May-June 2016

At the beginning of May, I participated in graduation and was given the Distinguished Faculty Award by the senior class. It was a total surprise. There was ugly crying and an awkward wave on the graduation stage. Way cool though and totally humbling!

Will really likes the millions of pictures I take like this 😏

 

I built some flower boxes for our porch and loaded them with beautiful flowers. Later in the summer, we won Yard of the Month! Brian is convinced it's because of his meticulous mowing patterns, but it was definitely because of the flower boxes.  I also went a little overboard with flowers in my yard, but I really can't get enough. 

Maggie Gene is growing up so fast. This picture is old, and the fact that she is holding a bottle of milk in it makes me even more sad.

 Will LOVES helping his Pawpaw work on cars when we are in Poca!

In June, we made a trip to Greenville for a family visit/vacation.  We got to see some of our favorite girlies swim in a meet...

We spent one day on the lake with cousins. So. much. fun.

Had a pooped baby on the trip home. Look at those CHEEKS!

We also spent many days at Aunt Dee Dee and Uncle Dave's pool.  I think the kiddos like Uncle Dave's golf cart rides more than the pool. Oh how I love this picture!

Father's Day!

I took the kiddos to the Game Farm to see the bear cub.  Will has spent every evening since (as in months) talking about bears...how cute they are, how we could go on a bear hunt, and how he doesn't want a bear to eat him.

Sweaty heads and cuddling on the couch after naps...

Maggie got her pigs painted for the first time. Now they must always be painted!

Cutie cuties....

Poor Mags always gets put in her brother's old pajamas since it's the one hand-me-down we can get away with. My mom had a hard time guessing whether this was Will or Maggie!

Video mashups

Will got drums for his birthday and is doing pretty good on them (for a 3 year old). He also LOVES Pawpaw's vehicles...especially the motorcyle.  I think I am raising a hooligan.

Maggie just recently learned the word "no" and uses it forcefully.  She also already understands the 'stink eye.'

This is a mashup of a Maggie original, Will's top 40 favorite, and a classic.

iphone photo dump: January, February, March, April

Over Christmas break, I installed the shiplap in the bathroom...going on a 5 month reno at this point!

I got a grant through the WV Higher Education Policy Commission to help with the purchase of an NMR spectrometer. Super exciting!

Maggie was starting to stand on her own and getting into all kinds of messes.

Maggie likes to hide things. If you can't find something, look in unlocked cabinets.

She is already great at sharing.  She practices with Boo regularly.

Getting things accomplished during basketball season was rough.  Whatever works to get dinner on the table...

Will and I went on a date to the Regional championship...and they WON! On to States!

Once the weather broke, we got a few new windows installed.  Unfortunately, they make everything else look gross. Can't wait to get this house repainted (which is low on the priority list)!

Will drove Maggie around in the tractor...and dumped her a few times.

Will wore a winter sweater to church in the middle of April. 

Sweet kiddos at Easter.

And on April 21, Maggie Gene turned ONE!

Photo dump: October, November, December

I (along with some students) organized a Color Fight on campus to celebrate National Chemistry week.  It was awesome. 

Will was a minion for Halloween.  But only because I had a huge mom fail, forgot to figure out a costume, and whipped this up the night before.

Maggie could finally sit up in the bathtub and LOVED it!

I spent one of my days off painting the bathroom. At this point, this renovation was going on about four months. I was still dead set on installing some shiplap (#webbnotgaines).

Maggie was totally frustrated with her lack of mobility. Chick had things to do!

But she did get to start eating food. 

Will put his fireman's hat on me and said, "Mama, you're my favorite little boy."  I obviously don't say that to him enough.

One evening we went through "Where is Waldo?"  Will absolutely schooled me. Which is amazing, because he can't find his shoes to save his life.

Maggie had a fever and couldn't go to school one day, so Brian and I tag-teamed. She hung out in my office for a bit and decided to start trying to stand in the pack-n-play. 

My friend Jordan played a show in Pittsburgh with one of my favorite bands of all time. Thank goodness my brother drove...I'm not used to staying up late like this anymore!

I think Lowe's is Will's favorite place.

The result of extreme napping...

My mom and I took a girl's trip to Charlottesville with Maggie over Christmas break, and I got to see some of my favorite people!

One of my students took pictures for us for our Christmas card. Will didn't smile for any of them. And was proud of it.

 

Progress....

On Christmas Eve, it was so warm that we were outside riding bikes. Will did not ride the dirt bike but at least wanted to sit on it.  He did ride the four-wheeler with me...at 3 mph so Nana wouldn't have a cow!

...and it was so warm after Christmas that we could swing on the porch!

Cousin Gracie had the touch.  My word, aren't sleeping babies the most precious things?

Miss Mags was starting to look like my family...especially my dad.