Mrs. Jackson

That's my official PE teacher name. It's weird. I have a whistle and everything {yeah, I'm legit}. Yesterday was my first day teaching and HOLY HANNAH is it hard work. I think I have a lot of bad karma coming my way too. I was a nightmare student when it came to PE. I was that kid who thought I was being funny when I was actually being really obnoxious. I never followed instructions. Please Karma...be kind.

My first day went a little something like this...

Hi I'm Mrs. Jackson, rules, rules, yada yada, YELLING YELLING, whistle blowing, almost broke my ankle, got told I had armpit sweat, more yelling, walking from one end of the school to the other, standing in the heat ALL.DAY., made a girl cry, more yelling and whistle blowing. I came home and collapsed on the floor.

I was in bed asleep by 10pm. I usually never go to sleep until around midnight. I would like to say that I slept like a baby but instead I kept having nightmares about PE.

Here's to day 2!

my silly girl

I may have gotten a little picture happy the other day... but she was being so funny. She kept laughing and squealing through this little phone photo shoot. Isn't she so cute? {And I promise those aren't real glasses! I wasn't trying to give her a head ache! }

Hey You! Yeah You!

Do you like food? Do you like cooking? Or do you despise cooking but do it anyway as a means to get food? If you meet any of the above criteria then you should check out Husband Approved Food! One of my very best friends Mallory and I decided that since we love cooking and sharing recipes that maybe we should try out this whole recipe blog thing together. We're still in the works on design and such but there are three whole recipes on there right now! Tasty recipes too! So go give us a visit at Husband Approved Food! Leave a comment, follow us! I'll pay you back in blog love! Go do it right now!!

Isabel: 7 months

My Izzie,

Today I am so grateful to be able to celebrate your seven month of life! It really has been the greatest time of my life! You are so special and so brilliant! You are such a happy baby!


Your jabber has turned in to what I like to pretend are words. You say "dadadada", "mamamama", and "babababa". You've been pretty needy lately. You cry when I walk out of the room and whenever I walk by, you hold your arms up with this little pouty face. It's not that I'm ignoring you. I'm just trying to get things done!


You love food! Your favorites are carrots, bananas, beef with sweet potatoes (the kind I make for you) and peas! You eat all of those with surprising gusto. And many of those bites come with an "mmm". You don't so much like avocado, salmon, or watermelon. It always takes you at least 3 or 4 bites before you decide that you don't like something and then you start making this gagging noise. Except for the watermelon. You shivered after the first bite and started making this gagging sound and then you actually threw up a little bit. It was pretty funny.


You are such a daddy's girl. You absolutely light up when he comes through the door. You start kicking your feet and get this big grin on your face. Nobody can make you laugh like your dad can. You love playing with him. He tosses you on the bed and tickles you and you love it! Which is a good thing because your dad isn't the kind to play gentle. I have a feeling that in no time you two will be wrestling each other.


I also think you'll be crawling much sooner than I'm ready for you. You've started to get on your hands and knees and do that rocking motion everyone has been telling me so much about!

You are such a joy and we love you so much!!

Love, Mom



All of the lovely photos of my beautiful baby were taken by the AMAZING Paige Davis Photography! She's so great to work with! She did Izzie's newborns too!

Pray for Ruby Jane

I don't typically do this kind of thing but I was really touched while reading about this family last night. I seriously just started crying as I read about their sweet baby girl. She's only a week older than Isabel and I cannot imagine what they must be going through. No parent should ever have to watch their child go through that kind of pain. A friend of mine posted a link to their blog on Facebook. I don't know them but I think every extra prayer they can get would helpful. So put baby Ruby Jane in your prayers!

Happy Birthday Troy!

It's this sexy man's birthday today....

{This is an old picture from Thanksgiving 2009 it just makes me laugh}

I'm so glad he was born 26 years ago today! In honor of his birthday I've decided to share with you 26 things you may not know about my awesome husband!

1. He's the biggest sports nerd I've ever met.
2. He's obsessed with Oregon Duck Football
3. He loves mountain biking (that's actually what he's doing right now!)
4. His favorite color is green
5. His favorite bands are Thrice, Rise Against and Say Anything
6. He hates mushrooms
7. He's really good at football
8. He likes to play golf
9. He watches ESPN on all.the.time.
10. His favorite food is italian
11. He says I-talian and I think its weird
12. His favorite donuts are the white cake donuts from Dick's Market
13. He's the 4th of 5 children
14. He's originally from Oregon
15. He had the unique opportunity of being able to serve in 3 different countries while on his mission (U.S., Venezuela, Chile)
16. He's fluent in spanish
17. He's really close with his family
18. His middle name is Dennis
19. He likes watching Jersey Shore
20. He loves to go fishing
21. When we go camping he loves to go out and find {huge} dead trees and knock them over to make fire wood
22. He's really easy going
23. His favorite meal that I make for him is baked ziti
24. If he could go anywhere in the world he'd go to the Caribbean
25. He's really indecisive
26. He has a really cute wife and daughter :)

I love you Troy! Thanks for being born! You are such an amazing husband and father! Izzie and I are so blessed to have you in our lives!

Finally

I am happy to announce that I am once again an employed member of society!! I will be the new PE teacher at Oak Hills Elementary.

I'm so grateful for this job. I know I definitely had some divine help when it came to finally landing the perfect new job. I was actually applying for a different job at the school district and asked my neighbor if I could list her as a reference since she also works for the district. It turns out that she was hiring at her school for the PE job and they hadn't even put it on the district website yet. This job was better hours and pay. I met with her and before I knew it she asked me if I wanted the job.

It's perfect. It's good pay. Two days a week so I still get to stay home with my baby most of the week. It'll be nice to get out of my house once in a while!

I would like to say that I never got discouraged over these past 4 months of searching. I would like to say that I never doubted God had a plan. But that would be lying.

Why is it that God always seems to push you to your limits and make you wait until the last moments of desperation before he finally let's the sun peek through the clouds? I know that it wouldn't be a test if I wasn't actually tested but believe me I was getting worried.

Troy and I had a looming deadline. His school schedule will be hectic this fall and as a result his hours at work will be cut significantly. I needed to find something fast! My first day of work is the first day his schedule changes! Definitely cutting it close!

I know the next year or two might be difficult for Troy and I as he tries to finish his degree as quickly as possible. My poor husband is working himself to the bone! However, I know that we will always be taken care of. Sometimes I get so jealous {even though I try not to} of all my friends with husbands who have finished school, own houses, go on fun trips, etc... I'm so quick to forget my blessings. It's a bit obvious why God constantly has to remind me by putting me through these "tests" {when will I learn?}. But I'm so grateful for the reminders!

Also, if any of you know someone who might be willing to watch the worlds cutest baby Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting on August 23rd... let me know!

And all you Rec Center peeps also as of today... I'm baaack. Yeah, yeah, yeah... don't say it.