8 Months Old

Each photo session proves to be more and more difficult. Alexis would not leave the "8 months" banner alone this time so it didn't really make an appearance in many of the photos.

Alexis at 8 Months: Our growing girl continues to breastfeed 4-5 times a day and eats three puree meals a day. She enjoys yogurt for breakfast and likes butternut squash, carrots, bananas, apples, pears, and watermelon. She isn't so sure about peas yet. She also loves to drink water. Most of the time she will go to bed between 8 and 8:30pm, sleep through the night and wake up around 7am. Alexis still takes excellent naps (1-2hrs) twice a day and sometimes three times. She enjoys music and will bounce/wiggle along to it. She isn't crawling quite yet, but she can scoot and move around on her bottom as well as roll from side to side to get to the toy she wants. Alexis is a very happy and smiley girl most of the time, still with a toothless, gummy grin that we adore. She likes being rocked in the rocking chair before naps, shaking her head from side to side to see your reaction, talking/babbling to anyone who will listen, and giving kisses before bedtime. We continue to have so much fun with her. This next month will have lots of great memories and firsts in store for us with our little girl.

Henry Hill Elementary School

Today is the last day of school at Henry Hill Elementary School where I taught 3rd grade for my first three years of teaching. It's also where I did my final term of student teaching while in the Ed Program at Western Oregon University. Before we knew about our move to Idaho, I had planned to be at Henry Hill for the last day. It's not only the last day of school for the kids, but the last day for the school itself. Due to budget cuts, the school will be closing. I know it sounds silly, but my heart aches because of this. Just like any school there were some things that could have been better, but there were so many things that were done WELL too.

All students and staff met in the gym each morning for Morning Motion where we all danced together (one warm up song, one choreographed fast song, and one cool down with stretching), we recited the pledge of allegiance and the hand pledge "I will use my hands and my words for helping myself and others - Yo usare mis manos y mis palabras para ayudar a mi mismo y a otros". We encouraged bilingual education and tried our best to support it even if we weren't the bilingual teacher for our grade (that would be me ha ha). And we also promoted the idea of FAMILY. We needed to treat one another with love and respect and as teachers we tried our best to make the learning environment meet every students' needs. In my classroom, I wanted students to feel comfortable

Martina was my 3rd grade partner teacher while I was at Henry Hill. My last year we strived to teach units together with the whole 3rd grade so that the Spanish and English speaking students could learn together as often as possible.

During my last year we had some pretty extreme behavior/bullying problems and made many house visits with the school counselor Pam. The kids would get nervous when they saw us walking the streets after school because they knew we were going to someone's house to have a talk with their parent! I learned through that the importance of empathy, compassion, and support when dealing with parents. So often, the parents would tell us they had no idea what to do with their child's behavior anymore and they asked us for help. Teaching is definitely not just a 9-5 job.

As I mentioned before, we promoted FAMILY at Henry Hill. Our staff (most of us) were definitely like family. We pulled a few different all-nighters at Relay For Life and 24 Hour Relay to raise money for good causes.

We trained for and completed half marathons together

We celebrated weddings together

They even had me back for a baby shower last year - even when I was no longer teaching there! Family forever

I think my students taught me just about as much as I taught them over the years. I learned how to set up my classroom and make it student centered. My goal was to have a classroom where students felt comfortable, welcomed, and ready to learn. 

Our heart maps hanging that tell about each student in the classroom, their book boxes in the windowsills, and reading pillows on the floor are just some of the things I loved about our classroom

I loved how we were able to gain a love of reading as a class and not only enjoy reading as individuals, but as partners

I learned that some kids learn better at a desk...

some kids learn better on the floor...

and some learn better in the coat closet

Most of our special moments took place right here in our reading corner. We learned how to become better readers together and how to practice our reading strategies individually and with others. We set goals for ourselves and checked in with the teacher each week to see our progress. We had so many amazing moments at this carpet, sharing adventures through read alouds and through our personal narrative writing.

Every so often when I referred to my students and our class as "family" I would have one student comment on how we weren't really family. I would respond to their comment with the fact that I spent much more time with them each day than I did my own family, which is why they were just as important to me as my family and why I treated them with love and respect like I did my own family.

I know all the kiddos will move on to a different school and teacher and be just fine, but Henry Hill will always hold a very special place in my heart.

Happy Father's Day!

I've heard that many times that women marry someone who is like their dad. In the beginning, I didn't think Greg was much like my dad (other than having the same name). Over the years, I have seen more and more similarities between them. They are both incredibly kind, hardworking, helpful, selfless, and have a great sense of humor. I am so grateful to my dad for demonstrating how a man should love his wife and his children. I am thankful that although he was more private and quiet in his relationship with the Lord, my dad was in church with us each Sunday, singing praises to our God right next to me. He has always lived out his faith by standing up for what is good and right and true. I have been blessed by my Heavenly Father with an incredibly earthly father. It has been so much fun to see him interact with my little girl. What a wonderful Grandpa he is... not that I had any doubts!

Seeing Greg as a dad these past 8 months has been incredible. One of the reasons I married him was because I knew he would be a great dad someday.

From the beginning, he has been gentle and loving

He has cared for her

He learned early how to multitask

Even if that meant falling asleep while putting her to sleep

He dealt with her colic like a champ!

He shares his adventures with her

He gives good hugs...

good snuggles...

and good cuddles

He's simply an incredible dad

He delights in his daughter

and she delights in him

 Happy Father's Day Greg! There is no one else I would rather be on this journey with. Alexis loves you so much. It melts my heart every evening when I see her big grin as you walk through the door, the way she gives you kisses before bed, and all the ways she interacts with you that are so different than how she is with me. Thank you for being so supportive of me and caring toward me during this time in our lives. I look forward to watching your relationship with our sweet girl grow year after year. You are such a great Dad. We love you.

Life in Lewiston

I had hoped to write an exciting blog shedding light on our new life in Lewiston, but the fact of the matter is that it hasn't been too exciting... just normal life. We don't know anyone here to spend time with, which means it's just the three of us, or rather just the two of us most of the time when Daddy is working. I know we will eventually make friends here, but we will most likely find those friends at church, and church hunting can be a long process. So in a world where a seven month old is my bff and my hubby coming home from work is the most adult conversation I get in a day, this is what life is like...

We went to the DMV the other day to get new plates for our vehicles. Turns out we have to take a driver's test... I know this shouldn't worry me since I have been a driver for over a decade, but I am totally the type of person that would fail a driver's test after already being a licensed driver.

I finally hung some pictures up on a wall. It is frustrating to me when I have the perfect display for things in my home and then when I try to display them in a new home, the same set up just doesn't work. This is what I ended up deciding on and I am okay with it. My sister suggested framing our parents' wedding photos as well... I think that project will be in my future...

I was thrilled to see a coupon for Real Deals in the local paper. There is a Real Deals store in Salem and in Corvallis that I have found some decor for my home in the past. Unfortunately this time around nothing really "wowed" me. But it was nice to have a little taste of home.

Does anyone else have this problem? We are all unpacked yet I cannot find a place for all this randomness on my counter top. It has been my goal to clean this counter and find a space for each thing for a week now and it still looks like this.

I attempted to start working out on a regular basis last week. I made it two days... I will attempt the same thing tomorrow, maybe I'll make it three days this time.

I've also been trying to eat healthier, which is tough when I feel like I'm alone in this in my house. Luckily having a little one who needs fruit and veggie purees makes it necessary to have fresh produce in the house to snack on.

She has a new love of watermelon

I actually bought an app for my phone for the first time the other day and I am obssessed. It's called A Beautiful Mess.

Alexis' new independence has been a huge blessing. She sat on the floor playing with toys for an entire hour last night while Greg and I watched some TV together. I have an internal struggle at times, "I should be giving her more attention and interacting with her.... no I should let her be on her own and learn how to play independently without relying on me for everything." I guess there's a balance.

It is so fun to observe her grab certain toys and play with them all on her own now.

Speaking of "toys", we bought a lawn mower yesterday. I have a difficult time spending money on things like that... and when I say difficult time I mean that in my head I am wishing to purchase home decor or clothes instead. Greg asked me yesterday if I took a picture of his "new toy" and I honestly had no idea what he was talking about. Once he said, "the lawnmower" I thought, "Well, glad one of us can find something fun out of the purchase." And hey, as long as he thinks mowing the lawn is fun, that means I don't have to do it. So grateful for him and all he does for our family. And reflecting on it now, I am happy to have purchased the lawn mower. It makes our lawn look nice and we will need it in the future. It's also a part of everyday life and normalcy. As I said at the beginning of this post, it may not be exciting, but it's life, and I am so happy to be doing normal life with my sweet family.

Hello Idaho!

We made our move to Idaho on Saturday morning. We are both incredibly blessed with family who will drop everything and help us when needed. My parents, Greg's parents, Brandon, Eric and Nikki made the road trip with us.

Greg and his boss Josh at his going-away lunch in Springfield

We finally arrived after a LONG trip!

Relaxing for a bit after unpacking

outside our new home

The incredible group who helped us make it here (plus Mona who is taking the picture)

7 Months Old

Alexis at 7 months: Our little girl has been changing a lot over the past month. She can sit up all by herself now. She has been babbling a lot and every so often we hear a "mama" and "dada" in there, completely coincidental obviously ;) Alexis has enjoyed eating butternut squash, carrots, and bananas and opens her mouth in anticipation for the next bite. She plays with her toys and entertains herself for extended periods of time now, but will hold her arms out to us when she wants to be held. These 7 month pictures were taken at our new home in Idaho, a blog on our move is coming tomorrow so stay tuned.