December

This will probably be the lone post for December - what a busy month!

• Started the month taking a quick trip to Tampa, FL with the WVU football team for their last away game. With a big win down there and a Cincy loss - we are going to the orange bowl in Miami! We leave Dec 29...I can't wait for some sunshine and pool action. 
• I'm going home for Christmas! I am sooooo excited since I haven't been home since the end of July. Daron will get to join us for a few days for Christmas and I'm so happy we all get to be home/together for Christmas. Last year he flew on Christmas day for an away game. 
• I took pictures of my first wedding last weekend. I was running around like a crazy lady and ended up helping in more areas than just pictures. I wish I could have gotten more pictures of the happy couple downtown and not just at the church but they weren't that concerned with it so I didn't push. I had fun but taking pictures of a wedding is stressful (I haven't even edited yet and will probably not post until we are back from Miami in January). You can't redo a wedding day so the pressure is really on. I would love more practice with this as the second and free photographer for people on their big day. 
• Dylan is growing, growing, growing and currently in TX with Daron's family enjoying a few days for their "Christmas time" with him. I hate him being gone and miss him like crazy but I'm sure it's good for us both to have a few days of "space". He comes back Friday morning and I am counting down! 
• He continues to love to play outside. I obviously get nothing done while he sits out there playing/examining every rock, stick, and chunk of snow so I've started doing my squats and lunges while he plays. I count so he can hear me (get a numbers lesson in too, right?) and the other day while I was doing my squats he stood up and did them too! I can't say he doesn't pay attention. I had him do it for Daron that night and we both cracked up as he did his set of squats. He's too much sometimes. He's also a big fan of head, shoulders, knees and toes and the itsy bitsy spider.

Nothing much else is going on. I guess I should use this time to start editing some wedding pictures. I'm sure the bride is anxiously waiting to see them. I know I was. Merry Christmas!!!! 

Watch and Learn

Life in M'town (as Daron would say: not to be confused with Motown) is good. I can't believe it's already the end of November and Thanksgiving is in just a few days. My dad comes tomorrow (yea!) and I will cook my first ever Thanksgiving meal, say a prayer. I have quite the list of food to prepare but feel lucky that I am able to do so. It will be interesting and I hope to capture it through pictures and flipcam clips....could be pretty entertaining.

As Dylan gets bigger and I think of new ways to engage and teach him I've thought back to my month teaching in a 3/4 year old Montessori classroom in Italy. It was such a great experience and I wish I would have taken more notes. However, through Montessori blogs, books, and a friend who is now a Montessori teacher I am working on creating a more Montessori like atmosphere for Dylan at home. Giving him more "choice" and letting him figure things out for himself. It's funny - the teacher in me wants to jump-in and show him how to do something. When I stepped back and just let him have at an activity the other day - I was impressed....

I had taken a metal tin that was divided into two sections. On one side I placed a handful of uncooked black beans. I took a spoon (his size) and showed him how to take a scoop of beans and drop it on the other side. I repeated this several times and then handed him the spoon. He took the spoon, smiled, and began to bang on the tin. "He doesn't get it," I thought to myself. So I showed him again and handed him the spoon back. Again, he smiled and began to bang on the tin. This time I just let him have at it and smiled every time he looked up at me. After a few minutes he put the spoon down and grabbed a handful of beans. He really didn't get it. As much as I wanted to show him again I continued to let him have at it. He felt the beans, rolled them around in his hand, and then put them in his spoon. He dumped the beans back in the tin and even made sure the ones that had fallen on the ground got picked up and put back. He then grabbed the lid sitting next to him, placed it on top of the tin and then put the spoon on top of the lid. He looked at me with such accomplishment and pride. He had cleaned it all up! 

While he didn't transfer the beans back and forth like I'd wanted him to, he did it in his own way.....I learned a lot while he played. First, he played before he tried what I'd shown him....teaching 101, DUH. Kids want to explore a new object/material placed in front of them, if 3rd graders needed a few minutes of play with manipulatives, why wouldn't a 1 year old?

Secondly, maybe he's not ready to move beans back and forth with a spoon or maybe we just need more practice. Regardless, a tin and handful of beans entertained him for over 20 minutes (that's huge). He also showed me that he watches and learns. I hadn't shown him how to put the lid on the tin or to set the spoon on top of the lid. But after he did it he looked to me as to say, "see, I cleaned up - aren't you proud?" He watches, he learns as I do things daily. And when I took the time to step back and not play teacher but just watch him, I learned, too. Looks like I need to implement this watch and learning business in all areas of life - maybe I'd figure more things out!

I'll leave you with a few Dylan pictures I took the other day of him in the woods behind our house. I'd also like to direct you to the "photography" page. I did my first "photo shoot" of somebody other than Dylan a few weeks ago and posted some of my favorite pics from it. I'm excited I was able to do this and hope it's something I can continue to develop. I had a blast!

Pumpkin Time

Well, I meant to post a few weeks ago with pictures from the pumpkin patch. We had a great time - once we got there! The highway was recently redone and the directions on the website hadn't been updated. We got there 5 minutes before they close and I'm not sure what Daron said to them but they let us in. Thank goodness because he doesn't get many afternoons to play with us!!

Dylan LOVED the pumpkin patch. (I feel like Dylan loves all things except being hungry!) He ran around the field of pumpkins, attacking them and being indecisive on which one to take home. Once we had one we checked out a few chickens (there was a small "zoo") and went inside to decorate the pumpkin. He had a great time running around the barn while Daron picked out a few decorations for him to glue on his pumpkin, I vetoed the paint!

Here are a few pictures to showcase Dylan's day at the patch:

Yes, I finally was captured in a few pictures (Brandi Virden -  I would like you to take notice, haha!).

Aside from that life has been its normal, crazy self. Dylan, football, work, and friends visiting have kept us busy. Dylan has 2 playgroups a week (will be cutting this down to 1 next semester) and we do a Bible study once a week which has been a great addition to our schedule. This was probably the thing I missed most about being in Detroit ( I LOVED my Bible study there).

We had an appointment with an allergist a few weeks ago for Dylan since his skin has been going crazy. We discovered he is allergic to all tree nuts except peanuts (weird), wheat, and cats. Lucky for us we have no cats. At first I was stressing about the wheat allergy - wheat is in EVERYTHING. But I have been prepared for this day since I made so much of Dylan's food to start with. I have gotten a bit more creative and I have found new recipes that he gobbles up. I have switched from pasta to rice and from flour to rice flour. I'd actually been reading about how grains/wheat actually aren't great for us about 2 months ago but never did anything about it. Here goes our own little experiment....we are now pretty much wheat free in our house. The doctor said most babies outgrow a wheat allergy between 3-5 years old. I figure by then we'll be so used to eating wheat-free but it will be much easier for him to eat at school and around other kids.

Now the nut allergy is another story - we have to keep an epi-pin on us at all times, scary! His nut reactions were so insane the doctor is scared for what would happen if he was exposed to any of these. Luckily, I was thoroughly prepared to stab him with the epi-pin thanks to a 3 minute video, haha! At least we know and are prepared!


Talking: Dylan has added a bit to his vocabulary but still seems perfectly content signing to me. I was determined to get him to "use his words" ... am I a teacher or what? Poor kid. Since he seems more excited to sign what he wants I've taught him more signs even though I said I wouldn't. He now knows milk, eat, and we are working on drink in sign language. Verbally we get apple once in a while and I'm working on Bub (grandpa is nowhere in sight and my dad is coming in a few weeks - he would be so excited if Dylan referred to him as something!).

Even though the munchkin won't say much he seems to understand almost everything we say. The other morning I told him we needed to change his diaper so he handed me his pack of baby wipes! However, later in the day when I was holding a new diaper and told him we needed to change his diaper he ran away from me. We have entered the "I hate being changed phase" which is insanely annoying!

In the morning when Daron leaves for work he'll say, "I'm headed to work" and Dylan will wave goodbye to him. The first time he did it Daron was in shock. It is  pretty crazy that he gets Daron going to work means goodbye.

Well, this post has turned into a Dylan update that is longer than I anticipated. Will post again soon!

All Done!

I sat Dylan in his highchair next to me in the kitchen this afternoon while I made us some fresh juice (I have a juicer so it's not that hard and as the cold season hits, I'm attempting to keep us healthier). Don't worry - Dylan was armed with his cup of milk, the child hasn't mastered more than a few ounces of patience. As I finished up the juicing Dylan handed me his cup, which usually means he's out of milk, but when I took it from him I could tell it was still completely full. I handed it back and said, "You still have milk in there." He handed it back to me and said, "all done". After months of signing all done and sometimes randomly saying it, he showed he actually understood what it meant. He was done with his milk and wanted some juice! Needless to say, I was very excited!

We also made some "discovery bottles" today. Okay, so I made them and Dylan played with them. These two (see picture below) are pretty basic and I plan on getting a few supplies this week to make a few more that are more exciting. The first one was just water and oil and the second was was water, oil, and food coloring. He loved them both and think he'll love the other ones we make this week. I used gorilla glue to really seal the bottles off - he's not strong enough to untwist them yet but with my luck if I didn't, we'd have a messy disaster on our hands one day. 

Please excuse the messy shirt - a combo of juice and some teething drool!

I know this picture looks like he's trying to eat the bottle but he's actually shaking it up (I had to do a little prompting of, "shake! shake! shake!").

A Birthday Word

I receive a daily message from a new but very good friend. How blessed was I to receive this message on my birthday?  We make getting older such a big deal, usually negatively, when in reality it's a blessing. The more days we wake up the more days we have to get it right and fulfill all the things we were purposed to do. I hope I can enter this next season of my life with a different outlook, better attitude, and eyes set in the right place....enjoy the message: 

“...Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been
promised” (Hebrews 6:12, NIV)

Sometimes, it’s easy to look at your circumstances in the natural and think,
“I’ve missed my opportunity. I’m too old. It’s too late. I’ve messed up too
much.” But with God, there’s always another opportunity. He created you on
purpose and for a purpose. He’s the one who placed those dreams and desires
on the inside of you. He hasn’t given up on those dreams, and you shouldn’t
either! It’s never too late for God, which means it’s never too late for
you!

I don’t know about you, but I have never heard of a single story, not in the
Bible nor in our time, where God gave someone a dream and fulfilled it on
the same day. No, our lives are designed with seasons and processes to build
our faith and prepare us for the next step. It takes faith, it takes
obedience, and it takes patience to see God’s promises come to pass.

Today, no matter where you are in your journey of faith, just focus on
moving forward. God hasn’t given up on you! Trust that He has you in the
right place at the right time. Trust that He is working all things together
for your good. Trust that new doors are opening. Choose faith and patience,
and you will inherit His promises because it’s never too late for you to
embrace the good things God has in store for you!

Time Flies

After my last post I vowed to post more than once a month - and here I am posting and it's no longer September. I can't believe October is already here. I won't complain - it is the best month of the year! Time really does fly, whether you're having fun or not. Luckily, the past few weeks have been enjoyable and have been marked with new milestones and visits from family and friends.

1. Dylan is walking - all over the place. He went from taking just a few steps when he felt like it to all-out walking. Last Thursday he decided he could do it. Times like that I really wish I knew what was going on inside that mind of his. He just looked at me and walked across the room...grinning the whole way. I clapped and cheered and he joined in, clapping for himself. I love his lack of modesty. I love that he was as proud of himself as I was. Here is a quick clip of his new skills. 
2. Dylan is talking - more. He has added "all done" to his vocabulary and is working on yes and no. He studies my mouth when I talk and pretends to be singing along when I turn music on. He still refuses to say mama on command but I catch him saying it from time to time while he's playing. 
3. Visits from family and friends - the last 2 weekends we have had family and friends in town. It has been busy and hectic but great to have people around. Daron's family was here last weekend and they loved all the time with Dylan. I enjoyed the extra hands and bodies around to entertain our busy little man. 
4. WVU is 4-1, the big LSU game was a bit of a let down but it was better to lose to them than anybody else we've played. Daron remains busy but actually has more time with us this year. Dylan gets to spend time with him most days and they both love that opportunity.
5. I joined the rec center a few weeks ago. It's been nice to have a place to workout and to have more variety. I was getting bored with my runs in the same place and workout DVD. The best bonus is they have an indoor pool with swim lanes and a great kids area. I try to take Dylan once a week and he LOVES it. He is a fearless little fish! Love that he takes to the water so easily but I get a bit nervous since he will crawl/walk into water well over his head and put his head all the way under and just laugh about it. Our swim lessons (glad I was trained in this area) have already begun because slowing him down does not seem to be an option. 
6. Big moment - Dylan has learned the sign for touchdown. In our house this was a big day, ha! He was able to showoff his new skill at the football game last week..needless to say, he was a hit.  

The weather is cooling off and the rain continues to pour down - but today is a few degrees warmer and sunny. I think it may be the perfect afternoon for some pictures with the fall leaves. I know there have been requests for more pictures of Dylan and me - I'll see what I can do. If it doesn't work out, the game this weekend is early so maybe Daron can help snap a few of the little guy with me.

Off to clean and grade papers before my few hours of free time is over - daycare does have its benefits!

The Season Has Begun

Football season, teaching season, the craziness season...it's all here and I've slacked on my blogging duties.

1. Teaching Season - I am happy to report that I accepted an adjunct teaching position at WVU that started when classes began in August. I'm teaching several different sections in the Education Dept (which is only a 2.5 day commitment) and it's going really well. A few things I've learned: big people are easier to teach than little people, in that they are more responsible for themselves/their work.  I have days where I miss my little people but after watching a 2nd grader run around his classroom last week and when I asked him, "what do you need to be doing?", he shrugged his shoulders, said, "I dunno" and kept running I was thankful for my college students. Regardless of where football takes us I think I will always have to have a job that allows me to work with little people in some capacity at least once a week.
2. Football Season - Training camp is over and the games have begun. WVU is 2-0 (thank goodness!) and the tough games start tomorrow (@ Maryland and then LSU here next week). Daron is as busy as usual and I'm adjusting to his additional responsibilities and recruiting requirements. I have my moments where I wonder what in the world we are doing but it's been a great experience and he is happy in his new position. Hoping for continued wins and a bowl game come January!
3. Dylan Season - it's always Dylan season and he may even fall into the craziness season, haha. I couldn't make a life-update post and not talk about our favorite little man. He turned the big 1 a few weeks ago....it has gone so fast but I'm loving this age - I can admit it, the newborn days were not my favorite! A few pics of his birthday fun:

 Birthday Lunch!

 Blowing out his candle with Daddy

 This is good stuff

 He is actually really good about sharing - let's hope this doesn't change!

 Yum!

My belly is full but I love making messes.

Aside from his amazing ability to eat and eat and eat and eat he is growing like a weed and learning new things every day. He loves to read books and has become a great page-turner. He can now climb up and taught himself how to slide down the stairs on his belly. He is walking (sort-of) he will take 5-6 steps at a time and looks a bit like Frankenstein, but we're getting there. He loves to be outside: pulling grass out of the yard, examining wood-chips, swinging at the park, rolling in the dirt, or playing with rocks. His favorite word is still "hi" and "dada" and I don't think "mama" is anywhere near being spoken.

He loves his stuffed animal gorillas and now that I let him sleep with one he goes right to bed without a fight (THANK YOU JESUS - I NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE THE DAY). He loves his bongo from his Auntie and bops along to the beat. He now signs for all done, more, please, and thank you. While my Spanish speaking abilities are very weak he has somehow managed to understand what I mean when we say: hola, adios, besos, no mas, gracias, and por favor. He really is such a little sponge (I guess that's why he has such a big head - and yes, it's big...they measured it 2x at his last check-up because they thought they measure wrong the first time, poor guy). While he doesn't talk in a language we can decipher he babbles away and understands most things we tell him. It's pretty amazing watching him grow and change.

 A nice day playing in the grass on campus

 Dissecting a leaf

 My little man

 After a football scrimmage with his daddy

 Playing at the park

 Not afraid of the dirt

 Love this one

 Listening to somebody's conversation (nosey - he gets that from me)

 Loving the swing

 My little nature boy

Baseball field: I have a feeling we could take this outfield picture again in 8 years during little league

Butter!

On my 30 for 30 list I have to make my own butter....and here is how it turned out!

Step 1: Organic whipping cream and a jar (with room for the liquid to expand)

Step 2: Tighten the lid and shake, shake, shake! You can also put this in a stand mixer and let it do the work for you, but what fun would that be?? It does take a bit of time shaking it on your own but you get a great arm workout!

Step 3: You will think it's not working but it is! After about 15ish minutes I noticed liquid begin to separate and a thick, yellow substance started to form in the middle. Once you see the butter, keep shaking until you are sure the butter is done forming. There will still be white liquid in the jar, around your butter.

Step 4: Strain the liquid from the butter - and save both!

Step 5: Homeade butter and buttermilk - YUM!

More than I orginially thought

Started this blog for a few reasons:

One: I wanted to have a blog (it's on my 30 For 30 list)
Two: It was a good way for me to keep track of places we've moved to and from and post our pictures (although I can't figure out how to post my pictures to the blog. It keeps saying server error, grrr).

However, as I've started this process, I've gotten more into it and the blog has branched into other areas that I didn't intend. I'm good with that and hope that not only is the blog a good outlet and organizational tool for myself but that at some point, somebody else will find it helpful.

Blog 1: About Me

I was told that the person you are changes throughout various stages of your life. You believe it but until you live through the changes life presents, you don't fully grasp it. I believe I am constantly learning about myself, my family, friends, and strangers I encounter. My life has taken turns I never imagined and while the path has been bumpy at times, I'm on an adventure I craved but wasn't brave enough to set out on alone.

I went from prancer - living the Sex in the City life (just not in NYC). I had my girls, a job, guys to date, and nights out with a few too many drinks. I am now married with a baby boy. While the changes were scary (yet welcomed) my life is drastically different than it was two years ago. And due to my husband's career - we move like an active duty military officer (but we aren't).

I realized there are pieces of me that will remain no matter what changes occur and regardless of how many roads we travel.

My mornings are best when fueled by a cup of Early Gray tea or a Caramel Latte. I could eat Mexican food every day (seriously) and I'm striving to live a healthier lifestyle. Yes, I even make my son's baby food and aim to feed him organic 95% of the time. And thanks to a friend - we've begun the juicing adventure, yum! 

I love fall simply because I can wear jeans, a hoodie, and still rock my flip flops. I love a new pair of  heels and a good flat with a funky design (my husband thinks I was born in the wrong decade). As girly as I can sometimes be - I was a tomboy growing up and still love a good, hard-nosed football game.

I was an education major. While little people are my passion I am eager to study and learn more about photography. I love to travel and aim to visit all 50 states and all 7 continents. I can't learn enough about other cultures. And while it's not as good as first hand learning - we have purchased the Spanish Rosetta Stone. Ridiculously excited.

My blog experience = zero. I've read a few but never knew what I'd write if I started one. While moving from Kansas to Michigan to West Virginia in the span of 11 months, I was photographing as we went along. Capturing where we'd been and snapping shots of where we were headed (mainly to send to family). It hit me - as much as we will be moving over the course of my husband's career, I should blog about the places we have been, are headed, and showcase the pictures we take. If not for anybody else - but ourselves to look back on.  

Just another stop on the map of our life.