Mommy and me.....

Well I can not say this is the best picture of us, but this is me and my mom!! This is my big birthday year and we have such a hard time trying to find time to spend together, but we did it. I took off work on Friday and we went shopping! She totally spoiled me and bought me outfits I had been needing, but more so I enjoyed the day with my Mom. It is so hard these days to make time in our busy schedules just to have fun. My mom watches Ethan so I can work and not worry about how he is because he is with her and not some stranger. I love her not just because she is my mom but because she is the BEST mom and "Mama J" to the kids. I can not always say that I thought this to be true. I gave my parents a run for their money in my high school days, but I realize now what it is all about. I know now that someday Alyssa and Ethan will not like me and I know now that means I am doing a good job. I never knew the love my Mom felt for me until the day I had Alyssa and then Ethan. It is a true and unconditional love....unexplainable. I love my Mom not for only who she is, but how she helped me be who I am maybe with out even knowing it! No one can ever take the place of your mom and even through all the years I did not want her around...now I realize she is truly my best friend! She knows all my faults and loves me anyway. I love you so much Mom...Thank you for always being there for me even when I didn't want you there...lol sounds mean but makes sense.

And then we were two.....

It was 6 years ago today that Kyle and I said "I do". If you had told me that I could love him more then I did that day I would never have believed you, but 2 kids later I do. I am so proud of the man I choose to marry or who choose me. Our story is some what funny. About 13 years ago I meet Kyle and he was driving an infiniti m30, which I thought was a Nissan sentra, he was upset. He was out showing his car off and I could have cared less, but he won me over anyway.

He took me on our first date to play putt putt golf and shook my hand telling me he did not kiss on the first date. I think that is the night I fell in love with him. Words could never express the love I feel for Kyle as we quoted our selves a long time ago saying "I love you more then the tongue can say".I mean it Kyle thanks for the best 13 years of my life and too many more. Through good times and bad you have always been my best friend, my lover and my rock!

Our Universal fun day

Alyssa was having trouble keeping her hands to herself in school, so back in October we started a "reward chart". Basically we put on there things like...clean your room, be nice to your brother, put your clothes in the hamper, use your manners and good reports from school. Alyssa was excited every night when she would get a sticker, but was upset when she did not. We set up standards and would give simple rewards like getting a Slurpee or going to the library with just Mommy. Soon Alyssa caught on to the fact that if she kept making good choices she would be rewarded. We have seen a great improvement and told Alyssa that if she could make it to a half way mark we had created then we would take her to Universal. She did it!!!! We were so proud, and all 3 of us really enjoyed her special day. It was nice just the 3 of us. Ethan got to go and hang out with Grandma and Grandpa.

Alyssa posing out front of IOA Daddy thought it was funny to teash her that he was going to feed her to the dinosaur

Alyssa on the log flume, she thought it was awesome!

We made out ok, Kyle made it til the end then someone squirted him!

Alyssa, Princess Fiona and Donkey

Alyssa was so excited to ride the Simpson ride...her and Daddy's favorite

Alyssa hanging out with the Simpson's

We were waiting in line and I decided to snap a family photo...kind of cut off Alyssa's face but it was our family fun day and this was my photo.

Making a home together

I do not know why I remember some of the things that I do, but 6 years ago today, Kyle and I moved into our first apartment together! I remember how easy the first move was and only required 2 cars...lol we had patio furniture for our kitchen and milk crates for coffee tables and a nice chair and and old couch I bought off a co worker. It was a small one bedroom and I LOVED IT!!! It was "our" place. We made it our home we did add each of our own touches ( I did try to persuade him to my style). Of course with your "first place" together comes ups and downs and we had so many memories at that apartment. We did also bring Alyssa home there. We have had about 7 more places after..lol but have finally settled down for now! We have a free spirit and no idea where the future will take us, but I will never forget the first place on Raleigh st in Metro West were "the story of us" Began!!!

Bowling for the Cure!

We had so much fun Saturday night! We went to the local bowling ally for Relay for life to raise money for cancer research. It was a great time and for a great cause. My crazy family had so much fun and great friends came to support us too.

The crazy lane #1 Tim, Dad, Jeanine, Steven, Mom and Betsy
Kyle he had a pretty good game

Good friend TJ and Kyle Good game. Kyle won one and TJ the other.

Weekend Project

I had planned on starting to mark the kids on the same growth chart. I had bought one for Alyssa's room when she was little but since I have 2 kids now I thought it would be fun to have them marked together. I watch alot of the DIY shows and alot of times people get all emotional that they have to paint over that door way they marked the kids height on, I am pretty sure we will live in this house for a while, but given Kyle and I 's track record of placing we have lived...I wanted to be sure the chart would be something that I could take with me, so I got a piece of wood (actually found it in the garage) painted yellow put stencil letter's ( Devore kids growth chart) In case you can 't see it. The kids did help paint and Kyle also helped make the lines. I just can't wait to have it hanged and start charting!

The board after the kids and I painted it.