but it's the anticipation for them that gets to me. Then, there is always one that I worry about. This year's was a doozy, but it all worked out in the end. Thankfully!

The one conference I worry about always makes me feel like I am not doing my job, but I work my butt off and I am great at what I do!! It has taken me a long time to believe that. I have been teaching for 7 years but haven't always felt as though I have gotten the support and guidance I needed. I am not saying I need constant compliments or hand-holding, but I do value the occasional, "nice lesson" or "good job."

My Dad has a saying at the bottom of his emails that I simply admire. Usually these are pretty hokey or sentimental but my Dad's reads,

"NEVER, underestimate the power of positive reinforcement!"

I couldn't have said it better Dad!

Wordless Wednesday: Halloween

Pumpkin Patch: Day 2

Here are the pictures from when I went, during the day, with Maria. I was off because of our state teacher meetings and I took advantage of it! We ended up taking pictures in the patch with all of the rotting pumpkins. It didn't smell so much and the corn in the background looked great too. It helped that we had gotten some rain :)

Anyway, here are the pictures Maria was able to snap while I was trying to hold her attention. I didn't do a great job! We stopped at a little apple tree first.







Then we moved onto the actual pumpkin patch.







And here are a few from a DIFFERENT apple tree.

Pumpkin Patch: Day 1

So Brian and I wanted to get pumpkins this year. We wanted to take Adelle and get some pictures of her in the patch too, but it was CRAZY busy and the patch smelled like rotting pumpkins. In order to get to pumpkins not turning into compost, we had to walk through two patches! Needless to say, it was exhausting, chilly, and the pumpkins we found were perfect!

Here are the pictures from our trip. The last one is a close up of Adelle in the stroller!

Fun With Auntie Maria

Here are some pictures of Adelle and Maria.