Sassy's first day of Pre-K!

A couple of weeks ago Avayah started Pre-K here in Ada and she is loving it (maybe not the early bedtimes or mornings so much :/)! Here in Ada they attend all day, which has been a severe adjustment for each member of our family.

After having her home with me for almost 5 years I'm definitely in a weird place in life. I feel like we just started a race and I'm so worried that we're going to run too quickly or it's just plain going to pass by too fast and after blinking she is going to be in high school. I know someone people would say, "get a grip", but it's true...life is definitely in turbo speed these days. So I'm left wanting to grasp to the days when she was two and in her squeaky little voice she'd ask me what we were going to do today...I want to savor every moment of my girls' childhood. This is why I do this blog, take five million pictures, and pray endlessly at night for my true little loves.

Poor Adalynne still asks about 5 times a day, "where Laya Mom?" And Amelia might be a little more content to not get picked up and bobbled as much though :) But Avayah really has adjusted well, she is a fast adapter! The future is looking bright for her and I'm so excited to see her grow and learn...

Getting ready to head to school!

Moving

So I don't think I've mentioned on here that we MOVED to....Ada, OK. I'm here to say it's been a journey! I was a little more than half heartbroken to leave Yukon, a place where we have cherished friends, a target, a lovely church (amazing pdo program), and just plainly the lives we built for the last 4 years!! But isn't it true..."The only thing that stays the same is that everything changes." That has to be my mantra these days.

Travis accepted a job here in Ada...so over the course of a week we packed, wrapped, and loaded almost every last thing we own and trucked it to Ada. I don't know how we would of managed without the help of family and friends! (Bubba I'm so thankful you hit the gym 5 days a week, because without you we'd of dropped the fridge, cracked the washer and dryer, and wouldn't of been able to pick up half the boxes I way over packed down with weight! I'm so lucky to have you as my big brother, I think your pretty amazing!)

So after all that and a dent in Trav's new pick-up (long story!!) we arrived in Ada and have been getting settled ever since. The pace is definitely different than the city, but it's a nice change. And above all I'm in a place with the 4 people in the world that are most important to me, so we will make a new place a home where ever we go!

Black Christmas 2010

The day after Christmas we drove to Melissa & John's house to celebrate Christmas with Pawpaw & Granma-Steve & Melanie and Aunt Taylor..and all of our family! We ate Mexican, watched football, and had a ton of fun hanging out! The girls got to love on their great grandparents, snuggle up to their Granma & Pawpaw, play sword fights with little John..it was such a great time! We are blessed to have such loving family!

Thank you to Melissa & John for hosting such an amazing Christmas!

Adalynne, Pawpaw & Avayah

Adalynne & Taylor

Melissa, Melanie, Me & Melissa

Amelia & Me

Amelia & Trav

Granma & Adalynne

Granma & Amelia

Pawpaw, Adalynne, Avayah, Granma & Amelia

My Christmas Surprise....

A month or so before Christmas my husband Travis started hinting around about this BIG Christmas surprise he had instore for me, and anyone who knows me...knows I despise surprises! I always have to be in on the secret...but not this time! And who would of ever thought my own Momma would be in on fooling me...well definitely not me! After hounding Trav, turning up my house upside down, and partly going insane...I still couldn't figure it out!

Finally on Christmas Day while at my mom's house...my husband surprised me with a new wedding ring-one I had shown him a year ago that I loved! I definitely have one amazing man!!

Christmas 2010

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays and this year definitely was one to remember! We started off our Christmas celebration at our home. On Christmas Eve the girls made sugar cookies from Daddy's special recipe for Santa and made sure to leave carrots for all of Santa's reindeer too!

Then EARLY (early as in 5:45 a.m.) Christmas morning Trav and I were tugged out of bed to see the delights of smiling faces squealing that Santa had been in our home. Regardless of our body aches and brains not fully awake we opened presents...and the girls were more than thrilled!

Then after a short nap and the girls' consumption of a LOT of candy and Mommy & Daddy's pot of coffee devoured we loaded up and hit the road to Norman to celebrate with Grammi & Grandpa and my siblings! We were so blessed this year to have all four of my siblings there: My sister Courtney, her fiance Garic, My brother Dane & his wife Jenna, and my brother Johnny & his girlfriend Lauren, and my step-brother Danny & his wife Trish. We all had a wonderful time..so many laughs shared, pictures taken, and surprises revealed! I'm pretty sure the girls' loaded down our Armada with the spoils of Grammi & Grandpa too!

Thank you Mom for hosting such a beautiful Christmas!

Here are some of the highlights!
Lauren, Me & Courtney
Love my hubby!
Garic, Courtney & Amelia


Johnny, Me & Amelia
Grammi & Amelia
Johnny & Lauren
Addy Grace

Thankfulness...

While we were traveling (anybody who has ever droven from the city to Altus knows it's a looonnnnggg drive-meaning there is nothing to look at except dirt), so I had plenty of time to compile everything I've have to be thankful for this holiday season and the list is just like the drive-long! I won't list them all...but here are the heaviest on my heart.

More than anything in this life, I'm most proud, grateful, and thankful to be the mother of my three daughters, Avayah, Adalynne, and Amelia, who mean more than life to me. These sweet girls make our life interesting, bring endless love, joy, and laughter to our hearts, and more than anything they make us a family. They keep their Daddy and I working harder to work it out. (seriously love me some Buble!) I'm grateful we all have our health too..my heart and prayers goes out to families we know and don't know that are struggling with illnesses.

I'm proud to be my husband's wife. I'm grateful that we are still standing together; our marriage, love, and sense of humor intact. We still have a long way to travel, but man the future is looking bright! I'm thankful that God gave me and Trav enough grace and courage to be able to move forward and reopen doors with our families too.

I'm thankful to and for our parents for coming together with forgiviness, understanding,courage, and lots of love. From the bottom of both our hearts we love you all and can't wait to begin the next chapter...

To my Mom, words could never express how grateful I am to you. Thank you for teaching me to never give up..and what the importance of tradition is. I love you immensely!

I'm thankful for my siblings-Johnny, Courtney, and Dane and their significant others. Close doesn't describe how close we truly are. You all limbs of mine who help me function..without you I'd be lost. I can't say enough, for this year alone, what your love and compassion did for Travis and I. You all are the best!

To my bestie, Melisa. In a sea of friends, you are beyond a rare find. I could just cry thinking of how you held me together this past year...how your wisdom, love, and encouragement was my lifeline. If only you knew it was you that kept me laughing! I love you beyond words friend!

And Melissa, girl if their was ever someone who I had more incommon with I'd be shocked. I admire and respect who you are, and love you to pieces. Thank you for your patience, late night phone calls, and love. I wish I could describe what all that and you mean to me, but I think you know!

2010 has definitely been a whirlwind of emotions, change, and trials, but the way I look at it is simply like this...Doesn't it always seems we stress to the max over the holidays; what gifts to get, where we will split time, and any other drama that could unfold? Sanity is knowing holidays are a season, they are over just as quickly as they arrived. I know I will look back on these crazy, hard, and trying times this past year and realize it was just a season of my life and the next chapter can only get better.

Beyond it all, I'm blessed beyond measure...and truly couldn't ask for anything more!

Happy Holidays!
Lvs,
S

Thanksgiving 2010

The girls, Travis, and I-along with our pies and the Armada loaded down...traveled down to Altus this past week to celebrate Thanksgiving with Grandpa Dan, Grammi, Courtney, Garic, Dane, and Jenna! It was such a great time. I'll say it again, doesn't get better than being around the table with the ones you love sharing some food and a laugh-and there were plenty and probably at my expense! ;) (Um...BOOM!)

Seeing my girls running around, getting loved on was priceless. Addy now thinks it's her job to make french toast-thank you Auntie Courtney for being creative with my girls! I'm still laughing at how funny it was seeing the little girls playing Dance Dance Revolution...and my baby brother Dane on expert level! Hilarious!
Eventually I will get my hubby to turn in his man card and get up there and shake it! Here are some pictures of our stay!

It's a Turkey Feast...

Amelia and I had such a wonderful time going to Avayah's Thanksgiving Feast at school this past week! She looked so festive in her turkey hat. She did such a great job creating her hat and her placemat; they were beautiful! I was so proud of my girl as she went around introducing me to all her school friends!

My Girls...

All the way from Phoenix

The girls' Pawpaw made a special trip to Oklahoma to see the grandbabies and the girls could not of been more excited! Avayah and Adalynne got to go with their Daddy and Pawpaw to Clinton to see Granny Polly, Meme, and Papa. They had so much fun visiting, playing, and romping around with Daddy on Papa's four wheeler.