Has it really been a year??

I can't believe it has been a year since we broke everyone's heart and picked up our things and moved all the way to Ohio!  I really and truly believe this experience has brought our family closer, we are all we have.  Ohio really isn't that "bad", but it definitely isn't Texas! We have had so many new experiences and had to really put ourselves out there to establish a new network.  Derek and I have even found a "hobby" that we can do together...and the plus is that we are getting in shape while doing it.  The kids assimilated very quickly and never skipped a beat.  It took Derek and I a little bit longer, but we have come a long way.  As much as we miss our family, we really miss our Texas friends.  When you have lived somewhere for over 30 years...that is really hard to leave behind.  It has been interesting to see who of the friends has made an effort to stay in touch, but the ones that have are pretty darn good friends to keep (you know who you are).

Everyone wants to know how our first winter was...and shockingly it was "okay".  Yes, it was FA-REEZING!  But we made it through.  I have a new appreciation and definition of what "cold" is.  There are varying levels.  There is crisp, cool, chilly, cold, really cold and holy shit balls!  We have had to completely make over our wardrobe.  Not as many flip flops and shorts as we have boots and coats.  Derek still doesn't understand why I MUST have 100 pairs of boots.  I need rain boots, snow boots, riding boots, uggs, wedge boots...and yes I need them all...and so does Jocelyn.  I also have 100 coats...and so does Jocelyn :)  Apparently, the key is to dress in layers...but we haven't quite mastered that yet.  I also find it humorous that 60 degrees in April vs. 60 degrees in August mean two totally different things.  It is so weird.  I also had no idea it was so humid here?  Everyone always talked about the cold and the snow...hello people...this curly headed chick needed a heads up.  My hair has been a hot mess all summer.  I am looking forward to the Fall when my hair will return to normal.

We finally moved into our house we were building back in February, and we love it.  Our neighborhood is wonderful and we have met so many fun families with kids to J&G to play with.  Everyone here is so friendly and nice and so welcoming.  We are constantly having driveway cookouts and co parenting...it is a lot of fun.  Hopefully the fun will continue through the winter...just in our basements.

Derek found a job he loves with a company called Legends who does all of the merchandising at many major league team across the U.S.  So, he is working at the Brown's football stadium doing their merchandise.  It is a pretty flexible job which is good for us, and it keeps him in the sport's industry.

My job (the whole reason for the move) is great!  I still can't believe I have been in this role for a year?  It has been an incredible learning experience professionally.  While I don't necessarily miss the travel piece from my old job, it does get old going to the same office...every day.  But for now, I am very very happy.  I feel like I have grown a lot in in this job and I do not regret the decision we made as a family one bit.  Very thankful Derek has been so supportive.  Not many men would give up their super cool sexy sports job and move to Ohio (of all places) to follow their wives career.  If anything, hopefully our story and experience can be an inspiration to families out there who want to go against the "norm" and put yourself out there!

I am looking forward to this next year.  I feel like I actually know what I am supposed to be doing at work now, Derek is excited for football season, the kids are thriving...and we have a HOUSE!  Woo hoo!  Many more memories to be had for sure!

Jocelyn is 5!!

I cannot believe that Jocelyn is 5.  I have an app on my phone called "timehop" and it sends me daily pictures of what happened last year all the way back to when I have digital pictures loaded...in some instances 7 years ago!  I remember it like yesterday when I was pregnant with her, going into labor...and everything in between...I just can't believe that it has gone so fast.  She is truly my little buddy and I very much so enjoy hanging out with her.  She loves to go shopping, get her nails done...but also still loves to snuggle and insists on holding my hand as she falls asleep each night :)

She is also my mini me!  The good and the bad.  She is so facially animated, and you always know what she is thinking!  She is very sassy and will give some attitude.  Derek and I have to check her on a regular basis.  She also loves Grayson so much.  Often, I will catch her being a little mommy to him and emulating the things that I do for Grayson.  She is also sometimes jealous of the attention I give to him, she is very perceptive and hears and remembers EVERYTHING I say.  Which is not always good.

Jocelyn loves to play with friends, but is definitely more comfortable in smaller groups.  We had our experience in soccer over the summer and she was not really a fan...too many kids.  So, we are going to go back to gymnastics, which is a smaller group and she loves it.  She does fine at school, I think she is a relatively good listener, follows directions but can never seem to remember what she learned at school each day??!!  I'm sure that is totally normal, but kind of annoying seeing as though we pay more in daycare each month than we do in our mortgage! :(

Before her party, I had a little family photo session and I think the pics turned out pretty good!

She loves him SO much...it hurts sometimes!

He loves it though :)

Hey Jocelyn... smile for the camera...and this is what I get!

He wanted his picture taken too

Love these kiddos so much!  We are blessed to have them in our lives.  

Happy Birthday Jocelyn!

Jocelyn's 5th Birthday Party!

We decided to have Jocelyn's party at pump it up this year, and she was so excited about it.  We had it a few weeks before her birthday which was very confusing for her??  She kept asking if when her birthday was, haha!

Jocelyn, Reese and Grayson.  Reese is our sweet neighbor who is 7, but place so nicely with our kiddos.  

Jocelyn and a couple of her school friends

Jocelyn's school buddies, her posing is cracking me up!

The obligatory wind machine!

She is totally my child!  

We have been so luck to meet several families that have a girl Jocelyn's age, and a son Grayson's age.  This is Vinny...and he is so stinking cute, and he knows it!

Jocelyn is posing yet again :)  So glad we had a great turnout for the party.

All she talked about was sitting in the birthday chair

She even picked out the cake

So glad she had a fun time!  

Memphis Kiddie Park and Uncle Nathan

Uncle Nathan came in from Dallas to visit this weekend too

We went to check out cedar point and hit the "beach"

Grayson was loving the sand...it was all over him!

Downward dog

We have met some very nice people through Jocelyn and Grayson's school, and they invited us to go to this kid sized park called Memphis Kiddie Park.  It was awesome and so perfect for kids their age.  To make it even more precious, Jocelyn & SaraLynn are the same age...and Zach & Grayson are the same age :)  

Grayson and Zach

Jocelyn and Saralynn

They held hands like the the whole time, it was so cute!

On their first roller coaster ride!

Me and Grayson barely squeezed into the car

Look at my face!!! Hilarious

Train ride through the park

Cuties!