3 months old!

This past week, Mason turned 3 months old. I wanted to post on the day of, but things have been crazy! He is getting SOOO big and has such a little personality....more so than we remember Taylor having at this age. He smiles SO big when we talk to him and especially when he's on his changing pad. The other morning I had my camera ready to take a video because I thought he was going to roll over...he was pulling those little legs up and leaning so far to one side, but he never did. I'm sure I won't be prepared with the camera when he does actually do it! This picture is not the best quality at all...in fact, it's a pretty horrible pic...but we forgot to take a picture of him on his 3 month bday earlier in the day....so right before bed was all we got! And here's one of the latest photos of our 2 little munchkins! They both cooperated fairly well for a fun little photo session on the couch....by request of Taylor (she points and tells me to go get the camera anytime we lay Mason by her!). Mason's face in this pic is just hilarious! Taylor is practicing pounding her chest like a monkey (or gorilla or whatever...we just say monkey).

Flashback Friday...a quick one but good one!

It has been a very busy week around here because my sister is visiting all week from Texas. Well, she just moved from California to Texas...so at least now she's within driving distance...which means more visits from her...YAY!!!

So due to our busy week and the fact that I have barely sat down to the computer all week, we'll keep this Friday's flashback short and simple.

Here is one of my absolute favorite pictures of Taylor. This was taken Thanksgiving 2006 when she was one month old! The overalls she's wearing were VERY hard to pack away when she outgrew them...one of my favorite pieces of clothing she had! Thanks to Jody for letting us borrow them!

I do see a little bit of Mason in that face! It's hard to believe she's 19 months old now!

Mr. and Mrs. Young!!

This weekend Dave and I got a little get-away to Wilbur, Nebraska!!! Our good friend, Barry, got married!! Barry's from Newton, but really got to know Dave in college where they were roommates at K-State. I also got the privilege of living with Barry also...read below for those details!

This was our first overnight away from Mason. Thanks to my sister, Rebekah, who came to visit for a week, we were able to leave him at home in good hands while Taylor went to Grandma and Grandpa's.

Barry and Chelsea had a beautiful outdoor ceremony in a little outdoor theater in Wilbur. Oh, by the way, Wilbur is the Czech capital of the United States (I think that's what the sign said)...just in case you get a trivia question on that one day.

We were surrounded by tornado and thunderstorm watches but thank goodness the weather held off for the ceremony! It was absolutely perfect!

Here's the bride and groom...Barry and Chelsey Young! Chelsey looked gorgeous and I LOVED the flowers in her hair! Oh, and Barry looked pretty spiffy too!This was such a fun wedding because we were back with all our college friends! This is Mike, one of Dave's best friends. Mike was a groomsmen in our wedding and a roommate of both Dave and I's (not at the same time though!) Dave lived with him for several years and then after Dave graduated and moved back to Newton, my sister and I took over 2 of the empty rooms at the house Dave's folks owned in Manhattan. We needed 6 month leases until we graduated, and this was one of our only options. We lived with 4 other guys (Barry being one of them)..Mike was on the top floor with the 2 of us and shared a bathroom with us...he was a SUPER roommate and always put the toilet seat down and cleaned up the bathroom every time he was in it! He'll make a great husband one day!

Here are some of Dave's favorite girl friends from K-State, Amy, Crystal and Jackie. Thank goodness they still liked me after Dave started using their "princess" nicknames on only me. We miss these girls so much!

More of our friends....Gary and Marissa Kepley and Crystal in the middle. Gary was another of Dave's college roommates. Gary and Marissa got married last October on Taylor's 1st birthday! Missy was so nice to share the spotlight with a 1 year old while everyone sang happy bday to her at their reception!The ceremony was followed by an YUMMY dinner and dance! We had so much fun catching up with old friends and miss them all so much!

Congratulations Barry and Chelsey...we feel honored to have been able to share your special day with you. Listening to the stories that were told about you and watching you together, it is obvious that you have found such a perfect match in each other. We wish you many blessings as you start your life together as husband and wife!

Flashback Friday....Teaching

This Friday it seems sensible to do some sort of flashback in honor of my teaching career. I wish I had taken more pictures at school with the students and staff, but I didn't. The best I could do was a flashback to my graduation day at K-State. I graduated in December 2004 with a degree in elementary education. It was really fun, because my little sister also graduated that day from KSU also. So when did I decide to become a teacher? I would have to take you all the way back to Kindergarten. I still have a worksheet that I did that year that was titled "What I want to be when I grow up" There was a blank to write in what I would be and a big space to draw a picture. Isn't it funny that at 5 years old, I had already decided I wanted to teach! I drew a picture of a teacher (which would be me) standing in front of students in desks with a speaking bubble that said "Read kids read!" And of course one of my favorite things to play with my sister was "school".

Towards the end of high school and first 2 years of college, I had strayed from the path of teaching after being discouraged by the low pay of teachers...I was determined to go down a path that would pay the big bucks! So for 2 years I took business classes with the high hopes of being a CEO in the corporate world. That just makes me laugh now!

It all changed one summer when I attended a Leadership conference put on by the Kansas Health Foundation, in which my mom and I were nominated for in our community. The theme of the conference was all about the kids of Kansas and how Kansas is such a great place for kids to be raised and educated. The highlight of the conference was guest speakers, Erin Gruwell and 2 of her students who were called "Freedom Writers", from Long Beach, CA. The story of Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers was the most inspirational story I had ever heard and brought tears to my eyes. That day, my hopes of becoming a CEO diminished, and my desire to be a teacher re-surfaced. This conference took place in 2001 or 2002 I believe, so WAY before the Freedom Writers movie came out. Of course, I'm sure you can imagine my excitement YEARS later when I saw the previews for the "Freedom Writers" movie....a story that had inspired me years before! Most people hadn't even heard of the "Freedom Writers" and I had not only heard the story but had met the teacher and students that the whole movie was about! My mom even bought me their book (see picture below) that Erin Gruwell signed.

So needless to say, I returned to school after that summer and changed my major. It felt right. I finally felt like I was doing what I was intended to do.

After graduating in December 2004, and marrying Dave several weeks later, we moved to Newton where I would get my first teaching job. August 2005, I started teaching 3rd grade at Slate Creek Elementary. I have LOVED Slate Creek and all the staff there. I have worked with the most incredible team of 3rd grade teachers EVER, who have come to be some of my very dear friends.

Today, I just finished my 3rd year of teaching. In just 3 years I have experienced some of the biggest highs and lows of my life. From those sweet little hugs and those "I finally got it!" expressions to having things thrown at me and having to take on the role of "protector" of 20 little bodies....I have loved and hated being a teacher! I can only hope that I have left even just a small impression on someone that has crossed my path in the last 3 years.

But here is where my life now brings me....

I have always dreamed of being able to be a stay-at-home mom. And I am so excited to be taking on this new direction in my life. Today was bittersweet...I'm sad to be leaving all the little lives that I hope I touch each day in the classroom and I'm VERY sad to be leaving the wonderful friends I've made at Slate Creek...but I feel truly blessed to be able to now focus on the 2 little angels that I have at home.

So, mom by day, jewlery lady by night...thank goodness for Premier (my jewelry business going on 4 years) and the outlet it will give me to still have my own identity and reason to get dressed in more than just sweats and get out of the house....not to mention, the ability to still contribute to my family financially! Goodbye teaching....for now. We'll see what the future brings. Hello KIDDOS!!! I'm home for good!!

Fishing!

This past weekend we went over to Grandma and Grandpa's house and played with cousins who were staying there! We found Tyler fishing with Grandpa....what a fun photo opp!

Cousin Jaden didn't care too much for the fish, so Taylor played with him in the sandbox! NO FEAR! She grabbed that fish like it was a toy!

How fun it is to have a such a fun backyard to play in at Grandma and Grandpa Balzer's!

FIRST Flashback Friday!

I mentioned in a previous post that I had some new post ideas that I would be starting. Well, here's the first! Every Friday I will do a flashback into the past...sometimes the recent past, sometimes the very distant pass...we'll see what kind of pictures I run across. I can't take credit for this idea, I have seen it on several other blogs that I have been checking lately. So check back weekly (if not daily) for "Flashback Fridays", and we'll see if I actually keep up with it EVERY week or not.

So this first flashback is to July 4th weekend, 2005. One of my dearest and best friends from high school, Onnie got married! This picture is of the 2 of us, and Jessie, my other dearest and best friend from HS (but I'll save her for another flashback!). The reason I chose to dedicate this flashback to Onnie is because I have been thinking about her LOTS lately! She and Curt just had a baby girl almost a month ago already and I am just so excited for her! Baby Anna is absolutely gorgeous and we were SO excited to get to surprise them in the hospital (through careful planning with her sister) the weekend she was born. Let me take you WAY back to when Onnie and I met. It was preschool. We went to Rainbow Christian Preschool and we LOVED playing dolls and house at recess. There was a pillow and a blanket that we always fought over who would get to play with. I STILL have a note that Onnie wrote me in preschool, I will have to find it and scan it in for another flashback! I do remember briefly what it said though...."You are nice. I love you. You are a good student." (or something along those lines). How nice is she? Here's our class...can you find us?
After kindergarten, we went to different schools again until 6th grade. At the 6th grade center, Onnie and I were in the same "pod" or "team" or whatever you call it. She had Mr. Hammer (I THINK!) and I had Mr. Fell, but we started to become better friends as we began seeing more of each other in classes and 6th grade activities. Of course, we went through what most girls go through during those middle school years....friends one day, not the next. Our friendship was many times dependent on who else we were friends with at the time.

It wasn't until high school (junior year?) when we FINALLY "stuck"! We had always been friends, but it seems like that was the time in our lives when we finally just found the friends we fit with the best and stuck with them...no more flip-flopping around! I have so many memories of Onnie always being such a "goof ball"! She always made me laugh with her sense of "nieveness" (sp?) and care-free attitude! We had so much fun our senior year trying to be "rebels" but yet still remain the "good girls" as well! Kind of challenging to be both! This is us our senior year of highschool.Here are just a few of the crazy and random memories that I have: singing in Walnut Valley Youth Choir, sitting out at night on the roof of her new house, looking for trash can lids in alleys, crazy face painting for football games, singing to Dixie Chicks "Goodbye Earl" at the top of our lungs in her car, throwing bottles in the back of her sister's bf's truck b/c he was being "mean" to her, new years eve in her basement, practicing for hours to learn the dance to Britney Spears "Crazy", dealing with "mean" girls in HS, being the first to change the trend of what was worn to homecomings, BOAS and crazy outfits, late nights in Newkirk, OK, bluegrass BIRTHDAYS, taking freshman to homecoming our Sr. year, tears over many different things, graduating at the top of the class together and walking together at graduation, planning to be roommates together at KSU (which never happened), visiting her at Rockhurst and in Washington D.C when she was there one summer, being at my side as a bridesmaid the day I married Dave, and always loving to hear her voice on the other end of the phone as our lives took us in different directions.

Onnie is seriously one of the smartest friends I've ever had! She KILLED me in Calc AP (I quit half way through)! She graduated from Rockhurst University where she met Curt (her husband) and went on to KU Medical School. Every time I talked to her, she and Curt were always at the top of their class!! I was always so proud of her! She just amazes me that she has been so dedicated to school and her career to endure the long and challenging years of med school.

So here we are today....from sharing a pillow and blanket during indoor recess at preschool, to sharing experiences of motherhood together. This is the true definition of a "lifelong" friend! I wish you all could know her!

Onnie, I love you! You are such an inspiration to me and I am so blessed to have had you as a friend for over 20 years! (I was going to say almost 30 years, but I won't go there YET!). You are the cutest mom ever....I only wish our little ones could start preschool together too! I am so proud of everything you have done in your life. I can't wait to add more memories to our list...even if they only come few and far between now. LOVE YOU!

Here's more from our memorable weekend!

We weren't sure if Taylor would like her first ride or not. If you saw the previous post, you obviously could tell from the pictures that she LOVED it! Here's a video for you to catch a glimpse for yourself.

And another one.....notice she is not quite as happy in this one...because the ride stopped! We're glad to know that sign language we taught her is being put to good use.

And, lastly....if you're really wondering how the 5 hour car ride to Missouri went, this video explains it well. She is actually watching "Finding Nemo" when I took this video...a little break from the Barney video was nice! Watch carefully.....she doesn't even blink!

Man, how did our parents EVER travel long distances with us before they had DVD players in cars?!??!? Kudos to them.

Mother's Day with my Munchkins

Okay, so I told you my posts would probably start to be longer....but I promise not THIS long all the time! It was a big weekend that requires a big post! Enjoy!

This Mother's Day we went to visit my mom and dad in Ozark, Missouri. We were a little anxious about a 5 hour drive with the kids, but thanks to Dave's parents Escape, a DVD player and a 15 min. Barney video that got played over and over again the entire way...it was a pretty decent trip! Of course, as soon as Taylor fell asleep we made sure to take a break from the Barney songs and let her sleep in peace with the Barney doll that Grandma and Grandpa Dippel gave her the last time they came to visit! She loves it, as you can see!

My dad has been DYING to take us to Silver Dollar City ever since they moved near Branson and since Taylor has gotten old enough to somewhat have fun there. So on Saturday, despite the VERY overcast skies and threat of rain all day, we took the kids on their first BIG outing! Thanks to my parent's season tickets, we got 2 free tickets as well, so luckily we didn't have to pay those high prices (which we probably WOULDN'T have done with the kiddos being so young!)

When I was growing up we went to Silver Dollar City MANY times....so being there brought back many memories! It's a place that I can remember vivid details of smells, sights and sounds! It was everything I remembered and it was so fun to have the kids there. And yes, other than a few minutes of rain, the weather cooperated and we enjoyed about half the day there!I was trying to sneak a picture of this MONSTROUS guy, but he caught me and said "I don't look as tall if someone's not in the picture with me." I guess he was aware that his height drew attention to him.The Sherrif of Silver Dollar City gave Taylor and Mason both silver star sheriff badges. How fun! I remember getting these badges when I was a little girl! Taylor wasn't quite sure of this strange guy, as you can see by the way she is leaned very far back in her seat!

Taylor loved the train ride around the park and the little skit in which 2 funny hillbillies acted liked they were robbing the train! This skit hasn't changed a bit from 10 or more years ago, another fun memory for mom! The highlight of the day was Taylor's first time to ride the rides! There was a kiddy area with 4 rides, 2 of which you could ride with an adult if you were under 36 inches. Dad got to go with her first...I'm not sure which was the better spot...on the ride with her, or on the side where I could see her ear-to-ear smile every time the frogs circled around!I got to ride next. I don't think I have ever heard anything sweeter than the sound of her giggles the entire time the ride was going. Every time the ride stopped, Taylor did the sign language for "more". She didn't understand that we weren't the ones controlling the ride AND that we had to get off and get back in line. At this point, we were pushing her past her nap time, so we were either seeing ear-t0-ear smiles or we were carrying her off a ride kicking and screaming and trying to strap her back into the stroller!Dave and Taylor goofin around with funny hats! On our way back home on Sunday, we followed my parents to Independence (which was not more than 15 -20 min. off our normal route back home) and surprised my grandparents! They hadn't seen Mason since the weekend he was born. We didn't stay long, but long enough to get in some good pictures. Or at least, attempts at good pictures! All I wanted all day was to get a good picture of me and my kiddos. Taylor was not gonna have it! This is the best we could do.
At least Mason was cooperating! He looks like such a chunk in this picture!Here's a very special picture of 4 generations (if I counted them right)....Mason and I, my mom and my grandma. I am so glad we all got to be together for Mother's Day, even if it was just for a short bit. Of course, the picture would have been better with Taylor in it, but we just weren't going to go there!

It was such a fun weekend. For myself, I got a little taste from the past, but I also got to have some first time memories with my little ones. Definitely a Mother's Day I won't forget!

A New Take

I have been looking at MANY people's blogs lately and have gotten quite inspired by some of the things I've seen. This past week I also caught a glimpse of a blog "book" that a teacher at my school just got printed. She has 6 months worth of posts printed into a really nice book, serving as one of the coolest memory/photo books I've ever seen.


I started this blog not too long ago and have learned so much about blogging along the way. I started it mainly to share pictures with friends and family. It's been so fun telling stories about Taylor and sharing some of the experiences in our lives.


I have always loved to write. Writing has always been a way for me to explain my thoughts and share my feelings. Keeping a journal just seems so old-fashioned these days, and I really never kept up with a journal anyway. So this new blogging trend is just what I need!


From this point on I am going to take on a new direction for this blog. I want to do a better job journaling our day to day happenings and all the things I want to remember, with the end goal of publishing it all into a book. How neat for us to be able to sit down 10 years from now and read about all the things our family was doing day in and day out. What that means for our faithful blog followers is just that you will probably just have more to read! AND, it also means that I will probably be posting more often! I say that now, let's see if it happens! I also have a few new ideas for posts....so be looking for those soon!


Hope you like the changes that have been made so far! Mother's Day Weekend post coming soon!

Child Labor

It's so nice having a little body around to do some of the little annoying, everyday tasks around the house....like putting the new wipes away after coming home from the store. We could have just carried the box back there, but that seems WAY too easy! A couple of packages at a time seems a much better use of time....especially for a one year old! Here's a video of our big helper!