Goodness, I can't believe it has been over a year since I posted... well, yes, yes I can. Life with two kids is much busier and harder than I ever thought it would be. Joseph is a wonderful child and I love him more than words can express, but he is so different than Clara in every way! Clara is my rule follower, my happy-go-lucky, easy little girl... Joseph is... well, he is my rule bender! He wants to see just how far he can go... what the limits are exactly! It is almost midnight now, or else I wouldn't be sitting here writing! I would be running to take him down off of the top of the fridge, or to grab the vase before it falls from the table! He sure keeps me running! And I love every minute of it! So, some high points of the year... for starters, I quit work a couple of weeks ago! I am starting the adventures of the stay at home mommy! Robby and I have decided to homeschool (I know, you are shocked beyond all belief, I am still!) We did 4K with Clara and she loved it! The pure joy of just being and learning together that she and I both have experienced this year is, unexplainable! If you had asked me a few years ago if I would have done this I would have laughed and told you never in a million years. I have quickly learned that God laughs when we make our own plans and say, "I'll NEVER do that"! We are going to take the Homeschool "thing" 1 year at a time... we will see where it takes us. I am excited and scared at the same time! Robby is still working as an architect, and we are very content. I am proud of how hard he works and I feel like he is appreciated for it at his office. I am grateful for his job, it is allowing me to be home with our beautiful children. So, here is what I am going to do now... I am going to post some selected pictures from the last year.. month by month and give you a short overview... I am doing this mostly for the kids. I don't want Joseph to look at the blog and think it ended when he began.. I am hoping that one day they will look back at this and see their lives... that is, as long as google doesn't erase it all! I need to figure out how to back up my blog! I will ask Christopher :) OK, here goes.....
June 2012
August 2012
Dr. 2Brains- a favorite character
Ryan and Bri's wedding! Clara was a flower girl!
September 2012
family beach trip to Splash :)
The Homeschooling adventure begins!
October 2012
First soccer season begins and ends with no desire to ever do it again!
of course daddy is the coach!
Pumpkin designed by Clara!
Captain Jack Sparrow...ARRRGGGG!
November 2012
Yes, I gave Robby a Harley for his Birthday/Christmas... once again, never say never!
Clara's first love as a mommy, Olivia Claire! She earned the money to buy this Bitty Baby!
December 2012
I made Clara's Christmas Dress! I'm trying to teach myself to sew... another blog post
Disney on Ice...
Christmas morning... Clara's American girl love has grown! She got Julie!
We had to cancel Joseph's first Birthday party because everyone had the throw-up bug.. but we had a small family party!
Meet, Martin! Clara's favorite wildkratt!!! I made her a creature power suit!
January 2013
Clara started taking gymnastics... she loves it!
Feb 2013
March 2013
Clara was in a commercial for Vulcan :)
Oh, and somebody who will remain nameless turned 30!
April 2013
Egg hunt with friends... we did about 5 different hunts this year!
May 2013
My sweet, wonderful, precious, love turned 5 this month! Oh how we celebrated! She had a surprise party at Doodles on her actual birthday and then we took her to the American Girl Hotel/store that weekend! Yes, I did make that dress for Clara and Julie.... if you were wondering!
One of my largest fears going into homeschooling was that I was going to socially scar Clara... The Lord quickly showed me that is not the case. We are so blessed to know all of these wonderful friends and Clara has been given the freedom to find friends that she loves for who they are... not because they are in the same class. I am sure that things will change as she gets older, but for now, I am so thankful for these wonderful children and their parents!
Mother's day was twice as wonderful this year! Clara and Joseph love to play together.... and Clara still LOVES gymnastics!
June 2013
I am the baby on the left.... Clara and Joseph are on the right :)
The Austin's started a bread company this year! Check it out....
www.magnoliabreadcompany.com
Phew!!! That's just about all I can do for one night! So... hopefully I will get back into the swing of blogging. I would love to try to share some of my new to homeschooling experiences... craft projects... funny stories as well as sad stories with all of you! A so very special thank you to my mother's childhood friend, Carol, for encouraging me to start blogging again... my life might not be full of interesting and exotic places anymore... but it sure is full of more joy and happiness than I could have ever imagined... I sure am glad that when I plan the way I think things should go that God laughs........
