New Classroom

Next year marks a new chapter in my career. It's amazing thinking about all the jobs and skills I've gained until now. All of them are coming together for this job. Skills and things I didn't think I would or could use again. I'm really excited about this new opportunity and especially that Todd and I are going to both be Spartans! He's actually supposed to be down the hall from me. I've got a lot more to still learn and teach the kids but it will be fun! I know this isn't a Cambria or family post but I feel that it's important to blog about!

Cambria is two!

This weekend was Cambria's birthday, so lots of family and friends were in town to celebrate with her and us. MY surprises started on Friday. I took the day off to run all necessary errands and our carpet cleaners were coming. First, Todd surprised me that morning with a new pink iPod to run with! Then, my mom came in town and told me to keep Cambria inside since she had a big surprise for her in the car and she didn't want her seeing it....well, this was because she was hiding Valerie! I was soooo surprised and extremely happy since I thought Valerie had to work. We went to dinner that night and then to IKEA. It was a great start. Saturday, my baby turned two. It's amazing how time flies! The girls, ran to Charming Charlies and by then, Todd's family had arrived in town. So we headed out to the birthday party. We had it at Old MacDonald's Farm this year. It was P E R F E C T...other than the extreme heat, of course! Cambria had a lot of fun looking at animals and riding the train. She wasn't ready to ride a pony like all the other kids, though. We were extremely grateful to have such wonderful friends and family there to celebrate with us. After the party, we headed to Pappasitos....a Nall birthday tradition! It was a lot of fun and then it was time to call it a night....or so we thought! Cambria got a second wind when we got home and was up until 11! She was having fun singing, dancing and just entertaining us. I guess she wanted to be up as long as possible for her birthday and so we let her! Sunday, we woke up and said good-bye to my family and went to lunch with the Trevinos before they headed back to San Antonio. It was the BEST weekend we've had in a long time. We really enjoyed ourselves and I'm pretty sure everyone else did as well. Below are some of the pictures we took before my camera died!

Nana and Cambria sitting below the "Happy Birthday Cambria!" written on the driveway

Cambria helping Valerie

Showing me the chalk

Adding her own artwork

Gift opening...so much better this year...her reactions were priceless!

Riding the train with Grandmother

Cambria and her Elmo cake

Cambria hated having the sand on her feet and had them remove her sandals to get it off!

Valerie and Cambria

Cambria keeping the party going....

Lindsay sent Cambria a cute lunch bag!! Sooo sweet!!

Cambria was shocked that there was a present in the box....loved the wrapping paper!

Rest in Peace Tinkerbell

We lost our Tinkerbell today. She was my little princess and I have so many great Tinkerbell stories. I miss her so much but know she's not in pain anymore. Here are a few of my favorite Tink pictures.

This is why...

....we have to hide our pens! Our little budding artist likes to make herself a piece of artwork. Please ignore the shaggy bangs...in the process of growing them out.

Wagon Ride

When Valerie and I were little we loved to play outside. We especially loved this red wagon. We would hook it up to our dog, Sheba and later Sasha, and have her pull us around the block. In the winter it would be a sled. We have so many great memories of this wagon and our childhood. I'm so lucky that my parents kept it. We took Cambria in the wagon this weekend minus the Husky and she loved it as much as Valerie and I did. Later, Todd told me he had one, too, that he loved just as much. It was a fun moment to share with Cambria. Though, the hills of Ohio are a lot flatter than the ones in Texas!

Worn out from the rides and cuddling with her monkey, "Num Num"

Tradition

I LOVE to read. It's one of my favorite things to do especially if it's a good book. I am working on passing on my passion for books to Cambria. So far, it's working! She loves to read and gets just as excited as I do at a new book. She especially loves animal ones and reading them before bed. We also share a love of shoes, sunglasses and necklaces but you can't borrow them for free from the library!