Now Life Should Get Back to Normal....

So Scott's interviews are officially over!!! We are so looking forward to life getting back to normal and getting our children back on a schedule! All of the interviews went really well and Scott and I really liked Buffalo, NY. We went to NY last week and minus the fact there was a BLIZZARD when we landed, the area was really pretty, the cost of loving is really affordable, school system is great and it is really safe. Scott really liked the residency program as well. So all in all, we think we'd be happy no matter where we go. We will find out where he got in on Jan 25th.



Here are some random pics from the last month. Now that everything has settled down I have vowed to try and post more often :) We had Thanksgiving with both Scott's side of the family and my side of the family at Scott's parent's house and we had a really nice time. Everyone was worn out by the end of the day from all the eating and playing. We are truly thankful for the amazing family we have and that they are able to get together on the holidays and have a good time. Leah and our niece Carly on Thanksgiving

Dad and Megan

At the end of the night we decided to try and get a family pic, Jackson was not cooperating after not getting a nap ALL DAY

Scott, Leah and I :)

Jackson minutes after what we now refer to as "The Thanksgiving Family Picture Fiasco"

Jackson got a bike from Aunt NJ for his birthday and he has gotten so good at riding it, we are so proud of him!! Such a big boy!!

Daddy helping Jackson

Leah has now taken Jackson's first tricycle. She is a little more fearless, she likes to get on the driveway when we are not looking and put her feet in the air and go flying down the driveway...we need to get that girl a helmet, not only for her bike but for life :)

Scott's parents went to NYC a couple of weeks ago and got a remote control train for around our christmas tree. Jackson and all of us have really enjoyed it. They are TOO good to us! It looks perfect around our tree!

The night Scott's parents came over and brought us the train, we had a Christmas Cookie decorating night. I made way too many cookies, the kids thought it was fun at first but then quit and Scott's mom and I ended up icing 10 cookies ourselves!! Leah looks so excited about the cookies here (sarcasm)

Another happy one of the Princess, do you notice the red frosting around her mouth?? We all shyed away from red after she got ahold of it :)

Grandma cutting out a train cookie for Jackson. What a good Grandma :)

This is Buffalo right when we landed. Doesn't look as bad in the picture, but we could not see A THING! Kind of scary when you aren't used to driving in it.
So this pic is out of order, but too muh work to move it around so here it shall stay. After Scott had his interview, I picked him up and surprised him with reservations to the most quaint and romantic hotel called Shaw club and spa. It was in Niagra-on-the-lake which is on the Canada side and has 21 wineries in all. They were having a festival called "21 stocking days of Christmas" where you could buy tickets and visit each of the wineries and get a tasting of their featured wines and then buy them at a discount for christmas. It was so much fun and exactly what we both needed at the end of a long 5 weeks of interviews. Our room was so perfect, we had a jacuzzi right in the middle and a fireplace, which we DEFINITELY needed. We went to the restaurant in the hotel that night and it was SO good.

When we arrived in Buffalo, we relaxed at the hotel bar, and of course had to try the REAL buffalo wings. Yummy!! Scott holding up "Five" for his 5th and final interview!

This was the water at Niagra-on-the-Lake, it was only a 40minute drive from Buffalo, but it was crazy there was NO snow, it was green as could be....but colder than sin :) They say this isn't uncommon, it is from the Lake Effect.

Pretty cliff view

The restaurant at Shaw Club. Everything was so small and quaint, it was the perfect little town, it was like you see in the movies, with lots of boutiques and cute restaurants. I could most DEFINITELY reture here one day.

When we got up in the morning they were having a Christmas Parade where they were serving hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows they were cutting into giant squares. It was the best hot chocolate we have ver had. I teared up a few times during the parade because it was just so sweet! I think I was missing the kids also, we have been away from them a TON lately and I just knew they would have loved the parade. I didn't post many pics of the parade, just one of a train for Jackson :)

This was the clock tower in the town square, thought it was pretty.

The first winery of our tour, Scott looks so happy!

The wine they specialize in here is called "Ice Wine" They actually take frozen grapes and press them and it makes a REALLY sweet dessert wine and they only sell it in Canada. It was so good, you are supposed to serve it in small amounts because it is pretty concentrated, but Scott and I bought 2 bottles, one for is and one for my dad for christmas...we will see if we stick to the small amount on Christmas :) This is a pic of some of the frozen Ice Wine grapes on the vine

Ice Wine...the color and consistency of it is so different than regular wine, this is a white wine. This winery actually had a menu displayed from Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Dinner because their Ice Wine was chosen for dessert. Kind of neat, huh? The dinner was only 2 days before we were there

Menu from Nobel Peace Prize Dinner, just if you want to see what they eat at fancy dinners!

This was like winery #7. Our tummies were feeling kind of rotten by now, we had to take a break and get food in them.

After going to all the wineries we went to Niagra Falls. It was gorgeous! The pictures do not do it justice, it was so breathtaking in person. And the noise the falls made was incredible. It sure was cold, though!! I looked like I was about to rob a bank, all I had showing was my eyes I had my scarf so wrapped around my head :)

Took down the scarf for a quick photo op ;)

What a ride this last month has been! I loved that I could go with Scott for all the interviews and be his support system through it all. Plus, we had a lot of fun sight seeing at all the places, too. I am so proud of him and can't wait to see where life is going to take us these next 2 years. For now, I am excited to be at home for Christmas with my beautiful family and spend time with my babies!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Busy Little Travelers

We have been traveling a TON this last month!! It started Halloween weekend, we went to see Megan and Jared in the panhandle-which is a little over 6 hours with the kids. We had a ton of fun. We stayed at Jared's hunting lodge, since it has multiple rooms so everyone could have their own beds. Scott, Jackson and I all got to shoot a shotgun for the first time. I didn't realize how painful that can be :\ It really kickbacks into your shoulder- I had a bruise! The kids loved the hot tub at the lodge, they thought it was a swimming pool :) We had a really nice, relaxing time with them, I just wish we could get them to move closer!! Leah...never one to shy away from posing!! Our pumpkins this year. It's kind of hard to tell, but the far left is a werewolf Scott did, I did a smiley face, Aunt Lisa helped Jackson do a bat and I did a smiley face for Leah

We went to the Dallas Arboretum with my sister-in-law Abby and my niece brinley. That was our first time to go and it was so beautiful with all the fall colors! The kids had a blast!!

Leah, Jackson and Brinley

The kids and I

Leah's silly face :)

Just sittin' on some pumpkins

I thought this was a neat picture...we didn't have them pose, they just happened to each be standing in front of a fountain

They just HAD to touch the water...just in case it felt different than at home :)

Loved, loved this pic too. The trees are just so pretty, and the way the kids are holding hands is just precious

Jackson had the brilliant idea to try and climb the tree...such a boy

Going for a ride in the covered wagon

Pumpkin house

The kids had a Halloween Party at school, but they had to dress up as animals. Instead of buying a 2nd costume for them, we got creative. Leah wore Jackson's chicken costume from when he was a one-year-old!!! (reminds you just how big are little man was :)) Lisa and I made Jackson a doggy costume, since that is his favorite animal. He like that costume even more than the one we paid for!!

It was so funny to go to the kid's classrooms during the parties and see the difference from the 2 year old class, which was chaotic and lots of screaming, to Jackson's class, which was quiet and organized-all the kids stood in line and waited their turn. God bless teachers :)

My cute little Doggy

The kids costumes for actual Halloween-Leah was Wonderwoman and Jackson was DJ Lance from a tv show called Yo Gabba Gabba.

Two Cool kids (If you look real closely, you can see Jackson's Doggy nose is still on from school)

Jackson doing his DJ Lance pose, I think we have a future actor

He is going to kill me one day

Uncle Mark helping Wonderwoman fly

Our babies hugging...so sweet

Megan with a shotgun...she is looking too comfortable, we need to get her home to Dallas ASAP!!

Now me...not so much

At least my outfit was appropriate for the shotgun...flannel :)

Jackson loved pushing the button to shot out the clay discs..."Pull!"

Jackson shooting a gun for the 1st time!!! Daddy giving him instructions. He was hitting the targets by the end, he LOVED it!!

This is the only time we got Leah out of the car during target practice. She stayed in the car watching her DVD player. At one point she started yelling for me, and when I went to see what was wrong, she said, "There's a bug in the car." I think she is more like Mommy when it comes to nature :)

After target practice, Jared thought Scott was ready for the real deal, Scott came home with this TURKEY!! We ate it for dinner, it was DELICIOUS!

Meagn and Jared have a horse named Snoop...Jackson is so good with animals, he loved him!! He is always so gentle and not the least bit intimated by them. I think he would be a wonderful vet one day! I love my sweet boy!!

Look at him with Snoop!?!

He thought it was pretty funny when Snoop sneezed on him

Leah riding "horsey" with daddy

Jackson's turn!!

Look at that smile on his face!! We had such a great time, thanks Megs and Jared!!!

Scott's Birthday was November 5th, the kids and I decided to surprise him with a homemade cake in the shape of a tooth :) I did it free-hand, so I was pretty proud. Here are the kids "helping me" make the cake

Scott's "Tooth C-ache" Get it???

Birthday boy...and Jackson sneaking up to blow out the candle

Caught ya!!

As I am sure most of you know, Scott is in the middle of applying for a pediatric dentristry residency, so we have been going to different cities the past couple of weeks, and have a few more to go. His first interview was in Newark, NJ. Newark itself isn't the prettiest, but it is a 15minute drive and you are in manhattan, how cool is that?!! We had a really good time visiting there. It brought back a lot of memories because Scott proposed to me in Central PArk 6 1/2 years ago and that was out first time back. I love that guy!! This is a view of Manhattan from Newark

Thought this was a neat picture looking up at the trees

Scott and I on "Our Rock" in Central Park where he proposed

The view from our rock of Central Park...the colors were gorgeous in the fall!!

Ice skating in the middle of Central Park...something I can check off of my Bucket List :) So fun, but more painful than I remember it...

My Amazing Husband

Right after Ice skating

We had a really good dinner at this cute little Italian Restaurant called Basso's in NYC,so yummy!!

Times Square...here is where we made a BIG mistake!! We decided to get some honey roasted cashews from a street vendor and Scott got food poisoning that night!! He was up getting the sick the night before his interview!

The morning of his interview./ I was like a mom on their kids first day of school. He was begging me not to take a picture, but I am so proud of him, I had to ;)

Ok so the next weekend, we took the kids and were off to Memphis. WE LOVE MEMPHIS!! It is only a 6 hour drive, the people there are great, the food is good, the city has lots to do and the cost of living is affordable. If we had to move, I could see us being very happy here! While Scott had his interview I packed up the kids and went to the Children's Museum. We had so much fun!! This is a pic of Jackson looking at a Hot Air Balloon Display, that actually took flight when it heated up enough. The look on his face is priceless

Leah was pretty mesmerized by the balloon, too

I could have just them both here all day :)

The museum also had a play grocery store for the kids...it was so cute, it had all sorts of play food and it was even divided into categories like a real grocery store. It had a pharmacy with a Blood Pressure machine and I got to be the check-out lady...see even Mommy got to play :)

Jackson knows the necessities, he already had toilet paper in his cart and he is grabbing his "milkies." Leah on the other hand, has 3 bottles of ketchup and a carton of OJ :) You can tell a lot about their personalities by their grocery carts :)

They had a "My first trip to the Dentist" section at the museum, Scott was so proud when he saw these pics and saw the kids brushing the teeth so thoroughly :)

Whenever you ask Jackson what he is going to be when he grows up, he gives you one of two answers- it's either " a train engineer" or "a dentist like daddy." Here he is pretending to be "a dentist like daddy."

The kids tackling the "Tooth Puzzle" together

Architecture part of the museum...the kids just like hanging out of the window

Leah touring the fire engine in her fireman hat

Handsome little fireman

The kids with Dalmation

Our kids might be night and day personality-wise, but they definitely have opne thing in common...they love to dance!! This was a disco room, that was dark, with a disco ball and loud music...they had a ball!!

Leah dancing

They had a tv room, where yo stood in front of a green screen, you could choose your background and then you could see yourself on TV. Jackson loved the surfing background, Leah had it in her head that a guitar was fitting for the surfing scene :)

Jackson Surfing...and Leah playing the Beach Boys

Jackson of course loved the train part of the museum, here is posing in front of Railroad Crossing Sign

That is all for now!! I apologize for the repeat pics from Facebook to here, but there is family not on Facebook who can only see the pics on here!! Hope everyone is doing well! Love you all!!