Summer Lovin'

What we're LOVIN' about summer:
The warmer weather, the lakes, grandmom's pool and community pools, the sprinkler and hose, bbq's, shorts and sandals, tan skin, ice cream and the SUNSHINE!!! Here in our neck of the woods we get about 3 months, MAYBE of summer so we soak it up as much as possible. Tell me what YOU love about summer.
A few weeks ago we joined my parents and sister's family out on a lake for a few days, kinda like a mini vacation and we had a wonderful time. Both boys fished, and fished and fished. Abram caught 4 total and Ethan, 13 (one was a 2 foot Northern). He was pretty darn excited. We, or should I say grandpop, cleaned and cooked it the next night for dinner. Job well done boys!


Ethan and Madi enjoyin' a boat ride.

Last week we went to a water park and all the kids also had a wonderful time. Finally, we are lovin' summer...now if it would only last longer...

Being silly kids.

June 27, 1998

10 short years ago at the tender age of 21 I married the most amazing man, or should I say young man since he was only 19...? I am so blessed to have married exactly who God made for me. How amazing my/our life has been. I would have never imagined I'd be where I am today. We have an incredible marriage where God is at the center, two awesome little boys, a home filled with LOVE and each other. Thanks Steven for 10 wonderful years of marriage. I can't wait to see what the next ten bring!!! Love you babe~



(these photos were PRE digital era, lol)

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Steven!!! I hope you had a wonderful day. I knew from the moment I wanted to marry that that you would be an incredible father for our children. You are an amazing husband, father and friend. I am thankful more than you know for everything you provide and do for us. You work so hard so that I can stay home with our boys and for that I(and our boys) will be forever grateful.
Also Happy Father's Day to my dads. I am so grateful to have them here.

Parade time!

Ethan was in a Parade today promoting the Wizard of Oz. He was so cute. He walked for almost all of it and then hitched a ride for the end, where we were at.

Tornado...what tornado

So yesterday was a beautiful day, full of Summerfest activities and sunshine. We dropped Ethan off at his designated area(he was in the parade promoting The Wizard of Oz) at 5:30 and head to the end of the parade route so we can retrieve Ethan when the parade is over. We just get to our seats, mind you on the other end of town and sit down when a police officer tells the crowd the parade has been postponed until Sunday at 3 due to severe weather headed our way. What?!?! It was beautiful out. As soon as everyone starts to head out, the wind shifted and the clouds rolled in. We get to the van and start to head to where we left Ethan. Of course traffic was INSANE and we were stuck at an intersection for ever. I start to panic because by now the tornado sirens have gone off a few times and people are in panic mode, including ME! Steven, knowing his wife all too well tells me to take over driving and he's going to RUN to get Ethan. Mind you he's in flip flops. He takes off running as well as another father to get our children. He gets four blocks over when he is told by someone that everyone has left the parade line up and no one is where they were. He calls me on his cell and tells me to go to the high school, the place Ethan was going to end up at and that he is with the other father. By this time, I just got across that intersection and have to turn around and go back. I'm almost to the high school and Steven calls me to say, meet him at the theater, they think he's being brought there by another parent. By now I've called my family and am panicking, starting to cry and can't breathe. The wind is blowing and the rain is starting. A few moments later I arrive at the theatre to see Steven and a theatre lady waiting for Ethan. Ethan arrived minutes later with a mom of another little girl who is also in the play, just as we get wind that a tornado has been spotted just outside of town and to take cover. I drove like I was on a race track to get home, we get in the basement, PRAY, make some calls and wait! The storm passed over and once again sunshine and rainbows appear. We then packed up and headed to a BBQ, our original plans before the storm. I got a few pictures of tree damage. Many people had down trees and flipped over yard stuff(toys, swings). We saw a trailer from the parade that didn't quite make it home flipped over. I am glad we were safe, let me tell YOU!!!

Summerfest 2008

Every year our town holds it's annual Summerfest with vendors, games, food and music. We go every year and it's good ol' hometown fun. They also have helicopter rides. This year, my entire family(parents, grandfather, sister and her family, Steven and the boys)all rode...I skipped it. They had a great time. The weather held out until parade time...that's another post.

Steven and Abram in helicopter.

Ethan, ready for take off.

View of the river from above.

Downtown, Ethan playing games with daddy.

This is what he was most looking forward to.

Home Depot provided free crafts. Ethan and Grandpa Lloyd built a fire truck.

Abram and Steven built a bench.

Abram showing Grandpop his bench.

Ethan with his "Lizzy Lizard."

Out of the mouth of Abram...

Today we were driving around and we saw a house for sale.
Abram asks, "Is that a garage sale mama?"
I said, "No."
He asks Ethan, "Is that a garage sale Ethan?"
Ethan says, "No."
I then say, "Honey, it's not a garage sale, the house is for sale. They want you to buy it."
Abram, with a perplexed look on his face, points to his chest and says, "ME?!?!?" They want ME to buy it?!?!???"
Oh my goodness, we all started laughing so hard.
I then tried to explain, not him but they want someone to buy it.
LOL

Kung Fu Panda

We went and saw Kung Fu Panda today with my sister and our friend Charlene and all of our kids, nine of them (well minus one, Charlene's youngest) since it's been raining for DAYS! The boys did a great job. I was a little worried about Abram, but he did great.

It's fun to hear Abram talk about the movie afterwards.

I asked each boy what their favorite part

was and they had different favorites.

It was a perfect go to the movies kinda day here.

This was Abram's favorite part of the movie,

"when Po is eatting the cookies in the air" lol.

Ahhhh...finally

We had a GORGEOUS day today. Temp was in the 80's, the sun shined and no wind. Ethan had his second Tae Kwon Do tournament today and he placed 3rd in his form, same as last time and took a medal for his board breaking. It was a heel break this time and there were 15 kids in the category. Ethan told me he was glad to get a medal because he was tired of always getting trophies...LOL. His buddy Jaxen also went again which is fun for both boys to hang out together at the tournaments. We didn't get any picture this time because the batteries in ALL of our cameras were dead from vacation, losers I know.
After the tournament we came home and I cleaned the house while Steven mowed the lawn and "stuff." Madi, Ethan's bff came home from the tournament with us and they played outside ALL afternoon. It was that nice of a day. I sure hope tomorrow is as nice. I hope you all had a wonderful Saturday and enjoyed the nice weather (for those who live in town with me).
Oh-I need to give a shout out to my friend Renae who ran a 5k marathon here in town today, she rocked! She finished 2nd in her age group (30-39) and overall, finished 23/73 and 7/40 for women. How exciting for her considering she has never ran this distance before. Way to go Nae!!!

Our weather seriously bites!

This is a picture of Ethan in JUNE of 2004!

I dont like rain in June!
I'm seriously not liking our weather. It has been cool, rainy, and down right dreary since Monday. Sunday was a beautiful day and of course the week we were in Colorado it was nice but since then nada. I'm craving the SUN and nice weather. I want to go to the zoo, the lake, parks...somewhere outside but it's too darn cool to do those things...so please can the weather get nicer???