Mexico! Mexico! Mexico!

Craig used to be a closet smoker. He only smoked while he was at work or in his car. He never smoked in our home or in front of us. He smoked before we met and quit before we got married. Craig started smoking again after Fletcher was born. It was kind of a release for him or coping mechanism, I guess. I really hated that he smoked and would randomly ask him to quit. I tried not to nag, but it really bothered me that he was smoking. Well, about two and a half years ago he quit! Unbeknownst to me, he was putting the money he spent each week on cigarettes into an envelope. In February, when we celebrated our tenth anniversary, Craig told me about the envelope and that he was saving the money for the two of us to go on a trip! A few weeks later, we went to a travel agent and booked a trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico! As I write this, that trip has come and gone, but it was AMAZING! And just what Craig and I needed! We stayed at a five star all-inclusive resort called The Royal. It was beautiful! We were greeted by a Romance Concierge, who was able to set up a romantic dinner on the beach and help us with anything we needed. It was fabulous! Before our trip we decided we didn't want to be tourist, we wanted to relax and just be with each other. We then decided we would spend one day on some kind of excursion. We ended up going to Tulum and Xel-Ha, both places Craig went as a boy. So, that was a fun day filled with an adventure to the Mayan ruins in Tulum, then snorkeling and dolphin watching and such at Xel-Ha. It was so fun! We started each morning with a breakfast buffet, then we'd spend the morning either at the pool or on the beach. Then we'd go have some lunch then take a nap or read or just do whatever we wanted! After relaxing each afternoon we would pick one of the nicer restaurants for dinner! We also celebrated Craig's 45th birthday while we were there. How fun is that?? All in all it was a fantastic trip and I'm so grateful to have such a thoughtful, loving husband! I appreciate him more than he'll ever know!

 The view from our balcony...

 In front of the resort...

 Anniversary dinner on the beach...

Yummy anniversary cake...

 Craig at Xel-Ha...

The Mayan ruins in Tulum...

Craig's birthday dinner at a lovely Asian restaurant...

Good Intentions...

I always have good intentions for keeping up this blog, but alas those intentions come and go! So forgive me for my inconsistency.

Since July, I have a senior, a fourth grader and a kindergartener! So let's start with my senior...Craig and I made the decision to transfer Kayleigh from PC North to Bethany High School. These high school years have been very tough on her and Craig and I, for that matter. North has about 1900 students Bethany has 450- 500 students. We're hoping a smaller school with different kids will help motivate Kayleigh, you know peer pressure, but GOOD peer pressure! She seems to be enjoying it and she's making new friends. Kayleigh will take the ACT for the first time this Saturday. She has every opportunity to go to college, if she'll take it seriously. She has a couple of places she wants to go to college but that's all pending on her ACT scores. I took Kayleigh to have her senior picture made for the yearbook last week, but at the end of October we'll go downtown and take her senior pictures with our family photographer, Sherry Lynch! We're very excited about that! She is so photogenic I can only imagine how hard it is going to be to choose the ones we like best! We're also getting ready to order her cap and gown and graduation announcements! WOW! This senior year is going by fast and it's going to be expensive! But she's worth it!

First day of 12th grade...

Maddie is doing really well academically in 4th grade. She's loving her gifted and talented class, she also really likes her homeroom teacher, Mrs. Harris. Since Maddie is in the 4th grade she has the opportunity to be in the orchestra. She is playing the viola and has her first concert tomorrow night. She LOVES it and she seems to be catching on easily. This has also brought out her desire to learn to play the piano so she's teaching herself to play! Also, 4th graders can join the Art Club, it meets once a month and she really likes it. But I have sad news. Maddie decided not to take dance this year. After 5 years she wanted to call it quits. She really wasn't enjoying it and it was a chore making her go every week. I'm sad to say she hasn't missed it one bit! I miss it and I miss having a dancer, but it's not about me and she obviously made the right choice since she hasn't mentioned it one time!

First day of 4th grade...

Fletcher is doing well in kindergarten and we're trying to go 5 days a week. We're going in the afternoons for a couple of hours. It seems we're not accomplishing anything academic, though. They've put Fletcher in an all day Kindergarten class and since we go at the end of the day he's there in time for 1 center, snack time (he doesn't eat by mouth), recess, (seriously?) and specials which include, library, PE (again, seriously?) and music (he LOVES this class). Fletcher has one of the best kindergarten teachers in the building, too bad we don't get to take advantage of her amazing talent. We'll have a meeting with the special education department soon and hopefully we can rectify this situation. Don't get me wrong, I love his school and I love that he gets to be apart of such an amazing school! The social aspect is fantastic and I love all his little friends. I just don't know that we need to go 5 days a week for friend time!

First day of kindergarten...

On a more serious note, on September 20, 2011 my older sister, Sharla passed away. She fought a long battle with drugs and alcohol. It's all very sad and she will be greatly missed. Her two daughters, Samantha and Chevaun took a hot air balloon ride and spread Sharla's ashes. This was one of her final requests. It was very sweet.



Rest in peace, Sharla Ann...