Not such a great blogger these days...

So, I haven't blogged in almost a year! 2011 was such an intense, "project" year, that I just didn't want to talk about it anymore. Here's what we've been up to in 2012. -moved out of the project house at the end of April...We stayed with Brian's mom during an intense round of job interviews in Southern California. -rode a roller coaster ride of ups and downs during the job hunt. Interviews, second interviews, many trips to Orange County (some lasting less than 24 hours there and back)... -June 26th, Brian signed a contract at his new JOB!!!! Saddleback Valley Unified School District is the lucky district that snatched Brian away from Rivera. It was our original first choice because it is the school district that has Mission Viejo High School, which was where we had hoped our kids could go to school. -July 5th, we moved to Mission Viejo, California. -September, kids started their new schools! Corbin and Macy are at DePortola Elementary, 1/2 a block from our house, Brennah is at LaPaz Intermediate with Brian, and Alli is a freshman at Mission Viejo High School. LOVING IT! So, life is good, God is great, prayers are answered if you just hang on and trust. Now we're making decisions with God's guidance about when and what to purchase house-wise, and I'm sure in the next months we'll know about what direction that's going. Here are some photos of our 2012 so far...

Brian & I had a weekend in Reno in January

Alli got her braces off in February-

Look at that gorgeous, very expensive smile!

A's Spring Training Game - Arizona in March

Getting a little 'green' for St. Patty's day in March

What is it with dogs and car windows?

Spring Break vacation to none other than South Orange County!

Cut off that beautiful surfer hair in April - but it's all back now!

Saw a double rainbow in April and was doubly reminded of God's wonderful promises!

New Car in April - yes!

Love=Laguna

Moving out of the tiny 1,200 square foot 3 bedroom project house - praise THE LORD!

Macy's first Oakland A's game - May 2012

Macy is freakishly strong

Girls night mani/pedis with my besties in June

My first car accident June 30th (5 days before moving)  Was it my fault?  OF COURSE NOT!

Visiting the cemetery and Brian's Papa on his birthday - July 3rd

Enjoying the new pool and the new home - July

Macy spent her b-day money on an iPod touch - July

Cutest Jets fan!

B gave softball a try - she rocked it!

Alli - LaJolla, Ca - JULY

First Acappella concert - MV Church, July

Laguna, July

God is SO VERY GOOD! 

Week 44

We're getting ready for an eight day vacation in Orange County over Thanksgiving week, and to get ready for that, this is about all I've been doing!





I'm also running a 10K on Thanksgiving Day in Dana Point, so I'm trying to squeeze in a run a few times a week in between shuttling kids to cheer, games, acting class, gymnastics, and of course, school!

Week 43

cutest nephew in the world!!!

I don't have Halloween pictures of my kids yet! It's been so wild around here that I can't manage dealing with photo uploading, but I am going to share some fun photos others have taken and shared with me lately!

Week 42

Sometimes, you just need to curl up on Sunday with your homemade blanket and favorite team jersey and watch a couple games!

Week 41 - News & Updates

Okay, so here's a long overdue update on the family, the project, and my new year's goals...

• Alli & Brennah both made the cheer team at Rivera, so they're busy with practices 6 times a week and upcoming games
• Corbin finished up his little water polo season - loved it and can't wait for next summer

The project - so over it. It's been 10 months. We've paid off a lot of debt, but not as much as we would have liked. It seemed like every time we set aside a few thousand bucks, something (the dentist, old tires, busted washing machine) would come up and eat up a bunch of it. We're still on track and working away at it, but I'm no longer willing or mentally able to pinch pennies. I work too hard running my business to be frugal, and I truthfully just don't have time to cut coupons!

My Goals for 2011 - they started out as 11 goals, and 2 were done, so here's an update on the 9!

• Read one book a week: I'm right at half of what I need for the year, 26. I've got a lot to do to try and make my goal of 52, but even if I don't make it, reading 30 or so books in a year is nothing to sneer at. I'm sure it's the most I've ever done!
• Read the whole bible in a year: I'm in 2 Chronicles, plugging away very slowly through the New Testament, and feeling good about getting this one done and crossed off the list!
• Be 90% vegetarian: I've been doing a lot of low-carb lately, so I've increased my chicken intake probably, but low-carb seems to work at dropping weight more quickly and cleanly, so I'm doing well on cutting out cow and pig, but leaving the chickens alone for now.
• Be debt-free: We're definitely getting closer, and the end is in sight. It won't happen completely in 2011, but the financial stability and peace we've created this year is so worth the pain.
• Lose those darn 15 pounds....guess what? 3 to go!
• Be a better friend: I'm definitely trying to get one on one time, and to stay caught up with friends via e-mail and facebook.
• Morning person: I'm actually, truly getting better at this. The way I eat and exercise has such a huge impact on this. When I'm cutting out junk and carbs and working out, I sleep better and wake up better!
• Family nights/time: Our schedule is so nuts right now, that we haven't been as good about this as we were in the summer, but this is a good reminder to get back on it!

2011, 11 weeks to go!

Week 40 - Oh Lordy!

We are almost done with this nutty year - I can't believe it! Here's some more updates on the excitement of October.
We've been planning for years to give our kids a trip anywhere they wanted to go for their 13th birthday. Alli chose Disneyland, so Alli, Brennah, my mom and I all just spent 4 fabulous days down in Anaheim with Mickey Mouse - so fun!

Alli @ tumbling & gymnastics class...

Week 41's post will be full of updates and news...stay tuned!

Week 39

Hellllloooooo!!!!! I'm a little behind, but I'm going to catch y'all up tonight! Back in late August, we had a back to school photo session with my friend, Donavan, who is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I've been a big fan for a while, so I was so excited when she put together these adorable back to school sessions. We never, ever order the pictures taken at school, and usually try to get some ourselves, so I'm thrilled to share our 2011 School Pictures! Check out more of Donavan's work here
Corbin Daniel Walker Ferguson - 4th Grade, 2011-2012
Chenoweth Elementary School - Merced

Allissa BriannaLynn Ferguson - 8th Grade, 2011-2012
Rivera Middle School - Merced

Brennah Elizabeth-Claire Ferguson - 6th Grade, 2011-2012
Rivera Middle School - Merced

Macy Reagan Lee Ferguson - 2nd Grade 2011, 2012
Chenoweth Elementary School

And this is just one of my favorite photos of all time...

Thanks Donavan - we love them!

Week 38 - Ain't Life Great?

I got an early birthday present this week and got to go to my first NFL game. It was a Raider's game, which is a whole blog post in itself, but the fun part was that they were playing my New York Jets! So I got to watch Mark, Ladanian, Santonio, Antonio, Plaxico, Dustin, D'Brickashaw, and all my other guys play in real life! I listed those names just because most of them are too darn hilarious. My favorite is D'Brickashaw Ferguson - do you think we might be related?

Week 37 - time's a flying!

Life if getting so busy right now that I'm struggling to work on my goals for 2011. I haven't picked up a book in what feels like ages, I'm only in 2 Kings in my bible reading, still struggling with those 10 pounds, and going through each day in a blur.
I did take a moment out of my crazy life to get this:Kelli's got a tattoo, baby! I designed and drew this all by myself and just had them trace the design for my tattoo so it would be completely mine. The four dots on the top right are for my four kids, the small heart inside the heart is for my hubby, and the verse along the edge is the verse that has been near and dear to me my whole life, and gains meaning as the years go by:

"Trust in the Lord with all your hear, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will direct your paths". Proverbs 3:5-6

I promise I'll do a better update one of these days!

Week 36 - New York Day

Today is New York Day. I wish I could have known New York City before September 11, 2001. I met the city for the first time almost two years ago, and it was love at first sight. There is no more amazing place in the world, I'm convinced. It's busy, and fast-moving, and historic, and breathtaking, and I seriously love New York. So today is New York day for a couple of reasons that I'll share with y'all.

Everyone knows exactly where they were and what they were doing on that Tuesday morning in September, so I won't bore anyone with the details of my day. I just want to share that I had found out just days before that I was pregnant with Corbin, and that when Corbin was born, we gave him the middle name Walker for an important reason and as an important tribute to someone who meant a lot to our country and our family that year. I still thank God on a regular basis for putting our president in that job at that time in history, and I think of this verse when I think of George W. Bush:
Esther 4:14 "...And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Today is also New York day because it is the kickoff of the 2011 football season for the New York Jets, and I just happen to be a Jets fan. Here's the deal with me & football: I LOVE FOOTBALL! This has not always been the case. Football used to be a source of contention in my marriage because I wanted to get things done on Sunday afternoon and my husband wanted to watch football. I didn't hate the sport, but I sure didn't get what the stinking big deal was. But, like a good wife, I cheered for the teams he cheered for, and decided to try and pay attention to a football game to see what was so great about it. Oh. my. goodness. Football is the most exciting sport to watch, but only if you have a stake in the game, meaning you're rooting for one team or the other. Otherwise, still totally boring.

So a couple years ago, I would cheer really hard for one team or quarterback, and then they'd lose a few times and I'd move on to the next team or quarterback. Eventually, my husband got sick of me and told me to pick a team and stick with them. So, I thought about it for a while and came to a fabulous conclusion - the New York Jets! I had just been to New York for the first time and was head over heels for the place, and then I learned that the Jets' quarterback was not just a California boy, he was from Mission Viejo, where I dream everyday of living. He went to Mission Viejo high and USC, so I consider him a future hometown boy of mine. Then I checked him out, and WOW - he is so stinkin' adorable! So Mark Sanchez is totally my boyfriend, and the Jets are totally my team. I'm so excited to watch them play this season, that my hubby got me a t-shirt, and I made myself a Jets blanket, and we got NFL Sunday Ticket for DirecTV. PLUS, I'm going to watch them play the Raiders in Oakland in 2 weeks. When Brian said to pick a team, I took him VERY seriously. So today is New York day, and I will not be taking calls or texts from 5 - 8 pm tonight!!!