Happy New Year!

Its crazy how time flies and another year has passed. I like to reflect on blessings in the past year, things I am grateful for in no special order:

1) Kerry finding a new job in Indiana where he can be joyful doing what he loves.
2) Selling our house in AZ in less than 48 hrs during the worst real estate market and having two bidders, selling for more than we listed.
3) Finding the most beautiful home in Noblesville. Like I did with our AZ home, walked right in and fell in love. We were competing with another buyer who offered more and they accepted our offer instead. Amazing!
4) Being welcomed and embraced by our new church family at Grace Community Church.
5) Being reunited with old friends from San Diego, the Odegaards.
6) Enjoying a beautiful swan in the pond in my backyard.
7) Having a nature trail right across the street.
8) Snow.
9) Thermals.
10) Good Health.
11) Family.
12) Celebrating 8 years of marriage to my soul mate.
13) My precious son Caleb who brings so much joy to my heart, I had to try and create another! Which we did learn this year will be born around June 19, 2010.
14) My lovable fur ball of a dog, Speedy who survived cancer this year.
15) My BFF Julie, whom I've known now for nearly 25 years. Our friendship is a true gift and blessing. I have never found another like her.
16) Knowing the joy of the Lord. Trusting in Him always to care for me no matter the circumstance.
17) Carmel Sea Salt Bark from Cost Plus.
18) Being called Momma.
19) Fall leaves.
20) Snow in Tubby

Christmas in Cali!

Despite all of the weather conditions surrounding the Midwest, we had no problems with our flights to and fro. Thank goodness! We had to leave for the airport at 530am on Christmas Eve, waking Caleb from his slumber. I thought he may fall back asleep on the way to the airport, but the minute Kerry put him in the car he says, "I wake up! I wake up!" At the airport to kill time, Caleb loves to ride on the moving walkways, or alligators as he calls them. Anything moving really is an alligator. Elevators, escalators, somehow all got named alligators. We arrived into Sacramento around noon so we were able to put Caleb down for a nap right on schedule. He slept wonderfully this trip! Took all of his naps, went to bed peacefully. Just woke up on east coast time at 530am every morning, but would go back to sleep for an hour once I moved him into my bed.

Santa (my Dad) stopped by Christmas Eve to see Caleb. At first Caleb said, "I don't like Santa," but soon he warmed up to him after he gave him a big candy cane to play with. My family tradition on Christmas Eve is having a lobster dinner, which we enjoyed! Yum! My sister is quite the hostess. Christmas morning Caleb had more presents to open! (This was our 3rd Christmas celebration! We did ours Wednesday morning before traveling and then a skype video with Nana & Papa in AZ) My sister got him Monty Rex, a very cool animated dinosaur which he loved. His reaction was priceless! I am so glad Kerry caught it on video. He said, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" with his hands on his head! He has tons of dinosaurs now to decorate his new big boy room before the baby arrives. For dinner, my sister prepared Prime Rib which was delicious! We get so spoiled when we visit!

The remainder of our visit was just hanging out, enjoying ourselves. We did miss out on after Christmas shopping, but a part of me didn't need to partake in that chaos this year. I actually like to go later once things are completely marked down, like a small tabletop tree I got last year for 49 cents! Caleb liked to carry that around this year for fun!

We had In N Out for lunch one day so Kerry could get his fix before we headed back home. We actually flew out of Modesto which is an hour from Lodi so we stayed at my Dad's Sunday night. I shopped around for the cheapest flights this holiday season and saved us $300 by flying different airlines each way and departing out of Modesto. Never again. Talk about a shady little terminal. They had plenty of employees there and I was thinking, this is a one man show. You don't need 3 ticket agents, 5 TSA agents and 2 car rental companies. We did have to take a small prop plane to San Francisco first, but it was only 20 minutes. Kerry hates them! I told him this was the last time I try and save us money by giving you a slight heart attack when you look at the size of the plane. The rest of our travels were fine. Caleb managed to stay up all day long and conked out on the way home from the airport. He was a trooper!

We had a lovely visit with my family, but missed our first White Christmas back home in Indy. Next year.

It's Official!

Most of you have heard the news, but in case you have not, Kerry and I are expecting Snyder baby #2 come June 19, 2010. I am in my 13th week and feeling great, besides being worn down at Monkey Joe's (bounce house for kids) following Caleb through tunnels and slides today! Good exercise, but I am not going to be able to take too many trips there in a few months!

What is neat about this pregnancy is that I get to share it alongside many other friends who are also expecting, near and far. One friend from my playgroup has a daughter Caleb's age who was born on September 26th, 2007 and Caleb on the 28th. She too is pregnant again with TWINS and is due 1 day after me, but will surely delivery earlier carrying two! So cool to have our kids nearly the same ages! My sister is also pregnant with her first child, due in April and I am sad I am so far away to not be able to see the changes in both of us as we go through this journey together. Another gal from my old playgroup in AZ is also expecting #2 a few weeks after me. Funny how there tends to be a season for weddings and pregnancies.

Kerry and I are excited. Caleb doesn't really understand it quite yet. We tried to explain that I have a baby in my belly and it will grow bigger and bigger. Caleb looks down at his and starts rubbing it, wondering if he has one inside! I know he will be a great big brother once the surprise arrives. Soon, he will be saying goodbye to his Curious George nursery and we will be turning it into a big boy room full of Dinosaurs! Hopefully he is okay with his sibling inheriting George for awhile :)

Thanksgiving in AZ

Last week we spent Thanksgiving in Phoenix. I caught a nice cold Sunday before we left which made for some misery most of the week, but I survived. Caleb loves flying on the airplanes, he did so well, one stretch being 4 hours because it was cheaper to fly to Cleveland first! Once we arrived our first stop was In-n-Out, a place Kerry had been thirsting for since we left. He said that the Veggie Tales Cheeseburger song was about his love for In-N-Out. Go figure. Its Caleb's favorite too. We got plenty of quality time with Nana & Papa, seeing a few close friends that we could squeeze in, but just not enough time for everyone. Hopefully next time! We got to enjoy some Salerno's Italian food and yummy carne asada, one food we have yet to find here in Indy. Oh, don't forget the Turkey on Thanksgiving! Caleb actually slept through dinner, but enjoyed some turkey, mashed potatoes and bread on his own once he woke up! Caleb also learned how to climb out of the pack n play while at Nana & Papa's which made for bedtime battles most of the week! I know our time is off a few hours, but not going to bed until 10-11pm at night was wearing me down! He was just too excited about his newfound freedom, he could not bare to sleep!

We got home safely, back to our chilly weather. Caleb keeps asking about riding on an airplane. I keep saying, a few more weeks and we are off on another plane to California to see my family! Oh, how I dread the bedtime battle there too.....sigh.

Thanks Nana & Papa for a wonderful visit. Caleb loves you so much!

Happy Halloween!

This year was fun because Caleb could actually walk door to door and tricker treat. He was a Stegosaurus. "They eat plants and grass." He loves dinosaurs. Talks about them daily and likes to visit them at the Children's Museum. We went over to the Chandler's neighborhood along with the Odegaard's and started early, only having success at a few homes, but it was still very fun to see him participate! Kerry is in Haiti so he missed out on his first real Halloween, but that is okay. There is always next year!

Happy Halloween!

21 Years

Today I remember my mom who I lost to Ovarian Cancer 21 years ago. Being only 11, I went to school the next day because I was so excited about dressing up for Halloween. Crazy, I know. Maybe that was my way of denying what had happened the day before or maybe I wanted to find something joyful in the midst of my sorrow. I don't know.

I took Caleb to his first Halloween party today, all dressed up as a dinosaur. So cute. He loved being around the other kids and dancing. That boy can dance. I realize today and everyday how precious being a mother really is. How I can't take any day for granted because you never know when your time is up.

Its comforting for me to know that I get to experience what my mom got to experience with my sister and I. A truly precious gift of being a mom. We sign up willingly, never knowing what battles we may face or when our contract may come to an end. Make each day count.

I love and miss you mom. I am blessed to have spent 11 years with you.

Mom Break

After reading in parenting magazines again and again about how a break is needed from parenting once your child hits 2, I decided to treat myself for my 32nd birthday to a weekend away! At first, I wasn't sure if Kerry was up for it, but he quickly agreed to watching Caleb for the weekend. That was easy! I hadn't seen my BFF Julie since January, so I arranged a past due visit!

The airport drop off was tough. Most of the way there, Caleb needed to hold my hand in the car which only made saying goodbye harder. We both cried, but I knew it would be short term tears. I got in late Friday night, but woke up around 630 the next day. It was nice to just lay in bed and not have to attend to anyone. I almost wasn't sure what to do with myself! Julie and I got to spend a majority of the day shopping and dining. It was great. No kids. I miss that time with her. I do not miss spending nearly an hour in Naartjie while she decided what outfits to get for her girls, but that is my best friend and I love her for the indecisiveness! After church on Sunday we watched the girls play, had lunch and some down time before heading back out to dinner to one of my San Diego favorites, Miguel's. It was a girls night out, with her oldest daughter Ashlyn. She is great company. She talks and talks and talks some more, but what do you expect from a near 6 year old?

Early Monday I was off to the airport and my mom break was nearly over. I had talked to my boys everyday to check in and it seemed that Caleb wasn't missing me too much. He was having fun "Daddy time" and barely noticed I was gone! It sure was good to see him when they picked me up. I missed him, but I knew taking a few days off would be good for me, for him and for Daddy.