Busy Busy Busy

I have been extremely busy with school so I haven't had much time to post. :( I have about 3 weeks of school left so I am trying to play catch up with the assignments I pushed to the side. I hope to post more in the next couple of weeks.

I am excited to announce that this morning I registered for my LAST set of classes!! I will be student teaching in January and graduating in May!! This morning I registered for my student teaching courses.

Hopefully in the next few weeks I will be able to let you all know if I will be graduating with Honors and if so which level. Also hoping to find out my student teaching placements as well in the next few weeks.

Reminder!

Please don't forget to follow me at my new blog: http://www.threadedthingsbytammy.blogspot.com

I will still be using this blog for personal posts and I will be using my new blog to post various handmade projects that I have done.

Halloween & Colton's Birthday

So much has been going on lately I have had practically no time to post pictures! I have been crazy busy with school as the end of the semester is approaching. My mom took Colton and I to Shrek Live, we had our first real Halloween and Colton's 4th birthday! We opted to not to a birthday party so we spent the same amount of money and took Colton to San Antonio for the weekend. :) Below is a few pictures to recap the past few weeks... Above: At Shrek Live (I would also like to add that I think Colton looks a lot like me in this picture... Quite frankly I am tired of everyone saying my children "look just like Kyle.")

Colton as Woody from Toy Story and Tayler as a little Halloween fairy. (She refused to wear the wings or shoes.)

Colton was so excited, he kept running and got tripped up in his cowboy boots and went face first into the concrete. It scabbed pretty bad the next few days but is better now.

Since this is the first year that we took Colton trick-or-treating and handed out candy (and it is the first time that I can remember be able to celebrate Halloween) I had to at least dress up a little bit!

The Birthday Boy!
Last Friday, Colton turned 4!

Since we did not do a birthday party for Colton at the house, we did a mini party at his pre-school. They all sang happy birthday and I gave the kids toy story decorated brownies and a toy story themed goody bag (which Colton passed out.) Also, in the picture, to the right of Colton you may notice another special child... Tayler! She sat at the table and was so well behaved. She fit right in with the big kids.
When we got home, we did cake, presents and packed to get read for our trip to San Antonio! (These pictures will have to come later because I am quite tired after posting all of these!)

Below: Blowing out the candles on his strawberry cake with chocolate icing (Hey, it's what he wanted!) Toy Story themed cake.

Below: Colton with some of his gifts..




Colton LOVES puzzles so we got him a panoramic puzzle. It is 3 seperate puzzles but they all fit together. One is "easy" one is "medium" and one is more difficult.

Colton loves anything educational. He especially loved this V-Tech educational texter. It has various activities with letters and numbers.

Isn't this face just priceless!?!? This was when he opened his Toy Story flashlight. :)

Colton has the game Hungry Hungry Hippos but he hardly gets to play it because Tayler likes to try and eat the balls. So, when I saw the travel game, I knew he would love it! All of the pieces are enclosed in a plastic shell.

"Colton, do you like all of your presents?"

"Yeeeeeeeaaaaah!"

An additional blog

Hi all,
Just wanted to let you know that I started a new blog. I will still be using this blog for personal posts so please make sure you keep following it! I have created an additional blog at...

http://threadedthingsbytammy.blogspot.com/

Here, I will post various handmade projects. Several people have mentioned I should post the things that I make so this will be a start. So, please make sure you follow that one so you can see the new posts on your blogger dashboard!

Love,
Tammy

P.S. LOTS and LOTS of pictures coming soon, as soon as I have time!!

Sneak Peek...

Here is a sneak peek at Tayler's Halloween costume...

As some of you may, or may not, know, a few months ago, I began making tutus. After seeing how cheaply made the tutus in the store are, I was inspired by my daughter to make my own tutus for her. Tayler is going to be a halloween fairy for Halloween. I purchased the shirt and then I made the tutu to match.

Can't wait to post pics of her entire costume at the end of next week!

Stay tuned...

It's Time For a Change

I have been going through a lot of emotional dilemmas this week.

I have been praying about my place in the small group (Bible Study) that I joined. I just haven't really felt like I fit in and have questioned myself, and the Lord, if it is right for me. Without going in to details, I feel like I have been given several signs telling me that it is not the right fit for me. So, I am no longer attending that. It is kind of bitter sweet but I know I will find my place eventually.

I have been really down lately about my weight. I have to go to school tomorrow to do a presentation for a class that I have. I wanted to make sure I had pants that fit and sure enough, I didn't. I went to the store and got 2 different sizes to try on. Neither fit. I had to go even bigger. I saw the size that I never thought I would see on myself. So I started thinking about how this has happened. I have been wearing the same clothes for months. I realized the problem is that I never get dressed up. I have all online classes. Kyle and I never go out because Tayler is just too difficult in public settings. So, I wear lounge clothes all the time. Lounge clothes have elastic... there is a problem. Also, since I never get dressed up, I really don't look in the mirror too often... Another problem. I didn't realize what I look like.

I am so sleep deprived and stressed out from school and the kids that I guess I let myself go. I never have "me" time so I definitely don't have time to exercise nor the energy to cook. But I have now realized that I have to make time. Instead of staying up late to watch shows that we have recorded, I need to go to bed early so I can wake up before the kids and exercise. I have to make the changes in my lifestyle if I want the changes in my body to happen.

I purchased a couple of work out videos in hopes they would motivate me to start working out on my own with the exercise equipment sitting in my dining room that was purchased earlier this year. I purchased 2 Jillian Michaels videos.. a 20 minute and a 30 minute. I figured there is no reason I cannot do a 20 minute video. I need baby steps so I thought this would be the perfect motivation. I hope I'm right.

I have also been trying to compile menus so that when I am hungry, I know exactly what to eat because I have already calculated the food groups and calories.

I am doing this completely on my own, which is one reason why I think I am having such a hard time. Kyle, although he has gained a few pounds, can lose them quickly. I, on the other hand, have about 75 pounds to lose. So it is a bigger deal for me. It is definitely hard living with someone who loves junk food. It has been much harder having Kyle home the past few months. Don't get me wrong, I love the time with him, but I don't love the results of the meals we eat together. So, please keep me in your thoughts and prayers that I can find the strength within myself to take control of my life and lose the weight that I need to lose to be a healthy person.

I know it only takes 2 weeks to get over cravings, it's just that those first 2 weeks are sooo hard. I am starting tomorrow so wish me luck!

Are you currently trying to lose weight or have you in the past? What is working for you? What didn't work for you? I would love any and all feedback.

Tammy

Neighborhood Fall Festival

This evening our neighborhood held a Fall Festival. They had several games in the parking lot, an inflatable slide, a moonwalk (which we did not allow Colton to get in because there were way too many kids in it and I didn't want my baby getting hurt.) They had free candy and gadgets for prizes, gave away water, capri suns, chips and cookies. Chick-fil-a also had a booth where they gave out free 6 pack of chicken nuggets. Colton had a great time and the best parts were that it was right down the street and it was free. :)

Colton climbing up the huge slide. Such a big boy!

Going down the slide!

Tayler choosing a lolipop from the lolipop tree.

She was content the entire times on my hip, watching everyone and sucking on her lolipop. 40 minutes later I got myself a great arm workout but hey, beats chasing her!!

My kiddos :)

Fishing for a duck. His had a 3 on the bottom so he got 3 prizes.

Digging for bones!

Tattoo!

Colton enjoyed his gadgets while Tayler enjoyed the candy!