Amarillo Town Club

Today all of the Les Mills classes had their launches for each class at the Amarillo Town Club (ATC). The “theme” this time was Hawaiian Luau, which was basically an excuse to have more fun in class & get people a little more keyed up about the new release/workout.

Malee and I teamed together for the new Body Pump (#74).

I’ve been teaching Body Pump for 2 ½ years now and Ben has finally decided to attend my class. 

Although I've enjoyed teaching classes for the past 4 years, Being a fitness instructor has been a HUGE blessing this year with me staying home. With this small job, I get the best of both worlds—I am able to get out of the house every day, yet spend the bulk of my time with Kaden. 

Sometimes I question why I do it, but for an hour a day the gym PAYS me to leave my house/ take a “mommy” break to exercise & socialize with other adults while offering Kaden an hour to get acquainted with other babies/toddlers.  How can I pass that up?

Sundown Lane Babies

The last year that I taught elementary school, I had the privilege of sharing a portable with Heather Richard. (a.k.a. the best year EVER!)  When the school year began Heather was 3 months pregnant with Danni.  As the year progressed, she made the agonizing decision to leave me (HA!) to stay home with her daughter.  Meanwhile, around Christmas I discovered that I was pregnant with Kaden.  Finally, as Christine Martin moved her things into Heather's old room to begin her first year of teaching, she shockingly discovered that she was pregnant with HER first child.
Three teachers all becoming pregnant within in a matter of months... Was there something magical about portable A?

Fast forward to the present and the three of us gathered at my house to catch up over lunch & let the kids  attempt to play together.

Kaden (11 months) with Danni Shea (17 ½ months) What a difference a few months can make!

Christine with her daughter, Ellie (9 months).

Heather supervising.

Better Late Than Never

We’ve finally started reading a book to Kaden before putting him into his crib for the night.
And I know what some of you are thinking. 

“Why, we’ve been doing that with our child since he/she was..."  

It’s not that I hadn’t tried before this point.

Until now it seemed more like forced family fun, or that I was trying to be a “good mom” instead of helping my child relax & unwind before bed.

Sorry for the picture of Ben sans shirt;

it’s summertime in Amarillo and I’m too cheap to blast the AC.

Little Buddy

This has been the best month yet!

With all of the speed crawling, pulling up, cruising walls and furniture, new facial expressions, babbling,

not to mention sharing real meals, I feel like I have a true little companion during the day.

4th of July... A Week Later

We didn't have the best 4th of July holiday this year.

Kaden was getting over a wicked virus just as Ben caught the same virus. I ended up driving Ben to the emergency room at Northwest Texas Hospital after he began suffering from a fever of 104°F while shaking violently with chills. I didn’t think this type of thing happened in the middle of summer!
I knew that I should have been thankful that I didn’t catch whatever the two of them had, but I was very disappointed that I didn’t get to see fireworks.

Lucky for us, we got to experience the fun, food, and fireworks that comprise a typically 4th at our friends’ farm a week later. They ended up rescheduling the festivities due to all of the wet and rainy weather we have been experiencing here in the Texas panhandle.

I didn’t think Kaden would last until dark (9:45 p.m.) when they started shooting off fireworks, but he couldn’t have been more content reclined in his jogging stroller. I told Ben that we would leave once he started whining and acting crabby but he was wide-eyed, enjoying himself by watching everyone and experiencing fireworks for the first time. 

And what a show it was!

5-Year Anniversary

We can hardly believe that 5 years have gone by since we said our vows.
I guess time flies when you're having fun.