6 Month, Big Boy!

Aylen got his 6 month Well Baby Check...and he is indeed a Well Baby (despite more pooping, coughing, and fussiness than usual).

Height:  28 inches (90%)
Weight: 15lbs 8oz (20%)
Head Circumference:  17 1/4 inches (50%)

And here are some of the 6 month pictures that Aylen modeled for the last week or so:)

Love,
Momma

Fruvellhoff Tour de Christmas 2010

In case you can't see this picture...this was US the past 5 days.......652 miles traveled, 4 towns, 4 Christmases, and tons of family.  Boy am I tired.  And speaking of boy, my Boy is even more tired.  But he wouldn't admit to it, just ask his Dad about that one.

We started our tour headed to Norfolk-this was an awesome opportunity to see my Hoffman family and allow them to meet Aylen.  He slept the whole way there and put on a show when we arrived.  Here is a picture of Aylen with his Great Uncle Matt.  I swear Aylen thought he was his Grandpa--he just chatted it up with him.

Then we headed down to Kearney.  We celebrated Christmas with Russell's immediate family.  It was great to see Aylen with his cousin, Annie Rose.  She just loves him...he is her own personal doll!






After this we ran home for a couple hours and said hi to the puppies.  We then headed to Omaha to celebrate Christmas with the Fruhwirths.  And it can't go without mention that cousin Caroline got ENGAGED! So excited for you two:)

From Omaha we headed home to spend a night.  Woke up, took a hike through Pioneers Park (50 degree day in December, yes we'll take that), and then headed down to Fairbury for our final Christmas.  There was plenty of laughs, computer work, presents, and great food.

We had an awesome Christmas time!  Even though we did not have not have decorations up, or EVEN a Christmas tree--we showed Aylen what Christmas time is all about.  Spending time with Loved Ones.  And next year Aylen John, I promise you--we will have a Christmas tree!

Merry Christmas all--I hope your Christmas holiday was awesome and filled with all kinds of goodies!
-Momma

we must do that which we think we cannot.

We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot.  -Eleanor Roosevelt.

I made a decision, a really tough decision this past week. 

Let's back up.  When i was an undergraduate at UNL I saw a flier for place called RSACC.  They were doing a volunteer training to help victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and other forms of abuse.  I felt like I needed to do this training.  I did.  And I found my passion.  I stayed connected through RSACC (which became Voices of Hope) through volunteering with the crisis line, serving as an Enhanced Advocate and going to the hospital for victims of sexual assaults and domestic violence, as an intern with the MSW program, and lastly as the Groups Coordinator.  I feel like a piece of my heart will be always be with Voices of Hope.  It was awesome to be at a place that thought like me.  I didn't have to explain myself, they just "got it".  I learned alot about myself and others here at Voices of Hope.  I gained FRIENDS that have been through SO MUCH with me.  Who let me cry, vent, laugh and BE ME around them.  Honestly, you know when you were little and you would fall and everything was fine, but then you would see your Mom and Dad..and all the sudden those tears would come rolling down.  Well that is the effect that Voices of Hope has on me...That's the best example I can think of to describe the greatness of this place...

Then I had a child.  And people say having a child changes everything.  I couldn't have planned or EVEN predicted how Aylen would change me and my priorities.    So now when I worked my weekends--I desperately wanted to be home with my family.  When I answered that crisis line in the middle of the night-It almost always woke Aylen up, which meant it woke Russ up, which meant we were up for awhile trying to calm Aylen down.  I knew I needed to keep my eyes open for something else.

Then a job for School Therapist became available.  I applied.  I interviewed.  I was offered, and I accepted.  It all happened super fast.

So starting January 3, 2011 I will be starting my new position as a School Therapist with Child Guidance Center.  I will be housed 4/5 days at Lincoln Northstar High School.  I will not work weekends.  I will not be on-call.  And I will occasionally have to work nights.  As most people ask, I will WORK the summers.  And I will be challenged clinically. 

It is something new.  And it scares me.  I will be leaving behind some really awesome people (however, I KNOW where you all work & live, and I WILL always be your friend.  Whether you like it or not!).  I slightly panic sometimes about my decision.  But I know it will be good for me.  And I will love working with teens--it will not be awesome everyday, but that is with anything you do.  I will be overwhelmed, especially at first.  But I had a teacher in grad school that said, "If anyone asks you to do something- you ALWAYS say Yes.  Then you freak out.  Then you figure out how to do it."  My dad reminded me of this yesterday.  And that is what I'm doing.  I said Yes.  I'm freaking out.  And I'll figure out what I'm doing later.  I will succeed.

And I'm pretty sure I have figured a piece of life out through this process.  It can best be summed up by a quote that my friend Marla has in her email--- "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
Anais Nin" 

I made a decision that was for me, and most importantly my family. So here's to the New Year-for big changes, freaking out, and Finding MY way.

Love,
Momma

PS.  And Can I say--Happy 1/2 year Birthday to my sweet Aylen John! Love you!

SHOT Correction:)

As Deller reminded me...and for those of you that don't know...Deller is 24 years SOBER and going strong! The pic of her and TRAVIS is WATER.  Well her shot is water...I wouldn't count on that for Trav:)


Props Deller Mae!!!!

Home Base....

When I was younger, my house was THE HOUSE.  The house where my friends hung out....the house were I wanted to be (usually:)...The house where we had all the family over to play tripoley, Monopoly or any other game...Our house was on Faulkner Street-and it was known as just that- the Faulkner House.  My siblings friends knew about it, my friends knew about it....and then my parents did the UNTHINKABLE.  They moved.  Yup that's right....but lucky for us--it was to an even cooler place..CAPITAL BEACH.  Yup, their backyard was a LAKE or Beach....(right in the middle of the United States..whatever makes you feel better, right?)...Anyways--if you are going to move homebase it better be to some place cool, not like New Jersey.  Whoops-did I say that?  No, no! New Jersey is awesome, but FAR FAR away!  
So anyways--the Fruvellhoff home has become HomeBase for my family.  And Thanksgiving-we met at HomeBase aka Casa de Fruvellhoffs.  It was amazing....

There was magic from the Great Uncle Travis.

Sleepovers.....

Sister time...."girl your makeup looks great"

Birthday cake making....(and can I just say that the original birthday cake baked unevenly in our oven.  SO IT IS OUR OVEN.  IT IS NOT MY FAULT when things don't bake properly:)

Happy Birthday Arjan Celebrations:).......

attempts at family photos!  multiple attempts.....notice the oldest and youngest having issues paying attention:)  coincidence?

People being extremely cool.....
                                                                                                                                                                  

A REAL ROLLERcoaster.....duh (doesn't everyone have a rollercoaster in their backyard?)

the dogs even participated in the festivities aka cleanup patrol.  (They LOVE little kids:)

 

and last but not least SHOTS

SHOTS

SHOTS:)

Love you Fam!  Thanks for coming!

-Momma

Walking....

The cold doesn't stop us!  No way, no how!  We are outdoor people, and without getting outside--I fear for our mental health.  ALL of us...

Not to mention our weekdays are SOO busy....not because we are out and about, but because Russ is finishing up his class work for the semester. 

Our weekend is our family time....Our time to reconnect with each other....Our time to do fun things with Aylen together (instead of separately like the weekdays).....Our time to get the doggies out....Our time to laugh, play, and SHOW Aylen how cool life is.....

Here are some pictures of our walk we took on the Walton Trail.  I can't wait to take the bikes there next Spring!

Love,
Momma