I have entered

the smartphone world. I have been just fine with a crappy phone for a while now, but with my cell contract ending, James and I talked about getting me a smart phone. Long story short, we got a really good deal and I am now the proud owner of an Iphone 4s! Now that I have it, I am so in love with it. Sprint doesn't charge extra for iphones, so it is just the plan price we have to pay for. I'm stoked! Oh, and Siri is just as cool as the commercials make it look.

Anyway, James and I have a little getaway today for his late birthday present. We're going to the Avengers and Tucanos and then staying in SL for the night. So I'll post about that and Mother's Day when we get back. Hope everyone has a good weekend, I know I will!

Back to school

James finally decided that it was time for him to go back to school. We both know that for a better future for our family, one of us needed to finish a degree, and it is more important for James to do that so he can get a better job to support us. Hopefully I can go back eventually, but we'll see. He decided to go to Eaglegate College which is a technical college. So this program is 18 months, Mon-Thurs from 5:45pm-10:15pm. So four days a week he leaves for work in the morning and doesn't get home until about 10:30 at night. We are about a week into it and of course it sucks, but I honestly couldn't be more proud of him. At least we have 3 days straight where we get a lot of family time in. And I'm sure the 18 months will fly by. Because a certain little boy is going to be 15 months this week and heaven knows that he was just born yesterday. Jaxson and I love you so much, James! Thank you for doing this so our family can have a better future!

Happy Birthmother's Day

Happy Birthmother's Day. I'm so proud and honored to be called a birthmom. Riley is one of my greatest blessings and I am so grateful that I was able to bring him into this world and give him the family he needed and deserved. Every year the pain gets a little better, although I know there is a hole in my heart that will never completely heal. I'm so glad that even though I'm just his birthmom, I am still being able to see him grow up and turn into the most amazing little boy. Love you so much, Riley!

Happy 24th!

Disclaimer: slight mushiness ahead

Today is my wonderful husband's birthday. It's a good excuse to express just how much this guy means to me. I am so grateful James was born on this day 24 years ago. I am even more grateful that our paths crossed and we met 5 years ago.

I started working in the HR office at a call center, and James was a manager for one of the teams. There was an obvious spark between us when we first met, but I was still with someone else at the time. Over the next couple months there was a TON of flirting between us (I know, hard to imagine right?). Every time he would walk by my office he would wink at me. I would make up the dumbest reasons to go out onto the call floor just so I could walk by his desk and stop and talk to him. If I needed something from him, I would always go talk to him in person rather than instant message him which is what I did with all the other managers. I just always felt drawn to him.

I finally decided that I wanted to see what I could have with James, especially since my other relationship just wasn't right and wasn't working out. I fell so hard for James. We had only been dating for about a month when I found out that I was pregnant with Riley. For obvious reasons, I knew that I was not pregnant with James' baby. So, I broke up with him. No need to go into details of the next few months, all that's important is that James was still there for me. For months he tried to tell me that he didn't care the baby wasn't his, that he still wanted to be with me whether I kept the baby or not. And truth be told, I really wanted to be with James. But I was trying to work things out with the dad and after realizing that would never work I was focused on the adoption and my baby. Finally after getting me the sweetest Valentine's day present James told me that he was giving up and that he would always be here for me. After I had Riley, I tried to talk to James but he had started a new relationship and was happy with it (and still mad at me for breaking his heart). His girlfriend didn't want him talking to me at all, and so that was that. I moved on and dated plenty and even got engaged to Andrew.

November 4, 2009 James sent me a message on facebook saying hi and that his relationship had just ended and that we should get together sometime. We messaged all day long and exchanged phone numbers. We proceeded to text non-stop and the next night (Thursday) had our first date (again). Seeing him and hugging him and just being with him... it was like nothing had ever changed between us. We were literally inseparable after that. We went out the next 2 nights in a row and I was unemployed at the time, so I went to see him every day that next week after he got off work.

The rest is pretty much history. We now have the most precious baby boy, and are sealed together as a family for time and all eternity. Of course we've had our bad times, but there are more good times. I am so grateful for James and everything he has done for me, and continues to do for me and our family. I love him more than anything. I can't wait for all the many more birthdays that I'll get to celebrate with him. Hopefully at least 80 :) I love you forever, James!

Q-tips!

Jaxson is obsessed with q-tips. It is so random, but so funny I just had to share a couple pics. You can find q-tips and cheerios in the weirdest places around our little apartment

Tracy Aviary

Last week Jax and I went to the Aviary with Jodi and her kids. It was a really cute little place, and it's free with the pass of all passes. Jax just really enjoyed the freedom of running around, I enjoyed actually looking at the birds. Next time we wont go right around nap time so it will be a little more enjoyable.

this bird was weeeeird looking

the beautiful symbol of our country

I LOVE this picture, he's striking the cutest

little pose, and the bald eagle in the background

he loved shaking the chains

he was out about 5 minutes after we got in the car

As of late

according to pictures (of Jax) 

 Jumping on the tramp

He loves his baths

He likes our new couches (as do we)

He loves playing with my hat

He loves to read books

best smile ever

yummy cupcake

he loves the park - just not the swings

playing the Ipad of course

he has a lot of crazy and silly faces

such a precious boy

he loves his cousins

this is his poop position - I'm not even joking. He gets in this position about 70% of the time when he's pooping