Easter Preparations

Our family enjoyed coloring Easter eggs tonight! Somehow this simple tradition turned into coloring one of Kaitlyn's shirts...

With this ring...

Kevin and I thought it would be nice to involve Kaitlyn further in our wedding by allowing her to have a ring to symbolize what a special day this will be for our family. She has an absolute blast going through our jewelry store and having our favorite jeweler, Kristin, give her some undivided attention. She had many rings on and off her precious little hand that day - and spent nearly an hour narrowing down her selection. After much thought, she finally decided on a very special ring that she will cherish forever.

R

So it's been a big inside joke in ouR family Recently that I think it would be gReat to have R's spRinkled thRoughout ouR Reception - because on June 5th, R will be the beginning of my new last name!!

Man, was I showeRed with R's foR ChRistmas and my biRthday in December!! They aRe all oveR my house!

We aRe up to ouR eaRs in R's...! :)

Look what arrived this week...

It's really and truly happening. For some reason, it's really hit me this past week. Everything is coming together and I'm really getting married in 102 days. Wow.

My Favorite Boys

Last week I had the day off school to celebrate President's Day. We decided to use our afternoon to choose our tuxes - and we took my nephew Sam with us. I am telling you, that child is SO excited!!

He was so still while she was measuring him :)
"Tante, take my picture!! I'm so handsom in this suit!" Yes, Sam Michael, you certainly are!

"Tante, this isn't my real tuxedo right? Cuz it doesn't really fit right." "No Sam, for the 10th time, this is not your real tux - they will get another one that fits you just right." "Then this is just so you can take pictures to send to my mom to scrapbook?" "Yes, Sam, that is exactly right. Good listening."

Ah, what a day. :)

A Year of New...

First of all, Happy Holidays to everyone. I will have a picture update for you as soon as my computer at home is fixed! My two week vacation was glorious. I enjoyed relaxing time with Kevin and Kaitlyn, extended family, and got a little time to catch up with old friends. I so enjoy spending time with the people who make my life so wonderful.

It is unbelievable to me that it's 2010! 5 years since I graduated from college, 9 years since I graduated high school, 27 years since I was born. Time has been flying. 2010 will be a year of many changes for me...some big and some small - but changes none the less.

A new attitude: I am re-affirming my promise to choose to be cheerful in as many situations as possible.

A new me: I (along with my entire family) have begun competing in a biggest loser challenge. Yesterday marked one week from the beginning of this diet and wow, if only I had time right now to list the ways my life has changed. The amount of time it takes to eat healthy is amazing to me. I spend many nights coming home planning meals, counting calories, and going to the gym. I have dropped 4 lbs in a week - and am very hopeful I will be able to keep on track. The ending of the competition is the wedding, so check back for updates!

A new name: Speaking of the wedding, 19.5 weeks from now, I will have a new name!! That is beyond crazy to me!! There is so much still to be done, I'm trying desperately to just take it all in and enjoy this season of my life because I have been waiting a very long time for it to be my turn.

A new family: Marrying a man who already has a child brings an instant family. New traditions, new expectations, new opportunities to learn and share and love. Although I still long for a child of my own, having a step-daughter is something that is both frustrating and exhilariting all at the same time. It is something you simply cannot understand unless you have done it and I am very excited for the relationship we already have and the special bond we will get to build as she gets older.

Here's to 2010 - a year of changes for me - and my prayer is that it will be a year of blessings for you. :)

....check!

As many of you may or may not know, my sister and I coach a high school dance team here in our hometown. Actually, we started this dance team at our alma mater Pleasant Valley a few years after we graduated and it has been SO much fun to watch it grow into the amazing program that it is. I very much enjoy my time with the team and it has provided me an outlet besides the studio for my passion for dance.

This year, our team has helped me check another item off my "things to do before I die" list. This list was created in my head when I was in high school and has evolved and changed as my life has changed and I grow older and dream bigger dreams. This year, at only their 4th appearance at the Iowa State Dance and Drill Team competition...WE WON!! We are the Class 5 State Champions in jazz!!! It has been 4 days and I still get goosebumps when I type those words.

I will never, in all my life, forget the looks on their faces. I will never forget the sound of them screaming and shrieking. I will never forget them diving over eachother to hug eachother and us. I will never forget the days following when they were completely satisfied - everything they had worked for, we had. Being a dance team, it is not often we get alot of attention in our school. It was SO heartwarming to hear all the positive comments and read the congratulations emails from teachers and building/district administration. It's so amazing to watch the girls be commended for all their hard work and dedication, even before anyone was watching them.

I am both humbled and honored to be able to be a part of such an amazing and life-altering experience in their lives. And as a self-proclaimed, type A, list maker....I am LOVING that I can cross another thing off my life-long list!!