ryan, melody, & charley

We're Off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz!

2009-11-06T15:48:00.004-06:00

I hate to say it. I think Charley's favorite holiday is officially Halloween. That is until Santa brings her lots of presents. Then, Halloween will be a thing of the past. As many of you already know, Charley loves to sing and dance. That is old news. Well, Charley's new favorite movie is none other than The Wizard of Oz. It is so cute to watch her sing and dance as she pretends she is Dorothy. So, who better to be for Halloween than the beloved Dorothy Gail. My mother-in-law was kind of enough to make Charley's Dorothy costume and it was so cute. Charley is still enjoying playing dress-up in it everyday.

This was the first year that we actually let Charley trick-or-treat at houses. Boy did she love it. After each house she would loudly state, "I want to go to another house." After a bucket full of candy Ryan and I decided it was time to call it quits for the night. Charley was even beginning to complain that her candy bucket was to heavy. Ha!

I do love this time of year. The holidays, the crisp mornings, the smell of firewood burning. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful life!

Halloween 2009

My 30th Birthday!!

2009-09-27T07:54:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I celebrated turning 30! I had been looking forward to turning 30 for quite awhile. After having cancer, every birthday is a milestone and you can't wait to celebrate another year. I'm sure that all cancer survivors would agree with me. I wanted to spend my 30th birthday with my closest friends and that's exactly what I did. Hilary A. and Kevin, Hilary O. and Tyler, and Ryan and I all started our night down at Maria's. It is my absolute favorite place for Mexican food....and margaritas. After a wonderful meal, we all headed to Ernie Biggs Piano Bar. It was a lot of fun with a lot of memories. I'll leave it at that! Finally, we ended our night at the Mud Lounge. I really couldn't have asked for a better birthday. Ryan and I have the best friends and to spend it with them was perfect!

It was also so nice to spend time with my family. My mom's birthday is less than a week after mine and for us to celebrate together is always wonderful. Thank you mom and dad for always being there.

Now to brag on my family a bit......Ryan has been so wonderful to me over the past years. We actually started dating when I was 15 and have officially been together for 15 years! I just want to thank you for being the best husband and father. Thank you for always providing for our family. Charley and you have an indescribable bond and she and I are truly blessed. I LOVE you so much and look forward to celebrating many more birthdays together!!!

Summer is Over and the School Year has Begun!

2009-09-09T06:13:00.012-05:00

Can you say slacker???? I have really let the blog go this summer. Perhaps it is because last summer I was robbed of time with my family and was just beginning my battle against breast cancer. So, when this summer rolled around, I took advantage of it. Although our summer didn't involve any glamorous trips or vacations, it was still wonderful. Charley turned 3 this summer which is so hard to believe. My baby is longer a baby. At 3 years old is she even considered a toddler anymore? I think she is slowly crossing over to officially being my big girl. Despite how time is flying by, I have to admit that I absolutely LOVE this age. Charley is such a firecracker......which might not be such a good thing at times! She now officially roles her eyes and just the other day I said something to her and she looked at me and said, "Whatever." I literally stopped in my tracks. Did my 3 year old seriously just look at me and say "Whatever?" She obviously gets this from Ryan. I would never roll my eyes or say whatever. (wink, wink)

As much fun as summer was and as busy as were, I was somewhat relieved when it was time for preschool to start again. The only bad thing about school starting is that the time seems to go by even faster and because of that I know summer will be just around the corner which means Charley will be turning 4. Could someone please freeze time for just awhile???

Yesterday was the first day of school for Charley and she was so excited. I remember last year she was so reluctant for me to leave her there and clung to my neck out of desperation for me to save her. Unfortunately that was not the case this year. When I Ryan and I dropped off at her class yesterday she took off her back-pack, turned to us, and said, "I need a hug." After hugs and kisses she was off and there was no turning back. No more separation anxiety. Charley is a social butterfly. Although I miss the days that Charley was fearful to be left in an unfamiliar location, I am so proud to be raising an independent, strong-willed child. I know these are attributes which will benefit her greatly as she gets older. Here are some pictures of Charley's first day of school:

With school starting, I thought this would be a good time to also enroll Charley into some sort of extracurricular activity. She LOVES music and LOVES to dance so I knew she needed something where she could be wild and move around. So, I decided we would try a free class of both dance and gymnastics and then choose from one of the two. Yesterday, Charley had Hip Hop. Yes, I said Hip Hop. It was her and two other boys, both of which were older than her by one, if not two years. My little Charley looked like a twig out there and although she was pretty good at the stretches they did at the beginning, Charley is so not ready for Hip Hop. Besides being so completely distracted because Ryan and I were there....although we did try to hide....she had no clue what was going on. At one point I heard her yell out, "My favorite color is yellow." What??? I ended up pulling Charley out of the class before it ever ended. Perhaps if there was a class called Free Style, Charley would do much better. Today we give our free gymnastics class a try. I really hope that today is more successful than yesterday! I'll keep you posted!

4th of July Celebration

2009-07-06T07:14:00.004-05:00

Since the 4th of July is 5 days after Charley's birthday, it makes for a very busy week. It also makes for a lot of fun. This year we went to I Love America (ILA) that is hosted by the church we attend, James River Assembly. It is a MAJOR production and this year around 120,000 people attended. The weather was absolutely beautiful, so Ryan, Charley, and myself ventured out to ILA around 1:00 pm. I was a little worried about getting out there so early only because the fireworks didn't start until 9:20. However, Charley did GREAT! She had a wonderful time being pulled around in the wagon, eating snow cones and corn dogs, and just hanging out with her mom and dad. I know one of these days being around Ryan and I will be the last place she wants to be.

The fireworks display was spectacular and Charley didn't even flinch despite them being extremely big and loud. We ended up getting home around midnight and by that time Charley was pretty much comatose. We made wonderful memories that Ryan and I will cherish for lifetime.

4th of July 2009

Happy 3rd Birthday Charley!

2009-07-06T06:36:00.004-05:00

I can't believe that my baby girl is 3 years old. It is so hard to believe that just three years ago I was at home with a newborn and now my baby has blossomed into a beautiful little girl. Ryan and I are so blessed by Charley each and every day. She is so full of life and has the BIGGEST personality. There isn't a day that goes by where she doesn't make me smile or laugh hysterically. She truly is such an angel. For her third birthday we went with the Disney Princess theme. What I love the most is that Charley truly believes that she is a princess........why would she think any differently!? Her birthday was at Wacky World which is a giant indoor inflatable jumpy place. This is one of Charley's favorite places and to have all of her friends there made it extra special. The kids jumped, and jumped, and jumped until they were all pretty much a sweaty, sticky, mess.....just in time for pizza! We had lots of yummy pizza and the most WONDERFUL cake EVER from Stacey's Sweets. I have used Stacey on several occasions and her cakes are to die for! Along with a BEAUTIFUL princess cake, she made princess crown sugar cookies for Charley's friends to take home. The cookies are AMAZING and just as good as the cakes. I would HIGHLY recommend her for all your celebrations!

After pizza and cake Charley went on to opening her presents. She got so many wonderful presents including cute dress up princess outfits, an outdoor sandbox, some crafts, and a baby doll with all the cutes accessories. It was such a wonderful day. On Charley's second birthday I had just been diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks earlier and wasn't sure what the future held. Knowing that I had beaten cancer and was able to celebrate her birthday in full force this year was a wonderful feeling. I am looking forward to MANY more birthdays together as a family.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl! You are AMAZING! We Love You!

Charley's 3rd Birthday

Charley's Broadway Debut

2009-06-19T21:28:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone is having a wonderful (and hot) summer so far! Ryan, Charley, and I are enjoying every minute of it. We were robbed of our summer last year so this one is extra special. I have been getting things ready for Charley's 3rd birthday. She will be 3 on June 29Th. That is so hard to believe. It seems like everyday is slipping away so quickly. I am really working on soaking up every minute with her. She is getting more and more entertaining every day. Charley LOVES to perform, sing, dance, etc. One of her favorite songs is Tomorrow from the musical Anne. However, rather than singing the entire song, she sings only her favorite part over, and over, and over, and over.....you get the point. Charley also sings this song whenever her "theatrical" mood strikes. Today, it was when she was strolling through Walmart. She is not even fazed by the people passing by. People seem to enjoy her singing and some even follow her voice until they find us. It cracks me up each time. Anyway, I just wanted to share this video with all of you and give you an idea of what a shopping trip to Walmart is like for me. Enjoy!

Falling off the Blogging Bandwagon

2009-06-03T11:45:00.002-05:00

Wow! I can't believe it has been almost two months since my last posting. I hate that I have gotten so far behind! However, I will credit that to enjoying life. I have had far better things to do than sit at my computer and blog......not that I don't enjoy it! Since the weather has been warmer, Charley and I have been spending lots of time outside. She LOVES to be outside and now that she is old enough to entertain herself, I actually enjoy being outside as well. Ryan purchased Charley a pool for the summer and that has brought hours of entertainment. It's just the right size and even I can get in it and cool off.

Backing up a few weeks, I had an absolute wonderful Mother's Day. This Mother's Day was extra special. To be honored as Charley's mother felt terrific and knowing that I am going to have many more Mother's Day celebrations felt even better! Thank you Charley for being the best, sweetest little girl a mother could ask for! I sure do love it when you say, "I love you all day mom." (Tear)

A couple of weekends ago Ryan, Charley and myself had a great kick-off to summer! We spent 3 nights at Old Kinderhook at The Lake of the Ozarks! Wow....it was just what we needed. We had a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, golf cottage overlooking the 15th hole. Paradise....well, maybe not paradise but it was beautiful. On our second day there our best friends, Kevin, Hilary, and Zachary Austin came to spend the day and night with us. Hilary and I enjoyed soaking up the sun while the kiddos watched movies and the guys played a round of golf. That evening we all went out to dinner and spent time laughing and visiting. Charley was so happy that Zachary came to see her and Ryan and I loved hanging out with Kevin and Hilary. Thanks Austins for making our time away that much better!

Well, that pretty much puts you all up-to-date on what has been going on in our lives. We have a lot more fun happening this summer so I will be sure to keep the blog more updated and try not to fall off the blog bandwagon again!

Mother's Day 2009

Old Kinderhook

Disney on Ice

2009-04-21T08:27:00.003-05:00

Charley LOVES Disney! In fact, this might be an understatement. She watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in the mornings and I'm pretty sure she thinks she is a real princess. If she even so much hears the music from a Disney World commercial she flips out. I would love to be able to take her to Disney World at this age. She is in love with all the characters! I know she would remember more if she were a little older, but by then the Disney characters will probably embarrass her more than anything. Since I don't have a trip planned to Disney World in the near future, I did the next best thing....Disney on Ice!

Charley's Nana (aka my mom) was nice enough to buy tickets for the three of us. It was so nice to spend an evening together....just us girls. I have been to several Sesame Street productions and they cannot even compare to Disney on Ice. It was absolutely wonderful and I enjoyed it probably as much as Charley. There was nothing better than watching Charley's face as she became completely absorbed in The Wonderful World of Disney. Thank you Nana for an incredible evening and one that we will never forget!

Disney on Ice

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Preschool Field Trip to the Zoo

2009-04-21T08:20:00.006-05:00

Last Friday Charley's preschool class went to the zoo. The weather was beautiful and Charley had a great time! She couldn't believe that she got to have school at the zoo! She has made so many cute little friends and despite being one of the youngest kids in her class, the other kids are really sweet to her. One mom told me how her daughter comes home everyday saying that Charley is so funny. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or bad thing. I am so thankful for Charley's preschool and all that she has learned this past year. It has also given her the opportunity to interact with other children the same age.

We had a wonderful time at the zoo and look forward to going back very soon!

Preschool at The Zoo

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Easter 2009

2009-04-21T07:51:00.002-05:00

Well I am only about 2 weeks post Easter, but I do want to share with you how the Wasson's celebrated this year. We had a very eventful Easter and to be honest, it felt as if Easter went on for days and days. The Saturday before Easter Charley went with her Nana and Grandpa to their church for an Easter Egg hunt. Charley had a great time. The only problem that she encountered was that the eggs were wet from laying in the grass and she wasn't a fan of picking up wet eggs. What two year old cares about that? That afternoon we went to Charley's MiMi and Papa's for another Easter egg hunt and cook-out. This was the first year that Charley truly understood the meaning of an Easter egg "hunt." More than the hunt, she really enjoyed the surprise in each little egg.

Sunday morning our family went to church and celebrated the real meaning of Easter. It was so wonderful to celebrate the risen Lord and think back on all he has done for my family this past year. Praise God! After church we headed over to Nana and Grandpa's for an Easter Lunch and yet another Easter Egg Hunt. Like I said....Easter went on for days.

We truly enjoyed spending time together as a family and are so thankful for our relationship with the Lord.

Easter 2009

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Preparing for Easter

2009-04-09T08:10:00.002-05:00

The Wasson Family has been so busy the past couple of months! Shortly after getting back from Vegas I went to New York to visit a good friend who is also a breast cancer survivor. We had a wonderful time in New York City. Since having returned home I have been trying to get back into a "normal" routine and that has consisted of being REALLY busy! In the recent days we have been preparing for Easter. I finally found the PERFECT Easter dress for Charley and yesterday she had Easter pictures taken. As you will be able to tell, Charley LOVES to have her picture taken. After getting home from an eventful morning, Charley and I made an Easter bunny cake. Then after dinner, Ryan, Charley, and myself dyed Easter eggs. Most of them ended up cracked, but you can't really tell now that they are colored. Charley didn't quite understand that the eggs were delicate. That's a two year old for you I guess! I can't imagine what the eggs will look like after an Easter egg hunt! It's hard to believe that this Sunday is Easter. I think back to last year and it seems like it was just yesterday. Our little girl is growing up fast. Each day is such a blessing and even though we have "our moments" Ryan and I wouldn't trade one day.

Preparing for Easter

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Vegas and Tattoos

2009-03-11T10:09:00.009-05:00

Well I feel like I have fallen off the blogging wagon. So much has been going on but I just haven't found the time to keep up with my blog. First, at the end of February Ryan and went to Las Vegas for some time away. We had not been anywhere "alone" for quite some time....with the exception of my bi-weekly chemo treatments and that's not exactly what I would consider a vacation. We were lucky enough to find an incredible rate on our airfare and hotel and just couldn't pass it up. In addition, we scored two free tickets to Cirque Du Soleil Mystere. Vegas was warm and wonderful. I would like to say that we returned big winners, but that just wasn't the case. We stayed at the Monte Carlo for three nights. Our second and third night we upgraded our room to a Spa Suite on the 21st floor. The room was wonderful. It had a jacuzzi right next to the window over looking the Vegas strip.

We spent lots of time going in and out of all the different hotels trying out their casinos and shopping at the forum shops. My favorite part of the entire trip was no doubt the Cirque Du Soleil show. We had never been to a show in Vegas so that was a special treat. Ryan and I both agreed that despite our tickets being free, it was worth the $100 that the tickets sell for. It was hard to come home after spending such a short amount of time there but we were both excited to see Charley.

On a different note, I got my very first tattoo last night at Hearts of Fire here in Springfield. I had been wanting a tattoo for quite awhile and knew exactly what I wanted and where I wanted it. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer last June, there were many scriptures that pulled me through and inspired me to fight like heck. One of those scriptures was Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, not harm you, plans to bring you hope and a future." This particular verse continued to show up time and time again and was a constant reminder that breast cancer was a "season" in my life that God would bring me through and that my future would be filled with hope. So, last night I had Jer. 29:11tattooed on my wrist with a pink ribbon in the background. I know this will serve as a constant reminder of God's promise to me, no matter what the future may bring. I also hope it will serve as a way to share my story with others.

Next week Ryan and I leave for St. Louis for my first post-chemo Drs. appointment. Then I am flying to NY to meet a very dear friend for the first time. She is also a breast cancer survivor. I'm sure I will have lots more to blog about when I return.

Las Vegas

New Tattoo

February Fun

2009-02-12T07:42:00.003-06:00

February has already been an eventful month in the Wasson house. Last weekend my parents took Charley out of town to Poplar Bluff, MO. This is where my grandparents live. So, on Saturday morning Charley's Nana and Grandpa loaded her up and took her out of town for an entire day and night. I would like to tell you that Ryan and I had a nice relaxing weekend while she was gone. However, that would be far from the truth. For about the past 2 months Ryan and I have been scouring Springfield for new furniture and a big girl bed for Charley. I had been to every furniture store in Springfield at least twice and still had not found anything that I just had to have. After Charley left town last weekend, Ryan and I had the idea that it would be so awesome if we had Charley's new room ready for her (furniture and all) when she got home. The only problem was that we had no furniture and were doubtful we would find anything in stock. Thankfully, we were wrong. By 3:30 Saturday afternoon Ryan and I had all of Charley's furniture ordered and at home. We found a great deal on a beautiful white bedroom set.

At 6:00 that evening Ryan and I started painting her room and finished up around midnight. The next morning we were up by 6:30. That's when the real work began. Charley was going to be home by 1:00 so we knew we had a limited amount of time. For 6 hours straight we worked non-stop. We changed the closets around, brought all the furniture in, set up her bed, hung pictures, and the list goes on. I have to admit I was really sad when we packed up Charley's crib and changing table. I realized at that moment that my baby was growing up. However, I knew that Charley's new room would be such a wonderful surprise for her.

When Charley arrived home, she really didn't notice her room at first. Then, as soon as she saw it, the first words out of her mouth were "Oh My Gosh"! It was so cute. She immediately jumped on her new bed. It was so awesome to see her reaction after we had worked so hard. I have posted some pictures of her new room. For now, her new bed is on the floor as we wait for the foot board, rails, and trundle to arrive.

After Charley had some time to settle into her new room we were off to a birthday party. The theme was Dr. Seuss and The Cat in the Hat made a special appearance. He was quite the character....you'll see what I mean in the pictures. Charley had a wonderful time and we were ALL exhausted by the time our weekend finally came to an end.

Elliott's Birthday Party

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Sesame Street Live 2009

2009-02-02T09:03:00.002-06:00

This past weekend Ryan and I took Charley to see Sesame Street Live in Kansas City. After taking her last year, we knew that we had to do it again. I personally don't think the show this year was quite as good as last year, but that didn't stop Charley from loving every minute of it. When we took Charley to see it last year, she was literally in shock that her "friends" from Sesame Street were literally feet away. This year she was much more into "shaking her booty" to all the songs. She is quite the performer.

The next day we spent going to Crown Center and doing a little shopping. We met our good friends Hilary, Kevin, and Zachary that night at T-Rex for dinner. T-Rex is like a Rainforest Cafe except with huge dinosaurs. Charley wasn't so sure about the dinosaurs at first. However, after a little bit of time, she warmed up to them. Charley absolutely loves Zachary and was so excited to see him.

Finally, before heading home on Saturday, Ryan, Charley, and I put in a full day of shopping at Oak Park Mall. When I say Full Day, I mean around 8 hours....seriously. The sales were incredible and we got some screaming deals. Both Ryan and I were in desperate need of some new clothes. We spent our wad on Charley at the Disney store. There is nothing a little princess loves more.

It was such a great couple of days. This was the first trip we had taken as a family in about 9 months and it was wonderful to spend time together.

Sesame Street Live 09 and Kansas City

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Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

2009-01-28T08:33:00.002-06:00

The weather the past couple of days has been a mixture of ice, sleet, and snow. The snow part didn't actually happen until last night at about 8:00. It was beautiful and so bright outside. Over the past six months I have learned (and continue to learn) that you have to make the most of each day that God gives you. As I was getting ready to put Charley to bed last night, I looked outside and couldn't help but think that it would be so much fun to go outside and play in the snow. So, at 9:00 Charley and I put on our snow gear and headed out into the Winter Wonderland. This was the first time Charley had really had the opportunity to play in the snow. She loved it! We made snow angels, raced each other across the yard, and ended with a snowball fight! Charley thought it was great to get to go outside and play at bedtime! What a great memory!

Let It Snow!

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Happy Belated New Year, and Yes...WE'RE STILL ALIVE!!

2009-01-20T18:26:00.003-06:00

Well in case you're all wondering, the Wassons are alive and well.....PRAISE GOD!!! The past month things have been hectic, but in a good way! We had a wonderful Christmas spent with our family. This Christmas was extra special. I recently overcame my battle with breast cancer and to spend Christmas with my family and be healthy, was a true blessing. Charley received a plethora of princess toys. She is turning into quite the little princess herself. Now that our family is getting back into a routine that does not involve chemotherapy, surgery, or a multitude of Dr's. appointments, I am hoping to have more time to devote to this blog.

Here is an update of what is going on with the Wassons:

1. Last year we took Charley to see Elmo Live in Kansas City. Many of you might remember the YouTube video we posted of her. She was so excited! Elmo Live will be in Kansas City next week so we are taking Charley to see it again. We plan on spending two days there enjoying some much deserved time as a family.

2. Since being diagnosed with cancer last June, Ryan and I have not had any time to ourselves, with the exception of my chemotherapy treatments.....not exactly how I want to spend time with Ryan! So, as a gift to ourselves we are going to Las Vegas February 23rd - 26Th. I absolutely cannot wait for this trip. I have only been to Vegas once and I loved it. The shopping is incredible and I love taking a look at all the different casinos! For those of you that remember, my last trip to Vegas I won $2500 on a nickel machine. Hopefully I will be as lucky this next time!

3. In March I will be traveling to NY....alone! When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I created a blog that gave me the opportunity to share my journey with others. Through this blog I corresponded with many different women via email. I was overwhelmed with all the emails I received with words of encouragement. In July, I received an email from a woman named Mary. Mary had been diagnosed at almost the same time as I. After sharing our stories with one another, we learned that we would be having the same kind of chemotherapy, on the exact same days. The only difference was that I was in St. Louis and she was in NY. Since first emailing one another in July, we have developed an awesome friendship! In fact, if we don't hear from one another in any given day, we worry. Getting through my treatments was so much easier knowing that Mary was going through the same thing. We really counted on each other and were there to encourage one another when needed. So, on March 19Th I will be getting on a plane and flying to NY to meet Mary in person. We are going to spend several days in New York City painting the town pink! I cannot wait for this trip and feel so blessed that I will finally get to meet her!

2009 is going to be a great year for the Wasson family. I look forward to watching Charley grow and living life to the fullest. What better way to start 2009 than with a little bit of traveling. Hopefully there will more to come!

Allow Me To Introduce You To Bella

2008-12-15T07:50:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, Ryan and I decided to add on to our family. We are SO HAPPY to announce that Charley has a new little sister. I personally think she favors Ryan. In case your thinking, "I didn't even know that Melody was pregnant," don't worry, this was not a well kept secret pregnancy. Our newest addition is a sweet little Shih Tzu named Bella. She is black and white and such a sweet natured puppy.

Ryan and I had been talking about getting a new puppy after the first of the year. We actually purchased a french bulldog puppy a little over a year ago but sold it a short time later because it was spastic. It screamed like a woman (I'm serious!) and was not very loving. After selling her, Ryan and I decided that we would wait to get another puppy until we found just the right one. We had done a lot of research on what kind of dog would be good for us and good with Charley and had made up our mind that we would eventually get a Shih Tzu. Ryan and I also knew several people who had Shih Tzu's and they all had great things to say about these dogs.

In all honesty, we had no intentions of purchasing a dog yesterday. However, on our way home, we saw a man selling Shih Tzu's. We stopped to take a look and knew instantly that we had found our puppy. Charley LOVES her and so does our other dog, Mandy. Mandy had needed a companion for quite some time and now she has a new baby to take care of. Meet Bella.

Attack Of The Birds

2008-12-08T13:51:00.004-06:00

I have never cared for birds. Perhaps that is because when I was little I stepped on a baby bird and the mother bird freaked and flew at me viciously. While I was getting ready this morning, I heard a lot of "chirping" and looked outside to see hundreds (maybe even a thousand) birds in my yard. I was extremely worried that I would not be able to leave my house or in doing so I would be attacked. I did venture out to take some pics, but did not leave the porch. It was quite scary!

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

2008-12-04T20:42:00.002-06:00

The rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Fill out the questions below
3. Tag 5-7 people at the end of your post.
4. Pass on the tag. Have FUN!!

1.Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate. Just hearing the words egg nog makes me want to yack.

2.Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Hello...sits them under the tree! Do you really think he has time to wrap all those presents?

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? We have white lights on our tree and colored blinky lights on our house!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No! I would be out-running Ryan all the time if I did that.

5. When do you put your decorations up? The week of Thanksgiving...usually the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? I enjoying all of the food but my favorite is actually a beverage made with red hots.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child: I loved all the gifts but what I remember most is the excitement I had going to bed on Christmas Eve. I still get that same excitement!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I heard a rumor at school and then went home and asked my mom. She looked at me and told me told me the rumor was true!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes. We open gifts at my in-laws on Christmas Eve.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? We have a pre-lit tree with lots of ornaments, red ribbon, and silver bows.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I love it when it is actually snowing. However, I don't like it when the snow turns black from being on the ground for weeks.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, but I don't like it.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Hello...who wouldn't LOVE getting a barbie dream house?

14. What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Spending time with my family.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? COOKIES....any kind.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I have loved starting a new tradition by having Christmas morning at my house.

17. What tops your tree? A red bow.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving! I love watching the excitement (or sometimes disappointment) on my families face as they open the gift that I picked out especially for them.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Oh Holy Night!

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? The first one of the season is yummy, but after that, yuck!

21. What do you want for Christmas? I want many more years with my family.

22. Do you attend an annual Christmas Party? We will attend one this year with our Life Group. =)

23. Do you dress up on Christmas or wear PJs? PJ's! I love getting right out of bed and opening presents!

24. Do you own a santa hat? No. Why would I?

25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with? My family.

I Tag: Erica....I can't think of anyone else who hasn't already been tagged!

All I Want For Christmas Is........

2008-11-24T18:31:00.006-06:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, I started potty training Charley this past week. She is still doing well with that. However, she is still hanging onto to her bowels, if you know what I mean. I'll keep you posted if anything should change! One of Charley's favorite things to do after she goes potty is to flush the toilet. Perhaps that is because on Elmo's Potty Time the kids wave and say goodbye to their "business." I finally had to explain to Charley that she can only flush the toilet when there is actually something in the toilet to flush. So what did Charley do....she started putting all kinds of things in the potty. So far, I have discovered an English Muffin, of which was HUGE because it had been in there for awhile, Ryan's guitar pic, and a granola bar that was still in it's wrapper. Obviously these were all items that could not be easily flushed. Each time I discovered one of these things, I had a long discussion with Charley about how we don't put anything in the toilet except for our "business." I had yet to discover anything for a couple of days and was beginning to think this phase was over. I was wrong. When I got out of the shower tonight and went to use the bathroom, this is what I discoverd. And no, it doesn't work anymore. Apparantly this phase is NOT over.

Potty Time!

2008-11-20T20:43:00.002-06:00

Today I officially started potty-training Charley. Ok, so I have started this process several times before, but Charley just wasn't ready. Since we have no plans or appointments in the next 6 days, I decided to give it another shot. Well today she was ready! I broke out the big girl panties (they were Elmo of course) and she wore them all day long! She told me every time she had to go potty and she only had one accident. I was so proud of her. We are going to tackle it again tomorrow and my hope is that in a few more days she will really have the hang of it. I would be thrilled to say goodbye to diapers. I will keep you all posted and hopefully this will be my final attempt at potty-training Charley!

Halloween 2008

2008-11-01T11:50:00.003-05:00

Whew! Halloween is so much different now that Charley is a part of our lives. As a child, Halloween was one of my favorite holidays. I LOVED getting dressed up, going door to door, and getting a sack full of candy. Now that I am a parent, I feel differently about Halloween. I still enjoy it, but it is a lot more work than when I was a kid. Especially since there seems to be more and more activities throughout the week of Halloween which of course requires your child to wear their costume to each one. Perhaps the stress of it all is somewhat my own fault. Charley doesn't exactly have to participate in each activity, but I know she enjoys it and I figure Halloween is only once a year.

Our day started yesterday with a Halloween party at Charley's preschool. The kids were allowed to wear their costumes to school and I have to admit, they were all so cute. The kids each did a craft and they even got to go trick-or-treating to the other classrooms. So, we started our day with candy and ended our day with candy. I really enjoyed being at preschool with Charley and seeing her interact with the other kids. She really seems to enjoy being there.

After a short nap, it was time for Charley to put her costume back on and head to the grandparents. I'm pretty confident Charley doesn't really understand the concept of trick-or-treating yet. What she did understand was that for whatever reason people kept giving her candy and she loved it! After going to Mimi's and Nana's we headed to church. Each year our church has a Halloween party for anyone and everyone. Let me just say this is no ordinary party. The church was decked out with decorations from head to toe and there were all kinds of activities from inflatables to live shows. The theme this year was Happily Ever After and being Snow White, Charley fit in perfectly!

Our last stop was at Hilary's mom and dad's house. This has been a tradition ever since Hilary and I had our kids. Charley loved seeing Zachary in his cute monkey costume and the kids enjoyed spending playing together. Finally, it was time to call it a night. Snow White was fading fast.

Needless to say, Halloween 2008 was one to be remembered! Now I just have to figure out what I am going to do with all this candy!!

Preschool Halloween Party

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Halloween 2008

To see a video of trick-or-treating at MiMi's and Papa's, click the link below!

http://www.realestateshows.com/show.php?id=347587&code=26eaa612#

Happy Fall!

2008-10-28T09:36:00.004-05:00

Yes, our family is still alive and doing well. I know that might be hard to believe seeing that I haven't done an update in over a month! Keeping up with two blogs is harder than you think. Anyway, we have been busy, as you can imagine. Fall is full of so many fun activities and we have been trying to soak up every single one. We have been especially busy this week. Halloween is just around the corner and this year Charley is none other than Snow White. She has no idea who Snow White is, but she sure is cute in her costume. On Monday we took her to the Spooktakular at the Zoo. Charley has just recently learned what it means to be "scared" so she was pretty undecided on whether or not the Spooktakular was "fun" or "scary." I'm pretty sure all of her fear subsided when we came upon the Sesame Street display. Charley made her way around to all of her "friends" and gave them each a kiss. Oscar was the only one that went without a kiss. She has a Love/Hate relationship with him. Besides being a little cold and windy, we had a great time and Snow White was a hit. Tonight we are carving our Halloween pumpkin and roasting the seeds. On Friday Charley will get to wear her costume to preschool and then of course that night we will be taking her treat or treating. I will have lots more pics to post so be sure to check back. For now, enjoy our little Snow White!

Spooktakular 2008

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Daddy Night at Preschool

2008-09-25T10:35:00.005-05:00

This past Tuesday night was Daddy night at Preschool. Of course Ryan wouldn't miss a night out with Charley. I was so proud of Ryan. Since I was out of town, Ryan was responsible for getting Charley all ready (I had helped prepare him a little) and then taking her to what was a fun-filled night of games for just the kids and their daddies. Ryan was even smart enough to remember the camera! Charley loves Ryan so much and they do have an inseparable bond. I am so glad they were able to share this special evening together. These are times that are one in a million! Enjoy the pics!

Daddy Night at Preschool!

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Chuck and I had a ZOOper time at the ZOO!!

2008-09-23T12:09:00.014-05:00

Well, today....DADDY's in charge! So Charley and I went to one of her favorite places in all the world....the ZOO. As I was truckin' down Norton Rd. Charley starts going absolutely crazy (go figure) pointing behind us and screaming "ZOO-ZOO!!!" and it was at that point that I realized I had passed the ZOO and she had seen the sign.....ok so she can read. So I turned around and we went it.

I'll be honest it was kind of slow going until Charley and I scared up some MANE WOLVES (kinda like HUGE red foxes)....they are very skittish. None of the monkeys would throw their poop (childhood favorite....the monkeys doing the throwing, not me...of course) so we moved on. We then began feeding the big carp Charley's Cheezits but began running out so we stopped. Charley almost lost a finger to a goat, but daddy saved her.

By this time, we reached the almight SNACK SHACK.....YES! The lunch-lady knew exactly who Charley was when we entered.....hmmmmmm.....I wonder why....making because Mommy was just there with Charley less than one week ago!! Charley had two hotdogs and I had a nachos....with peppers...and a coke...yummy. Onto the elephants.

We were only about 10 from the big black bear (glass wall) but it was sleeping so Charley had this wonderful idea of throwing our ICE from the coke over the tall wall and hitting the bear....it worked to say the least. Bear looked around, looked at us...and then went back to sleep. yippee skippee.

Snake House scared Charley, but she loved the big CORN SNAKE some old guy was holding at the exit.....Charley wanted to pet the snake, but the guy wouldn't let her since she was so young and more likely to get SALMONILA (spelling?) from the snake..... I argued with him for a while to try to get him to understand that Salmonila only comes from raw chicken meat.... he didn't buy it and my little girl couldn't pet the snake.....

I must say the TRAIN ROCKS!!! We rode the train around the lake TWICE! Very cool....Charley was a pro...she knew just what to do. She loves the train whistle. I love my little girl so much! I can't believe my family is blessed as much as we are that I get to stay at home with BOTH my girls....having the time of our lives!

You'll have to click on EACH picture below...I don't know how to correctly add pics to the blog....and my wife isn't here to supervise.

From Melody: I corrected it for you Wasson! Love you and Great Job on the blog!!

Ryan & Charley's Day at the Zoo!

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Family Date Night

2008-09-20T13:52:00.004-05:00

Last night we enjoyed a wonderful evening. Ryan, Charley, and myself met our good friends Kevin, Hilary, and Zachary for dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. My birthday had been the day before, so we did a little more celebrating at dinner. Thanks Hilary for the yummy cookies and awesome presents! Following dinner we all headed downtonw to The Springfield Little Theater where we watched High School Musical. Charley and Zachary loved it! As always, they were very well behaved. Ryan and Kevin were more restless than the kiddos! It was such a special treat to spend time as a family and with our very best friends!

Enjoy the pictures!

High School Musical

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Charley's Concept of Artwork at Preschool

2008-09-11T09:32:00.003-05:00

Let me first say that I LOVE Charley's preschool! Everyone is so nice and Charley really seems to enjoy Mrs. Natasha. Since starting preschool, Charley has come home with some really cute art activities she has done. As a proud mom, I clearly display them for all to see on our refrigerator. One of the projects that she came home with on Friday was a large picture of a boat glued down to some construction paper. At the top was the title "Noah's Ark". Charley had glued animal cookies to the boat to make it resemble all the animals in the ark. When I saw what an amazing piece of work it was, I immediately put it on display. However, a few days ago, this is what I noticed as I walked past the refrigerator......

Notice that there are two cookies missing. Yes that's right, Charley decided to enjoy herself a little snack, glue and all. I am now trying to get her to understand that we don't eat our art projects from school. No wonder she enjoys preschool so much!

Charley's First Day of School!

2008-09-05T14:15:00.005-05:00

Today Charley started preschool. I can hardly believe that she is two years old and actually going to school two days during the week. OK - it's actually only for a total of 5 hours a week, but that still seems like a lot. Charley's teacher is Mrs. Natasha and after a little bit of coaxing, Charley was ready for first big day. I had been telling her all week long that she would be going to school, and even though she was so enthusiastic about it at home, she wasn't so sure when we first got there. However, my sister-in-law works at the preschool and was kind enough to call us periodically throughout the morning to give us updates. Charley did great and Ryan and I were anxious to pick her up. We know she will benefit greatly from the time she spends there and are so grateful that she is a part of Kingswood Kids!

Click on the Album for a Slideshow of Charley's First Day!

Welcome to the Dixie Stampede!

2008-08-29T07:12:00.017-05:00

Last Monday evening we went with our good friends Micah, Kirk, and Parker Washam to the Dixie Stampede in Branson, MO. We had the best seats on the very front row and the action could not have been any better or closer. I have to say the girls loved it! We weren't able to use flash photography, but the pics turned out pretty good anyway. If you want to see pictures from our evening, just click HERE!

Thanks Hilary!

2008-08-21T13:03:00.002-05:00

Here are the rules: Link to the person who tagged you, mention the rules, tell six quirky, yet boring unspectacular things about yourself, tag six other bloggers by linking to them, and then go to each person's blog and leave a comment letting them know they've been tagged. (I think I will just list them at the bottom and leave it at that. If they see it, great.)

6 random unspectacular things about me:

1. Those who know me know I have a Super Type A personality. I am slightly obsessive compulsive about certain things. For example, when I lock the doors at night, I have to check each door at least three times and turn the handle three times just to make sure it is locked.

2. Although I have a degree in teaching, I would really like to be a cosmetologist. I love the idea of working my own hours, making people look pretty, and chatting away countless hours. It beats booger eatin' kids.

3. I love to write. Before my little "bump in the road", I was actually enrolled at The Institute of Children's Literature. I had only written one story before I was forced to take a leave of absence. I hope to re-enroll after the first of year.

4. I love to travel...or at least pretend that I am going somewhere. I will spend countless hours on the computer researching trips. I will even go so far to pick my travel dates, book a flight, and book a hotel, just to see the final price. Of course, I never give them my credit card info. which means I never really get to go anywhere.

5. I love to have my house cleaned. I use to do it myself, but life has changed. I say if you can afford it, why waste one second of time cleaning your own house. There are people out there that will do it for you!! I have the same philosophy when it comes to mowing the yard.

6. I love spure of the moment decision making. I don't do this often because my Type A personality won't allow it. However, there is nothing better than waking up in the morning and deciding your going out of town for the day or weekend without any planning ahead. You only live once. That's my philosophy!

I tag: I'm pretty much sure everyone has been tagged.

Best Girlfriends

2008-08-20T13:41:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago we got together with our very good friends, Micah and Kirk. Micah and I have been friends since I was three years old. We grew up as neighbors and have so many memories as childhood friends. That friendship has carried over into adulthood and now we both have little girls of our own. Charley and Parker are about a year apart, just like Micah and I. These girls love each other. They are finally at an age where they can "play" together and it is so cute to hear and see them laughing and playing. I have no doubt that their friendship will last for years to come, just as mine did with Micah.

Best Girlfriends

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Fun At The Fair

2008-07-29T15:07:00.004-05:00

Last night, Ryan, myself, and Charley ventured out to the Ozark Empire Fair. Ryan and I have been going to the fair ever since I can remember. In fact, my parents took me to the fair every year as a child. The fair is a tradition. The only thing about the fair is that it seems to get a little more "scary" each year. I'm not sure if "scary" is the word, but I am trying to describe it in the nicest way I know how. We ate dinner at Rudy's BBQ. Rudy's is another tradition of ours. I always vow I will not eat there the next year, but that is never the case. Rudy's does have great BBQ, but I have had better. I would rather eat the traditional fair food.

It was a beautiful evening and Charley LOVED looking at all the animals. Bless her heart, she really thought she was big enough to ride all the rides and it was all Ryan and I could do to keep her from hopping on one. After making several loops around, we ended our night by once again looking at the goats and watching some baby chicks hatch. On our way out, I asked Ryan if he wanted to make one more walk through and his comment to me was that it's just not the same now that he has a daughter, meaning that the "carnies" scared him and he didn't like subjecting his little girl to their "Hey Sweetie" comments. I agreed. It's funny how things change when you have a kid. Despite being kind of creeped out, we had a great time and Charley really enjoyed herself. I'm sure we'll return next year for another night of creepiness and Rudy's BBQ.

Fun At The Fair

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A Day At The Lake

2008-07-12T20:26:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, Ryan, Charley, and myself headed down to the lake. We were so happy to have the opportunity to go and enjoy ourselves. We had only been to the lake once since Ryan purchased a boat for our family. Soon after, I was diagnosed with cancer and the past month has been so busy that we just haven't had the time to enjoy it. However, since my surgery was post-poned this week, Friday ended up being the perfect day for us to enjoy a day at the lake. My Aunt Brenda and Uncle Waymon have a cabin down at the lake and they were kind enough to let us stay there last night. Thank you so much! We really needed that time away and the cabin was great! When we first arrived, we grilled some hot dogs and Charley took a quick catnap. Their cabin is so cozy. While Charley napped, I read a magazine and Ryan relaxed as well. Mid-afternoon we headed out on the boat. Charley was so great. She loved being out on the boat with her mom and dad. She even enjoyed getting in the water for a quick cool down. We enjoyed tubing, fishing, and just boating around. I prepared sloppy joes for dinner and then we headed back out for an evening cruise. The rest of the night was spent lounging around the cabin. I felt so blessed to be spending time with Ryan and Charley. We were able to forget about everything going on in our lives and enjoy some peace and quiet. This morning we were up early enjoying one last outing on the boat before returning home. I am looking forward to more lake days in the near future.

Fun At The Lake

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Happy 2nd Birthday Charley!

2008-07-02T12:08:00.002-05:00

This past weekend Charley celebrated her second birthday. It is so hard to believe that just two years ago we were welcoming Charley into the world. She is such a blessing to Ryan and I and we are amazed everyday by her spunk. Just like last year we planned a big birthday party at our house. Charley's very best friends were in attendance. However, just like last year, it rained, and rained, and rained. The "outdoor party" that we had been planning for, became an "indoor party." Thank goodness for my giant living room! The theme was Abby Cadabby. Charley would have probably preferred Elmo (again) but I wanted to go with something a little bit more girly. Charley's cake was adorable and delicious. The catering from Bandana's was also awesome.

This was year was extra special because as many of you know I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I am so incredibly thankful that Charley doesn't know that I am sick and that she will never remember how cancer took so much of my time and energy. Being able to celebrate her birthday before beginning the long journey was incredible and a birthday I will NEVER forget. I love her so much and am so thankful for the time I have been able to spend at home with her since she was born.

Happy Birthday Charley! Mommy and Daddy love you!

Happy Birthday Charley!

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A Wonderful Evening

2008-06-21T06:53:00.004-05:00

Last night, Ryan, Charley, and myself spent an awesome night out. First, Ryan took his girls to Nakato. What Fun! Actually, it didn't start out to fun. Charley is going through a really bad phase of not wanting to sit in a high chair. I was worried about this little situation before we ever left the house. Sure enough, as soon as we arrived and put Charley in her high chair, she began screaming and yelling. She even chucked TiTi (her most favorite stuffed animal that we CANNOT leave home without) clear across the place. Next, she started throwing raisins and crackers. Thank goodness we were the only ones sitting at the table at the time! We were finally able to keep her from throwing things off the table, but she continued to scream and make a big fuss. By this time, other people were showing up at our table and if there is one thing I can't stand it's having MY KID screaming in a restaurant disturbing others. After about 2 more seconds of that, Ryan declared "That's enough" and he grabbed Charley out of her chair and took off to an undisclosed location. After a few minutes Ryan and Charley returned. He sat Charley down in her high chair and she never made another peep. Actually, I take that back. She did get a little fussy once more, but when Ryan asked her if she wanted to go back to the bathroom, she replied with a little innocent "No." I'm not sure what went down in that bathroom between Ryan and Charley, but whatever it was, it worked.

After dinner we made our way downtown to the Little Theater where we saw Seussical the Musical. One of my good friends, Rachel, works at the theater and was kind enough to give us three tickets. Thank you so much Rachel! The show was awesome!! I would highly recommend going to see it whether you have children or not. Ryan thinks it is one of the best shows he has ever seen! Charley loved it! It was just a great evening!

Finally, yesterday morning our family had pictures taken. Jessica Oatman was the photographer. She is so amazing! She has posted a sneak peek of some of the pictures she took on her blog. If your interested, you can check them out at http://www.jessicaoatman.blogspot.com/.

Seussical The Musical

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A Future Broadway Star

2008-06-12T08:40:00.004-05:00

As many of you know from previous posts, Charley loves Elmo. Occasionally she likes to passionately sing her favorite song, Elmo's World. I was fortunate enough yesterday to catch some video of Charley in one of her Broadway moments. Granted, I had to allow her a few moments to get used to the camera. She isn't used to performing for the world just yet. I tried to get her to sing Twinkle Twinkle (another favorite) but she insisted that we stick to Elmo's World. She is our little star. Allow me to introduce you to the next American Idol, Charley Ryan Wasson.

Mini-Vacation 2008

2008-05-28T12:26:00.004-05:00

Whew! Yesterday, Ryan, Charley, and myself returned from our vacation. Last Thursday we drove to Poplar Bluff, MO where my Aunt Camille lives and my grandma and grandpa. After arriving, we visited with my grandparents. They had not seen Charley in over a year. Of course, Charley was somewhat scared and shy, but that quickly improved when they pulled out the Pooh bear they had bought for her. That evening we stayed with my Aunt Camille and Uncle Bob. Charley loved running and playing at their house! They also had a nice "welcome" gift for Charley. It was a cute stuffed monkey with a small book attached to it. Charley and the monkey have not parted ways since then! In addition to the monkey, they had bought the cutest miniature bananas for Charley. I didn't even know such a thing existed!

Friday morning we headed on to Cape Girardeau where Ryan and I lived our first few years of marriage. We have so many awesome memories of Cape and it was fun to catch up with old friends. We also had the opportunity to eat at some of our favorite restaurants. On Saturday I was able to have lunch with my best friend Anne. We had the best time teaching together when I lived there. The memories are endless! After lunch we took our kids to play in the park. Owen had to show Charley the ropes on the play equipment and she caught on quickly. Sunday morning we attended Centenary UMC where Ryan worked as a youth pastor. Everyone was happy to see us and especially Charley. Charley was working on being the center of attention, just like her daddy, so her and I had to spend most of the service outside.

After church, we left and headed up to St. Louis for the last few days of our vacation. Our hotel was beautiful! There was so much to see and do just at the hotel. We had a wonderful view of the Arch from our room. Sunday evening we enjoyed walking around downtown. Ryan took Charley and I on a horse and carriage ride which was wonderful. Charley loved Curly! The next morning we woke up early to do the St. Louis Zoo. That place is incredible. We had so many up close encounters with the animals. Charley LOVED it! We also rode the train which was a great way to see the different parts of the zoo. Our last night in St. Louis we ate a place called The Burger Bar. It was a fun restaurant where you could create any kind of burger with as many toppings as you wanted.

I was so happy that God blessed our vacation with good health, safe travels, and excellent weather. The three of us created wonderful memories that we will remember forever.....well, at least memories that Ryan and I will remember forever!

Cape & St. Louis 2008

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Cock - A - Doodle - Doo

2008-05-18T19:41:00.012-05:00

Miniature horses, chickens, what's next? Today my in-laws purchased chickens and we took Charley to their house to introduce her to these feathery creatures. I have to say that Charley and the chickens bonded quickly and that she is looking forward to seeing them again soon. I on the other hand am looking forward to the fresh eggs that they are supposed to lay. Prior to the chickens they had a miniature horse. Just like the chickens, Charley enjoyed "Huckleberry". I actually think she is fearless and would pet an alligator if given the chance. Perhaps I am raising the next Steve Irwin! Huckleberry has since moved to a new home and now all we have are pictures to remember him by. Going to MiMi's and PaPa's is such an adventure each time we go. Charley never knows what to expect. She is still hoping for a cow so that she can have fresh milk with her breakfast and dinner each day! She better be careful what she wishes for!

Charley's not sure about these chickens!

PaPa showing Charley how to "pet" a chicken.

I'm not so sure about this.

Charley doesn't seem to mind it's crowing.

This is Charley riding Huckleberry!

Best Friends

2008-05-13T12:59:00.004-05:00

What a fun morning we had today! Charley had her best friend, Zach, over to play today while his mommy, Hilary, ran some very important errands. Charley was SO excited to see Zach when he arrived. I have to say, those two are so cute together and are truly "best friends." Hilary and I have been best friends for well over 15 years and for us to now have children only three months apart is so much fun!! The kiddos were great! I think the cutest moment was when Zach and Charley were chasing each other around the couch laughing hysterically! Hilary was nice enough to bring all of us Wendy's for lunch and both Charley and Zach chowed down after working up a big appetite! Today was a great day and Charley is looking forward to the next time she and Zach can play together.

Best Friends

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Mother's Day....Take 2

2008-05-11T20:47:00.006-05:00

Well, today was officially Mother's Day. What a great day! Charley, Ryan, and I started our day by going to church. It was a great service and all mom's were honored with a rose as they left. We then headed over to my mom and dad's to enjoy a Mother's Day lunch. Charley LOVES eating at her Nana's and Grandpa's. She gets so excited! The ribs from Oscar's were delicious! For my mom, I purchased a nice flower arrangement for her front porch. Charley gave her Nana two tickets to see Noah the musical in Branson. She also gave her MiMi the same thing. So, in June, Charley, Ryan, myself, and both sets of grandparents will be going to Branson to see this one of a kind show. Charley is looking forward to seeing all the animals!! After a yummy lunch we came home for a little R&R before going to Roger and Sharon's for another Mother's Day celebration. Charley had a great time playing with her cousins, Haley, Allison, and Emma. PaPa did a great job of preparing a Mother's Day meal that included steak and chicken kabobs and jasmine rice. Kristen, my sister-in-law prepared a yummy salad and I topped the meal off with homemade brownies and ice cream. We ended the evening playing a little bit of volleyball outside until MiMi dove for the ball and hurt her knee. I am proud to report that she is ok! As you can tell it was a busy day, but a great day honoring us moms.

Mother's Day....Take 2

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Happy Mother's Day.........To Me!

2008-05-10T07:05:00.009-05:00

Mother's Day. What an honorable day. I now know how important Mother's Day really is. Growing up Mother's Day was really just like any other day. Don't get me wrong, I always did something special for my mom, I just didn't understand the true meaning behind "Mother's Day". Now that I am a mother myself, "Mother's Day" has an entire new meaning to me. Birthday's are great, but EVERYONE celebrates a birthday. Mother's Day is unique. It's a day honoring all mothers....a day honoring me. When Ryan asked me what I would like for Mother's Day, I could think of nothing more than to spend an entire day with him and Charley. So, yesterday morning Ryan, Charley, and myself headed down to Branson, MO for a beautiful day. We indulged at the Olive Garden for lunch, spent the afternoon Riding the Ducks, and then ended our day with a wonderful evening at The Landing where we ate at a steakhouse and topped if off with Marble Slab Creamery. What more could you ask for? As much as I would like to have a day of pampering, or a nice dinner alone with Ryan, NOTHING brings me more joy than spending a day together as a family. Ryan and I have no idea what we did before Charley came into our lives. She is incredible and truly the greatest thing to ever happen to us. I am so thankful for her. She is the reason I am able to celebrate Mother's Day.

Mother's Day

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A Shower For A Dear Friend

2008-05-03T19:51:00.003-05:00

Today I had the pleasure of hosting a shower for a very good friend. Alysia and I have been friends a very long time and it was great to see her again. I am so happy for her and know that she is counting down the days until she becomes Mrs. Butrick. For now however, she remains the "Future Mrs. Butrick". My mom was actually supposed to help host the shower today, but unfortunately she got sick. She was still able to provide some of the yummy food (thanks mom) which helped tremendously. My dad was nice enough to come over and help me set up for the shower. He even picked up the cake and Alysia's corsage. I also cannot forget to mention what a great help Ryan was today. He took Charley on a "Daddy/Daughter Day" and I know they had a great time together. Thanks Ryan for all you do! I enjoyed having people over to my house and watching Alysia open up all her gifts. I have been married for almost seven years and had forgotten how exciting it is to open up a box of place settings! I do have to say that Alysia's are very stylish! It was a great day to say the least! I look forward to seeing her get married in June! Congratulations Alysia!

Alysia's Shower

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A Night With Daddy......Lord Help Us!

2008-05-03T07:01:00.005-05:00

Some of you know that I volunteer at the Family Violence Center here in Springfield. I absolutely LOVE it and could probably write a book on what I have learned from spending so much time there......but that will have to wait. It had been several months since I had last volunteered. It seems like that it is how long Ryan, Charley, and myself have been sick this past winter! I usually like to go at least once a week, so last night I ventured off to the FVC. With me gone, Ryan was in charge of Charley and I knew she would LOVE having her daddy all to herself. Boy did she ever! Now, before you make any quick judgements, I think it is important to note that Ryan did feed Charley a good dinner before feeding her the Bacon Cheddar Chips that she devoured. Ryan sent me these pictures last night at the FVC and I began to immediately wonder who had kidnapped my sweet precious angel. I soon found out that this was the work of her daddy. He swears that after this "episode" he gave her a bath and scrubbed her face and hair. I'll be the judge of that when she wakes up this morning.

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES! THE PICTURES BELOW MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND MAY CAUSE NIGHTMARES.

Spring Cleaning

2008-05-03T06:45:00.005-05:00

I can hardly believe that it has been almost a month since my last blog. The Wasson's have been busy enjoying the beautiful weather and spending as much time outside as possible. Charley and I have ventured back to the zoo several times since my last posting and I think she enjoys it more each time we go. For me, the month of April was spent doing some "spring cleaning". I cleaned out Charley's closet in addition to mine and Ryan's. We also had our carpets cleaned and last week I ventured out and actually hired someone to clean my house. Now don't worry, I don't always do this, but every now and then I don't think it hurts to have someone else do it. The only problem is that I am SUCH a perfectionist which means even after the house has been cleaned by someone else, it still isn't quite as good as what I would do. For some reason it takes me a full two days to clean my house and it only took "Regina" two hours. Go Figure. I guess the plus side would be that it does look better and I didn't have to waste two days of my life doing it!

A Day at the Zoo with my Mom!

2008-04-07T17:09:00.004-05:00

Today I decided to take Charley to the zoo. It was a beautiful day and I had been telling her for days we would go and see the elephants. So, today we loaded up and did just that! We are now official "Friends of the Zoo" and can enjoy going there the rest of the year for free. I am so excited because I plan on taking Charley to the zoo at least once or twice a month. She absolutely loved it and we couldn't have picked a better day. ALL of the animals were out in full view and some of them even got up close and personal with us. I would have to say that Charley's favorite animals were the monkey's, giraffes, elephants, and goats. We saw so many more, but she seemed most amused by those. If you have a little one, I would suggest taking them to the zoo sometime soon and giving them the opportunity to enjoy a face to face encounter with the animals.

A Day at the Zoo with my Mom!

Click the Album for more pics of our day at the Zoo!

Warm Weather Fun!!

2008-04-07T10:00:00.003-05:00

What a beautiful weekend! Our family absolutely LOVES being outside when the weather is warm and nice. It seems like it has been forever since we have had really nice weather so we decided to take advantage of the warm days. On Saturday, Ryan, Charley and I ventured down to Silver Dollar City for the first time this season. We love that place! This is year Charley could actually ride some of the rides and she loved them. We are looking forward to spending lots of time there this summer! Thanks Nana and Grandpa for the season passes! They will be put to good use! After leaving Silver Dollar City, we drove down to the Tablerock Dam and it was awesome. With all the rain we have had, the Dam was on and running full force. It was quite a sight to see.

On Sunday, Nana went with Charley and I to a local park where Charley ran free and enjoyed all the toys. She had the entire park to herself!! She is definitely an outdoor girl!

Branson Fun

Day at the Park

Click on the Albums to enjoy the pictures!

Polka Your Eye Out

2008-03-31T10:40:00.013-05:00

If your reading this, your probably wondering about the title of this blog. I will get to that in just a moment. This past weekend Ryan and I went to Hot Springs, AR with our good friends Hilary and Kevin Austin. This is the second year we have headed south with the Austins and enjoyed two days of "intense" horse racing, lots (and I mean lots) of food, and the occasional beverage. The worst part about the weekend was the weather. It was cold and wet. Both Hilary and I had planned for nice weather so we were a bit disappointed we weren't able to wear our cute outfits. Because of the weather, we weren't able to enjoy our walk through downtown Hot Springs on Saturday morning. However, the guys were nice enough to drop us off at a few of our favorite stores.

Now, back to the title of my blog. Friday evening we had reservations at a German restaurant in Hot Springs. The food was really good and the atmosphere was definitely different. We were all hoping for a little entertainment to go along with our nice meal. Boy did we get entertainment. "It" consisted of a husband and wife. He played the tuba and she played the accordion. They played mostly polka music and both sang.....if that's what you call it. We really had a great time listening to them and laughing at them. Seriously, you had to be there to understand. If you know Hilary and I, then you know that we like to capture moments like these with a picture. So, that's what we did. This "band" had postcards made up so Hilary and I took a couple of those and later searched their website, www.polkayoureyeout.com. Please do me a favor and visit this website in your free time. That is all I have to say. It speaks for itself.

Saturday, Ryan and I had a great day at the races. We won several races and overall, only ended up down $30 for both days. Saturday night we ate dinner at a Hibachi grill and it was delicious. We then went over to the casino at the track where I introduced Hilary to the world of slots. Now don't worry. She only played a nickel slot and after one hour of playing on just a $5.00 bill, she was up $10.00 and cashed out! Congrats Hil on your first "Big" win on a Wild Cherry Slot Machine. Watch out Vegas.......here she comes!!! We then ventured across the street to Players for some live music. The band (again just a two person band) was awesome. That was an interesting evening to say the least!

The entire weekend was lots of fun and we are looking forward to next year!

Hot Springs 2008

Click album for more pics from our exciting weekend!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T19:32:00.004-05:00

What a GREAT Easter! I can hardly believe that another Easter has already come and gone. On Saturday, Nana and Grandpa took Charley to their church for a puppet show and Easter Egg Hunt. From what I heard, Charley was a vicious Easter Egg Hunter! She had so much fun with Nana and Grandpa. Today, Ryan and I took Charley to church in her adorable Easter dress and actually worked in the nursery. We weren't able to attend an Easter service, but it was nice to at least be able to go and see all the kids dressed up in their cute outfits. We were even able to take the kids in our class across the hall to the petting zoo. Ok, there weren't any animals except baby chicks, but Charley thought that was great! Then we headed back to Nana and Grandpa's for a DELICIOUS meal. Thanks Nana!!! After another quick Easter Egg Hunt, we went home for a little R&R. After a nice long nap, we packed up again and headed over to MeMe's and PaPa's. Charley's cousins, Haley, Allison, and Emma also came over and Charley had so much fun hunting Easter Eggs with them. Then, we all had a Chili Dog's. Charley LOVED those hotdogs MeMe and especially the cupcake! I know she wishes that PaPa could have been there. I am so thankful for my family and I hope everyone's Easter was as blessed as mine!

Easter 2008

Click on the album for more pics!

The Emergency Room, The Doctor's Office, and Two Nights in the Hospital..........ALL IN ONE WEEK!

2008-03-14T15:23:00.005-05:00

What a week! That is all I can say! This past week was one of the most traumatic experiences that myself, Ryan, and especially Charley have had to endure. Monday evening Charley began vomiting and screaming non-stop. After about two hours of this, Ryan and I decided to call Urgent Care and based on Charley's symptoms, we were advised to take her to the ER. I will spare you most of the details, but Charley was given an IV to help replenish her fluids. She also had an X-ray taken of her lungs. After seven more hours in the ER, Charley was diagnosed with Pneumonia and sent home. Since Charley had been vomiting, I was advised to give her only clear liquids the following day and then follow up with her doctor on Wednesday.

We finally returned home and Tuesday was a pretty normal day. In addition to her liquid diet, I did allow Charley to have some saltine crackers. I was so glad that Charley was back to normal.

Wednesday morning I went in to get Charley ready for her doctor's appointment and she was almost unresponsive. She was unable to stand while I dressed her and could barely keep her eyes open. I immediately put her in the car and we headed to the doctor. Once we arrived, her doctor could clearly see how sick Charley was and ordered several tests. All of the labs came back normal except for her hydration levels. Her hydration level was only at a 12 and a normal level is anywhere between 25 and 35. Her blood sugar had also dropped to a dangerous level. Charley's doctor decided that the only thing that would help her would be an IV. Easier said than done! After four attempts, the nurses were unable to get an IV started because of how dehydrated Charley was. As you can imagine, Charley was very traumatized by the whole event. Because they were unable to get an IV started, the doctor felt it was best to admit Charley to the hospital.

We arrived at the hospital around 2:00 pm on Wednesday. The doctor came in and said that because Charley had already been stuck four different times, he was willing to try two more times and if that didn't work, Charley would have to be given a feeding tube down her throat. Luckily, on the sixth try, a nurse was able to get an IV started. The bad thing was that the IV was put in her right arm, which is arm she needs access to in order to suck her thumb. This created a HUGE problem for Charley! She was very upset that the one thing that had always comforted her had all of a sudden been taken away. On top of all that, Ryan had been home all day sick with a stomach bug and I had to leave Charley at the hospital that night because I got sick as well. Luckily, Nana stepped in to help and stayed the night with Charley. We later found out that Charley did NOT have pneumonia, just a bad virus. Don't ask me how a misdiagnosis like that happens. Your guess is as good as ours!

The next morning Ryan and I were feeling better so we headed back up to the hospital to see our little girl. We were told by the doctor that if Charley could eat and drink a sufficient amount, she would be able to go home that evening. Unfortunately, Charley wasn't up to eating or drinking very much that day. So, her IV was put back in (thank goodness in her other arm with sucking thumb access)and fluids were started again. One of the only "good" parts about Charley's stay at the hospital is that she received some balloons (Elmo was her favorite) and a cute kitten from her best friend Zach. Thanks Zack, Hilary, and Kevin!

I stayed with Charley at the hospital last night and it was heart breaking to see such a little person laying in a hospital bed clearly unaware why she was there and why she continued to get tortured by evil hospital people (and believe me, some of them are truly evil). We were fortunate enough to return home today and Charley has been back to her old ways. There is just something about that dog food that she loves!

This whole experience really made me thankful for my life. I realized how lucky Ryan and I really were. There were children in the hospital dealing with far worse and I can only imagine what it must be like for their parents. I am also so thankful for grandparents!!! They really pulled through and were there at every moment needed. Charley is so lucky to be loved by so many. I am also a firm believer in the power of prayer and know that our prayers and the prayers of others were answered!

We love you Charley and are glad you're home!

The two pics above are of Charley's arm after the ER visit.

Looking up at Nana

Sad Face

Bum Arm....and no Thumb!

New IV with Thumb Access!

Wagon Ride down the Hall

Balloons from Zach

Finally at home with new kitty from Zach

Build A Bear..........Or A Cat!

2008-03-08T18:32:00.002-06:00

Today, Ryan and I took Charley to Build A Bear Workshop at the mall. She was having kind of a "sad" day, so we decided to cheer her up with another stuffed animal. Charley picked out "Cha Cha" (the unofficial name of the cat) all by herself. She was a little confused at first as to why her cat was so deflated, but I'm pretty sure she would have been happy with just that. She watched in awe as stuffing was added to Cha Cha. Cha Cha was given a heart and dressed and then we were on our way. Charley is enjoying her new friend and especially likes for Cha Cha to ride in the stroller with her. If we could just keep Cha Cha's skirt from falling down we would be doing good!

Build - A - Bear - Workshop

Click on the Album to see more pics!

A Fun Day At The Park!

2008-03-01T19:34:00.004-06:00

Today was an absolute beautiful day! As a way to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather, we took Charley to Sequiota Park. You would have thought that someone at the park was giving away a million dollars to everyone that showed up. It was packed! Charley really enjoyed looking at the ducks........and eating their snack! She also liked petting all the dogs that she could. What a great day! If only every day could be spent like today!

At The Park!

Click on the photo album for more pics!

Charley with...........Straight Hair?!

2008-03-01T19:23:00.003-06:00

So, today I decided to do a little experiment with Charley's hair. As many of you know, her hair is extremely curly. Since I have never seen her hair straight other than in the bathtub, I decided to straighten it. Now don't worry, Charley was not harmed in this experiment and I have no intentions of doing it again anytime soon. I was surprised by how long her hair actually was. It was so funny to see Charley react to her new look. She wasn't sure what to think, but new that something wasn't quite right. In fact, she was so uncomfortable with her new look, I could barely get a picture of her. She is already developing a conscience about herself!

Charley's New Pajamas

2008-03-01T19:12:00.003-06:00

Last night Ryan and I bought Charley an adorable nightgown. Since it was so warm today, we decided to let her wear it for a little while before bed. Needless to say, Charley felt extra special with her new "monkey" nightgown. Girls are so much fun!

See my new nightgown!

Enjoying a bedtime snack!

Admiring my new "jammies"!

The BIG Two - Zero......20 months that is!

2008-02-29T19:52:00.005-06:00

Holy Cow! Where oh where has the time gone? Today is an extra special day because Charley is officially 20 months old. You see, last year Charley never turned exactly 8 months old because there was no February 29th. So, we feel this year is "extra special". It is hard to believe that in just four months she will be two years old. Ryan and I were talking at dinner tonight about how fast she is growing up. When people tell you they grow up fast, they truly mean it. I am so thankful for every day that I have been able to spend with her and that Ryan has been able to provide a way for that to be possible. On my blog, there is a song by Trace Adkins titled Your Gonna Miss This. If you have children, I would suggest listening to it. It really puts things into perspective.

Although I am sometimes sad when I think about how fast time is passing us by, I do look forward to the future and watching Charley continue to grow. I know she will have a lot to offer.

Happy 2-0 Charley! Mommy & Daddy love you!

Feeling Yucky & Exhausted

2008-02-15T14:49:00.005-06:00

Unfortunatly we have a bit of sickness going on in the Wasson house. Ryan and I took Charley to the doctor yesterday only to be told that she is battling an ear infection with a touch of fever and an insanly runny nose. She was actually feeling so badly yesterday that she decided she could not even make it to her crib for her afternoon nap. After much preparation, she and her friends TT, BoBo, and Bear finally went to sleep between the bookcase and the filing cabinet in our office. How sweet! Today I have felt crummy with a scratchy throat and achy body. Hopefully Charley and I will be back to our normal selves within a few days!

The Best Day of Charley's Life!

2008-02-02T20:02:00.000-06:00

This past Wednesday, Ryan, Charley, and I traveled to Kansas City. I should mention that we weren't supposed to leave for Kansas City until Thursday, but due to the "8 - 10 inches" of snow Springfield and the surrounding area was to receive, we decided to leave a day early. Well, as always, that much snow never arrived, and there weren't even flurries in KC. Oh Well. Despite dishing out an extra $100 for a hotel and Ryan's failed attempts to win it back at the poker table, we were glad we left early. Our main purpose for the trip was to take Charley to Sesame Street Live at the Sprint Center. I had been looking forward to this trip since the beginning of December. Ryan had warned me not to be disappointed if Charley wasn't as excited as I hoped she would be. Well......let's just say that Charley was MORE than excited. There are no words to express the emotion that she was feeling when she laid eyes on Elmo. For those of you who know Charley, you know that she LOVES, and I mean LOVES Elmo. I had a feeling that she would enjoy the show, but I had no idea that she would enjoy it as much as she did. As I watched her excitement as Elmo came out on stage, I was taken aback by the pure joy such a tiny girl could experience. Again, there are no words to express what Ryan and I felt as we watched Charley pour out her emotions. Being around Charley is such a joy. Ryan and I know we are blessed beyond words. Charley is so full of life and reminds us each day of what it is like to see things through the eyes of a child. I have posted the video that Ryan took while we were at Sesame Street. Charley can't believe that she is in the presence of her "best friends". The video is a little long, 7 minutes to be exact, but the best parts are at the beginning. I have also posted some pics from that night and a few from the rest of the trip. I hope you enjoy them!

Kansas City and Sesame Street Live Photos

Fun Times!!

2008-01-22T19:25:00.000-06:00

Let me just start out by saying the Internet has to be one of the most incredible things. I can't imagine what it will offer when Charley is older. Thanks to Hilary, I had a blast creating "Celebrity Morphs" and my "Look-Alike Meter". I hope you enjoy them as much as I did! I love Ryan's Celebrity Morph! You would have thought...........? Enjoy!

Melody Morph

2008-01-22T19:22:00.001-06:00

Ryan Morph

2008-01-22T19:15:00.000-06:00

Wasson Look-alike Meter

2008-01-22T19:04:00.001-06:00

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Family search

Reed Look-alike Meter

2008-01-22T18:55:00.001-06:00

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Wasson Look-alike Meter

2008-01-22T18:48:00.001-06:00

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebs - Collage - Morph

Finally........... A New Posting!!!

2008-01-16T18:00:00.000-06:00

I know it has been forever since I have posted anything, but I have been busy remodeling Charley's room the past few weeks. Since Charley is a growing girl, I really wanted to transform her room into something that was fun and REALLY GIRLY. I have posted a few pics of her new room and for those of you who saw her room before, you can clearly see the transformation. I personally don't think the pics do her room justice, but I wanted to share them anyway. I would also like to mention that I did absolutly everything myself, with the exception of hanging only A FEW things on the wall. For some reason, Ryan didn't think I was capable of using a drill thingy to put nails in the wall. However, I am still taking credit for him hanging the two things he did, because I came up the idea and location! The only thing missing from Charley's new room are some 8x10 black and white photos I have ordered. As soon as they arrive they will be added to her room and it will finally be complete. My next project is mine and Ryan's bathroom. Right now it is a gross mint color (I did pick it out, but wasn't aware it would look like it does) and then I am on to our bedroom. When we first moved into our house, we had the entire inside remodeled. For the most part, our entire house was painted a khaki color. Now that we have lived in our house almost three years, I have decided it is time to "jazz it up" and really make our house a "home." I am excited about getting started on my next project. Ryan has said that he hopes I can do it without spending "a dime". Can you even buy anything for a dime? I doubt it. Anyways, keep checking the blog and I promise to update it more often. Enjoy the pics!

Charley's New Room

More Cute Pics of Charley

Another Christmas Has Come & Gone

2007-12-27T11:33:00.000-06:00

I can hardly believe that Christmas is already over and that there are only a few days left in 2007. Where has the time gone? If you are reading this, I hope you and your family had a truly blessed Christmas. If your anything like me, you absolutly LOVE Christmas, but are always somewhat glad when it is over and things can settle down a bit. For the past few days Ryan and I have been extremely busy visiting with old friends who have traveled to Springfield for the holidays. It is always good to see old faces. It is weird that all of us old friends are now all married and most of us have at least one child, if not two. The next few days will be as chaotic as the past few as Ryan and I celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary and get ready to ring in the new year with our friends Hilary and Kevin.
This year we began a new tradition with my family. In years past, Ryan and I have always spent the night at my mom and dad's on Christmas Eve and then spent Christmas morning opening gifts and their house. Now that it is no longer just Ryan and I, we decided to spend the night at our own home on Christmas Eve and my parents were at my house at 6:30 am Christmas morning. We all sat around anxiously awaiting the moment Charley would wake up. I have to say that this "new" tradition is one we will look forward to in the years to come. Happy New Year!

5 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!!

2007-12-20T07:24:00.000-06:00

I can hardly believe that it is just 5 days until Christmas. Ever since having Charley, the days and years seem to be flying by. A part of me really hates that. I sometimes feel that I don't take enough time to enjoy each day. It seems that there is always something to get done. I have been blessed to be able to stay at home with Charley the past year and half. I can't imagine what it would be like to have to juggle a full-time job and a family. However, I realize that the majority of mothers do exactly that. I have several resolutions for the upcoming year. First, I really want to take advantage of each day I am given. For me, this means spending less time worrying about whether or not the house is clean (if you know me, you know the house is ALWAYS clean), worrying about finances (Ryan always provides above and beyond), and just feeling like I have to get everything done in one day. I plan on spending more time just playing with Charley. Don't get me wrong, I spend almost every waking moment with her, but sometimes it still doesn't feel like enough. The other night I was rocking her to sleep and I noticed her little legs were hanging down past the edge of the chair. I wondered where the time had gone and how she had gotten so big in a mere 18 months. It was then I realized that my sweet little girl would only continue to grow, and that one of these days I wouldn't be able to hold her and rock her to sleep. It's moments like these that I want to cherish. I am not guareented tomorrow, and I will never be given today back.

The second thing I want to accomplish in the new year, is becoming more healthy. I just recently started working out regularly (for the second time this year) and am looking to lose several pounds. Did you know that gaining weight is so much easier than losing it? I recently discovered this. As I continue to get older (thank goodness I am still the youngest of all my friends), I realize that I am coming to an age when the things I eat, the way I think and act, all reflect heavily on my body. I want to feel good in my own skin. I want to know that I am doing everything possible to live a healthy lifestyle. I realize that is going to require me to cut out the late-night snacking and the glass of wine I like to have in the evenings. My goal is to be able to wear a bikini next August when Ryan and I go on a cruise with our best friends, Hilary and Kevin. Don't get your hopes up, I WILL NOT be posting any bathing suit pictures, bikini or not.

Finally, I want to work on paying down debt. Ryan and I both feel very blessed that we don't have the amount of debt that most couples our age have. However, we still feel the burden of our debt when we make monthly payments towards it and realize that money could be going towards something better. I know that paying off debt takes time, and for us, I am shooting for two years. Over the past year I have kept track of our spending and I am amazed by the amount of money we have spent on eating out and just stupid things. My goal for the next year is to be more smart with our spending. Ryan's business continues to grow and I want that to reflect in the way we live.

Well, that's it. I have a lot on my plate for next year, and I am excited about the opportunity to make positive changes for myself and my family.

Scary Santa

2007-12-15T18:23:00.000-06:00

What a GREAT day to see Santa......other than it was a Saturday and there were oh......about 100 PEOPLE IN LINE BEFORE US!! So, what did we decide to do, wait it out. What else? Charley was dressed in the cutest snowflake dress and I was bound and determined that today was THE DAY. My parents were brave enough to venture out with us, so we all took turns standing in line. Finally, it was our turn and TA DA! I'm not so sure Charley has ever seen anything so scary in her life. Santa was actually really nice and just smiled with our screaming daughter on his lap. There was no way she was going to even crack a smile, so Charley's picture with Santa this year shows her real emotions towards strangers, even Santa Clause.

Fun, Fun, Fun at Silver Dollar City!

2007-12-01T09:56:00.000-06:00

Last night we went to Silver Dollar City with our very best friends, The Austin's. What a beautiful night! The weather was perfect and the lights were great. Charley had a great time seeing all the lights and hanging out with her best friend Zach. Hilary and I were best friends all through high school, and now have kids just 3 months apart. Hilary and I stayed with kids and watched the light parade while the guys secured us a table at a restuarant. Little did Hilary and I know that we would be bringing up the tail-end of the parade with our little tikes. Funny Story, but don't ask! Anyway, it was a great night and as always, Charley was an angel.

Silver Dollar City 2007

Christmas Pictures

2007-11-29T07:56:00.001-06:00

Yesterday the Wasson's had their Christmas Pictures taken. Let's just say having pictures taken with a 1 year old is not the easiest thing in the world. By the time it was all over I was a complete and total mess. Ryan and I spent the majority of our time chasing Charley and putting her back in place. Before we knew it, she was up again and taking off. Pictures were not her thing yesterday. When we were finally finished, I have to admit they turned out better than I was expecting. I will post some of them when they arrive. For, now I have posted the one we had taken as a family. I'm not real sure what Ryan is doing in the picture. I think the photographer just snapped the picture when he wasn't expecting it. Oh, Well. They can't all be perfect.

Baking, Baking, Baking

2007-11-27T15:50:00.000-06:00

OK,for those of you who know me, you know that I used to HATE to cook. Ryan and I almost always ate out for dinner. Then, we had a baby. Well, I had the baby, he just helped make it. After Charley arrived, our days of eating out vanished. Eating out was no simple task. As Charley has gotten older, it has become a little easier, but we would just prefer to eat at home. I soon learned that eating at home required me to actually cook. This did not mean boiling some water and adding Ramen noodles to the pot, although I have been known to do that.

I love preparing dinner for my family. I also love experimenting with new recipes. Recently I came upon the greatest recipe ever for Cinnamon Rolls. The first time I made them they made A LOT!! Ryan and I ate only a few and then I gave some to my In-Laws. I am not kidding, these are the BEST Cinnamon Rolls ever. Since the Holiday Season is upon us, I have decided to make several batches, including home-made cream cheese frosting. That's right. I don't cut any corners with these babies. They are so good, that I have decided to sell them in quantities of 6 or 12. Six of the Yummy Cinnamon Rolls will only cost you only $10.99 and twelve will cost you $15.99. The great thing about these is that they are prepared (from scratch)and then they can be frozen. You can thaw them out whenever you are ready and then bake them.

I have posted some pics of what they look like frozen and then baked. I have also included a picture of the "Cute" poem that comes with them. Of course it would be personalized with your name if you are wanting to send some as a gift. As you will see, the directions are printed on the back. Finally, I have included a picture of the entire package for you to see. I know all of you reading this think I am crazy, but I am telling you they are so good! I just have to share them with everyone! Please feel free to email if you are interested. If you live here in Springfield or the surrounding area I will deliver them to you or the recipient myself. All other orders will be shipped and arrive frozen! Please feel free to email me if you are interested!

The Poem

The Directions

Frozen Cinnamon Rolls with Frosting

Baked Cinnamon Rolls - YUMMY!

Complete Package with Cinnamon Rolls & Frosting

First Blog Session

2007-11-27T12:26:00.000-06:00

Hello Everyone. So, after reading different blogs over the past couple of years, I have decided to create my own. I hope this will provide a great way for me to keep in touch with everyone without having to send out an email. Your only responsibility is to check my blog every so often and since everyone is always "dying to know what is going on with The Wassons", I am providing a way for you to always know. I know you are excited!

Unfortunately, not much is going on right now. I hope to post some family pics soon so keep checking back. I hope that everyone had a Great Thanksgiving! I am personally glad that it is over. I am a sucker for food so Thanksgiving is not exactly a good holiday for me. The one thing I did enjoy was shopping on "Black Friday." I was out and about at 4:30 am. I actually did get some good deals. Despite witnessing a fight at Toys R Us (the police were actually called!), the day was a lot of fun.

The Wasson's are getting family pics tomorrow so I will post some as soon as they become available. Enjoy the blog and hopefully as the days go by, I will have more exciting things to post!