A night out...

This year for Zack's birthday we went out with a couple friends to dinner at Banderas. We had such a good time eating good food and enjoying our good company.

Here we are getting ready to go.

Miss Taylor Rose was not very happy that we were leaving and also that Mommy and Daddy took a picture without her.

Our friends Dave and Patricia Graham

Our friends Doug and Tana Tolson. I do believe Doug and Zack are neck and neck in the story telling department.

All of us, dinner at Banderas. Thank you guys for a wonderful evening.

Zack's yummy birthday cake from Freeport. Our Favorite bakery. Dont count the candles, hes older than that. ;)

Happy Birthday Babe!

Happy Birthday!

Saturday was my husbands birthday. With our busy weekend schedules its really hard to post anything. This is for you.

January 24, 2009

You turned 31 today. Its hard to believe. I feel like the young girl that just celebrated your 24th, but more like a woman than I ever thought I would be at 25. We have been together 7 years this year. You have been the light of my life. You are the reason I have not one but two joys in my life to help raise.

You have come so far in these last 7 years. From a confident hard working single father to a dedicated loyal loving Husband, Father of two, brother, son and Uncle. You never seize to amaze me at the challenges you are willing to take on and your constant zest for life. Its not very often that you will come across a Father that is willing to raise a child full time on his own. Not even willing but will fight for it. As a Father and as a Man you will not settle for less, you will make sure our children will always be first, no obstacle no challenge is too big for you. From day one I have ALWAYS admired your role and the responsibility you take on.

Our children are blessed to have such an amazing person as their father.

I admire your ability to be present, to not dwell on the past or think too hard about the future. My biggest struggle is staying present, I get so lost in the everyday tasks I forget to stop to breathe. You remind me to breathe.

I love that you know that relationships are work. Every relationship, marriage, children, family and friends. You always make an effort to work and maintain these relationships.

You have a constant discipline to not lose yourself. I admire that. You remember to keep you on your priority list. Please don't confuse this with being selfish. We all know that if we forget about ourselves we forget how to live, how to be happy, how to love, how to provide, how to teach, how to learn, how to enjoy our passions. You remember to live and enjoy yourself while doing it.

You face any situation, problem, conflict, head on. You are the most courageous person I know.

With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity. Keshavan Nair

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. Alan Cohen

In every aspect of your life you give 110% and nothing less. It amazes me how much power you posses, and its so humbling because you don't even realize it. When you walk in it seems as though the world stops.

I love that you were gifted with the ability to tell a story. Not just tell a story, but you can relive it and make your audience feel as though they went through it themselves. Our Grandchildren will have the greatest experiences with you and your stories of our lives.

You play such an important role in so many lives. My life is better because you are in it. You are my rock, you are my light, you are my shoulder when I am weak, you are my lover and my best friend. I love you more and deeper every day. I understand you, I get you. Everyone has a story and this is mine. I love you Babe, and thank you for reminding me and making me feel special. As a Husband and a Father you are successful! Happy Birthday!

Did I mention you have a body of a God..........(I couldn't seem to find a place to fit it in)

A few more...

Here are a few more pictures from our Santa Cruz trip.

This happens to be one of my favorites. I just love it, so peaceful.

So cute, Cole made sure to be right there when Zack got back, to walk out of the water with him.

Our sweet Danielle. SHE is one of my favorites, we just love her. Quite the beauty.

This is her gorgeous mother, our friend Tana.

Surf, Sun and Good Company

On Sunday the 11th, I woke up to our bedroom light being turned on and my husband saying "We are going to Santa Cruz!"
Me, "No we're not"
him, "Yes we are, the kids are ready to go"
Me, "Arrrggh, not today"
Then I rolled over.
him,"Ok well the kids and I are going then"
Me, "OK"

This was at 6:30 am by the way. To my defense, the night before that was my Mother in Law's surprise party. I was TIRED, and half asleep.
They didnt end up going, but we made plans to go the next weekend. Which would be last weekend.
So a couple of our friends jumped on board and we had plans to go on Sunday. Turns out the guys were planning on going surfing that day, usually low tide is early in the morning (my experience so far, but it changes all the time) it ended up being around 11. Perfect, we could all carpool up there as families, instead of the women and kids meeting the guys up there later.
So The Tolsons and their three kids, the Grahams and their two kids and us went.

The weather was GORGEOUS! The waves werent awesome for them but they were able to get their fix. We hung out at the beach for a few hours, then we went and ate a late lunch at a place called Hanks, went to a couple surf shops and stopped for frozen yogurt and headed home. Perfect day.


Heres the guys headed down with their boards.



Wet suits and rash guards are pretty sexy, I must say.


Zack and Doug ready to hit the waves.

Dave, Brett, Doug and Zack

Zack is headed out, notice all the seaweed in the water, crazy.

Little Miss Taylor playing in the sand.

Headed back to shore, exhausted. Well at least my hubby was. I would like to mention how sore he was going into this surfing trip. He took an extreme Cardio class the day before and he was spent.

Ok, so this is Doug and Robert "Wingnut" Weaver. Most of you might say, so, just a guy on the beach. Anyone who knows Doug knows Doug likes people, and likes to strike up conversations. Love that guy! Nope, not just any guy on the beach. For you fellow surfers you are already saying, "No Way! Thats awesome" Wingnut (his nickname) is a pro surfer, he starred in a couple surf movies. Since Zack took up this hobby, I hear about him all the time. Doug and him are practically friends. (im serious, that wasnt one of those name dropping, thats my celebrity friend statements) They both share the same passion. Well that was my first time seeing him, so I had to take some pics of the two buddies!

Heres Coleman skim boarding

I have a bunch of other pictures, I will post some more later. They are all turned different ways and need to be fixed, Im pretty sure I cant do that on here.

A new sport

Coleton is very athletic, he takes after his father. He can pretty much try any sport and pick it up with ease.

He has always showed an interest in Basketball. With baseball and dirtbike riding we never gave it much thought. So other than playing basketball at school or in front of the house that pretty much summed it up for him.

Zack listened to Coles interest and signed him up, without even telling him. Well we shall find out if he likes it.

Cole was a little shocked at first, had a few insecurities about it. Mostly because its always just been a fun leisurely activity for him. Now he was on a team, a team that already started practicing and a team that already played one game. A team that he had to show up on Saturday ready to play, no practice, no instruction, just game on!

He did amazing. He hustled, he played hard, he listened, he observed and he loved it! No more insecurities, just a tired, red faced little boy after practice and after his game.

So Cole is playing basketball. He plays for the "Nuggets", practices every Tuesday night and plays every Saturday. Its a short season with only about 8 games left. Simple and fun for him.

Good call Dad!

We pulled it off

We surprised my Mother in Law for her 60th birthday. It was awesome! After months of planning we pulled it off. In this family that is huge, everything gets leaked. Shes a tricky one too. She has like a sixth sense or something when we are doing something we dont want her to know about. So heres the story, bear with me.

We wanted to celebrate her turning 60 and with a family this size its hard to find something original. My brilliant sister in law thought up the idea, talked it over with me, then the other sisters and are wheels were in motion. I wont bore you with all the details about what worked out and what didnt but now with it behind us it turned out perfect, for her.

We knew we couldnt just invite her out last minute and expect things to run smoothly. So she was going to dinner with, Erin, Stephanie, Deana and I . (Her daughters plus well you know me, her most favorite daughter in law! hehe) Her favorite place is the Pheasant Club, not the dressiest of places but we knew we had to get her dressed up. Not that she goes out ever looking bad, but we had to do it to her standards. So we told her we were taking her to see a show afterwards. Awesome plan girls. She asks about so and so and so and so and so and so , simple response, "She has plans, no mom, dont know mom blah blah blah" Then we realize Zack wont be able to make it, his schedule with work wouldnt allow it. UhOh! We knew that wasnt going to go over well. So she knows theres a possibility that he wont be here for her birthday weekend. Bummer! Last minute things turned around, Zack headed home, not only for the weekend but for good. Oh Yeah! So new twist, we are going to surprise her. Little things started falling apart and we realized we had to tell her he was home. Then had to tell her, convince her, plead with her that he wouldnt be coming to dinner. "Its a girls night, we went through all this trouble to not have the kids and have a girls night, just let us make the plans" Geez......what are we chopped liver! :) So Zack planned his own dinner with her the next night. (Oh by the way Mom sorry about those false plans) Then finally all goes smoothly. Saturday was hectic racing around getting last minute things done, putting together the picture collage, last minute touches.

Just like that Babe, perfect! He can prepare for a party with the best of them. Thank you for putting up with my crazy ideas, orders and requests! I love you! We make an awesome team.

Here we are preparing for everyone to get there, we framed pictures of her, from through out her life, cropped and altered and blew them up etc. Place them around the room on the tables. Personalized disposable cameras placed on the tables. Erin gathered quotes from the grandchildren and children of their favorite memories of their Nana or Mom. Printed them on pretty cardstock and placed them around the room.

And then.......all our hard work paid off. She arrived, we (her girls) left the party to meet her in the bar, Erin went and picked her up so the timing could all be right.

First reaction, shock, not sure if this is really real.

A little scared, all these people. I had no clue!

YEAH!!!! Im laughing and crying and so shocked still but so excited all these people that I love.

My Mother in law, Steph and Uncle Ron. The sweetest man we know.

My beautiful husband and his Sister Steph.

My Mother in law and her girls. Good job ladies!

My Father in law and most of his children.

Me and Steph.

The one and only! My Father in law

Our favorite Aunt B.

Deana (Sister in law), Michael (brother in law) and me, I keep popping up everywhere! heheh

My beautiful Sister in law Erin. Her idea.

Anything in my teeth? CAVITY CHECK!!

Happy Birthday to you! The Best Mother, Mother in law, Grandmother, Nana, sister, friend, coworker and woman anyone could ask for!