First winter Layla WANTS to play in the snow!

Maybe it's because we have a "princess" for a daughter (Jake loves this, let me tell you), maybe it's just the girl in her (no offense to girls or feminists out there), but up until this winter,Layla has wanted nothing to do with the "joys" that come with winter and playing outside. We'd suit her up and take her outside to have fun in the snow and she'd last, I kid you not, 5 minutes before she'd start complaining about it being too cold (except for when daddy would take her snow mobiling, in which case she lasted so long she'd fall asleep on the sled - but God forbid she just get outside to play while we shovel or go for a walk). And before you ask, yes, we did dress her appropriately. I think she was just a little freeze baby or something and one thing I know for sure is she HATES wind. I honestly think she thinks it's out to get her and blow her away into never land.

But finally, on Friday morning, as we were walking out to the truck for school, Layla got super excited and jumped into the snow and said, "Yeah! Can we play in this snow!? Can I eat it? Can we build a snow man? Can I make a snow angel? Can we have a snow fight?!" Since these are all your typical cliche ideas of activities to do outside with kids in winter, I have to assume they've been talking about this all at school and that the discussions have helped plant the seed about winter being fun and not the devil. Whatever the case may be, I'm jazzed about it.

We came home Friday night after a trip to McDonald's play land (reward for filling up her star chart for listening and helping out around the house) and went out to play in the snow. Layla had a blast, but I was frozen. I didn't know where all my winter gear was and mama's snow pants DO NOT fit these days. Thankfully, the next day, Jake let me where his snow pants for our sledding trip, which accommodated the pregnant budah.

Here are some pics of Layla's fun.

 Layla eating snow - looks more to me like she's planking or like she took a serious face plant. Funny.

 Mmmm. She loves her some snow.

 My lil' snow angel.

 Shit - this stuff isn't yellow is it?

Yeah baby. I'm a snow bunny. Let's do this.

I'm back!

Alright, I'll admit it. My attempt at being a better blogger and picture sharer by moving from Blogger to Shutterfly was a flop. I'm going to pull the pregnancy card on this one - I made the "switch" in July, and one month later I'm on my ass from "morning" sickness and all the other physical joys that come with early pregnancy. The first trimester grossness lasted almost 4+ months for me, not 3, so I'd say I've been back on my feet for about one month since getting our wonderful news in August. And when I say "back on my feet", I mean, I don't feel like I may barf at any moment, and my headaches have faded away (Thank the good Lord). However, now I'm just big, uncomfortable, and TIRED as hell.

In any event, I've been thinking about the blog and how much satisfaction it brought me in my final months of pregnancy with Layla. It was therapeutic to write about everything I was experiencing and anticipating during that time, and I think it'll be the same this time around. Plus, I owe it to fam and friends to keep them updated on our day-to-day adventures (or lack thereof) and photos (eh hem, this means I need to get the camera out and actually start using it again).


I've also decided to come back to Blogger because my "fan base" (insert sarcastic tone and chuckle here) has notified me that they're not as happy with my Shuttefly site as they were with my blog. I owe my fame to my fans, so I'm coming back - by popular demand (insert louder chuckle).


For now, since I haven't touched the camera in months (oh my poor Layla), I'll just give you a quick write-up on the happenings for the Sherman's over the past six months:
- Got pregnant
- Layla started pre-K at a new school (the Dream Center) and LOVES it. She's so happy that when I come to pick her up at night she pouts and asks me to go home and make dinner and then come back for her - such a night and day switch from the way things were at her old school.
- Got sick and felt like shit for 4 months
- Keeping busy with Layla while Jake works his face off at school prepping for the tech department's open house in February
- Had an MRI (two weeks ago) that showed no regrowth of my tumor and gave me a good bill of health and permission not to come back until June!
- Attended one too many gatherings with friends who could drink and get loud while I watched and slept with my eyes open
- Layla had her first "high profile" dance recital in December


Layla is continuing to grow into the shining diva I know she'll be. Some days I'm shocked at the things she says... Not necessarily in a bad way, but more so in a "Holy shit, this isn't supposed to be happening for at least 8-9 years." Man, are we in for some excitement when we've got that second little girl in the house - especially when the two of them are 17 and 13. Ohhhhh mamacita. ;)


That's about it - nothing earth shattering or overly exciting. But I'm fine with that. I've learned to appreciate the greatness that comes out of a low key, non-event filled life. We are definitely due for a big event soon though. Obviously, the birth of baby girl #2 comes in first on that list, but we're praying for the house of our dreams to fall from the sky and be a good fit for us because I cannot go through another school year living in Hartford with all that comes with Jake's schedule / commute to and from Plymouth. Ohhhh no (said in the voice and tone of Clark Griswold from Christmas Vacation when he's on the brink of his nervous breakdown after finding out he's been enrolled in the jelly of the month club instead of getting his usual Christmas bonus)! If we need to take a few steps back and rent a house, that's what we'll do, but we're not staying here. Not gonna happen. I believe good things come to those who wait - but I also believe if you want something done, you do it your damn self. I'm not waiting around for the universe to shift in my favor people.


More to come. Happy New Year to all!

Visit our new Shutterfly site!

I'm pulling the trigger (or, in Blogspot's case, the plug) and moving our site to Shutterfly. I'll keep a link to our blog on our shutterfly site as an archive and will be adding new updates and albums to the new site over the next few weeks.

The new site will make it about 2902 easier for me to add albums quickly, and will motiviate me to create photo books for my "baby". Yes, I'm aware I have 4 years of books and such to catch up on. One thing at a time people, one thing at a time.

Click here to view our new site!

How fast they grow

Layla at last year's 4th of July parade. That's craziness if you ask me!!

Camera snaps 2011

I'm constantly snapping pics of Layla w/ my camera phone, and am not constantly sharing the pictures. I've got to get better at sharing the moments that we're so lucky to have with her. Here are just a few, to get you started.

Divalicious - showing off one of her favorite summer dresses.

So innocent when she sleeps.

Floor picnic!

She LOVES Pick n' Save's, because they have "kid carts". This is her shopping for food for Gabe and Della's house.

Layla and Della havin' some grub.

Our Summer House

Over Memorial Day weekend, we made our first trip of many to our summer home, "The Roemer Ranch." We also have a summer home in Northwestern Wisconsin that we don't get to frequent as often, but love just as much, "The Meyer Ranch" (see you in July, Meyer Ranch).

It was a great time, and we were able to share it with some of our closest friends - Bob, Jan and Coach, and, coincidentally, the Roemer's (yes, I swear, the last name is just a coincidence... they have nothing to do with our summer home). ;) Before our bonfire, the grown ups got to go out to dinner to celebrate Paul and Jenny's 10 year anniversary. Jenny's parents watched ALL of the kids (Layla too). Thank you Frank and Wendy!!

The kids had a blast at the bonfire. As usual, Layla and Ryan found an opportunity to "cozy up". Unfortunatly, when the camera came out, they got "shy".

Thanks for the awesome time, Roemers! You're welcome at our summer home anytime (either of them)!! :)

Oh really?? All of a sudden you're both shy?!

Look at Ryan... "Dude, I've got not one, but TWO, gigantic sticks!"
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Summer fun!!

Tybee Island 2011

Okee dokee friends and fam... some VERY long overdue pictures from our trip to Tybee Island, GA back in April. Blogspot is being a jerk this a.m., so instead of posting captions under each photo, I'll provide a quick summary:

-Pool at the condo.
-Beach photos with shots of the studly boys having a blast in the water!
-Celebration dinner at Sundae Cafe (celebrating Meyer Anniversary, Roemer --Anniversary and The Sherman's surviving a very tought end to 2010 / start to 2011)!!
-The Pier!!
-Authentic southern ribs at a Tybee Island rib shack.
-The light house (LOTS of stairs people, lots of stairs) - gorgous view of the island.
-Drinks at the Rock House (one of our favorite places) before tattoo time.
-Dinner at AJ's Dockside (where there was some fabulous live music).
-Darts (boys against girls, sorry for the vulgar team names) at Doc's!
-Pic of "Chap" and I at the Rock house (Chap was my tattoo artist. He was kind enough to ask if he could flip the bird in the picture, cuz that's his "thing"... I wasn't about to say, "Please don't")!
-Cards at the condo on our last night... We just didn't want to stop the fun!!

The Meyer's have some shots that I don't, so take a look here to see more.

Thank you soooo much Uncle Bill and Aunt Merile for sharing your Tybee home with us! The trip was wonderful and we miss Tybee every day!!