Thursday, July 28, 2011

My wedding in a few quick photos... Don't laugh...

The tents for drinks and food

All of our best lady and guy friends

Me giddy with anticipation with my handsome dad

OMG! Here we go!!

Up front with my Dream Guy

The kids... yes, my neice cried all the way down...

The men...

My besties...

Rings and vows

A kiss...

It's official, I am a WIFE

A little cake with a ton of GRINNING HAPPENING... gosh were we happy!

The toasts (er... roasts) And dancing with the man I love...


** and here I am now. Still in love, but now on 10 years, 1 day of marriage to Mr. Wonderful!

Monday, July 25, 2011

10 years...

Yup, 10 years and we still have it! The love, the passion, the friendship, the laughter, the spark.


That picture is going up in our room. That is a picture of TRUE LOVE, REAL LOVE, OUR LOVE that has shaped our lives as we know it. I can't wait to spend the next 65+ years with that man and see how our family grows and changes.

It is all good, as long as it is with HIM... My best friend since 14, my boyfriend since 17, my fiance since 21, my husband since 22, and now my mate of 10 years at 32. Ahhh... yes, he was my PERFECT match.


**Last weekend ~ Rockaway, Oregon Coast

Friday, July 8, 2011

Land of the FREE (and Fun!)

America, America ~ yes, you are the land that I love. I LOVE our nation. We are blessed with wealth and opportunity. The sky truly is the limit in America. And freedom, what an amazing gift we are given as Americas. Now I know that America doesn't have it all together or do it all right, but we do live in an incredible country, one that I LOVE.


For the LOVE of the 4th ~ oh!!! My husband loves hosting, and the 4th of July is a holiday he goes a little crazy on. He spends insane amounts of money on fireworks because he knows his little boys will love it, and he wishes his Dad did that with him when he was young. So the above picture was DAY 1 the first $180.00, and they went everyday after that until the 4th. We had a little show almost every evening too!
Gabe doing some sparklers.

Gavin and Grant "hiding" with Ma'zy!

Niece Alaina, Nephew Toby, Rileigh, and Gabe lighting fireworks. Gabe couldn't sit still the WHOLE time of fireworks. He is such a PYRO and in LOVE with fireworks (just like Daddy!)

But before that we had a HECK of a day starting at 4:00pm. We had a slip-n-slide for the kiddos.

It was Gavin and Grant's first slip-n-slide and they kept talking over strategy. They are so cute!

Picking some grass out of the end pool ~ ummm.... good luck!



We had a tournament of Bean Bag Toss and Lasso Golf. It was super fun!

My parents in the final four of bean bag. Jack Johnson won the BEAN BAG tournament ($10 to Starbucks).

Karen and Rileigh in the final four of Lasso Golf. Oh yeah I won her ~ I love Starbucks and had no mercy on the teens playing. I love to win ~ I might be a little competitive.

Corey playing Uncle Brad from the Scooter. He beat Corey... go figure!

Jack Johnson ALSO won the lasso golf. Guess who is NOT invited next year! :)

All in all we had a fabulous time. The fireworks were amazing! The food fantastic! The company superb!

Corey and his Mom.

My Parents ~ Larry and Donna

My sister Hannah and Darby.

Jack and his boys ~ Jakoby and Jack-Jack

My bro Andy, Sarah and Lance!

And us! My family that although I love America, and a good excuse for a celebration, all I need to be happy is to be with these four guys! I love them. God has blessed me in EVERY WAY!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

The Beach, the beach, we're goin' to the BEACH!


Corey and I learned early in our parenting years (like 4 years ago) never under estimate the day trip to the beach. We live 90 minutes away from the lovely Oregon Coast. Oh yeah...

With Corey working 4 10's, we went to the beach last Friday (avoiding crowds, traffic and all the hassle of packing and unpacking- let alone paying for meals and a hotel.)


Our children are so innocent, sweet, and LOVE being with us constantly that Corey and I are living up these years.

We went to Arcadia Beach on HWY 101 just south of Cannon Beach. We stayed from noon to 4:00. What the heck do you do for 4 hours at the beach? Let me elaborate. We:

Played with some beach/sand toys,

Dug in the sand,


a giant pit or HOLE,


** WHAT THE HECK!!!??? My picture FLEW to the top. ***


Shoved/locked our kiddos in it (while Corey and I tanned the rest of the day/or until they managed to free themselves)

Did some sandy somersaults,

Played some ball in the sand,

Running, jumping and splashing in the waves!

Catching some rays, lovin' the sun!

Here we are, packed up after 4 hours in the sun ~ a perfect day!

After cooking at the beach, we went and played arcades in Seaside, although the boys' highlight was riding the train.

Never, NEVER, under estimate the day trip to the BEACH!!

Mary Poppins Her Name...

*I love Broadway shows.
*I have seen my fair share, but it hasn't been in QUITE a while.


So I planned a besties night out TO MARY POPPINS!!!! with my besties Jenae and Sarah. They are the greatest. I can go for ages without seeing them, laugh and talk our brains out, and end up thinking, "Ahhh.... they are the BEST!" I L*O*V*E those girls.

Here we are after dinner (happy hour- cheap, yummy and melon martinis!!).
Jenae and I at "Half Time!"

Sarah and I posing with our Mary Poppins program. Yes, I AM grinning huge because they just sang A SPOON FOR OF SUGAR... AND CHIM-CHIMINEY... AND SUPERCALIFAGLISTICXPEALIDOCIOUS! C'mon ~ you know that you would be grinning too if you were there!!!


It was a fabulous night! So fun!


My fave movies as a girl were: Mary Poppins, Sound of Music, and Annie. I know my next 2 shows to see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!