Updating

With all of this awesome cold weather and snow we've had here in Tennessee, I've slacked in my blogging on a regular basis. It's not like we haven't been able to do anything... just not really anything fun and exciting. Besides the obvious trips to play outside in the beautiful snow, we've stayed home a lot.
And by a lot, I mean A LOT when it comes to our kids. It was exactly 29 days of being at home, out of school, entertaining all three kiddos. I have never heard of so much emphasis put on school closings! Our county is so big and includes the city of Gatlinbug, which is right in the middle of the Smoky Mountains. If the roads are hazardous there, everyone stays home. This area of Tennessee is having an extremely unusual amount of snow and cold weather this year, putting stress on the city to have the proper equipment to deal with bad roads. The good thing about all of this weather was the extra time having fun outside and of course the opportunity to take pictures:) William's theatre even closed for a day due the such horrible driving conditions!
We're in the process of helping our girls decide on an extracurricular activity. Who would have thought such a small town would offer SO many choices?!? Kaylie and Makenzie are choosing among Tap, Ballet, Gymnastics, Soccer, and Cheer leading. Hopefully, I'll get all the info this upcoming week and make the final decision.
I'm anxious about getting Dannen involved with the local library's reading program. It'll be nice to spend time together, meeting new little friends!
We're thinking of trying out a new church. There was nothing wrong with the one we've been attending... just want to see what's out there. We are very interested in children's ministry, so I can't wait to see what the new church has to offer! Plus, with Spring coming soon, William and I are hoping to get involved with small groups and opportunities to help in the community.
I am planning a trip back to Florida the last week of April. All three kids and I will make the trip to spend Easter and the following week, enjoying the warmth and seeing family & friends. Can't wait to make the trip!
With our 10th wedding anniversary coming up this Summer, William and I are making plans to visit Ohio! I really miss my family up north, and haven't been up there since my Dad's and Grandma's funerals in 2005. A lot of my Ohio family has met Kaylie, only a small few met Makenzie, and only one has met Dannen. Now that we're only 8 hours away, there's NO reason we can't make the trip:)
I'll try my best to add more fun and interesting things here... as always, our kids keep us busy and entertained every day. It's an amazing feeling to be called a Mommy, especially a Stay-At-Home Mommy:)

Kaylie :)

Straight "A's" and super high marks on a report card?!? Yes, that's our Kaylie:) She's such an intelligent little girl with so much to offer those around her. Kaylie has the highest grades in her class, along with having the only "E" (excellent) for handwriting, something she's always striven at making perfect. Kaylie is also advancing in her reading skills, getting bumped up to third grade spelling words and the Independent Reading program. Her 99% in Math has also allowed her the opportunity to begin helping others in the classroom.
It's amazing to sit here writing about how "grown-up" Kaylie has become... her personal interests have changed from little toys and playing around, to make-up, pretty hair accessories, cute outfits and boys. She's quite the popular girl at school and has made so many friends. We're so proud of her ability to make smart decisions and keep others happy, all while being true to herself:)

Makenzie :)

Miss Makenzie... What can I say? She's such a cutie with so much energy! Her extra inches give room for lots of bouncing, dancing, and wiggling ALL the time. Makenzie can do something as little as smile, and she makes you feel all warm and happy inside:)
Ever since moving here, she's being doing very well in Kindergarten. She is at the top of her class! Makenzie can now read full sentences all by herself. She loves to read solo and to all of us. Her report card was full of all "S's" and high praise remarks. Her teacher says Makenzie even likes to help other children in her class. Makenzie is very good at coloring and arts & crafts. A lot of times, I can find her making something special for one of us or her teacher.
These last months of Kindergarten are going to be filled with so many fun projects and learning moments. I can't wait to spend the time with her to keep the enthusiasm glowing from within:)

Dannen :)

Less than a month from now, our son will be turning the BIG 2!!! Dannen is such a delight! His laugh can make any person smile. It's great having two very vocal big sisters in the house, because Dannen is quite the little talker. He can have a full conversation now, which makes me laugh even more... the imagination of a little boy is stunning! One of my favorite things he talks about is "Ahdooo" aka Diego. No matter how much we try to correct him, he'll go on and on about "Ahdooo" and "Dohdah". We are SUPER big on teaching manners early. Dannen will use his "Tanxs", "Peeez", "Cooz me" and even "Sorry" at just the right times:)
Dannen's last two eye teeth FINALLY came through a few weeks ago. Poor little guy became super picky and uncomfy. Thankfully, he didn't really get sick or fussy. A little bug hit him after spending so much time out in the cold weather, and oh boy, that made for quite the clingy boy! There were a few days there where all he wanted was Daddy and cuddling:) I got the "evil eye" a lot LOL
One of the most exciting things to share is his progress on potty training! He originally started using the frog potty a few months ago. When everyone got sick, the potty training came to a very quick stop, with very few attempts made to even look at Mr. Froggy. Just after the beginning of the year, Dannen got bit by the "I'm a big boy now" bug and since then, only uses his pull-ups for nap & bed time, with the occasional car ride if it's going to be super long. Yes, we've had a few oops moments, but thankfully he's learning how to hold it when "that feeling" comes along. It's sooooo nice not to have to spend the extra $! Our next purchase will be a step stool and Potty attachment to the regular toilet.
We've started transitioning him from his straw cups to normal kid cups. It's kind of nerve racking with the idea of juice or milk spilling everywhere, but so far he's done pretty good.
Dannen has been in his big-boy fire truck bed for nearly 7 months now. I'm very thankful that he has yet to try and run around or throw a fit at bed time. He'll lay down right away or sometimes talk to himself or his new favorite bed buddy, Buzz. Feeling very comfortable with his ability to handle stairs, listening, and knowing to call for Mommy in the mornings, we took the baby gate down from his doorway. Usually, he'd walk to the door, saying "Moooring, Mama!" and wait for me to undo the gate. It's been awesome hearing his little feet scurry across the floor and say hi in our room:)
Can't wait to celebrate his upcoming birthday! Guess I should start planning?!?!?!

Family's First Snowman

With snow falling, what's the best thing to do that entertains your kids? Make a snowman!!! This last round of snow was absolutely perfect for packing snow together. Makenzie had a blast trying to make snowballs to throw at everyone.
Dannen wouldn't stand still long enough to really help. He was much more interested in the big hill:)
Kaylie was the best snow finder!
Ummmm, don't even think about it!
Dannen looks like he's thinking, "Aw come on Dad, what's the big deal?"
So this is our snowman... or should I say this is how our first snowman STARTED...
Dannen got a little preoccupied with the neighbors cat wandering around.
Hey, get back down here silly boy!
That's right... Kaylie makes the BEST snowman body parts!
tEaMwOrK:)
Okay, I can't feel my toes anymore (Someone was determined to wear her funny socks with only crocs)
Here he is! William thought it would be funny to mount him on top of our car... sadly some goofball knocked it off while out for an evening walk:(
The finished family snowman... Great job!
Not sure who ran in the house faster to warm up with hot chocolate and a bubble bath!

365 Project

With a LOVE for photography, I've decided to join the "365 Project". This site allows me to share a photo a day... helping me to keep up with expanding my photography skills while sharing with people. I started a few days late, but was able to already post a few pics from this year. Surprisingly, I have some comments already! Feel free to follow along:)

Photography by Kristy

I've decided to "close up shop" at my photography blogger website. It was meant to be used in beginning my outsourcing for new clients. After realizing I am changing my perspective on which areas of photography I intend to explore and share, it means a change in website is in store. I'm not sure when the new site will be completed, as there is a lot involved. Until then, please enjoy viewing my photos through the Facebook page, PhotographybyKristy, created specifically for my photography.

New Year's Resolutions

After much thought, I've decided to write out my resolutions this year. Making them is easy, but following through is hard. (Maybe it's because of the expectations put on reaching these goals or just the idea of change, resolutions tend to fall by the wayside these past few years.)

I can honestly say, with regards to my kids, there is little I want to post about making "better". My girls are doing an amazing job in school! I can only hope to help Kaylie continue her rapid success in Math and English. Makenzie's reading skills are getting better and better as the weeks go on. Setting aside more one-on-one time to enhance their abilities is at the top of my list for each of them. I also hope to curb their wanting to act older when still learning how to properly express themselves. If I can help them keep their emotions under control, then the idea of having two teenage girls in the future doesn't scare me as much:P Dannen has become such a chatterbox, learning to express his wants and needs with a wide range of vocabulary. I hope to help him conquer potty training prior to Spring, and begin working a lot with colors/numbers/letters.

My goals are to help our family grow our relationship with God. I believe learning about who's most important and how He plays a role in our everyday activities will help us grow together, as a more loving and spiritual family. We found a GREAT church that I know can aid our teachings. I also hope to work together more on family events and outings.

It's been a crazy past six months, adjusting to a new state, school classes, new work environment, and living habits. Finding our "groove" will definitely make things run smoother. My goal is to have our finances on the positive side by March. It'll be a challenge, but one we desperately need and deserve. Once we work on getting, we can enjoy keeping:)

When it comes to my personal goals, oh boy that's a "fun" list! I've sadly let my self completely put others needs and wants before even thinking of my own. Of course, as a mother, that's what we do... kids come first. But, I've discovered that if you don't take care of yourself, it's super difficult to help others, let alone expect it from those you love.

There's a 10 year wedding anniversary on the horizon... whew, who would have thought?!?! So much has happened in those years alone that can make a person lose their mind, at the same time feel loved and a part of something special. Roller coaster... my best word to describe things HAHAHA. You are terrified to get on, nervous and joyed through the ride, and after it's done, you want to go back for more:)

I am going to lose this extra weight I've been carrying since giving birth to my third child. I got in "the funk" since having him, and haven't found my way out, until now. Gotta get the ball rolling and ready to bounce back! I wore a size 8 wedding dress... a size I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be wearing. It'll take a lot of hard work, but it's something I need to do for myself. My goal is to lose at least 40 pounds by my wedding anniversary. That leaves me just shy of five months to complete. Fingers crossed, praying hard and hoping for the best!

So, 2011, it's going to be a great year... A LOT to do... all with a sMiLe!!!

Happy New Year