Closing a Chapter, Opening a New One

I haven’t been around this summer and well a lot has happened. Summer is always crazy busy for us, so it’s just easier for me to step away from the blog and enjoy the summer and my family. I never plan on stepping away it just happens. A day goes by then a week and before you know it summer is over and it’s been 2 months since I posted anything.

Like I said we have had a busy summer. Carnivals, the county fair, family picnics, parties and so on. Between the usual busyness of the summer my department underwent a huge conversion that happened the beginning of July. Everything moved from one company to ours, and to say we have been busy is an understatement. I put in a lot of overtime in the month of July and had more stress from this place then I care to think about. Thankfully it has completely slowed down these past few weeks and while it is more work, it is manageable.

Along with being busy we had a couple major changes in our life that are going to bring on more changes for our family. The Hubs left the banking industry that he’s been in for 7 years to the window business. While it was scary and stressful and something completely new for us it has been an amazing change for us. This new job has also allowed me to close a chapter in my life. Today I put my 2 week notice in at a job that I have been at for 7 years. In 2 weeks, I will be a stay at home mom.

I am so excited for this next chapter. I am excited to have this time with my daughter and my husband. This new job has him home in the mornings and late afternoons, but gone in the evenings until 10 at night. This will allow us more time together. Belle will be starting school in 2 years. I want to soak in this time with her. I want to relish in her toddler and preschool years. I want to teach her things and be there more for her.

While I am excited it was a bittersweet moment to put in my notice. I have called this place home for the past 5 years (I have been with the company 7, my current position 5). I have seen these people every day for years and now I won’t see them anymore. As much as this place has driven me nuts and all I have said for the past year is how much I want out, I will miss everyone and the time we have had together. I have many memories and we have had some very good times. But this opportunity I could not pass by. While my husband thinks I jumped at the opportunity and never looked back, I have thought over this for the past month and a half, weighing the options. It was not a completely easy decision there are always what ifs, but if I didn’t take it I would regret it.

On Tuesday I will start my last 2 weeks of being a working mom, and my baby girl will start her first day of preschool. That’s right on Tuesday Belle starts preschool. Because this year is the first year of preschool and we have always planned for her to go to preschool we will be keeping her in a couple days a week. I want her to still have her friends, and to learn things I know I can’t teach her at home just the two of us. It will be good for both of us. While there are a lot of changes we are trying to keep it simple and the same for Belle.

There are more changes in the future, but nothing is set in stone. I am excited for our new future and will definitely be sharing the ride with you.

Also, in less than a month we will be on vacation. We will be soaking up the sun and the magic in Disney. I can’t wait.

Family Picnic

This past weekend was my company picnic at a local amusement park called Darien Lake. The Hubs and I grew up going to this park so we were both excited to take Belle for the first time. For the last month we have been measuring her and hoping she would make 36 inches. Saturday morning I put her in her penguin flip flops (they have the thickest sole) and we measured her. She was right at 36” at home. Not so much there. Less than an inch short. She could still do some rides, but all rides we had to squeeze on with her. And some of the kiddie rides she couldn’t do at all because they was a height max.

Belle loved it though. She had an absolute blast. It was much hotter this year than it was last year and I got some pretty bad tan lines (cause I apparently didn’t not get my whole back when I put sunscreen on).

My mom came with us again this year so we all took turns riding with Belle and then took turns on some rides. We stayed until the bitter end to watch the laser show and fireworks. Belle made it all day long and promptly passed out in the car on the way home. She got maybe a 20 minute nap in her stroller.

Before the laser show they had a dance party for the kids. Belle had a blast dancing around in the grass. And enjoyed the fireworks and the laser show without covering her ears or getting scared. A huge improvement from last year. I think we will be able to watch for fireworks in Disney this year!

We probably won’t go back to Darien Lake this summer, as much as I would like to. Just no time. But we will definitely come back next summer with her when she will be able to do a lot more rides and some by herself.

The Weekend

This past weekend my “little” cousin had her graduation party. I say “little” because she is taller than me and not so little anymore. In a couple of months she will have moved about an hour away to go to college. I remember when she was born, and her first birthday. Babysitting her and taking her shopping. I can’t believe how much time flies.

We had a great time at her party with family that we usually only see on holidays and some birthdays. It was nice to see them again and catch up. It’s always a good time with family.

Belle hugging daddy.

At least in the next couple of years we will have another wedding coming up. Another of my cousins got engaged a couple weeks ago. Knowing my cousin, this is going to be a fun wedding and we are looking forward to it.

My cousin and his fiancee.

Picture overload coming up...

My brother and cousin.

My brother, sister in law, and newest nephew.

The graduate. Somethings never change!

Another cousin, we will be celebrating her in three years!

Sam and Belle. Too cute!

My cousin, this is completely normal for him.

My nephew Jaxon. So happy!

Belle in a softball helemet. The next softball player in the fam?



On Sunday, we had a quite low key Father’s Day, which fits The Hubs to a T. He laid around all day, took a nap when Belle did and then headed to my mom’s for dinner. Oh, and got a run in in the morning before the heat set in for the day.

It was a great weekend and I am looking forward to all our summer fun now that summer is here!

Memorial Weekend

We had a very low key Memorial weekend at home this year. Typically we go camping but this year we stayed close to home. I think next year we will go camping again as I completely missed it but we had some fun at home this year.

Be prepared for a lot of photos, this was our weekend in instagrams!

Our weekend started with my big girl transitioning from her crib to her toddler bed. Along with her big girl bed she picked out all new bedding. Green is apparently her favorite right now.

We spent the weekend in our backyard enjoying the beautiful (HOT) weather. Belle spent the weekend in her bathing suit jumping from her pool to her water table and back again. Seriously how cute is her bathing suit. Love!

On Sunday Belle and I took a walk to the playground. We were the only ones there so she got to enjoy the swing and the slide. This picture does not do her endless hysterical giggle justice. She laughed for 5 minutes straight. The belly laugh that I cannot get enough of.

Sunday night Belle and I sat down and she picked out blue nail polish to paint her toes.

On Monday, we took a ride down to the water front and walked the path. It was crowded and hot but Belle loved looking for the boats and checking out the water.

I made The Hubs some cookie dough bites. Umm totally addicting!!!

Belle wanted to paint, but it was too nice/hot out to be in the house. So while she took a short, late nap I made some drive way paint. She loved it! Post about it coming this week.

Bed time is at 8, this picture was taken at 8:05. Belle was in bed, The Hubs went running and I relaxed with a new book and a glass of wine. Don’t judge the book! It’s a guilty pleasure TV show and a quick read.

Our weekend was full or ups and downs as we do have a two year old full into the terrible twos and potty training. But, on a positive for the potty training we had absolutely no accidents all weekend long. And Belle is in underwear full time during the day. She still wakes up wet so diapers for bed time still. I think we are finally getting the hang of this potty training and it’s looking good for vacation and preschool!

Busy Busy Busy, and a Wedding!

Last Saturday was my brother’s wedding, so it has been crazy busy around here. Between running for tux fittings (The Hubs), haircuts (The Hubs and Belle), picking up shoes (me) and a wake I don’t think we sat down until Sunday night.

The wedding went perfectly. Everything was in order, and looked great. Belle and the ring bearer actually walked down the aisle. Or Belle pulled the ring bearer down the aisle with her. Either way they both made it to the end and neither cries. And both looked adorable!

All the kids behaved fabulous at the ceremony and reception. The whole day went off without a hitch!

But because we were nonstop all week, I had no time to even think about updating here. Belle and I did nothing last week. I don’t think she made it to bed on time all week. It was 9 or later. I am happy to say with it being an hour or longer off from her bedtime, she had no meltdowns and had absolutely great days at The Bug all week.

I will try to get back into the swing of things the rest of the week. But I can’t promise anything. Our first conversion weekend is this weekend so I will be working all weekend long. All day Saturday and so far 12 – 5 on Sunday. As of right now I don’t have much to blog on, and if I am going to be in the office all weekend, I may not have much more to blog on next week.

The beautiful flower girl

Love Her!!!

My Loves. My nephews and my girl.

My Big Girl, When Did This Happen?

Last Saturday my work had their annual family picnic at a local amusement park called Fantasy Island. We are lucky in this area that we have two amusement parks, one that use to be owned by Six Flags that is pretty good and then this one that is tiny and for the most part good for younger kids. The kiddie area is huge. Since this year the picnic was at Fantasy Island we decided to go.

Ok for starters The Hubs and I realized that we have been dumb for the last 6 years not to go to the family picnics because we don’t have kids. For a discounted price we get admission to the park and food and drinks all day. They had called for rain all day but we lucked out and didn’t rain at all. It was overcast with sun coming out here and there and it was actually a pretty comfortable day. Belle was still too little to go on many of the rides but she LOVED the ones she was able to go on.

We had asked my mom if she wanted to go with us. She got to ride some rides with Belle and took Belle for a walk to get her to nap while The Hubs and I rode some bigger rides. We felt guilty for going on some rides but apparently my mom isn’t much into rides anymore. That will change when we go to Disney cause she is going on rides!

Like I said Belle loved the rides and am so excited for Disney now. The nice thing about Disney is that there are only a handful of rides in each park that Belle can’t do. She will be able to ride close to everything with us. Disney is going to be great!

While walking in we spotted an Olde Tyme Photo place. My mom and I of course decided that Belle had to do it. We ended up doing it at the very end of the day. Belle had only napped for about 30 minutes the entire day. She wasn’t cranky but she wasn’t happy to have strange clothes on and strangers trying to get her to smile. Her pout makes the photo that much better I think.

While watching Belle on the rides I quickly realized what a big girl she has become. I can’t believe how big and how much older she looks right now. She is quickly becoming a big girl and I am not ready for it.