Last day of summer dance class

Today was Lexie's last day of summer dance class. Usually parents sit outside and watch on screens but today we got the chance to go in and watch their class. It was wonderful. We LOVED it. Here are some of her "moves". Before class And my absolute FAVORITE one I captured. Pure joy!

First day back at gymnastics

Lexie had her first day back at gymnastics yesterday and she did wonderful. I was so impressed by her as when they called for her class she got right in line with no "clinging" to mama at all. VERY IMPRESSIVE! She went right on in and started working like she was a pro. Here are a few pictures from my phone. I was behind a glass so some are a little blurry. Ready to go! Got right in line She told me later that in the "bucket" there were balls. The point is to "not fall in mommy". :) Hanging on the bar Swinging across Cute little "balance beam" in the shape of a crayon Holding herself up. She loves this activity! They also gave her a sucker at the end of class and she got "free play" in their kiddie/climbing area. Yes, she was one happy girl when we left. She was NOT happy when I told her on the way home that they were closed and we couldn't go back and do anymore gymnastics. :)

Loves to Learn

I happened to snap this picture yesterday while I was cooking supper. This is a preschool book I picked up last week at Walmart. She is obsessed with it and wants to work in it everyday. I love that she is so excited about learning! This is one a snapped yesterday afternoon on our way to do a little shopping. Love this sweet girl! Today we start our first day at a new gymnastics facility. Hoping for a good day! :)

Back to blogging!!

Time to go back to blogging. I'm taking a FB break (indefinitely at this point) so I told my parents I would keep up my blog so they could keep up with Lexie bug and all the funny things that she does on a daily basis. I can't believe summer is almost over! We have done some fun things around here this summer. I just completed 6 hrs of summer school (to stay ahead) and I'm glad to say that I pulled off 2 A's to add to my transcript. Hard work but oh so worth it. Here is what we have done in pictures. I ran my first 5K a couple of weeks ago. I loved it! Lexie and Ryan came to support me and they had fun too. We spent many weekends at Splash kingdom where Lexie learned to swim (see video below). Those season passes were the best money we spent all summer. We made a visit to Hot Springs. We took our first dancing class in which Lexie LOVED. We start fall dancing in 2 weeks. This week is our last week at summer dance class and parent observation week. I can't wait to see her dance. She LOVES it! Lexie loved the Olympics (mostly swimming and gymnastics) and has asked to do gymnastics again this fall. I don't want to drive to the other side of town so we put her in a class at Bossier Olympiad. Here is the leotard she picked out yesterday. She is so excited to start back on Monday! My sister is officially moved into her new house in town and we have spent everyday together for the last week. I have enjoyed it so much. Love being so close. I'll close this post with a Lexism (for those that just love them. Yesterday we passed the gymnastics facility. Here is the conversation. Me: "Lexie, that's the new place you are taking gymnastics. It's called the Bossier Olympiad". Lexie: "Yay!! I'm going to be in the the Olympics". ME: "Well I don't know about that but that is just the name of the facility. It's not really the Olympics" Lexie: "Well if you do really good they put you on TV. Then it's the Olympics. I'm going to do that one day". Love this kid!

Happy St Patrick's Day (a day early)

I know that St Patrick's day isn't technically until tomorrow but I couldn't help posting this cute picture of my sweet girl. Last weekend we dyed shirts and tights with 2 other little families so they would have something to wear to their party today. I'm not very "artistic" but I have to say that these turned out super cute!!



This just makes me smile. Ryan has never been very good with "ponytails". I think he's slightly intimidated by having to do it "the right way" as Lexie puts it. However, on Thursdays and Fridays I have to leave the house for clinicals well before Lexie gets up so he is in charge of getting her dressed, fed and out the door to daycare. Lately he has taken on the challenge of doing her hair as well. It's funny b/c last semester he would just brush it and put a headband on her head. This semester he is not only doing ponytails, but picking out bows to go with them!



I feel so incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful husband. He works so hard to make sure that he is able to not only provide for us financially but he also supports me so much in nursing school. There are many nights that I spend hours studying when Lexie is in bed and he is so good about doing whatever he can do around the house for us and giving me the study time I need. Not to mention due to early classes/clinicals he has taken on the job of getting Lexie to school 4 out of 5 days of the week. I really love this man and there is NO WAY I would be 1/2 the person that I am without him right by my side.

School is going very well. We are 4 tests in and I'm doing very well. I have 2 tests and a final left and 4 more days of clinicals. I am so ready for that month long break (before summer school starts). Lexie and I will find plenty of stuff to get into. I'm hoping Ryan can take a couple of days off of work and spend some time with us too. Guess it depends on how many projects he needs to push out! Either way we plan on living up the month of May!

Finally making it back!

I can't believe it's been since August since I updated our blog. So much has gone on since that last post. I'll summarize and then try and do a blog at least 1x a week.

Shortly after I posted the last post my mom got sick and went into the hospital. After a long battle with an infection that led to sepsis, she passed away on October 19, 2011. We were heart broken. Eventually we learned that she had an infection in the rod that was placed in her hip several years ago. Due to her heart issues she was not a candidate eligible for surgery so they attempted to treat it with some really strong IV antibiotics. They worked for a bit but eventually the infection took over and she just wasn't able to fight it off anymore. It was such a heartbreaking time for our family. Thankfully we are all really close and were able to pull through for each other. I would be lying if I said it had gotten easier. Some days are easier than other but overall my heart is still broken and sometimes the tears come at the most random times.

While all of this was going on I was also in my first semester of nursing school. It was busy to say the least. Thankfully, I had a great group of friends that went above and beyond to help out anyway that they could. I have made the most awesome friends during the first semester and I love them like family. I'm pretty sure that it's true when they say that no one understands nursing students like other nursing students. Regardless of the issues I had going on I was able to pull off a 4.0 in my first semester.

Shortly after the end of the semester (as in a day later) we left to go to WDW for a week with my dad and step-mom. We had a blast and got home just in time for Christmas. Christmas was EXTREMELY hard (harder than I could ever have imagined) but we made it through. Then came Lexie's birthday. I can't believe my baby is already 4. She is growing so big everyday and I love this age so much!! I am now in my 2nd semester of nursing school and loving every bit of it. So far I've had 2 tests and pulled off A's on both of them. Hoping to keep that streak going!

I plan to hopefully keep up this blog a little bit more in the coming months. We shall see!! Here is a picture I took of Lexie this morning. I love this sweet girl!