When you read this it will more than likely be a year and a few days but close enough, right? This year was full of some many ups and downs for us that I needed to cut some things out and sadly the blog was something that got cut. As much as I want to be honest and real on here I didn't want my hurt and anger to ruin our sweet family memories on here. So we are starting fresh and new but we can't move on without catching you up so lets take a look Gilmore Girls style! I apologize now for the length of this post. Check my Instagram for pictures of all this.
Summer
When we left you we were just starting the potty training with Felicity and counting down the days to Alex and Ellie's wedding and our Cruise. I was keeping a very exciting secret that my best friend, Heather was adopting TWINS that were coming in August and we were working on expanding our family as well. In the middle of this we unexpectedly had to move out of our campus townhouse and into one of the dorms while our home had some work done. There is so much more to say about this but I will leave it with it was awful and exhausting, I cried and yelled a lot during a 3 week period and I prayed really hard if this was the right place for my family to be. In the end everything worked out and we were blessed with new carpet. We are ever thankful for our wonderful Mimi who stayed with us and took care of us during this time.
Alex and Ellie's wedding was so much fun and worth every second of work we put into it. We had a great time and celebrated our success on the cruise - which I welcomed with open arms after the event start to the summer.
Little miss Red head turned 3! We partied it up Sofia the First style with all her favorite people. Then daddy surprised us both with a overnight stay at Disney's Port Orleans (Yay! no dorm mattress) and we ate breakfast at the castle. Then spent the rest of the day at Magic Kingdom.
August appeared before we knew it and just like that the kids headed back to school and my students returned to campus and we got to move back into our home. Also Heather's boys made their entrance into the world and spend my lunch breaks snuggling sweet Evan and Logan.
Fall
September was spent putting our home back together and unpacking our entire lives. Jesse and I squeezed in a date night and we cheered on our Crimson Tide. A need to visit our Tennessee campus led to a weekend with my mom and Mamaw in October. It was much needed girls weekend that my heart needed.
We had our annual family vacation at Disney (we really love that place if you haven't figured it out yet!) We stayed at The Art of Animation in a Cars Themed family suite and had a wonderful time. I think our plan is to stay there again this year.
November brought us a visit with my brother from another mother, Abi at Disney of course. Felicity still talks about this night, she always asks about my brother Abi and her sister, Selah (Abi's daughter) it makes my heart so happy.
We were so excited to find out that Aiden was receiving an award a school and bless his little heart it was for Perfect Attendance! But he was so proud of himself and really started to love school and his teacher.
We finally got a chance to visit Legoland and we had such a wonderful day. The kids had a great time and so did the big kid!
Of course The Osborne Festival of Lights at Hollywood Studios was on our list since it was the last year we would be able to see it, so why not go with some of our favorite students?
We celebrated Evan and Logan's Gotcha day and their first trip to Disney.
Thanksgiving was spent with Grandma & Grandpa, Alex and Ellie relaxing on the couch and stuffing our faces - so no pictures of that.
Winter
I documented everyday in December on my Instagram account - so I won't make you relive that with me.
We started off January with a trip to Disney and watching our boys bring home the National Championship. We spent the coldest day of Winter freezing at Monster Jam! Aiden was just rocking first grade!
Jesse and I snuck away for a weekend at Disney and I finally got to see the Welcome Show at Magic Kingdom. It was so wonderful and with a late check out we snuck back over to the hotel for a nap before heading to Hollywood Studios.
We celebrated Valentine's day late at an O.A.R. concert and had a good time but realized we may be too hold for the concert scene. :)
Spring
Before I knew it we were hopping into the end of the school year.
We were so busy just living life and doing our daily things that the days flew by and before we knew it, Aiden was 7 and my girls graduated (all in the same week - cue the water works!) I also decided this was a great time to start the Tone It Up Nutrition and workout plan. Hello meal planning and sweating it out.
I made a decision to remove myself from a very hurtful and stressful roller coaster relationship with my father. This was not a quick decision it was a 6 years in the making decision.
Mom and I took a quick trip to surprise my cousin, Makayla as she graduated high school - I am still not sure who let her grow up. We snuck in a Sunday afternoon trip to Disney with Heather, Roby and the boys.
On Memorial Day Jesse and I boarded a plane for Jamaica to celebrate 10 years of marriage. We laid by the pool and enjoyed the wonderful food. It was the most wonderful time and we purposely didn't book excursions so we could just relaxed.
That is pretty much our year. This summer both kiddos are in Summer Camp at Felicity's school and loving it. Mimi is here for the next 2 1/2 weeks helping out and we couldn't be more excited.
This week Orlando was rocked by a terrible crime and I spent the week hugging by sweet kiddos a little longer and tighter.
I am happy to be back on this space and share our lives with you!
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
June Goals
Because there is nothing like waiting until the middle of the month to post these!
Here is how May went:
- Potty Train Felicity- Thanks to a princess potty and my amazing mother this is done!!! We still have accidents but no more diapers.
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| Yes, I posted a potty on the blog! |
- Change her crib to big girl bed - she cried huge tears and demanded that I put her bed back together but she got over that. She still waits on us to come and get her out of bed - I don't know who's child she is or how I am blessed to have such a good sleeper.
-Build new dresser that we have had for over a month and sell the old one (need one??) - Well we build the dresser moved it upstairs and brought the old one down but haven't even tried to sell it yet.
- Send a letter to each of my Grandmothers - I have been saving pictures for them and meaning to write these since December! - didn't do this but did get to see one Mamaw while I was at a conference in Nashville for work.
- Replace my iphone screen - done! I have made the move to the iphone5S and I am pretty happy.
- Get my passport for our CRUISE! - DONE!! and it's already here.
- Finish my MBA application essay - So here is the big news, I am not doing my MBA. When I sat down to write this essay I could think of no real valid reason for a Masters in Business Administration except I am a nerd and I love school and it would look cool on my business cards - not good reasons to sacrifice your family. So Jesse and I talked and I cancelled my application and I happy with that decision. I want my Master's I just want it in something I truly love.
- hit up Disney a few more times before its so hot we can't breathe. - Yes and some in the last couple of days.
Here's what I want to do with the rest of this month:
- Send a letter to each of my Mamaws
- Take pictures of my clothes for Instagram sale -keep it eye out @Homeof theRudolphs on InstaGram for new to you things!
- I am currently going thru Tone It Up's 28 day book (not an affiliated link) I want to keep at it
- blog at least 2 times per week
Lets see how this goes!
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Disney Birthday Adventures
We headed to Disney on Saturday with Aiden for our traditional birthday celebration. Aiden got to chose the whole day and Felicity stayed with Grandpa and Grandma Jen.
He was so excited to do the things that he really loves and get to chose where we eat. We started our day at Hollywood Studios and made it to the gate before we realized Aiden didn't have his magic band! A semi-quick stop at guest relations got us a hard ticket and our free birthday pin. Tip: This one is pretty well known but just in case if you stop by any ticket counter or guest service counter and are celebrating ANYTHING they have a pin for it. First visit, birthday, engagement, honeymoon, anniversary, family reunion, or just a celebrating pin. Sometimes they have them in the stores too at the check out counters you just have to ask.
First on our stop was the Animation Station inside The Magic of Disney Animation to draw a picture with the help of a Disney artist. We drew Winnie the Pooh and it's cool what a birthday pin and dimples will get you if you ask! Tip: You get to keep the drawing that you do. It's a cute little memento. I wouldn't recommend this attraction unless you have older kids. Aiden enjoyed it but I ended up helping him through most of it.
Then we were off to the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground. Aiden loves this area and I feel safe picking a spot near the entrance/exit and letting him run and play. A nice 1 hour plus wait for Toy Story Mania (get fastpasses if you can! We already had Magic Kingdom ones so we couldn't) and onto Aiden's favorite place to eat Pizza Plant. I on the other hand don't usually care for the Plant of Pizza since their red sauce tends to upset my belly digestive tract. But it's Aiden's day so I get brave and ask for my pizza sans sauce due to my "sauce intolerance." Not a problem he says and I am awarded a pager and a slip of paper. I had to wait an extra 15 minutes for mine but look at that cheesy-veggie goodness. Worth the wait and I didn't feel sick later in the day!
From there we headed out to Magic Kingdom! If you follow me on Instagram (mommyrudolph) you saw what happened! Sleepy boys!
Once the boys had a siesta in the car we head off to meet Tinkerbell. No kidding that is what Aiden wanted to do first - I won't lie he loves all the Tinkerbell movies!
A little ice cream break and strict orders "don't even think about it!" as we walked by the Starbucks were given as we headed to Enchanted Tales with Belle. This is probably my kids favorite thing to do at Magic right now. Aiden practiced the beast part while we walked in and was chosen!
Our next stop was Tom Sawyer Island which is a favorite of Jesse and Aiden.
They love to explore the caves, cross the barrel bridge, shot the riffles and just run and play. It's one of the less busy places at Magic so we take our time there.
Then we headed to dinner. A few months ago we had dinner with our sweet friends Josh & Jill while they were visiting from Iowa at Whisper Canyon inside the Fort Wilderness Lodge - this was during the time that Aiden didn't really eat but on that night he was so entertained he cleaned that plate! So he was so excited to go back. They have Lincoln Logs (cause we don't have those at home!) to play with while you wait for your table. We were given a not so great time in the "library" so I kindly requested my husband go and ask for us to be moved to the main dinning room where the action is. I mean we booked it for the excitement and we even told them it was Aiden's birthday. No problem Disney magic took over and we were given prime seats and Aiden was in hog heaven. This isn't your typical dinning experience. They are sarcastic and have a good time with you if you so chose. Aiden was loving it...also ALWAYS ask for ketchup! Tip: While the all you can eat selection is $30 a person it is worth it! We didn't order that this time but we did the previous time. You will not be disappointed.
A boat ride back to Magic and one more trip to Enchanted Tales with Belle. Someone else got picked for a part! By that time we were done! Aiden was asleep before we pulled out of the parking lot!
I am so glad that we are able to do these special things with the kids - it was a great day!
Ps - We celebrated Mother's day I promise with all my favorite things: a trip to the spa with my bestie, Target, and Outback (@home) Jesse got my gift a few weeks ago - a new to us car! I am pretty much in love with it - 2015 Ford Explorer in Grey - swoon :)
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