"First Day of School!" "First Day of School!"

It is that time again. Back to school we all go. We were all dreading it but secretly excited about it as well. I love spending time at home with the girls but I'm a working person, and I love being a teacher so the teaching bug was hitting me again. Something different happened around our house in order to prepare for the first week back. Caroline stayed with my parents in DeQueen. Last year she was a little too young to stay but this year it was perfect. It enabled us to really get into the groove and figure all of our schedules out for the week. Never mind the fact that I was BEYOND EXHAUSTED! I had a little extra time to get my energy back before my smallest angel returned. Parker also really enjoyed just hanging out with mom and dad and being taken to school 1st. Who knew the order that you were dropped off was that important? I sure didn't.

Sunday after we dropped off Caroline with my parents, we came back through Hot Springs and decided to kind of "hang out" for a few hours. We drove down town, looked around, went up the look out tower (not sure what to call it), checked out some of the hot springs, which Parker had never seen or touched, and talked about coming back to spend the night at The Arlington. We grabbed a bite to eat and then headed back home to get prepared for our first day of school. We picked out outfits, painted nails, showered, and just relaxed a bit. Now to try and get some sleep before our big day!

Parker was pretty eager to get up and get dressed, eat breakfast,and all the morning rigamoroll (yes, it is a word). I was so optimistic that this would be our attitude in the mornings. (Proved wrong on morning 2.) Everyone was ready to go on time and Parker was so excited that daddy was taking her to school the first day so that mommy could get to school a little earlier and get some last minute preparations taken care of! Now to some first day shots!

Daddy wasn't sure why he had to take a picture since it wasn't his first day. 

These Kids

I sure love these two silly girls. Parker is in DeQueen visiting with my parents, so its been A LOT of quality time with little C. Walking has been a struggle with her but as of a week or so ago she has been beginning to take some steps and getting so excited when she does. We also act like it is the best thing to happen since sliced bread when she does take steps! All about encouragement here. She is saying so many words (even though they all sound the same) this mamma can figure it out, sometimes. She is saying "na na" (banana), "ni ni" (night night), "no no" ,"HI" ,"bye-bye", "ma ma", "da da", "tis ter" (sister), and I'm sure there are some others. She also has a few signs down which help quite a bit. She can sign "all done", "more", and "milk". We are still working on others. She is just a little sponge right now trying to learn all that she can.

Oh, Summer Time.

Being a teacher has its perks. One of those perks being that I can stay home for almost 3 months in the summer with my kids everyday. Just let that sentence sink in. WITH MY KIDS EVERYDAY! I love my children dearly and I am BEYOND thankful that I can stay with them, but they can drive you nuts! Parker needs to be entertained at all times and sometimes I just don't have the energy to do that. Caroline is into everything or she wants to be in my face at all times. I love it yet know this couldn't happen all year, so I am very thankful for those months out of the year that I am working. Unfortunately summer is coming to a close and I can go back to work and begin complaining about "how I wish it were summer again". The vicious cycle just never ends. Now to sit and enjoy some peace and quiet with my cup of coffee while the little one naps and the big one is spending time with her mimi and papaw.

FAIL!

I realized that I never finished posting about my trip to NYC in NOVEMBER! Surely I have an excuse for not finishing, but I know I don't. So be prepared for a long blog. It was still the best trip I have ever taken hands down. I hope I can take more trips and cross of more things on my "bucket list".  My second day started out with us easing to the Museum of Natural History, which was pretty cool. I tried my best to plan my days by general areas and thankfully my friend, Allison, had been to NYC several times, so she was really able to help me plan it out. Central Park was very close to the museum so that is where we headed next. To say it is big is an understatement. It was beautiful and full of all kinds of people doing all kinds of things. There was a pretty big snow right before so there was snow on the ground and people ice skating in different areas of the park. Strawberry Fields was very close as well and I was amazed at the amount of people who were visiting, lying things down, and taking pictures. Still get chills. I can't even explain the  whole New York experience. When you get there you feel like you are in a different world, which I guess you are. There was still SO much to see and so much more to walk. We made our way back to The Financial District to see Wall Street, The Merrill Lynch Bull, the new World Trade Center, and the Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately Hurricane Sandy hit in NYC the week before our trip so it was closed. That was the biggest bummer to me since that was the ONE thing I really wanted to see while we were there. The rest of day 2 was spent soaking everything in, going into Tiffany's, Macy's (which is huge!), and FAO Schwartz, which was beyond awesome. I can't leave out some of the awesome food that was consumed while there. Hot dog from my first ever hot dog cart, BLT from Carnegie Deli, a slice of cheesecake from Juniors, and some very yummy Greek food.

Day 3 was an adventure and one I had REALLY been looking forward to. My trip to CHINA TOWN! I had really been penny pinching throughout the trip, so there would be plenty of cash to spend in China Town. I had a few things I knew I wanted to buy so we were on a mission. We walked around a bit just kind of taking it all in and being approached every fifth step by someone trying to sell us something. Before we bought anything, we decided to have lunch in China Town, which was super delicious. Wasn't too crazy about the hot tea to drink and nothing else but hey experiences, right? So after lunch it was time to get serious with shopping since we had been very timid earlier. I jumped right in and start haggling for some goods. One seller was so frazzled by the number of ladies in her "shop" she refused to help anyone. Kept telling us "I have nothing" "You go away". I guess she was scared of the cops. The process of trying to buy was probably my favorite thing. They start out with some ridiculous price, you counter with something much lower, they tell you "no", you walk away, and then you hear "okay, okay". Success! So I came out with a Coach purse and wallet, two pair of Ray Bans, and a Tiffany Co. bracelet. Pretty sure I spent around a $100 maybe a a little more. The experience was priceless! That night was spent going back to Times Square and wandering around and just really enjoying the city. I. CAN'T. WAIT. TO. GO. BACK. Next trip on my wish list is D.C.

Wild Animals and Not My Kids!

Every Wednesday for the rest of the summer the zoo is only $5 and who doesn't want cheap stuff? This cheap thrifty lady loves to save a few bucks. So, last Wednesday I loaded the girls up to go to the zoo and the 77 degree temperature didn't hurt either. We have noticed that Caroline really loves animals and we love seeing her reaction to animals. I mean I took her to the pet store and she went nuts. Her favorite animal seemed to be the monkeys so we started there. Due to the weather being so awesome, all of the animals were out and were really active. One monkey even hurled a rock at a few people. Both girls love seeing the animals and I know we will be taking many more trips to the zoo.

Oh, Hello there, blog....

While reading and catching up on a good friend's blog, I decided maybe I should update my blog. I used to be decent at keeping it updated, but then kid number 2 came along and it has been quite a challenge. Maybe while I'm home for the summer I can blog a bit. SO many things have been going on with our lives that I have ZERO clue where to even begin. Parker finished Kindergarten with a breeze and is so ready to start 1st grade. She absolutely loved her teacher, Mrs. Garcia, and the fact that she can ride the little bus to my school everyday, which is also very awesome. She had high marks in every area and seemed to be right on track or even a little ahead in all areas. She LOVES reading and LOVES to write. She is constantly writing some type of story about things going on. Love that little nugget.

Here she is on the last day of school, which was actually spent at my school since all of my students were gone. She had a blast just running a muck at the "big kid school". 

Another big thing happening with Parker is that she is losing her teeth! She has been dying to lose her teeth all year long and right before school was out, she lost her first tooth. She mentioned that it was kind of loose and I thought she was over-exaggerating but once I pulled on it, it was crazy loose. That night she let Jeff tug a little bit and pull it out, which I was super shocked at. I of course teared up seeing my baby girl losing her teeth. Lame, I know.  Maybe a week or so later she pulled the other bottom tooth out and she was just as pumped!(Side note: for some reason she feels the need to make the scariest faces while showing off her missing teeth. Kids)

This time last year I was getting used to having two kids and caring for a very teeny little baby girl. She is now 13 months and ALL OVER THE PLACE. She still isn't walking but like everything else with her, it is going to happen on her own time. She is in no rush to get anything done. I find myself comparing Caroline and Parker, which I shouldn't but you can't help it, right? Parker did things really quick and Caroline is just along for the ride. She is SUCH a joy. I can't even express. She is always in such a great mood, is very loving and is an EXCELLENT sleeper and eater. She can never get enough of either and who doesn't love that? My two girls are as opposite as you can get but are truly a blessing. 

As for myself, I'm enjoying summer break with the girls and trying to keep them busy while keeping my insanity. Since February I have really been running, which I am so happy I decided to do. Two friends from work and myself started the couch to 5K program as our New Year's Resolution in January and really stuck to it. We all did our first 5K in February. I did the Little Rock Marathon 5K and surprised myself on how well I did in the 30 degree weather, which I miss right now. I continued running and have since done seven 5k's. I recently ran the Brickfest 5K in Malvenr which I got a sweet brick for. Not cool? Well, I think it is. I really challenged myself in April by running the 10K at Toad Suck with Jeff, who is like an awesome runner if you can believe that. Got 3rd in his age division at Brickfest. Its nice to have something to do together and accomplish some goals along the way. Next goal for me this fall will be the half marathon. Just have to find some runner partners. Running alone can sure get boring. Any takers??? 

Last Update July 20?

Thought I would stop and look at some blogs and realized I haven't updated since July! What is happening here? Apparently, a lot. I did want to blog about my first trip to New York. I was told by my husband that by telling people I have never flown or been to New York made me a hillbilly. So, I guess I'm a hillbilly. Last week my friend and I head for the Memphis airport and in true fashion, we were stuck in horrendous traffic and missed our first flight. Awesome. Thankfully, Delta had already delayed our flight, so changing the flight was going to cost us nada! Already to a good start. We finally boarded a later flight and were on our way to NYC. The flight there was good and thankfully it was a short direct flight. I was a little terrified apprehensive on the take off, but all was well. We landed around 6 pm and I was immediately in awe. It was huge, bright and there was so much hustle and bustle. From the get go, I was smitten with it. We hopped in a cab and headed toward the Financial District where our friend, Julie, lives. It was already beyond fun. We dropped our stuff off and headed towards the subway for you guessed it, my first subway ride. Yippee! This may end up being several posts because there was just SO much going on. The first night was just a lot of taking in the city and walking MILES and MILES. We headed towards Times Square and a few other places before finally heading back around 12. To bed we went so we could enjoy yet another day in the "big city".

A Few Photos

Yesterday, Parker really wanted her and Caroline to dress in their matching shirts and hairbows and take a few pictures. So, we got them all dressed up.. I knew not to throw the bow on Caroline's head until right before. She had showed some irritation before the bow. Parker was of course extremely photogenic and I was happy to get some updated pictures of the girls. I still have yet to have some professionally done. Slacker mom right here! So, here are a few of the pictures that we took yesterday. Ejoy!

Pinterest OBSESSION!

Its true. I'm obsessed with Pinterest. I look at it EVERYDAY and for hours sometimes. I can't help myself. There are SO many great ideas. From food, to art, to do it yourself projects. I have tried out a few recipes, have done some craft projects, and can't wait to do some home improvement projects. Here are just a few things that I have done by scoping out Pinterest on a daily basis.

I can't wait to do more!!! Yes, I LOVE the Razorbacks!! :)

I Only Have to Drive How Many Miles...

For the past two years, I have been driving about 120 miles round trip to work. Teaching in Pine Bluff has been exhausting, stressful, and rewarding. The trip down there was long, the days seemed to be long, the years seemed long, but there were some great kids and even better coworkers. I have met some great people while teaching there. After having Caroline, and Parker about to start Kindergarten, I was ready to teach closer to home. It is pretty common knowledge that finding a job in the Benton or Bryant districts is pretty difficult. I knew I didn't want a summer like I had last year. I went to interview after interview with no such luck. This year started out pretty promising with two interviews in the Bryant district but no job offers. I was starting to get quite worried because I didn't have a job before Caroline was born, and I wasn't being called for any more interviews. Towards the middle of June, things started looking promising. I was called in for an interview with the Glen Rose School District and for a position in the Benton School District. I went for the interview with Glen Rose, had an awesome interview, and was offered the job ON THE SPOT. That has NEVER happened to me, so I was super excited. I accepted the job just in case nothing came of the Benton interview. The next day I interviewed at Benton Jr. High and had a pretty good interview with them as well. They told me I would hear something by the next week. Monday morning around 8 am, the principal called and offered me a job with their district. I was over the moon with excitement. Not only had I been offered one position, but I had been offered another. I accepted the job with Benton and can't wait to get started in August. Parker will be going to school in the same district that I am teaching and will be at the elementary right down the road! Lastly,  a great friend from  Pine Bluff got a job at the school as well, so we will be teaching together AGAIN! All so exciting and I can't wait to get the year started. I have of course been scoping Pinterest for classroom ideas and have slowly been working on projects at home. It's great to be a Benton Panther!!

Just a Little Behind...

I might be just a tad bit behind on my blogging. I have been scolded asked to update my blog by a few close friends. I'll try to catch everyone up with some of the things that have been going on. For starters..

This little cutie made her appearance!

Caroline Grace Stearns was born May 16, 2012 at 5:30 pm at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock. She weighed 7lbs 12 oz and was 21 inches long. She made a very exciting entrance into the world. I began having contractions that Tuesday during school and noticed that they were pretty consistent. They were coming every 5-7 minutes and were getting to be pretty intense. I was forced told to go home and try and get some rest. After a couple of hours of rest and no relief from the contractions, we made our way to the hospital. Parker was in denial the entire time that we were actually going to the hospital. Not until I was in a gown and in a bed did she finally get it. (Poor thing). Because I was 36 weeks and 6 days according to my doctor, they didn't want to admit me. So, I was given all kinds of medication to stop the contractions. Nothing seemed to be working and at 4:30 a.m., my water broke! This little girl was ready to come out into the world. After my water broke, it seemed like my labor was really progressing. I was dilating very quickly and the contractions were coming and quite painfully at that! I was given my epidural and was ready to start pushing about 1:30 p.m. I started pushing and she seemed to be making her way but then was not making any progress. I kept pushing and kept pushing and was finally EXHAUSTED! The suggestion was made of doing a c-section. Never in all of my thoughts during pregnancy and going to the hospital did a c-section come into my mind. Once it was suggested by my doctor, I panicked and began bawling. To me I felt like I had failed. I wasn't able to deliver a baby, so I felt like I had done something wrong. I know this is a silly feeling to have but was what was going through my mind nonetheless. So, I was taken to an operating room and they began prepping me for a c-section. Obviously there are many risks when you have any type of surgery but at this moment that was the furthest thing from my mind. All I could think of was that I was freezing and I was sleepy!!! I didn't even realize that I had been cut open and a baby had been pulled out of me! I know I heard some crying (which is the most beautiful sound btw) and happened to look over at Jeff and see my beautiful baby girl looking back at me. Everything about the delivery is fuzzy ,and Jeff had to brush me up to speed on when she was born and how much she weighed. What seemed like a pretty normal delivery turned into a scary one. The doctor and nurses seemed a little panicky and actually asked Jeff to take the baby back to the room. Apparently when they pulled Caroline out, the doctor hit two major arteries in my uterus and I lost a LOT of blood. I believe it was 3 units. While I was still in the operating room, I was given a blood transfusion of 2 units of blood. I knew something wasn't right, but of course I couldn't figure out why. I was going in and out of consciousness and kept asking the anesthesiologist if I was okay. He assured me I was but still.... There were tons of thoughts going through my head as they tried to fix me up. I was sewn up (more like stapled) and taken back to my room where I was greeted by SO many family members. All were here to see the new addition, but were also here to make sure I was okay. I am VERY blessed to have so many caring family members. Caroline was born healthy and was doing great. I was monitored and given more blood and seemed to be doing great too. Finally, Sunday we were able to leave the hospital and GO HOME! My parents were gracious enough to keep Parker for me while I was in the hospital and while we come home and became acclimated to another little one in the house.

Parker was finally able to see her little sister and she has been smitten with her like the rest of us :).

She loves to hold her baby sister, feed her, snuggle her, change her diaper (yes, its true).

We all seem to be adjusting wonderfully and are loving this little snuggle bunny that we have been blessed with!