Mach 8

HI!

Well, I thought I would update this site in case anyone out there is still paying attention...

Since my last post a LOT has happened, so I will just sum it up~

I did nanny for a while, but it proved to be more work and more responsibility than I felt I could handle right now. The family was paying me $5 an hour and I was working 11 hours a day, with 4 kids under 5 years old. It was hectic and I couldn't actually interact with Aspen, so she spent her days in a backpack on my back... which also gave me back pain. Lesson learned: the grass is always greener.

We also got robbed. Our neighbors watched as 4 young wanna be thugs pulled up and took anything of any value out of our home. There was some vandalism, but mostly I was thankfull Aspen and I weren't home when it happened. The very worst feeling I have experianced so far in my life is the moment I realized our laptop was stolen along with every picture we have ever taken of Aspen. I felt like someone had ripped my heart and soul out, and then pissed all over them. The pictures of Chris and I fixing up our first house, all of the pregnancy photos, preparing the nursery.... BIRTH and the first few precious months of our babys life!!! I was devistated, simply crushed that people in this world could be so awful. Along with the robbery, someone let our dogs out of the yard, and they are gone forever. There was a posting of a dog matching Duke's description dead on the road... again, I am thankful Aspen is not old enough to ask any questions. We filed insurance claims, but the amount of stuff and damage done far exceded the amount of money we got back.

THEN we sold the house! After being listed for only a few days we had a nice young couple make an offer we couldn't refuse. They loved Aspen's room so much they had it written into the contract that we would leave all the decorations!

SO, we were temporarily homeless when we got the news that Chris was soon to be out of a job because the Bank was closing down. Neat. We decided to move into my Mom's house until life settled down. Aspen was in HEAVEN!!! Wake up, Grandma and Grandpa are there... nap time, kisses from Grandma and Grandpa... Bed time haha etc. It was nice to be able to go back home. I think about all the people who aren't as fortunate and it makes me sad. In this economy more and more people have nowhere to go, and we count our blessings that we have so many great people in our family that we won't have to worry about going without the basic needs.

NEXT, I go back to work at the sleep lab. It was a great move, as hard as it is to be up all night and a Mom all day... It was smart to jump back into a long-term (hopefully) career field, and with Chris still looking for employment I make enough here to keep things floating if necessary.

UHM, then we bought a house. Yep. We BOUGHT A HOUSE! We were keeping our eyes open for great deals, and found our dream home. It is in the best school district in Colorado Springs, close to walking trails and parks... such a great size for our little family, with an open floor plan and and and and. The list goes on and on. It is definantly a little risky to buy a house without guarenteed income from Chris, but he has a bunch of leads to great jobs. We also used equity out of the old house to pay off ALL our bills. So, we own our cars outright and don't have any more debt at all! YAY!

Sheesh. You would think all of that happened in a whole year right? Nope, 2 weeks. Hence the title "Mach 8" because it often feels like our lives are moving at warp speed. :)

HAH!

SO, my last post about things being hard? Yesterday I got laid off... budget cuts, I think. Everyone I talked to had a different story, and just two days prior I was told how well I was doing. Humm. So things can always get harder is the lesson.

Today, I got a new job. Haha. Chris said I can interview into any position better than anyone he has met! My biggest priority in life is my family. I have always known I wanted to be a temporary stay at home mom, but with the way things have worked for us it just isn't a possibility....... so I have decided to be a NANNY!

I get to work full time, bring Aspen along (so she has that interaction with other little ones) and get to see Chris every night and every weekend. For the FIRST time in our entire relationship we get to spend time together like a "normal" couple. I adore the family I will be nannying (is that a word?) for, and really look forward to spending time with these 3 children! I am hoping it's not too overwhelming to be with 4 children, but I suppose we will see right?!

5 min.

Alright. This is my 5 min. pity party (there, consider yourself warned).

Being a Mom is HARD... working the night shift is HARD... learning to read brain waves is HARD... keeping up on all the house work is HARD... the first few years of marriage is HARD... I am just so tired of things being so HARD! Granted, life is amazing and I really wouldn't change anything, but I feel like I should have taken advantage of how much easier things were when I was 8. What was my rush to grow up? Now I have to make the decisions and follow through and pay bills and UGH.

alright, im over it. Funny how seeing a picture of my family puts it all into perspective. I'd rather things be hard and exactly as they are.... like, if I cut out all the "hard stuff" what would be the point to this crazy journey called life?

THIS is where my world begins and ends... what makes it all worth while.

Rollie Pollie Puppy Love

Aspen, our beautiful baby girl... has decided she probably wont ever crawl because she can get everywhere by rolling! She goes from one end of the room to the other by rolling back to belly to back etc. and it's the funniest thing! Ah, babies...

Her favorite thing to roll to right now is our new puppy Buddy. He is a golden retriever, and about 6 months old. The other day I had forgotten he was in the house, and had Aspen on her tummy in the living room... I went to the bathroom and she started cackling! Just the loudest, happiest noises I have ever heard that child make, it turns out Buddy had curled up behind her on the rug and was licking her toes :) We are fortunate he is such a good boy, and although it was super adorable I am still keeping a close eye on things till she gets a little bigger!

2010

!2010 is HERE!

We were so excited to be able to ring in the new year as a new family of 3... and we shared the night with a few close friends. Jessica, Jeremiah and Bailey Tozer (2 months), Trevor, Dana and Savannah Felton (3.5 months) and Travis, Amanda and Izabel Felton (2 years). It was fun to have all the babies together- we played games and celebrated on east-coast time... so by 10:30 everyone was gone and we were going to bed! Haha, I remember a time when we were young, sexy and stayed up till the wee hours.... Next year for new-years I think Aspen will be spending the night at Grandmas house!

Can't believe we are in 2010 already! This year marks our 3rd together, the 2nd year we've been in our house and the 1st with a baby! We are VERY excited to see what the year holds for us and hopefully we can all expect a bunch of happy posts right?!

Caton Christmas Uno

This year may have been the most magical Christmas since the wise-guys found Mary and the crew in that stable long long ago!

Obviously it was Aspens first Christmas, and to date it was the best holiday we have ever had! To recap the events: Christmas eve my Mom always hosts a fantastic feast for EVERYONE!!! Family, friends, neighbors, people you meet the day of and want to share the special moments with.... it is incredible that she can take the time out of her crazy life to orchestrate something that means SO much to everyone. I hope in years to come I can help Aspen have memories just as special! On Christmas morning We woke up very early and did our stockings from Santa, then we surprised Grandma (she didn't think we would see her until the afternoon) for stockings and presents at her house, then we went to Great Grandma's house for an amazing breakfast/ festivities, then we came home for a mid-morning nap *much needed*, THEN we went to Great Grandma Lynda's house for Christmas day dinner.

Very busy day, and very amazing day. Aspen recieved so many great and special things... among the favorites are a HANDMADE and INCREDIBLE stocking from Grandma, a toy that hangs in her crib for her to play with during "quiet time" (which she is getting very good at staying entertained for an hour every day so MaMa can nap)... some adorable finger puppets, a walker ETC! We are so fantastically blessed.

I think my most favorite gift was (besides sharing the day with my beautiful daughter and charming husband) was the diamond necklace symbolizing the incredible journey we are on, awww....

Chris say's his favorite memory of Christmas this year was carrying Aspen down the stairs to open her very first stocking.

As the years go on we are looking SO forward to little feet running down the hall to wake us up on Christmas morning. LOL, Chris still has more excitement and childlike wonder around the holidays than anyone I have ever met- one of the very many reasons I love him with my whole heart.

Here are some highlights of the day, enjoy!

Aspen and Daddy Christmas morning

Our favorite gift

Aspen's stocking

Love this one... note the necklace :)

Memory Blanket

I love that we still have this blanket. How cool would it be if in 20 years or so we can get a picture of Aspen's daughter on it too? I think afghans and quilts are like little histories that get passed down through the generations.