Goodbye 2009! Hello 2010!

You'll notice that last December, I posted that I was determined to update our blog often. You'll also notice that my last post was done in June! Still, here I am...once again determined to make this blog a priority in 2010!


We've had an interesting year with many ups and downs. Some of the highlights have been spending lots of time with the girls and just enjoying their personalities, taking an amazing trip to Newport Beach and Disneyland in November, turning 30, and having uncles and aunts visit from the East coast. We also welcomed Sidney, our puppy, into our family in June, and she is so spoiled with affection from the girls. Some of the not-so-great times have really centered around the effect of the bad economy on business, although even in spite of this, 3 Generations Improvements has still continued to do well.

Jeremy has been busy working, but luckily has had alot of time to spend with family - one of the many pluses of owning your own business. He's an amazing dad, and seems to have endless energy with the girls, which helps me so much come 4pm everyday. As I mentioned, I turned 30 in November and had a blast celebrating with friends! I'm still in school for my Masters in Education, though I have slowed down a bit in the amount of classes I've been taking. Most moms will understand what I'm saying when I say that I felt that I was missing out on truly treasuring each moment with my girls. I'm hoping in 2010 that I will be able to truly refocus my life in such a way that I don't feel so rushed, but that I am able to actually 'live' in each moment with them!


Aubrey turned 5 in October and is more than we could have hoped for (well, both girls are!). She is kind, smart, beautiful, graceful, inquisitive, and thoughtful of others. She tried soccer for the first time this fall (with daddy as assistant coach, and mommy as team mom), and loved playing goalie! She has also continued dance, and is an incredible dancer - I know I'm her mom, but she truly is talented. Her favorite 'talents' of the moment are walking on her toes (ballet), whistling songs, and spending countless hours doing artwork.

Shelby is just as amazing! We are so in love with our girls and blessed beyond words to have them in our lives. Shelby is 2 1/2, and hilarious! She loves making people laugh, and laughing herself, so we are often awakened with the sweet sound of baby belly laughs! She imitates Aubrey, but with her own twist. Shelby is currently very into dolls, and has two dollhouses of her own. You will rarely find her without a doll in her arms, and I love watching her play mommy!

As some of you may know, at the end of summer, after ALOT of thought and prayer, Jeremy and I decided that we should sell our house. This was such a difficult decision, but the only one that we felt would keep us on track with our values and priorities, such as my being able to be home with the girls as opposed to working full time and having them in childcare. We know that every family has to make decisions that are best for them, and we concluded that this was the decision that was best for us. We absolutely loved our home, and love the many wonderful memories that we had in it, but look forward to watching God's plan unfold before us. Our pastor recently gave a sermon on abundant life, and what really stuck with me was how God doesn't promise or necessarily want us to have abundance in life, but rather promises us a life abundant with Him, and with all that we need. We are certain of God's love for us, our family and our girls, and as a result, we were immediately at peace with selling our home, and were thankful to have sold it to a great family!

In the midst of a difficult year economically, we are grateful for all that God has blessed us with - amazing family, love of friends, jobs that we love, healthy children, and one another. We know that life itself is always changing and constantly throwing curve balls and we know that the primary reason we are able remain positive is our faith in God and the unending support we have from family and friends. Thank you to all of you who have given us reasons to smile during those really hard months - to our brothers and sisters, who knew exactly what we needed without having to ask, to both our parents for providing us with a home during our "in between" time and help with the girls so we could have date nights, to our friends who we feel so free to just laugh with, to those who have said prayers for a positive outcome, to customers who have continued to have faith in our economy, to our real estate agent (Dave Chappell), who helped us out immensely and with the biggest heart, and to so many others who by the mere thought of you brought happiness to our hearts! We pray that 2010 brings joy to each of you, and that even when joy cannot be found, that we will be there, as you have been for us!

With our love and thanks,

Jeremy, Val, Aubrey, Shelby & "Sidney-girl"

Sidney

The girls have been begging...and we decided it was time! Introducing "Sidney," our newest family member! We picked her up from the airport on June 14th, while the girls spent the night at our parents house. When they came home, we told them that we got them a "puppy," and to unwrap their new gift. When they unwrapped the gift, they saw that it was only a stuffed animal version of a puppy. Shelby couldn't have been more excited, but you could tell Aubrey was disappointed. I then told them to go into the kitchen to get the "puppy" some food, and when they went in there, Jeremy was there with Sidney, much to their surprise :-)

Needless to say, the girls are in heaven! They love Sidney and want to be with her all the time. Aubrey loves to hold her and does a great job training her, giving her treats, and taking her out to go potty. Shelby wants to help just as much, but is still a baby herself - meaning, holding her means grabbing her under her neck and walking around until the puppy yelps for help, giving her a treat after potty means providing her with another "meals" worth of treats, and playing with her means throwing a tennis ball at her head!

Sidney is the best! She is patient with the girls, loving, sweet, wants to please us, fast to train, and sleeps through the night! After the first week, we discovered she had a small virus, but after treating it, she has been amazing. We could not have asked for a better dog! It's only been two weeks (she's three months old), and so far, she's only had a couple of accidents, which I think is pretty incredible! We love her and already she fits right in! The adjustment to having another "life" to take care of has been the hardest on me because I already feel like I have alot on my plate, but the trade off is never giving my girls the experience of caring for a pet, and already it has made them so joyful --- it is definitely worth it!

Easter

Here is a part of our egg hunt! Aubrey had fun of course, but Shelby was in heaven. The girls had their first egg hunt the day before at Papa Kurts and Gramma Joanies, and then at our house the next day! It was so fun to watch!

Aubrey's First Joke

So, here it is! We have no idea where she learned this, and it doesn't even make that much sense, but her voice is what's so cute!!! Here are a couple videos of her first attempt at humor!

Some special moments...

Here are some of my favorite videos from the past couple months! Enjoy!!!

Funny Farm

Aubrey, our little lady in red, and Shelby, with her own personal fly swatter...she took a liking to the real one, and so one just for her seemed like a good idea, less germs and all!

(BTW, it's one of her favorite toys)

I love the little things that come out of kids mouths - meaning the things they say, not the random "I couldn't quite chew it up and swallow it, so I'm going to spit it out on your pants" type of thing! We were playing with Aubrey's dr. kit this afternoon - she was the dr. and I was the 8-year old patient (her call). It goes like this:

(as she's listening to my heart)

A: hmmm (very concerned), it's very beating.

V: Oh, that doesn't sound good.

A: It's ok, it's just a cavity....But, (still very concerned) it's not a cavity...it's just a cold.

(Then later as she gets ready to check my ears with a flashlight)

V: Is it going to hurt?

A: Nooo (very reassuring). I'm not going to put it IN your ear, I'm just going to put it OUT in your ear. (Maybe it's me...but I was convinced!)

Shelby, meanwhile, is copying everything Aubrey does, but much less gently. The thing that Aubrey used to tap my knee and make my leg swing, in the hands of Shelby, became a fun object to swing at my face! Later in the day, I watched as they pushed each other around the house in the doll sized umbrella stroller, and then wiped away tears when it broke during Shelby's turn. Dinner was fun too - Aubrey and Shelby like to hold up their princess placemats, which are see-through, to their face and make funny faces at me. Tonight it was the same, only Shelby forgot her plate full of food was on top of it before lifting it to make faces. Oh well, she didn't seem to care (so why should I :-)? They make me laugh and I hope they brought a smile to your face too!

There are moments in life when even a picture doesn't do it justice. What I do love though is that at least the pictures trigger the memories, and then we can let our minds run wild with thoughts of it...the smells, the feelings, the emotions, the sounds, and all the other "things" happening outside of the boundaries of the picture. Anyways, a few nights ago, I went into Aubrey's room, just to do one last check before I went to bed myself. I never know what I'm going to find cuddled in her bed with her. (She's been known to sleep with porcelain figurines, though she pulls those into her bed only after we've tucked her in). On this night, I went in only to find my own baby doll, Debbie, from my childhood, tucked in tight next to her. This alone would have made my heart melt, but it was the fact that she had turned Debbie's neck to lie more comfortably on the pillow, and then the fact that she completely gave up the pillow for the doll. I really just saw myself in that moment - the child version of me, where my dolls were real, and I was their mommy. Debbie was only one doll among many, but she was the most special. I held onto her never knowing if anyone would ever pay attention to her again. Seeing her in Aubrey's bed reminded me of the story of the Velveteen Rabbit, one of my favorite children's books, where a young boy loves a doll into existence.

Anyone who knows me knows that I was born a devoted "mom" and that, until my imagination was replaced by thoughts of clothes, friends and boys, my dolls were my world. I just see so much of myself in Aubrey, the good and the bad, but I love that I can almost see me as I was then. When I look at this picture, I can smell Aubrey's sweet, child smell, and then imagine Shelby asleep in the next room over, Jeremy reading a book in bed, and me just standing there, being so grateful for it all!

"Debbie" and Aubrey, asleep in bed. Despite what the flash did to the picture, this was taken on Christmas Eve night around midnight and the room was pitch black! Debbie is still being loved after all these years!

Goodbye '08, Hello '09...

Our year in pictures...

1. The 'girls' - January 2008

2. Easter 2008

3. Madison "Maddie" Delgado, born 4-14-08

4. Papa with the girls, May 2008

5. Papa Kurt and Aubrey, painting the kitchen in our new home, June 2008

6. Shelby Grace turns 1...has her cake and eats it too, June 2008

7. Austin Robert Owens, born 8-15-08, with Nate & Allie

8. Our princesses at Disneyland, September 2008

9. Aubrey Anne turns 4...but thinks she turned 14, October 2008
10. Halloween 2008, Alice in Wonderland and the Chesire "kitty" cat

11. The Owens Family, Thanksgiving 2008

12. The Delgado Family, Christmas 2008

13. Christmas morning, which makes waking up before dawn totally worth it!

Hi Everyone,

I was worried about getting our Christmas cards out on time, only to realize that I haven't updated our blog whatsoever...or at least not enough to give any "updates and photos" as promised! Staying current on our blog was our 2008 resolution, so lets see if we can make it work for the new year - this new year! I hope you enjoyed our recap, in pictures, of the year.

Like many of you, our past year was filled with highs and lows, but still filled with a definitive belief that God is in control of it all. In that way, we were continuously filled with gratitude for it all, knowing that it is all a part of the story of us, written by our creator. We feel most fortunate that the common denominator in both the good and bad times, is the strength we have as a family (and in our family). We have relied on our parents, siblings, and friends many times during the year, and hope that we have offered our support in return. As spouses, we rely on each other in so many unspoken ways, and we are so thankful for each other. Our "family" consists of so many more people than just the 4 of us, and so please know that you are among those we are thankful for ~ you (yes, you!) are but one character in our 'story,' but still one that we wouldn't be who we are, without!

As far as our "big" family goes, we welcomed two new little miracles into the world this year. First, in April, Madison "Maddie" Taylor Delgado was born to my brother, Greg and his wife Dianna. We got to meet Maddie (finally) at Christmas, when they came to visit for a month, and she is so beautiful - a perfect, happy little girl! Also, Kasey (Jeremy's bro) and his wife Charity, had Austin Robert Owens in August, their 3rd child! If we decide to go that route, we'll be consulting them first :-)Many friends also had babies, and each one is a reminder of how lucky we are to experience that kind of love!

The other "big" news of the year is that we bought a home in June. It is absolutely perfect for us, and was exactly what we were looking for. Mostly we love that it is close to family, in a safe neighborhood, and will be the place where so many memories will be made!

Jeremy has had a busy year with his business, Three Generations Improvements (3GI), which he owns in partnership with his dad, Kurt! Their main focus is on windows and siding replacement, but have been branching out into different areas of home improvement. The economy is difficult now, which goes without saying, but it takes on a different meaning when your business relies on a healthy, functioning economy. That said though, Jeremy and Kurt work with such skill and integrity that it hasn't affected them as much as others, and the year was successful nonetheless. Jeremy will be getting his own contractor's license this year, and we are praying for a great, successful year to come! If you're interested, you can check out their website at http://www.3generationsinc.com/. Jeremy is also a big part of a men's group at church, as well as plays rec basketball, which he loves!

I have had a very full year too, and I could not have had more fun, or felt more blessed, in my many roles! The latest path I have decided to walk down is to earn my Master's in Education, as well as obtain my multiple and single subject teaching credentials. I should be done within two years, but I'm not rushing it. I've decided that I will work hard, but not sacrifice spending quality time with my kids ~ I've quickly realized that they grow much faster than I ever thought they could. I often repeat the poem, "Dust go away, Cobwebs go to sleep. I'm holding my baby, and babies don't keep," quietly to myself when life's busyness tempts me to move too quickly. In other words, I'll take my cues from the girls, rely on my instincts, and pray lots. My parents watch the girls for me a couple times a week, so that I can help 3GI with some administrative tasks, as well as substitute teach when I choose to. I've also been very busy working as a parent aide in Aubrey's preschool. Watching my own little baby grow into this beautiful, caring, friendly child is so fulfilling, and I can't wait to do it for Shelby when she's old enough too! I've recently been learning to sew, mostly so that I can make fun things for (and with) the girls, and I'm constantly trying to find time to scrapbook, or create things for the girls to have when they're older!

Aubrey is now 4, and already talking about turning 5! She loves ballet, playing make-believe, being read to, dressing up like a princess, and lately, discovering the wonderful world of make-up! She spent most of the year as a 3 year old, but only her size would have given that away. She is incredibly tiny for her age, but her personality is very big, at least with those she is comfortable around! Although not loud, she lets herself be known. She is delicate, but expressive; compassionate, and loving; determined, but cautious; creative, and imaginative....and absolutely a walking spirit of joy! She is our sunshine!

Shelby grew from 6 months to 18 months, which in terms of capabilities, is enormous. She went from being this small, quiet baby to our now loud, very funny, very cuddly toddler. Shelby loves the outdoors, singing, carrying around dolls, and playing with playdough. She is a shoe fanatic, and has them on from the time she wakes up until she falls asleep. We can take away her toys all day long, but if we really want to punish her, all we have to do is take off her shoes (which, of course, we don't do!). Like Aubrey, Shelby is quite small for her age, but also like Aubrey, you know when Shelby is in the room. She is a giant cuddle bug - loves to be held and hugged. In fact, I wake up to kisses from her every morning, and not just pecks, but loud smooches, over and over! I cherish it, knowing it won't last forever. Shelby is also hilarious. She charms us by trying to immitate everything Aubrey does, but with much less coordination, as well as calling our attention first with a basic, "ma ma," which escalates into a full blown "MA MA!!!!," faster than I can respond to. Shelby is independent, but likes to know we're nearby; she is the first to hug her sissy if she's crying, and the first to join in on the tears; she is easy to love and makes you smile at the sheer thought of her!

Like I said, our girls are easy to love. Their personalities are so 'theirs' and it seems as though they have always been in our lives, even before they were ever a possibility, if that makes any sense. It is as if everything in our lives directed us towards the creation of each of them. I guess knowing that every pain and struggle in my life was part of the path that led to these two amazing children, and to this moment in time where I am truly blessed, I am able to fully rest in my faith. With that in mind, I'll close with one of my favorite verses, "For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for peace and not for disaster, plans to give you a future and a hope." ~Jeremiah 29:11.

We pray that 2009 is filled with hope, courage, family, friends, faith, and love, for us, as well as for all of you. I will also make sure it is filled with lots of blog entries!

All our love!!! ~ The Owens'