Getting Caught Up

So, I got a little behind...Here's us all caught up now! :)

Our August:

(layout created using kit Feelin' Shabby by Scraps by Andrea)

Layout Reads:
Michael began the first week of August away on business about 5 hours from home. So towards the end of that week Christie, the kids, and the dog met him where he was working and we started on our vacation! We spent Saturday and Sunday with Michael’s parents, and then Monday-Friday with Christie’s parents in Tennessee. While in Tennessee we got to see Christie’s two sisters too! We got them to go geocaching with us while we were there too! We also got to visit the Great Smoky Mountains, and then took a trip to Gatlinburg to visit the aquarium and walk around the beautiful town! Once we got back to San Angelo we started moving into our new rent house in Mertzon! We just moved a little bit at a time, so we have half our stuff at the house and half at the apartment, but it’s so nice to have a little extra space! The rest of the August was spent moving things, getting adjusted, and playing outside.

And Our July:

(layout created using kit Granny's Sweet Tea by Scraps of Ellay)

Layout Reads:
These months are just flying by now! We are now more than halfway through the year 2010! That’s hard to believe! Our July was a little calmer than most of our previous months! This month we stayed home and Michael didn’t even have to travel for work this month! We took a trip to the Abilene zoo; it’s only about an hour drive. We love visiting zoos! We spent the 4^th just being lazy around the house and then going out to the local fireworks show! The kids got to wear super cute shirts from their Memaw and Pawpaw, and got decked out in their glowing bracelets for the firework show. They loved the fireworks! We spent a lot of time swimming at the apartment pool. We also started a new family hobby! It’s called Geocaching…and we all LOVE it! Michael turned the big 2-4 this month! Only one more year until we get a discount on our auto insurance now! At the end of the month, Michael’s parents came to visit! Haylie and Hunter loved seeing and spending time with their Memaw and Pawpaw! And Michael and Christie enjoyed a little alone time together (finally)!

Our June 2010!

(layout made with Christie's "Beach Bliss" kit)

Layout Reads:

June came and went crazy fast! And now we are halfway through 2010! It’s so unreal! The first part of june Michael was still out of town with work. So Christie and the kids were off visiting family! They got to go to the smokie mountains, where the kids got to see it out the sun roof! Then they headed back to little rock, where they got to celebrate Peytons 3rd birthday! And then it was time to head home to meet back up with michael! And celebrate Hunters 2nd birthday!!! We also got kept a promise we made haylie before moving to Texas. we got a little kitty, that haylie picked out and named sallie. Michael had to go out of town again for a week for work, but christie and the kids stayed home this time. The kids got to see their first movie in the theatre, toy story 3! We also spent a lot of time in the pool, which we keep forgetting to take the camera down and get some pictures! we also got the good news that christie's mom wouldn’t have to have brain surgery to remove the tumor. they are just going to keep an eye on it. So bring on July!

Our May 2010

Better late than never...here's our May 2010:

(layout made using Christie's kit "Down by the Lily Pad")

Layout Reads:
It never seems to amaze me how quickly the months are flying by anymore! May has already come and gone! and just like every other month this year, May was jam packed with fun! The kids joined us in San Angelo at the end of April. So we spent the first part of May exploring San Angel- and the surrounding area with the kiddos. This included a picnic at Lake Nasworthy here in San Angelo. The kids enjoyed feeding the birds their french fries. The minute the kids would throw out a fry a bird would sweep in and grab it! We also found two different parks that the kids enjoy playing at. One Saturday we decided to drive to Abilene, which is only like an hour and a half away from here. While we were there we went to visit the zoo! Unfortunately, we got rained on and most of the animals were not out because of the incoming storm! So we left shortly after getting there. But we planned to go back soon! Michael got word that he would have to travel to Chicago the last week of this month and the first week of June. So, Christie decided to take the kids on a road trip to Sherwood to see Memaw and pawpaw, and then to Maryville to see Grammie and Grampy! Boy was that a Long time in the car! 10 hours to sherwood and then 8 hours to maryville...and then home again two weeks later! The kids were total angels in the car! And they had a great time visiting with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousin! Not to mention their great grandparents were still in town at Maryville, so they got to visit with them as well! Hunter had an early birthday party at both sets of grandparents houses. Christie’s mom was diagnosed with Meningioma, but we wouldn’t find out more about it until June. So, we’ll have to wait and see what June will hold for us!

Our April 2010

I know it's a little late....but here it is...our April 2010

(layout credits: created with Christie's (aka Scrappin Serenity) kit "Modern Elegance" using a template by Nibbles Skribbles)

Layout reads:

"April was a very hard month for our family. We sold our house at the end of March and had to be out within a few days. Unfortunately we didn’t have anywhere to go, because we were still waiting to close on our house in Texas. We decided to send the kids to Grammies and Grampy’s house in Tennesse to stay until we closed and moved into the new house, which was only suppose to be a week and a half. We got everything loaded on the moving truck and headed down to the hotel. Our first week in San Angelo was uneventful and we missed the kids like crazy. But they were getting spoiled, so they didn’t miss Mommy and Daddy too much. Our second week down here, Christie’s Grandparents came in for a visit. That definitely lifted our spirit, because we got bad news about the house. Because of some issues with Michael’s student loans and the underwriters would not give us the loan on the house. Then it was a mad dash to try to find a place to live. There were literally no rental houses in our price range and nothing available right away. The next week, we were lucky to find a two bedroom apartment available within two days, and it was just forty dollars more a month than our mortgage was. So we took it, moved our stuff in on a Friday, got it all set up and went and got the kids on a Saturday. The kids love their new Dora and Diego room and the fact that the apartment has a swimming pool. They really enjoy going over to Michael’s bosses house and seeing his chickens and playing with his older boys. I wouldn’t say that we have adjusted to life here. We miss our families very much and everything is completely and totally different but we’re slowly getting used to it."

Our March 2010

(layout credits: "Twitterpated" by Christie (aka Scrappin' Serenity) & Template by CW Picket & Co.)

Layout reads:
"March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb right? Ours however was completely the other way around! The beginning of the month was rather quiet. Christie accepted a position on the Stuff To Scrap design team at the beginning of the month, and opened her own digital scrapbook store! Aunt Candice came down to visit the kids while on her spring break! They had a blast with her and really enjoyed the beautiful spring weather we were getting! Haylie started practicing for the children’s Easter musical for church. However shortly after she began practicing we got an offer on our House that we couldn’t refuse. So we took a flying Weekend trip to San Angelo to find a house down there to buy. We were lucky enough to find one that we both loved and that the kids would love as well. So it was set for us to be out of our Cabot house by the 29th and to sign and move into our San Angelo house on the 29th. However, as the time got nearer, we found out that our house in San Angelo would not be ready to close on, due to some paperwork issues. The kids got “big kid” beds for their new rooms in Texas. We decided since we didn’t know where we would be for Easter that we would have Easter our last Sunday in our house and at our church. The kids had a great Time dying Easter eggs! And everyone looked smashing in their Easter clothes! We closed on our house on the 26th, and the movers came the 27th and moved all our stuff out and we said goodbye to the house and to Arkansas. And the kids went to spend some quality time with Grammie and Grampy in Tennessee until we get things in order in Texas…or until Christie can no longer stand to be away from them, which won’t be long! Hopefully April will bring some sanity to our family!"

Our February 2010

(layout created with "Everyday Happenings" by Misty O'Brien Designs & Spinky Dink Scraps)

Layout Reads:

Can’t believe that we’re already entering into the third month of the year! Our February was full of events! At the beginning of the month we got a record breaking 5 ½ inches of snow. The kids had so much fun, and even got to build their first snowman! For Valentine’s Day this year, we took the kids to the Build A Bear, for the first time, and let them build their very first bear. They really enjoyed that and really love their bears (even if Hunter doesn’t look like it in his picture, he just didn’t want to take a picture at the moment). Christie competed in a Digital Scrapbook Design competition, it finished up this month and she got the results back! She won a spot selling the Scrapbook kits she makes at stufftoscrap.com! The same day Christie got her results back, we received an offer on the house. We decided to accept that offer, and now are in a rush to find a house in San Angelo, and be out of our house by the end of March! So we went to San Angelo that very weekend, found a house and put an offer in on it and now we are waiting to see if the people accepted the offer or not. Michael got his yearly raise and promotion! So proud of how hard he works so that the kids can stay at home and not go to daycare! This was a crazy month…but I’m sure next month will be even crazier!

Our January 2010

I'm going to try to get better at posting on our family blog! I'm going to try to post at least once a month...typically at the end of the month to do sort of a round up of the months events! So...here it is...Our January 2010.

In case you can't read the journaling on my layout it reads:
"A new year brings new adventures for our family! This month Haylie turned 3! She had 3 different parties too! One in Tennessee with Grammie, Grampy, and all her Aunts and Uncle, one in Texas, and one at Chuck-E-Cheese with Memaw, PawPaw, Aunt Amanda, and Peyton. We took a trip to San Angelo, Txas to check out the area we will be moving to if our house ever sells. It is a much different way of life down there then what we're used to. We took the kids bowling for the first time this month! We all had a good time! And I think we'll try to go once a month from now on! We lowered the price of our house and really hope that helps it sell faster! We're so ready to move to Texas now!"

And here's a layout of our bowling adventure!

See ya next month! :)