2009 In Pictures

Can you tell I am stuck at the house today? Miss Mia's school was canceled due to the weather, and thus we are at home. I've already completed all my other "to-dos" for the day. I have been seeing these "Year in Pictures" everywhere, and basically had to do it as well. A follower, I usually am not, but on this one, yes!

January
We took Miss Mia to Fort Worth and to the zoo. She loved it all, especially the birds! EEk! I just know they want to peck my eyes out! = )
February
In February, Miss Mia played with all her new toys and her grandparents that came to visit her!
March
Learned in March that a toddler cannot be expected to help with grading, but can be expected to disorganize their Type-A mommy's alphabetized stack of blue book exams.
April
Hubby & I spent our first night away from Mia in a train..the Santa Fe Caboose at the Woodrow House in Lubbock while I delivered a paper at the West Texas Historical Association Conference.
May
Miss Mia became Mommy's Little Helper. She "helped" with cleaning and the general running of the house
June
With temperatures going into the triple digits, we decided to take Miss Mia out on the lake for the first time. She loved the canoe, the water and most of all the sand on the beach.
July
In July we drove 16 hours in one day to Michigan. We took Miss Mia to meet many of Hubby's "Yankee" relatives. She met her 3 cousin Charlie (above.) They actually liked each other!
August
More triple digit days. So Miss Mia & I hopped on an airplane and headed for..Houston. (Wait, trying to escape the heat?!) Hubby's parents had a new pool that Miss Mia & I graciously tried out for them! Miss Mia also got to experience her first airplane ride and turbulence, which she ended up loving.
September
I got a new camera for my birthday! Pictures of Miss Mia went into overdrive!
October
Hubby & I went to see U2. What a memorable night!! I hope I never forget it!
November
Miss Mia turned 2 in November and to celebrate Auntie K got married! (Well, that's what Mia thinks at least!) She got to be the cutest flower girl EVER!

December
December brought many exchanges of gifts, helping Mommy bake and helping Daddy build, decorate and landscape (of course) a gingerbread house.

What a year! How fabulous it has been!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you & yours! I promise to post about our Christmases..we've had many, but I am currently so inspired with the new year and resolutions, that I just had to post.

In brief, we have been very busy, but the wonderful kind, that is taken up with family and friends. A small amount of family crises that always accompany the holidays, but on the whole, great. Miss Mia, as well as Hubby & I have been showered with love and gifts, and hopefully returned the favor tenfold!

Hubby's parents are currently here with us celebrating the New Year & finishing up our last Christmas. We had a great New Years Eve that included Hubby getting off work early, a ridiculous amount of fabulous appetizers for dinner. Garlic/Chili Shrimp, stuffed jalepenos, brie & red pepper jelly! Oh, it was fabulous!

Even though Christmas is my favorite time of year, New Years is a close second. I think it is because its a clean slate. I love that this is the time when everyone tries so earnestly to do right. I have been perusing my favorite blogs, and I love how Kelly wrapped up her year and how she made resolutions for 2010.

FIVE THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR IN 2009:
1. I am so thankful for Miss Mia! Words cannot express the joy, fear, love, consternation, that this little girl brings me! I understand her so well, and yet still surprised by her quirks and new remarks. This very week, she has began to repeat everything! In this past year, I finally got a little girl with curls! She has taken up walking, talking, running, jumping, climbing, yelling, singing, dancing..I love that she is so fabulously girly and yet will play in her tutu and pearls with trains & trucks.


2. Hubby has been so supportive, as always. This year has been a great exception, as we have entered into uncharted waters. He is constantly the one person that I know will help me keep things in perspective, always offers a humorous suggestion, and listens endlessly while I drone on about school and the historiography of the Early Republic. (There is a spot in heaven for this boy on that note alone!)

3. Family & Friends My family and friends have been so dear to us this year. I have always been close to my family, but with a few unexpected turns, they are closer to me now than ever before. The same goes for friends. My dearest friends have never been dearer and I so look forward to any time that I get to spend with them, whether in person or over the phone.

4. Church Family- One of the biggest decisions this year was our changing of churches. The process, the decision was quite horrific. I will spare the details, but the result was beyond anything I could have imagined. We are now blessed with a fabulous church with some of the best leadership I have ever encountered. I no longer have to worry about the intentions of these most honorable of men & we have made so many great new friendships. We are so lucky to have found this church!

5. Creative outlets- I know this sounds silly, but I am so thankful for all the blogs, fun websites that foster creativity, better devotion, community, and sometimes most importantly those beautiful hours of procrastination that I need so badly! I have made some great friends over this blog. Who would have thought? (Just shows how many ladies love a great baragin!)

FIVE THINGS I WANT TO IMPROVE IN 2010:
1. Better wife & mother- While I have been the busiest that I have ever been, I still want to improve as a wife and mother. I want to not take out my stress on the two people who love me most.

2. Less stress with school- this goes hand-in-hand with the first improvement, but I know that if I just do the work the best I can, there is nothing more than I can do. I am trying so hard to not stress about school and to keep myself healthy..this will be my greatest struggle, I know

3. Reach out more to new friends- Since we have moved to a new and much bigger church, we have so many new friends. I really want to reach out more to these new people and develop these friendships more. I feel that with all our schedules and the business of our lives, Hubby and I could have done so much more in fostering these new relationships. I plan to remedy this in the following months.

4. Improve the health of myself and the family- I have mentioned before that I have been training for 5Ks and the like. That training continues, and I am one race down. Also, I am almost down 20 lbs since September, and 40 since January! I want this to continue for not only me but for Hubby and Miss Mia too. I have some very exciting ideas in mind!

5. Not feel guilty for "me" time- I think that as women and especially mothers, we feel so guilty for giving ourselves any time to ourselves. I will go months, umm 6 to be exact, without getting my hair cut because I feel it is too extravagant. I don't want to find a sitter, don't want to spend our family money, etc. I am really trying to not make myself feel so guilty for a few moments a week or a month that are just for me...I think this will cut down on some of the stress.


FIVE WAYS I WANT TO GIVE AND HELP OTHERS THIS YEAR:
1. Get more involved with the women's ministry at our chruch. I have always helped with the food pantry at church and it is not something that I plan on changing, but I would like to get involved specifically with more women in need.

2. Participate in a Craft Hope project. I love what Jade and other have done! Pick a group in need and have crafty people come together to show some love and compassion. I follow the projects each time, but have yet to make anything for one. I want to change this and maybe even get a few of my other crafty friends in on the projects too. Get Ready!

3. More random acts of kindess. My dad is the absolute best at this. He always talks to strangers, some funny sort of conversation starter, helps with doors or getting someone up steps. I feel I inherited much of this from him. I constantly get people, usually over 80 = ) coming up to me and telling me they feel they are supposed to hug me. (Seriously, this happens almost once a month!) But I want to do more. Whether its a card of kindess, dropping by with cookies for a friend, helping someone up steps, I want my eyes to be open to helping others more and not being too preoccupied with my own life to notice.

4. More coupon classes. While this may sound trivial, I get so many requests that it is hard to keep up. Hubby and I have been talking about me making pseudo-business cards with a link to a site set up to help. I am still working, so please don't give up on me, on a special link with the information from my class on my blog. Hubby is my tech support and he has been CRAZY busy at work..thus changes will come..but it may be a bit yet.

5. Giving- My parents and I have discussed doing more for others than for ourselves. We have everything we need, we just don't have everything we WANT. The day when we have everything we want, will not be in this lifetime. I have really wanted to start focusing our money on one more CD or shirt that no one will wear on those who are less fortunate. My family has always held various Boys' Homes in their hearts. Hubby and I sponsor a child through Save a Child, which I highly recommend. But I would like to do more. For mothers day this year, instead of a bottle of perfume (my mother's perfect gift), maybe give the money we'd use for that and give a donation in her name to the Boys Home or some other charitable organization.

FIVE SPECIFIC GOALS I WANT TO ATTAIN IN 2010:
1. Pass Comprehensive Exams

2. Complete a sprint triathlon

3. Finish book manuscript

4. Get another fellowship (need money when researching!)

5. Take a vacation with just Miss Mia & Hubby--not a vacation that incorporates visiting other family (that's all well and good, please don't get me wrong!) but one that is just for us!

Gingerbread Houses

While I was pursuing the deals at Target, yesterday- I found the gingerbread house kits on sale for $8. I thought that Miss Mia would love all the candy and the house, but what I did not anticipate is how much Hubby would enjoy the project!
She found that eating the candy was way more fun than putting anything on the house. Mr. Landscape Architect really enjoyed landscaping the house with gum drops.
Miss Mia did give up the mini-balls to Hubby. She enjoyed pulling out all the "circles."
The two posing with their beautiful creation!
Eating the last few pieces of candy!
Close up of the house! Isn't it cute?

U2 & the Black Eyed Peas

So Hubby's birthday was a few weeks ago, and I surprised him with tickets to see his favorite band play! Last night (after driving 4 hours from Texas, & spending the weekend with my parents) we dropped off Miss Mia at some friends house and went to see U2! One of my first conversations with Hubby was of his love for U2 and how seeing them in concert was on his life's "to do" list! When I found out that U2 was not only coming to Oklahoma but Norman and the football stadium, we had to go- there was no other choice!
The view from our seats in the North East side of the stadium of the spaceship stage. The stage was so ingenious, the way they incorporated the entire 360...fabulous!
Hubby & the stage before the concert.
One cute and chilly couple before the concert.
Last night was the first night that the Black Eyed Peas opened for U2. They put on a really great show. I took this picture of Fergie for my brother for finds her very attractive!
Smoke coming out of the spaceship...U2 was about to take the stage!
Its Bono in Norman, Oklahoma!
The set during "The city of Blinding Lights."

I have been to several concerts before, but none like this one. It was like a religious experience. Over 55,000 people, all singing some of the same songs, and at one point, Bono sang Amazing Grace! It was pure U2...old and new, political and spiritual. If you've never been to one of their concerts--go! You'll thank me later! = )

Happy Birthday Hubby!

Oct. 2 marks Hubby's 28th Birthday! In honor of his turning 28 and inching ever so closer to those (cough!) 30s, I thought I'd make him a list of 28 things that I love about him! They are not necessarily my 28 MOST favorite, but just a random assortment. Disclaimer: I promise not to provide too much information and will avoid getting too lovey dovey! = )

1. Strong moral conviction- a must-have in any man, but mine happens to have a lot! (Suckers!...sorry!)
2. The way he puts Miss Mia to bed every night..precious
3. Bluest of blue eyes...something he passed to Miss Mia
4. Incredibly artistic (makes me jealous sometimes!)
5. His laugh...those of you who might know Hubby in real life, know that when he starts laughing really hard his entire body (but particularly his shoulders) shakes..cracks me up!
6. His nods...the poor man of numbers and design has been hauled to more history lectures, conferences, and gatherings than I can count...as we get into the historiography of women of the American revolution, his eyes glaze over, and he nods as if he agrees with the entire conversation!
7. Always does the dishes...I'm the unloader of the dishwasher, but he always loads and does sippee cups!
8. So good to my family...he always said he fell in love with my family the first day he met them..he shows it everyday!
9. His appetite..its something of legend, but it just defines Hubby...where there is food so too will he be!
10. Ridiculously large occipital protuberance...(that is the sort of bump at the base of your skull) When I was an undergrad and taking my forensic anthropology class, we had to memorize all the bones and such..he was my test case...and still has one of the largest occipital protuberances that I have ever seen! Impressive, I know!
11. Great guitar player- mid-90s rock..he knows them all!
12. This one will sound silly..but he's a really good driver. I HATE driving, and he loves it. Even when we take 16 hour car trips, he'll drive over 12 hours of it!
13.Sense of humor..its different (lol) but its all him..
14. Loves being outdoors...whether mowing, hiking, or kayaking..he's up for it..
15. Like any 88 or 8 year old man, he loves trains. (Even subscribes to a train magazine) But it has eventually grown on me (there are many worse hobbies...even some of his other ones..)
16. Random knowledge..he knows a lot about elevators and fossilized camel teeth..seriously
17. Thickest (& curliest, if he'd ever let it grow more than a centimeter) of hair! Miss Mia & any other subsequent offspring will be blessed by two parents with crazy thick hair.
18. This is more of a memory...but when we got married, and he saw me for the first time, he teared up...one of the sweetest things I have ever seen.
19. Fabulous giver...he always knows what to get (even when I am not giving him a list (BTW, that little side mark is geared towards snickers and comments from Cousin B!))
20. He's my "history hunter." Before Miss Mia, he used to go to the library/archives with me and help me research. He's actually found some of my most important documents for my master's thesis. (Don't worry, he was in the acknowledgments.)
21. Instead of flowers, he buys me bubble bath randomly or when he knows I'm stressed or upset (with him!)..
22. His love of James Bond...it too cracks me up
23. Willing to let me fall asleep with the TV on...he's a keeper!
24. That fact that he can't sing...even a little. I find it endearing when he tries..makes me giggle!
25. His taking care of the cars...puts gas in them, gets oil changes, vacuums, washes, etc...LOVE IT!
26.Crazy Wii playing skills...he gets a perfect score on bowling almost every time...drives me crazy!
27. Amazingly good tempered..you'd have to be to put up with some of my shenanigans
28. I love that he puts up with all my craziness!! I can't imagine anyone else putting up with me! hehe

Happy Birthday Hubby! Miss Mia & I love you bunches!

26....

Yesterday I turned 26. Although there were moments of excruciating boredom, (another blog in itself) one the whole it was a good day. Hubby and Mia made it special with sweet gifts, a nice dinner & an early turn-in and watching a movie in bed. I am not all that excited about turning 26. This has nothing to do with my thinking that I am getting old, etc. It is much more an aesthetic thing. Saying I'm 25 sounds better than 26. I believe it to be a result of slight OCD and 26 not be divisible by 5..yes I know = )
Yesterday I did find one of my "life to do lists." I wrote it at 17 when I was finishing up high school. I wrote where I would be by certain ages. Although I have a few extra people in my life that I didn't see being here yet, everything else is sort of where I thought it would be. With one minor exception, that I don't or haven't lived abroad. I'm still working on that one. Maybe that one will be before I'm thirty!
Anyhow, in lieu of my turning 26, I thought I would blog about 26 of my current favorite things.

1) Chi Hair Straightener (Hot Pink) Got it for my birthday with help of some birthday cash from family and 2 coupons from Ulta in this Sunday morning's paper! You won't regret the investment
2) Tori Spelling's Jewelry Line for QVC. I am a little obsessed with vintage inspired costume jewelry, and this cocktail ring is just perfect!
3) Grey Gardens with Drew Barrymore & Jessica Lange I cannot make my brain understand that Drew is not Little Edie
4) Pandora...I love my Pandora with the fire of a thousand suns! If you have not experienced the wonder that is Pandora...go directly to this site. Its an online radio station that only plays songs based on your preferences. It Will change your life!
5) Bath Junkie lotion..I blame my Cousin B for showing me the wonder that is Bath Junkie. For my birthday, she took me there and I got the best clean smelling, beaufiully Tiffany's blue-box hued lotion. Oh how I love it. It is a good thing that Oklahoma doesn't have a Bath Junkie or I would go much too frequently.
6) Half Priced Bookstores. I believe that I have blogged before on my love for all Half Price Bookstores and how I plan all trips to Texas around them. Last week Hubby informed me that OKC has a half price Books right by my favorite mall. We went, it was heaven...I spent $4 total for 4 books..
7) This Audrey Hepburn print..I found it on Etsy and purchased it for my vanity table. It was screaming for classic Audrey. To find this print or the many others that the seller makes, you can go here.

8) Twitter--totally obsessed. Love that I can tweet from my cell phone. Any site where I can read what Anderson Cooper, Paula Deen & Elizabeth Taylor are doing..sign me up!
9) How I Met Your Mother--Hubby & I watch this show almost every night. I am sort of married to Marshall in a weird way. hehe
10) Coach Rain Boots-These are in no way frugal but I love them so much. I wanted some rain boots that would last and not make me look like one of my soreity girl students but were still cute enough that I didn't look like I was wearing my father's duck hunting boots...enter fabulous Coach Rain Boots!
11-12) Texas Tech/OU Football- Its September and that mean college football is here! I love college football more than I can express. Growing up in the Big 12 conference just intensifies my love. Although Hubby & I are Tech alums we do cheer for my current school when they aren't playing our Red Raiders. I cannot even begin to express my excitement for Miss Mia to put on her Red Raider cheerleader outfit this Saturday! Wreck 'Em Tech & Boomer Sooner! (She's going to be so confused!)
13-14) These two could easily take up more than a million of my favorite things...they were two of my first true loves- my niece and nephew. My nephew is now a teenager and my niece is approaching 11, oh, how that breaks my heart. However, here is some of their latest pictures and it proves that they are two of the cutest kids..this photo does nothing to display just how vibrant their personalities are or what fabulous kids they are!
15) Margaret & Helen's blog--My Cousin B texted me one day with the following.."OMG, we have a blog." Once I read it, I could see it was true that in forty years, she and I will have a similar blog ranting and raving, being eccentric old women, and talking politics!
16) All Nigella Lawson Cookbooks...still reading through the cookbooks and marking new recipes to try
17) Vera Wang flip flops from Kohl's. I bought some a few days ago on sale for $5 & I love them very much!
18) 75-80 degree days...thank you Lord that Fall weather is here!
19) Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds...period, enough said!
20) Elizabeth I HBO miniseries with Helen Mirren..she is just fabulous as was the lady she portrays
21) For the past few weeks, I have been studying a Kay Authur Bible study, "The Holy Spirit Unleashed In You." It is such a good study! I love her ideas for how to study the Bible. I bought mine off of www.christianbooks.com (Much cheaper than in stores and the shipping is really cheap!)
22-23) How can I not have these two? They make me cry (mostly for good reasons), they make me laugh and keep me centered..I have a sign on the wall of my study carrel that says 'For My Family' with this picture next to it. While I feel guily many nights or days for not spending those moments with them, I know that in the end, I'm doing all of this for the betterment of our little crew.
24) Tutus & Turtles is one of my new favorite blogs. I'm not even sure how I found my way there, but her pictures and ideas for kids make me smile and inspire me to try new things.
25) Williams Sonoma Home- I spend way too much time planning & redecorating future prjocects with the help of the beautiful things on this site.
26) The Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo. I LOVE this show. I wish I had a live 24 hour stream to this show. It's Buh-nanas. (If you've seen the show, you will know that Bananas is one of her words for amazing, etc. I asked Miss Mia if something was Buh-nanas and she informed me that it was Buh-pawpaw..I think she's brilliant and Loves her Pawpaw..hehe)

Show Us Your Life= Wedding Ceremony/Wedding Party

Over at Kelly's Korner, it is Show Us Your Life Friday. Today's edition is Wedding Party, Ceremony, etc. As I have previously stated, I have very few digital pictures from the wedding, so some of these are pictures of pictures, but they are good enough for you to get the main idea.
So this is how it all started...with this simple yet elegant invitation. We bought these about 3 weeks after getting engaged. I went in to merely look but they had a special going on. I wanted to try an mimic the border design of my parent's invitations. Not only did they replicate the design exactly, they even replicated the font! Plus, I got a really good deal on them, and they were ready in 1 week! (That's right, I had my invitations for my June 2004 wedding in August of 2003!)
The location was the adorable historic chapel in the middle of a rose garden. Believe me it was not easy to find a beautiful rose garden in the middle of West Texas! This place, however, was one of the first places Hubby and I ever went on a date. He took me on a picnic in the rose garden, I think it was date 3 or 4. I fell in love with the country charm, wood beam ceilings, and old wooden floors...reminded me of my hometown.



I walked down the isle to the Westphalia Waltz. Two ladies from my hometown came and played the fiddle and acoustic guitar as the guests were seated. The wedding party walked down to 'Faded Love' and 'Ashokin.'
The heart of my family is music, and I always knew I wanted my Daddy to sing at my wedding. He is a very accomplished singer and guitar player. (Much loved by West Texas ladies over 70! hehe) When I first asked him, he said he did not think he could make it through, but after convincing, I got him to play 2 songs. (By the way, those of you who know my father know that it was much harder on me to get him into the tux than to sing...but that's another story!)
Right after walking me down the isle, and 'giving me away' Daddy sang the 'Farmer's Daughter.' He actually picked this song out for me. It is written and originally sang by his hero Merle Haggard. For those of you who have never heard it...


Daddy did change some of the words. For example, in the second verse instead of Momma died 8 years ago December, it became "Ashley was born the 1st of September, she joined her Momma, brother Shane and her Papa too, Somehow me made a home of our old farmhouse, and love was all our Ashley ever knew...Dave, welcome to the family. I promise, we're going to feed you the best we can. But you say that you really love the farmer's daughter, and I know the farmer's daughter, loves her man." (Side note, totally tearing up writing this..)
We were married by our preacher Brother Ira Lynn from Kingsridge Church of Christ in Lubbock. One of the very special things about Ira is that he not only married us, but baptized us both the previous year. He will always hold such a special place in my heart for so many reasons! You can also, in the picture, get an idea of our adorable wedding party and the West Texas sun gleaming through the stained-glass windows..Let me tell you it was warm....especially in layers of wedding dress!
Here we are lighting the unity candle...this picture also gives a better idea of the beams in the church and all the spheres of flowers I spent days making..Our flowers were pink and white roses with white hydragenas. They were so gorgeous!
After lighting the unity candle, Daddy sang another Merle Haggard song, "That's the Way Love Goes." I can remember him singing this song to my mother since I was a little bitty girl. You can also tell from this picture, that my Daddy does not sing with his eyes open, something my Mom and I always kid him about. I wish I could have taken a picture from my angle of all the people crying as he sang. It was so cute. Hubby's Grandma K. once told me, she loved my Daddy once hearing him sing..So cute!


One of my favorite pictures of the two of us..
A picture with part of our wedding party..and our families. My parents and brother, and Hubby's parents and sister.
This is another favorite because it isn't staged..I think the photographer said "Say Grandkids," and I said something like "No!"...
The reception was short and sweet...cake, heavy appetizers, a little music, lots of conversation...nothing too big. We had the best Italian Cream Cake as our main cake.
Hubby's groom's cake was the Texas Tech double T, chocolate divine chocolate covered strawberries surrounding. There was not a single piece left of the either cake after the reception. People went back for seconds and thirds. Guests still tell me that was the best cakes they have ever had...One thing about a party that my family throws...there is going to be good food, especially desserts! = )
My maid-of-honor/best friend since 7th grade Kat caught my bouquet and my nephew/ring bearer caught the garder. Well, he was more-or-less thrown in front by the other guys and caught it..he wondered why no one else wanted it. Kat caught the bouqet and 5 moths later was married...and they say its just an old wives' tale...= )
Here is the best man and Hubby's best friend since he was 10 lighting the sparklers. I had this fabulous idea that we would run out with fun PINK sparklers. It was really beautiful, but with 75 people holding them, it became a LOT of smoke..so much so we set off the fire alarms in the reception hall..and my uncle Jerry got a spark in the eye and my neice/flower girl caught the hem of her dress on fire...yeah...sparklers, fabulous idea!
Here are our ushers and two of our 3 groomsmen proudly standing by their masterpiece..my car covered and stuffed with everything! The three ushers were Hubby's only boy cousins from Michigan, and these two groomsmen are Hubby's best friend/best man and his then roomate and our dear friend...The car was packed with balloons, streamers and confetti. They put confetti in the A/C ducts and it blew everywhere! It took me a solid year before I stopped finiding confetti in that car!

Show Us Your Life= Wedding Dress

Over at Kelly's Korner, its Show Us Your Life Friday, this edition is the wedding dress! I don't have too many of digital wedding photos, but here is a small sampling. I got my wedding dress the DAY after Hubby proposed! Now, this might seem a bit extreme, but we had a plan, you see. About a month prior, Hubby (then fiance) and I went to my favorite jeweler in Lubbock and I picked out my ring, etc. Then my mother called and told me that David's Bridal in Amarillo was have their $99 dress sale and that it would be so much fun to see if we could find one so cheap! I then told Hubby about said sale..with the oh so subtle hint that I would be the weirdy going to the sale without said ring. Little did I know that it was that very day the ring was ready and he picked it up!


A few days later, with help from my roomie, he set up the proposal. The very next day, Mom, Grandmommie and I headed to Amarillo for the big sale. I tried on about 50 dresses that day, and of course, knew the moment I put it on that it was the one. (I had a small quiver when I tried on one more, but when I saw the $24k price tag on it, I knew that I would go with my original choice!) My dress, of course was not the $99 that Mom and Dad had hoped for, but it was $500 cheaper than normal...I saw that as a good sign.


My sweet Grandmommie wanted to buy something for me that day too and she bought my veil which was had pearls throughout. It was then in the middle of the store, with my dress on that she offered to let me wear her pearl earrings and necklace that my beloved Grandad bought her on their 35th wedding anniversary! It was one of the many times that day that I cried!


The dress was perfect for me! Strapless, with pink and ivory bead work on the bodice, A-line skirt with Italian lace on the bottom..The dress matched my already picked out wedding colors and the already chosen brides maid dresses. It was just perfect.I so loved the train of the dress as well, espically after we chose the site for the wedding, and I knew it would cascade down the sweet steps.
With my gorgeous bridesmaids and flowergirl.

Michigan Vacation Part 2...

On the 3rd day of our vacation, we left Holland the Grandparents K. and went to Big Rapids and out to Grandma R's cottage on Pretty Lake. Grandma R's cottage was built by Grandpa R. and Hubby's dad in the 70's. It's filled with cute memories and has Grandpa R's touches everywhere. While the weather had been great in Holland, the winter somehow found us at Pretty Lake. Temperatures were in the 60s and it rained every single day we were there. (Which made all the kids staying there, very claustrophobic.) Mia got to meet aunts, uncles, and second cousins for the first time. She also got to see Grandma R for the second time. (She met her the first time when she was one month old...Mia has obviously grown and become much more vocal!)
Whenever I think of Grandma R, I think of smells...smells of baking pies, casseroles and other northern delicacies. She did not disappoint. As you can tell from the above picture, Miss Mia got to try new and exiting things as well. She is drinking all of Hubby's Squirt..a drink from his youth that we can't get in Oklahoma..
The best part for me in our time at rainy Pretty Lake was getting to see Aunt Violet again. I adore her! (Obviously, I named Mia after her.) I wanted a picture of Mia with her namesake. This picture was taken after nap time...check out Mia cutting eyes at Aunt Violet. Later she warmed up and even let Aunt Violet have a few blocks.
With all the rain the kids were stuck inside for 3 solid days, even the big kids. We watched many of Mia's movies, the other cousins got addicted to the Backyardigans. Hubby built this pastel Lego house, complete with tree, car, and a guarding Dinosaur pet for Mia to play with. He was so proud of his creation that he made me take a picture of it.
On our last night in Pretty Lake, after raining all day, it stopped for 2.5 hours from 8:30 to 10 pm. Mia had gone down for the night and so Hubby begged me to go fishing with him. It had been all he wanted to do the entire time we were there. So we took the 2-person kayak out and paddled into the water. I barely had my hook in the water before I was reeling in fish. Most were very small, but then I caught this guy! He was 3 lbs and 13 inches and a bass. I am NOT a fisherwoman. I usually sit on the banks and read or go for a walk b/c I'm not quite enough. Poor hubby didn't catch anything, or even get a bite. He says, however, that watching me get all the bites and the biggest fish he's ever seen come out of Pretty Lake to be very exciting. Grandma R was also impressed with my catch. Hubby cleaned it up and grilled it the next day. He says it was fantastic!