Things to be thankful for...

1 - God
I am so thankful to have a God that loves me unconditionally even when I don't give him the attention and praise He so deserves. I am also extremely thankful that He brought the rest of my thankful things to my life!

2 - My husband
Matt is my rock. He is the person that I go to for everything. He loves me and supports me and cares for me. I am so incredibly thankful to be married to such an amazing man!

3 - My daughter
Katie is the best thing that I have ever done! Sometimes I wonder how Matt and I created such a wonderful, beautiful, loving, outgoing, smart, sweet little girl.. She is truly the light of our lives, and I am so thankful to be her Momma!

4 - My family
I am so incredibly lucky to have such an awesome family. My mom and dad are great! They have provided so much for me my entire life, and I am so grateful. My little sister is growing into such a sweet young lady (with her still awkward - dorky - 8 year old nature!!). I love her so much, though. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are also so sweet. My cousin, Hannah, and I have grown very close this last year, and I am so excited. She and I are SOOO different, but I enjoy seeing her perspective on things!

5 - My in-laws
I am so lucky to have such great in-laws. They do so much for Matt and I, and we both are so appreciative. They raised my husband to be the man he is today, even if that includes inappropriate jokes, nasty humor, and all the other strange things he does! He also is loving, kind, and hardworking.. Things they both taught him! So, Jim and Sandy, thank you for giving Matt to me!

6 - My job
I love my job! I truly do! There are days when my 5th graders drive me up the wall or the lesson planning and paperwork just get to be too much, and then I hear a non-English speaking child speak a full sentence in English or a student writes me a note to tell me that I am the best teacher ever. I am reminded WHY I am called to teach! Some people may disagree with me for working and not staying home with my daughter, and I have to say that it doesn't bother me anymore! I am a GREAT teacher and a GREAT mother!

7 - My best friend
Jennifer Pharr is truly my best friend! We met each other my freshman year of college when Matt and I started dating. She is a true inspiration to me... I am so thankful that God brought her in my life!

8 - Technology
I love having easy access to the internet and cell phones and all the other convenient things in life. I am thankful that our society has the resources and intelligence to create such amazing things!

9 - Health
I am so thankful that I am healthy and that the rest of my family is healthy, too!

10 - Money
I am thankful that Matt and I rarely have to worry about Money. It really is one of the greatest things. We make a decent living, but our desire to budget and save is so wonderful. At times it drives me crazy, but I am thankful to be able to buy the things we need and most of what we want!

There are SOOOO many other things I am thankful for, but I will stop here! I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving and remember to be thankful for all those little things!

12 Month Post (2 weeks late)

10/5/10 Grandma came into town
10/6/10 Stayed with Grandma at home
Lost Dog while on a walk with Grandma
10/7/10 Stayed with Grandma at home
10/8/10 Had a great evening with Mommy and Daddy just playing in the floor
10/9/10 Went to Mimi and Papa’s while Mommy and Daddy worked up at Lee
Visited Aunt Jenn at Willow Creek
Watched the Razorback game with Mommy and Daddy
10/10/10 Took a nap through church!!
10/11/10 Went to doctor (21 lbs. 3 oz.) – still have an ear infection; trying new antibiotic
10/12/10 Took 7 steps in a row!!
10/13/10 Ate dinner at Aunt Jenn’s house – pizza and ice cream
10/14/10 Went to Marshallese Literacy Night with Mommy and played with lots of people
10/15/10 Went to the Craft Fair and Las Margaritas with Mommy and Daddy
10/16/10 Stayed with Daddy while Mommy went to a workshop
Ate Chick-Fil-A for the first time (3 nuggets and 6 waffle fries – WOW!)
Played with Tory and Mark for a while (met Mark for the first time)
Mimi and Aunt E came over so Mommy and Daddy could go to Shakes
10/17/10 Went to Emma Breaux’s birthday party at Fun City (ate ¾ of a cupcake)

10/20/10 Went to Mommy’s first OB appt for Jellybean and enjoyed seeing Dr. Reiter and Vicky
Got to see the baby on the ultrasound!
10/22/10 Officially a walker!
10/23/10 Spent the night with Mimi and Papa while Mommy and Daddy went on a date
10/24/10 Stayed with Mommy and Daddy during Care Group instead of going to nursery
10/29/10 First Halloween Party at school – Daddy came!
Went to Lee’s Fall Festival and enjoyed walking around and showing off
Went to Aunt Judi and Uncle Mike’s house for Chili
10/30/10 Went to Trunk-or-Treat at Sonora – Papa LOVED walking you around
10/31/10 FIRST HALLOWEEN!!! Dressed up as Minnie Mouse (of course!)
Went to Trunk-or-Treat at Elmdale
Went trick-or-treating with Mommy, Daddy, Mimi, Papa, and Aunt E
Helped Daddy pass candy out at the house and LOVED it!!
11/2/10 Went to Ye Olde King’s Pizza with Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Joshy, Ms. Sharon and
Mr. Jim – LOVED Ms. Sharon
11/3/10 IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!
Mommy and Daddy took the afternoon off – we went to Chick-fil-A, Bliss Cupcake
Café, Sams, and you got your birthday present (the cozy coupe), ate chicken nuggets,
tator tots, and macaroni and cheese for dinner

Kathryn Elizabeth,

I cannot believe you are 1 years old! That just seems absolutely unreal to me. It literally seems like yesterday that Daddy and I were waiting in the hospital room waiting for you to arrive. And then I remember giving you your first bath. Watching you projectile vomit. Cuddling with you in the middle of the night. Gosh, you stole my heart little girl.

You are walking everywhere and are so full of life. You love people and love to be the center of attention. That doesn't surprise me at all! You are your mommy's child! You are such a sweet and content child, and I am so proud that you are my daughter. Little one, you are the light of my life...

Love,

Mommy

Happy Birthday, Princess K!

Well... It's official: Our little girl is 1. We are both constantly amazed at how quickly this year has passed!* Yesterday was Katie's birthday, and all three of us really enjoyed it.

We both took the afternoon off work yesterday to spend time with Katie on her birthday. We went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch (K loves the waffle fries!), to the Bliss Cupcake Cafe (what little girl doesn't need a cupcake on her birthday?), and to Sam's (one of Katie's favorite places). After a two and a half hour nap, Katie got her birthday present - a cozy coupe! She LOVED riding around in it (pictures to come). After playing outside for a while, we went back in to have all of Katie's favorite foods for dinner: chicken nuggets, tater tots, and macaroni & cheese.

Needless to say, it was a special (and bittersweet) day for us, but we are also so proud of Katie and the sweet, kind, funny, loving, friendly kid she is becoming. She has the cutest personality and is so inquisitive about EVERYTHING! She loves her Momma and Daddy, but she is also happy to be with other people or to be interacting with other people (including complete strangers in stores and at restaurants). She is also very active, both physically and mentally. Once she mastered walking, there is no stopping her! There are also times when she's looking at a book or touching something she's never seen before, and you can just see the wheels spinning in her little head as she processes it and stores the information away for later.

We have truly enjoyed this past year and are looking forward to the next few months that we have to spend alone with Katie. Then Jellybean will be here, and we'll have a whole new set of adventures to muddle our way through! We've also enjoyed sharing this past year with our friends and family and are so thankful for all the love and support they've given us.

We'll post our monthly update in a couple days, but until then: Happy Birthday, Princess K! Momma and Daddy love you very much!

*Before people comment and tell us that time will only speed up from here... Don't. We don't want to hear it for the 100th time! It's sad and depressing and makes us want to find a way to bottle Katie up and slow time down so that we can experience each moment with her a dozen times over. :o)

New Addition!!!

Yep, I'm pregnant!

Happy 11 Months, Sweet Girl!

9/4/10 Went to the Clothesline Fair in PG
Watched Razorback game on t.v.
Ate an entire chocolate chip cookie (threw up in the middle of the night)
Ate deer meat
9/5/10 Went shopping with Mommy and Daddy
Uncle Josh, Aunt Jenn, and Brad came over for a cookout
9/6/10 Labor Day
9/10/10 Stayed with Daddy while Mommy had a girl’s night with Aunt Jenn and Tory
9/11/10 Went to the Farmer’s Market
Visited the U of A campus to see our names on Senior Walk
Spent the night with Mimi and Papa because Mommy and Daddy went to Polo in the Ozarks
9/13/10 Mimi picked you up from school
9/14/10 Mimi picked you up from school
9/16/10 4th tooth broke through (top right)
Went to a PTA meeting at Lee
9/18/10 Went to Sunset Grill with Mommy and Daddy for breakfast – LOVED the pancakes and eggs!
Learned a new word “Dog”
9/20/10 Took first step (two another one later)
9/24/10 Stayed with Mimi and Papa while Mommy and Daddy worked the SSAF Chili Supper
9/25/10 Spent the day in Greenwood, so Daddy could help at the vet clinic
9/26/10 Slept until 9:00 a.m.!!!
Went shopping with Mommy
9/27/10 Went to pediatrician – 21 lbs 7.5 oz – ear infection in right ear
Watched both of Daddy’s softball games and was out until 9:15!!!
9/30/10 Mommy picked me up from school an hour early
Ate dinner at Red Lobster with Mary Claire – loved the shrimp and bread
10/1/10 Miss Bethany’s last day as Katie’s teacher
10/2/10 First haircut (cut the rat tail)
10/3/10 2 Teeth came through (two teeth next to the top middle two)

My dearest Katie,

You are the light of our lives! You are so active and so close to walking. I used to think that since you crawled and pulled up so early that you were going to be an early walker. Boy, was I wrong! It doesn't bother me a bit, though. I love watching your little booty when you crawl. So sweet. You are also quite the talker. We have been told by many other parents that you are extremely advanced linguistically. You like to say: what, dog, mama, dada, tan (Tanner, Grandma's dog), book, boy (that's what we call Cooper), and that. I am one proud Mommy!! You also love to eat table food. We have you try nearly everything we eat, and you will eat almost everything! These past few months have flown by and the sheer thought of you turning a year old in less than a month just breaks my heart. You are my little angel! Daddy and I love you so incredibly much.

Love,

Mommy

Saturday in Greenwood

Matt had to go help his dad install the air conditioning unit at Nick's new vet clinic in Greenwood, so Katie and I spent all day with Grandma, Aunt Mischelle, and all the cousins.

Katie loved getting to play with Abi, Brandon, and Camryn..

Katie enjoyed getting to play with some new toys.. Some of her favorites included a Disney Princess tent, a walking toy that plays music, Cozy Coupe, and the playhouse. Katie doesn't have anything like this at her house, so it was fun!

We took the boys some lunch at the clinic and got a tour of the new place. It's going to be one good-lookin' clinic once it's finished... Dr. Coston, you did good! I love this picture of Uncle Matt-Matt and Brandon!

Mischelle and Nick are adopting a little boy, Dexter from China. He turned 1 on September 23, so we celebrated by singing happy birthday to him and eating some cake! Dexter, we can't wait to meet you very soon!

The kiddos all got to take a bath together, and Katie enjoyed getting a book read to her from her oldest cousin, Abi. I know Grandma enjoyed giving all 4 kids a bath at once ;o)!!

After a fun-filled day in Greenwood, it was time for the Fryar family to pack up and head home.. Miss Priss was exhausted and slept the entire trip home and didn't wake up until 9:00 the next morning!!

Girl's Night/Morning

What a fabulous weekend we had last weekend.. Tory came into town, and I decided it was about time for a girl's night. So, I got Katie to bed on Friday night and went over to Jenn's house to wait on Tory. When she got there, we went to Steak and Shake (nearly 10:00 p.m.) and had so much fun. We felt like we were in college again since we were going out that late at night. After Steak and Shake, we drove to Starbucks to get some caffeine in our systems.

The young man at the window at Starbucks was the biggest goober, EVER! He was just acting strange, and he probably thought it was weird for middle-something, twenty year olds to be out that late on a Friday night!!

When we got back to Jenn's, we couldn't resist the movie... "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days" One of the best movies ever made.. I think all three of us could quote that movie word for word. The movie is awesome, but THIS is the REAL reason we wanted to watch is.. WOW!

Here's Tory starting to poop out on us!

We ended up piling up in Jenn's bed and talked to 1:00 a.m. then Tory went to bed and Jenn and I continued to talk til nearly 2:00 a.m.! It was so nice to just catch up and be girls again... LONG OVERDUE!

The next morning, Matt came over and met up with us. We introduced Katie to Tory's dog, Juno. Juno is a BIG dog, and I thought Katie would be timid. Not at all. She loved Juno.. I think Juno was a little timid of Katie, though!

We then went to the Farmer's Market on the Fayetteville Square like most Saturday mornings. We ate breakfast there and just enjoyed being outside!

Katie got to play in the water on the square, and we even managed to make it over to Bliss Cupcake Cafe.

Once we left the square, we drove to campus to check out our names on Senior Walk. On the way there, I think Jenn enjoyed her flowers a little too much! Katie enjoyed the attention that Tory gave her, too!

We showed Katie all of our names and talked about how we couldn't wait for our kids to go there someday and show them all around campus!!

All in all, it was one of the best nights! I miss Tory, and I loved taking K to a place that has so many memories for all of us...