A Decade to Remember

As I sit infront of my warm, cozy fireplace with my daughter sleeping upstairs and my fantastic, loving husband downstairs, I can't help but think how much has changed in my life over the last 10 years.  So come with me, dear followers, on a trip down memory lane for this past decade.

2000--I ended my freshman year of college at UNI, came home for the summer to nanny for a family I had previously nannied for, and began my sophomore year.

2001--I got a job at Valley Park childcare center in Cedar Falls... and in April of that year at a staff meeting, I saw a very handsome guy walk in {yes, that would be Coach :)}.  We closed the building together for the month of May, then he left for the summer.  But that fall, he came back and by October, we were dating. I finished up my sophomore year and looked forward to my junior year where I moved off campus and into a house with 9 other girls.  Insanity!  Coach finished up his classes in December. 

2002--I ended my junior year and ended my living situation with the 9 other girls and moved into an apartment with 2 other girls to start my senior year.  Coach moved back home to start his student teaching, thus starting the year and a half long distance relationship.  However, Coach lived with us for that summer while he took his last class and you guessed it, worked at the daycare some more.  We just couldn't get enough of that place!!!  All good things must come to an end, and sure enough they did.  Coach had to move back home again as he got his first teaching job for the big district.  I had a slight health scare in the spring when it was found that I had a mole on my lower stomach that was in the initial stages of melanoma.  Thankfully, after outpatient surgery and a great plastic surgeon doing it, they removed it all and left me with a nice scar.

2003--Senior year!  Yes!!  I worked 35 hours a week at the same daycare (see, it truly has always been in my life to work with other peoples' children), cleaned houses and babysat for my same families, all while fitting in classes and bi-weekly trips to see Coach {I was devastated that in the entire year and a half, I got the flu one weekend and was unable to see him.  One weekend out of 1.5 years though, not too bad.}  In May, I moved out of the apartment with the girls in CF, and moved in with Coach into an apartment in West Des Moines.  That August, Coach came home from work to find me elbow deep in dishwater chatting it up on the phone.  I looked and saw him on his knee with a dozen roses.   Yeppers folks, Coach and I got engaged and the wedding madness began, along with my student teaching madness!!!  I finally finished and graduated from UNI in December.

2004--I began subbing for several districts trying to get an "in", and went back to school at Upper Iowa to get my Reading Endorsement.  Coach settled into teaching 4th grade.  We had the most beautiful, perfect wedding in June, a fantastic honeymoon to Puerto Vallarta in July (right before I had outpatient surgery, again, to remove a pre-cancerous mole from my lower stomach, around an inch to an inch and a half away from the first one), and I got my first teaching job 2 days before school started, teaching 5th grade multicat SPED.  Coach and I also bought our first home and closed on it 2 days before I got my job.  Timing at its finest.  In September, we celebrated the wedding of my brother Jason, to his wife Ann.  We also welcomed Bogart to our little family.

2005--I found out I had to go back to school...again...to get my Strat I degree (to teach Levels 1 & 2 SPED), so back to Upper Iowa I went, and away went every Saturday for the year for me.  I began teaching the MD Cluster in the fall of this year.  Coach continued to teach 4th grade. We continued to do projects to our home, and I began working my part-time job doing SCL and Respite.  Coach became Coach to the freshman baseball team and became, well, Coach :)

2006--I continued to teach the MD Cluster, and Coach moved to 5th grade.  I finished my Strat I degree program, only to find out I needed to go back to school...AGAIN...to get my Strat II endorsement (in order to teach Level 3 MD).  So, away went my Wednesday night's and Saturday's, as well as my summer, that is, when I wasn't at the ball park or working.  Edgar joined our family.

2007--Coach stayed in 5th grade, kept coaching the freshman team, and I stayed teaching the Cluster and you guessed it, kept going to school.  I also kept up the SCL & Respite, and added Office Manager for Security at Jack Trice Stadium for ISU football games to the mix. 

2008--Coach stayed in 5th grade, kept coaching the freshman team, and I stayed teaching the Cluster, doing SCL & Respite, and continued work at ISU for football.  I had to student teach {in my own classroom}, and wrote my thesis which thankfully, was accepted!!  In November, we learned the best news ever...we were pregnant!!!!!!  In December we traveled to Austin TX to visit my brother and his family.  We returned on NYE to find that our heater had broke while we were gone.  I spent NYE in a hotel with my parents while Coach stayed at home to figure out the heat problem.

2009--The heater got fixed, Coach kept teaching and coaching, and I kept teaching and doing SCL and Respite & ISU work.  In the late winter/early spring, we found out we were having a girl, and in May I graduated with my Master's degree in Mental Disabilities, and ended my 10-year, 3 college undergrad/post grad career.  Coach and his friends re-roofed our beloved home.  On July 24, we welcomed the beautiful Lovebug to our family.

2010--Our craziest year yet.  We celebrated 6 years of marriage, celebrated Lovebug's first birthday, went to nearly all of Coach's baseball games, kept working the side jobs, sold our first home, bought our new home, said good-bye to Bogart as we had to put him down due to abdominal cancer, and Coach changed buildings.

Wow!!  Seriously, these past 10 years have brought so many changes our way.  They've been, by far, the best 10 years of my life, and I look forward to what the next 10 will bring here in Lynamland.

Christmas 2010... One to Remember

Whew!  What a Christmas.  I hate the fact that it's already come and gone... after all, it is my favorite time of year.  And this year, Mother Nature cooperated better than last year.  It was so exciting for us to see the spirit of Christmas through Lovebug's beautiful blues. 

The fun and excitement that comes with this blessed holiday started on Christmas Eve with a trip back to celebrate with Coach's family.  Lovebug got to spend some time with Papa Larry, Grandma Pam, Aunt Mandy and her friend Rob, Uncle Kevin, and of course, cousin Marshall.  This year, it was all about the kids.  So, after we dined, we watched these two rip through the pretty paper to see what surprises lay beneath.  Lovebug was excited to see a baby stroller, baby nursery, a Cabbage Patch Kid, a rocking horse, and that's right, a drum set (Coach's favorite).  It was fun for all, as you can see by the pics below.

On Christmas Day, Lovebug, Coach, my parents and I all woke up to see the fun that Santa had left!  I'm still kicking myself... I forgot to take a picture of the spread before Lovebug went for it, because I decided to videotape her reaction first.  Note to self, next year one person videos while the other snaps pics.  Santa brought Lovebug a doll house, a Barbie ATV, a rocking chair, a shopping cart full of goodies, MegaBlocks, a music table, a Sit & Spin, and lots of fun stocking stuffers including her favorite... Mickey Mouse!

Santa was quite the guy and even got Mama a WiiFit Plus, The Biggest Loser game, and two new barstools for our breakfast bar :). 

After we dined on our french toast, we waited for my Aunt CJ to get here from Waterloo.  Once she arrived, it was on to more presents.  Coach spoiled both his ladies {and got a little spoiled himself}, and as expected, everyone spoiled Lovebug.

The next day brought egg bake, cinnamon rolls, shopping, un-decorating {the most dreaded part to me} and the putting up of Lovebug's Lovebug tent, along with more ATV crashing riding :)

We were so blessed to spend the holiday with our families and can't wait to do it all over again next year :)

Happy 30th Aunt Ann!

Glad to see you're still smilin' :).  Here's to another great 30 years!!

Happy Birthday!!

Love,

Lovebug

17 and 29.5

Are you wondering what these two numbers could possibly mean?

Well, blog stalkers, today our not so little Lovebug turns 17 months old...

...and Mama turns 29 1/2. 

Eeeekks!!!!  Excitement is in the air :)

Mother Nature Strikes

As I type this, I hear the snow plow driving by our home... for the 2nd time today. 

Mother Nature is unleashing her fury on our lovely state... again.  Remember last year, when we had to have Lovebug's first Christmas over Skype?  Yeah. 

Now I'm fearful it's going to happen again :(.

I'm hoping for a Christmas miracle in the form of snow-a-stopping, plows-a-plenty, salt & sand-a-sprinkled, and spending time with Coach's family tonight and my family tomorrow.

Lovebug's Christmas Party 2010

Have I ever said how blessed we are to have Holly, Lovebug's daycare provider, in our lives?  She is the best!!  Just think... 2 years ago we found her :).

Holly knows how to throw a party for the ankle biters, let me tell you!  And here are pictures to prove it :)

{Lovebug and her boyfriend}

{she loves him... and shows it by head-butting him}

{the gang getting ready to frost cookies!}

{nicely done, Lovebug}

{the all important taste test}

{sprinkle overload!!!!! and notice... hardly any on the cookie. BAHAAAHAA!!!}

{Merry Christmas!}

{whoa!  ps: how much do you LOVE her Christmas outfit?!??! :^)}

{concentration}

{that smile is what it's all about}

{Lovebug... surrounded by boys... every daddy's dream nightmare!!!}

{Lori... Holly's sister... joining in on the fun}



{party coma}

 Thank you Holly, Chuck, Chaz, Brittney, Trevor, Lori, and the gang for another great Christmas party and for everything you do for our lil' Lovebug :)

The stockings were hung...

I love the holidays.  From the sounds of Christmas music all.day.long, to the gorgeous lights and trees in the malls, to the decorations at home.  And what could be more fun (for me) than decorating our new home for the first time this Christmas season.

Now, I don't know about any of you out there in blogosphere, but when you get something new, you have ideas of what you want to do, but it's new... it's not necessarily exactly what you envision.  And like any good thing, it only gets better with time.  So, without further ado, I introduce you to Lynamland... Christmas style :)



{can you tell which stocking is Coach's? :^)}




{one of my faves... a gift from my parents a few years ago}




{cards from family & friends}







{new house=new tree}



Cousin Marshall turned 4

Last weekend we celebrated our nephew, Marshall's, 4th birthday at the good ol' golden arches... a.k.a  McDonald's.  Marshall had apparently requested to not have his party at his house... he wanted to be able to play.  And play he did... along with one adorable curly-haired girl :).



{Grandpa Larry watching Lovebug play on the slides}





{Daddy chasing Lovebug}





{the birthday boy with his dad}



Presenting.... Us!!!

Yesterday, Coach, Lovebug, and I got our family pics taken.  I may be 100% overly a smidge bit biased, but I think we are the most fantastic looking family, and Lovebug, well, she is the world's most beautiful curly haired girl I've ever seen in my entire life.  Enjoy :)



{sorry, the disc won't let me turn this one :(}





{I'm the world's cutest almost 17 month old!!!}





{this would be the "I didn't do anything, I'm innocent" look she's rocking lately}





{love}




{"oh tooooo-dles!!!"}



Christmas Skype with the Nellis'

Yesterday, Lovebug, Coach and I Skyped with my brother Jason, his wife Ann, and their cute lil' guy Owen to watch everyone open their presents.  You see, the members of The Daily Nellis are headed off from Texas to Florida for Christmas this year (yeah, no fair... one warm temp to the next). 

Lovebug was quite excited when she opened her new fancy purple jeweled purse, a new princess doll (wait for it...with glittery jelly shoes!!), and some hair pretties!!  Coach was pumped to get a big ol' bottle of Rudy's BBQ sauce.  {For those who have never been, Rudy's is Coach's FAVORITE place to eat... when in TX... because it has briskett and creamed corn.  Seriously, the dude can't get enough of it!!!}

Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the paper destruction that is known as opening presents :(.  Nonetheless, we had a great time.

Thanks again to The Daily Nellis for all our gifts.  Have fun in Florida and we'll miss you this year :(.

Santa Skyped Lovebug!!!

Well... almost.

Look what Lovebug got in her email from Holly... a.k.a. World's Best Daycare Provider EVER!!!

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/4YsETE7Kbys2R3ZoCOjQjQ

Garbage, or a Ski, or a Chair...

On Black Friday, crazy Coach went out at midnight to see about getting a new TV for the living room.  After coming home, then walking around Wal-Mart for several hours, he made his way home with one :).  Needless to say, Mama was thrilled!!  And so was Lovebug. 

Why?

Because the garbage from the box became a treasure for her...



{can I wear it like a shoe?}





{can I sit in in like a chair?  PUH-LEASE do not look at her dirty sock!!}





{can I stand and look at it like art?}





{nope.  I'll sit on it like a chair.  I've never seen her so focused.}



A Sprinkle Here, A Sprinkle There

When I was a little girl growing up, one of my favorite holiday traditions was going to my grandparents' house and bakeing/decorating cut-out sugar cookies.  Pop (my grandpa) and I would spend hours decorating the most intricate designs on our Christmas trees, stars, and snowmen. 

Now that Lovebug is growing older, I can't wait to carry on these traditions to her.  So... several weeks ago, Lovebug got to decorate for the first time with Grandma Sally and Grandpa Dale.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

{the sprinkles container was a bit heavy at first...}

{mmmm...frosting:)}



{can you tell that Grandma Sally is saying "HEY!" here??}




{taste test for you...}



{taste test for me}



{her eyes are HUGE... she sees sugar in her future!!!}

I can't wait to do more decorating with Lovebug in a week when I won't have the camera glued to my finger.  And... hopefully the recipients of the yearly Lynamland cookie platters will enjoy their cookies decorated by Lovebug :)

A True Hawkeye Fan

We all know hat Coach is an avid Hawkeye fan, right?  Do we all know that Mama here was raised a Hawkeye fan, too?  Yes, Grandpa Dale is a big ol' Hawkeye fan, too {there's that darned saying 'you marry your father' coming back to bite me again ;^)}

When Coach and Grandpa Dale went to an Iowa game a few months back, Grandpa couldn't help but spoil bless Lovebug with some sweet Iowa gear.  And what parent couldn't resist putting her in it?  Not Coach!!

{check me out!!!}



{pretty darn cute}




{see how cute I am?}

And yes, though our beloved Hawks didn't quite end up the way we all hoped, they'll always have a cute lil' curly top cheering them on :)