Evening Snow Fun!

J & the kids built a 2nd snowman in the front yard!



Looks like a happy snowman!

Snow Day!

What a morning we have had! Today we were awakened with Breakfast in Bed from the kids. C had planned the whole surprise for us, calling on Grandma Chewy to help her go shop for the things she needed. It was so incredibly sweet of her to want to do such a nice thing for us. They all worked together getting it ready and were able to pull it off w/o us even knowing! They also made us Valentines and read them to us while we ate our breakfast. After that, we headed outside to build a snowman and have a good old fashion snowball fight! This is the best snow! We must have spent an hour out there, even lil'c. Everyone had cold hands and wet clothes, so we had to warm up w/ some hot cocoa and marshmallows! YUMM what a completely great morning and what wonderful kids I have!

Making The Cut

I bought this book, by Jillian Michaels (Biggest Loser) to help me get to my final weight goal (pre-Lil'c weight). I actually want to also be more toned and muscular than I was before I got pregnant with her. I plan on starting tomorrow and have been reading thru it. It is a 30day diet and fitness program. To "drop your last 10-20lbs once and for all" it claims. I really think she is pretty awesome, she seems to know what she is talking about and I love her on the Biggest Loser! This book cracks me up, the way she talks...so not like me. First off it is dedicated to the “Inner Bada** living inside of all of us”. Do "I" have one of those? LOL, I am so not like that! :) She also says stuff about getting "ripped" and how “H-E double hockey sticks, YES this book is for you”! Although I am a completely different woman than she is and I have slightly different goals, I think it will be a fun 30days and hopefully I will drop those last lbs!! I am not blessed unfortunately to just drop weight, I never had to be concerned about it before kids and well pregnancy is just not great for me, I gain like an elephant. So EVERY lb that I lose I have to work my butt off for and it is not easy or fast, but I learned to appreciate working hard for that and it feels good to accomplish it. So, I was reading over the physical test I am suppose to take to see if I am even ready to do her 30 day plan. One of the tests is to see how many push-ups you can do in a minute- I HATE push-ups, it was something I would always whine about under my breath when my trainer had me do it. It has been 2mos. since I worked out; I hope I can do at least one! Also, my trainer let me do 'girl' push-ups, but Jillian says "Girly push-ups? I don't want to even hear it-toughen up or go buy someone else’s book!" Yikes, she is all about kickin' your butt! - But I kind of like that… maybe I really do have an inner bada** in me! J/k. We shall see I guess, when in 30days I am RIPPED! (For real, I may have bought the wrong book)

It's Official!!

I just got the call -J is checked out!  YEA! Not that we didn't expect it, but you never know...He had to meet with the chief and get his final check ride.

 He Passed, I am so happy, relieved and proud; all rolled into one! It is a tough field to work in, I am just glad he is happy.  It is a little hard to believe that we have finally finished. :)

Photo Session

Most of you know I love photography, something I have always liked and really wish I hadn't dropped in college :). Today I had the privilege of shooting a good friend of mines newborn baby, one week old! I have never photographed a newborn, except my own and that is really not that fun because I am so tired and in pain. This was fun though and what a cute little baby! Makes me want another. Seems easy, someone else carries it for 9mos and then I can just love on it once it is here! Anyhow, I really enjoyed this! I had J climb up into the attic and get down all my stuff, I charged up my camera, set up my backdrops and crossed my fingers! My camera is 7yrs old and way behind the times, but it kept its act together and we made it thru the session. Here are some of the pictures.

Check Out Time!

Next week J checks out and will be a CPC - "Certified Professional Controller". I think it is so funny that people actually think an Air Traffic Controller is someone who stands in front of the plane waving those lighted sticks, leading the plane into the terminal. It makes me laugh. J works at the Fort Worth Center, he deals with enroute traffic. He sits in a "cave" and controls traffic that flies over East/Southeast TX, part of Louisiana & Arkansas. So, if you are ever flying over those area's and happen to enter his airspace, do not fear, you are in good hands!
I am very excited and happy for him. He has worked so hard and come a really long way. I am always amazed at his dedication and the hard work he puts in. He never gives up and does everything he sets out to do. He is not afraid of anything. I truly admire all those qualities about him. I am such a self-doubter, super shy and always worried about other people. It is amazing that we ended up together. (I think we just compliment each other perfectly.)
Anyhow, this journey truly began in 2001, with him going back to college to raise his GPA. He then went on to get 2 degrees, we all moved to MN for a year, lived apart 2 separate times for a total of 6mos & eventually ended up coming back here. Since being assigned Fort Worth Center, it has taken him 3 yrs. to complete training at the facility, which is good, avg. training time can be anywhere from 2-6yrs. I could never do what he does, just listening to him talk about everything that goes into separating planes is overwhelming and a little scary. I am amazed at everything he has to know and how he has to process the information and spit out this dialog & quickly, w/o really much room, if any, for error. I think about that and all the training he put in, I really respect what he does because he is easily watching over thousands of lives as the planes pass thru his airspace. Definitely a responsibility I would not want, but one he takes on so well.
I want to thank all of our family out there who has supported us and believed in us throughout this long journey. Thank-you so much to my sweet friend Julie and my mother in-law; who both came many times & spent the night w/ me when I was alone and lonely. My mom & Rob for all your help and advice, w/o you he wouldn't even be in this field. The Amazing Cooper Family, who accepted us (basically strangers) into your lives & home. You showered us w/ Christ's love and made our stay in MN so wonderful. Thank-you to all our parents who helped us out financially, for letting us stay with you while we have been in between homes, for helping us move many, many times, for watching our kids and especially for your prayers.
God has blessed us with an amazing support group, & I LOVE ALL of you sooo very much! I am glad we are finally done!!

Congratulations J, I am so proud of you!