Holy Cow! It's Been a Long Time!

Okay, so it's been a REALLY long time since I have blogged. Sorry. Life has been quite busy around here and I seem to be spending more time updating facebook than the blog. I will try to catch you all up on what has been happening with our family in the last month. Please don't expect me to be a fantastic blogger in the next month either...the dreaded 's' word is upon us and I will be a busy teacher getting ready for school. So, here we go.

7 months ago I decided to register for my very first triathlon...something that I never would have imagined doing, EVER! I didn't know how to swim, have been somewhat fearful of deep water my whole life and was pretty sure that I would drown. A couple of my girlfriends had also registered and we began training together. I began taking swim lessons and worked on conquering my fear of the water. After several months of training and nervousness, I completed the Danskin Triathlon in Seattle along with 3,500 other women. What an empowering experience! I could not have done it without the support of my training partners and most of all Chris who completely picked up the slack with the kids and house during all of my training sessons. It is an experience I will never forget...I hope to do it again next year!

Coming up to the finish line, just saw my family cheering me on!

The BEST hubby ever!

My training partners (and dear friends)

I really DO have eyes under there!

The Girls...

Alyssa is 6 months old today and is growing up too quickly right before our eyes. She loves to play in her exersaucer and exert her new found screaming voice. Most of all, she loves to watch her big sister do everything! Lexi continues to be such a wonderful sister. She talks to her, hugs and kisses her and makes silly faces to make her laugh. It is such a delight to watch them interact with one another.

Love.

Making her laugh

Part of Daddy's birthday present from the girls...

Chris' birthday. The big 3-4!

Headed to Vancouver...

Sadly, in the beginning of July, my dear grandmother Phyllis Stone passed away after a long time of not feeling well. We miss her, but know that she is in a better place and is resting easy. So, we headed south to meet up with the rest of my family for a memorial service. Although the circumstances were not great, it was great to see extended family and wonderful friends.

Chris and Alyssa swinging in the hammock at mom and dad's house

Papa and his 2 granddaughters

Uncle Sean and Lexi

6 of the 8 great-grandchildren

My cousin Jennifer and I

Mom, Lexi and I

Auntie Jen and Alyssa

Best buddies and cousins Lexi and Tanner

Off to Black Butte...

We spent 5 days at Black Butte Ranch in Sisters, OR with the Roselli family for swimming, golfing, biking and fun. It is such a special trip each year.

Alyssa and Grandpa in the pool

Lexi LOVED going down the waterslide all by herself

Hanging out...yes Alyssa is asleep in the pool!

Our family, yup she's sleeping again!

Lexi also LOVED jumping into the pool. She's proving to be more of a dare devil than mommy is okay with!

Still sleeping...

Eating rice cereal for the first time!

On our way from the pool

Lexi learned to ride a 2 wheeler bike (with training wheels) while we were there

Daddy and the girls

What a great trip and fun (fast) summer!

The 4th, The House, and More

It's been over a month since our last entry as life has been really busy! Alyssa is five months old, Lexi is growing so fast and has kept us thoroughly entertained with her silly sense of humor. We had our house painted, celebrated Independence Day, and Amy took the kids to Vancouver to visit everyone while Chris was in Vegas celebrating our friend's upcoming wedding. Chris is keeping up on the house projects (aka - yard) and the summer weather has truly been amazing. Simply put, life is good.

Lexi being her usual silly self.

It's a giant water snake that sprays water! Run through it? Nah!
I'd prefer to jus fill up my cup over and over instead.


No she's not wearing a rubber glove. It's layer upon layer
of paint.


Somewhere unber those rolls is a diaper.

Lexi is such a great helper and wonderful big sister.

Spending a little time under the umbrella in the shade.

Life is good.

Our friends' neighborhood has a 4th of July parade every year!

Firetrucks and icecream! It doesn't get any better than this!

Doing what dads do best. Keep the kids busy while mom makes dinner.

Yo.

My first pony ride! I could care less that it's in the parking

lot of a strip mall.

This is just before mom zipped up the tent for our first ever

back yard tent camping experience. Dad and I colored, read

books, and we slept out there in the tent all night!

Getting ready to color.

The old house color before it was painted.

The new house color complete with red front door.

We're so patriotic.

Also had a new shed put in on the side of the house.

That means new landscaping too.

Hydrangea just starting bloom and a "strawberries & cream"

Clematis STILL in bloom along the lattice.

Newly painted house with newly painted shed.

Our 6-7 foot tall Oriental Lilies! Unbelievable!

They'll pop while we're out of town next week and

we can't wait to see them when we return!

Relandscaped the side yard. Out came the grass and in came

steppers, moss, a dozen azaleas, a bunch of hostas, and a

Pussy Willow tree.

The door is on the other side. Our buddy Wayne did

a great job building it.

No more blackberries anywhere. Now we can see far into

the green belt! Thiis is the view from our back deck. It also keeps

our house nice and cool on these really hot summer days.

Daisies in bloom.

Strawberries and Cream Clematis.

...and another flower currently in bloom in our yard.

This is from one of the 7 pots on our deck.

Alyssum...smells great, it's beautiful...

just like our little Alyssa.

Endless Summer Hydrangea in bloom.

Our Smoke Bush showing its colors after a dusk watering.