The kids started out the school year- we have a 8th grader, sophomore and junior!
My best friend had her baby girl! Ensley was born just 2 days after Brooke's birthday!
I of course have been getting lots of snuggles with her when I can!
Brooke was awarded the spirit stick at one of her cheer games! We were so proud of her.
Caleb has done so great a ROTC this year! He has ranked up, earned badges and awards, and joined the drill team. We loved seeing him do color guard at the football games.
I LOVE this picture of Brooke and Caleb!!!
On dad's birthday this year we went out to dinner at El Paso in his honor. It was one of his favorite places to go. I missed getting to take him this year!
I took Brooke shopping for a homecoming dress! It went way better than I expected.. we found one pretty quickly that she loved and I agreed on, and it was an acceptable price. Thankfully a nice lady in the dressing room offered to help show us how to tie the back up on our dress.... I am missing my girl card I guess haha!
Arnold and I enjoyed going to the football games to see the kids this season. Football season went by SO fast! But now we have basketball season to look forward to.
I started back on my weightless shots. I had taken a pretty long break due to supply issues and dad dying and stuff.... I told the dr bummed that I had planned to lose so much weight this year but I had failed... and she said that it wasn't the end of the year yet, so keep trying! I am doing pretty well so far!
Arnold and the band he is in played another show at a local tavern. I got dressed up and went out to see him that evening and stayed the whole time! the guys did a really good job. I think I was the only one in the whole place not drinking, haha.
Jess came out and hung out with me a lot of the evening! We had a lot of fun!
Arnold was definitely in his element! I am proud at how good of a musician he is!
Brooke went to the homecoming dance! Her dress was so pretty! I wish her pop pop could have seen her that night!
We had someone do her hair.. it turned out so pretty! She had picked a similar hairstyle offline and showed them the picture.
We went to Morganton and took some pics before the dance. I love how they turned out! Brooke and her boyfriend said they had a good time at the dance.
I finally went and saw Taylor and got my hair colored! No more grey! She always makes my hair look amazing! I can never recreate the pretty waves and curls she puts in my hair, haha!
On Halloween night Brooke went to her boyfriends house for dinner and I went out with just my guys to dinner! We went to Mellow Mushroom for pizza. I miss the days of the kids dressing up and us taking them trick or treating. But we still had fun. And I of course got them boo baskets with some treats!
October was breast cancer awareness month. The cheerleaders wore pink bows and accessories to the game that month. One night they honored the people who had been survivors and released balloons into the air at the game. Brooke released one in honor of her grandma.. my mom. Mom is now a 19 year survivor! We are so thankful she is here with us! She is such a strong woman!
There was a special day at moms church (my childhood church) called All Saints Day where they recognized the members of the church who had gone on to heaven already in the past year. So they recognized dad and lit a candle for him. Mom got to keep the candle. It was a beautiful service.
It still seems so surreal to me when I see a picture of dad up and his death date is beside it. Oh I miss him so much! I started crying during the service. I remember sitting beside him on our favorite church pew when I was a kid on Sunday mornings. I am really going to miss sitting beside him at Christmas Eve candle light services!
We wanted to take a day trip to the mountains to see the pretty leaves so we took mom and all went up to Boone and had a picnic. Everyone else had the same idea and it was packed at Julian Price park, but we were able to snag a table! We had a lot to fun just hanging out.
The North Carolina mountains are the BEST, especially during the fall! Gorgeous views and scenery.
Rachel got back her 8th grade pic! I don't know why she smirked in this picture! She also decided not to wear her glasses for the picture! But she looks so grown up!
We celebrated moms birthday on October 18th! she turned 71! Its been a hard year but she has been so amazing and strong and I am so thankful to have her as my moM!
Arnold's cousin's daughter Peyton is having a baby in March and we went to her gender reveal party! It was such a fun party... they had chili and cupcakes and then revealed using colored smoke coming out of a pumpkin. And the baby is a GIRL!!!! I knew it, I had a feeling from the beginning!
The theme was so cute! Team BOO-Y or GHOUL. The cupcakes had fall flavors like caramel apple and pumpkin spice.
Arnold and I went together after work one day and voted! I won't get into politics but we were pleased with who won in North Carolina. I didn't really care for either of the people too much but I am definitely team red.
My 2nd mom and her husband hosted and taught a grief class at our church.. called surviving the holidays. Mom and I decided to go together since this will be our first year without dad. We learned a lot and I hope to use some of the tips to make this year easier on us. Hearing everyone in the group tell the stories of how their loved ones passed was heartbreaking.. we were all crying. But it was comforting being able to share memories and support one another.
