Me & My Girl...

merry christmas

2010-12-27T20:33:00.001-08:00

better late than never....

hope you all had a great christmas and wishing you a happy new year!
love, jesi,joe, and the lil monkey!

NOTE TO SELF....

2010-10-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

When a Marine asks you to go camping...DO NOT assume he will bring a tent!

p90x...

2010-04-24T10:42:00.001-07:00

it's on it's way to my house....wish me luck.

This is the stuff that cracks me up everyday...

2010-04-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

This is how Joe plays video games these days...

She obviously has him wrapped around her little finger! :)

Seriously...

2010-03-13T21:55:00.000-08:00

What's not to love about this face?

way too long...

2010-03-06T15:37:00.000-08:00

When I began this blog (forever ago)I wrote that my follow through with this sort of thing is not so hot. I did well for a while but July of last year when I began to work full time...I stopped blogging completely. Since then way too much has happened to fill you in day by day but...I can say a few things to catch you up and I will start posting again starting today :).

I am working full time as a nurse, in hospice. I love it. Although it is difficult for me to be away from Scout so much, I feel like this is the best job for me right now. I work with many wonderful people who encourage and inspire me daily. I learn, I grow, and I enjoy each day I go to work. And I seriously have the best boss ever :). I plan to BEGIN to FINISH by BSN this summer. I have a lot of support and determination so I KNOW I CAN DO IT!

My lil Princess just turned 4...can you believe it? 4! She is in pre-school... and she LOVES it. Everyday she gets just a lil sassier and more imaginative. She is funniest kid in the whole world. I seriously just can not get enough of her!
& @ Disneyland:

"The Marine" has been promoted from "just a friend" to a "boyfriend"...and I LOVE HIM...so does Miss Scoutie. He returned from Afghanistan in December and he will be home until January (fingers crossed).Here is a a pic from the night he got home... and another from a weekend we spent in Santa Barbs...<3!

Kids River Trip

2009-06-22T22:31:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Stevi, Sarah, and I headed to my parents river house with our kiddo-s & Sarah's husband, Anthony for a weekend at the river. A weekend for the kids! It was so much fun. The kids loved riding in the boat and the boys loved driving on "Grandma's Joe's" lap. Here are a few pics!

More Disney Days..

2009-06-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

Scout and I go to Disneyland a lot but last week was extra special. Neen and Papa took Scout and Eric and I met up with them. What a FUN time!

NEVER SAY NEVER

2009-06-10T23:27:00.000-07:00

Before I had a child of my own I SWORE "My kid will NEVER...." all the time. I swore that my kids would never carry a stuffed animal in public. Kinda like this:

I also was sure that my kid would NEVER want to wear goofy clothes with Disney charcters on them. Kinda like this:

So as you can see...I have learned that stuffed animals and goofy clothes are actually kinda cute. Especially once you are a mom and can appreciate how excited these little things make your lil one. And, it is a good thing because this evening when I needed to go to the grocery store Scout decided this is what she was going to wear:

Now, instead of trying to convince her to wear actual clothes I thank Snow White for going shopping with me.

Scout's Dedication May 31, 2009

2009-06-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

Going back to RockHarbor has brought wonderful things to my life. I am so glad I made the decision to return and I look forward to raising Scout as a part of RockHarbor. Once I knew I was at RockHarbor to stay I decided to have Scout dedicated there. As a part of her dedication I was responsible for writing a blessing (mine was a lot like a letter) for her. I read this to her at the dedication surrounded by my sisters, parents and Dineen (Eric's Mom) and then a Pastor from our church prayed over us as well. Since not everyone could make it to the Dedication and not everyone could hear me as I read the blessing I thought I could put it up here, so here ya go.

Precious Scout,
We have prayed for you since before you were born. You are our sweetest blessing and our greatest treasure. As we gather here today we are more than just your family- we are your family in Christ, and we are committed to raising you in the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We pray over you now, and forver that you will seek Him to keep a clear conscience, love as He loves, be a "do-er" of his word and lean not only on your own understanding. And as your family, here to love and support you we will always do our best to help you become the amazing woman God intends for you to be.

The life verse I selected for Scout is:
The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith" 1 Timothy 1:5

When the Pastor from RH joined up for the prayer he prayed that Scout would be a Proverbs 31 woman. This was incredibly meaningful to me since I have thought of my Mom as a Proverbs 31 woman since I first read the passage in 6th grade. I also have recently begin to pray that God would help me become a Proverbs 31 woman. The Pastor who prayed with us did not know that about me or how I thought of my mom, he just wanted to pray that for Scout. To me it was really special and it is something I will always remember.

It was also really cool that Sarah & her husband, Anthony decided to dedicate their son, Jackson the same day. It was nice that our kids, being so close got to share that special day.

Scout showing her certificate:

Scout & Jack reading their new Bibles:

Scout & I:

Thank you again for everyone to came to show your love & support! I really appreciate it.

Love, Jes & Scout

Scout's A Swimmer...

2009-06-01T23:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Eric's patience and expert swimming abilities...Scout has become quite the swimmer. We would not call her "pool safe" just yet...but she is close. She loves swimming lessons with her daddy and is very proud of her ability to "kick & paddle" like a big girl.

Deployments Suck.

2009-06-01T22:52:00.001-07:00

On May 21 I saw my good friend, Joe (a.k.a. The Marine) off as he left for Afghanistan. I have never been in a situation quite like that before. I was not prepared for all of the families to be there...I mean it makes perfect sense that the children of these soldiers would be there but I just was not prepared. It was incredibly emotional and somewhat surreal. I got the gnarliest chills as the buses headed out and all of the soldiers family & friends began to clap. I was there with his Mom who as you can totally understand, needed a hug. Being a mother myself I stood there hugging her for a minute and my heart was broken for her. I can not imagine how she felt at that moment. It really changed the way I see the sacrifices that our military men and women make to protect our freedom. I know it is cliche' but freedom is not free.

Since he left I have been in frequent contact with him. He is safe and doing fine. He is not digging the extreme temperatures but says he is adjusting. He wanted me to pass on his thanks for all the support, love, and prayers that everyone has offered him. Please continue to pray for him and his family.

He will be back in January but til then...we will be missing miss our friend & sending lots of care packages filled with love & prayers! <3

from a weeks ago:

from a few months ago:

4 sArAh...

Mommy's Day...

2009-05-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

Scout is by far my greatest blessing! I could never have imagined what this little kid could do to my life...how much better things could get, what kind of CRAZY love you can have for something so small. Her little body harbors such an enormous personality and it is such a light in my life. She cracks me up every single day. She is pure joy & I am so grateful to have her.

Because I am not busy enough...

2009-05-06T16:32:00.000-07:00

I let Scout get a new kitten. Introducing...Aurora(at least Aurora for now..Scout's changed her name many times!) Aurora is about 8 weeks old and I think she may be 1/2 Maine Coon because, she is HUGE for being only 8 weeks old and she has some features similar to Shaka(R.I.P). Anyways...this should be an adventure since (just my luck) Bailey totally HATES the new kitten.

God has a way of keeping us in check...

2009-04-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

So I saw this verse today while I was at Disneyland of all places. Then tonight I saw it again while I was avoiding household chores and playing online. You think it might be a lil warning from The Big Guy? I suppose I have some things to consider...

CATCHING UP...

2009-04-28T21:49:00.000-07:00

What 25 brings...

Mamma turned 25! So, what DOES 25 bring?? Family, Best Friends, Good Food, & Mariachis!

Thanks to my best friends & wonderful family for a great birthday dinner and a FABULOUS life! I am looking forward to many more fun filled days and birthdays with you all. You are the best and I REALLY could not ask for anything more! <3

Love to you all, Jes

Fun with Auntie Loca!

2009-04-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

Whats with my posts this week? Seems like I am only posting about the fun other people are having with my kid! That's okay, it's nice to know Scout is loved by so many!

Anyways, last Saturday Rachel was thoughtful enough to bring Scout with her to The OC Pet Expo. This was a PERFECT outing for Scout. She is completely OBSESSED with animals, especially dogs (more especially pugs & french bulldogs). The girls had a great time together (as always) & Rae totally spoiled Scout, of course!

Lots of Animals:

Scout was STOKED on this skateboarding English Bully:

Ice cream time:

The 2 CRAZIES:

It's not a date with Loca without a Starbucks trip:

What a FUN day, Mommy is still jealous! :) And, special Thanks to Rae for being such a great auntie to my lil monkey!

Adventures with Daddy

2009-04-22T12:02:00.001-07:00

As most of you know Scout spends week days with Eric while I work. She is a "daddy's girl" and loves to be with him. They always have interesting adventures. For example, every Tuesday Eric meets up with some other stay-at-home dads at a local park. I guess dad's get bored with jungle gyms and other things that parks normally have to offer so this week they brought a plastic pool. Apparently there was no hose at the park so...they cruised across the street to the fire station where they were able to schmooz the fire fighters to filling the kiddie pool with a fire hose. Scout was so stoked! Here are some pictures from one of the other dads.

The fire fighters making everyone's day:

Scout & her lil buddy Ari:

The kiddos in the kiddie pool:

Good one Eric, this one is going to be hard for the Mamma to top ! :)

Welcome Back!

2009-04-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

I am so grateful for all of my wonderful friends. I know that we may take different roads but I am glad we have all made it back to a good place! I am looking forward to updating this picture soon!

"A friend loves at all times..." Proverbs 17:17

Love, Jes

A Very Blessed Easter Sunday

2009-04-15T12:40:00.001-07:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter. I know we did. Scout and I woke up early and headed to the Pacific Ampitheater to meet my Dad (& 16,000 other people) for an amazing service and a WONDERFUL experience. An experience that I will always remember. After church we had lunch at my Mom's and we had a little Easter Egg Hunt. Here are a couple of pictures:

My Mom's chickens think that they are dogs and they like to walk close to Scout. They were a little freaked out by the plastic Easter eggs and they would attack them. Scout did not mind because it made them easier for her to find.

Love- Jes & Scout

Good Friday...

2009-04-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

I love this picture. I took it right as we walked out the door to go to Good Friday Service on Friday night. Scout calls herself "Daisy Head" when she wears this headband!

A few weeks ago...

2009-04-15T12:16:00.000-07:00

I have a little catching up to do with posting pics!

A few weeks ago I picked up my cousin's youngest son and took him for a day at the zoo with Scout and I. Jake & Scout are very close in age and really enjoyed eachothers company. Here are some pictures from that little adventure:

Scout keeps asking to play with Jake again. I love that she has cousins her age. Growing up with Meg so close by and being so close in age we were more like sisters... I hope that Scout develops a bond like that with Reider, and Jake too!

Attitude is a little thing that makes a BIG difference.

2009-04-09T12:01:00.001-07:00

I can not wait to read this book, I hope you will take a minute( well, 3 minutes) to watch the following video. It is full of great words ("exceptional results come from exceptional efforts") we could all remember a little more often.I found it totally inspiring.

There is a kids book too, you can print it for FREE at the website smileandmove.com.

Hope you have a great day! <3- Jes & Scoutie

"The Big Scary Bunny"

2009-04-07T10:01:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I watched Reider for a few hours. Scout has been excited to see the Easter Bunny and wanted to take Reider too. So, I loaded up the munchkins and ventured out. I was stroller-less which made me a lil nervous but we did it anyways. Reider is such a happy, mellow baby and Scout was very well behaved so we did just fine. While we waited in line Reider started "talking" to Scout. Scout was relaying the info to me. Apparently, Reider was afraid of the "big scary bunny" (big scary bunny, really? Scout had been asking to see him for days. Where does she come up with this stuff?) but Scout was assuring him that it is worth it to see the "big scary bunny" because he gives candy(ah ha! That's why she wanted to see him even though he is "scary"). Scout was insistant that Reider had to sit on the bunny's lap. She spent the entire time we waited in line explaining to Reider that when it was their turn all they had to do was sit with the "big scary bunny" then smile for the camera and they would get candy. After five minutes of this I informed Scout that Reider was too little to eat candy, Scout smiled and said, "I know, so he has to go with me so I can have 2". Oh, of course! I should have known.

You can do a lil sumthin'...

2009-04-01T10:36:00.001-07:00

This is a really awesome website. You can pick a card & Xerox mails it to a member of our Armed Forces serving overseas. It is quick,easy & free and most importantly... you might add a smile to someone's rough day.

Eichler Obsessed

2009-03-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

My Grandpa told me that this obsession is okay because it does not cost anything to dream. But honestly, I am pretty sure the Realtors are sick of seeing me drooling at their open houses. And...would you look at that, a new listing! I guess I have something to do Saturday.

Sarah got me into these houses and now I have my Mom into them with me and even Scout has joined in this obsession. Okay, maybe Scout is mildly brainwashed. It's so funny though when we drive by (which is often because the Fairhaven tract is conveniently located between my house & everything I want to do). She says things like "WOW, Mommy! These Eichlers are so rad, I'm jealous". I'm sure she thinks of it all on her own because I never say that..ha ha.

If you do not know about Eichler homes, they are mid- century modern marvels (I added the marvels part.) There are only about 650 in Calilfornia and over 300 of them happen to be in Orange. LUCKY ME.

Anyways, if you wanna be a cool kid. You can drive a Volvo (like Sarah & me- come to think of it...my Mom drove a volvo station wagon too!) and you can spend time dreaming of and decorating "your" Ecihler too. I know my ADD is out in full effect but I justify it by saying that Sarah's OCD is just as bad.

You honestly have to see these houses inside to truly appreciate them. If you have time cruise by and check them out! Maybe you will become an "Eichler Enthusiast" too.

This is newest listing:
http://web.me.com/moderndwelling/766_S._Woodland_St./HOME.html

keeping up with kristi...

2009-03-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

After seeing Kristi's creative blog, I had to get with it! I spent far too much of my day trying to make my blog cute! But wasn't it worth it? ha ha. I found all kinds of cute things at thecutestblogontheblock.com, and I think I may have inspired Rae to create a "Dog Blog" for her lil pups. I know...we are lame!!

2 lEgIt 2 qUit (lol)

2009-03-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm am too legit to quit... I found out Saturday that I PASSED my boards. Thank GOD!! So, on to my BSN. I am looking for a nursing job, still working for my dad, selling Efusjon, and going back to school as a single Mommy with a 3 year old...a true multitasker. All I can say is, I will sleep when I am dead!

The HAPS.

2009-03-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

It has been a while. Here's the haps...
I finally "manned up" and took my boards Feb.19th, I am still waiting for my results. I do not feel very good about the exam. I was very nervous and I think I may need to retake it, how embarassing!! But, good news or bad news...I'll post when I know. The 21st of Feb. my Mom let us have Scout's 3rd birthday party at her house. It was an Ariel party. She had a blast..got lots of lots of Ariel loot as well as other things involving mermaids, unicorns, Barbies, clothes etc. She was totally stoked. Here is a pic of the cake my Dad brought to the party. Scout was very impressed with this cake fit for a princess.

The party was great. Thank you to everyone for your thoughtful gifts, it is always nice to get togther and watch the kids run wild :).

Since I have yet to hear if I am or am not a legit nurse...I have gone back to work for my Dad. This time I feel much better about it. I can not wait to be a nurse and work in a hospital but I am enjoying working at the office for now. Scout has taken over a cubicle and calls it "her office" she regularly answers the phone" This is Scoutie" and loves to "check her e-mail". Usually when I tell her it is time to go home, she tells me I need to "SHHHHH!" because she is working and reminds me I need to wait if she is talking on the phone.

Well...that is all for now. Promise I will post more pics of Scoutie's party as soon as Lil Meg e-mails them to me.

Keep in touch. Love- J&S

You Can Do It....

2009-03-11T12:52:00.000-07:00

Help Surfrider Foundation!! It will take you a few minutes and...you can give money without giving money!

On Surfari

2009-02-02T23:08:00.000-08:00

Yes, 2 Blogs in 1 night. I'm a nerd. But...I love the show OnSurfari <3 It is on FUEL TV but they haven't had any new episodes air lately... I am so bummed. It is honestly a RAD show, always inspires me to travel & make a difference. Here is a clip...CCCCCCCHHHECK it out!

disneyland junkies :)

2009-02-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

What can I say...My dad got me a pass, Scout's free, and it's close by. We go to Disneyland A LOT but lately Scout has been enjoying it more. She digs the characters...in fact there are a few she has been hunting for. She's really been looking forward to seeing Stitch- last time we saw him she chickened out and since then she's been asking to see him again. Today was her lucky day because we found him. Here are some pics of her and "Stitchie"

And we saw Woody and Jessie from Toy Story 2

Mickey & Minnie Mouse, of course

AND...Pluto!

Stevi & Derek were with us today...Derek was not much into the charcters but he LOVES Dumbo :)

The next time we go to Disneyland Scout wants to find Mary Poppins ( she LOVES "Poppins"), & Chip & Dale. But now we know about the "Toon Finder" so it should be much easier :). Hope you enjoy the pictures.
xoxo- j & s

p.s. If you guys actually read this...leave a comment so I dont feel like I am doing this just for myself. :)

just for fun.

2009-01-31T22:29:00.000-08:00

On Facebook I was tagged to write 25 things about myself. Since not everyone has facebook I thought I would put it up here...If you are brave enough, you can put 25 things about yourself in the comment section of this blog :) c'mon...be a good sport!

1. I am pretty sure that if I had another child I could not love it as much as I love Scout therefore, I do not think I should have anymore kids.
2.I started pilates about a month ago, and I am hooked!
3. I miss living at the beach, and I WILL move back!
4. Scout's dad is still one of my best friends...even though he drives me nuts. And, I see the best of him in my little girl.
5.I love to travel, and would like to work for surf aid... and I want to bring Scout along.
6. I just finished nursing school, I love it and I can not wait to continue my education.
7. I am proud of my siblings..all for different reasons and writing this makes me think I should tell them.
8. My dad always knows how to get his girls to a clean restroom, no matter where the heck we are... he can find us one! This is just one of the many reasons no man will ever be able to measure up to my father!
9. There are no tattoos on my back because it is reserved for a huge tattoo in honor of my grandma...sorry Mom.
10.If you do not salute the American flag in front of me, you will hear about it! AND... TAKE OFF YOUR HAT.
11.Chivalry is not dead..I only date boys who open doors, pull out chairs, meet me at my front door, etc. And I will expect my daughter to do the same. However, I know & I will teach her that it goes both ways... and girls should be thoughtful of the guys too.
12. I think....Bill Murray RULES
13. I am convinced my mom is a superhero is a womans body... anyone who knows her would agree.
14.Without a doubt, I have earned the name Messy Jesi.
15. Stevi & Sarah are my best friends... and I mean it. This past year would have been so much harder without them and I wish I could repay them!
16.I spoil Scout, but not rotten.
17. My cat licks... like a dog.
18. It is pretty much impossible to gross me out.
19. Tool is one of my VERY favorite bands...EVER. I have seen them 4 times. 3 of the 5 CDs in my car are Tool and Scout headbangs if I turn it up. :)
20. I love going to Rock Harbor...but i wont be bummed on you for not being into it.
21. I wish I could use paper plates, and only paper plates b/c I HATE DOING DISHES!!!
22. I am pretty much banking on jeopardy as my retirement plan. :)
23. I LOVE red tide and can not wait to show Scout this summer.
24. Scout insists that her chonies match her outfits and I think that it is my fault...but it makes me laugh.
25. Obviously, Scout is the center of my universe. When I found out I was pregnant I had NO IDEA what I was in for but I can not imagine my life any other way!

LITTLE STUD!

2009-01-30T18:20:00.000-08:00

Scout had her first day of soccer today. They did little drills and learned some basic skills. Scout has been really excited to start playing soccer and was totally stoked to participate!
Here are some pictures:

Her little "games" are Friday mornings if you would like to come watch/ play with us shoot me an e-mail & I will give you the details. <3 j & s

My Sweet Little Girl.

2009-01-29T22:57:00.000-08:00

A PRECIOUS MOMENT TO SHARE:

As many of you know, I have been thinking/praying A LOT about Scout being dedicated at Rock Harbor. This past Sunday they had dedications again and I kind of felt like a lame mom for not having stepped up and taken the proper steps to have Scout dedicated. On Monday, I downloaded the forms and got the info for the classes and decided I needed to get on the ball. I began to seriously consider which verse I will want to be her "Life Verse". Over the past 3 years I have thought of many verses that I thought would be fitting but never could decide. I started to seriously pray about it on Monday and I guess that is where my story begins...

Yesterday I spent sometime in my Dad's office taking care of some things that needed to be dealt with. My sweet Scout was very bored but patient while she waited for me to give her my undivided attention/waited for my sisters to entertain her :). When we were finally able to head home she was really hungry. On my way back to the freeway, I swung through the drive thru ( I know, I know... she honestly does not eat fast food very often so gimme a break!). As I was waiting in line to order a homeless man approached my car. He stood there staring at me for an awkward 30 seconds or so...I eventually cracked my window and asked him what he wanted. He asked if I would give him $2 for lunch. I told him NO but I did offer to buy him lunch and I asked what he wanted. I waited in line, ordered the food, and then swung through and handed the guy his food through the window of my car. Naturally my inquisitive daughter starting asking me questions about why we bought the "dirty guy" food. I explained that he did not have food or money for food and he probably did not even have a house. I told her sometimes people just need a little bit of help and today we gave that man a little bit of help. We said a little prayer that soon he will have enough food to eat and a nice place to live and that he will be safe. She seemed to have moved on as we drove home asking a million other questions along the way. We eventually made it home, she took her afternoon nap, and when she woke up she painted a picture while I made dinner. She was particularly proud of this picture as she called me over to see it. She explained that the picture she painted was a house for the man to live in. I was so proud. She is so sweet, so pure, and so AMAZING! I still can't think about that sweet little moment with out tearing up. Needless to say, that picture will be framed this weekend and on a wall in my house. What a perfect reminder of a pure heart! AND... as I sat down that evening to spend a little time with my Bible...I came across the PERFECT verse. "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith" 1 Timothy 1:5 That verse sums up all of the things I want for my daughter...and I think that the Lord will agree :).

disneyland days...

2009-01-27T20:12:00.000-08:00

I do not have too much to update you on since my last post. I did get my ATT so, I should get the guts to register for my state boards by Friday. ..STAY TUNED!

Eric is out of town this week(on a surf trip in the Dominican Republic) so Scout & I have been partying! After her nap today we went to Disneyland. Everything is so much more fun through the eyes of a little one!
Here are some pics from today's adventure:

On The Tram

My Cute Girl

She LOVES Wall-E

Kisses For Wall-E

Minnie Mouse & Scoutie <3

Merry-Go-Round

Like I said...Daddy's out of town...SO Scout is showing off her princess chocolate

The Highlight...Scout's been WAY into "Alex" in Wonderland lately. She knocked on the White Rabbit's door & waited patiently for him to answer... so CUTE!

Getting Tired...

What's the Happiest Place on Earth Without Some Tears?

And...All SMILES Again (I told her my mom is taking her on Friday)

I'll post more pics soon. Lots of Love! <3 j&s

Another Shot...

2009-01-06T22:07:00.000-08:00

Hey there all my family & friends... This is my second attempt at this blog thing. My follow through is weak with this sort of thing and here is my long list of excuses/life update.

In October I did complete nursing school, technically the 1 year LVN program . I passed my exit exam (1st try!!) and I am waiting for the Board of Consumer Affairs in CA to give me my ATT ( Authority To Test) and then I will take my state exam for licensure. Hopefully this little paper will arrive soon! On Halloween day I moved out of my apartment around the corner from my mom and into a nice condo in the city of Orange. The move has been great for Scout & I. We have a lot more space, a nice big patio- for chalk art!, and 2 great pools we can not wait to take advantage of when our Cali sunshine returns. We are much happier here!

Since October I have been an assistant to a young man with a spinal cord injury, his name is Danny. Working with Danny has been a great opportunity for me. I have learned a lot that I will take with me and utilize in my career as a nurse and as a GREAT bonus... we have become great friends.I take him to intense therapy during the week at 2 very special gyms that specialize in SCI recovery. One is called Next Step, in Redondo Beach and the other Project Walk in Carlsbad- yes, we drive a lot! But our car rides are filled with crude jokes and sarcasm so the time flies by! These gyms have advanced equpiment I never saw or even heard of while in the LVN program. The trainers he works with are experts at what they do. They work very hard and are dedicated to their client's recovery. Every day that I work with them I learn something new. While the time he has at these gyms is obviously beneficial to his recovery it has also been incredibly inspiring to me. Seeing so many young people with injuries that are so devastating continuing to be so driven and keep such positive attitudes has really inspired me to consider nursing jobs in hospitals that specialize in rehabilitation. I know my Dad was touched by several patients he encountered in the Rehab unit when he worked in the hospital and I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

This is Danny & I

Mid- October Scout's Grandma Neen was kind enough to open her house up to about 15 of Scout's lil buddies for a Halloween costume party. Scout had a blast and it was really fun to see all of the kids in their costumes. My mom (Grandma Noni) made some super cute cupcakes for the kiddos to get their sugar high. Rachel, Kate, & Chelsea showed dressed as the Disney Princess' compliments of Grandpa Mike and they really out did themselves. Neen still insists they are prettier than the princesses at Disneyland.

November was not nearly as eventful as October but still busy from day to day. I was working for Danny, and continuing to study for my State Board Exam & then of course...I have a 2 1/2 year old little darling to chase after :) . Thanksgiving was nice and quiet. We were all afraid to make any major Thankgiving plans because Meg was about to pop! Scout and I had a nice relaxing day at home and then ate dinner with my Mom , Joe &the girls. After dinner, we headed home to take a nap. Very Mellow- it was a great day for this busy mommy. Oh, (HA HA HA) also Eric's Birthday was November 28th and I took Scout to buy him a gift- she had insisted for weeks that we would be getting him a lizard..so I took her to Target and did my very best at convincing her that he would be much happier with a plastic lizard. NO LUCK. I promised her next year we could get her daddy a lizard and so this year she decided to get him soap instead...yes, SOAP! I loved it. It was perfect and his face was priceless when he unwrapped his gift. And, Scout was so proud. Gotta love that kid.

Our Christmas season was filled with the usual hustle and bustle but was extra special because Scout was totally into it this year & we had abrand new 3 week old cousin to spend it with. Yes, on December 2nd...after Meg had a totally gnarly labor and I stayed up ALL night long..Reider John made his big debut. He is PERFECT and I am a proud godmother! Christmas Eve we kept our tradition alive and all gathered at my Mom's to totally pig out. Then Scout was spoiled rotten by everyone & we all took turns oohhhing and aaahhhing over baby Reider. The highlights of Christmas Eve were the HUGE stuffed lion (Asland from Narnia) that the girls gave to Scout, Scouts castle from Noni & Scout's pink cowboy boots from Grammie. She adores those boots!! Christmas morning my Mom, Joe, my Dad, my sisters and my Grammie came over to my house to participate in Scout's holiday excitment as she opened her gifts from Santa. She recieved far too many gifts this year. Santa spoiled her like crazy..but she handled it well! Around noon Christmas day Scout headed off to spend time with her Daddy and his family and of course... she had to wear her pink cowBOY not cowgirl boots.

New Year's Eve for the Mommy of a 2 year old is pretty lame. We celebrated by being tucked in bed...CHEERS. Hope your New Years was more eventful than mine! :)

Well, I guess that is all for now. I'm late & it's tired...I'm not even going to prrof read this baby....thanks for caring if you read the whole thing. Hope to see a whole lot more of you guys in 09...until my school begins again (hopefully Feb 09) I'll have some free time to update this and spend time with the ones I love- so keep in touch!

All our LOVE- J&S