Happy Birthday...to me!

Last weekend I turned the ripe YOUNG age of 35! I am actually one of those people that has enjoyed getting older. Maybe it is because I feel wiser, smarter, healthier. I feel in control and powerful. Most likely because I am responsible for my children, responsible for keeping them safe, healthy and happy and because now I have to answer questions from my boys about life and God, relationships, space, strangers, germs, disease and death. The list goes on and on. The questions never end. Many times I don't even know the answer so I either look it up (thank God for Google) or I give a bogus answer and then get "but why mom?". "Because I said so, because I am a mom and mom's know alot of stuff." I need to come up with a better line! Anyway, my point is that becoming a mother has challenged me in so many ways. Ways I never imagined, but that I love and thrive off of. Ways that make my mind spin and both my head and heart ache. Ways that make my eyes smile when I look at my kids and look forward to many healthy years ahead. Cheers to 35!

This picture of Guy and I was taken at Who Song & Larry's in Vancouver, WA right on the Columbia River. My sister Joey and her hubby Jake came down for the night. It was so great to spend and evening with them and get out of the house. Thanks for a great b-day everyone! Love you all!

Boys in the Hood

Playing with our new Nikon D60 camera...a few shots of the kids outside trolling the neighborhood. Luke scootin', AJ big wheelin' and little O just hangin'!

Spring Break

We got out of town for spring break this year and headed over to Chelan, WA. Our fun get away spot. Shell's parents have a place there so we love having a nice home to vacation at! Thanks mom and dad! The weather was just ok, but we still managed to hit the beach (while the lake is low) and go bowling...woo hoooo!

70's Disco Pary

Guy and I started off the year with a flashback to the 70's. Yes, the handle bar 'stache' is REAL!

We also got voted best costume. The kids were so proud. Owen cried when he saw my fro! Sorry O!

Catch up with us...

10 years ago, Guy and I left Seattle on a cross country journey that would introduce us to new places, faces, cultures, climates and fun times. Our first stop was Greenville, South Carolina. June 1998. Yes, the south....humid, hot and alot of y'alls...and some of the nicest people we have ever met! Guy began a new career with Michelin and I changed jobs a couple of times during our time there. We met many friends and enjoyed road trips all across the south from Charleston, Hilton Head, Savanna, Georgetown, Asheville, Charlotte, even making it to Washington D.C. This was also a time when we decided to start our family. Meet Luke! Luke was born on September 3, 2001 in Greenville, S.C. As if having your first baby isn't enough excitement going on, we were actually in the process of moving (job transfer) to Boise, Idaho. So 10 days after Luke is born, we land in Boise.

September 2001-Boise, Idaho... I, of course, had never even been there...nope, too busy cooking a baby to join in any house hunting trips or even any visit the city type trips. I placed complete trust in Guy to find a town and pick a house for us. Did I mention I had never been there? Yeah, well anyway, once I got over the fact that it was a little brown and flat, I learned to appreciate the surroundings...mountains and hillsides with rivers close by and lakes that you can travel to. And best of all, it was close to family...at least now we could drive to Seattle or Colton in Eastern Washington. By the fall of 2003 we welcomed another little boy. Meet A.J. Born on October 1, 2003 in Boise, ID. No surprise, 3 months after AJ is born we get another job transfer/promotion...this time to Denver, CO. So by May of 2004 we find ourselves in Parker, CO.

Parker, CO-just 20 miles south of Denver. The family was a little bummed considering they could drive to Boise...but Denver is only about a 2.5 hour plane ride from Seattle so everyone made it out to spend time with us. Great town. Awesome weather. 300+ days of sun a year! Fabulous shopping and recreation for families. Tons of bike/walking trails. Mountains were only an hour or two from home. We were able to spend time in Keystone, Vail, and Breckenridge, even drove to Albuquerque, NM for some Cougar football in 2004. And of course, what do we do in every new city we move to? Yes, have a baby. By the fall of 2006 we welcomed ANOTHER baby boy-woo hooo! Meet Owen. Born November 3, 2006. And you guessed it...a month later we have another job transfer/promotion. This time, back to the Pacific NW. Back to where the family is. So here we are in Vancouver, WA.

Vancouver, WA-So here we are, nestled down in south west Washington...just minutes from the Columbia River and Portland and only a few short hours from family and childhood friends. Come visit us!