15 YEARS!!

It was 15 years ago today! Our honeymoon in Jackson Hole, WY

(We got locked out of our car in Evanston on our way and had to get a locksmith to get us back in the car so we could go on our honeymoon. We told the locksmith our plight and he didn't charge us :D) Almost 2 years later...
Almost 5 years later...

8 years later...

10 years later...

15 years later...

I am grateful to have Brad by my side. I am so lucky to be able to go through this life and forever with my best friend. You're the best!

I love you Brad! Happy 15th Anniversary!!

Letterboxing

Sunday we went to check on our letterbox that we had left in Fish Creek park, and to our surprise 14 different groups of people have visited our letterbox! We were so thrilled that so many had found it! A couple of people from Ontario had found it, as well as someone visiting from Texas as well as people from town or nearyby towns. We left a "hitchhiker" in our box, which is a travelling letterbox we picked up in Bend.
Letterboxing is so fun and has taken us so many places. I love to tell people about it. It is a wonderful activity for kids and really gets you out to some beautiful places in your area (or out of it if you prefer).

For more information check out http://www.letterboxing.org/ or http://www.atlasquest.com/ . We love it!!

Our trip to Alberta begins...

We arrived at my mom's late Thursday night, or rather very early Friday morning around 12:20am for us (but 1:20am for my mom) after a 14.5 hour drive. Actually the drive itself was only 13 hours, but we had to get out and stretch and play a couple times.

We spent most of Thursday and Friday recouping from our trip, reuniting with cousins, hanging out and deciding who was sleeping over with who at who's house.

Saturday morning we went to Millarville Farmers' Market. Mmmm fresh new potatoes!!

When we got home from the market the kids enjoyed playing in the little pools on the edge of the Sheep River in Okotoks. Ethan loved trying to catch the minnows

The other kids loved wading across the slow river

Samantha spent the day reading "Breaking Dawn".

As you can see she was a bit tired after going to the midnight release with her Auntie Christie (lucky for her because I didn't want to go.) After they got home she started reading for a few hours before she could finally read no more. She ended up finishing reading it on Saturday!
The park was great fun too.

Friday night my dad took the kids and I to "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" 3D.

The kids really enjoyed it and the effects were pretty cool. Of course the story line is a bit lame, but who cares?? IT'S 3D!! Have you seen this movie? What did you think?

I thought it was best for the 6-12 age group. Any younger would have a hard time keeping their glasses on and sitting still the length of the movie.

Ethan's a baseball star

Ethan finished up his baseball "season" the end of July. His coach told me Ethan was "a natural athlete" and that he should continue to play baseball.
Here he is at practice

The coach would turn the sprinklers on at the end of practice which EVERYBODY loved!!


Here are a couple pics and clips from his last game-

Here he is warming up- I think he looks like Kevin Youkilis with his bat way up in the air like that. Maybe he'll hit like him too!! Every kid loves to get geared up to be catcher!

Here he is-

Shooting the breeze with the opposite team at first base

Here's a close call

You'll have to crane your neck a bit to see this hit

It was really fun watching Ethan play this summer and I will have to get him into Little League in the spring.

Ethan's Birthday

Wow, do I ever have a lot to catch up on!!
First things first... Ethan's birthday...
I decided to have the party at a nearby park. It was a pretty toasty day, so the water was a big hit.

The water balloons were great fun

As were the "squishy ball" games
But best of all was... dunk your head in the water bucket!
I made it easy and had Dominoes deliver to the park (how lazy is that?)
And a Costco cake (super lazy!)

But Ethan didn't seem to mind and had a great birthday with his friends, and I had a completely stress free party and no clean up!! Whoo Hoo!

Here's the birthday song ...

Here's Ethan trying to blow out his candles

Seriously, So Blessed

I am on vacation up at my parents house and it is a bit tough to try and blog, so to keep you entertained (cause I know you need my blog to be entertained) check out the blog "Seriously, So Blessed" . It is so funny!! A friend of mine's husband told me about it and it has become a favorite. Enjoy!

Friends, Fun and Food!

The Markels finally made it! We had such a good time together! When we weren't out having fun we were making yummy food!!

Tuesday: Arrival
Food: Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola cream sauce and yummy mashed potatoes!! :-D Sooo GOOD!

Wednesday: Lava River Cave and Lava Butte, and a trip to the market
Food: Big, yummy sandwich for lunch and for supper:Grilled Pizza with Fresh Pesto from the Market & White Chocolate Bread Pudding [wipes drool]

Atop Lava butte

Thursday: Baseball game and Float down the Deschutes
Food: Asian night- yummy chicken wings and chicken and pork dumplings

Here's the crew just before Brenda took her unexpected swim in the river :D

Friday: 3 mile hike on the River Trail
Food: Aspen Lakes Lodge

We had to hike to work off all the calories we were eating!!

Yeah! I'm so glad Brenda made it out here! Brenda, you're the best!!

Brand 33 @ Aspen Lakes did not disappoint

Don't these look delice??

Saturday: Canoe on Hosmer Lake and Cook Out
Food: Weiner roast and S'mores

Even Star had to get in on the canoe action

Can you see how incredibly clear the water is??

See how much fun Brenda is having in our tippy canoe??

Perfect day, perfect weather... that's Bend!

Ethan thought he would like to fish, so he tied this dragonfly he caught to a piece of long grass and went fishing with it.

Cook out!!

Myles hamming it up

Yes, that is Brenda eating a hot dog!! Can you believe it? She really does love me enough to go canoeing, out on a cookout and eat hot dogs!

and.... Myles even got in on the bug action... something unheard of from the boy who hates bugs!!!

We had a great time!

Sunday: Church & Chill
Food: Chicken Pepperoni 8 pounder and Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings. Mmmmm!

Monday: Ethan's Birthday Party- I tried to get Ethan to change his birthday party to a later date when we could have more time to plan his party, but he insisted on having it while his best friend Myles was here :D
Food: Dominoe's Pizza & Calzones: We took the week's leftovers and put them in calzones. YUM!

Tuesday: Good-bye
Food: Pilot Butte Drive-Inn

It was so fun having Myles and Brenda here. We were planning their next trip while they were still here. We still have so much to do and see in Bend with them. We wish they could have stayed longer and Brad wishes we had taken more time to decorate the house.... I guess that will have to wait until the next trip.

Can't wait for them to come again!

My full freezer is happy they came too.