Life Lately

Oh wow- one day soon... I'll blog more.  HA!  Or maybe not.  Life just goes by too quickly.

So the last update (for those who only know my life according to this blog) was that Alyssa was in the middle of potty training- or 3 days into it.  Well Day 3.. or maybe it was 4... was magical!  I think we started on a Wednesday and Friday we had some friends over for lunch.  Alyssa LOVES Michelle and Brynlee (Michelle is the mom, Brynlee is Kinzley's age).  So she was of course SO excited to tell Michelle about going potty... so excited in fact that she went 4 or 5 times while they were here.  Numbers 1 and 2!  And she's been doin' it ever since!  The next day, she went on the "big" potty all day and hasn't gone back since!  Actually a couple times she's used her little potty... and then laughs about it.  Anyway, that seems like it was AGES ago... but life has been great ever since!!  We LOVE only buying diapers for ONE!!! :)

The same week that Alyssa potty trained, Kinzley switched from formula to Whole Milk!!! HALLELUJAH!!!  SUCH a happy day!  We thought our budget would love it... until I lost 6 of my 7 piano students.  Total bummer.  But, such is life. (A couple weeks ago, I got one more student, so I'm slowly working back up to 7.  Slowly.)

Joseph started school again and is on a "quarter" system instead of a trimester one this year.  It is FAST paced, but he's handling it so well.  He has been so good to put the girls and I first.  He apologizes for how much he's gone- not like he can change it- but he gets a glimpse of the craziness of being home with 2 little ones all day (for the short time he's home), and he appreciates me more.  A lot more.  Especially after Sundays.  :)

The girls and I have been staying busy with preschool!  Alyssa and I do preschool a few days a week here at home and we BOTH love it.  (I might love it just a little more than she does... although she did tell my mom that she LOVES her school and it makes her SO happy.)  We focus on one letter each week, and a different theme each day.  The very first lesson we did was A is for Ant- and Alyssa STILL says, "A for Ant!" every time she sees an ant (which is pretty much every time we're outside).  She has become so much more talkative the past few months and has learned a TON.  She's more familiar with the letters and their sounds, she's a pro at counting and numbers, and she LOVES colors.  She paints almost every day and loves to color pictures.  We go on field trips on Fridays (Airport, Candy shop, Dinosaur museum...) it's been great!  It gives more purpose to our days and always helps me feel more productive.  And Alyssa loves the one-on-one time.  It'll be much easier next year when Kinzley can be more a part of things... rather than having to wait until she's asleep.

Speaking of Kinzley... she is somethin' else, that girl.  I might've been known to label her as "crazy"... just maybe.  She really is a little light in our home, though.  She definitely came pre-loaded with personality and she seems to get more and more of it every day.  She ADORES Alyssa and wants to be JUST like her.  She can't get enough of her dad.  She is ALWAYS the first to greet him when he comes home and does so with a HUGE grin, kicking legs, head on his shoulder, lots of pats, and lots of giggles.  (He melts every time.) :)  Now, the crazy part comes in.  She also enjoys pinching, and biting, and hitting, and all of those violent things kids should NOT do to other kids.  She loves the reaction... getting  a "rise", hearing a scream or "OW!".  It happens ALL DAY with Alyssa.  We have taken Alyssa to church with huge scratches on her face and arms- from her little sister, and explained to friends- it was Kinz.  Kinz is a fighter and we plan on channeling all of that energy into sports.  As long as we can steer her in the right directions, she'll do amazing things.  It's just that steering part we're having a little trouble with at the moment.  But oh how we love her.  I have a whole post in and of itself to write about her... and the little moments I've had with her.  She's taught me so much about motherhood.  She's helped me realize things I've never realized.  She's helped me learn things I may not have otherwise learned without being her mother this brief time that it's been.  I think she'll continue to teach me things as she gets older... in her own little way.  That's one of the things I love about her.  She has her own little way.  And she's not afraid to show it.

Well, I could go on and on.  I need to just be better at recording things when they happen so I don't have to catch up so much.  But for now, just know that life here in AZ is good.  It's hot.  But getting cooler.  The holidays are fast approaching and the excitement in the air is thick- almost tangible.  Alyssa talks about Christmas almost every day.  I love it.  :)  We might just break out the Christmas music soon.  We are enjoying our journey.   The ups make the downs seem so much better.  We have a lot to learn, but we're grateful for what we know.  We have seen miracles happen in our little family.  Our testimonies are growing.  Our girlies are growing.  Our love for one another is growing.  And we are grateful for it all.