FAVORITE'S OF 2009:

These are a few of my favorite things from 2009:

14. flat screen Tv's and computer monitors...
13. yankee candle" fresh room scent" plug ins
12. catch phrase the game
11. Twilight woods scent from bath and body works
10.the bump-it ( this is for your hair mom)
9.snow shovels
8.personalized stationary
7.Coach purses
6. Noggin/Nick Jr.
5. iphone and all the apps for it
4.heated car seats
3.front loading washer and dryer
2. all the new goodies that go into a first year teachers classroom
1. new house!

Here are my top 10 favorite happenings of 2009:


10. First paid summer vacation of my life..... hopefully many more to come!-- June, July
9.starting my Masters Degree- August
8.Summer Vacation to the Ozarks- July
7.Mira turning 12-- November
6. Ava turning 2-- May
5.Adam Lambert won 2nd runner up on American Idol
4.facebook family and friend reunites
3. last year to live out my 20's-- June
2.President Obama taking office-- January
1. Signing a teaching contract in this economy!-- August


**now it's your turn to tell me what your favorites were for 2009.....

what a WoNdErFuL Christmas break....

Well we are over half way done with the break and it just seems like yesterday it got started... Ava and mommy sure have had a great time though. I realize how much I would love to be a stay at home mommy and I also realize how much I would miss being a teacher! I love kids, yours, mine or otherwise! Kids make me laugh everyday no matter what age they are!!!
Anyway, here are a few pictures that have been taken over break so far! Basically I haven't blogged for a while because there truly has not been that much going on...oh ya and we've been SNOWED in for most of the break too..... what a beautiful white christmas and a wonderful joyus holiday we celebrated with all of our family! Hope your Holidays are going wonderful and only 2 more days till 2010! WOW...

it's almost here......

YES the L--O--N--G awaited Christmas Break! As a new teacher I am realizing how this is exactly what I need and what I had hoped for. I always wanted to stay home with my kids on snow days, holiday breaks and summer vacations....this is the beginning to a long career of tough choices, challenging children and long days...but I am ready! I am ready to take it all on to be able to spend as much time as possible with my kids! So....with this post I am just wishing that Friday at 3:30 could get here already!!!! Have a wonderful last few days before Ol Saint Nick visits..... Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanakuah, Merry Kwanza, and I'm sure I am leaving out something, but enjoy the last minute hussle and bussel of the shopping extravanganza !
With love,
Amber

SNOW DAY !!!!

we woke up with good ol cheerios

wasn't that much snow but it was icy and SOOO cold!

love love love looking out our back door-- beautiful!

then of course Ava helped mommy on the computer.....

let me emphasize the words HELPED MOMMY.... ha

so we gave up on the computer and resorted to a movie day!
princess and popcorn! What a fun snow day I had with my little angel.

Dear Ava,
Mommy had so much fun with you on our wonderful snow day! I hope we get lots
more in the future to spend this time together. I love you. I love your imagination.
I love your giggles. You are my shining star.
Love,
Mommy

Family time, tree shopping, putting up lights, and potty training (again) ....

Hello, hello hello...... These are for some reason in a very random order!!! We had a great and joyus Thanksgiving holiday celebrated up in Iowa. There are some family picstures of my family, my sister in law and my brother. Then here are a few pictures of Ava showing off her "big girl" panties!!! YAY, on our second time around we finally have masted the pottying thing! SO proud of Ava  (and mommy and daddy) for surviving potty training!
  Mira an Jason put up our christmas lights this weekend and I might add that they look beautiful! We decided to go all LED this year, hopefully they will last for 25 years like the pacakage guarantees...HA.
 Lastly, we finally picked out our tree this year! After 6 different stops we finally found one that was under $100.oo NO joke! Every year since my husband and I were kiddos our families have always cut down our trees, our family has always gone to the White Pine chirstmas tree farm in Southwest Topeka..... but no longer...The man that ran that farm finally decided to retire and so this year we went on a hunt for the perfect tree to cut down! No luck.... the only place we found in Topeka was closed...so long story short we ended up at Lowe's. We had a great time browsing through all the trees and we finally found one. It was fun, but a little part of me wishes that tree farm was still open...awww memories! Well pictures of the decorated house and tree are to follow, stay tuned :) Happy decorating to all my family and friends!
Love, Amber

Fall is in Full Swing!!!!

smile! Life is GOOD!!!

apparently...this is what we need to get used to seeing! family day at the park..oh and text messaging has become MUCH more important than swinging with her sister....ohhhh (sigh)

swinging at the pumpkin patch.

daddy and his girls...they looked thrilled! (the hay rack ride was starting!!)

the simple joys to make her giggle..

love this picture!

Ava's BFF... Maddy

daddy getting Ava ready for Halloween at Ava's school

She was so excited that she could reach the branches!!

yes, of course there was a leaf fight.... no worries, Mira won this one!

I'm a Big kid now....

Momma and Ava in the leaves

Awww...

Have agreat day !

Happy Fall !!!

Finally an update and some new pictures!!!!

Well....I am finally updating the blog!! I know it has been a very long time since I "really" updated with pictures and everything!!! Life has taken over for a couple of months. Everyone is keeping busy and the kids are growing so fast. Mira turned 12 this week and I can hardly believe the changes that are happening. She is turning into such a beautiful smart young lady. Ava is as ounrey as ever. Of course she is only 2 1/2 and I am learning a new heightend sense of patience every day. I have been embarassed in public more times with a screaming fit throwing two year old than I care to remember. I know it is a phase but I can only imagine what "phase" is next :) ha ha actually all kidding aside I am enjoying every day and every minute of it. Jason and I are trying to take in every day that seems to be flying by. Every year it amazes me how fast October comes and goes. Anyway we had a great october and here are some pics to show you what we have been up to.... enjoy this is a charactiure of Mira when we went to the maple leaf festival.

Halloween---- miss cheerleader!!! too cute :)

Grandma and Ava trying to choose which candy she can have and which candy she has to give to daddy.....

We went to a trunk or treat this year, great idea for little kid leggs....we'll do it again next year thats for sure :)

Ava got to go to her first live concert with her Grandma Ruth. Sesame Street Live!!! She had so much fun...oh and so did Ava !! ha ha

Ava looks tired, full of cotton candy and worn out.....push up those glasses missy! must have been a great concert!