Birthday Boy!

This last weekend we got to celebrate Blake's first birthday, and it was so wonderful. To see his smiles, and watch all those family members that love him so much enjoying watching his joy, was perfect. This sweet little boy is:

thoughtful, sweet, smiley, loving, silly, 

and so many more things. He is learning and doing so many new things, and celebrating a birthday can now also be added to that list.

He really enjoyed opening his presents, and would instantly want to play with the toy that he just opened. Made me so happy to see the pure joy, and genuine smiles that would cross his face with each new thing, whether socks or a big blue wagon with wheels.  I also love that he is starting to look and act so much like his daddy (see above picture for just one example). If he is as godly and loving as his dad then I am one lucky mom.

We sang happy birthday, and he was memorized by the candle and the song that everyone was singing. Then came what we were all excited about, Blake eating the cupcake...First off, Blake doesn't really ever like sticky or squishy food on his fingers...so the frosting was a little strange until he tried it. He liked it, so he took a bigger bite...we all cheered and then the tears came. Whether it was a mixture of embarrassment, too much food, or whatever, Blake was sad and needed his mom. To calm down what do you do? Rub your frosting and cake covered fingers on your mamas face. :) After he calmed down, he was all good eating again.

After he was good and messy, Blake got to take a bubble bath outside! If you know Blake, you know that he love his baths, and he loves being outside, so this was a double treat for him. I'm pretty sure he would have stayed in there all night if we had let him.

Aunties.

Grandma snuggles.

Great-Grandma and Blake snuggled in his pj's.

Happy birthday sweet baby boy. Blake Denver Bernard, know that you have changed our lives, only for the better. You have made my husband a dad, and that change has been wonderful to watch. You are a light in our lives, but it is evident that you light up any room that you go into. So blessed by this last year, getting to watch you learn and grow. Thankful that God blessed me with you, knowing that you would be the perfect addition to our family. On to year TWO! :)

* * New Things * *

Time for a Bernard update....many NEW and EXCITING things going on in our lives... :)

I had my 24th birthday on February 22, and it was a week long celebration, which I was fine with.  We got to spend time with both sides of our family.  I felt very loved that's for sure.  Julie made me a quilt, which you can see I love. :)

My new quilt, made by Jason's mom.

Kinsey, Me and Mom at Mo's

I also got to go on the woman's retreat this year with Salem Heights church.  There were over 250 women on the retreat, which was amazing.  This year was especially fun since my sister was able to come.  I also stayed in a room with four other girls, and we had an adjoining room that had another four. :) It was so refreshing to get to spend the weekend learning about forgiveness, healing and resting in God's plan.  That is something that I need to remember constantly.

Me, Kinsey, Jincy, Stephanie, Natalie, Michelle and Caley

Me and Elle

Shopping!!!

God's amazing creation.

Next...Jason has a full-time teaching job to the end of the school year!! He is teaching special education at Waldo Middle School.  It is the job that he was a long term substitute teacher in since the middle of January, and it finally became a full-time teaching job. :) Although Salem-Keizer can't hire permanent teachers until this summer...what with so many budget cuts...we are hoping this could open up doors for him next year! :)  Here he is in his classroom...and the bulletin board that he and I made last week to track his student's progress. :)  I am so proud of him!

Mr. Bernard's classroom.

Iditarod behavior tracking board...I was pretty impressed.

Auntie and Uncle and our little niece!

And....Jason and I can now also be called an UNCLE and AUNT! Bryan (Jason's brother) and Charissa had their first baby girl, Cayden Elizabeth Ann Bernard. :)  She is VERY loved that is for sure, and such a sweet little baby.  I am SO thankful that we didn't choose to move far away...this is exactly what we didn't want to miss. :)

Sweet baby girl!

Little angel that we WILL spoil ;)

Next...we are looking forward to our spring vacation to MAUI!!! We leave this coming Friday to drive up to Seattle and fly out from there!  Update and many pictures from that trip to come soon. :)

Enjoying the Last of Winter

Well, first off it is important to say that Jason and I decided not to go to Indonesia to teach. There were a lot of reasons...some being that for going somewhere for two years, we didn't feel excited about the idea. We also prayed a lot about it for the two weeks leading up to our decision. Once we let them know it felt so good, and we knew that we had made the right decision.
We had a great Valentine's Day, and I got to celebrate my birthday for a few days in a row. Jason got me some beautiful roses (shown above :) We went to Sunriver with my family over Valentine's Day. I am 23 now...time sure goes by fast... ;)

Besides that, we have both been subbing a lot all throughout Salem and Jefferson. We are both done with our 3-week (each) student teaching, so we are very close to getting our elementary endorsements. That should help us in the job market this upcoming year since we will both be able to apply for all elementary jobs plus Jason in history (middle and high), and language arts (middle and high) for me. I know we both don't want to have to go through another year where we are both working two jobs each and never having time to do anything but work. This week I am pushing 60 hours between my two jobs. Don't get me wrong, we are VERY thankful for the jobs that we have, but to focus on one job, and be teaching, which is what we both want to be doing, would be ideal.Last weekend I got to go on the annual woman's retreat with Salem Heights Church. It was AWESOME!! I needed the break, and got to spend so much "girl" time with the other young ladies at church. It was so much fun to go shopping, go out to eat and stay up late talking. I am so excited about the friendships that were begun, and the ones that grew a ton over that weekend! I have been praying for more girlfriends, and what's crazy is that talking last weekend we were all praying the same thing! Jason and I have been hanging out with so many young married couples, and it is awesome. We are all at around the same place in life, so we share funny stories and are hopefully creating lasting friendships :)
I will leave you with a funny quote from one of my kindergarten boys:

"I put some smelly stuff on today. I wanted to be handsome."

Busy Time of Life!

** Jason and I have been SO BUSY!! **We are currently working through our second authorization student teaching. I am at Jefferson High School and Jason is at Stayton Middle School. We only have about four weeks left of student teaching, and then we are graduating! It has been just a whirlwind experience for both of us. I know that I have learned so much from my experiences teaching at both Parrish and Jefferson. Jason is pretty sure he wants to teach at the high school level, but I think I would be fine teaching at either level. The countdown to the end of the school year is here...May 2nd is graduation day, and it couldn't come soon enough.Jason took me to "Wicked," the Broadway play a couple of weeks ago for my birthday. It was amazing! It was so much fun getting to watch such talented people sing and sing so powerfully. That was something everyone should go and see!
We also took a day trip to Eugene. It was so much fun to go back to all the places we went on dates during our freshmen year when I went to the University of Oregon. Although it has been hard not getting to see each other very much, we have been trying our hardest to make the time we do have together the best that we can. With spring break coming up this next week, we are both looking forward to spending more time together.

I also celebrated my 22nd birthday since I last wrote. Since Jason was working on my actual birthday, my parents and Kinsey took me out to Claim Jumper for dinner. It was so nice to get to spend time with them, and celebrate. My mom and dad also had the Bernard's over to their house for birthday dessert. I love my family! Happy Birthday!

Jason is so happy to have a little kitty in our home...I am still not set on the idea...a cat in an apartment....Mozzarella is still doing good, not gaining any weight, but he is a sweet and loving cat, so I guess I don't have much to complain about. :)