8 Happy Years!

The First Four Years. Plus four more, the kid is eight. And in eight more, he'll be sixteen. It really is simple math, time flies, when your happy! He's happy!

2008

2009

2010

2011

 2012

Cinnanummmy Rolls!

I surprised the kids on Wednesday morning with cinnamon rolls. No they were NOT homemade. But neither were his. Growing up my dad, AKA Grandpa Dan, worked swing shifts. I can remember waking up some mornings to find Fuller's cinnanom rolls for Michelle and I (and of course him), right next to some sort of potted plant for my mom- mums. It wasn't weekly, or even monthly. But frequent enough for me to want to share the love with them.

It made for happy sisters. A wonderful morning, with happy sisters. I so remember those days!

Bye, Bye 2010

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

*Coming next- Hello 2011!

As we look back at 2009, we wish you a New Year...

 Full of happiness, that will multiply!

Laughter, to fill your soul.

Energy, to chase your dreams!

And, Fun, around every single corner.

Cheers to 2010! May it be the best year, yet.

Originally Published in October 2008

I still Love, Love, love this POST. It makes me laugh out loud whenever I come across it. Only I can't even begin to wonder where the year has gone.

Pumpkin Patch pictures will be here soon. First we have to take the kids because last year's won't work. Check it out--2008 P Patch Here! Hopefully we'll make it Sunday.

Ten Years Ago

This weekend we'll be attending my ten year high school reunion and Cheese Days in Toledo. Although the first five years drug by, it seems like I haven't even had time to blink throughout the later five. That just must be the having children thing. Time just seems to fly.

As I rummaged through my picture box at my personal journey over the last ten years I found some good laughs, great memories and a few (okay more than a few) what-the-hell was I thinking pictures. Funny. How much I feel as though I haven't changed a single bit. That I'm the exact same person I was back then.

But really. Who am I kidding? I have changed, a lot. Probably more than most of my fellow graduates. I tote three kids around on a daily basis. I have a wonderful hubby. My career is just what I wanted. Overall my compass is pointing in the direction I like best. Feeling this good, makes going back that much better! This weekend I'm going to Party Like It's 1999, again.

Tree House Stories

I am waiting another day to post pictures of our reunion because Michelle's are way better than mine and she promised to get them uploaded by tomorrow night. So, here's something different.

Stories are part of our bedtime routine. As Mason would say, "mommy tell me stories from your mouth, not the book." So we do. Each night he insists I tell him about Bourbon, my mustang pony. More specifically he wants to hear about when I fell off Bourbon and broke my arm. Oh my. The horse was spooked...no saddle...no bridle....down goes mom and there goes Bourbon down the shore. Always the happy ending is when Bourbon and I are reunited. And, I ride him again (on the farm not at the Ocean), with saddle and bridle and other necessities.

Michelle shared a new story with Mason over the weekend. And to be honest telling him about my broken arm was getting a little old. She shared with him stories about our tree house and the Helping Hands Club that would meet weekly in that said tree house. I have so many more tree house stories to share with him and am so happy he is asking to hear about something new. So, there it is a custom built Tree House by Dandaddy. Thanks Michelle.

Paybacks

Last night my phone rang at 1:30AM. I was instantly concerned. What was going on? "Hello," I said. And the rest of the conversation went something like this. Hey whats up? We are so drunk and were thinking of you and Earl. Wake Earl up we want to say hello. My cousin Kelly, the responsible party of introducing Earl and I, just had a win after a 6 game losing streak so he was celebrating. He coaches the highschool boys basketball team in Craig, Alaska or BFE.

I say paybacks because while I was in college I decided that him and Jennifer (his wife) were my designated drivers, that meant they were on call Wednesday through Saturday night. Oh and I guess the occasional Tuesday too. They were also responsible for making sure I was properly fed, that my laundry was done, and the good ol' Honda was running smoothly. I in turn provided them with childcare so they could get their party on, that is until I turned 21.

After we hung up the phone I couldn't sleep because my brain was flooded with all the great memories. They probably remember guiding me through all my college drama. I remember-- Trips to Boise to school clothes shop with a screaming baby! Playing basketball with Jacob's hoop for shots, excellent meals, Friends nights, and meeting my husband.

I can still remember the first time I met him. It was in the entry way of their trailer, and remember just because they lived in a trailer park, didn't mean they had to act like it. Earl and I hung out there as friends for the summer, fall, winter and finally in the spring he asked me to go snowmobiling with him. The rest I guess is history.

Except that Kelly and Jenn, and their adorable kids, Jacob and Kaitlyn moved away after Kelly graduated in June. We miss having them here.

This was me during that time....

Coming tomorrow: Me Today!