Nine

Nine years ago today...

Nine years, two (and a half) kids, seven moves, one degree for me, two (and a half) degrees for Dave, quite a few more wrinkles, and a lot more smile line wrinkles later...
Today I was busy doing this...(Joshua was "pouting")

Today we had breakfast, painted, took Audrey to swim lessons, was going to go to Target but didn't because I didn't feel good, came home, got sick, made lunch, bathed the kids, did laundry and now I am blogging. Life is good. Cheesey peesy, but our wedding song says it best, "I've got all I've waited for, and I could not ask for more."

For posterity's sake...
2009: 8 year anniversary. We had recently moved to Texas and we were getting used to the heat! The night before our anniversary (it was on a Sunday) we went with Mandy and Colby (who also have the same anniversary) to go see the movie, "The Proposal". It was my first time ever paying a real babysitter. On our actual anniversary we made a cake to celebrate our "family birthday". I can't believe this picture was a year ago. My kids look so little to me!

 

2008: 7 year anniversary. We went on a bay cruise around the Golden Gate Bridge with our church group to celebrate San Francisco Stake's 80th anniversary. So glad it happened to be on our anniversary too!

 

2007: 6 year anniversary. I was newly pregnant and sick as a dog. We went to the ferry building for dinner and we ate at two different places because I couldn't make up my mind. Uggg, the early stages of pregnancy!

2006: 5 year anniversary. We went to Union Square so I could run to train for my 1/2 marathon. We went on a Hawaiian cruise in September to celebrate.

2005: 4 year anniversary. We went to Gary Danko's with Tyler and Joelle, and I was hugely pregnant. I had Audrey eight days later. Here is what I did on our 4 year anniversary:

2004: 3 year anniversary: I was at Girl's Camp with my mom and Jessica. Romantic, I know.

2003: 2 year anniversary. Dave and I had just moved to San Francisco, Melissa had just gotten married (third wedding in two years) and we stood in line at Melissa's reception. Our car's transmission also died that day so our gift to each other was a $2,000 new transmission.

2002: 1 year anniversary. I had just started teaching 5th grade at a year round school and Dave was interning for GE Capital. We went and stayed the night in Salt Lake.

Fun, fun, memories.

Everything's Bigger In Texas, Y'all

Everything is bigger in Texas, including my belly, and our little family

Baby #3 is on the way!

Due Feb 4, 2011

I am 12 weeks along and we are really excited about this new little one! 

We can't wait to meet him/her (and I can.not.wait. to stop feeling so so so sick)!

We have decided to keep this little baby's gender a surprise!

Why not, we already have a sweet little girl and a handsome little man.

Audrey is beyond thrilled and Joshua is excited to be a "bi brofer"

We are really, really blessed. 

Haircut

Audrey had her first haircut provided by someone other than her Aunt Mimi. We miss Aunt Mimi! We went to go see Miss Kelly, and the first thing Audrey asked her was if she used safety scissors. Gotta love the preschool scissors!
Before.

After. Just a trim. Audrey wants to grow her hair long. "Like Hannah Montana." Yikes.

Father's Day

Dave had to go to Chicago for the weekend but was able to fly home really early on Sunday morning so we could spend the day with him, hence the very tired eyes.

 

After naps I made monte cristo sandwiches from our beloved Mama's restaurant in San Francisco (thank you Addi for the jam).

 

I am so grateful that my kids have such an amazing Dad. He is a get-down-on-the-ground-to-play- trains, wrestle, tea party having, diaper changing, dinner making, very hand on kinda dad, to which I will forever be grateful. These little ones are so lucky to have him.

I am so grateful to my Dad, and to my Father-in-law. Both are amazing men who continue to provide amazing support and encouragement. Thank you for being who you are, and providing excellent examples for us to try to live up to.

Happy Birthday Dave

36. Holy cow. Sure beats last year when on your big 35th birthday you were driving from California to Texas. On Dave's actual birthday we went to Dave & Buster's, a grown ups version of Chuck E. Cheese.

 

 

 

 

The Sunday before we had some friends over to celebrate. Happy Birthday Dave!

Mr. Man

I was at Bunco. Dave put Joshua to bed. I came home to find Joshua sleeping with his golf club. "It was the only way he would go to sleep," Dave said. This outta make his Grandpa proud.

 

Memorial Day Weekend

Now that it's July, I thought I should blog about Memorial Day. Better late than never.
On Saturday morning, Dave and Chris took the kids fishing at a nearby pond. The kids loved it, even though they didn't catch anything.

 

Dave went to a movie for a guys night and they stopped at the store to get some treats. Dave saw this shirt for Joshua and "had to get it". Awesome.

 

Typical girls. Love it.

 

 

After fishing, we did our usual Saturday morning donut stop. Here is our attempt to get a good picture of the boys...

And the girls. Piece of cake.

 

Saturday night we went on a fun date with Leah & Zeb, Mandy & Colby, Amy & Clay, and Megan & Chris. We went to a fun restaurant where I had my first (but not my last) experience with fried pickles. Sunday we went to church and hung out as a family.

Monday morning we went on a bike ride. I love doing this (maybe because I don't have to pull any kids!)

After working up a sweat, we went swimming to cool off.
These boys. They could float all day. Well, used to. Since it is July now, these little boys are no longer satisfied just floating. They want to jump in, and swim like their sisters.

We ended the night by going to Chris & Megan's for a fun bbq where their whole backyard had turned into a water park for the kids. It was such a fun weekend.
I am so grateful for all those who have served our country, and for the sacrifices they make. I am also grateful for their families and the sacrifices they have made to let someone they love so much fight for our freedom, even though sometimes, and unfortunately, our freedom is taken for granted.
Happy Memorial Day!

Dinner and Dancing, Texas Style

A few months ago we went to a really fun place for some good southern fun. Steak. Bread. Dancing. Who could ask for more?

 

The boys took the grilling very seriously.

 

 

BREAD! Dave's all time favorite food is bread. Can you tell? All of this was gone.

 

Dave and Chris rode the bull. Shortest 3 second ever. They said it was much harder than it looked. (?)

And the dancing. We had so much fun doing some good 'ol line dances, as well as gettin our groove on to some hip hop.

 

 

Super fun night. Can't wait to do it again!

 

One Year Ago Today

One year ago today we got on an airplane and moved to Texas. I can't believe it has been a year. It was a tough time for me emotionally and I remember feeling lost, in every sense of the word. I am so grateful for the wonderful people we have met here, and for making Texas feel like home. I also miss the people in California who made it so hard to leave. A lot can happen in a year. We have survived our first Texas summer (although it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be), our first holidays away from our families, another year of school for Dave, and Audrey's first year of school.

Things we love about Texas:
1. The people, both family and friends
2. The convenience suburbia offers
3. The cost of living
4. How nice everyone is
5. The FOOD
6. More space
7. Parking, parking, parking everywhere!
8. A garage. enough said.
9. Lots of swimming pools
10. Sun tans baby!

Things we miss about San Francisco:
1. The people, both family and friends
2. The wonderful things city life has to offer
3. That I could vacuum my entire apartment without having to switch outlets
4. The FOOD
5. Being able to walk to dinner
6. The steep hills
7. The ocean
8. The beautiful views
9. 65 degree weather in the middle of June
10.65 degree weather in the middle of December

Texas, we love you. San Francisco, we miss you. I am so grateful for these wonderful places we have been able to live and grow.

Dinner is Served

Growing up, my mom did a dinner co-op with three of her friends. Every Monday night she would cook dinner for the four families and then deliver them. The rest of the week we got dinner delivered to us. She did this for ten years and I think it was the only way she stayed sane. While living in San Francisco, I did this for three years with some of my friends. I mentioned it to some of my friends here and we have started it up. We are on our third month. How did I ever survive without it? I only have to cook one weekday night and the other nights I get a hot delicious dinner delivered to my door. We get together to plan out menus so we know what is coming, and it is fun to get to try new things that I didn't have to slave over. Dinner co-op, thank you for making my life so much simpler, and my tummy oh so happy.

Tall, Dark, and Oh So Handsome

I realized I never recorded Joshua's two year stats.
Height: 38 in (above 95%)
Weight: 34 lbs, 1 oz (above 95%)
This picture was taken 7 days after his birthday at a local park. I am fully aware it is fuzzy but I love the expression on his face, the boogies in his nose, and the cookies all over his face. He already looks so much older to me.

Audrey's two year stats:
Height: 36 inches (90%)
Weight: 32 lbs (95%)