Too Busy to Post

Sorry I haven't posted in a while but I am super swamped with school, kids and life! I have so many pictures that I want to upload. So be patient with me :)

Jersey weather has been marvelous the past few weeks. Today was a little too chilly for me to sit outside and bask in the sun...well there wasn't really any sun...but I did enjoy the buds on our trees. They are started to open slowly, which means that yes, it's Spring! Kailey and Natalie have been telling me all day that today is the first day of Spring.

Tom is busy with work and school. He just finished the first part of a two part class. He will be leaving us in April for a six week training class in Alabama. He's not sure if he is going to take a class while he's in training. He's been told there is a lot of down time, so we'll see. He stays very busy at work these days.

Kailey lost another tooth and it's a good thing, because the permanent tooth was breaking through the gum :( She just finished her science fair project on lions. For a second grader, the research she did was amazing. She took the initiative to check out books about lions, and was very attentative when Tom and I did research with her online. We are very proud of her and I learned facts about lions that I never knew!

Natalie has slowed down on her teeth pulling. They were falling out left and right but not so much lately. She's ready for the summer so she can wear shorts and go to th beach. She's my beach baby; loves the water and the sand. Both girls have started getting their friend's phone numbers from school, so every now and then we help them make a phone call and chat it up with their buddies.

As for me, I have two new classes that just started up. One is going to take up a lot of my time as I have to write a research paper. After that, I am taking a break for the summer. We are looking forward to our road trip to Texas, Colorado, and the Carolina's to see some friends.

On that note, I have to finish dinner, put the girls to bed, and do some homework.

College...FINALLY

Yes, I am back in school after 15 years! I'm pretty sure I just dated myself too. This isn't the first time I have attempted college. After high school, I took one class at a community college in Colorado but I really wasn't into school. At that point in my life I just wanted to work. I had an ok job but I really didn't want to go to school. If I knew then what I know now, I would have at least taken the basic courses. But time moves forward not backward. In England I attempted to go to school again through online courses, but it just didn't work out. Tom and I began a journey into parenting, which we wouldn't change for anything! So school was put aside again but I have to say, I received an education with our children! Then we moved to Idaho, and after several attempts at school the doors just weren't opening. Here we are in Jersey and I was a little nervous about attempting school once again. I prayed about it and told myself that if the doors didn't open this time, maybe it just wasn't meant to be. But actually it all worked out and prayers were answered.

So I'm a student again! I am attending BCC in Pemberton New Jersey. It's a nice campus but I mostly have online courses. I am taking Biology A&P, Medical Terminology, and intro to Psychology. Two courses end in March and I will pick up Eng 101 and Intro to Computers. My degree is Health Information Technology. It's an Associates degree. Later I plan to get a Bachelors. I am constantly studying but I love it because while the kids are at school, I have more to do than laundry and cleaning! I am also taking a swimming class at the Y which I hope will help with my RA and Lupus.

I really feel like I'm in a good place right now! Why the college doors didn't open before I have no idea, but I'm thankful that God's timing is perfect.

Santa, Smithville, and Christmas Cookies

Kailey and Natalie with Santa at the Bayville Fire House.

The girls in front of the talking Christmas tree...yes it does talk!

Waiting for the train ride to start!

Waiting for our food to come. Some of us were happy and some were getting tired. Can you guess who?

Just a few of our creations :)

Kailey loved decorating the cookies...but loved eating them the most!

This was by far the BEST sugar cookie recipe I've ever made! Thanks to foodnetwork.com Yummy!

Decorating one last cookie before bed

Tom and Kailey being silly

A wonderful weekend at the Christmas Village in Smithville, decorating cookies and watching football!

Thanksgiving in New Jersey

The night before, Chris took some time to make fun Christmas crafts with the girls. Gingerbread trees and houses :)

Our table. Ready to give thanks.

Oops! Have some turkey juice Tom :)

The final product...yummy!

Alysia took some time to do a Thanksgiving craft with the girls.

Christian and Alysia taking advantage of the beautiful weather we had.

Beautiful center piece from my Mother-in-law.

So thankful that my best friend of 18 years was able to share this holiday with our family!

My hubby, Tom, working on the stuffing for the turkey. Brian and Tom cooked an amazing turkey this year!

Happy Thanksgiving from New Jersey!

From left to right: Ashley, Brian, Kellen, Grandma Brady, Fred, Julia, Tom, Christian, Alysia, Chris, Natalie and Kailey.

Thank you to everyone who came for our family Thanksgiving dinner! Despite the Pneumonia Tom and I had a great time with everyone.

Gearing up for Thanksgiving 2011

I'm so excited for Thanksgiving this year! We have friends and family joining us in Jersey, and we can't wait! We will miss the family members that can't make it but we understand it's hard to travel these days with the economy. We are thankful for those that can come and we look forward to sharing some good times and laughs. Especially with Alysia and Christian here, Julia and Alysia are bound to get into some kind of mischief. We always do :)

I'm very thankful that my brother is coming as well. The girls love having their Uncle Brian around. They are excited about everyone coming. They keep asking me when everyone is arriving so I think I need to mark the calendar for them.

I was reading Alysia and Christian's blog earlier and catching up on their happenings, and I just can't believe how long we have all been friends. We have been miles apart but we still remain friends. Alysia and I have been friends since the 8th grade...so let's see that was around 1993...so that's a grand total of 18 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So on this Thanksgiving I am thankful for so many things. My family, Tom safely returning home to us, my girls who are so precious to us, and to our friends who have been constant in our lives. Thank you for joining us on this special day and may we always remember to be thankful for Christ and what he did for us.

Hope your Thanksgiving is warm and delicious!

Tom & Julia

A Hot Day at Cape May

The girls and I braved the heat and humidity of Jersey last week. I drove us to the Cape May zoo which is at the southern tip of New Jersey. It's a beautiful town to visit. In fact, I have been told to go back during the Christmas holiday. All the Victorian homes are decorated and look amazing. Tom, the girls and I were in Cape May back in March and toured the lighthouse, walked on the beach and drove through the town. It's just beautiful. But the zoo was so much fun! The girls love going to zoo's and I love watching their faces when they see the animals. Although it was incredibly hot and sticky we had so much fun. Enjoy the pictures!

Don't try this at home...

So we all know by now that I am have a degree in accidents. I am extremely prone to accidents. I am posting a picture of my recent, well a few weeks ago at least, accident. Here's the scoop:

A few days afer Tom left, I was cleaning up the deck. One item in paticular...a fishing pole...with a brand new hook and a very pretty plastic fish. I grabbed the pole and walked over to the shed. My neighbor across the lagoon asked how we were doing with Tom away, and I said pretty good. She said if we ever needed help to ask. I said okay and proceeded to put the fishing pole in the shed. I slid my hand down the pole and ouch! I hooked my finger! I tried to get it out but it wouldn't budge at all. The interesting part, there wasn't any blood. So I yelled across the lagoon to my neighbor that I needed to take her up on that offer! So here she comes along with her husband and none of us could get the hook out. It was bedtime for the girls so I sent them to bed. My other neighbor came over as well to check things out and we all agreed that the hook wasn't coming out. I needed to go to the ER. So my neighbor drove me to the nearest ER while the other neighbor stayed with the girls. And yes, I did cut the line so all that was hanging out was the hook.

Once I got to the ER they took me back right away. After three shots in the webbing area of the fingers, which was painful, they proceeded to take it out. But even the doctor couldn't get it out. So he asked for a scalpel and I asked for more drugs. No such luck. I had to toughen up but I was flipping out because there was a lot of blood. Finally, they got it out. Turns out it was hooked on a tendon. No stitches because of how long the hook was in there. They said it would be worse to stitch it up. So they wrapped it up, updated my tetnus shot and home I went. It's healed now but whenever I bend that finger it still hurts.

So the moral of this story? If you ever want to know how a fish feels....just ask it :) Enjoy the pictures!