7 Month Updates

In keeping with my "new blog form" I am updating special events during each month instead of tying to post about the entire month...

This month was an obvious one, Dallas turned 7 months old on December 14th and we celebrated his first Christmas!  And we received a wonderful surprise on December 22nd!!! 

Each month I try to snap some sweet pictures of our little monkey for a few reasons.  One is this blog...I may not update in real time, or even close to it for that matter, but I at least like to save my pictures in order and post them eventually in order by date.  One of my resolutions is actually to blog more, keeping all of you (ok so I don't have very many followers, but hope that changes soon!) updated as Dallas grows.  I also intend to turn this more into a Dallas/family/crafting blog, not so much just about Dallas since I've found one of my new hobbies is making things by hand!

Another reason is because I have a cute frame (thanks to his Grandma Michelle down in OK) to put monthly pictures of Dallas in and I also have his first year calendar (thanks to my friend, Shannon) to update with pictures and accomplishments:)  So much to do, I sure hope I have this much time and energy with the next few kids to do the same.  I already look forward to comparing Dallas's milestones with the next baby, and the next, and the next.  That's a little extreme, I know, but I'd love to have a big family.  Michael on the other hand would be fine with just one more:(  We'll see how that goes...I may change my mind, but I'm guessing he'll be more likely to come around..someday!

So, since I think Dallas looks great in stripes, honestly he looks great in ANYthing, but my favorite is stripes.  I put him in this striped onesie and some comfy pants and started snapping...(another resolution: get a new, better camera and learn more about photography.  But that costs money and I'm a bit of a tight wad these days, which is easy to do when you really want to be a stay-at-home-mom!)  Of course I have added my signature photo quotes, sayings, comments, blurbs, whatever you like to call them.

So big!

Look ma, it's my tongue...surprise, surprise!

He must be watching those silly puppies.

His signature holding his breathe pose...see how he did it here too in his Christmas card photo shoot

My favorite because you can actually see that he has a neck!!

And again with the tongue...hey, it's cute!

So in between Dallas's 7 month "birthday" and Christmas, we got some great news.

Here's a little background for those of you who don't know the story: Mid-October Michael saw a post on General Electric's website for a "winder" position that was available.  He decided to send in his application to see if he would qualify for the job (most of the larger companies prefer that you have two years of experience under your belt when joining them).  However, Michael was only at ReGENco for about 1.5 years.  We didn't really realize that his 4 years in the Navy was considered experience out in the field until after someone pointed that out to us, he wasn't giving himself enough credit.  Then in the beginning of November Michael flew out to New Jersey for an interview with GE.  He had a phone interview prior to that, which he felt went great and when got the request for the face-to-face interview, we both became pretty confident.  So the interview in New Jersey went really well just as the phone interview had.  But, our hopes were fading fast near Mid-December when he still hadn't gotten a call.  Then, December 22nd he got an offer via email from the company.  He was so excited, but obviously we had a lot of talking to do about the offer and what worked best for our family.  In the end we decided that this offer was worth the risk. 

Side note: In the line of work that Michael is in, traveling is what makes it possible for me to stay home with Dallas.  ReGENco said when he was hired that he would travel 80% of the year (basically the same months of the school year).  This is referred to as the outage season for the power plants, which is where he works on the generators.  So far the 80% of travel hasn't happened so why not take the leap and try with a new company, one that is more established that his current one?  We thought it can't get any worse, right? 

So on January 10th he will be flying to Orlando to attend the first part of the training process with General Electric.  What a great Christmas present and a positive way to start our 2011!!  We are hoping this job is all it's "cracked up" to be.  If it is, we intend to put our house on the market, the actual market, not just a sign in our yard, and hope to sell.  If that actually happens we would move further south, closer to more of our family, live there for a while until we get some items paid off and then move on to a different state.  We have always wanted to stay on the move until Dallas is in school, then settle down somewhere. 

We are positive and intend to stay positive, that GE will help us to achieve this goal.

Now on to the Christmas photos, I sure have a lot that I would love to post, but I'm going to hold back a bit...this is getting to be a long post anyway.  And you must be half asleep by now!

Dallas getting in to the Christmas spirit with his (actually it's Michael's) Santa hat and new snowflake PJ's

Opening his name plate from Grandma and Grandpa Jeffers in Oklahoma (I decorated it later, maybe I'll post those pictures in a future entry!)

Opening a gift from Meme and Papa in Oklahoma (Meme and Papa are Michael's step-mom's parents)

All the gifts from our family in Oklahoma, how sweet are they to send

so many gifts all the way to Wisconsin!!

Watching the monkey roll around, this was from Dallas's Uncle Wyatt and Uncle Waylon:)

Ella and Dallas wearing their Christmas outfits from Grandma Mary...Dallas sporting his new kicks from Grandma and Grandpa Jeffers!

Cousin Heather and Dallas on Christmas Day at our house

Cousin Tyler

Ella opening a gift

Myself helping Ella open another gift!

Ready for shopping...I'd have to say Katie and I have trained her right already!!

Sock monkey from Auntie Katie, he LOVES that thing!!

Ella and Cousin Heidi, Christmas Day at our house

Dallas and Auntie Kris

Jonny and the babies, celebrating Christmas at my dad's house

Little Jonny opening his football pillow from my dad and Robin.

(He was at his mom's house for the Christmas weekend, so he got to open gifts when he returned to Katie and Jonny's after the holiday!)

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, we know we did and we are already excited for next year when Dallas will be walking and talking!!

Turkey, potatoes, green beans, OH MY!!!

Thanksgiving at the Byron's house

My cousin's; Heather, James, and Will hosted Thanksgiving this year (technically it was last year since I'm just now posting this in 2011, but you know what I meant) and it was great.  All the food was delicious, the atmosphere was relaxed with a hint of crazy (with 6 kids running around, that's expected), and let's face it - I was happy to not have to do all the cleaning and prep work myself!!

Here are a few pictures from the Tryptophan-filled holiday...man that Turkey sure is tasty.

Here are the six I was referring to above...Tyler, Isabelle, Dallas, Will, Jonny, and Ella

Take #2 (more like take 16, but I'm not going to show you all of the attempts!)

Watching the football game, Michael, Dallas, Jonny, myself, Ella, Mary (my mom)

My drooly-red-cheeked-little man and myself:)

Another shot of the sensational six!!

Dallas and Ella checking out the fish, with Heidi and I

Everybody gathered around the table(s), minus Heather, the cook/host/photographer/party planner.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.



Monkey and The Bean Take a Dip!

August 29th was the first time Dallas attempted swimming, well it was more of sitting, in the pool.

Katie, Alyssa, Ella, and Dallas got all SPF'd up and headed out on a very hot August afternoon to the neighborhood pool...we walked.  Little did we know that ALL of the pools in Northern Wisconsin have their last public swim day on August 22.  August 22nd??  I know sometimes it snows in September, but what happened to the last week in August?

We were so disappointed, but decided...why not air up Ella's pool and swim in the comfort of

The Hoetschl's backyard?  Great idea.  Well, by the time we got back to the house, both babies were out cold, snoozing in their car seats.  The mom's decided to make the most of the quiet time and air up the pools, get towels ready and be prepared for when they wake up.  So, after wrestling with the air compressor for a while, because we were not about to blow the pool up ourselves, we got everything set up.  

*Note to self, learn how to use one of those before your husband leaves for work if you have ANY intention of possibly having to blow up a pool, bike tires, or anything else that takes "air" to work! 

And just in the nick of time..the babies were up and ready to cool off with us.

We had a great time just sitting and relaxing for quite a while, in fact I'm pretty sure we all had wrinkly toes when it was time for some lunch. 

PS: Diapers can hold A LOT of moisture...I'm pretty sure those things weighed as much as a small puppy when we got out of the water.

Raise your hand (or fist) if you want to go swimming!

Scream if you're ready to go swimming!

Lift your leg if you want to go too!

And now he's sleeping...

As is she!

Who's pretty silly over there, Dallas?

Hey, hey you, are you ready to go swimming yet?

Hey, how do you sit up like that all by yourself?

Ok, stop with the pictures and put me in that pool!! 

Yummy, pool toy.

Chilaxin'

Mommy and her little Monkey:)

A visitor from out West!

*To get caught up on the blog, we will be highlighting some events from the past few months.  Once we get to "present time" we will try to stay updated and post at least every other week!* 

On August 25th Alyssa's Aunt Chris came to visit the family.

She was mainly here to see her 2 Great  Nieces and Great Nephew (the first boy after 9 girls!!) 

Here's how we got to NINE: Alyssa's Cousins Melissa, Erica, and Kayla make 3.  Then there is Katie and Alyssa (4 & 5).  Next, Melissa had two girls (Lauren and Caitlin; #'s 6 & 7).  Erica had Kylee and Katie had Ella.  Yep, that's right, 9 girls!!

FINALLY, a BOY!!  Dallas makes #10 and I think it's safe to say everyone was looking forward to buying tucks, tractors, and trains!!  (Not that girls can't play with that stuff, but you know what I mean!!)

Aunt Chris makes wonderful knit gifts for the babies like hats and blankets and I think she was pretty excited to be able to make some blue items.

We OF COURSE took lots of pictures, so enjoy!

The last few are of Dallas wearing his hat from Aunt Chris and sleeping with the blanket she made him:)

 We can't wait to see you again, Aunt Chris!!