An Update

Wow, I have been especially bad about taking pictures lately - even with my phone.  These are the only pictures I have taken since the first of the year.

And to be fair, I'm not even sure that I was the photographer behind those last two pics.

I am slightly sad that I haven't documented more but I'm also proud of myself.  I feel as though the lack of photos means I am doing a better job of putting my phone down and being present in the moment.  I've been really trying to make that a priority.

We have all managed to make it through the first week back at school after the holiday break.  The first few days were a bit rough with news of new projects and the ever dreaded release of the syllabus. However, this weekend we were afforded some much needed time at home to get a jump start on all things academic and so we (Mckenna and I) are feeling pretty good as of this writing.

Saturday morning we got Cooper all signed up for baseball.   His participation in a sport has never caused me so much anxiety.   We have discussed this baseball thing and debated it from all angles before jumping in with both feet.  It's either going to be an awesome experience or the worst spring ever. Stay tuned.  After baseball sign-up we were feeling pretty good so we played the power ball. Cooper picked the numbers based on the lucky numbers on his fortune cookie from the night before. We didn't win. But the good news is that no one did.  The jackpot now stands at over a billion dollars.  I don't think we will be playing again because I actually don't even desire to be the winner of a billion dollars.   

In other news, I am happy to report that after two solid months Kinley is finally over her cough.  I seriously thought she was taking it to college.  Three antibiotics, a bunch of albuterol treatments, and some allergy medicine later and she seems to be back to regular, "spirited" Kinley.  I do not have a clue in the world where she gets her strength. She wears me down like nothing else. 

McKenna has finished out another marking period and has really excelled.  Her grades this year astound me and the way she manages academics, dance and music really make me proud! Not to mention the fact that she still makes time to just be a kid! 

Barkley is thriving and growing like a bad weed.  He managed to pack on 5 pounds in 19 days in December.  He has started losing his puppy teeth and though he still gets into mischief, he has calmed down considerably. He lovingly lays at my feet and sleeps the day away while I work on schoolwork or hangs out in the kitchen with me while I cook. I love having him around.
Earl and I are kept constantly busy with the kids but we are still managing to do a few things for ourselves.  Okay, maybe one thing, but it's a start.   A few weeks ago we started a new workout series and so far we are loving it.  We have both stuck with it, managing to get a workout in every day - no matter what!  I think we are both so happy to have a new workout.  We feel so much better and we are sleeping and eating better too. 
We've planned our next Disney vacation and the countdown is on.  I, for one, cannot wait to get away.  By that time I will have 4 more classes under my belt and I will be so ready to celebrate that and have some down time.  We are staying at a new resort and trying a lot of new restaurants and experiences.  We are all excited to be getting back to our happy place. 
So that's a little update to get up to speed on the goings on around here.  I feel like it's an exciting time for all five of us as we embark on new things, learn, and grow.