Monday Musings

SPRING MAKES ME WANT DUCKLINGS!!!

Im excited for this week! Im pretty sure I mentioned it at some point but I went from being the JV/assistant coach to head coach at the high school I coach cheerleading at and I am just thrilled about it. It's a lot more responsibility but ya know, I think Im ready for it :) This is my 6th year of coaching cheerleading and 3rd year at this specific high school. And fortunately I have an amazing co coach who is completely on the same page with me on just about everything...we are a lot alike..both Christians, both have baby boys, close in age...it's a great thing and I believe we are going to make an awesome duo :) This week things start rolling for the coming season. We are going to the middle schools in the area to do a little showcase and talk to the in coming freshman about our cheerleading program in hopes that we can have a big turn out at tryouts this year..fortunately we always do, I love coaching at a big high school with a successful cheerleading program! It is definitely exactly where I want to be. Anywho..this week starts my first 'thing' as head coach with going to middle schools and all ...Im a little nervous but mainly just really excited!

Just have to say it..Ive decided that pesto and artichoke hearts are probably my favorite food ever...right next to sweet potato fries.

So Des is officially done nursing. The last time he nursed was a little over a week ago. For the next 6 days he refused everytime I offered..Ill be honest, it kind of broke my heart. I'll miss that little bond we had through nursing, I know we still have a bond...it's just a end to a very important chapter and it's taking some getting used to for me. It's been a few days now that I stopped trying to get him to nurse and Im starting to be less sad about it...sometimes he acts like he wants to nurse so I try but then he once again turns away...I would be so happy if he did but I think I just need to move on...it's not that he is rejecting ME, he is just done with nursing and that is OKAY...I just keep telling myself that and I think maybe Im starting to believe it.

The weather has been SO nice! It's been sunny and blue skies for the past couple days..I just love it. I was thinking today..I think I love Spring and Summer because the wonderful weather reminds me of my childhood...riding bikes, climbing trees, adventures in the back yard...the smell of bbqs going, the hum of lawn mowers and birds chirping...It makes me feel so nostalgic! Im so ready for this present season and the next...We are going to have so many adventures with Desmond..I just cannot wait!

Im almost done with Jane Eyre (Im a terribly slow reader btw!) and holy moly am I in love! Such a good book! The trailer for the new movie of it coming out is what got me in the mood to read it...Im kind of bummed though because I dont think it is coming to theatres in our area...it said it released March 11th and it's yet to come out here :( I may have to wait until it comes out on dvd. BUT the soundtrack is aaahmazing! One of my favorite composers Dario Marianelli did the soundtrack for the movie and it is beautiful! He also composed the soundtrack for both Pride & Prejudice and Atonement- two more of my favorite soundtracks...so yeah, I was pretty excited when I saw he did the music for this movie...Im a total nerd when it comes to that kind of stuff. Fortunately, Tony is too...our ipods our full of movie scores and what not haha :)

That is all for now! Hope you all had a nice relaxing weekend ♥ we sure did!

Monday Musings (just a tad bit late)

1. Im happy to say Im handling things a lot better these days...I had mentioned in a previous post that I was stressed with so much going on between Desmond and coaching along with Tony's new school schedule too...but things are better. Now that competition season is underway Im feeling much more motivated and excited for practices, less stressed and overwhelmed...plus, even though Desmond is teething and often really crabby these days- Im doing better with being patient and handling it. God is good..Ive been praying and spending more time focusing on Him eachday and I know that is why I am feeling happier and less stressed about stuff. I've just got to give it all up to Him, it's the only way to do it with out becoming bogged down and burnt out. If you are looking for a good daily devotional then try out this website: http://devotions.proverbs31.org ... that is what I have been using this week and God has sure used it to speak to me...I highly recommend it.

2. Tony and I have a new TV show...PSYCH! You can watch it instantly on Netflix so we watch it on my laptop in bed before we go to sleep most nights..I tend to be pretty picky when it comes to tv shows but this one is a winner for sure. Love it.

3. I was just realizing today... we havent bought any diapers since Desmond was born, and we wont have to for the next 3-4 weeks either! My friends and family blessed us SO much at my baby shower...weve had enough to last us pretty much 6 months! How awesome is that?! The diaper raffle is a MUST when it comes to baby showers (google it if you are unsure to what it is!), that is the best and easiest way to save money when it comes to having a baby. Im so glad we did it, diapers are not cheap!

4. I had mentioned earlier that my parents got me figure skates for Christmas...Ive been twice in the last two weeks and Im actually not as rusty as I thought I would be! I can still skate backwards and all that jazz and this last time I was able to spin..pretty fast too :) I love skating, Im so excited to be back on the ice, even if it is just once a week. Im working on breaking my boots in, once those are a little more flexible it will be a lot easier to skate..so Im really looking forward to that!

5. My nephew Benjamin turned 7 years old this weekend! I just cant believe he is so old! I love him so much and Im so excited that Ben, Desmond and the rest of the cousins get to grow up together (now if we could get the rest of Tony's family living up here, then it would be perfect!)...these kids are together so much it will really be as if they are brothers and sisters...pretty neat if you ask me!

6. Here are some pictures from this weekend ...

just watching Curb Your Enthusiasm...no big deal
getting ready to head out for some yummy Mexican food!

Desmond and his cousin Coco..she kept kissing him and going 'MUAH!' ...it was the cutest thing ever! too bad we weren't quick enough to get a picture of it!

my nephew Ben with his uncle Tony on his 7th birthday

getting ready to blow the candles out!

at the first competition of the season with the two lovely ladies I coach cheerleading with! 1st for JV and 2nd for Varsity...not too shabby!

Hope you all had a great weekend! Im pumped and ready for a busy week and a trip up north for our next competition on Saturday! Happy Monday to you all :) God Bless.

1. Tony started school today. His schedule this year isnt bad at all. He only works late mon/wed/fri and the earliest he has to be at school is 10...so that means sleeping in for us on Tuesdays and Thursdays. At the end of this school year he will be graduating with his physics degree. Then he will be starting his Masters in Teaching degree which will last a year. We hope he can start teaching while he is doing that. Im so happy for him, he is very close to being done with school and starting his career! It has seemed so far away until now. I love being married to such a smart man :)

2. Smiley baby....

3.It's finally Fall and I am ready for pumpkin carving, gold and yellow leaves and caramel apples... mmm I just love this time of year! It makes me feel so warm and fuzzy!

4. Desmond has been sleeping ten hour stretches for the past couple weeks! Of course, they start at 3am but hey, sleep is sleep...any way you can get it!

5. We are most likely going to dress Desmond up for Halloween this year, there are some really cute costumes out there. We are most likely going to go with THIS ...we sometimes call him 'tiger' so it is fitting!

6. Here are some pictures from this weekend. Tony dad came to visit from California, he just loves his grandson, it's so sweet to watch them together. We also got to hang out with Desmond's cousin Ireland! She is walking now and all over the place! It's so cute to watch this little baby walking around.

Monday Musings

1. I believe that you can tell alot about a person's personality as early as babyhood. And I REALLY believe this is true for Desmond. Desmond is a ..let's a put it this way- a very strong willed child. He knows what he wants, and when he wants it- you better get it quick! ..or else! I think all babies are like this to a certain extent, but some are more mellow...Desmond is very 'aware' for his age, it's like he came out of the womb a little person, not just a flailing crying newborn...look into to his big blue eyes and you can see exactly what Im talking about...To be honest, I was afraid to have a baby like Desmond...I think the strong willed aspect scares me because that is ME! We are so alike already. Im learning how to best mother I can for my son...and I wouldnt change a thing about him (other than his issues with reflux of course!) ..I believe he will be a very driven, opinionated leader someday and it all started just about from day one.

2. I got Twitter! follow me :) http://twitter.com/Mum2Desmond

3. Tony, Desmond and I are taking one last vacation before Tony starts Fall term in two weeks. This is our first 'family vacation' as a trio :) and we are going to our favorite place here in Oregon- the Ocean! I cannot WAIT!

4. my beast of a car (a 1996 chevy corsica) has no heater, Ive been needing to replace my heater core since last Summer...Ive been putting it off because I knew it would cost roughly $300! Yeah, we dont have that just lying around...for car repair that isnt that much but still...well it just happened to be my lucky day because I found a guy (a family friend of my sister's in laws) who does car repair at a great cost, he is retired and just accepts work here and there. He is doing it for $190 instead! That made my day today!

5. MULTITASKING:

6. Tony went to the mall tonight at midnight and waited in line for his reserved copy of the new Halo Reach game for X Box 360...and guess what? I am really excited to play it! Not many wives like video games...Tony's a lucky man :) just sayin.

Monday Musings

1. my mom has the magic touch with baby Desmond. No matter how fussy or awake he is my mom can ALWAYS put him to sleep..and for hours on end too! When we're at home I am like tip toe-ing around in order to keep him from waking up but when with my mom there is no waking him, he's out! She snuggles him and he just loves it...I swear he almost always starts to smile when he first hears her voice, it's so sweet.


2. Starbucks has brought back their Pumpkin Spice Latte and it's not even September yet. Since it's Summer & Im not ready for a warm drink yet so I get the iced Pumpkin Spice Breve....it's like a latte but with half and half instead of milk...absolutely loaded with calories but absolutely worth it :]


3. Im sooo ready for fall, these last few days of overcast and low 70s have been wonderful. In fact...the little glimpse of Fall has made me excited for Christmas..kind of sick right? It doesnt help that Costco has brought out their Christmas aisles..jeesh


4. My loves




















5. Ive made a playlist of worship songs and a lot of old hymns. I thought I would share it with you all....you can listen to it here. Old hymns are my favorite and better than anything you hear on Christian radio in my opinion.


6. motherhood has changed something about me that I never thought could change....Im slowly no longer becoming a 'night owl' ...Ive been going to bed around 11 lately and it's been glorious! Ive never loved sleep so much until becoming a mother!


7. I want to get a necklace with Desmond's name on it from here


8. now that Im starting to get used to this whole being a mom thing I think Im going to start trying to cook more meals...what is your favorite home cooked meal? if you have the recipe for it send it to me via e-mail at Mrs.Abbott88@yahoo.com ...then if I cook it I will blog and let you all know how it turned out :)