Do you find that when you have lots of free time is when you get the least done? As of late I have had lots of days where I am not working. Most of the time I am decently productive, with my alternative certification program [to become a teacher], keeping up with the house, errands, etc. But last week Russell was gone all week at an army training, and I thought that meant I would get SO much done. HAH. I did get all my online teaching stuff done, got some new furniture, etc, but I did that in only half the time I had during the week. I also came down with a sinus infection by the end of the week, which I am still trying to get over. Unfortunately that meant I was sick on my [and Russell's] 24th birthday :( Luckily though, Russell got to come home from his training a day early, so he was home on our birthday!! We had a pretty low-key day, but it was great, cause we together all day. We had a yummy dinner with my family that night, so all in all it was good day. This week is TAKS week in the district, so that means they don't need substitutes. Which is a plus and minus. Plus, because up until today, I was still feeling under the weather, minus, because a couple of weeks of no work means less money, and less productivity. Hopefully next week I will be well, and back on a productive schedule.

Tomorrow morning Russell leaves for his once a month army drill, which stinks, but luckily I will have some friends around to keep me company. My sister Bonnie is coming over tomorrow with my 7 week old nephew Noah. I saw them briefly on Tuesday, and Noah is smiling now, I LOVE IT! He smiled at me for about a minute straight :) This will be the first time Bonnie sees my house. [Which we have owned for almost two months!] She went into bed-rest the first week week we owned it, then had the baby early, then had her in-laws in town, etc. I know the life of a new-mom is tiring and busy, so I am glad we get tomorrow all to the three of us!

As most of you have heard now, there is a reason that Russell has had so many army trainings. His unit is set to deploy this August. It could still change, though that's highly unlikely. We have been trying to just enjoy the time we have together, before he leaves, though it's hard not to be emotional. I will have the best possible situation next year, under the circumstances though. My sweet Lindsee will be living with me, as well as possible two other girls. The house will be full, and hopefully distracting. I will hopefully be teaching my own class, and am currently in the application process with the Cy-Fair School District. Also, I am so blessed to have so many friends and family close by, that will help immensely.

Well I'm off to clean and go get my license renewed!

CDL

I'm BACK!!

Well friends, SO much has happened since my mid-February post. I am now and Aunt, we have been living in our NEW house for over a month, we've seen good friends, etc. If you start at the bottom of the post and work your way up, the pictures will be in chronological order...

Here are some updates without corresponding pictures :) I am on my way to being certified to teach. I am going through a program called iteachTexas, and am enjoying the process. I have also been substituting part-time in elementary schools, and just itching to have my own class [hopefully next year!] We have been settling into our new house and it actually looks lived in! Well, the downstairs does at least....we have too many rooms upstairs with nothing in them, I guess we just need to collect some more furniture! Two of my sweet friends that have helped so much with the moving process, are Lindsee and Sarah. They spent their days off helping me move my clothes [not an easy task], cut fringe off a rug, hang pictures, brought me meals, etc. They, as well as other friends, have been such a help and joy in our lives. We were able to have our small group over to our house this past Wednesday for a home-cooked meal to try and say thanks for all they help they have given us.
Russell is still loving his job as a project coordinator at Cameron, and really being able to have a sense of accomplishment. It was such a blessing he interviewed when he did, and God made us wait for His perfect timing. Cupcake is doing well, and not living in her crate anymore! She can now be trusted to stay in the house, not in the crate, when we are gone. The only thing she likes to eat is shoes, especially boat shoes [I think she's eaten 4 pairs of Sperry's.... :(]
We are relaxing this morning after a late night from going to the Aero's game, which they unfortunately lost in over-time, but we still had fun. I am about to make Russell pancake's for breakfast, then we are heading to my parents. They heated their pool, and we are having a pool party, with everyone, including Russ's [Bonnie's hubs] parents, who are in from Florida for Easter :)


Uncle Russell holding his nephew for the first time after my dad's birthday celebration

Noah is the sweetest 2 week old I know!

Gary dancing with Holly after the senior belle's were presented. Holly looking gorgeous [in the dress I helped her pick out!] with her date Scott.

Russell and I at Holly's Symphony Belle's

[a community service organization] senior presentation.

Gary and Mary Alice came to our house on Gary's birthday, and I made a birthday meal. They were our first two dinner guests at our new house!

Me holding my 20 minute old NEPHEW!!!

Daddy holding his grandson, while my mom makes sure he doesn't drop him :)

The happy Moncrief family, just 30 minutes after Noah's birth!

Bonnie about a month previous at a shower, looking all sweet with her pregnant self.

Mom, Sarah, Adriana, Bonnie, me, and Mary and Bonnie's shower.

The sisters' at Bonnie's shower.

The Przybyszewski's!

On our Valentine's double date in San Antonio with the Roberts'.

Our cute hubby's

waiting to be seated for drinks and yummy desserts. Our husbands, while Courtney and I went to go see Confessions of a Shopaholic, had made us a candle-light dinner. We ate just the four of us at Courtney and Josh's house, so it was more intimate, and we wouldn't have to fight the crowds.

Earlier that day at the San Antonio live stock show.

unhappy Russell cow.

Courtney and I LOVE cows, they are so cute! We wished we had known someone at the livestock show so we could have petted their animal. As it was, we got as close as we could to all the cute animals :) Russell and I loved getting to visit the Roberts. It had been almost a year since we'd been to their house, and it is just looking great. Court has done such a great job painting and decorating, it is making me itch to paint our house...though first we need to decide on colors!

18th anniversary!

Well maybe not 18 years, but 18 months! Today on the 18th we have been married for 18 months. So that almost makes it like a golden month-a-versary or something too ;) The picture that is my profile picture for this blog was taken a year ago, on our half-a-versary. We went out to one of our favorite restaurants [TX Roadhouse..yum yum!] and then just spent the evening together. It was hilarious cause when we asked the waitress to take our picture, and we told her the occasion was our half-a-versary, she was so confused. We forgot that most people don't know what that phrase [that we made up] means :) This year, there will be no celebratory dinner, cause we have bible study. We are beginning a study on couples in the bible this week. We, as couples, will take turns researching and then teaching about the couple that we have. This week is Gail and Jose's turn, with Adam and Eve.

This past weekend was a fun one, spent in San Antonio, and an update will come soon complete with pictures!

Next weekend I [and Russell] will be leaders on a High School Retreat called Dive. I will be with the girls that I lead bible study for, and am so excited to be with them for a whole weekend. Russell will be with 11Th grade guys that he doesn't know, pray that they will like him :) Also, pray we will be able to connect with them and that God will use us this weekend in these high schoolers lives.

Cupcake chronicles part 2

Well Cupcake strikes again. Cupcake is overall a very well behaved puppy, but occasionally she sees something that she wants that she shouldn't have, and takes it, and eats it. earlier this week Russell left his newest pair of topsiders [sperry's] out, and Cupcake and/or Lucy had made both of them their afternoon snack. Today I went to the gym and left my sunglasses [gorgeous Vera Bradley sunglasses black on the front and a pink pattern on the inside] on the bench by the door cause it wasn't sunny. I came home and the sunglasses were missing. I found them chewed to bits on the floor. Let's just say I got the maddest I have ever gotten at Cupcake at that instant [she had a piece of plastic hanging from her mouth further stating her guilt]. As I was frustrated with her, she came and laid her head in my lap to get back in my good graces. I still love her, and always will, so I couldn't stay mad long. This reminded me of God's great love for us. We mess up constantly [way more than Cuppie] and He still loves us. And not only does He still love us, but it's unconditional- nothing we can do can change or take away God's love for us. This is something that is hard to grasp sometimes when we feel like we are unlovable for whatever reason [things we have done or failed to do] . We are children of a BIG and Loving God.

On another note, I have started subbing this week. It has been fun getting back into the classroom and interacting with kids. I have subbed all week at a school that is one of the closest elementary schools to our new house, so that is nice.

Also, this weekend we are GOING TO SAN ANTONIO!!! We are sooo excited to get to go see the Roberts. We are even bringing the Cupcakester so she gets to meet her Aunt Court, Uncle Josh, and cousin Sage :) This will be a fun weekend to get away, have a Valentine's double date, and catch up with good friends. I hope all of you have wonderful weekends!!

Love,
C

Our house!

Here's a picture of the front of the house! More to come when they are more than just empty boring rooms :)

the Mustang game

Today as I was driving out to Champions for an interview, I started to play the Mustang game with myself. If you are wondering what this game is, let me refresh you of a game you probably played as a kid in some form or fashion. As you drive you look for [in the version I recently played] mustangs, VW bugs, and Japanese box cars [Scions]. You want to be the first in the car to see it and call it out by color and style. If you are wondering why I decided to play this game, well it just felt like I should be, cause I kept seeing so many of the cars in those styles. Last week I had the privilege of babysitting for the Blom's for a few days while they were at MD Anderson where Trey was having surgery. The Blom's have 4 kids ages 5-almost 12. They are home schooled, but the older two belong to a co-op where they attend classes till about noon 4 days a week. The last time I did this [baby-sit for 4 kids for several days] it was rather intense and downright scary. The baby for one, could crawl out of her crib, which the mom forgot to tell me, so while napping she climbed out, and pulled her dresser on top of her, which blocked the door, she's screaming bloody murder, etc...PS this was hour 3 of day one. Well fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. Julie asks if I can watch her kiddos for a few days so they can go with the Stephens to Md Anderson for Trey's surgery. And guys, I know the Blom kids, I've watched them before. They have manners, know the meaning of the words NO, etc. So I agreed, though I had a nightmare the night before driving to College Station involving kids and fallen down dressers. I thoroughly enjoyed the few days I spent with the Blom's, though was totally wiped out when I drove back to Houston. This now ties back to the Mustang game, which we played any time we were all in the car. At first Josh and Sam [the older two] were owning the rest of us, but once I got the hang of it, we [me Kaitlyn and Zach] gave them a run for their money.

An update on the house, I took lots of pictures...But I misplaced my camera cord, so I can't upload the pictures to my computer :( We close at the end of the month, possibly sooner. All the financial paperwork is done, the inspection is done, and now we are just getting jazzed about moving in! SO, if you don't live in Houston, but you love us and we love you...you should plan on being a house guest soon!!

BIG NEWS!!!

After over a week since Russell and I put in our original offer, we just now [4:45 on Tuesday afternoon] got word from our realtor that our offer was accepted. WE HAVE A CONTRACT ON A HOUSE!!!! As long as everything stays on schedule we will close on the house on February 27th, just 4.5 weeks from now. We are THRILLED!!! This house is everything and more we would've wanted for our first house. I'll post pictures and more details later.

Thanks for all your prayers!!

love
C