Let's Try This Again....

I didn't do so well with this blog in 2012. Two posts for the entire year - wow. The subject of the blog came up at work today and I explained to my friend how great it was that I could look back and recall everything that our family did in 2010 thanks to my blog. 2011 and 2012 - not so much. Of course I have fond memories of those years stored away in my head, but that doesn't compare to having the snapshots in time that this blog provides. SO - here I go again.

Mark and I have stayed pretty busy now that the kids have developed their own social lives (more about them shortly). Mark has been with Decatur Utilities for 6 years now and was promoted to Foreman roughly a year ago. He likes his job and has worked hard to get there but is having to adjust to being "the boss". Discipline is not his thing (hmmm...maybe that's why he was so BAD as a teenager?) I know I have said it before but I am so proud of him and all he has accomplished. He works incredibly hard at work and comes straight home to shuffle kids to and from practice/dentist appts/doctors appts/ballgames/etc. all while getting homework done, dinner started, etc.etc.etc. Basically- Mr. Mom. I thought kids were supposed to get easier as they aged???

I have been with PeopleTec, a Defense Contractor in Huntsville, for 2 1/2 years now and work in Human Resources. I really enjoy my job and love the people that I work with. I am very blessed to work for such a great company. I also FINALLY completed my Bachelor's Degree in August of last year and find it hard to believe that I was able to juggle kids, work and school. Even with no schoolwork to deal with, there are still not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Since I work in Huntsville, I do not get home until around 6pm which is why Mark, unfortunately, has to pick up a lot of my slack.

These days, Kayli is the source for much of our chaos. She started high school this year and is heavily involved in Color Guard which she loves. We have been to many football games to watch her perform and have now started "Winter" Guard which requires us to travel to watch her competitions. She also has practice 3 times a week for 4 hours a night! I am so proud of her, though, and am impressed at how great of job she has done balancing her school work and extracurricular activities. As hard as it is to keep up with her, I know how fast these next 4 years will go by (sob!) and I remind myself (and Mark) often to take the time to enjoy it.

Chase gave us a bit of a break and did not play basketball this season. Soon we will start the baseball season, though, and the craziness will be in overdrive. We LOVE baseball season and can't wait to watch him play. Chase is in 4th grade this year. Only one more year of elementary school. Although I am excited to see him grow and mature, it hurts my heart to think of him as a teenager. I want to hang on to those child-like qualities as long as possible, like the way he still waves at me when he leaves for school or how carefree he seems sometimes....but I know they are fading fast.

Memories - that will be my motivation to keep up with this blog. I want to be able to look back at the end of the year (and later years) and reminisce on all of the great moments our family has in 2013. This is especially important as age makes it harder to even remember where I put my car keys...much less what we did all year.

Thanks for Keepin' Up With The Jones' !!!