Day 7

Short term goals for this month and why

One goal we have set recently is to keep track of where our money goes. Living in Los Alamos we don't have many options for shopping and we very rarely go anywhere else, so it's pretty easy to not spend money. We have started just doing 2 big grocery shopping trips per month and anything in between is just fresh fruit and veggies and milk.

This month we also had a goal to get our tickets for Germany and we finally did! I still can't believe we are actually going and I'm already getting butterflies about leaving the kids for 2 weeks, but I know we are going to have an amazing trip. Germany, Italy, Spain. Beautiful beaches, beautiful sites! Ahhh! So fun!

Ryan asked me to try some new recipes recently, so I guess that was one of our goals. I made sweet and sour chicken and fried rice one night. It was quite the process and I don't know if I'll do it again, but it was fun to try and tasted pretty good.

We don't really set monthly goals, I guess it would be smarter to do that than yearly goals. Maybe if we just did one goal per month we'd actually finish some. :)

Day 6

A picture of someone/something that has had the biggest impact on you.

My family means SO much to me. I personally think they are THE greatest ever. I am who I am today, because of all of them. Through example, and love, they have helped shape the woman I have become. We still keep in touch and I hope that never changes. I can't imagine not being able to pick up the phone and call them at any moment. Or going to any one of their homes and not being invited in. I love my parents and think it's pretty awesome that they had 9 kids. They are amazing. Several times I have asked my mom how she handled 9 of us. And she always said we were such good kids, it was easy to have more. Thank you Mom and Dad for bringing us all into this world. Our family is Awesome!

I mean, look at us! We are all one, and yet, each one of us is our own. We have our differences and our flaws, but when we get together its like none of that matters and we are back to the same Skidmore kids. haha.

I love all of you!

I couldn't complete this post without Ryan, Obviously he is part of the family, but he deserves his own credit for impacting my life. I get to spend the REST of my life with him and I am so thankful he came into my life. He is my best friend, my partner, my everything. Ryan has taught me so many things. About myself and about life in general. He is very outgoing and spontaneous and he has helped me become those things as well. He makes me feel special, and he still stares at me like I'm the only woman in the world. That may be to much information, but it just shows how much in love we are. I can honestly say I knew the moment I met him, that I wanted him to be a part of my life. His personality fits with mine perfectly.

I love you Ryan. Thank you for being the man you are, and I'm so grateful to be able to spend this journey of life with you. We have already had some great adventures and I can't wait to make more memories with you.

Day 5

Oh hush, I know I'm behind. I'm doing what I can. Haha!

Day 5

Favorite Super Hero and why

Well, some of you may think this is very silly, but who cares. This is my blog and you're the one reading it. Ha! So my favorite "superhero" is Jacob and Edward from the Twilight Saga. (I know you are rolling your eyes) They are just as much a superhero as superman and whoever else. They are both protectors of people they care about and their town. That's a superhero, right?

I really couldn't think of anything else to write about. I think this is just on my mind because I just bought the Breaking Dawn movie and I love it! I love all the movies and books. No matter what other people may say. Ryan and I watched it the other night and it's kinda funny because I am team Edward and Ryan has always been team Jacob. Now he says he's team Rosalie....? Pffff, whatevs! If its about who we think is good looking, then I'm switching to team Carlisle. Lol!

This is a very weird post and I know that, but it's what came to mind, so thats what you get. :)

If anyone wants to argue about Edward vs. Jacob, bring it on!

Heehehee!

Day 4

Okay, okay, I know I skipped a day, but I've been trying to figure out how to get a childhood picture on here and I just can't right now. So, I will just come back to "day 3" when it's convenient for me. :)

A place I've been

Siesta Key, Florida

This is, by far, our favorite beach we've been to. The sand seriously feels like powdered sugar! We love going to the beach and just spending the day relaxing and playing around. We are going to try and see any beach once a year, if we can. It's good therapy for anything, I say! :)

This summer Ryan and I will get the opportunity to see some beaches in Spain and Italy and we are getting so excited! Ahhhh, I can smell the ocean already. Hehe!

Day 3

(i'm switching day 3 and 4)

A habit I wish I didn't have.....

I have a really bad habit of not always speaking my mind. I tend to hold everything in and just let it be. I don't like to start arguments or big debates, I just let other people say things and I very rarely speak up. It's not that I'm shy... I just don't like to argue. I don't want to end up hurting someone. I always tell Ryan that I'm "too nice." There have been a few times that I have stood up for myself and I was very proud, but for the most part I just "let it be." I don't really want to change this about myself, but I do think there are times when we should stand up for ourselves and speak our mind. It's important to be heard and I need to work on that.

Day 2

The meaning behind my blog name.....

Well, this one is too easy. My blog name is obvious and uncreative, but the purpose of my blog is to talk about my family and our life. Plain and simple. So thats why I chose it.

On a side note, today a very good friend of mine lost a very good friend of hers. I'm not sure why this has hit me so hard. I did not know him, but my heart breaks for him and his family. All I know of him is that he recently married the love of his life 6 months ago and he was only 38 yrs old. This should be an eye-opener for all of us.

Our lives can be cut short or lived very long, but no matter the length of time, we should live life to its fullest. I hear that a lot and I always think of it as....I should be traveling and seeing the world and doing everything I want to do.....when really its much simpler than that.

It's not about all the places you go and things you see, sometimes its just the small things. Hugging your kids and your husband. Calling your family just to chat. Smiling at people, saying thank you. Saying I Love You. Being a good example. Kind words, open heart. Forgiving. All these things, and more, make for a fulfilling life. And its sad that it takes such an eye opener as this, to remember that.

Thank you for letting me share my thoughts today. Love to you all!

Blog Challenge

Lets face it..... I am not good at keeping up on my blog! So, I figure if I have something to follow, maybe it will help me get going again. Today is day 1 of my blog challenge. You can do it too if you like! (and yes, I got this from pinterest) Ready, set, BLOG!

The Challenge:

day 1-recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself

day 2-the meaning behind your blog name
day 3- a picture of you as a child
day 4- a habit that you wish you didn’t have
day 5- a picture of somewhere you’ve been
day 6- favorite super hero and why
day 7- a picture of someone/something that has had the biggest impact on you
day 8- short term goals for this month and why
day 9- something you’re proud of in the past few days
day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
day 11- write a bucket list of things you want to do before you die
day 12- write a poem to someone you love
day 13- your 5 favorite books and why
day 14- a picture of you and your family
day 15- put your ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
day 16- a picture of yourself
day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have
day 19- write about a sweet memory from your past
day 20- write a letter to someone
day 21-a picture of something that makes you happy
day 22- what makes you different from everyone else
day 23- something you crave a lot
day 24- post your favorite quote or verse of scripture and why
day 25- what I would find in your bag
day 26- list 10 things that you are thankful for
day 27- my day job verses my passion
day 28- cruise a thesaurus and pick out 10 words you like the sound of
day 29 – favorite tv shows and why you like them
day 30 – movies you can watch again and again.

DAY 1:

Hello! :)

1. I am only 5' 1". Maybe this is only interesting to me, because I thought for sure I was 5'3.....maybe I shrunk?

2. I have braces. Not many people know this about me. They are "invisible." I can't wait to have my teeth straight! 6 months!

3. I stand on one foot when I get ready in the morning. And sometimes when I'm cooking. And other times I'm sure. :)

4. I think it would be cool to have a southern accent.

5. I'm scared for Grey and Huck to be teenagers. I just see all the changes in the world and it makes me nervous.

6. I am double jointed. And I can do some pretty gross tricks with my arms. Haha!

7. I am obsessed with having a clean house.

8. I don't stick to my own rules. I tell Grey she needs to clean up her toys before she gets out more. She ends up getting out more and I end up cleaning up most of it..... I'm so bad!

9. I can't leave the house without making my bed.

10. I treat our cat like one of the kids. Obviously I love the kids WAY more, but she gets pretty spoiled too.

11. I hate drinking juice.

12. I'm scared to eat fish.

13. I think nose piercings are cute. Just the little tiny ones. I'd never get one though.

14. I love reality tv. As annoying as it gets sometimes....I still watch it.

15. I'd love to be on So You Think You Can Dance

Well, there they are. Pretty random facts, but that's what came to mind. I hope some of you will join in on this challenge! Let me know if you do so I can read yours too!

Life these days

I cannot express how blessed I feel. I absolutely love having 2 kids. My heart is full!

Ever since baby Huck joined our family, life has been busier, for sure, but so great. Grey adores her little brother and you can tell that heloves her. He fits so perfectly in our family. I love kissing his pudgy cheeks and I LOVE it when his little hand wraps around my finger. I can't wait for my whole family to meet him.

It has been 2 weeks since he was born and we are both doing great. He weighs 7 lbs 11 oz! I hope he gets real chubby. :) He is sleeping pretty good....still a little confused on his day/night schedule. He does NOT like getting his diaper changed, but he LOVES it when I wash his hair. Grey loves to hold him and tell him stories and sing him songs. It just melts my heart watching her look at him and smile at him. He has lots of dark hair and gorgeous blue eyes. (he got those from daddy!)

We feel very blessed to have had great doctors throughout this process and that he got here safely. As most of you know, we chose to go with another c-section. I prayed about it and I just felt like it would be ok. I worried about the recovery, but felt like the vbac would not be the right choice for me. I'm so glad we went through with the c-section. The doctor ended up finding 2 tumors on my right ovary and a large cyst on my left ovary. They removed my right ovary completely and removed the cyst on my left. Had we not had the c-section, I would have been in a lot of pain in the coming months and would've had surgery anyways. I'm so glad we got that all over with in one surgery and everythings gonna be ok. I'm also glad we have insurance...yikes!

I still have a lot of recovering to do....I'll be slow goingfor a while and can't do everything I want to do, but I'm grateful to have a husband who is willing to jump in and help and friends that are there for me as well. I'm just happy that Huck was born healthy! 2 healthy, beautiful kids....I'll take the pain for that!

Here are some pictures for your enjoyment:

2 of our friends had baby boys too! It's awesome!

My parents came to visit Halloween weekend.

Grey was a princess. She's beautiful!

Grey in her fort we built

Huck sleepin

Love them so much!

Love his eyes

better than 1

Huck Lee Hammon

Born October 19, 2011

11 a.m

6 lbs. 12 oz. 20 inches

...
"I remember what you wore on the first day

You came into my life and I thought, hey

You know this could be something..."

"'Cause everything you do and words you say

You kno

w that it all takes

my breath away...

...So maybe it's true

That I can't live without you

And maybe two is better

t

han one..."

"But there's so much time

To figure out the rest of my life

And you've already got me coming undone

And I'm thinking two is

better than one

..."

"I remembe

r every look upon your face

The way you roll

your eyes, the way y

ou say

You make it hard fo

r breathing..."

"'Cause wh

en I close my

eyes and drift away

I think of you and everything's okay

I'm finally now believing..."

"That maybe it's true

That I can't live without you

And maybe two is better than one..."

-"Two Is Better Than One"

by Boys Like Girls, feat. Taylor Swift

Seriously.....

Where has the time gone? I really feel silly even looking at my own blog anymore. Ugh. Maybe after I have the baby I will have more time to blog? Ha, ya right.....I can hope.

So just a quick update...

Grey started preschool the first week of September. She, of course, loves it. No tears at all. There are 9 kids in her class and she seems to get along with all of them. I teach her class with a group of 3 other moms every 2 weeks. It's been fun. I wasn't sure how Grey would handle having me in her classroom, but her response was..."Does that mean I get to talk to you all day?" She is so funny. I seriously don't know where she comes up with the things she says. Love her! Grey also started taking ballet. And boy, if that doesn't give your child some attitude, I don't know what will. She just thinks she's the bomb. (well, and she is) She tells me she's the best in her class. Ugh. Ok, we need to work on that attitude maybe. :)

Grey is very excited for her little brother to join our family. She tells me all the things she will do to help. Then she asks if he is going to eat her toys. And if she can carry him around......(no)

She still tells people his name is Squidward....or Jack. It's neither, I promise.

But, we are all very anxious for his arrival. My doctor, whom I love, is keeping a close watch on the baby and I. Right now she is saying that my amniotic fluid is low, we will check again on Tuesday (oct 4th) and see where to go from there. We are just hoping for a healthy boy, no matter how he gets here. I am fine with another c-section, if thats what it comes down to.

Ryan is working hard as always. He has taken up a new hobby, slacklining. If you were around us in Idaho this summer, you most likely took part in that new hobby. And I apologize for any injuries! hehee. He is really getting good at it and I love watching him. He has also taken up hiking and mountain biking. Living here in Los Alamos will do that to you.

As for me, I am just taking things day by day now. Waiting for this baby to get here. We recently moved into a new place and we love it so much. I have spent my time unpacking and decorating, organizing. That's, honestly, what I love doing. My weeks are busy running Grey around to preschool and dance and between doctor and dentist appointments, we are booked! I have managed to complete a few projects for the baby. I made a quilt and some taggies, and I also made a couple carseat covers. I had originally made a black one, but then I got a cute diaper bag that was brown, so I had to make another one to match the diaper bag. Haha! I'm weird like that.

So, that's what I have for now. I feel bad not keeping up on this blog. But, really, the people who read it know what I'm up to anyways. So, sometimes I feel like....what's the point?

I will be sure to post pics of the baby when he arrives. That will most likely be my next post.

Love you all!