Back to School

Back to school...back to school... to prove to dad that I'm not a fool!  I love Adam Sandler:)  So it is here.  It is finally here.  I started back to school two weeks ago after having Elise to finish my degree in math education.  I started my education blocks and am taking one of my remaining math classes.  I have 4 semesters left until I finish up and I couldn't be more excited to be moving on to this part of my degree.  For the past 2 years, I have been taking mostly all math classes so I'm so excited to dive into the education part!  I only have classes on two times a week.  However, I will have a full course load..13 credit hours!  I haven't had 13 credit hours since my first degree!  And now I have a baby to take care of and a wife to be!  Ah!


I am excited I only have to leave Elise two days a week and so thankful for the opportunity to stay home with her the other 3 days.  It is challenging to find time to do my homework, and keep up with laundry, dishes, and cleaning, and work out, and enjoy my time with my husband and daughter.  But it all gets done at some point:)  Ryan is such a huge help, especially after working a 40hour work week.  He has really stepped up to help take care of everything too!  I am also so so so thankful Elise will be going to a sitter whom I have known for quite a few years and trust.  She has so much have fun with Miss Lindsey and her two boys!  And Miss Lindsey has the special touch to get her to take good naps:)


I can remember back in mid-August when summer classes were done that I thought this day would never come.  I could barely wrap my mind around the fact that the pregnancy would end, let alone get to the point where my baby ((girl)) would be almost 4 months old and I would be heading back to school!  Time has certainly flown by!  But doesn't it always!?!?!  I've enjoyed my time off with Elise and I'm so thankful I've had all this time to spend with her.  I didn't always get the dishes done right away, the place was not always clean, and the laundry might have piled up, but I can say with no regrets that I took the time to snuggle my baby girl, read her books, play with her, laugh with her, and just enjoy every.second. 

Elise's 1st Christmas

Ok, I know I have totally dropped the ball on keeping up on my posts but better late than never?  We got very busy with Christmas and then my return to school that I have hardly had time to do my homework.  Anyways, so our Christmas was spent in Fort Wayne with family.  We were sooo busy and moving from place to place just about every day.  We were able to see a whole bunch of family, some who we hadn't seen in a while, but to say the least, we and Elise were exhausted by the end of it.

We had a lot of fun opening presents with Elise.  Santa was awfully good to Elise:)  She got a ton of clothes in 12 and 18 months for next year, some learning toys, books, and so much more.  She was even sweet enough to leave Santa cookies and milk and a little note ;)

Our little family after a very busy Christmas Eve.

I can't figure out how to rotate this picture but this is what Elise left for Santa on Christmas Eve. 

And her certainly enjoyed them:)

 Christmas morning before everyone else was awake:)

Elise and her cousins in their matching pj's:)

We had a great first Christmas with Elise.  She was a trooper through it all and only had one melt down. But honestly, we wanted to cry with her because we were tired, too!  Now if we could only get her to go back to sleep through the night, then all would be well:)