Fall Festival Fun

While driving around today Taylor and I saw a sign for a Festival at a nearby park. I immediately got super excited, because my brothers were coming over and my little sibs would love a festival (also let's not forget Hugo! He's old enough now to enjoy these things!). I quickly googled it and found out it hadn't started yet. Yay for smartphones!

After naps we were all set. Ready, set, go!


Free popcorn! We had to wait for some more to pop.





At this point Hugo was tired after bounce houses and running. This is my attempt to get him to smile. haha not working.

This is the closest we got. He had his first cotton candy too. At first he didn't know it was to eat, but after I showed him it wasn't a problem.


No matter how long it has been since he's last seen Abinadi he always remembers him... He was soo tired...(and I mean Abindi haha jk)

Hello, fall!

Fall has come and it has been so nice for many reasons, for one thing, fall in Texas means 80 degree weather and sometimes dips to the 70s. However, despite the warmness in the afternoons, the mornings are still crisp and nights are now chilly enough for blankets on the bed. Yay!!

So, us Seibolds are happy. We're happy with life right now and content to find out what's in store tomorrow. There is really nothing to complain about. I feel like fall is such a time of reflection for me and goal setting more than January. I think the autumn winds just blow in a clean new air of optimism and sweeps out a lot of the negative attitudes that just hung in the humid air of summer. At least for me! This past summer was such a time of uncertainty and, I admit, disappointment, but I feel like we're here for a reason, I'm here for a reason, and I want to live up to this blog's mission in celebrating the good things. So, goodbye what ifs and good bye I wishes....and hello cool, crisp, clean fall air!!

Changes

So, you know the feeling you get off of a merry go round or some crazy roller coaster? Your hair is all crazy, you're a bit disheveled, and you don't know exactly where you've been dropped off, but it's exciting none the less? Yeah, well, that's been my life. In about a little over a month's time I thought I was moving across the country and I was pretty dang sure I had closed the chapter of teaching in my life and that i would be a stay at home mom. Well, things don't always happen like you plan them to, do they?

First, Taylor got accepted to podiatry school (hurray!) in the middle of July!! We were thrilled and excited and sad to leave family and friends. But we were going to do it. Philadelphia, here we come!

BUT!!
We couldn't find a home and we were getting no love from financial aide (that was a headache!).

Still....we packed and prepared to leave. Telling everyone goodbye and notifying our landlord. We got rid of stuff (a nice positive side to all this) by donating it and having a garage sale.

Then, still nothing from financial aide lady! Frustrating! We even got a hitch put onto our car to haul a little trailer. Although, we won't be using it very soon it's very useful to have I'm sure.

On Monday (we were supposed to leave Friday!), we found out financially we wouldn't be able to go. Our heart breaks a little.

Crazy things happen...

****rewind***
My work calls me last week because they were not able to fill my position...I don't close the door on the opportunity (call it woman's intuition).
****end flashback****

I called them Monday morning and by Monday afternoon I was signing a contract to be a 6th grade teacher again!! Ahhhh!!

I'm excited and I'm overwhelmed and I'm a bit sad. I thought I would be able to stay home with Hugo, but duty calls....Back to warrior work/mother mode!

However, I love my coworkers and my old school seems to be starting fresh in a lot of new ways. So, I'm excited to come back and give my best to the kids and the school and improve myself as a professional. I love teaching and I hope to have an awesome year!

Aaaand Hugo, will be with is buelo' and I am happy about that. Dad loves my baby Hugo and you couldn't ask for more than that, right?

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!!!! The best news of all is...Taylor has a secure spot for the fall of 2013!! yay! So, he will be working this year too and we can save money and find a place in Philly by actually flying up there ourselves (without having to rely on google street view to see if it's a nice neighborhood). It's almost nicer this way. Taylor plans to find scholarships and grants to help us pay for next year.


We still live at the same place (that was a close one too!)!


The Lord works in mysterious ways! I'm not sure why but we were meant to be here one more year and Taylor and I are ready to discover why that is.


I am so happy to have a little more time with my awesome FTW friends and my wonderful family (both Ayerdis and Seibolds!!)!!!

So, sorry, but you're stuck with us silly Seibolds a little longer!


Aaaaand, now to unpack...EW(any Jimmy Fallon fans?)!!








PS If you got through this whole, long post congratulations!!

So this is what we do...

Taylor and I are loving all the time we get to spend together with Hugo. We're certainly trying to live it up while we can. Hugo is getting older and older and every time we blink he's bigger. BUT at the same time when we take him to play at the park or at the mall and I see all these BIG kids I can't help but think what a baby he is! It's a weird conundrum I tell you. But, honestly, I like it when he still looks baby. Although, I'm very proud of his moments of accomplishments like climbing to the top of the slide in reverse and jumping off of things when he used to just fall off of things. Obviously, I'm rambling now (and how many times did I say but or although...yikes!).

Anyway, we've been to the beach (again!). We love that place! We're getting very dark too, except for poppa...he's getting more freckly. (and of course I apply sunblock to Hugo and myself multiple times during our trip!)









We went to the museum with wonderful friends. Hugo was in overdrive the whole time! So much to seeee!!














We adopted an owl from Target. His name is Floyd.




We went on our granny walks (we walk the mall b/c we are not crazy enough to walk in 100 degree weather and too lazy to get up before 8).




And we ate at Chili's! One of the few places Hugo will eat out with us and actually eat.



I hope everyone else is enjoying summer time too. As you can see our repertoire of places to go is short, but we have so much fun!

Summa daaze

Oooh, this summer has been so lazy dazy... If I could I would bottle up this summer and put it on the shelf of good memories and every time a day stank i would take that bottle down and relive these relaxing summer days. I told Taylor that we really need to appreciate this summer because when else will the both of us be able to just be home all day every day with Hugo with no homework nor deadlines? Not until retirement, honey! And that's faaar off. We haven't even entered career mode yet. Sheesh. We better get on the ball with that. Anyway, here's some snapshots of what we have done in the past week. It's a good life.

Get ready to witness some of the cutest pictures you've ever seen in your life...and yes, I'm talking about the ones with me in them. haha just kidding. But seriously y'all, Hugo is one cute kid.

























Now haven't I made your day better?
Ignore that bra on the bed...we've all left a bra on the bed, right?

A Love Post to Red Beard

If you had told me when I was 12 years old that I was going to marry Taylor Seibold I wouldn't have believed you. If you had asked me when I was 14 I probably would have said, "No, way!" If you had asked me when I was 16 I probably would have paused and thought about it. Because you see, at 16, I was already head over heels for Taylor. Because all teenage girls at one point or another roll the idea around in their head that they could in fact marry that one person they crushed on at that moment. I know i did! I was already thinking that Aleni Seibold, regretfully, did not sound all that great. But Aleni is a hard name to pair with other names.

I'll tell you the moment that Taylor won my heart forever. I can still remember the tiny details now eleven years later. He came to pick me up in his dad's golden pickup truck and he was wearing a green sweater with a white stripe. I thought he was dreamy. He walked me back to the truck (opened my door) and then....gave me a blanket!

That's it! That was the moment.

You're probably thinking...that's it?! Weeell, it was such a simple and small gesture, but it meant so much to me. He had remembered when I had said in passing that I freeze at movie theaters. This really is Taylor's signature. He remembers the small things. He is so considerate. When he makes a snack he always remembers to bring me some too. He is always on the lookout for something that I might like. Plus, he is extremely silly and plays along with all of my dumb, immature scenarios. I love that about him. He will pick up right where I leave off.

So, happy anniversary, Taylor! May you continue to have patience with me as I lose everything on a daily basis(I am trying to improve!!)!

Reunion #1 Complete!

This past weekend we had a family reunion. It was the R. Ayerdis family reunion and it was a blast. Sooo much fun. I was in charge of of the events and meals and I was really worried that it would fall apart. As many of you know I'm not the best advanced planner. I'm more like water...go with the flow. Anyway, there weren't too many glitches and everyone really loved it. We went to the "beach" and Hugo loooved it. I could hardly get him out of the water. He came out once and it was only to eat and then go back in. We also had an Iron Chef competition and it was amazing. My family is made up of great cooks and I married one. I think most of us gained 5 lbs over the three day reunion. There is something about getting together with your family that makes the whole world seem great and all your problems go away. It's like I don't even realize that I have been missing something until it's back and I realize there has always been a gap in my heart. I love my brothers and sister and I don't get to see them too much since most live out of Fort Worth and have their own families and busy lives. We have so many good memories and so much of who I am and what makes me tick is because of my older siblings. So shout outs to those handsome devils I call my older siblings! They rule. Now looking forward to the entire Ayerdis Family Reunion at the end of July! Woo hoo!!!

When Summer Began

Summer is here and we are having a blast. Friday till Monday was non-stop on the fun. Today was all about kicking back, but we were still in and out constantly. I am loving this. I could get use to this. Friday Taylor, Hugo, and I went to the miniature train with lita, buelo', Aaron, Ethan, and Armando. Then we had a picnic at Trinity Park. I can't tell you how many times I said it was a perfect day. The weather was nice, the company was fantastic, and the food was yummy. I was so glad my mom took some time off of work to come spend some time with us. For someone living five minutes away you can sure miss that person a lot. The kids loved just being able to run free. Hugo just ran and ran. I love seeing him with other kids. He loves them. Then on top of all that I had my roommate reunion! It was so much fun. My friend, Allyson and her family came up to Fort Worth to visit Courtney and I and we had so much fun. Its difficult to get out and do things with three different nap schedules and finding things that toddlers would like to do, but we did manage to go out once. We also got to play on the Slip n Slide while (most) of the babies were down. I loved it. I don't think I've done that in...20 years? haha. No pictures of that I think. Too bad. I'm sure we looked goofy. I love friends that know your past and can grow with you into your future. I can't wait until the next one! Never got a group picture of the adults all together. boo! If one of y'all have one send it to me, please!