Whuuuuuuut.

Yes, you saw that right.

It's been just over a year since my last post. 

In fact, it's been so long that I couldn't even remember what the username of my email account was to sign into this ol' thing.  It took, like, 10 minutes to figure it out.  Which in mommy time is like, super long.

So here we are.  I've managed to make it a whole year in Kansas.  And would you believe it - I've actually done quite well for myself.  Turns out this big city girl had a little bit of country girl in her bones because I can't imagine NOT living here.  In fact, I hope our next house is literally on a farm in the middle of the corn fields.  Because this girl wants to be a farmer.  For realz.

Before moving, I was this super introvert who much rather preferred to hide behind my computer screen and make funnies about my boring ass life than go to a party, have dinner with friends, or really anything else that forced me to go outside my comfort zone of sleeping, running, biking, racing, and eating.

But in the weeks before I moved, I made the decision - I am getting a second chance, and I'm gonna own this bitch.  I decided to say "yes" to everything I was asked to do, every opportunity that came my way, and every person that crossed my path. 

As it turns out, this was a fun way to live.  I made some new friends (this is earth shattering for me, and I mean that with zero sarcasm...also, it's sad that I have to clarify when sarcasm is absent), got in the best shape of my life and kicked some ass racing (hey guuurl, overall-wins-and-age-group-places-WHUUUUT?!?! but more on this later), got myself a J.O.B. (luuuuv it), and accepted the position of race director for my nephew's race.  And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Now, it hasn't been all puppies and sunshine over here.  I had my share of meltdowns - I mean, I was a stay-at-home mom for nine months, after all.  "Meltdowns" is the title of Chapter 3 in the book "Mommy Hell - What They Don't Tell You Before You Get Knocked Up."   

But enough about me living the country life - how's about we get to some cutie monkey man?


Love this face.  Nom, nom, nom.

Oh hey.  Just kickin' it with my blankey and pillow pet. Doin' me.

Missing daddy.  Or not-so-subtly telling me to turn the heat on.

Because the only way to end a day of mud pittin' is a popsicle.

 I'm innocent! They've got the wrong man! Nooooobody knows the trouble I've been through...

Taking batting practice with a tube of diaper rash cream.

 Kinda weird how many pics we have of this guy with buckets and baskets on his head.  Not sure about that....

Macky cheesys.  It's what for dinner.

Does this hat make me look serious?  I mean, as serious as one can be in a pink plastic car?

No funnies - just lovies.

There's nothing sadder than a toddler in a raincoat (he refuses to take off even though it's fleece lined and 95 degrees outside), discouraged that his pink mower won't work, and waiting for the rain to pass in his little pink car. 

First carnival.  Which is a coincidence, as he's looking like a carney in his camo bro tank and stoney eyes.  Well done, Carney-in-Training.

Nothing says summertime country living like a shirtless dirty kid eating an ear of corn in the middle of an overgrown scorched earth backyard. 

His actual morning hair.

Yummy belly. And yes, my kid is the one who runs up and down the streets in either his diaper or just buck naked.  And I love it.  Even if my neighbors don't.

Matthew vs. the Grasshopper (or as Matthew calls it "Hopper")

The view from above.

Pudding.  Or as mom refers to it, "a lesson well-learned on what NOT to serve for dessert."

Needless to say, there's a whole year's worth of pics that I won't bore you with - but seriously, what one earth am I going to with my 4000 pictures when Matthew get older?  And that's just in the last 12 months!

So that's a short brief look at what's been happening over here for the last year!