Can I vent for a second?

I transitioned from full time teaching to subbing this year and am super thankful for this new venture. I'm only able to sub 1-2 days a week (that's all I really want to as well) and I'm super lucky that our sitter is pretty flexible with just a days notice. 

While I love subbing and I love being at home I'm struggling with a few things. My main issue is that I'm subbing in the school where I taught full time. The teachers there are my friends and I love them... which means saying no is a really hard thing for me to do. I feel like I need to explain myself and have a good excuse if I have to say no and... it's awkward. 

After evaluating myself I think I struggle because:

a. I don't want to feel like a flake when I'm really being a mom... which really is what I want to do!
b. I appreciate the fact that I have the blessing of being able to stay home, but don't want to lose who I was before?!?!?
c. I worry that these friendships/relationships I am made while teaching full time are going to wither because I'm not a constant face in the crowd anymore.
d. I feel obligated to bring in some sort of monetary contribution and worry when I don't have something lined up.

In the long run, I'm trying to focus on the fact that Meredith is my full time job now (as is my house and husband) and since I pissed and moaned about wanting to stay at home [once Meredith was born up until this year!] I need to be thankful and grateful and STOP worrying about everything else.  Billy reminds me that substitute teaching isn't my career and that if I want to go back to teaching I can at any point... but until I decide to (and I don't think that'll be any time soon) I need to embrace my new "career" and stop stressing about the one I left.

and that's hard. for me anyway. 

thanks for listening.

34 days til Christmas!

Merry Christmas... a little early :)

So I posted on facebook that I wanted family pictures taken (I haven't had them done in almost 2 years) and asked for suggestions. I got soooo many suggestions (thank you again!) and decided I'd check dates with some of the photographers in our Brentwood Church family and go from there. But... then Joe & Ash texted and said that if I didn't want to pay someone a bunch of money, they could take some for us. Well, Ashley is amaze-balls at picture taking [I know from our trip to New York. Joe almost divorced her on the Brooklyn Bridge due to her picture taking anal-ness] and I was more than willing to let her add to her portfolio, lol. :) We met after Meredith's nap and went down town.... and, though I'm sure I'm biased, I'm pretty sure we couldn't have gotten better pictures if we tried [especially with a 3 year old drama queen involved, lol].

Anyway, here's a few of my favorites. 

Thank you so much Ashley... You've made our Christmas cards, walls, and family super happy. :) xoxoxo

oh... in case you're wondering... 35 days til Christmas!!! :)

Elf on the Shelf :)

I am so excited about having an Elf on the Shelf this year! Meredith is at a great age for all the shenanigans the Elf will be getting into. I wanted to have a list of all the things I want to do so that I'm not struggling to come up with ideas every night... so I started brainstorming and compiling (thanks Pinterest!!) and came up with my "schedule." I'm starting the Sunday after Thanksgiving (we'll be gone until Saturday and I'll read her the book that night... and the Elf will appear on Sunday!) and ending on Christmas Eve. :) :)

Only a few of the ideas are actually mine... I found a ton online & on Pinterest and tweaked them to work for us... and then I came up with a list of all the things I'll need for the different days. After spending $30 on the Elf & book kit I knew I didn't want to spend much more on supplies!! :) The only pricey things are the Christmas PJ's he'll leave Meredith on day one (which I would've bought anyway!) and then the Christmas cone tree activity that I found here! (which will be super fun to make with her!)

Have I mentioned I'm super excited about this?!?!? I'm attaching my "schedule" and list of supplies if anyone is interested. Feel free to use whatever you like and adjust however works for you! Only 40 days til Christmas (as of today anyway!)

Merry Christmas & Happy Elfing!,
Kristin

Elf Stuff :)

Making Memories!

It's been ages since I've written, but we've been off making memories. October flew by. It's one of my favorite months because it holds a special birthday and a fun holiday. It's also full of hay rides, pumpkin patches, fall scents, and yummy coffee.

We went to Layman Family Farms again and tho the price intimidated us at first, it was welllll worth it and we'll do it again next year! Meredith had so much fun. She rode all the rides, picked her own pumpkin, and begged for kettle corn. :)

 


Meredith ran the Run For Their Lives 1K. Err.. she didn't run it as much as she was carried or walked it. BUT we supported an amazing cause (www.r4tl.com or www.freedom424.com) and made another memory.

 

Meredith celebrated her birthday in Richmond, with a few friends here in Lynchburg and then with a big party on the shore! It was a whirl wind of a weekend on the good ole ESVA but it was soooo worth it!!!

And yet another memory made was our first trick-or-treating experience. We've always gone to TRBC's trunk or treat, but this year we decided to try the real thing. We went to Wyndhurst with some friends and Meredith LOVED it. She was such a big girl... going up to every house all by herself... proudly saying "Trick or Treat" and "Thank you!". She was SUPER pumped about her candy stash at the end of the night. :)

Earlier in the day we went to Barnes & Noble's story time and trick or treated there. She dressed up as Doc McStuffins for that outing. That's what she wanted to be allllll month long. Then, the day before, she sweetly asked if she could please please be Snow White... and I didn't say no. :) So... Halloween night she was Snow White. :)

And now it's November... and Election Day. Please... exercise your right to vote. It DOES make a difference. I remember going to vote with my mom & dad when I was little and today we are starting the tradition with Meredith. :)