What has "Daddy" been up to this past year???

I figure it would be pretty cool to give a somewhat brief overview of a few highlights from each one of our lives this past year...I am more than PROUD of my amazing husband!!  Ya know how us wives can harp/nag/nit-pick and get on their cases for the "small stuff" causing tension at times??   Well, when I really look back at this past year and our lives from a God perspective (if that is possible) all that tension is hogwash, "flushed down the john" and I am truly so thankful for the man I married almost ten years ago!  I pray for "God~goggles" often, when I step back from the busy day-to-day stressors life can bring and I put them on, my family blows my mind.  How can God love us more than I love them? WOW!! 


Casey Charles (yup, there went the middle name-droppi'n) is such a hard worker!  The man is a ZOMBIE, poor guy!  Literally running on fumes most of the time just to be able to spend more time with his family which he adores.  They say "actions speak louder than words".  It's a good thing because he is "screaming" at us with the dedication and commitment he pours into his babies (not to mention his wife, hehe). 


This past year he was "Mr. Mom" around our pad while mommy was scrambling (pulling her hair out by the roots) to finish her education at ASU West campus.  With most of my classes being away he had to take them and pick them up from EVERYTHING (school, sports, etc.).  I was gone over 30 hours a week for almost 10 months and the house did not burn down, the kids were fed and bathed, and their homework completed!  Our house was not perfectly clean, but hey that is pushing it!!  I would not have been able to complete my education if it wasn't for my incredibly supportive right hand man, my love of my life, thank you to my soul mate!!  K~ enough of the mush already, gag right? lol!!  


Did I mention he is also in SCHOOL working towards his Masters Degree in Mentoring and Leadership?  Yes, he is my goal-oriented, driven husband.  He will be finished by Dec. 2011.  He is taking 1 class at a time due to obvious reasons.  He is doing so well, if I could brag on him for a bit more...he has received all A's so far and I am blown away by his accomplishments.  


Casey was recently moved from his "desk job" as a Sergeant in the Violent Crimes Bureau to a Night Detective Sergeant in which he enjoys although can be very emotionally draining (still working graveyards).  The other day I asked him if he tells me everything he deals with, he told me that I don't even hear the half of it.  Partly because he knows I could not handle it all and he does not like to rehash every gory detail of each and every crime scene they investigate.  I pray for him every night and that the horrific images do not stain his mind or affect him long term.  But how can it not??  There are times when certain things get to him more than others...just recently a fellow Sergeant (Sgt. Sean T. Drenth) whom he was fairly close to lost his life.  Funerals are always rough, mentally trying to prepare before arriving is near impossible.  To witness weeping officers and feeling my husband's heavy heart beside me during the service was almost unbearable.  So hard to hold back streams of tears (but also glad to see they can release them during this time), this one was especially difficult for him.  While he was processing the fact that he will never bump into his friend at work, and as we were leaving the funeral he said to me while holding back tears, "death is so weird, you see them one day and the next they are just gone".  Absolutely breaks my heart!!  Sadly, this was not the only rough funeral we have attended during this past year, soooooooo much more can be said about our dear friend Matt Edahl who passed in the spring.  Okay, before I start getting way too sad and depressed I must move on...


Casey just finished up coaching their soccer and is currently coaching Pait's softball team as well as coaching along side our good friend Adam Aragon for Chaser's baseball team.  I might add that my hubby works all through the night on Fridays and stays awake for most of their games on Saturdays.  So needless to say he is beyond sleep deprived at the end of their games!  He is a great coach and we get much positive feedback from parents with kids on his team.  To have a coach that actually "knows the game" and was an athlete for the majority of his/her life is hard to come by at times and this is another reason why he is determined to coach our children's sports.  I am a proud wife and mommy : )


This concludes my boasting session about my husband...since it has been over a year from my last blogging experience I had to share A LOT!!  If you read all the way through, thank you!!  You are a true friend and I appreciate friends that take the time to care enough to read this! : )

And what has Mommy been up to?? 

My thoughts about this past year are somewhat jumbled...if I could have peered into my future 5 years ago I would not believe how things turned out.  Isn't that true for most of us?  When I found out I was pregnant with Reese my life went from busy to "crazy hard"...finishing school was not on the forefront of my thoughts!  As time passed, I realized how hard I had worked and it dawned on me that I would regret it for the rest of my life if I did not finish.  So I sucked it up & went to work for 2 semesters to reach my goal, what a journey this past year has been (all consuming)! 


 So I would like to start off by thanking some important people in my life (sort of like an acceptance speech..lol, don't we all have them when we accomplish things we couldn't have done without key people supporting us?)...


First I thank my husband (as gushed about in the post above), he truly supported my decision in returning to school to finish out what I had started over 13 years ago.  I could not have done it without his help in so many ways.


I thank my parents, for supporting me not only financially but throughout my younger years in laying the foundation of the importance of an education.  Also for their tremendous help with our children on the days when I was not able to be there for them.  One memory stands out in particular... It was the moment I placed my pencil on the desk as I finished my final exam for the year.  I walked outside, it was a gorgeous day with a light breeze...the trees on campus were in beautiful bloom.  I called my parents, dad picked up & I just lost it.  I had an overwhelming sense of accomplishment & could not believe I had actually completed my last exam for good (all the blood sweat & tears paid off)!  My dad told me how proud he was of me and to soak in that very moment (I could hear his voice crack too)... I felt like a little girl again.  One of the absolute BEST days of my life!  I love you Mom & Dad!!!


I thank Casey's parents for their willingness to help all the times I was not able to attend our children's sporting events & then some...they were & are always there cheering their grand-babies on!  They encouraged me & came over every Monday night to watch our babies while I was in class for several months.  


I thank my extended family (my sis) and friends (you all know who you are : ) for listening to me rant about various subject matters at random times & for making me feel like they truly cared even if I was boring them to death!


I thank Bran & Angie,  for coming over on several friday night occasions to just "be"...after I had a long, stressful week of late night homework assignments. 


I thank Court for proof~reading so many of my papers when she stayed with us during my 1st semester & for all the amazingly deep discussions we had.  I miss those...  


I thank my friends I made while attending school & during my internship period at Lifetime Fitness (Dawnyale & Felicia), I learned SO much and am truly grateful! 


So ya, as you can see if you are even to this point in my novel yet...the past year has revolved around my goal to complete my education (not that it's ever complete), or maybe I should say... to earn my BA degree, "finally"! 


After graduation I had some pretty big choices to make (do I "work" a ton of hours or work less from home?)!  Ultimately it all boiled down to "my family".  Prioritizing my life & what I am willing to sacrifice, as a mom, wife, etc...  I have been teaching survival swim lessons for 6 years and had a waiting list starting before summer hit.  I am passionate about survival self~rescue skills and enjoy what I do.  If you find your "passion" or "niche" don't leave it...you won't be happy.  I feel more qualified now having gone back to school and for the experience I gained while working at Lifetime in Aquatics.  So I chose to leave LTF and continue my home practice (makinwavesswim.blogspot.com).


I have also been in the fitness world teaching Pilates at several gyms for going on 5 years now.  This line of work is so rewarding it can hardly be called "work"!  I love to see people reach their personal fitness goal, gaining confidence & truly changing their lives around for the better!  It's so rewarding to know I had a hand in motivating someone to feel better about their body/life.  I have branched out of the gym scene & currently have a private practice, teaching Pilates from home now.  I have big dreams for the future (poolsidepilateswithpaige.blogspot.com).  


What have I learned from this past year?  To never underestimate your fullest potential.  We are capable of so much more than we think (I am still working on bettering myself in many ways). The seasons of life are blessings.  Just because you are a tired, nursing, worn out mother does not mean you have to loose your identity.  I felt like I was loosing myself a bit when my children were babies.  To constantly be at their beckon call, required complete and humble service. My children have benefitted from their mom having her own goals & being their on the sidelines when she reached them for a change.  I am still their mom & will continue to serve, love and cheer them on throughout each one of their life journeys...but how I live my life sets a huge example for my children..with God's help, I choose to be the best example I possibly can.    

Pait is growing up!!!  

Our little girl is a "young lady"!!  Paiton has so many amazing qualities about her, I thank God for choosing us to be her parents, we are so proud...


Her passion & love for horses has only strengthened as each year passes.  She dreams horse!  It is to the point where she has been caught drawing them during class at school!  She is so much like her Aunt Shea was as a child it's scary...


My sister lives on a ranch with horses so Paiton's fantasy about riding has become a reality.  She knows more than I do about taking care of them. She willingly helps with all the"dirty work" that goes along with taking care of these animals without any complaint or hesitation (unlike her mother).  Her love for all animals has only grown stronger!


FUN little facts about Paiton Allece~


She loves to write stories & has beautiful cursive handwriting!  Her teacher raves about her creative writing skills.  She has been on the Honor Roll every year and is working towards straight A's this year...she has one B in math (which is not one of her favorite subjects).


She is a GREAT softball pitcher & is currently on a team through the city in which Daddy coaches.  She was also "recruited"  by the coaches' wife (that had seen her pitch before) of a club team and has been practicing with them for a few weeks.  Daddy will be coaching her 10 & under league this coming year through the same league, as for now she is practicing with the 12 & 13 years old girls!


She serves in the Children's Ministry at Parkway Christian Church on Saturday nights & loves to participate in worship & tech.  I never hear that my kids don't want to go to church...she stays for two services back-to-back so she can help. 


Dentist & orthodontist visits are more frequent for her now days...she has two spacers & will eventually need braces, oh the joys of adolescence!  Daddy takes her to all of her appointments on his days off. : ) 


Not into the "boys" too much YET...but does have a little crush on a boy in her class, she says he is good at all sports & can dance...lol!


She is a goofball & has a mind of her OWN now!  I see confidence in her and am so proud to be her mother.  My prayer is to continue encouraging her to do what she is passionate about & help her through all of life's tough lessons. 

Chaser...

This boy is FULL of ENERGY, sometimes a little too much for mom & dad!!!  We just celebrated his 7th Birthday...so as you can see from this pic, he is ALL BOY!


FUN little Facts about Chase Michael~


The kid LOVES all sports & plays many of them depending on the season.  Daddy is currently helping coach his Cal Ripkin baseball team.  He loves soccer, basketball, football (pretty much anything with a BALL)... swim team & BMX.  His amazing sportsmanship attitude during his sporting events make us so proud.  He is his just like his Daddy in that area.  


Chase is a "likable" young lad in his class at school, the teacher tells me that he never has any issues with any of his classmates.  


He is a bottomless pit...is always hungry, must be growing, sheesh! 


I have to share...my son has been "in like" with the same little girl next door practically since he was able to talk.  Kaelie Tarver is the only girl he has ever talked about (they are 3 days apart & have been neighbors since birth), it is so sweet & blows my mind that a little guy this young can be so sure of his feelings in his big heart.  If you ask him who his girlfriend is, it will be Kaelie every time, he has no doubt that they will end up together...so sweet & innocent at this age (wish it would stay that way)!  He is also very close to her brother...they love to play tackle football in the front yard & would do it every day if given the chance!       


Chase has been reading since before Kindergarten (thanks to help from a special tutor/friend, Bobby Lee) & is now excelling in the 1st grade.  He has straight A's on all of his progress reports and his two favorite subjects are Math & Science (where did this kid come from??  Well, he takes after his Papa in that dept.)!


He is a "lover"...out of all three of my children I hear, "I love you mommy, so much" from my son the most.  At least 3 or 4 times a day, I wish this would never change!  


He wants to be like Daddy!  The other day he held up one of Casey's Sergeant Stripe patches and asked me to sew it on his shirt!  He loves to dress up & wants to be like his Dad with his uniform.


Chase LOVES to make his sister's laugh! Especially Ree...he is the funny guy around our house (usually it has to do with fart sounds or goofy gestures that mom yells at). 


He loves spending time with his boy cousins, Preston & Trace.  Preston & Chase are only a little over a year apart and get along so well.  Chase loves to go to Aunt Shea's and since he does not have a brother this works out perfect!


For his Birthday we got him an Az. Cardinals football jersey...I have to fight him to wash the darn thing!  He wears it every day (not an exaggeration)...he knows when they are playing and wants to watch every game (even though they aren't doing so hot this year).  A true Cards FAN!


My prayer for our son is more for me...to allow his "boy-ness" to shine, even when it drives mom nuts!  I pray that I can help mold him into a gentleman as he matures, to have a heart of respect towards others and to be the best he can be in all things!  A loving Man of God.

Ree...

Our little princess is 5!!!  She is the one we worry about the most!  She has a little sassy spirit and is 100% girly~girl!!


FUN little facts about Reese Nicole-Noel ~


We had her tested so she could stat Kindergarten this year and she passed with flying colors!  She is learning so much and other than getting up super early she enjoys school.  She will repeat Kinder (due to her age) next year but is really getting a head start.  She never had any preschool so we were a bit hesitant & unsure of how she would handle all day...5 days a week.  We are SO happy we sent her!


Ree participated in the swim tam this past summer for the 1st time and did so well!  She is also in dance and will start t-ball in the spring.  We think she is going to be a little athlete...she told me that she was faster than all the other girls at school (get's that from daddy...lol).  


She is in her own little fantasy world most of the time...singing and dancing around the house...playing with barbies & babies.  She stands on my bed, looks at herself in the mirror and rocks out!  So funny...our little diva!  She LOVES to wear skirts & if I let her, she would change her outfit 5 times a day!  Now do you see why I worry??


She laughs at almost anything her big brother says!  She loves him and they play well together (for the most part I might add, there have been plenty of tears shed).  He looks out for her, they have the same lunch period at school & he's the one that wants to "play" with her sometimes, she runs away...funny when they explain it.


She is my loving cuddle bug most nights when daddy is at work & I wish this would stay the same too...we are so proud of her & my prayer as her mother is to help mold her into the beautiful young lady that she is with "humble confidence".