Happy 2nd Birthday Aaron!

Happy 2nd Birthday to the most adorable nephew in the whole wide world even if it is a day early!

I can't believe my sweet nephew is no longer a baby but a full blown toddler who makes me laugh constantly! 2 years ago today little did we know that at 9;30 that night our lives would forever change when Guy called and said they "might" be staying at the hospital...well that was good enough for us and before they could say no we were all there waiting on my sweet nephew to be born! At 2:37 on October 2nd by sweet Aaron Baron made his way into this world and changed all of our lives forever!

Aaron,

I know you can't read this (but someday you will be able to) but I want you to know that being your aunt is one of the greatest jobs I could ever have hoped for and I can't imagine life without you! I love that you call me Kel Kel now and that you are so excited to see me all the time! I love how you would live outside if your momma would let you, I love how you say I love you and most of all I love you more than you'll ever be able to imagine! Your 1st birthday picture is sitting in my living room and I can't believe that you are 2 already! You are so sweet (well most of the time!) and are so much fun to be around! Uncle Brian and I love you very much! We can't wait to see you Sunday and celebrate your birthday with you! Don't worry you know whatever you want your Aunt Kel Kel will get you!

A very proud aunt & uncle!

This picture makes me laugh so much!

Our sweet Aaron Baron

1st Birthday!

Can't believe you're 2 already! Ilove you more than you'll ever know!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

Time sure does fly when you're having fun!! This has been a busy year for Brian and I and the summer was no different!! I can hardly believe that August is nearly over and before we know it we will be getting ready for Aaron's 2nd birthday and the holidays!!

I really can't remember what I last blogged about, but here's what we've been up to lately:

• My lil bubba came home for good on August 7th! It was very fun to be able to surprise everyone with him being home! He called me early that morning and told me that he was flying home (he has already been given his final papers, but was going to have to wait for 3 days before the Marines could process a bus ticket for him) so he got a flight out of San Diego and was on his way home! A friend picked him up at the airport and I met them that afternoon. I took him to the bank to see Kim and she immediately started crying! It had been 5 months since we last saw him! Then we were able to surprise my moma nd Granny and that was fun! I wasn't with them when they went to surprise dad, but I heard that was great too!
• We went to see George Strait on August 8th (yes Lil Bubba made it home just in time) and it was AWESOME! By far the best concert I have EVER been too! I definitely hope we get to see him again soon!
• My last day at the bank was on August 12th...boy what a weird feeling! It was a great job while I have been in college and I had been there for 5 years so it was bittersweet to leave! My lil bubba took my place their and has been there a week now! He has big shoes to fill! ;)
• Brian and I have recently taken up bike riding...and we really like it! We don't get to ride nearly as much as we'd like (or I'd like because I don't know that Brian likes it as much as I) but it's something fun and free to do!
• We hope to get our wedding pictures back this weekend! I can't wait to see them printed rather than on a CD!
• I started student teaching this week and I LOVE IT! It really makes me want my own class so bad! Just a few more months and I'll officially be SHSU alumni!
• Brian is busy working away and when I say busy I mean BUSY! I am so thankful and so blessed to have a husband that works SO hard and provides a great life for us! He works like crazy so that I can finish going to school and I'm so blessed!
• Aaron is as cute as ever and I think he gets cuter everytime I see him! I can hardly believe that my sweet nephew is no longer a baby and will definitely be every bit of 2 in October! I do have a bone to pick with him though, because he says Matt Matt (or yells Matt) when he wants to talk to Uncle Matt but will hardly ever say Kel and he hasn't seen Matt in 5 months! That is one boy that sure does love his Uncle Brian lately!
• We are loving our house still and hope to get some projects accomplished eventually. We need to get our guest room together and I'd like to organize our office better, we'd also like to put in some more and new flower beds. I wonder if Brian will put Christmas lights on our house?! Somehow I doubt it so I won't hold my breath!
• Oh yeah and last but certainly not least my best friend since childhood, Julie will be home sometime in the next month or so for good! I can't wait to see her and her sweet baby girl Olivia all the time! :)

Well I'd better go...I need to find something for dinner since Brian informed me that he didn't get a lunch break and he's starving! I'll try to do better at blogging.

Shopping Anyone?!

Have you already completed your back to school shopping for your kiddos?! Do you have birthday's coming up, or for all my friends out there who are moving into a new house, please check out a website that a friend of mine has just launched. What is it you ask?! Well it's called Linden Tree Boutique of course! For all of my teacher friends out there she has GREAT new Wild About Teaching shirts that are ADORABLE & I plan to order one soon! For my friends out there that have kids, nieces/nephews, in daycare she has great ways lable sippy cups and my sister swears by these labels! If you don't see something here that you'd like please contact Lindsay and I'm sure she can help you come up with something that will meet your needs and she is constantly updating her website so please check it out at www.lindentreeboutique.com

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Salsa Chicken

I definitely can't take credit for this recipe, but I do thank my friend Ashley for passing it along. I am sure she won't mind me passing it along to all of you, so here goes. If I can make this ANYONE can make this!

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use the 98% fat free kind, and you can't tell the difference)
1 packet of taco seasoning (I use the low sodium one)
1 cup of salsaplace
chicken breasts on the bottom of crockpot, sprinkle taco packet on top, add mushroom soup and salsa. cook on low for 6-8 hours. THAT'S IT!!!
Ashley added that she usually serves it over rice, which is what I did and it was delish!

We tried this on Tuesday night and it was DELISH! This will definitely be something I cook again.

Happy 3 Years!!

Happy 3 year anniversary to my sister & Guy! I can't believe it's been three years since you guys tied the knot! I think that was the hottest July day ever...the rain didn't help...but you guys had an awesome wedding and have come along way in three years!! I love you both and hope you have a great day!!

What A Difference A Year Makes...

What a difference a year makes!! One year ago today was one of the scariest days of our families life. A year ago today my dad went in for a simple procedure for his heart and it went horribly wrong! I will never forget Melinda calling me and telling me that we needed to get to the hospital now! I called Kim who quickly dropped Aaron off with mom and then decided to all meet at my apartment. Guy would pick up Matt on the way and we would be on our way...it seemed like FOREVER before Guy and Matt got to the apartment so we could leave. We all crammed into my car and drove as fast as we could to downtown..except there was one thing wrong with that situation...it was rush hour traffic! It felt like it took us 2 hours to get there. When we finally did we met Melinda and Nan in the cardiac ICU waiting room where finally (after what felt like forever and I'm sure felt like an eternity to Nan & Melinda who had already been waiting so long) the doctor or nurse (I can't really remember who because it's all a blur now) came out and said that he was stable and in CICU (cardiac ICU) and that we could see him shortly. Nothing Melinda or Nan could have said (though they tried their hardest) could have prepared me to see dad in the condition that he was in! All I could do was cry and barely say I love you to dad who honestly looked like death warmed over as he lay there. I told Brian I hope he couldn't hear me crying, because that was all I could do was cry! He spent a total of 5 days in ICU and those were the longest 5 days of our lives! The first time my dad woke up was on Sunday and he asked Brian what day it was and we told him Sunday (he knew he had gone in on Thursday) and all he could do was say he was sorry and I kept telling him not to worry about it that he was going to be fine! He spent another 7-8 days in the hospital and was finally released to come home the last day of July!! What a day that was!! There was honestly a moment in that hospital that I wondered if that day would ever get here! I am so thankful that God was there watching over my dad that day (as He always does) but that he had some extra protection over him! I can't imagine a single day without my dad and am so greatful that we had so many people praying for us for those 12 days! Dad I love you more than you'll ever know and don't know what I'd do without you! Your love is unwavering and I love you as big as Texas! Thank you for being the best dad that Kim, Matt, or I could ever ask for and loving us unconditionally! Thank you for being the best Pops to our sweet Aaron Baron!

Miracles Do Happen...

Miracles do happen....I NEVER HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER MATH CLASS AGAIN!! I GOT A B IN MY SUMMER MATH CLASS!!! Now it's on to student teaching and GRADUATION in December!!!! Thank you all for your prayers!!!! LET SUMMER BEGIN!!!!!!!!