The New's

Picture Recap

2012-01-23T22:01:00.005-06:00

Enjoy!

Aubrey loves music

Christmas celebration with the Roche's and New's

Aubrey's First Christmas Eve

Yay for Christmas!

So excited for her first Christmas!

All her new toys

Rob's first time to assemble Aubrey's Christmas presents, he was pretty excited!

Christmas morning making a beeline to the toys!

So excited! So many new toys!

Taking her new baby on a pony ride

Taking her toys on a walk

The wagon is fun to ride in too!

Happy New Year!

11 Months Old!!!

Giving Thanks

2011-11-28T21:12:00.003-06:00

Hooray for Thanksgiving!

I love this time of year and I'm even more excited about celebrating the holidays now that I get to spend them with Aubrey. Watching her experience family traditions, and the importance of the holidays is so much fun. It's true what they say, experiencing life in the eyes of your child is really amazing.

I have a lot to be thankful for. Too many blessings to count really. I am truly a lucky girl. I have a loving family, wonderful friends, a good job, a comfortable home, food to eat, and a car to get me around. I could continue this list but I'm afraid it would go on and on. So, I'm simply going to say I'm thankful for every blessing big and small that God has graciously given me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

PS. I just love this beautiful spaghetti face!

EPIC Update!

2011-11-14T22:05:00.006-06:00

To say I’m behind on this little blog is an understatement. But I’ve been a little bit busy and by “little bit” I mean I’ve been extremely busy. So since I’ve missed Aubrey’s 8-month update and I’m already behind on her 9-month update, here are some of the highlights.

8 Months!

• Aubrey’s four top teeth came in and she now has a beautiful smile with 6 teeth with the seventh on the way.
• Aubrey you are on the move! You started crawling on September 27 and we got you on video. You are much faster now and you LOVE to follow Mommy around. You are just the cutest little girl!

• We celebrated your Daddy’s birthday and you loved helping him unwrap his presents. But you enjoyed playing with his cards the most.

• We went to the pumpkin patch as a family and we got some really cute pictures of you. This is a fun little tradition we’ve started.

• You got your first ear infection on the Sunday before Halloween. Poor baby you felt so bad but once we got you some antibiotics you were back to your normal happy self.

Home from the Dr. Ear infections are no fun!

• Your first Halloween was spent at home handing out candy to the neighbor kids. You were the cutest little Strawberry!

Aubrey, now you are 9 months old. Which means you are WAY too close to turning 1. So far this month…

You are crawling so fast!
You have 8 teeth! Four on top and four on the bottom. You have such a beautiful smile that melts my heart.
You are a good listener. When Mommy asks you to come see her, you usually come crawling with a big smile on your face.
You are pulling up to your feet.

This is what I see when she starts to pull up on the coffee table

You had your 9 month checkup and you measured 14lbs 4oz and 26 ½ in long. You had a TB test, a hemoglobin test and a Flu shot. You were so sad to get poked so many times in one visit, but you calmed down pretty quickly.
You got your second ear infection. Yep, right after finishing 10 days on antibiotics from the first ear infection you got another one. Apparently Amoxicillin didn’t completely clear the infection. You are now on a different medication and hopefully this time it will heal your ear completely.

Recovering from her second ear infection

We had a fun day with your Aunt Sarah, Cousin Collins, Grandma and Grandpa last Saturday. We toured a Good Housekeeping model home and met Grandpa for lunch.
You are beginning to really love your puppies. For a long time you were a little scared of them but now you love to follow Toby around and pet him. I think you figured out how to hold your own with him.

Playing with Toby

Cheering for the Red Raiders

9 Months old and full of so much personality

"Sorry Mommy, I didn't mean to spill my water on my shirt"

The grass didn't taste as good as it looked

Originals By Aubrey

2011-09-12T21:49:00.004-05:00

Aubrey, you are seven months old! You are getting to be such a big girl. You are sitting up so well and you like to maneuver from your booty to your tummy. You are just so ready to be on the move and you are working very hard to get up on your knees. You are so close! You are also really close to going from your tummy back into a seated position. Your vocabulary is increasing and you have definitely said “Dada” several times, but I don’t think you are able to equate that word to your Daddy just yet. And of course we are working on you saying “Mama”.

Aubrey you are quite the budding artist! Every week you create beautiful pictures at school, and Mommy and Daddy just LOVE to see what you create each week. I think the best part is seeing how proud you are of yourself when you show me what you’ve made. Aubrey, I love you and your beautiful art. You are just so talented!

7 Months Old!

Very first finger painting!

The apples on the tree are her finger prints

Green Crayon

Her little feet are growing so fast

Her hands are growing fast too!

Her "Bear Family" it's a little hard to see the bears,

she wanted to make sure they were covered in paint.

"The Thumbprint Family" upside down

2011-08-09T14:47:00.005-05:00

Happy 6-Month Birthday Aubrey!!

Oh Aubrey, my little love bug, I cannot believe how big you are getting! I can’t believe how fast the past 6 months have gone by. You are learning so many new things and becoming more and more independent every day.

You recently started sitting up all by yourself. You are still a little wobbly and fall down sometimes but you are definitely able to hold yourself up. You love this new trick so much that whenever we lay you down on your back you crunch up and push up on your elbows to try to sit all the way up. Dr. Ramsey and I both think you will be the only baby with 6-pack abs. Aubrey you still push up while on your tummy and try to pull your knees in. You aren’t quite strong enough to get it but you are getting closer.

Aubrey you have lots of fun talking with Mommy and Daddy. You are now making new sounds like “mmm nnaaa” and “ddii ggggaaa” and you are exploring just how loud and high your little voice can go. It’s just so fun having conversations with you. You also do this funny thing where you scrunch up your lips and face and breathe in and out through your nose really fast. It makes us all laugh. You also like to make raspberries and wiggle your tongue around. Sweet girl you have also really started to suck your thumb and sometimes your two middle fingers on your right hand. I’m glad you are able to soothe yourself, especially since you will be starting daycare in a week and it will help you feel better when Mommy isn’t there to calm you.

Aubrey, you love playing with your toys and you are working hard at perfecting your motor skills. You are able to transfer toys from one hand to the other and you will stretch and reach for things you want that are out of reach. And you want to touch everything and of course EVERYTHING goes in your mouth.

Aubrey you had your 6-month well baby appointment and you weighed 12lbs 3oz. and measured 25.5 inches long. You have doubled your birth weight and you are just getting so tall! Dr. Ramsey is so impressed with how strong you are and she said you are developing right on track. She also said that since you are doing so well on solids we can advance you to stage two foods. At your appointment you got two more shots. You cried for just a minute and after getting hugs and kisses from Mommy you settled right down and went back to your smiling, happy self.

Aubrey, the first half of your first year has been full of fun memories. You have gone on your first road trip, you were dedicated at church, went to several fun parties, you were an usher with your Daddy at your Aunt Alli and Uncle Dre’s wedding, and you celebrated your first Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and Fourth of July. Yay for a fun filled 6-months sweet Aubrey! Mommy and Daddy love you so much and we’re excited to see all the fun things you do in the next 6 months!

Aubrey making her funny face

Catching Up!

2011-07-17T22:05:00.007-05:00

There has been a lot going on this summer and once again I find myself behind in my blogging. So here it goes…

A Tale of Two Teeth!
The week before Aubrey turned 5 months old I made two little discoveries. Teeth! Practically overnight she cut her two bottom teeth. Gone are the days of gummy smiles but her smiles are just as sweet and precious with her little pearly whites. I’ve tried getting a good picture of her teeth but it’s actually harder than I thought. So here is the best picture I could get of her teeth on the day they broke through. They are actually a lot more prominent now.

First 4^th of July:

Oh Aubrey I wish your first 4^th of July was more fun and eventful but unfortunately due to the lack of rain this year there were no fireworks. But that didn’t stop us from having fun. We played all day and watched fireworks on tv. Hopefully next year you will get to experience your first fireworks show!

5 Months!

Happy 5 months old sweet Aubrey! You are just getting so big and your first year is flying by! We went to the pediatricians for a check up on your acid reflux and you weighed in at 11lbs, 6oz. Your acid reflux has subsided a little more and we are so happy about that. You are still a petite baby but you are developing right on track. You are now able to pull out your pacifier and put it back in your mouth. You also reach for your bottle and pull it toward you and you are getting better at holding it in place while you eat. In fact, you are putting everything in your mouth; even your feet! You are usually all smiles and giggles and you are practicing your consonant sounds more often. With each practice you are getting closer to saying “mama” and “dada”. Aubrey you have also begun to turn your head when you hear your name; you are just so smart! Aubrey your personality develops more and more each day. You love to act silly and dramatic and even act shy after “flirting” with your Daddy. You are just so much fun!

Solids:

The past two weeks we have begun to introduce Aubrey to solids. We started out with fresh avocado and she loved it! I had heard it was a good food to start with because of its taste, and because it’s loaded with calories that she needs. Our first attempt Aubrey wasn’t very sure what to do with it but she leaned forward and kept reaching for the spoon. Once she began to swallow it she opened her mouth wider and wider for each bite. After a successful first attempt it was so hard not to try other foods, but we waited and for four days we only let her have the avocado, just to make sure it didn’t upset her stomach and she didn’t have an allergic reaction. Then we tried carrots. Again so far it’s been really successful and she really likes the carrots too. I think after this round we will try either sweet potatoes or green beans. Now that we have started on solids I have found Aubrey reaching more and more for “real” food. The other day she kept trying to steal my oreos. Although this is a delicious choice she isn’t quite ready for them.

Father's Day!

2011-06-23T21:02:00.003-05:00

This Father’s Day was a special one. It was Rob’s First Father’s Day!!! It was so fun to celebrate Rob being a Daddy. It was also Aubrey’s baby dedication at church. Rob’s Mom and Grandmother and my parents visited our church so they could be apart of the dedication, and it was really so nice to share that special day with them.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Aubrey's Dedication at Community of Faith

Aubrey with her Mimi and Nana

Aubrey with her Grandma and Grandpa

Thursday Hodgepodge

2011-06-16T09:01:00.004-05:00

- I am LOVING being a stay-at-home Mommy this summer. I get to play, snuggle and have “conversations” with my sweet Aubrey all day!
- I love a clean house. I love the smell of household cleaners, they just make the house smell so fresh and clean and I love it. So I’ve done a lot of cleaning so far this summer and it feels good to be sitting in a clean living room.
- Earlier this week I took defensive driving online. Yep, I broke the law and the law won (singing the song made me feel better while taking the course).
- I have a mental list of summer projects to complete. I’m hoping I can complete some of them. I’m choosing not to list them because I don’t want to feel like a failure when I don’t finish all of them. But I am underway to completing a few :)

- I love being productive, it makes me feel good. I've been pretty productive so far this summer and if I continue at this pace I think I can really get a lot done. Fingers crossed.
- I’ve been walking/running in the mornings while it’s not as hot. But, lets face it it’s still about 100 degrees out even at 7am. I'm trying to get back in shape after having Aubrey. Even though I've lost most of my baby weight it's amazing how out of shape I am. I like the way I feel after a good workout, however I HATE working out. I don't know if it was all those years as a gymnast that I just don't enjoy it anymore or if I miss getting screamed at to do better crunches. Truth be told I am one of those crazy people that responds to a coach yelling in my face while working out. For some reason it motivates me to show what I'm made of. So I'm trying to do it on my own without the yelling and lets face it, it's hard! Especially when pushing a stroller while the wind is against you. It seems like no matter which direction I'm going the wind is always pushing against me. Thanks God for the extra resistance, I need it. But, I am getting some results. I've got to keep reminding myself it's baby steps. The other day while on my run with Aubrey I was startled when this guy mooed at me. Yes, that is a cow about 50 feet from me. I really didn’t know she was there until she mooed. And she was kind enough to pose for a quick pic.

- Aubrey has been working hard on her rolling. She can now roll from her back to her front and from her front to her back. A full rolling cycle. But even though she can do it, she doesn’t do it all the time. Here is a clip of her rolling, ignore the high-pitched shrills coming from her parents in the background.

And another rolling clip...

- Aubrey has gotten even more talkative the past few days. I have a feeling once she is able to say real words nobody around her will be able to get a word in. I think her new nickname would have to be Chatty Cathy. For real, the girl just “talks” your ear off and I love it. Here is a brief clip of her “talking”, when this was taken she had been going on for over 30 minutes.

And that my friends is the Thursday Hodgepodge.

4 Months!

2011-06-09T19:03:00.005-05:00

Oh Miss Aubrey, you are just a hop, skip and a jump away from being half a year old. I love that you are growing and becoming more advanced but I don’t want this time to go by too fast.

This month you have continued to have problems with your acid reflux, poor baby. But it is a little bit better. We have introduced rice to your diet. By mixing a little bit in with your milk, it’s thicker and stays down a little bit better. Also Dr. Ramsey said that rice naturally soothes tummies and helps with acid reflux. You didn’t like it at first, but I think you have gotten used to it.

At your 4 month checkup you got your second round of immunizations. Two shots in your left leg and one in your right, OUCH! And you had one oral immunization; you didn’t like that one either. You cried when you got your shots but they were over real fast and you calmed down as soon as Mommy picked you up. At your appointment you weighed 10 lbs, 5 oz. and measured 24 inches long. You are a petit and long little girl for sure. Your Grandma says you take after your Mommy in the growth department. Dr. Ramsey says you are growing and developing just fine and she’s really impressed at how strong you are!

Aubrey you rolled over!!! Yes, that’s right, you rolled over for the first time on June 7, just one day after you turned 4 months. It was so exciting! I was worried that you would reach this milestone while Mommy and Daddy were both at work but we were so fortunate that you decided to roll when both Mommy and Daddy were home and we both got to see it. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you; we were jumping up and down and cheering for you. We were just so excited!

Aubrey, Mommy is so excited to be home with you this summer. We will have lots of fun and will be working on your rolling over skills, you have only done it once all by yourself. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you and we can’t wait to see what fun things you do this month.

Here are a few oldie but goodies from Aubrey's newborn photo shoot. She was just 9 days old.

Water Babies

2011-06-05T20:13:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was Aubrey’s first day to go swimming! It was also the first time ALL the cousins were together. They were all so cute and had so much fun!

My little water baby

Lazy day on the water

Aubrey and Collins in their matching swim suits

Grandma and Grandpa with all their grandkids. Elliana 5, Jonas 3,

Aubrey 4 months and Collins 3 months.

The Hardest Thing I've Had To Do...

2011-05-21T23:25:00.001-05:00

This past week Rob and I had noticed that Aubrey had been spitting up more than normal. This was a gradual change and we really began to get concerned when she started to have projectile vomiting (I know this is really gross). After talking with some experienced moms I figured this was just a case of acid reflux so I made an appointment to see her pediatrician.

On Thursday I took her to get checked out. The Dr. was a little concerned when she felt a knot on Aubrey’s Pyloric Valve. This is the valve that allows food to move out of the stomach and into the intestines. If this valve thickens and creates a blockage, the only remedy is surgery. Naturally I immediately began to worry when hearing this news. The Dr. suggested an ultrasound to get a look at it. So I followed the pediatrician’s orders and made Aubrey fast, except for a bottle of pedialyte when she woke up. Poor baby ate at 9:30 on Thursday night and didn’t have another meal until 4:00pm Friday. Yes that’s right 19.5 hrs!!! Aubrey was STARVING and let me hear about it all day long. This is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Every time she would cry and real tears were flowing I would tear up as well. Not being able to feed my baby was heartbreaking.

So Friday afternoon Aubrey and I arrived at the hospital for her ultrasound. Her appointment was at 1:15 but we were told we had to be checked in 30 minutes before her appointment. I don’t know why we had to be there so early when we sat and waited for 2 hours before seeing a Dr. I’m sure the receptionists were annoyed with me, because I kept reminding them that we were waiting and that my 3 month old has been fasting and is STARVING. Finally we were called back to the imaging center and the Dr. began the ultrasound only to find out that they were unable to get a clear view of Aubrey’s stomach.

The Dr. informs me that we are now going to have to have an Upper GI done. So we move on down to radiology and little Miss Aubrey was given a bottle of barium, yuck, while they x-rayed her stomach. She was such a good girl during her test and she inhaled that barium, like I said she was starving. After a few minutes of watching the barium enter her stomach we finally saw it empty, and I let out a sigh of relief when the Dr. said “everything looks beautiful, there is no blockage in the pyloric, she just has a bad case of acid reflux. She will be just fine.” Once we got home, the pediatrician gave me a call and confirmed the results of the UGI and called in a prescription. I was so happy and exhausted from our long and stressful day; it took most of Saturday to recover! Rob and I are just so happy Aubrey does not have a more serious problem and will have relief with the medicine and will most likely grow out of it within the next few months.

Praise God!

Easter 2011/ 3 Months!

2011-05-14T20:57:00.005-05:00

I was late getting Aubrey’s 2 month update posted and now I’m late on my Easter and 3 month update. Oh the life of a working mommy.

Let’s start with Aubrey’s first Easter. We had a great time celebrating this exciting first. We began by spending Saturday evening with my parents, my brother and his family and my little sister and her fiancé. We had a great time just hanging out by the pool and eating great food. Easter Sunday, we woke up early and headed out to the Woodlands to spend the day with Rob’s Mom and Grandmother. We went to church then had brunch at the Woodlands Country Club. The food was delicious as always and I ate WAY TO MUCH! It is so fun to celebrate all of Aubrey’s firsts, but I really can’t wait till next year when she can actually participate in all the fun. So this year she received her Easter baskets and eggs and next year she will be hunting those eggs!

The week after Easter Aubrey had her 3 month birthday (on May 6)! Oh my goodness, my baby is getting so big! I know I say this all the time, but I really can’t believe how much she has changed from our first meeting on February 6.

Miss Aubrey,

You have brought so much joy and happiness to your Mommy and Daddy’s lives. Even though our lives have changed drastically since your birth we would not change a thing. In fact I feel like you have been a part of our family all along and I cannot image going a day without seeing your sweet smiling face.

This month, you have become even more vocal and “talkative.” So much so, that you had a “conversation” with Mommy for 20 minutes this evening. Your little personality is beginning to really come out and you find a lot of Mommy and Daddy’s silly faces, and antics funny. Every night you giggle so much, it is the cutest thing.

Just like last month, you really love to sit up and look at everything. Your bumbo chair and your boppy pillow allow you to sit and take in all the sights. You really don’t like to miss a thing. You are getting stronger every month. You have recently started trying to sit up when you are reclined. You flex your stomach muscles and pull your head up almost to where you are sitting upright. You have also gained more eye-hand coordination. You have started to hold your bottle when we feed you and you will even put your pacifier back in your mouth when it starts to fall out. You haven’t rolled over yet but you are getting really good at arching and pushing up.

Daddy had to return to work a week earlier than expected so we had to rearrange your daycare arrangements. You were shuffled between family members and friends for two weeks, Mommy thought this might be hard on you but you were not phased at all. You stuck to your schedule and had so much fun. Aubrey, you are such a good girl and all of your babysitters this month said you were a delight to take care of.

Sweet girl, Mommy and Daddy love you so much. You have such a sweet, calm and quiet personality and we so thankful for you.

Trying to sit up!

My first Easter April 24, 2011

2 Months!

2011-04-16T19:35:00.003-05:00

Happy 2 month birthday sweet Aubrey!!! This has been quite a month for you! You slept through the night for the first time when you were 5 weeks old. YAY!!! Mommy was so worried when I woke up and realized I hadn’t fed you all night. I ran into your room to check on you and you were still sleeping soundly. Mommy and Daddy are so thankful you are a good sleeper.

This first night of uninterrupted sleep was actually the night before we left for Lubbock, which happened to be your first road trip. You were such a good girl on our long drive and you had so much fun meeting your Aunt Sarah, Uncle Paul and cousins Jonas and Collins. You and Collins were born just four weeks apart so it will be so much fun to watch you two girls grow up together.

Aubrey you are so strong and growing so fast. You are now able to hold your head up and turn both ways so smoothly. Sometimes your head still bobbles but most of the time you have great control over it. You also love to be on your tummy. You like to arch up with both your arms and legs showing us how strong and flexible you are. You also like to pull your knees underneath you while on your tummy. Sleeping on your tummy is technically a no-no, but you really love to take naps on your tummy.

Daddy took you to your 2 month Dr. appointment. Your visit went well however, you had to have four vaccines, one oral and three shots…OUCH!!! Daddy said you really did not like getting your shots, two in your left leg and one in your right, but you calmed down and went to sleep as soon as he picked you up. You really are growing so fast. You weighed in at 8lb. 13oz and 22 1/2 in. long. Dr. Ramsey said we should really watch you because you are already starting to try to rollover and she thinks you could soon.

You are also turning into a social butterfly. We have gone to several parties and get-togethers and you love to sit up and watch other people. You are so alert and bright eyed and you just love to interact. You are also becoming more vocal. You like to “talk” to Mommy and you love the sound of your little voice.

Aubrey you have started Daddy Day Care this month since Mommy had to return to work. You are having so much fun with your Daddy during the day. You guys play, read books and yes you even learn about ducks. You are your Daddy’s daughter after all. One day you two took a day trip to a boat and hunting store. Daddy said when you started to get fussy he took you to look at the ducks and immediately you stopped crying and you couldn’t take your eyes off the ducks. You are so lucky to have a Daddy who can stay home with you for a few weeks. You two are creating such a great bond.

Aubrey Elizabeth, Mommy and Daddy love you more and more every single day. I know that’s hard to understand but it’s true. You bring so much joy to our lives and we are so blessed to be your parents.

Hope

2011-04-01T13:20:00.003-05:00

I’ve been planning to write this post for a while now but for some reason I just kept forgetting to! Back in December at my baby shower my sisters surprised me with hope cards. Instead of playing shower games they came up with the idea of having all of my guests write hopes for Aubrey. Kate, our sweet family friend, designed the hope cards to match Aubrey’s nursery theme and each card had a different hope prompt. With these prompts our sweet family and friends wrote beautiful, inspiring and encouraging hopes for Aubrey and they have made a beautiful keepsake for her. I like to read a different hope to Aubrey before putting her to bed at night, it’s just so nice to be reminded of how many people love this little girl so much. I truly appreciate every one of these hope cards and my prayer is that Aubrey grows to be just as Godly and lovely as the women who wrote them. So I thought I would share a few of my favorite hopes with you.

Hopes for Aubrey…

I hope you never forget…. “to say I love you Mommy and Daddy”

I hope you love… “JESUS ‘cause He sure loves you!”

I hope that you… “follow your dreams!”

I hope you aren’t afraid… “to ask for guidance when you need it. Someone will always be there to help you when you need it”

I hope you respect... “yourself, your mama and daddy and others around you"

I hope you become… “a lady of grace, integrity, honor, love, and faith"

I hope you grow… “in grace and beauty- filled with confidence and love, knowing you are loved and blessed.”

I hope you aren’t afraid… “because you know the great love with which you are loved. 1 John 4:18 'There is no fear in love, perfect love drives out fear’"

I hope you laugh… “easily at yourself and don’t take things too seriously. Be sure to laugh at least once every day.”

I hope you love… “The Lord as much as your mom, dad, and family do. Remember He created you for a special purpose and you are His daughter!”

I hope you never forget… “That Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life! Cling to Him!”

I hope you laugh… “with and at your mommy and daddy, and that your life is flooded with joy!”

I hope you become… “a person of integrity, a person who smiles a lot, a person who loves people, and a person full of grace for yourself and others.”

I hope you grow… “up to be just as beautiful as your mommy!”

From Lubbock to The Woodlands

2011-03-25T19:34:00.006-05:00

The past two weeks have been super busy with traveling, and just the everyday stuff so here are some highlights.

This Spring Break Rob, Aubrey and I went to Lubbock to meet a new member of our family, Collins Faith Maney. Collins was born on March 9 just 4 weeks and 4 days after Aubrey was born and I can’t wait to see these two cousins become great friends. I really enjoyed spending time with my sister Sarah and our two precious girls. It’s so fun to be going through this stage together with my big sister.
On Thursday we headed to The Woodlands for some time with Mimi (Rob’s Mom) and Nana. Our jam-packed day included a visit to Forest Park to visit Bob’s memorial. This was the first time visiting since Aubrey’s birth and it was a very special day as Rob got to introduce his daughter to his Dad. Bob passed away a month before I found out I was pregnant with Aubrey and we all wish he could be here to watch her grow, I know he would have loved this little girl so much. After visiting the memorial, we headed to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, so delicious, and then to see Aubrey’s picture on display at the photography studio we had her newborn pictures taken. It was so fun to see a huge picture of our pretty girl on display and some of her other photos on the big screen slide show. As we walked in the studio a lady with her little girl was complimenting Aubrey’s photo and one of the staff members just laughed and said, “There is the little model right there!” So we had to have a picture by her photo. We have a budding model on our hands. Then of course we had to stop by Potterybarn Kids and Janie and Jack for some souvenirs.
Aubrey is 6 weeks old this week, which means I only have one more week of maternity leave. I don’t want to go back, I wish I could stay home with Miss A but I know I have to finish the school year. So Daddy will be taking over Mommy duty during the day for 4 more weeks. Yes friends, Rob has more paternity leave than I do! I’m so glad Rob will be able to spend so much time with his little girl, I just hope he doesn’t go overboard with the hunting brainwashing ;)

Cousins Jonas and Collins Maney with Aubrey

Sarah and I with Collins and Aubrey

(sometimes you just need a good cry)

Happy girls!

Our little family at Bob's memorial

Rob telling Aubrey about her Papa Bob

Posing by Aubrey's photo on display

Love those baby blues (Aubrey at 6 wks)

Welcome to Parenthood

2011-03-08T18:01:00.002-06:00

In the one whole month I’ve been a mommy (I know I’m so experienced, Ha!) I have found myself saying one of two phrases, “Mama said there’d be days like this…” and “welcome to parenthood, Kelly”. In the past month I have been learning a LOT about my sweet baby and even more about myself. Some lessons are difficult and trying and others humorous and silly but all are lessons worth learning.

Here are just a few of my “welcome to parenthood” moments.

1. Babies need a sleep schedule the minute they pop out or else you spend four weeks with a baby that loves to sleep all day and be up screaming all night, literally. I love Aubrey but when she only sleeps for one hour at night, and that hour isn’t even a consecutive hour, you tend to think she must really hate her parents. Why else would she treat us this badly? Needless to say, we are working on sleep training to get this problem and it is a problem in check. Ahhh, welcome to parenthood, Kelly.

2. Moms and Dads beware, girls can pee and poop on you too! Trust me, it’s not just for little boys. Aubrey has successfully “anointed” Rob, Grandma and me more than once, for each of us! Seriously I think she gets joy out of it, especially from the poop incident of 2011, as we will always refer to it. One afternoon while I was changing Aubrey’s diaper, suddenly in an instant I scream and jump back as there is poop flying four feet through the air and landing on our living room carpet. Yes my friends, projectile poop. Good thing we have a great carpet cleaner that cleaned it right up. Rob and I couldn’t get upset; it was just too funny! So, I’ve learned to change her diaper in record time. A very messy welcome to parenthood, Kelly and Rob.

3. When planning to go somewhere decide how long you need to get ready and get your baby ready and then add at least 30 more minutes. Seriously I feel like we are late for everything! Simply because it takes FOREVER to get Aubrey and myself ready to leave. The reason being, that right before we walk out the door Aubrey will spit up on herself or me and a wardrobe change is in effect. So I’ve learned to wait till you are literally about to walk out the front door to dress the two of us. Which brings me to my next point, stock up on laundry detergent because I do a load of laundry just about every day! – “Tide”ings and welcome to parenthood, Kelly

4. Rob and I love taking pictures of sweet Aubrey. So much in fact that we are those parents who bring the camera everywhere! I never thought I would be this type of parent, but I totally am. Seriously folks we are going to embarrass Aubrey so much when she’s older because we are like the paparazzi. Totally out of control with the picture taking and I LOVE it! We will never have this time again, and she is growing so fast we just want to have as many documented memories as possible, even if we are completely obnoxious and obsessed with it. So thank you Hubs for my totally awesome Canon EOS Rebel XS, a serious camera for serious picture takers – again, Welcome to parenthood, Kelly

5. I never thought I could forget to eat. I mean I love food and I’ve always been very sensitive to my hunger pangs. Once my body says I’m hungry I need food and PRONTO. Well, not so much anymore. I guess being a new mommy = so busy you can totally forget to eat. I’m really trying hard to remember to sit down and eat something; anything and I give myself bonus points for eating something healthy. Seriously Kelly, remember to eat, it’s good for you and it will keep you from dying from starvation. Oh and once again, welcome to parenthood.

One Month

2011-03-06T17:11:00.003-06:00

Happy One-Month Birthday, Aubrey!

My precious Aubrey, I can’t believe how quickly a month has past since your birth. You are already changing and growing so much! You are such a happy baby and you do so well when we are out running errands and visiting family. Everyday you show your Daddy and I more of your personality. You love to make faces and smile and I’ve even caught you giggling a time or two. You are spending more time “playing” with your toys and you love being on your tummy. You love to snuggle up with Daddy or me and sleep on our chests. You love to sleep; we are still working on getting you on a better sleep schedule so that you spend more time sleeping through the night. Within the first two weeks since your birth you have gained over one pound and I’m anxious to see how much you’ve gained since then. You have already began to show us how strong you are by pulling your legs in while you are on your tummy and kicking them out quickly making you scoot a little bit. Are we going to be an early crawler?

Aubrey, Mommy and Daddy love you so much and we are so blessed to have you apart of our lives. And, we can’t wait to see what this next month brings for you sweet girl.

Our little family at the Woodlands Rodeo Kick-Off Dinner.

Starting Over.....Again

2011-02-27T14:52:00.004-06:00

I know it’s been over a year since I last blogged and a lot of life has been lived since then. I have wanted to update this little blog for a very long time, but I didn’t really know how to go about doing that. I have begun writing numerous posts and ended up deleting them all because I just couldn’t find the right words to express the many changes, some sad and some happy, Rob and I have experienced this past year. So with that said, I have decided to skip the long recap and begin this new venture in blogging with the introduction to the newest addition to the New family.

Aubrey Elizabeth New

Born Sunday, February 6, 2011 at 7:41pm. Weighing 6 lbs. 3 oz. and 20 in. long.

We love this little girl more than anything and I know every parent thinks his or her child is the cutest but Rob and I honestly think Aubrey is the prettiest, cutest, most precious baby girl ever. We have many hopes and dreams for our daughter and we are so excited to watch her grow, learn and become the little girl / young lady / woman, God has created her to be.

Superman and Hot-Air Balloons

2009-11-01T13:37:00.004-06:00

Forgive me bloggers for I have sinned. I have been MIA for far too long. I really don’t have a reason for my absence except that I guess I’ve had a bit of blogger’s block and felt my daily routine was just too busy and mundane for my blog. So for an update I present to you a list of happenings.

- The school year has been flying by. Seriously it will be Christmas before we know it, and personally I can’t wait, it’s my favorite time of year.
- I spent a weekend in San Marcos with my parents visiting my sweet little sister Alli. We had so much fun hanging out, visiting the glass bottom boats, eating way too much yummy food and enjoying a ton of laughs!
- Celebrated Rob’s 31st birthday on October 20. I surprised him with a dinner at Fogo de Chao. Amazing food, great bottle of wine, the best company (my sweet hubs) and presents! Happy Birthday my love!
- Family birthday celebration for Rob and Tim’s Birthdays! Grandmother and Granddad came down for the celebration; I just love seeing them!
- Family celebration of Rob and Bob’s (Rob’s dad) birthdays, yes more Oct birthday celebrations! Another amazing dinner, this time at my in-laws house.
- Halloween. Elliana and Jonas were so cute in their costumes! Check out some pics below.
- And this morning, November 1, 2009 I woke up to a loud sound of what I thought was a strange yard tool of some sort. I let Toby outside and the sound continued which freaked my little dog out completely. As the sound appeared to get closer, I looked around but didn’t see anything until; a shadow from above engulfed my backyard. I looked up to see a hot-air balloon sailing very close to the top of my house. The balloon landed in the lot directly across the street from my front yard as a second balloon sailed directly over my house. I’ve seen a hot-air balloon before but never that close and definitely never in my front yard!

My hero, Super Jonas!

"Dorothy" and her Toto dog

Who needs an alarm when there's a hot-air balloon waking you up!

Double Trouble

2009-09-12T18:19:00.003-05:00

Rob and I love our puppies, River and Toby, also known as Double Trouble. So here are some pictures of our two fur children playing with their football, or at least what’s left of it after many games of tug-a-war. Enjoy!

First Week of School

2009-08-30T12:23:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to all my fellow teachers, we made it through the first week of school! I know I said in my last post that this was going to be a great year, and I’m going to say it again, I know this will be a fabulous year. I have a wonderful new partner and we are on the same page! Whew! Also, after spending a week with my little hoodlums, actually they are very sweet kids; this year should be better. I know there will be some challenges but I feel that my two classes are a better mixture of students than last year. I don’t mean that my students last year weren’t good kids; what I mean is I feel that more thought went into the grouping of my classes this year than last year. And if you have a mixture of kids who just can’t get along, then you have a recipe for disaster!

So on the first day of school I gave each of my students an assignment to write a paragraph answering questions about me based on their first impression of me. I love this activity because it’s really fun to see what they think of me! Here are some excerpts from my students. I have corrected all grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes, but the responses are from 4^th graders.

Reagan: “I think my teacher is really nice because of her big smile”

Pablo: “I think my teacher is 35 or 37 because of how tall she is”

Bianca: “I think my teacher is 30 because my parents are 35 and they look young too”

Gillian: “I think my teacher’s favorite food is meatloaf with mashed potatoes and extra gravy”

Jake: “My teacher’s favorite food is salad, because she’s skinny”

Trent: “I think my teacher is married because her name has an “S” on the Mr.”

Cameron: “I think my teacher is married because there is a picture of her with some guy”

Joshua: “My teacher’s pet peeves are open closet doors”

Sandy: “My teacher’s pet peeves are kids talking when she is talking”

Itzel: “My teacher likes to shop at walmart because she likes to save money like my mom”

AND MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE RESPONSE OF ALL….

Juan: “I think my teacher likes to shop at Victoria’s Secret!”

Oh kids say the darndest things! Happy school year teachers!

Back To School!

2009-08-17T21:38:00.003-05:00

It’s that time of year again, a time when students and teachers stock up on pencils, paper, markers, crayons and so many other fun school supplies. It’s time to go back to school.

I’m really excited to start the new school year, it’s my second year of teaching and I’m really excited about it. I never thought I would become a math teacher, when I interviewed for the teaching position I actually applied and interviewed for a Language Arts position. But when I received the call a few days later with an employment offer I was shocked to hear that they wanted to hire me to teach math, even after I told them I was horrible at math. But desperate to change careers, I took the 4th grade math position trusting my principal that she was making the right decision. In fact, our conversation at the beginning of last year ended with her saying, “Kelly, don’t worry about it. You will be a great math teacher. Just trust me, you’ll see.” And boy was she was right, I actually liked teaching math. I guess because I struggled with the subject when I was a kid it made me aware of the struggles my students would face, especially my friends who were receiving services for special ed., and allowed me to find ways to explain and demonstrate the concepts in ways they could understand. There were many challenges to overcome last year. Not only did hurricane Ike completely mess-up the entire year, but there were several educational challenges with my special cluster of students. Out of the three math classes I had, two of them were special ed. clusters. But by the end of the year my student’s hard work paid off and 60 students out of 65 passed the TAKS test, 22 of them were commended! That means those 22 kids only missed ONE problem on the TAKS test, quit an accomplishment! I’m so proud of my little superstars!

This year, I’m adding science to the mix and I’m looking forward to helping my students explore math and science. I just know it’s going to be another successful year! And now…
Welcome To Mrs. New’s 4th Grade Math/Science Class!

Blonde Moment of the Week

2009-08-14T18:57:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week, Rob rented a DVD from our neighborhood RedBox, first off I love RedBox and here is why. 1. We don’t have to drive five miles to the nearest Blockbuster 2. You don’t have to walk all the way around Blockbuster to find a movie worthy of watching and 3. The most important thing, is it’s like $4 cheaper than Blockbuster!

So back to my story…after Rob watched his war movie I thought I would be a good wifey and return the movie on my way home from work. I pull up to the Redbox and wait in line to return my DVD. When it’s my turn I select the option to return the movie and immediately slip the case into the slot. A few seconds later the DVD slides back out and a message pops up on the screen, but I wasn’t able to read it because the message was displayed for like a microsecond. So I try again making sure the barcode on the DVD is showing. Same result. I try again for a third time, now there is a line behind me, and I get the same result. By this time I figure the machine is acting up so I get out of line and go home deciding to try returning it the next day. Fast-forward to Thursday and I decide to try my luck with the Redbox machine again. I pull up, select “Return DVD” and slide the case in the machine. I wait a few seconds and out comes the DVD AGAIN! I try one more time before going inside Walgreens to talk with the manager; I’m thinking maybe he knows something about the machine. So the nice manager walks out to the Redbox with me and he begins the return DVD process and BINGO Success on the first try! It was then that I realized why I was unsuccessful with this process. You see, I had tried sliding the case in with the barcode facing me INSTEAD of the barcode facing the machine. There is even a picture to demonstrate this on the case AND the screen. Needless to say I felt like the ditziest blonde ever! Now many of you may think that I have never returned a movie to Redbox before, but this is not the case! I have rented and returned numerous DVD’s to Redbox, I just must have gotten really lucky with all the previous DVD’s.

Dallas Divas

2009-08-03T23:17:00.003-05:00

This past weekend I went to Dallas for a girl’s weekend with my best friend Kelcey. We had such a fabulous time laughing, catching up, and doing what we do best together…having FUN!!!

Friday night Kelc and I went to dinner at Victor Tangos. It was the first time both of us had been there, Kelc had been hearing great things about it from friends, and it definitely lived up to it’s great reviews. If you go there you must order the Ahi Tuna Nachos, Lollipop Lamb Chops, and Mac N Cheese. It sounds like an odd combination but trust me, you will not be disappointed. This restaurant has very eclectic menu items but that’s what makes it so great! And you must try one, or all if your feeling adventurous, of their cocktails…so yummy.

Saturday we enjoyed pedicures and spent the afternoon on the boat hanging onto the tube for dear life. So Fun yet so sore!!! Saturday night Kelc, her friend Vanessa, and myself got all dolled up for the Alpha Rev concert at the Granada. Before the band took the stage, the three of us sipped on yummy margaritas and of course if you are having margaritas you have to have chips and salsa! Let me just say that Alpha Rev is a fabulous band! It was the first time I had heard them and I can say I’m a fan.

On Sunday, we slept in, had a yummy brunch and gabbed even more about anything and everything. Then, I made my long trek home, sad to be leaving my Kelcey but excited to see the Hubs.

I absolutely love my Kelcey, we have been best friends since 2^nd grade and we have been there for each other through every twist and turn. I just love that it doesn’t matter if we talk every day or every couple of months, we never run out of things to talk about and we always pick up where we left off from our last conversation.

And now, here are some pictures from the weekend. There are more, but Kelcey needs to send them to me {hint, hint Kelc}

Kelcey and myself at the Alpha Rev concert

Hanging out on the boat

Tubing!

More Pictures to come, stay tuned!

BirthAversary

2009-07-30T22:50:00.005-05:00

July 26, 2009 marks a very special day for two reasons. First, it is my 26^th birthday, I still don’t feel any older than 21, and second, it’s me and Rob’s first wedding anniversary! It is really hard to believe that Rob and I have been married for a year already. I mean, it’s been a crazy year but a great one filled with many many blessings.

So here are some things I love about being married to the Hubs. I love how he is so patient, I love that he is always so positive, I love that he can always make me laugh, I love that he works so hard to provide for our little family, I love that he loves the Lord, I love that there are so many more things I love about Rob, but most of all I love the way he loves me.

So here are some pictures from our big weekend.

Wedding Day, July 26, 2008

First Anniversary about to cut the top tier of our wedding cake

Cake all over our faces

Celebrating Mom and Dad

2009-07-14T21:55:00.004-05:00

July is a time of celebration for my parents. For one, July 14 is my Dad's birthday! So happy birthday Dad, I love you and I'm so thankful that you are my daddy. And the second reason is that July 15 my parents celebrate their 37th anniversary. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful example of what a Godly marriage looks like. Happy anniversary Mom and Dad, I love you so so much!

Love,

Kelly

Kelly vs. The Dry-Cleaning Lady

2009-07-11T22:09:00.002-05:00

Thursday afternoon I decided to go pick-up me and Rob’s dry-cleaning, a weekly errand that should take only 10 minutes, but usually takes longer. This particular day I pull up to the drive-thru and realize I forgot my order ticket.

“No worries,” I thought, as I knew they could look up my account via our phone number.

So after a few minutes of waiting in the drive-thru one lady came to my window and I gave her my phone number and then continued to jam to 80’s music thinking that this could possibly be the quickest trip to the dry-cleaner to date. Less than 2 minutes later the lady returns announcing that my bill would be $50 and some change.

“What?!” I exclaimed, as I knew it could not be that much. To which she returned with

“You have a lot of clothes…and a comforter.” I stop her right there and explain that I had already picked-up and paid for the comforter in question a week ago. “Ok, I go check” says the lady in her accent and off she goes again leaving me to jam to the best of the 80’s.

During this time I decide to call Rob, because I had left the order ticket in his car, and had him tell me what the total should be. Rob reads off the 4 different totals, I do some quick calculations and find that my total should have been $33.63. Just as I finished adding it all up the lady returns and says, “I’m sorry, we fixed it and your total is $33.63.”

“Perfect!” I reply and I hand over my credit card and rewards card.

By this time my 10 minute trip has already been 30 minutes, but I’m still in a good mood because I have Def Leopard and ACDC entertaining me. Then finally another lady returns to my window, this time it’s the manager’s wife, and she says I need to come inside because she says I have not paid for the comforter in question.

NOW I AM MAD

I have been in the drive-thru for over 30 minutes and NOW I have to go in to talk about a comforter that I have on my bed and had paid for over a week ago. I walk in and I’m being called into the manager’s office to where I’m surprised with a video. Not just any video, a video of me dropping off my comforter over a week ago. The Manager’s wife kept saying, in a thick accent, “see you come in on your phone and drop off comforter and pick-up shirt and no pay.”

Horrified that I’m being accused of not paying for something and having to review security video, I escalate my tone. “Yeah I'm dropping it off but if you check your records you will see that I always pay when I pick up my items and I picked up the comforter a few days after I had dropped it off! And as for the shirt, I had picked-up my order the day before and PAID but that shirt had not been finished! I am a loyal customer, I bring in a ton of clothes every week.” I also remind Dry-Cleaning Lady that a few months ago they had lost one of Rob's dress shirts, I thought this would help my case that I've been a loyal customer even when they have made a major mistake.

The argument continues as she continues to show the same footage over and over again, even though I suggest she look for footage of me picking-up the comforter and paying for it in the drive-thru just days later. After both of us raising our voices I finally say, “I want my clothes, and especially my credit card that you are holding hostage behind your counter and I am taking my business elsewhere.” I gather my clothes and hit the road.

After leaving, I am so angry that I call Rob to give him a full report. Now he’s upset that I was treated like a harden criminal and he gives Dry-Cleaning Lady a call. Lets just say that Dry-Cleaning Lady is now fearful of me and the moment Rob said “Hi my name is Rob, can I speak to your manager?” The Dry-Cleaning Lady knew exactly who he was. She says, “Are you Mr. New?” her voice shaking. Rob gave his calm lecture on how to treat customers and what not, and Dry-Cleaning Lady then apologizes saying that she found the footage of me in the drive-thru picking up and paying for my comforter, just like I said.

So, now I am having to go to a new Dry-Cleaner and hopefully I will never have to be under investigation at a Dry-Cleaner or anywhere else ever again.

-Kelly

Father's, Flicks and Food

2009-06-29T23:47:00.002-05:00

First of all, Happy Father’s Day to my Daddy! I am so thankful that when God created me he chose Stuart Snow to be my Dad. This was the first year I wasn’t with my Dad on Father’s Day, and it just didn’t feel quite the same. However, Rob and I got to spend the day with his dad and we had such a great time! We enjoyed treating his parents and Nana to an entertaining day.

Now, let me explain what I mean when I say entertaining. A week before Father’s Day Rob and I told his dad, Bob, to pick out a movie for all of us to see and we would go to the movies and then to dinner at Outback. Well, Bob based his movie choice on a recommendation made by Tom, Rob’s mother’s brother. Tom had told Bob that this particular movie was great and he should go see it. So away we go to the movies, myself, Rob, Bob, Pam and Nana. We purchase the tickets, sit down and begin the movie. A short way through the movie I look at Rob and remind him that Nana is watching, between laughing hysterically Rob says, “I know, I feel kind of bad”. So we continue the movie, everyone laughing I remind Rob again, “You do know that Nana is watching this don’t you?”

Continue watching….

Continue watching…

Roll credits…

Nana gasps…

Lights on…

Rob, Bob, Pam and myself: “Oh my gosh! We took Nana to see a porno!!!!”

Yep, that’s right we took my in-laws and Rob’s Nana to see The Hangover. The movie did have many humorous moments but I don’t think it was the right choice for Father’s Day or a day out with Nana. In fact, that movie was the topic of conversation for the rest of the night, and continues to be. So let this be a lesson to you, DO NOT TAKE YOUR 78 YEAR OLD NANA TO SEE THIS MOVIE!!! Oh and Outback was delicious as always.

Love,

Kelly

I'm Back!

2009-06-20T19:50:00.004-05:00

Ok, so obviously I am a terrible blogger. I started off with my first post about Hurricane Ike and then....I was never to been seen again. I know so lame. But I have decided to really give blogging another try. I love reading all of my friends and family's blogs and I think I should contribute to the blogisphere.

So since it's been so long since my first post I thought I would put together a list of things that have happened this year. So here we go...

1. Post Hurrican Ike Rob and I received noticed that our rent house was being foreclosed...so we bought our first house in October and moved in right before Thanksgiving...it's so cute and we love it...just need some decorating.

2. Happy 30 Birthday Hubs!!! I love you so much and I'm so blessed to have you as my husband!

3. Rob left WAMU and took a VP/Management position at Bank of America. In the first few months at BOA he took his branch from last place in the region to #1 in the region. Yay for the hubs kicking banking butt!!! :)

4. Rob and I hosted Christmas morning at our new house. I felt so proud and blessed to have my parents and my siblings and their families there!

5. I survived my first semester of teaching!! It was such a difficult semester, I thought I would quit. But, after a few weeks off to rest, I started the last semester with a new outlook on teaching my little rugrats...they drove me crazy at times, but I truly loved seeing them every day.

6. Happy New Year! Hurray for new beginnings!

7. Sick....again. This was a reoccurring thing this year. Being a first year teacher means lots of sinus infections and other diseases the little carrier monkeys brought to school everyday.

8. Happy Valentines Day!!! Rob surprises me with the newest member of our family...Tobyn Liberty!!! (Toby for short). He is the sweetest and cutest miniature schnauzer and loves his big brother River.

9. Welcome back News!!! Rob's dad resigned as President and CEO of First National Bank Corp and the newly re-tired parents move back to Texas (The Woodlands) from Hermitage PA. We are so glad they are closer.

10. Elliana turns 3!!! I can't believe me precious niece is getting so big! She had a Disney Princess birthday with a moonwalk!! Rob and I had a blast jumping and chasing the birthday princess around!

11. TAKS testing begins....talk about stress!!!

12. Congratulations to my little "Newbies"!!! Math TAKS results are in and my students succeeded far beyond what I expected!!! I have to admit I shed a few tears when I saw how well they had done, all of our hard work paid off!!

13. Happy Birthday Jonas and Sarah!!!! My precious nephew turned One on May 20 and Sarah, Jonas' mommy's, birthday was May 24. Rob and I were so sad we couldn't go to Lubbock to celebrate their special days. Jonas is walking and looking like a little kid, and not a baby, more and more everyday! I miss him, and his parents, so much!

14. Last day of school!!! YAY FOR SUMMER!!!!

15. FINALLY ordered our wedding album...I know it's almost been a year since we got married and we are just now ordering our photos. Please don't judge...

16. Decorating...ok, now that I have some time on my hands I'm trying to get some ideas for decorating our cute house. So any ideas or suggestions are welcome!

17. Car shopping!!! Yep I'm still driving the mustang that I got when I was 16!!! She's been a good car but it's time for an upgrade...

Ok, there you have it...the rundown of our year, well, the big things that I could think of off the top of my head. So now that I've caught you bloggers up to speed, I'm hoping I'll continue the blogfest with more current news.

-Kelly

Welcome to the life of the New's

2008-09-14T20:31:00.000-05:00

Welcome! We are Rob and Kelly New, newlyweds living in Houston. When I say newlyweds I really mean it. We have been married for two wonderful months and we are looking forward to the adventures ahead of us.

Speaking of adventures, in the two short months we've been married we have experienced quite an adventure. I'm talking about Hurricane Ike. I know this is kind of a downer of a first post, but one of my close friends urged me to begin posting about this crazy experience.

On Friday, September 12, Rob and I prepared for the category 3 hurricane. That evening around 7pm the winds picked up and reached forces of about 100 miles per hour and continued until 10am Saturday. Sometime during the night our entire backyard fence completely fell apart. At about 3:30am one of our bedroom windows began to rattle uncontrollably so being the concerned wife that I am, I asked my wonderful husband to take a look at it. Taking it upon himself, Rob decided to go outside to try to push the window back into place all while being blown from side to side by the 100 mile per hour winds. After trying to push the window back in for about a minute, Rob came back inside and minutes after he got back, our window had been sucked out of its panel. The next morning we learned that there had been a tornado that passed through the street directly behind our house and we believe that was the source of our missing window. Shortly after making make-shift repairs on our window, we discovered that our chimney was leaking water into our living room, fortunately we found the leak before the carpet was damaged.

On Saturday morning when we were finally able to come outside, we discovered that our roof is missing about 60 shingles and the rest of our fence was missing as well.

The good news is that we are ok and the all of our belongings are unharmed. The house can be prepared and we are now just anxiously waiting for our power to be turned back on. Thankfully my parents live close by and they have power and have allowed us to stay and have given us food!

Like I said, I'm sorry this is a downer of a first post, but I promise there will be more interesting and fun posts to come. Here is a preview of what I would like to share with all of our blogger friends, our wedding, honeymoon adventure to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, our trip to PA and Niagra Falls Canada and many more.

I will try to post pictures of our house falling apart, seriously it needs help.

Bye for now!

Kelly