Kindergarten already?

I just can't believe this day has come so quickly!  My beautiful, smart baby girl is in Kindergarten!  August 10th 2011 marks the big girl mile marker in Bella's life!  She did fabulously!  No crying, no nerves, just excited and happy!  I am so proud of her!

We had a special breakfast for her very first day, McDonalds :) and Bella will eat her first lunch in the school cafeteria.

Time flies!

Mommy goes back to school on August 22nd, can't wait!



Viva Las Vegas

Adam and I's trip was absolutely what the doctor ordered!

We left early Friday (6/17) morning and arrived in Vegas at 2:30 pm.  We checked into our room and quickly hit the Liquidity Bar at the Luxor, where my sweet friend Rhonda works.

She gave us amazing deals on our cocktails, which in Vegas, is a good thing!  Instead of 10 bucks a pop, they were comped.  Shortly after we ate some Mexican food for lunch.  A fellow classmate of mine, Henry, text me and said he and his girlfriend were going to be there later that night.  We then took a walk to the MGM where we checked out the infamous lions.  We found a great sushi restaurant, of course I can't remember what the name of it was, and had an awesome dinner there.  Adam and I went to the room at about 8:30 and took about a 45 minute "nap".  10 o'clock came around when Henry and Britt showed up.  We had several more cocktails before Adam and I went to bed at about 2. 

Saturday we slept in until 10:30, it was nice!  We had breakfast, where I met "Vanilla Ice", then we hit the pool for about 2 or 3 hours.  We really enjoyed the pool along with the sunshine.  Afterwards we went back to Liquidity to have a few more drinks and say goodbye to Rhonda.  Afterwards we, I, went shopping.  I got several new tops and an awesome new bathing suit.  We had dinner and met up with Henry and Britt.  We all went to Freemont Street, which quickly became the high light of my trip!  I loved all the freak shows and celeb look-a-likes!

After that we rode the New York New York roller coaster, which is something I do every time I go to Vegas.  It was a blast, as usual!

Vegas was great but I was so glad to get home to our daughter and pups!  Bella loved the fairy outfit I bought her, L O V E D I T!  

I don't have any class tomorrow, thank God!  But... I do have a communications exam online, and math homework to do.

Til next time! 

Summer is in full swing!!

Vegas Baby!!

I've been dying to go to Vegas for the past year or so.  So, we've got the extra money, let's go!  Our wonderful friends Brendan and Sam are going to watch the dogs and Bella for us next weekend (17-19) so we can get away for the weekend.  It's about a 5 hour drive so it's perfect for the weekend.  Just Adam and I, no friends, or family, just us!  Not that I would mind having others join us, but it's nice for us to be alone too.  We're staying at the Luxor, that's where I always stay because I tend to get the best rates there.  I'll be posting pictures afterwards for sure.

I booked our flights to Florida in September today.  1034 bucks for the 3 of us, round trip.  When did flying become so damn expensive?  We're leaving September 3rd and coming home September 12th.  We'll be at my parents until the 9th before we drive to Decatur Alabama to attend my dear friend Laura's wedding.  On the 11th we'll drive back to Florida and then fly home on Monday.  It'll be a bust 2nd half of the visit, but the first 5 days will be boating, beaching, drinking and eating.  I'm very excited to see my momma and step dad, and hoping my step sisters will drive down from Columbus.

Summer classes are going better than I expected.  My communications professor is HILARIOUS and so much fun.  He has the best stories (examples) for everything he teaches.  He keeps our attention very well that's for sure!  My math is going well too, algebra sucks, but I think I am finally getting the hang of it.  My good friend Billie is in the same class so it's nice to spend time with her, in or out of class.  Hoping for another 4.0 semester but we'll see how it goes.  My first math exam is on Tuesday. 

Other than that, life is good :)

Til next time!

Just another day :)

It's a hot one in Arizona today!  We had a fabulous weekend.  On Friday we went to Adam's softball game, then out to Sidelines for drinks and dinner after.  Adam's softball buddies are awesome and totally hilarious.  Adam is a very straight edged and serious, so it's nice to get around people who have the same smart ass sarcastic tendancies as I do!  Sidelines is fun, and kid friendly, with awesome food!  I always get fried mushrooms and potatoe skins.  They're fabulous!  Saturday I so desperatly wanted to sleep it, but nooo lol Adam got up at 8 and start fucking with me, which woke me up... At noon we went to Barro's Pizza for Bella's TBall party.  Michael and Jenny met us there, we enjoyed pizza and beer and watching the kids all get their pictures and trophys.  Bella is so proud of her trohpy, she carries it all over the place with her, and is constantly telling me how proud I am of her lol, only her!  We had a great season!  Next year, coach pitch!

After the party, we loaded up the 4 wheeler, the guns, the cooler, and headed out to the desert with Michael and Jenny for shooting and 4 wheeling.  We had a lot of fun, other than a few minor things which I wont get into.  After that we went to M & J's house for dinner and drinks.  We ended up sleeping over.  I love going over there, but holy crap their kids get up SO early!  Like, 6 am and shit, yikes!  Bella never gets up before 8:30 lol, so since we sleep on a matress in their living room, they all come in and out of the bedroom and bother us.  It's moments like that, that make me realize why I don't want anymore kids.  Mine is perfect, why ruin it with more? lol

Sunday we got up and came home.  I cleaned house, did laundry and picked up the dog shit while Adam cleaned the guns and Bella took a 3 hour nap (who could blame her, those damn kids woke her up at the ass crack).  Adam eventually came in and we watched the 2nd and 3rd Pirates movies.  I <3 Pirates!  Hopefully on Friday we'll go see it at the drive--in.  Maybe that and / or the 2nd Hangover!

Robin came and got her doggies today, they were with us for about 8 days.  Over all they were good dogs :) and we enjoyed having them.  Hoping in exchange we can get a weekend baby sitter one weekend as a repayment.  I think Robin will probably agree, so we'll see.  Adam and I are just in desperate need of an adult weekend!  Go to the club, have some fun! 

Saturday is our memorial day party.  We're looking at a nice little guest list, it should be fun!  We're going to make wings, pasta salad and jalapeno wraps.  Adam talked about getting a keg, we'll see if that actually happens.

Schools starts a week from tomorrow, it's going to be a busy 7 weeks, taking two 3 credit courses!  I'm looking forward to the challenge!

Welp, Adam and Bella are home and it's time to make dinner!

Adios!

Summer Break

Summer is pretty much official in the Cochran-Taylor household.  I wrapped up my Spring semester on May 11th, and it was a life changing experience.  I thought school was never in the cards for me, but once I took the first steps and enrolled I realized this is what I want.  Not only for myself, but for my daughter and Adam too.  I am proud to say that not only did I finish the semester with honors, but I finished with a 4.0 GPA!

I never imagined I'd do that well, but I am very excited about that!  I'm taking summer classes, to speed up my graduation date, starting on May 31st and going until July 21st.  I'm taking intro to communications and intermediate algebra.  The math is making me nervous, 7 weeks is a really short amount of time, for me, to take a math class.  I feel like that's the number one thing I struggle with, but I know I can do it.  Thank God for Adam and his bachelors in mathematics or it'd be a lot worse.  For the fall semester I've signed up for my final math class, college mathematics, my final English class, intro to criminal justice and college critical reading.  All of which are required for my criminology and criminal justice degree.  I'm what they call a MAPP student (Maricopa ASU Pathway Program) which guarantees my acceptance to ASU in the Spring of 2013, it all ensures all of my CGCC credits will transfer to ASU, and most importantly it looks the tuition in for me, at today's rate, regardless of if it goes up between now and then.  So technically I am an ASU student.  Pretty neat!

Bella is doing awesome!  She had a dentist appointment on Monday and I am so proud of her, no cavities, again!  She was so happy with herself.  Her top two teeth and loose and should be coming out in the next 3 to 4 weeks.  School is out on the 26th for the summer, her last summer before kindergarten!  I just can't believe my baby is going to be in elementary school, it seems like just yesterday I brought her into this world!  She is sooo excited about starting too.  But, I don't think she understands how much earlier we'll be getting up for school.  Right now we sleep until 8 or 9 everyday, and even later on the weekends.  She's already hard to get out of bed lol.  So it'll be interesting.  Thank God for the Mesa school district and full day kindergarten.  Because of them, I will be able to attend school full time without having to pay for child care.  June 1st she has her surgery on her herniated belly button.  I am terrified!  I've actually considered cancelling it a few times already.  The thought of my baby being put under for surgery freaks me out.  I know she'll be fine, but I'm still freaking out!  We'll see how it ends up!  I know I need to do it, it's just scary!  Tball wrapped up about 2 weeks ago, Bella did so well and I'm so proud of her for doing so well. On Saturday we're going to the end of the season party, and she'll get her little trophy and pictures back!  They're having it at a pizza joint, should be fun.

Adam is well, busting his ass at work.  He's got that electrical job at the Indian Medical Center and they're in the middle of a 2 week shut down.  3 guys working different shifts, 24 hours a day.  If one of them is sick, Adam has to go sit in and watch the job, so he's been working some early mornings and weekends.  He's a great man.  He works so hard so that I can go to school and Bella can have the perfect little spoiled life she has lol.  We're having a Memorial Day party on Saturday the 28th.  We should have about 15 people here.  Adam is going to make wings and pasta salad, I'll probably do up our famous dilish bacon jalapeno peppers.  I'm going to fill up a couple hundred water ballons for the kids to thrash eachother with lol, it'll be fun!

Other than life, not a lot going on here!  We're watching our friends two dogs until Saturday, so I've got a house full at the moment!  Til next time!

CJT

It's been far too long...

I wrote in this blog about 3 weeks ago, then I got done I some how deleted the entire thing, I was pissed and it was midnight so I didn't re-write everything!  Update!

School is going awesome, as of now I'm an honor student.  Finals are the week after next and I'm really nervous about my math final.  I'd love to keep my A, but we'll see.  I signed my Maricopa AZ State University Pathway Program contract a few weeks ago.  It guarantees my acceptance to ASU and that all my credits will transfer.  I should be at ASU by the Spring of 2013.  The thought of have a bachelors degree in criminal justice and criminology from Arizona State University is so exciting.  Now lets just pray I get to the end of that tunnel.  Spring semester ends May 11th, then on May 29th I start my summer semester.  I've settled on a math and communications class for summer.  4 days a week, 3.5 hours a night.  It's going to be a busy summer.

Adam has been so busy with work, he's got this electrical job at a hospital that's been giving him hell.  He's been working long hours and on the occasional Saturday, which I hate!  But, someone has to pay the bills.  I am very proud of him, and love him very much!

Bella is awesome!  TBall has been going wonderful.  We met another couple who's son plays on the team, we've become really close with them.  They're a lot of fun!  Bella is super in "love" with their son Braden.  Bella also has the summer off of school, so she'll be home with me during the days.  I can't wait until she starts ALL DAY kindergarten in the fall.  My big girl, makes mommy want to cry!

I'm trying to get Adam to fly my cousin Tarra out in about two weeks, as a mothers day gift.  Tarra is moving to Wisconsin at the end of May and I'd really love to spend some one on one time with her before she leaves.  I miss her so much as it is, then she'll move 1000's of miles away and it'll really suck.

We're throwing a memorial day BBQ over memorial weekend.  Looking forward to seeing my friends meet each other and mingle.  The kids will have a blast too.  Gotta get Adam to fix up the back yard first!

I think that's about it for now, I'm sicker than shit so I'm going back to bed!  Til next time!

Catch up!

Wow, it's been awhile, a long while!  I've been so insanely busy though!

Where to begin?  Mesa (Phoenix) is awesome!  I absolutely love living here!  More so than Colorado at this point.  Don't get my wrong, I miss my friends and a few select family members, but Arizona has it all!  The weather, the palm tree's, & tons to do, lots of hustle and bustle (which I've always preferred).  We live in a beautiful neighbor hood as well.  Our little house has been a work in progress but I think we're just about done making it our home.

School, I love school!  I have decided to major in Criminal Justice, which I'd wanted to do all along.  I could have majored in so many other things, things that would surely make me more money, but I love the CJ field.  And what is a job if you don't love what you do?  Misery!  My long term goal is to be a homicide or missing persons detective, but in order to do that I'd have to be a "cop", street patrol, traffic, yada yada... and work my way up in the rankings.  I know I don't need a degree to be a cop, but I want my degree so I don't care!  I am currently and all A student!  I've got a 93.3% in math (includes homework, quizzes and exams) I got a 94% on my first exam, the 2nd exam is next Tuesday.  I got a 96 % on my first English essay!  Score!  We do a lot of in class writing assignments in English as well, and as long as you put forth the effort on those you'll get full credit.  I finished my college success class with a 100%, but no shocker there, it's a 1 credit required class that lasted 5 weeks... ultimately it became a fuck off class.  I met my friend Billie in that class.  Adam and I have become good friends with her and her fiance Tim.  They're really good people.  I signed up for summer classes!  Math (intermediate algebra) and Intro to Communications.  Both required for my degree.  Summer classes will be hectic!  They're only 8 weeks long so they'll be condensed and fast pace, at least Billi will be in math with me!  I go to Math Tuesday and Thursdays from 630p-930p and Communications Monday and Wednesday from 630p-940p.  I would go days, but Bella wont be in school and Adam of course has to work so night classes it must be!  It's going to be rough but I know if I work my ass off I can get it done and maintain my honors!

On top of school, Bella started T Ball a few weeks ago.  The first game isn't until March 26th, but they practice 2 or more times a week.  I love that Bella is finally involved with sports, although, I'm not sure she cares much for T Ball.  I'm going to start her in soccer this summer.  I think she'll like it better because it's less structured and more fast pace.  These 4 and 5 year olds have a hard time just standing there, in the outfield lol it gets funny to watch them.  Bella booty dances -shaking my head- like no ones watching!  Adam and another father, Michael, have pretty much taken on the rolls of assistant coaches.  They help out at every practice.  I love it!  Bella's team is the Cubs!  Not our first choice of teams lol but it's T Ball, what can ya do?  Adam plays softball every Wednesday night.  They always play 2 games, so he's either playing from 630-830 or from 830-1030.  I go to all the early games.  He's on his own for late games.  Bella's got to be in bed WAY before 1030 so we don't go to those.  It's fun though, I love watching the games.  And don't get me started on the concession stand food (that shit is tasty!)

I'm smoking, AGAIN, ugh!  It's soooooo hard to "quit".  I've got a doctors apt next week so I can get a script for Chantix.  Every time I quit using the patch, I start up again as soon as I'm done with the patch cycles.  Sucks!  I'm sick of being a gross smoker!  Someday!  I have faith in myself!  I've always been slacking on tanning and the gym!  I need to get back into the habits!

I traveled back to the Springs for court on Feb 24th.  I was super nervous walking into that court room.  Thankfully I had my mom, dad and brother by my side.  We got into the court room and we sat down, Brandon on the petitioner side, myself on the respondents side.  We both swore to tell the whole truth and nothing but truth.  After that the judge asked Brandon why he didn't show up for our status conference on Jan 18th, in which he replied he had to work, followed by some other bullshit excuse.  We went back and forth answering any questions the judge asked of us, after that the judge informed us that the state of Colorado had no jurisdiction of this case because Bella lives in Arizona, NOT COLORADO!  Well no shit Sherlock!  lol but let me tell you how happy I was.  Brandon was pissed, he got up and left the court room before the judge even stood up.  Long story short, if he wants to fight for visitation he has to come here, to Maricopa County, and do it.  & let me tell you, AZ doesn't take kindly to dead beat parents.  I've already started the process of getting child support in the state of AZ.  If he wants to sign over his rights it may save him a lot of money.  We'll see.

I'm sure there is much more I could get into, but I've got so much to do today.  Til next time!