We Are Back!!

Wow! What has happened since our last post?!  Too much!!  Jackson is almost 6 and full of passion...  And Reagan is almost 2 and full of a completely different passion. Both kids are strong-hearted blessings of God and Jared and I could not be more in love with each of them. 

We've moved to Memphis (last year at this time) and we have a crappy rental home, but it has a pool. Both kids wanted nothing to do with anything beyond the first step of the pool, but now Jackson flips from the diving board and swims to the shallow end while Reagan splashes her way through the shallow and deep ends in her floater. 

Our jobs keep us super busy, but we are always up for visitors! Come see our home and pool and we'll take you out for a great Memphis experience!  Love ya'all!

Where has time gone?!

Since my last post, way too much has happened and I am beginning anew. Jackson has a new sister and he is very much in love with her. Reagan is a true blessing to our family. She will join the growing ranks of the Schoettlers and Andersons - David and his wife, Shannon, had a boy, Calvin, in December; Katie and Kipp are due any day now; Betsy and Rob had a baby girl, Hannah, just a few days ago; Naomi and Matt are due in December. With all of these babies and my beautiful baby girl - I am feeling so much love! I cannot explain the overflowing joy in my heart, but I am truly in love with my baby girl, Reagan, and my best buddy, Jackson. God has truly blessed me with the best children ever. This is true for all parents, but I can honestly say my heart and mind feel this truth in its purest form. I grow each day with these kids. Jackson has taught me true happiness and Reagan has taught me sincere love - what could be better. I am not perfect, but I can truly say I am the best I can be!

My good friend moved away and I found myself squandering for friendship again. I don't trust easily and find myself more content with being by myself with my kids, but this friend brought out a better side of me. I miss her, but I'm grateful she hasn't moved too far away - she's God's blessing to me and I'm so honored to have her in my life. She has also taught me that I can trust again - and for that I am forever grateful because I have trusted in another great friend and these two ladies are just the best!

Well, Baby girl is asleep and so should I be. Daddy likes to call her Honeybee and I often see why - she is sweet and so wonderful!

My posts will be more frequent and up to date so please keep checking back to get to know us better!

Happy Birthday Little Man!!

Where has the last two years gone?! Happy Birthday Jackson - mommy and daddy love you SO much! You are such a blessing to our lives and we couldn't be happier! We look forward to many more years to come!

Not so little anymore

We are only 2.5 months away from Jackson's 2nd birthday and where has time gone?! He is getting so big and learning so much! His recent kick is animal noises: cow, cat, monkey, goat, horse, lion, dog, duck, bird... He can also say two and holds up two fingers. Jackson is such a smart kid and so well-behaved. Of course he has his moments - usually when we don't get what he is trying to tell us, but then he'll take our hand or pull on our legs to get us to go where he wants us to go. He loves his big boy bed - as you read below in the Easter blog. Our tub is broken so Jackson will usually take showers, but last night he wanted to take a bath and demanded we use the sink. No joke! When I pointed to the sink, he started doing his white-boy slim dance and was once again happy! Although our little man is super skinny, he is really tall so he is quickly outgrowing the sink as a tub! Daddy will just have to get the tub fixed. We are in the process of finishing our basement. Thanks to my brother for studding the walls and my dad for the electrical work, we are able to afford new furniture and fixtures. We are one week away from the rough-in inspection and then on to sheet rocking and painting. Jackson will love all the extra space to play and mommy will love to get a scrapbooking room. Oh and daddy will finally be able to have his own office - not the dining room table anymore.

As Mr. Independent continues to grow, we are all learning new things about life. The following list is some things that Jackson has taught Jared and I over the last 20 months. 1. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff. 2. patience is a definite virtue. 3. love can be found in the humor of a child. 4. A "muah" makes all owies better. 5. kids are flexible and prove it often when they continuously fall(jump) off furniture. 6. Daddy is the softy and Jackson knows it! 7. "Go now" means now or endure a screaming toddler. 8. Laughter is the best medicine for a tantrum 9. Cash is a good, well-mannered dog and can handle Jackson's love and affection aka - squeezes and collar pulling. 10. Jackson is an amazing disciple for Christ - he loves for us to pray with him at night.

Easter 2009

Jackson finally understood the whole Easter basket idea - eat everything as fast as you can before mommy finds you! We set his basket down for him to see and get quick pictures and before we knew it, he was digging into the bunny and eating its ear off. After church he dove into the basket again and ate more chocolate marshmallow bunnies. Then we were off to the Spencer house for Easter lunch. Jackson didn't eat much there but after his sugar high wore off, he crashed for a good 2 hour nap. The photo right above - is of Jackson's big boy bed and his cousins, Doran and Addison. Jackson loves his cousins and had a blast playing with them all night. Jackson's big boy bed has been an easy transition - he doesn't ever get out of bed until we come get him. Even if he is up earlier than us, he plays with the music player next to him or gets a toy and gets back in to bed. He is such a great kid - listens so well and his tantrums aren't too bad. He is currently caught in the communication hole - he wants to say something, but is not clear in his words so he does get frustrated at us when we don't get it. But we are working on it and he is learning more words everyday. Jackson is so smart!

Little Jokester

Thank you Auntie Kate for the 'toy' - we'll return your hat undamaged on the 20th... He just LOVES to run around with it on his head!

All on his own...

Jared has only been gone for one day and our little man has already changed so much and has become his own little man! Jackson no longer lets me carry him out to the car from daycare, he walks into the house on his own, and he goes up the stairs all by himself. Jackson has declared his independence on putting on his shoes, although zipping them up or pushing them on all the way is still my job, and he is now feeding himself. Even if some of the food doesn't make it into his mouth, Jackson is determined to feed himself. He continues to show us God's amazing blessings! What a joy to watch as Jackson grows and develops! Jackson is a true testiment to God's love for this world! His self discovery, determination, and love for life is truly a lesson for us all to take in and learn from!

"Pictures"

Jackson has been getting better at pronouncing his words and talks a lot more lately. Here are a list of his favorite words:

1. Pictures - he LOVES to watch slideshows on my computer and works the mouse himself. - see picture above - the top picture he is saying pizza...

2. Dog - the name for every animal he doesn't know the name for...

3. Bird - anything with wings except for:

4. Duck - any yellow bird

5. Moo - all black and white animals

6. Hot - when he gets close to the heat vent in the bathroom or when you take something out of the microwave or stove - its always hot to him.

7. Meow

8. Pizza - sometimes mistaken for Peta (Uncle Peter) - but he'll say that anytime he sees a picture of a pizza

9. Burr - whenever he gets outside in the cold or touches the cold window

10. mommy and daddy - although he uses the names intermittently for both us

11. Bubble - whenever he wants to take a shower or turn on his fish night light

He also uses other animal noises as their names - he nays at horses and oinks at pigs

He is such a smart kid and catches on to everything so quickly. Now is the time to be very cautious at everything we say! :) He is so wonderful and full of humor! He smiles 95% of his life and the other 5% is when he is sleeping, just up from a nap, or hungry. He also just ate half of a totino's pizza in the last 10 minutes!! Pizza!

First Sledding Trip

Jackson has been sick quite a bit lately, so we have not been able to take him out sledding. With a 48 degree day, we decided today was the day! He wasn't too big on the sledding, but loved the snow!! Grampa Chuck built a snow man and Jackson and daddy took to the hill. It wasn't until daddy pulled Jackson around in the sled (thank you Grama Julie Anderson for the sled) that he was at his happiest - until daddy pulled the sled over mommy in the snow. Jackson enjoyed that the most and wanted to roll around too. He is a true Minnesotan! Next year we may conquer the ski hills!!

The Best Aunt EVER!

I had the best Friday night! My favorite aunt Brenda came down from the cities and we talked until midnight-we haven't seen each other for over 7 years! Jared made his pork loin with raspberry sauce and Brenda brought delicious desserts from Biaggis! We shared updates on our lives, talked about memories from the past, and joked about Pretty Woman - the movie I went to with her when I was 10 years old. Granted she did close my eyes during the piano scene and bathroom scene, but I still got to see Pretty Woman at the age of 10! Back in the "day" that was a pretty dirty movie! :)

It was so great to see her again and catch up! She gave Jackson some coloring books and markers and also a dump truck he can ride on. Then she surprised me with a doll made out of my great-grandmother's pillow case. I will forever cherish this doll. I can close my eyes and still hear my great-grandmother's voice telling us to sit down and eat while she stayed busy around the kitchen.

Next time we get together, we will meet her husband and get to know more of what we've missed these past few years - maybe even whip out the karoake machine.