Happy Halloween!

   Seriously... This is great - I'll just pop in on a major holiday every five or six months to say hello... sounds like a plan.  Lol, sorry for another long absence!  Life has been steadily moving all around us, but we are doing just fantastic.  Kathryn is growing so beautifully and so fast!  She went trick-or-treating for the very first time tonight, and had a great time collecting fistfuls of treats.  She was dressed up as Snow White in a perfect costume that her Grandma Kunz made -- it was sooo adorable!  We just went to a few houses around the neighborhood before Kathryn got too cold, and then stopped by Grandma & Grandpa's house (who were delighted to see her all dressed up).  It was pretty much a perfect Halloween : )
   Work is going well and keeping Jacob and I busy, but we still find time to do lots of fun stuff.  Kathryn and I are now taking swimming lessons on Saturday mornings, our first lesson was last week and it went pretty well.  Kathryn is a bit clingy and nervous, but that's something we think she will overcome with the swimming lessons. School is also going very well.  I'm in my second half of the semester already, and I'm just taking one class and a lab, so I feel really good this semester.  I can't believe that I'm almost finished with pre-req's, just a couple more classes and I'll be done - yay!  Then comes the real work...  Nursing School.  I'm so glad to be doing it though, it'll be so worth it!
   Well, that's pretty much it, but I do have some family pictures from this summer that I want to post.  They were taken around Kathryn's first birthday.  Hope you enjoy them!

 We love you!
  Take care,

Love:  Ally, Jacob & Kathryn

Happy Mother's Day!

  Today has been a really great day.  I told Jacob that I have been waiting for this day for over 27 years, because it's my very first Mother's day as a mommy!  It has been so nice and I've been very spoiled.  Jacob and Kathryn let me sleep in, then Kathryn woke me up by crawling all over me in the bed and making the cutest sounds and giving adorable little smiles.  Then they gave me a very sweet card (that made me cry of course) and the gift that I wanted, which was Anne of Green Gables on DVD.  Jacob did one better, he bought me the entire trilogy... I have the best husband!
    After that, we went to church then came home and kicked back as a family (and turned on my new movie) then had a good dinner and I went off to work.  That's where I am now actually, but things are slow at the moment, so I decided to add a post and do some decorating of my blog.  Finally, the fall blinkie and background are gone!  Unfortunately, I keep kind of busy and don't often take time to maintain my blog.  Hopefully it doesn't bother anyone too much!
   Speaking of busy, I have a little news.  After much consideration, I have decided to go back to school and become a Registered Nurse!  I will be starting classes in about a week to finish up some outstanding prerequisites that I need to do before applying for the nursing program.  So, life will be getting busier than ever, but I'm excited to be working toward a lifetime goal.
  
Well... guess I better get back to work now.

Happy Mother's Day!
Love Ally

What's new in March...

    Hello again finally ~

  Well... hopefully my infrequent posts haven't been too frustrating to anyone.  If so, sorry!  Things have been going great for us.  The holidays were absolutely wonderful.  Having Kathryn just made everything brighter and happier (even though she's too small to understand any of it). We can't wait until next year when she's a little bigger and can enjoy it a little more.  So, now we're gearing up for spring and warmer weather.  The garden is already tilled and the peas are planted - woohoo!!  Last week the weather was so fair that I made a new spring wreath for the front door.  I finished it, hung it on the door and bam! it snowed the whole next day -  After a week or more of clear, beautiful weather.  Isn't that just my luck?  Oh well ;)
   Kathryn is doing very well.  She is progressing perfectly.  She now weighs 17 pounds and is around 28 inches, so she's very long and thin.  Her hair is coming in more quickly now, but it's very light and thin so everyone thinks she's bald. She is happily blurting out her first word 'dada' to Jacob's absolute delight.  No 'mama' yet, but we're working on it.  There is also no turning our backs since she is crawling everywhere and getting into everything, plus this week she has mastered going up the stairs!  She is so adorable and guilty when she gets caught getting into something she shouldn't... I think she kind of enjoys keeping us on our toes.  She makes life so happy for us, we just adore her. 
  Work is great.  I've been working in Labor and Delivery for a while now.  In fact, I have a six-month review coming up and I'll be off of my probationary period - yippee!  I have no intention of leaving for a very long time.  I think I've gotten to a point in my life where things have revolved to a really good place, and I'd like to stay put for a while.  I feel so blessed that everything has worked out so well.  It's just more proof that Kathryn was meant to be here with us. Heavenly Father has truly provided ways for Jacob and especially me to be with her as much as possible and I am so thankful.  I have been working mostly graveyard shifts (7pm - 7:30am) and surprisingly, I really like it.  There have been adjustments to make, but it's so beneficial for our family and meets our various needs.  I just catch up on sleep when I can, it's only three shifts a week.  
   I'm excited to spend Easter with Kathryn and Jacob.  We bought her a cute Easter basket and have filled it with some goodies, but still need to make a trip to Build-a-Bear workshop for a new Easter friend.  It will either be an adorable monkey or a bunny with long, floppy ears.  We also got her a new dress that is sooo cute!  I just love having a little girl to dress up whenever I like.  Anway, I think that's about it. 

Thanks for stopping by!
We wish you the very best.

Love, Ally