Monday, December 22, 2008

We got elfed.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

7 Years

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7 years doesn't seem like much when I am expecting a lifetime, but a lot of has happened in these years! I seem to be in to making lists lately so why stop now?! Here is what we have experienced so far!

  • Convincing people to come to a wedding 3 days before Christmas...true love right there!
  • Graduating nursing school one week before our wedding, moving across the country one week after.
  • Starting a married life in a new time zone with no family around.
  • Finding lifelong friends that we couldn't imagine living without.
  • Finding out we are pregnant one week before our first anniversary.
  • Finding out we are pregnant when Austen is 10 months old.
  • Moving from WA to NM on Austen's first b-day.
  • Finding out we are pregnant when Landon is 14 months old.
  • Breastfeeding 32 out of 84 months of marriage.
  • Buying/building our first house
  • Selling (kind of) our first house.
  • Moving back to WA on Austen's 5th b-day.

Typing all that out seemed a little crazier than it seems in my head! Throughout all of these circumstances we have learned to fully trust God with ALL things. He has molded us, challenged us, tested us, disciplined us, provided for us, blessed us, and loved us. It's overwhelming to think of all we have learned in 7 years and is incomprehensible to imagine what will take place for the next decades to come! I will never understand the mercy and grace He had planned for me when I met Jordan. That man is beyond what I could have ever dreamed! I love you babe! Here to a lifetime of more anniversary's....but hopefully the last one snowed in!

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Friday, December 5, 2008

Makeover

I switched up my layout a little bit...cute?! Yes, I know. Too bad my screen widths changed so the pictures I already have posted were too wide. I can't fix it, but all future pics will fit...don't worry mom!

I am a really bad blogger lately, but want to be more up to date.

Here are some things we are looking forward to:
1. Cutting down our Christmas tree tomorrow from my favorite tree farm ever. Love it
2. Road trip to MONTANA to stay with Matt and Sara for a few days.....YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Spending time with friends here.
4. Wassail.
5. Getting Noelle a Christmas dress and seeing how cute she looks it it. (vain I know)
6. Mailing New Year's cards instead of Christmas cards because I am ridiculous procrastinator.
7. Haiti trip - SO scared/excited/mortified/elated.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Probably the best weekend ever

I had to post 2 entries today only because this one deserved it's own. My mom, Matt and Sara came to visit us this weekend and we had SO much fun! It was jam packed with fun and we did a lot in a short amount of time. Too bad they couldn't stay longer because there is so much more I wanted to do!

Here is the run-down in a fun format to show what went down!

My mom came in on Thursday night and we basically kissed kids and laughed until it was time for bed.

FRIDAY

I took my mom here in the afternoon. She had never been (sad). But she thought it was just as awesome as I do! We even had the swedish meatballs for full effect. The kids wore themselves out at the play land so we came home took naps and at leftovers. All around fun relaxing day!

SATURDAY

First thing we did was go here. I love it and I got the most amazing bouquet of fresh flowers for only $8...i wish I had picture evidence, but I don't!

I was really going for the whole "northwest experience" for my mom and basically rejecting anything that can be done or eaten in Albuquerque. So we went here for lunch and it did not disappoint...sweet potato french fries never do.

We picked up Matt and Sara from the airport at 4 then hopped on this (because we are so urban now) and ate dinner here. They thought it was just as cool as we do! This is the first place we ate at in Portland almost 7 years ago and it only gets better.

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Matt and Sara representing OTP. I could not possibly say in words how much I love them.

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Me and my mom at OTP...photo courtesy of Austen :)

After dinner we walked here (love it) then hopped back on the train to our car. We had to save the best for last and go here for dessert. GOSH...it is the best ice cream ever created...it seriously makes my heart race just thinking of it. It was a hit all the way around and it got brought up at least every other hour for the remainder of the weekend!

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The Young family shared this brownie sundae beast. Ice cream flavors included are as follows: chocolate, pumpkin pie, coffee addict's choice and peanut butter blitz. 6 dollups of whipped cream, 1 fresh from the oven walnut brownie, 1 million chocolate chips and drizzles of hot fudge and caramel made it by far the best sundae ever created.

SUNDAY

I didn't think we could possibly top the ice cream experience of love, but Sunday was pretty awesome. Here were the 3 goals of the day: have fun, see the coast, have fun. Mission accomplished. We left the house about 10:15 then stopped here for lunch. YUM. Any place that has makes and sells cheese and ice cream will be a hit with this family. The bonus...who has ever seen "smiley face fries"??

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Now we all have. Let's move on.

Next up we saw this and this. We loved it. Tillamook coast is really beautiful...It was really God's creation at best. Here is some proof.

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Okay...so that's not scenic, but it's cute.

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The lighthouse...we walked all around in the top of it...awesome.

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"AAHAHHHHHH the sun is in my eyes mommy!" "Shut it kids, we are taking a family picture"

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Pacific ocean via Tillamook.

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A loved the octopus tree.

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That girl likes to walk :)

We had to pull over on the side of the road on the way to our next stop to take advantage of this unbelievable view.

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After Tillamook, we headed here and it was AMAZING. I think everytime I have been to the beach here it has been cold and rainy. This time it was different...so beautiful. It was the first time the kids have seen the beach and the boys loved it...Noelle actually hated it, (not surprising) but she'll like it next year!

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A perfect weekend. They left yesterday morning and I have looked at these pictures about 50 times since! We are heading to Seattle on Friday to see Jordan's sister and family. Did I mention that we really are loving it here?

October catch up

This is my attempt to catch up on blogging after a month. I enjoy reading other people's stuff MUCH more than posting my own...but my family seems to want to see pics a bit more frequently than I am posting!

Me, Austen and Noelle spent some time in the backyard doing "yardwork" a few weeks ago. There are 4 big garden boxes that we are going to attempt to use to grow a vegetable and fruit garden next year. I have NO idea how to grow things, so any tips would be much appreciated! Me and Austen did plant some bulbs yesterday...the bag said they were VERY easy to grow. We'll see come spring!

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This will be the veggie garden!

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Thankfully Austen is willing to handle the garden wildlife, because I am NOT.

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This is where we planted the crocus bulbs! There will be a spring update pic!
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Crusin the trike.

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Apparently cleaning the feet was just as much fun as dirtying the feet.

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Overalls are only approvable for the pumpkin patch...otherwise just don't do it.

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I just realized this post is a little Noelle saturated...oh well :)

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Austen is very excited to have the biggest pumpkin...too bad he couldn't even pick it up!

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Landon...he does exist.

On a side note...the weather has actually been amazing here so far. I keep expecting the rain to come, but it hasn't yet and we have been taking advantage as much as possible. We feel so blessed to be here at this very time!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Downtown P-town

We have been very "tourist-y" since we have been here so we took the obvious trip to downtown Portland last weekend. Last time we lived here we always drove downtown...driving the wrong way on one way streets, never finding the right bridge, and basically getting lost every time. So this time we parked at the closest Max station to us and rode the train into downtown and it was SO much better! The kids loved it...obviously...what toddler doesn't like train rides. We are trying to do as many fun things outside as possible before it starts raining! Next weekend we will probably be going to the coast...the boys are begging to see "the beach"!

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The boys stared out the window during the whole trip. Jordan just...stared.

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Quite possibly the best pad thai ever.

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Austen LOVED this!

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More proof.

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This was in Pioneer square. It was a little amphitheater set up and when you stood on the little circle it made a crazy echo that only you could hear.

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It was a double piggy day.

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He loved it!

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She hung in there until about 4:15..then enough was enough.

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Every post requires one of these.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

The last 8 days

8 days ago we ate breakfast, said goodbye to my mom and set out on a long LONG journey cross country. It is weird to describe what has happened in 8 days and I won't be able to do it justice. I wanted an amazing photo documentation of our road trip, but I didn't get enough! Oh well...these will have to do!

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Jordan had a major truck driving job to do! He was pretty much amazing at it.

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Noelle before we even left the driveway...happy girl :)

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My view for 3 days.

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Cheesy 4 corners picture...Look at the cute chubby hands though!

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The Ultimate copilot!

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She was pretty excited about 2 adults and 3 toddler in a hotel room. Me....not so much.

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"Raise your hand if it's your birthday today!" Austen turned five in Price, Utah.

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Wierd forms of entertainment take place on 3 day road trips...don't ask.

In the few days that we have been here we have:

-Felt INCREDIBLY blessed with having multiple people we didn't even know help us unload our rental truck the night we got here. THANK YOU BEN AND TARA!!!
-Reunited with old friends...they made it feel like we never left
-Been to Ikea twice
-Went bowling at a birthday party
-Found a sweet preschool for Austen
-Went to Vancouver Farmer's market
-Cruised past Multnomah and thanked God out loud for condemning that house. (It was slightly frightening...Mom you would NOT have approved)
-Got an overwhelming welcome back at our previous church and spent all afternoon at a church picnic in my favorite park in town.

That's kind of a lot in 8 days. I'll leave with even more pics...it's my blog. I pretty much do what I want.

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The boys at Isabella's BIG AL bowling party!

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Reunited BFF's Austen and Isabella. Friends since womb.

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Sweet toddler bowling apparatus. Why didn't I invent this sweet thing?!

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Took this out the window...jealous?

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Happy at the church picnic :)

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One more for you mom! She LOVES this hat. It's the only one she'll keep on her head!

Despite all the fun...we miss you ABQ.