some things

number one.

we do not have bed bugs.

there was a day there that i was not sure.

but we don't.

number two.

i do have the beginnings of a sore throat and i am  not happy about that.

 i need my health.

number three.

we have our final walk through of our house on Saturday.

i cannot WAIT to have my very own house,

can not wait.

number four.

i go to target everyday.

it seems.

well, maybe it more than seems.

maybe it is.

it's like my true north in a storm of unfamiliar.

but i am actually getting a little sick of it.

until i tried walmart.

then i realized target everyday is a treat!

that being said, i made you a list of a few favorites things of mine.

1. lupicia tea shop- i got a cold brew iced tea pitcher and the best new honey dew tea
2. cute & mugs from starbucks-for reedo and i since he is trying to use our new keurig as much as possible(they were 50% off!)
3. i just ordered that rose afghan from an instasale! sooooo lucky!
4. ty can tie his own shoes! my favorite!
5. reedo's freshy longboard is so pretty, i sorta want to steal it to hang on our wall!
6. my pal lena goes shopping for me back home, since we don't have hobby lobby here. love her!
7. out door shower
8. my yellow modcloth dress
9. plastic mason jar straw cup from targs
10. welcome mat for our house from tj maxx (7 bucks!?)
11. driving to the north shore
12. tina fey's book (thanks meg)
13. stretchy jean cut offs from targs (junior size 13 people), that allow for my little monkey to hang on me.
14. surprise hoop art (thanks erin)
15. that sweet little church
16. my reedo with shaved ice (don't you just wanta say "yes please!" to that happy guy?)
17. this album (thanks les)

perfect for them

i remember the moment 

almost ten years ago

when i saw that plus sign on that pregnancy test.

and then thought, wait.....plus means yes, pregnant?

...or yes not pregnant....(can you say denial?)...

or....oh my gosh....oh....my....gosh!

i can't forget  those first few minutes when i was realizing that my cute reedo was a daddy

...and he was completely unreachable.

i mean really.

he was in another country, and i wouldn't see him for days.

yah, that was torture.

i didn't know what he'd feel.

i knew he'd be...not ready.

that's how i felt too....not ready.

but are you ever REALLY ready for this journey called fathering?

and if you think you are, aren't you maybe an idiot?

but, ready or not, this guy has become an amazing dad,

his children love him.

they can't wait to be around him.

he's not perfect, but i know he is just the dad that God will use to draw Jake, Ty and Ella to Himself.

the strengths and the weaknesses of my reedo will have a part in our kid's lives.

With God's help, he is perfect for them.

and i am blessed to have him as my children's father.

and by the way, 

when i did get to tell him 

(i pulled over the car before i could even make it home from picking him up from the airport)

he did just what he was supposed to.

he stared at those tiny little baby socks that i handed him as a clue.

and then he hugged me while i cried.

did you think i'd posted my last paris photograph?

well, you were wrong.

here are a few that i have been trying to get to for a while.

they are from the top of the Eiffel tower and along the river.

i just love looking at reedo in these.

(the one where he is on the phone is him talking to Ty from the top of the tower! so amazing!)

my wedding day

i was pulling out my wedding video a few night ago, when i wanted to show some friends a picture that was in our wedding montage.
(do people still do that? you know make a video of a bunch of photos of the bride and groom to show at the wedding?)
and i stumbled upon this little super short summary video with a recording of my family (me, my sisters, my mom and my dad) singing behind it.
i am really grateful for this.
of course i can't watch it with out crying.
i miss my mom so much.
it overwhelms me to watch her alive body.
it hurts in a beautiful way to see what my life used to be like.
i love what my life is now.
but this is beautiful too.
and my groom was and is so incredibly sweet.
enjoy.
and be so grateful for this memory with me.




ps. my computer wouldn't even read the dvd that this video was on.
so i used my iphone to video our big tv while it played.
that is why you can see my reflection at one point.
and also why you can hear a little sniffling....

unsung hero

you wanta know who the unsung hero of apple day was?
reedo.
nothin' hotter than a man in sunglasses eatin' a tiny granny smith, right?

this guy came through in a big way on sunday.

overcoming obstacles left and right.

my camera's SD card was only holding 20 photos?

no prob.

lets go get a new one in town.

an apple orchard (they said they were the last one open) would only let us pick four apples off the trees and then the rest had to be out of the already picked barrels?

jake's crying.

i'm keepin' my chin up.

no, no, lets go into town and have some lunch (at an amazing BBQ place he found) and then, sure enough, he finds another one open.

it's pricey.

but he bit his tongue, went to the ATM, and then marched everyone in.

and as i went crazy taking photos (better get our money's worth!)

he took over with whichever kids weren't cooperating with me and did the majority of the apple picking.

THEN, stopped on the way out for me to get a tall cold apple cider.

all in all, this has never been his favorite activity.

but honestly, you never would've guessed if you'd seen our family that day!

what a sweet gift he gave me.

his happy heart doing an activity that isn't even his favorite.

...and maybe, after three years, he's starting to like it?
(ah, who am i kidding, he's just a kind husband)
thank you,  reedo.

surfer girl

hold on to your beach hats and get ready to enjoy ella's first time on a board with her daddy....
they are both so so happy.
how can you NOT smile?

happy father's day to my reedo.

photo taken by zoe at three sisters design

bend

ok so here's my real deal.
i only have so many words.
i am incredibly exhausted in that area right now.
for a combination of reasons.
but I also know that I can count on you friends to work with me give me some grace for a lack of words.
so here is part one of my spring 2011 bend trip.
the minimal words version.
enjoy.
i am confident that my words will return soon(ish).

this day that changed my life forever

11 years ago,

i attached myself to this man for the rest of my life.

i have never been the same.

i am so incredibly glad that i did that.

tonight we are apart.

he is backpacking

(with deliberate permission)

 with 2 of his great guys friends.

but he has his iphone.

if you check in on the reed life, honey, i am so glad you are mine.

thanks for marrying me.

halloween and the pumpkin king...

we carved pumpkins today.
i LOVE carving pumpkins.
but yesterday i cut my finger pretty badly.
it makes it hard to do my job.
i never think about how much i use my hands in my job.
washing dishes and people.
buttoning and unbuttoning pants.
pulling shirts on and off.
zipping zippers.
pushing, pulling, lifting, shoving, helping, rubbing, wiping, stopping, starting, smacking (as in high 5's).......
the list could go on....
but today it meant not being a good cutter OR scraper.
well, surprise surprise....
my reedo came through with flying colors!
my reedo who i had to beg and convince to carve pumpkins when we first got married....
he was like the pumpkin king today!
he just rocked pumpkin time (check out that "not stressed out" face....that's hot....seriously)

carving, basicly, everyones pumkin and making it seem like they did it (that is usually my job).

it was so great and it made me feel bad for always being so "in charge of everything"

maybe if i took a step back more often he could be the "main guy" of stuff more?

hmmmmm

something to think about.

where else am i trying too hard and in the process discouraging my family to step it up?

ouch....that's hard to think about.

so here they are, my perfectly capable people (the boy's with painted faces) are carving.....

wait !!!!

where is the tiny guy???

it's not the same without.....

oh there he is.

so here we are.
with all my free time i set up a family photo....

Happy Halloween!

daddy the hero

i have had these pictures and forgot to post them!
this is Reedo's last summer race for the summer.
we, of course, were his cheerleaders.
"go reedo, go reedo, go reedo"
not sure who the "official" winner was.
but i am sure who reedo's kids think is the best biker....
that's a win, all the way around.