Last Weekend of Summer

Well summer has officially come to an end. :( August has finally brought us more at home time. (We were gone 3/4ths of July!) Two weekends ago we had our 2nd Girls Dance Party of the summer at Ramona's. It was an excuse for all us girls to get together one more time before the craziness of the school year began. This time Hannah got to enjoy the first couple hours of the party before Josh came and picked her up. :) That Sunday we took the boat out to Lake Berryessa with friends Renee, Marc, their little little guy Nico (3 weeks older than Hannah), Renee's brother Robby and our friends Lisa and Matt. We had a great day on the lake. We got in some wake boarding and wake surfing runs and spent half the afternoon anchored in a cove laughing at the interactions between Hannah and Nico.

So as of last Monday afternoon I had planned on staying home with Hannah this school year after being laid off at the end of last school year. We made the decision during summer that instead of me looking for a job in another district, it would be worth it to cut some corners and make it work for me to stay home with Hannah for her first year (I was so very excited about this decision!) My district offered me some part time work, however I decided to just tutor after school and spend my days with my girl. Well come this past Tues. morning my Superintendent called and offered me a 2 month long term sub job in my friend Tracy's 5th grade classroom. It was at my previous school (Evergreen), teaching students whose siblings I had taught and families I loved, I would get my daily salary that I ended with last year AND I'd get to teach with so many of my closest friends once again!!! Talk about a hard decision. I got off the phone with her, looked at Hannah and started to cry. :) I couldn't imagine starting her in daycare the following week, yet at the same time I couldn't pass up such a great opportunity to make good $$ for just 2 months of work. After talking to Josh we decided I'd take the job. Fortunately I had daycare already lined up from the previous year. Thinking I'd have full time work for the following school year, last Aug. when I found out I was pregnant I had reserved a spot with a daycare provider that we really wanted. Stacy (Hannah's daycare provider) is awesome, she had saved my spot in the event I may get a job at the last min. She only takes teacher's children, making her schedule the same as ours and Hannah is her only full time child under the age of one. School started last Thurs. and my mom was down visiting so she stayed a few extra days to help out with Hannah (she was a lifesaver!) Hannah started daycare today. It was really hard dropping her off for the first time to spend an entire day at someone else's home. She was all smiles as I left, which made me feel so much better. Stacy said she did wonderful. She was a happy girl and loved watching the bigger kids play. For the remainder of the school year I plan on subbing occasionally and tutoring after school. I feel so fortunate to be able to stay home with Hannah from Nov. through the summer of 2010. When we first got pregnant I never thought it would work out like this. When I lost my job everyone told me (along with the other 11 teachers laid off at my school) that everything happens for a reason....after giving birth to Hannah and being at home with her I finally believed it! :) Being at home with her is so much fun, which is why the next 2 months are going to be so hard. November can't get here soon enough!!!

Hannah turns 5 months this Friday! I'll be posting some new pics of her enjoying rice cereal for the first time and hopefully a video of her being chatty with Josh (if the video uploads ok).

Before the Girls Dance Party enjoying grass for the first time :)
Hannah and Michelle

With some of the girls before she had to leave with dad

Cheers to a new school year!

Ready to dance!!!

Mandy my former 4th grade teaching partner from a few years back....

I miss teaching with her so much!

Mama's little ballerina
Visit with Sebrina

Marc and Josh with their kiddos

Nico was so excited to get his hands on Hannah
Going in for the kiss...

Hannah not so sure :) Looking to dad for help Looks like Lisa is ready for one of her own

Hannah driving the boat for the first time.......

Just Kidding! Don't stress out grandparents, we were anchored in the cove here. :)

Hannah and Lisa

Friends since 2nd grade

She loves clasping her hands together...such a picture poser!

Monterey Bay ~Anniversary Getaway~

We decided to take a trip to Monterey to celebrate our 4 year anniversary. Hannah LOVED the Monterey Bay Aquarium! The colorful fish, water and people were so entertaining to her. After the Aquarium we walked around Cannery Row and did some window shopping, wine tasted and then had dinner. After dinner we headed down to the beach. We spent the following day at Fisherman's Wharf. It was so great to have a relaxing getaway with just the three of us, before Josh started back to work on Thurs. with teacher workdays. Our first summer with Hannah has been wonderful. We've been fortunate enough travel often and to do the things we love. She's such an easygoing, smiley, happy baby. We're so lucky!

So excited for her first trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Kisses from dad
Fascinated by the fish
Once again sucking on her hand :) while watching the Sting Rays

walking around Cannery Row

At the beach after dinner Reading her penguin puppet book from the Aquarium before bedGood morning! :)

Had to get a picture with the matching hat (outfit from Auntie Nicole)

Walking along Fisherman's Wharf

After dipping her toes in the ocean

A's game pics from last week...sportin' her A's gear!

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4 Year Anniversary

What began as 2 years of friendship, lead to 2 years of dating, and then was followed by 4 years of marriage. The past 8 years have been incredible! We have experienced so many adventures together, and have been the best of friends along the way. We didn't think it could get any better, but then Hannah entered our lives making every memory created even more special. We can't wait to see what the years ahead have in store for us. Below are some pics highlighting the past years of our relationship.

The early years...adventures on the lakeco-ed softball (where we first met)Yosemite (first weekend away together)Wedding where I caught the bouquet and then got engaged 2 1/2 mon. later :)Halloween 2004The proposalEngagement shotOur wedding dayCaribbean Honeymoon (Turks and Caicos)

First pet (Chloe)1st Christmas married

Proud owners of a new boatBeing silly (Great America 2005)

Hawaiian vacationone of many weekends in Tahoe

First Puppy (Tuck)
After buying our first home

Happiest day of our life