Those Crazy Vivian's: The year just SNUCK up!

Welcome to 2008 everyone! It most definately just snuck up on me...I mean the last post was Ashley's birthday?! And as you can guess about a million and one things have occurred since that time and my girls have changed so much I am not sure I can even recount it all for you!

Let's start with my big preschooler. We of course finished out the summer and went to Grandma's house often to enjoy the beach but we managed to find fun ways here in Jackson too. We had a fun pool set up, a water table and Elyse LOVED playing in the yard in her bathing suit...even if she didn't get wet! One of the most memorable moments was not a positive one though. She stumbled upon a ground nest of yellow jackets one late morning and ended up being swarmed. I think the total sting count was 7 and she was terrified. It was a horrible ordeal and has now left my poor dear petrified of anything that flies outdoors other than butterflies and things high in the sky. The biggest news is that she is now a preschooler. She goes to a small Christian school near our home and is in the world's largest preschool class (at least that is my guess) with 24 preschoolers and 3 teachers! But it has been so great for her. Her writing, letters, drawing, coloring and playing has changed so much that she is most definately not my "baby" anymore.

On to the rough and tumble toddler. Ashley is just that. She is a darn monkey I swear. Her most favorite thing to climb: dining room table chairs and the fireplace. We are to the point that we don't keep chairs at the table anymore because she would climb onto the dining table and then proceed to fall OFF three feet to the ground. She has gotten so big. In fact, today she had her 18 month well baby check and she weighs 23 lbs 11 oz and is 31 inches tall. Big sis only weighs 32 lbs! She talks up a storm, fights back with Elyse when she gets too pushy, sleeps like a champion and has enjoyed the mornings with Mommy when Elyse goes to school. Her most favorite thing in the whole wide world: her pacifier and taggie blanket. I feel awful for her cause she has no idea that in a few short weeks I will be taking that pacifier away. Anyone feeling bad for her yet?! *wink wink* Her other favorite things are the dog and the cat. She just adores them, smothers them with Ashley hugs and at least once has been caught trying to ride Buster as if he should be at the Derby.

Michael. He got a new job as the HR Manager at his plant/company. It was a stressful time during his interviewing because it came down to him and another candidate. Many trips to Corporate Headquarters for interviews, many times of thinking that he would lose out due to lack of "civilian" experience. BUT it paid off and he got the job. He is now doing what he had hoped for and for the time being, it stabilizes us here in Jackson for at least a few years. His Army Reserve unit has been disbanded so in the next week or so, he will be going to a different unit and having to adjust to that. The good news for him is that he goes for the Major (the rank) boards in March sometime and with luck, he'll get picked up and no longer be a Captain!

As for me, I am still working at the YMCA part time however I have opted not to teach swim lessons anymore or teach the kiddy tumbling class. The busy schedule once Elyse started school was enough to drive an insane person sane....so I was offered my own water fitness class and took it. I teach that class twice a week in the evenings and it is PERFECT. Where else can I get paid money to workout, keep in shape and socialize all at once?! We are slowly making changes here in the house to make it our own and that has been both fun and irritating for me. We replaced the fabulous "orange-red" flooring in the kitchen but now I just have the urge to get rid of the wallpaper too! Guess it never ends right? I also had an unfortunate accident in November that caused the loss of our family minivan. *sigh* I didn't INTEND on crashing it that day and now it is gone forever but no worries...everyone was fine and we have a new minivan (much to Michael's dismay)!

We had a great end to the new year with a wonderful Christmas with our entire family. My brother & his wife flew in from Montana and we were all under one roof again. So now we are on to the new year....with plenty of excitement to come. Here are a few photos to enjoy! Look how big my kids are!