A year end Review

2009 From beginning to end has been quite and exciting and life changing year for our little family. Needless to say, We have been busy but full of joy. Here is the Moses 2009 year in Review!

January

We welcomed Grace to our family when she married Trevor (Tyler's cousin)on January 2nd




We welcomed Anslee to our family on January 22nd


We welcomed Brian to our family when he married Jacy on January 31



February

Anslee had her first trip to the Hillsboro City park!


Mommy spent several hours away from baby for the first time. Sigma Alpha Alumni Weekend in Abilene


March

Sweet friends came to visit Anslee


We saw our first signs of a smile!


We also had to buy a new car in March. It was clear that my Lexus IS 300 would no longer be big enough for our growing family! We are now the proud owners of a mid size SUV. We love the Mazda Tribute...but already see that we outgrowing it as well!

April

Anslee had a Sip and See Weekend in Abilene


I became an Aunt! On April 26th Anslee officially became a cousin to a sweet girl! Welcome Bella Sims


Anslee had a new friend born on April 29th, Welcome London Noel Day!


*Note* Anslee had another special friend born on April 24th, Molly Kate Smith, but unfortunately I do not have any newborn photos of her :(

We also celebrated our first Easter as a family of 3 this April!


May

I celebrated my first Mothers Day!


Anslee had her first bite of solid food!


We met Bella for the first time!


June

On the 18th Anslee got her 1st tooth! (not a good shot, but the best we could get)


Fathers Day


London and Anslee welcomed to the world Hadley Lane Jones on June 30th


July

The 4th


We put Anslee in the pool for a dip for the first time!


Anslee turned 6 months old!


August

We found out we were moving to Brownwood, and that Tyler would be a trooper in Coleman coutny!


September

We bought and moved into our very first home!




October

Our family went to the Pumpkin Patch


Anslee won 1st place in a Halloween costume contest at FBC in Coleman


We (of course) attended Hardin-Simmons University Homecoming! Here we are at Sigma Alpha alumni Breakfast


Here is me with a couple of friends at HSU SING 2009. I look forward to this event all year long!


*Note* Tylers aunt Treva and Uncle Alan celebrated 25 years of marriage, and we had a wonderful party with/for them. Unfortunately,again, we did not have our camera and did not get pictures of the time together. The day was fun, and it was neat to celebrate their silver anniversary!

November

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!




*Note* On November 24th Logan Anthony Hay was born to Tony and Julie Hay, our sweet friends. I have pictures of him from the visit in the hospital, but only on my phone.

December

We celebrated Christmas All month long!







It snowed at our house!


Anslee saw snow for the 1st time!




We can't believe what a whirlwind of year it has been. This year we learned what it meant to cherish each day, because with day comes change. It has been a year of learning and loving and while we have had our bad days too, I have to say that 2009 will always be a very special year for us!

Looking forward to another memorable year in 2010.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Past and Present!

A look back at last Christmas 2008:








These 3 pictures were taken on Christmas Day last year. I was 33 weeks pregnant with Anslee, and little did I know that she would arrive 3.5 weeks later! Needless to say this Christmas was a little different. Now there are 3 of us in the Christmas pictures!

Christmas 2009:









We spent last Christmas in an apartment in Hillsboro and were unable to be with Family. I was feeling pretty uncomfortable at the time, and was ready to meet our little girl. This Christmas we were able to be with both of our families, and I am not pregnant so I was feeling fine!! We celebrated in the first home that we bought and with a sweet girl in our arms rather than in my belly. So much can happen in a years time.

I did not realize that Christmas could be this amazing. Having a little one brings on a whole new element to the Holidays and I love that I am experiencing that now days. Many more to come!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

11 months old!

Anslee

You are 11 months old! Everyday I wake up and think that you are more a more toddler like little girl. Its been nothing but fun to watch you learn new things and see you expressing yourself so much more! When I watch you play I can just see those little wheels turning in your head as you try to figure out how your toys work!

It seems lately that you keep getting taller, but not that much heavier. We are always dealing with pants being the right length (18 month clothes) and then being huge in the waist. This is a foreign problem for me, but we are doing our best to keep you in clothes that fit...somewhat...at least!

We are getting so excited about your first Christmas! We had the best time with you while we celebrated Thanksgiving with you for the first time, and we know that Christmas is going to be extra special as well. Starting from your first Christmas we will tell you what it is all about. You will hear why our family celebrates this time of year. We hope that this is the first year of all the years of your life that you begin understanding the story of the birth of our savior, and we hope that each year that story will bring more meaning to your life.

This Christmas you are our most precious gift. The most precious gift we could have ever been given. If it is even possible, we love you more each morning we wake. Thank you to God for the joy you have brought us this Christmas season.

We love you sweet girl,

Santa Clause

Tyler, My mom, and I took Anslee to see Santa Clause at the Mall as part of celebrating her first Christmas! We ended up meeting Trey and Bella (My brother and little niece!) and got them to take some Santa pictures with us! We all had a fun time watching the girls experience Santa's lap for the first time!

Cousins sitting with Santa together!


Anslee telling Santa what she thought of him!


We had a lot of fun, and got a lot of laughs. Bella did so good. She enjoyed Santa, and even played with his long white beard. Anslee did not even make it into his lap before the screaming started. I am pretty sure that in the years to come seeing Santa will be a long awaited for event!

Sick Again

Well something must be going on in Brownwood, Texas. Anslee got sick for the first time 3 weeks ago. Guess what? We are sick again. We basically had the same story as last time. I noticed a runny nose on Monday. I was immediately cautious of it, because I remembered how the runny nose was the beginning of the domino effect of illness on Anslee. That evening, I gave her the benadryl, and she slept great, and I did not see another runny nose again until we picked her up from Tyler's parents house on Thursday morning. Luckily, we had been to the Doctor on Wednesday for a regular check up and he said her ears looked much better from when we had taken her in when she got sick last time. She got her flu shot too. Any how, on Thursday when we picked her up, I saw the runny nose and thought, ok. more benadryl? So I gave her some, and she slept great Thursday night. Today when I went in to get her out of bed, her nose was VERY runny. I knew this was going to be a rough start to the day. I called the doctor first thing this morning. It took 42 times for me to get through to him. It was worth it though, because I actually got to speak to him. He phoned in a prescription for an antibiotic and we got started on it. Still keeping with the benadryl, baby vicks, humidifier and bulb syringing her nose. (needless to say, I was very busy today.)

All day she acted a little down, and certainly not her usual smiling and happy self. Well at bed time we went through our normal routine, and after her last feeding, it all came up. I was covered from the top of my hair to the tips of my toes. It had to have been a weeks worth of food that came up.

To my surprise, there was no crying. No crying at all. She threw up and clearly felt better as she flashed a very much missed smile at me and then wanted to get down. Well we washed her down, changed her clothes, loved on her some and put her straight to bed. We learned our lesson from last time. Do not try to feed again. That will result in being covered in vomit for a 2nd time in one night.

I am expecting a hungry early riser tomorrow. Hoping that she feels better and gets the good restful sleep she needs.

Our kitchen!

In this post, I mentioned how at our house most mistakes are made in the kitchen. This statement is true for both me and Tyler. We both have good memories (not just in this particular kitchen, but in two others as well) and laughs about mishaps while attempting something new in the kitchen. With this all said, here is the place where are mistakes are made now and will be for a while. We love our kitchen, as it is open to the living and dining area of the house. The generous counter space is a plus too!


View from the living area




Back Wall of kitchen



View looking into the living area from the kitchen



Looking out from the laundry and pantry area into kitchen


Laundry area. This is also proof that I actually DO the laundry, as you can see...



Half of the pantry.


The other half of the pantry (directly across from what is shown in the above photo) is where all the small (and large) kitchen appliances live. There are many shelves, and are full and cluttery, so this is why there is not a picture. ha!

More of the house to come soon!

10 months - November 22, 2009

10 Months old!

There is something about that double digit number that makes you seem so old and mature! Again, what another fun month we have spent together. Oh how I just enjoy you. Your sweet personality is so big and bold, and when we walk into a room people can't help but notice what a presence you bring. We noticed this month that you have dimples on both cheeks when you flash your big smile! How beautiful you really are.

This month you have been sick with a nasty ear infection, but were so tough and recovered so quickly. Oh being sick is no fun! Thankfully, you are right back to your normal, healthy self! This month you have also started working on learning all kinds of new things! Waving, high fives, standing on your own, and learning your animals. You are such a curious little creature and you love to explore. I can't take my eyes off of you for a second! That is ok, though, you will never hear me complain about having to be with you.

Anslee you truly have made motherhood a pleasant joy for me. You are easy. You are happy. There is nothing about being your mommy that is not favorable. You really have become my best little friend.

I have never felt more accomplished, rewarded, and satisfied in my life. I have never done anything that I enjoy more!

Thank you for making this experience nothing but pure joy and so much fun. God has truly granted me EVERY desire of my heart now that you are with us. Praise God for sweet babies like you who make my life so rich.

I love you,
Mama