Exhausted but rejuvinated from a little vacation.

As parents we always seem to be exhausted. It varies from day to day just how exhausted we are but it's always there. It wasn't until after we arrived in Vegas that I realized just how exhausted we were. Once I stepped away from dirty diapers, potty breaks, cleaning up toys, making beds, making 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks, going to school and all the crying and whining that I realized how incredibly exhausted I was. I realized how much WE needed this vacation.

A vacation that almost didn't happen. We decided to use our government stimulus check for this vacation and as soon as it was deposited into the account we made our reservations. For the next 6 months we debated about whether or not this was the right thing to do with our money. That money could have gone to other things and at that time I thought they were more important things then treating ourselves to a vacation, without kids! Something that hasn't happened since we got married. So a few months back I looked into canceling the whole thing. Lucky for us the airline we booked with did not accept cancellations. We could only postpone our vacation and receive a voucher for later travel dates. I am so very thankful that we didn't cancel. This vacation was a much needed vacation for this very exhausted mommy and daddy.

We had a blast. I think we both had forgotten what it was like to be childless. How much fun you can have when your children aren't around. While we did miss them it was so nice to be without them for a few days. I was reminded why I married my husband, why I love him and why I love my life and most importantly...why we NEED vacations. Now if the government would just keep sending me stimulus checks I could do this every year!

Needless to say the vacation did wonders. I'm rejuvinated. I missed my babies and I'm glad to be home. I even spent the whole day at home yesterday playing with them.

Here are some pictures of our fun time.

We dressed up for 5 nights! Something that is very rare...especially for me. Sad thing is, we didn't get a single picture of that. Instead we have this one. Taken the day we got there when we couldn't get into our room to change our clothes. Did I mention it was almost 90 and I was wearing jeans?

The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Towe drink or as I like to call it 60 oz of daiquiri goodness.

Indiana Jones
Going to the wax museum was a highlight of the trip. They looked so incredibly real and you could touch them and take pictures with them all you wanted.

Matthew Mcconaughey

Me and the Heff.

Brangelina

Me and the Gov

Trevor and the Gov

What's he saying to Cameron Diaz? I have no idea!

Clooney and I got hitched while we were in Vegas. Isn't my dress just gorgeous? Wearing a t-shirt underneath is the new trend!

Golfing with Tiger and Greg Norman (I think that's who that is?) I might be wrong though.

And this my friends is why my husband is NOT a basketball player.

Tim McGraw

He landed on the moon with Neil Armstrong! Must have been warm on the moon.

John Wayne

Master Chief

You can never get tired of the Strip at night.

On Tuesday we rented a car and drove out to Hoover Dam. They are in the process of building an enormous bridge over the Dam. I have no idea just how high it is in the air but this picture was taken from my car on the road that is there now. It was incredibly high. I can't imagine working on that.

The bridge from the damn.

This picture was taken on our tour and is from the inside of Hoover Dam.

A crazy tunnel inside hoover dam that we got to see.

Acting like goofy kids in the Dam Store.

They're me don't you think?

Las Vegas Motor Speedway. There was absolutely no security there. We were allowed to drive through the tunnel and onto the in field. Richard Petty's driving school was going on so we couldn't go on the track but we could get next to pit road which was neat.

We were also allowed to climb some stairs to get onto the roof of some buildings in the in field. It was pretty neat to see.

And a video of one of the neatest sites in Vegas...the fountains at the Bellagio

Happy Anniversary!

On Saturday Trevor and I will be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary. In 5 years we've lived in 5 different places, owned 2 houses, started a new job, moved to a new state and had 2 fantastic little boys. It's been an incredible ride.
Happy Anniversary Honey!
I love you.

Stuffed into my parents car eating a banana. (My mom was worried I would pass out at the church!)

It was freezing the morning of our wedding, I think around 40 degrees. Pictures outside were very short!

My cute little flower girl, Erynn, who is now 8!

This has to be the classiest wedding picture!

My favorite wedding party picture.

Financial Peace

In January Trevor and I began a 13 week course called Financial Peace University. Financial Peace University is a Biblically based, life-changing program that teaches you how to make the right decisions with your money. It was created by Dave Ramsey who has made it his vocation to help people with their money situation. I've been meaning to write about our experience in this class but I'm not sure I could do it justice. Plus, alot of this is personal and some of its hard to admit.

First off, its changed our lives. Completely!

Before we took this class things were tight, very tight. We lived paycheck to paycheck and seemed to be growing out credit card debt instead of our savings. I think both of us were in denial about our situation. We knew we had debt and I think we just assumed that some day it would get paid off. I was completely stressed out about money and nothing Trevor said or did made me feel any better. But then we enrolled in Financial Peace.

One of the most comforting things about this class was being in a room with people, both young and old, who were in the same place as us. In a crazy way it was comforting to know that our situation was far better then alot of people there. But it was nice to share stories, sorrows, hardships and excitement for the future. In our 13 weeks we learned about saving, paying off debt, insurance, investing and giving.

We are now on a budget which we do together every other week. We have cut up ALL of our credit cards and have not swiped a credit card (or debit card) in 5 months. We pay cash for EVERYTHING. We have a small savings set aside for emergencies, we have new and better insurance and most of all we have confidence. It is so invigorating. It is so refreshing. It is the best thing we have done for our family, marriage and life. We have a long road ahead of us but its a road that we are looking forward too.

I want everyone I know to take this class. Trevor and I regret that we did not take it sooner. So regardless of your age or your financial situation I highly recommend this class. It will change your life.

Don't adjust your screen.

Yes you are seeing cleary.

Yes that it my Durango parked IN my garage.

Yes, it's even backed in (just for you Trevor).

Yes, I did this all while Trevor was working and the boys are napping.

No, honey nothing was broken or even thrown away in this event. All your stuff is still safe and sound. Phew! ;-)

Now, just don't look in my basement where said stuff happens to have landed.

I love having a house. Now if I could just get doors on my kitchen cabinets!

Being a Family

Normalcy? What's that. It's seems our family has been on a bit of a crazed schedule for the last 3 months. It started in October when Trevor was asked to work extra hours and it seems to have (hopefully) ended with our move last weekend. We've spent very few meals together, had very few lazy afternoons and evenings together and we've just been too busy to "hang out." It's like we were just 4 people floating around the same 1300 sq feet but not really being a family.


That all changed this weekend. I had to work Sat night from 8pm to 3am (Inventory!) so that left us the entire weekend to enjoy our family and let me tell you......it was awesome! We built a snowman, went for a walk (it was 40 degrees out, HEAT WAVE!), ate our meals together, played together and we all snuggled in bed together. I feel like a new person since "normalcy" has somewhat returned to our house.


I've said it alot recently but the boys are at such an incredibly enjoyable stage. 6 weeks ago I was ready to pull my hair out with Declan. He wouldn't let me out of his sight, wasn't eating and was just plain cranky. In the last week or so he's a whole new person (maybe it's the haircut?). He can entertain himself for fairly long stretches, he eats better (not great but better) and he just seems more happy. He's mastered the use of a fork and spoon to and is pretty darn proud of himself.





One of the interesting things to watch with Carson has been his language development. He's making full sentences now and its so fun to see his brain working. He seems to have trouble with his pronouns. Like using "you" when referring to himself, etc. But its so fun to have conversations with him know. And he's got a great memory. This weekend we went out Saturday to make a snowman only to find out that the snow wasn't going to cooperate.

So we told Carson we would do it after nap when the snow should be ready, since it was 40 degrees all day! When he woke from his nap that was the first thing he asked to do. So we bundled up and headed out again only to find the snow in the same condition as it was earlier. So we told him we would try on Sunday. Well he kept asking us to "make Fwosy the noman," So Sunday morning we headed out and (THANK GOD) the snow was perfect. He didn't want to leave the house afterwards because he didn't want to leave "Fwosy" behind.

One of the highlights from our weekend was yesterday as we were putting the boys down for a nap I told Carson I loved him and he repeated, "I wuv you too." Then Trevor told him he loved him and he replied "I wuv you daddy." THEN, this morning he told me out of the blue that he loved me.

Almost makes me want to have another baby right now.

Almost!

I mean lets not get ahead of ourselves people....seriously!

We have so much to be thankful for this morning, I mean afternoon. God's Blessings to you all!

And a few other pictures from the weekend.

He looks so thrilled to be outside doesn't he?

Going for a walk.

Putting Frosty's nose on.