AmbyClay & Family

Maui 2012

2012-02-07T17:06:00.005-08:00

Best little man

2012-01-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

I spent time with little man Ryder playing toys & trying out my new camera..."done" were his words as he hands me the camera case (I think he got tired of me saying Ryder, Ryder, look at me, over here, say cheese, Ryder!!) He is the MOST adorable fun loving silliest boy I ever did meet (besides my Chandler).

B R E W L I C O U S

2011-12-27T13:32:00.000-08:00

Your never to old to get excited about a Christmas gift! Ours was this wonderful Keurig coffee maker from mom & dad! This baby is commercial grade & you can count on my folks to "GO BIG" when spoiling us up! We received HUNDREDS of coffee, coco & chi tea's as well as the adorable coffee wheel(for storage) and the super fancy milk frother that turns an ordinary "Cup O Jo" into a Fancy Pansy latte! Best part about this style coffee brewer is everyone enjoys a FRESH cup in a matter of minutes...yummy!!!!!!

Tis the Season

2011-12-27T11:04:00.001-08:00

A few more...

2011-11-18T07:53:00.000-08:00

Good lookin family

2011-11-18T07:51:00.000-08:00

AZ getaway

2011-11-18T07:44:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Clay's 45th birthday in Arizona with my folks this year! Had dinner with cousin's Tim, Crystal & Christine, played some golf @ Southern Dunes in Maricopa, took a hike and picnic lunch, soo much fun!

Chan & Man

2011-10-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

Chandler & date Mandy had a blast @ 2011 Homecoming, "A night in Greece" Comcast Arena.

The kids went as friends and have known each other since the elementary school days! Mandy's dress was very Disney princess like & she was beautiful! Chandler was rockin a multi-color pink tie, and pulled if off quite nicely with his black shirt and suit! Tradition of a limo to downtown Seattle and eats at Red Robin were part of the evening festivities.

HOly COw

2011-10-04T11:54:00.000-07:00

Can anyone say mint ice-cream? OK so we wanted to duplicate the color we did in our master bath for the downstairs...BAD IDEA!

The names of paint colors change @ the hardware store and so what we thought was Crocodile Tears(avocado/spa feel/sage type color) NOW is a VERY bright mint/lime green! And because we paid the "upgrade" paint price & custom mixed to get the paint color called "crocodile tears" we could NOT return it!

Not sure if the pictures really capture the color because of the lighting and my camera...anyhoo, Clay spray painted the cabinet a cream color to match the mirror(doors still drying) added the black hardware so now all that is left is baseboard, rehanging the door & decorating!

The one good thing about the crazy color is that you will NEVER feel like you are in a basement or do not have a window in this bathroom!

Long overdue

2011-10-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

Recently Mads has begun using the downstairs bathroom to go along with her new studio apartment(bedroom) in the basement. This bath was the only room in our house that we had yet to update since purchasing our house 8 years ago! Needless to say this project was LONG OVERDUE! Our attempts to "fix" and "correct" the absolute disaster botch job of drywall construction, painting disaster, unusual tile placement etc. has become our latest project. Eventually we will be gutting this bath and giving it a complete remodel but for now a hefty "face lift" will be sufficient.

I am included a couple "before" pictures to give you an idea of the work we have cut out for us. This weekend was mostly spent doing demolition, mudding, texturing and buying supplies, however we did manage to get some new paint up on the walls and WOW what a difference!

This week we will be putting up molding(super thick to cover BAD random tile job) painting the door, painting the light fixture, adding new mirror, rugs, towel bar & tp holder. We are going for a "shabby chic" look with a kind of creamy off white color mirror as the inspiration.

Dun Growd up

2011-09-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

My baby girl has dun growd up! Celebrating her 19th birthday G-ma, Papa Steve Clay and I took Mads to her favorite eats, Cheesecake Factory for a celebration of her 19th Birthday! She is growing up so beautiful! New hair do, new Coach hand bag, new college, new age, new goals...to all things NEW for you Mads...you are on your way!

Help a guy out

2011-09-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

Check out Chandler's bran-new blog www.chandlerwegner.blogspot.com to see his latest & greatest venture!

more chelan favorites

2011-08-23T20:32:00.001-07:00

Sista's wine tasting...

Chelan Favorites

2011-08-23T20:05:00.000-07:00

Bathing Beauties...
Dierks Bentley Concert...

Me & my beautiful daughters...

Mr. Bigs & Bugaboo...

Casino night...million dollars in the making...

Family time

2011-07-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the annual Lake Wenatchee cabin retreat for the Harrison/Lord/Ellis/Wegner/Brown family. A group of the guys(including myself) spent Saturday @ Kahler Glen GC while the ladies & girlfriends of the bro's sunbathed @ the lake. We didn't get to float the river due to extraordinary high water levels however we did do plenty of eating & visiting...great fun :)

kick in the pants! Espanol

2011-07-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

My Chandler is the biggest kick in the pants! I hope he always keeps his enthusiasm for new ideas & NEVER let's anyone talk him down!

Latest conquest for summer...becoming bilingual so that he can increase his chances of a part-time job! Rosetta Stone Espanol is what Chandler is working on in this picture thanks to brother Jared lending him the software! I just love, love, love walking down the hall to his room & hearing him repeating words out loud with the headphones on!

Kissable

2011-07-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

Fun Baby Boy

2011-07-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

We had our first sleep over with Ryder while his mama & dada got a bit of R&R, here are a couple pictures of little man...more to come!

Finally, a day on the lake

2011-06-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

O F F I C I A L

2011-06-14T16:22:00.000-07:00

12 hr countdown

2011-06-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

In just a little more than 12 hours these young ladies will officially be LSHS graduates! The photo was taken for the senior dinner dance last Friday...beautiful ladies!

Congratulations Lake Stevens High School 2011 graduates...life begins now!

God's Plan = True Love

2011-05-28T13:59:00.000-07:00

This year marks our 8th anniversary as married folk!
God's plan equals true love!
In a million years I would never have imagined how AMAZING my life would be with Him & my husband by my side! That's the beauty of it all...trusting in God & continuously seeking to fulfill His plan for our marriage.
Honey you are the love of my life, my inspiration, my joy, my everything wonderful and I thank you for another wonderful year together!
This year we celebrated locally & treated ourselves to champagne, a couples massage and yummy dinner at our favorite Tulalip Bay Restaurant along with a two night stay at the Tulalip Hotel. Who says you have to travel far to enjoy the finer things...I suggest a stay at the resort and definitely spend time in the TSpa it was luxurious!

Single Ladies..Prom 2011

2011-05-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

Way to go Bugaboo!

2011-05-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

Today our daughter Ashley is graduating from Fresno State University and we are soooo proud!

Ashley your dad and I are amazed by your hard work, perseverance, dedication & commitment to finish up college while working & just simply managing LIFE! We have enjoyed being apart of it all with you even from a distance! Know that GOD has a wonderful plan for you & we look forward to seeing His amazing grace in your days to come! Enjoy the weekend of celebration...it's all about YOU Bugaboo!

tourney night.round 1

2011-05-16T07:19:00.001-07:00

Mads & friend Meg put together a ping pong tournament Friday, Clay & I were representing "team Chelan" but did not get pictured. To be honest the tournament lasted all but an hour or so and ended up being more of a dance party while us "oldies" went to bed! Count down to graduation for these kids-minus Chandler of course!

P I N G P O N G M O M

2011-05-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

Happy.Happy.Happy is me this mother's day! I got a Bran new Ping Pong table, paddles & balls! Not to brag or anything but I am pretty darn good at playing!!! Summer time Ellis house tournaments here we come! Feel free to sign up and get in on the fun!

Ellis Boys

2011-05-09T13:16:00.001-07:00

Clay's brother Terry was in town this weekend from Cali so we had a dinner party on Saturday night. It is always a treat for me to see my husband spending time with his two older brothers. Terry left his family behind for this trip however, Randy brought his wife Sharon & son Payton along for the fun, sorry I did not get any pictures of us ladies! Plenty of good eats & jamming out to rock band made for a wonderful evening!

left to right

Terry(oldest) CJ(baby) Randy(middle) Payton(Randy's son)

Ryder is 1

2011-04-29T14:12:00.001-07:00

Celebrating Ryder's 1st birthday with all the family was a real treat! Ryder turned 1yrs old on April 28, 2011. It felt like the past year whizzed by as I, his favorite auntie watched him grow. Matt & Marnae have done an amazing job as first time parents! I really LOVE watching how they work together. Ryder's smile lights up the room, his personality is definitely a combination of both his mama & dada, he is the MOST squeezable,lovable,goofy boy!

10K FUN RUN

2011-04-18T11:22:00.001-07:00

Sunday I joined two friends from church & ran a 10k(6.2miles) in Bellevue! Despite it being in the low 40's(hello where is spring???) us three gals had a BLAST chatting & running @ a comfortable pace! We finished together @ 1 hr 05 min which is a 10:33 minute mile, not to bad! The picture was taken after the race, we don't even look tired!

Office Bella

2011-04-04T16:37:00.000-07:00

Doggy sitting Bella my cousin Lynette's pooch! What fun Reagle & I & the family are having with her! She is BIG TIME cuddly and MUST sleep with someone! This shot is her being my office helper today!

aint it sweeeet

2011-03-31T12:17:00.000-07:00

A taste of Heaven

2011-03-23T16:09:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for a new afternoon coffee drink flav with little calories and BIG taste...well thank you to my favorite Silk PureAlmond Milk for a brand new flavor...Dark Chocolate!!! Only 120 calories per 8 oz serving & it is YUMMY! Give this a try, double shot of espresso 8oz dark chocolate milk over tall glass of ice...and ENJOY!

I have a feeling this will also become my favorite PMS dessert item when I REALLY REALLY need something chocolaty!!! Hurry run to your nearest grocery & stock up!!

F L A S H

2011-03-23T09:09:00.001-07:00

The Sophomore Class ASB is in charge of planning and executing the Tolo dance for LSHS which is why Chandler was willing to dress up as "FLASH" for the big event! Unfortunately he was sick and missed spirit week AND the dance! He was kind enough to "dress up" for us so I could take a few pictures anyway. Thanks to Jocelyn & her non-stop crafting ideas we were able to buy some white tight/leggings from Target and hit them with a box of Rit dye, worked perfectly, & thanks to Walmart found a piece of fabric VERY cheep to use as his cape!

I Love Collages

2011-03-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

Not digging the third shot of Mads and I our heads look to big!

more...

2011-03-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

Picnik Practice

2011-03-17T17:19:00.000-07:00

Ryder + Auntie = Love

2011-03-10T06:38:00.000-08:00

Ryder is at my MOST favorite fun age/stage right now! I baby sat while Matt, sister and brother Cole hit the slopes yesterday. Sister is adjusting Ryder to set a routine and schedule in regards to meals and nap time...looks like a success so far! Ryder is such a terrific eater and has a silly personality with a real sparkle to his smile! I definitely see he is a perfect mix of both mama and daddy.

anyone want to play?

2011-02-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

Okay so I am stealing this idea from my favorite Christian siesta, Beth Moore:

Let's play share your favorites:

Book-"So Long Insecurity you have been a bad friend to me" Beth Moore
Movie- anything with Adam Sandler or Will Ferrell
Ice Cream- baskin robbins chocolate peanut butter in the waffle cone
Beauty Product-MAC foundation and powder (feel naked without it!)
Time of day- bedtime to cuddle with my husband
Comfort food- kraft mac-n-cheese with hot dogs
Cologne-Kim Kardashian (thanks mom & sister!)
Coffee drink- vanilla almond milk latte with a swirl of light agave for sweetness
Song- anything old school rap or Michael Jackson right now
Tv show- Grays Anatomy
Vacation destination- Maui

Lovebirds getaway

2011-02-15T13:00:00.000-08:00

view from our condo

For my birthday husband bought us a trip to Maui, just the two of us, for 7 glorious days, to soak up the sun, relax, decompress(him more than me), enjoy cocktails, snorkel, eat, swim, laugh, & pretty much enjoy life to the fullest!!!!

H A R L E Y D O G

2011-01-12T16:57:00.000-08:00

Mads bought Harley a new Ralph Lauren Polo shirt for Christmas...Clay is helping Harley model for the camera. Harley is Ashley's miniature doxie, we just returned from a visit to California, isn't he just the cutest!

Playtime with Ryder & Hailey

2010-12-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Sister Marnae & hubby Matthew with their good friends Gina & Joe took off to Stevens for a solid day of snowboarding...so Auntie Amby got to babysit!

Who does not love a day in your hoodie & sweat pants sitting on the floor playing toys with the cutest two kiddos ever! Hailey is just about 2 1/2 (i think), potty trained, excellent vocabulary & absolutely LOVES baby Ryder. We had lunch together, bubbles, bath time (Ryder) and even nap time, it was the highlight of my week!

forgotten snaps...turkey day

2010-12-14T06:49:00.001-08:00

Turkey day @ my folks house this year! Anita, Justin and Mark joined (Mads boyfriends family) their dad/husband is Navy and is currently deployed over sees. Lots of yummy foods to eat and wonderful times bonding with the family ;)

Joy. Peace. Love. Jesus

2010-12-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

Come enjoy a wonderful production of the true meaning of Christmas...80 voice choir (featuring our very own Madisen!), 25 piece orchestra, short film, FREE admission, childcare provided! Go here for more information...
www.christmastatbethany.com

warm & dry for Reagle Beagle

2010-11-24T15:50:00.000-08:00

Now that Reagle is an old man we thought we would try a warm coat out for the winter, he loves it, or at least I think he does? The first picture he almost looks a bit ashamed but in the second he is posing nicely. This will keep him dry on rainy days too! Yea Reagle Beagle! Next we will try for some booties!!

S N O W D A Y

2010-11-24T08:12:00.000-08:00

Spending a full day with the teens & my hubby is a rare thing these days so I must admit a SNOW DAY was just the thing we needed!

Mads attempt to get her and Chan home from school this snowy Monday afternoon resulted in a "slide out" ending up sideways, blocking the road and into some sticker bushes near the high school! Thank God for no injuries, damage to her car and for the wonderful family that lived across the street that invited the kids inside until Clay & I could come to their rescue. Thank God again for the fact that Clay had closed his office early & made it home before the traffic AND just in time to rescue the stranded teens(I'm thinking the BMW would not have been able to tow the car out) talk about an adventurous afternoon!!

Resting & spending time together on Tuesday as a family was tons of fun. We played Yahtzee, Mads baked peanut butter cookies, watched a movie and even took Reagle for a walk. I even banned the cell phones for the day so there was no "texting" to compete with!

Oh where oh where did the sunshine go?

2010-11-17T14:34:00.000-08:00

Just not feeling the blog world lately. Not sure if it is the "FUNK" of the fall season, dark and rainy weather or if it's just because life is cruising along in neutral for all of us these days. Here is a list of what a typical week's activities look like around the Ellis/Wegner house:
family time
school routine
work
weekend football games
weeknight football games
slippers/Jammie's by 6pm most nights
fall TV line up
blue ray movies on netflix (love this!)
lazy Reagle dog sleeping for hours
workouts @ the gym
church
xbox

How about you?...what are you doing to pass the days away until the sunshine and warm temps return??

best costumes

2010-11-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

Ryder wins for the cutest "T-I-double G-R costume and Ashley wins for "Raggedy Ann", she won $100 bucks @ her halloween party...that's our girl!

Just the girls

2010-10-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

Mads, Anita & I are sooo excited to head downtown Seattle tomorrow evening for the Women of Faith Conference 2010. Go www.womenoffaith.com/seattle to see the details!! We are having a girls sleepover @ the Holiday Inn & can't wait to see all the glorious things God wants to teach us!!

Our Arizonian Families

2010-10-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

Hot Desert Fun

2010-10-12T14:59:00.000-07:00

There is nothing better than a trip to Arizona for some hot desert fun! Mom & dad joined us this time around for some sunshine & relaxation! We had a wonderful time showing my parents "our way" of spoiling ourselves in the autumn desert sun! My mom experienced her first Swedish massage and loved it! The guys played golf two different days @ two different courses. We finished up our time visiting with our favorite Arizonian families for an afternoon potluck.

Homecoming Highlights

2010-10-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

The desert is calling our name...

2010-10-04T15:53:00.000-07:00

Camelback Golf Course, Scottsdale Arizona

Ryder day

2010-10-04T15:47:00.001-07:00

Auntie Amby N Ryder Roo! Matt & Marnae took in a Sounder game on Saturday & guess who got to babysit? The best part was I didn't have to share him with his cousins which gave me plenty of cuddle time!

Birthday girl...49 forever!

2010-10-01T08:21:00.000-07:00

Clay's brother and sister-in-law were passing through town this past weekend from Bakersfield CA. We were honored to celebrate Jerri's birthday and spend the evening catching up with them and their ever growing family of grandchildren! Chandler did the honors of writing on Jerri's cake (notice the incorrect spelling) we had a good laugh!

Happy 18th Birthday Madisen Renee Wegner

2010-09-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

A free photo slideshow by Smilebox

Prince & Princess

2010-09-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

Will you go to homecoming with me? Cinderella theme homecoming 2010, Mark surprised Mads with some "Disney jelly light up slippers"....she said YES!

2010-09-17T06:16:00.000-07:00

Lake Stevens Vikings VS Inglemoor Vikings

home field advantage for us!!!

You old school Vikings are going DOWN!!!!!

official

2010-09-08T07:32:00.001-07:00

2010-09-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

Lake Stevens HS Senior Super Fan

2010-09-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Weekend Love/Hate Relationship

2010-09-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

Labor day weekend always gives me this feeling of sadness mixed with contentment... what will it be like three years from now when Chan graduates & there is no "official" back-to-school to gear up for with any of the kids??

I LOVE summer, it is my favorite season mostly for the long hot lazy days BUT I also LOVE fall for the feeling associated with back-to-school and for the change of wardrobe & activities: socks & shoes, jeans, hoodies, a hot bowl of soup, gramma Audrey's pot roast, football games & snuggling under a blanket in the evenings!

It wouldn't be a typical Labor Day weekend in Seattle without rain & we got some as planned! As most everyone knows we typically stay home on this holiday weekend(not big fans of travel traffic) and here is a recap of how we "Labored"

Ash spent time in Pismo Beach with her California family cheering on her Fresno State Bulldogs to a victory! Clay took a day road trip with the 2 Steve's for a round of golf and a tour of Suncadia Resort(lucky me this will now be my next spa weekend getaway) and worked in the yard to prepare for fall planting. Mads fulfilled her job commitment by working extra hours @ Ralph Lauren Polo & dealt with all the "tourists" and back-to-school shoppers(you go girl!) and super fanning for LSHS first football game. Chandler & I went to the Woodland Park Zoo with Gma Patty, Aunt Janna & Ryder Roo my sister's 4 month old baby boy & spent the remaining part of the weekend cleaning out closets & drawers in bedrooms & watching some college football games.

Regardless if we are ready for summer to end or not it's officially time to transition into fall with golden leaves, puddles, umbrella's, head colds, flu's, spider webs & rain coats...BRING IT ALL ON!

Ryder Roo I Love You

2010-08-31T15:07:00.001-07:00

Who could resist this ADORABLE baby boy! My nephew is sooo sweet! Auntie Amby loves you Ryder Roo!!!

Sounders 2 Fire 1

2010-08-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

Who knew I loved soccer so much? Not quite as passionate as the Harrison Clan but LOVE it none the less! Husband & I started our Saturday with a "decent" round of golf...Him 81 Me 100 (my best score yet I might add) I'm not sure if I will ever really play the sport "great" but I LOVE playing it with my MAN!

We got dolled up & drove to the city to catch a bite of dinner @ McCormick's Fish House (Columbia tower) thanks ArtKim for the GC...dinner was YUMMY, then picked up some terrific Seattle Sounder's Soccer tickets (courtesy of Brother Cole) & watched an excited match against Chicago. I LOVE date day's with my Husband...he's super cool!

Amby Crocker

2010-08-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

was the name I gave myself this weekend for making my first ever home made cherry pie! (not can Cherry's either) Yum, even the kids were diggin it! Thank you Aiti's sure fire pie crust recipe!

Golf Pals

2010-08-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

Saturday we took Chan & his Bud Ethan to Ken Wanda for a round of golf, Chan & I had ten bucks riding on the game...unfair advantage (me) Chan doesn't get to play all that much with us!

not forgotten

2010-08-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

The Miner/Ellis annual winery concert this year was Natalie Merchant. Great memories & fantastic music, I highly recommend anyone take in a concert at the St Michelle Winery in Woodinville the set-up is superb!

Annual Chelan trip

2010-08-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

All the family is enjoying the annual Lake Chelan trip with the Brown clan...this year the kids were with their dad so Clay and I spent the weekend over there catching a suntan, playing some golf & bonding with family. The family "upgraded" their accommodations to a beautiful home very near downtown Chelan, there was plenty of room for all to sleep & relax. It is a new generation of "little people" and I have a feeling for the next 5 to 10 years the clan is going to grow larger! The three girls are the Brown triplet's and baby boy Ryder of course! Some snaps for fun...

How does your garden grow?

2010-08-18T07:14:00.001-07:00

2010-07-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

A digital slideshow by Smilebox

M O M E N T S

2010-07-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

are a true treasure to hold close in your heart...my husband,children & blessed life bring an extraordinary joy inside that words cannot say...these captured moments are perfect!

http://www.jocelynkbrownphotography.com/

I U A M

2010-07-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

Maui for us was a trip of a life time! Clay & I enjoyed every second of every minute with Ash, Mads & Chan. We woke to birds singing, amazing sunrises & lived many different adventures each & every of our 12 days. Our condo was filled with sunburns, laughter, down time, mai tai's, bud light(ash),tequila, family cookouts, sunscreen rubdowns,practical jokes, sand, sunsets, gin rummy, snorkel sets,boogie boards, flip-flops you name it...we experienced it all!

2010-07-14T17:15:00.001-07:00

Maui pictures...sneek peek...more to come

2010-07-12T10:51:00.000-07:00

Mom's 50th party

2010-06-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

"If she had a clue if she only had a clue about the..." mom will remember the ending to this catchy preschool tune from back in the day! There were quite a few fun mishaps along the way to setting up for the big party...we all had fun together!

Five hours prep time was definitely needed to make mom's 50th a huge success! Thanks to all that brought salads, desserts & good times! Thanks dad for making the yard look soo great for sacs!

Birthday Girl

brother Cole cleaning up after a tiki torch oil spill from the teenage boys

bull pinata filled w goodies

party planner extraordinaire..sista

decor supervisor..Mads

napkin creator..Bailey

balloon patrol/helium inhalers..Chan & Mark(mads boyfriend)

beer drinking, golf watchin manny..brother Wes

backup babysitter #1

backup babysitter #2

me myself & I

2010-06-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

Call me crazy! A new summer hair do was in order! This is the shortest I have gone in 7 years & I absolutely love it! Looking for honest feedback...serious. P.S. Please ignore the crows feet around the eyes(ugh getting older is a bitch!)

5K fun run

2010-06-13T08:01:00.001-07:00

A first for Chandler & I on Saturday was running the 5K "Berry Run" in Marysville. The Twin Lakes Plant Farm hosted the event & we cruised the 3.2 miles effortlessly! I wish I had my camera to capture the beautiful gardens, flowers & shrubs from the farm. It was a stellar sunshine morning & a fun mother/son event! I challenged Chan to race at the end..he let me win by 12 seconds..(nice boy to boost moms ego)

forgotten post

2010-06-13T07:57:00.001-07:00

A couple of photos from our anniversary getaway.. my man is soooo handsome & wonderful!

Anniversary weekend 7 wonderful years

2010-05-21T07:06:00.001-07:00

Laughlin Arizona...VERY laid back. riverfront beach. spa(massage).poolside. blackjack. shopping...just to name a few things on our "to do" list! Forecast: upper 90's yea baby!

teenagers/dinner/coach handbag/boat ride/fishing/novel

2010-05-10T12:39:00.000-07:00

Well the title pretty much sums it all up! A mother's day full of great memories and joy! My ultimate request this year was to take the boat out on Puget Sound for a day of fishing and fun! My wish was granted tenfold! Husband bought me a gorgeous spring/summer coach handbag & was our personal tour guide on our fishing/boating adventures for the day! Clear blue skies, water like butter & plenty of fish for the catching. I even enjoyed a Nicholas Sparks novel..could it be any more perfect? Why yes it can, to top it off with a BBQ dinner & red velvet cake for dessert...I was one SPOILED mama this year!

sleepover at ambyclay's

2010-05-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

So for those that don't know, it works like this. Bff's ArtKim are our pet sitters whenever we are traveling & what has become my favorite way to thank them is to have a sleepover with Emma & Jake.

Our adventures began Friday afternoon with some backyard baseball, sidewalk chalk & rolling in the grass!(thank goodness for sunshine!)As most everyone knows preschoolers are my absolute BEST and I am sooo in my element just playing & conversing with them for hours on end! Emma & Jake are about the best couple of hooligans parents could ever ask for. Both kids slept all night long and then were anxious to wake and play outside with the goal of perfecting Emma's baseball swing. After a sleepover with the Miner kids I am always left with my heart full of joy, kisses & blessings!

hang in there honey

2010-04-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

Clay began the process of a surgical implant that has been needed in place of a missing molar yesterday. These are the pictures of the screw that they drilled & put into his gum where a crown will eventually be.POOR GUY is all I can think to say!

Gods gift

2010-04-30T06:33:00.000-07:00

Being able to witness the birth of my sister and brother-in-laws first born son was an absolute honor & a wonderful reminder of Gods greatest gift...life! Marnae's delivery could not have been anymore graceful, it was PERFECT! Matt was the most attentive husband & took great care of sister the whole way through! Welcome Ryder Matthew Lord...8lbs 7oz 19 3/4inches long born @1:51pm on April 28th 2010

Cousin Chandler

Cousin Madisen

Great Gramma Suzie

Praise God! Bragging rights!

2010-04-26T07:38:00.001-07:00

What a pure joy it is to see your two beautiful teenagers up on stage in the church youth choir singing their praises to God! We are the two most blessed parents ever to have such a beautiful family & wonderful children! The kids joined the choir this spring & really have had fun hanging with their friends, singing and competing in a district wide fine arts competition amongst the churches around our state. Chandler is top row, 5th one in just look for his blond head. Mads is front row 2nd one in.

Proud parents

2010-04-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

It's becoming tradition..

2010-04-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

A round of golf after church on Sundays @ Legion Memorial in Everett! This weekend it was my honey, my dad & me! Beautiful day, fresh air, great exercise just fun fun fun!

Here he goes!

2010-04-21T14:30:00.001-07:00

Pole Vaulting...his latest sport

2010-04-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

Spring time means track time for Chandler. This year his main event is the pole vault & he is really enjoying it. He is on the JV team at Lake Stevens HS. so far his goal is to clear 8ft...we know u can do it! Next week I will capture him finishing, sorry.

Oh yes we did!

2010-04-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

Sunny Sunday and almost 70 in Lake Town...we just had to get the boat de-winterized, cleaned & out for a test run on the Lake! She purred like a kitten & now we are ready for our first wake board of the season!

Beautiful Bailey!

2010-04-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

Bailey and her prom date! Bailey is a sophmore and Sean is a Senior!

SPU-talk about cool!

2010-04-20T07:05:00.001-07:00

So the journey begins of visiting colleges around the greater Seattle area with Mads she has one year left of high school then it's into the GREAT BIG WORLD! Per advice from her counselor we chose a college that was not on her "interested" list, so Seattle Pacific University it was. It is located in the Queen Anne neighborhood about 10 minutes from the heart of downtown. A few FAQ's we did not know: it is a private christian college which equals EXPENSIVE & when it first opened back in the early 1900's it had a total of 6 students. We were both pleasantly surprised how quaint the campus was & how tasty the cafeteria eats were. We sat in on a religious philosophy class which was super fun & educational.

The first building on the campus

Ryder Matthew Lord...I think their ready for you!

2010-04-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

These were all the photos of the baby shower I had the opportunity to take! Secretly I was hoping Gina & Jocelyn would bring their fancy camera's & snap up a storm and they did! Pretty pretty please will you ladies blog some shower pics & send us some via email?

Matt & Marnae's baby shower was a great success thanks to my mom & Gina helping to plan, decorate & cook and to all my sister's wonderful friends & family that attended to prepare for Ryder's big day! Now it's countdown time....May 16th is his expected arrival..we can't wait!

Auntie Amby/sister/party hostess

Gina/best friend/party hostess

Patty/Ryder's Gma/party hostess

Rockband in da house

2010-04-12T06:55:00.001-07:00

Your never to old to hang out with great friends & play a little rock band just like a bunch of teenagers! BFF's Art n Kim came by Saturday eve for some great music while on their "date night" away from their preschoolers. With our fantastic big screen & sound system I am thinking we might have kept the neighbors awake!

Easter weekend

2010-04-05T16:50:00.000-07:00

Never to old for dying Easter eggs which is one of the things the kids did this week on their break. How wonderful it was to celebrate Jesus Resurrection this weekend & to be reminding how Blessed we are to know the ULTIMATE love Jesus has for us! This week was spring break for all the kids! Ashley spent her time working & recouping from college classes. Mads & Chan hung out with friends & spent time volunteering with me at church for the annual Eggstravaganza. This year Mads & I helped with registration and handing out plastic eggs. Chandler took turns with his bud Ethan being the Easter bunny so families could take pictures with their kids! We had brunch at my moms after church, I will post pictures from gramma Suzie's camera soon. Spending the week/weekend with the teenager's and family was just enough to make a mom get emotional! I feel soo blessed to have such joy in my life!

Forks for a day

2010-04-05T16:12:00.001-07:00

Over spring break Mads and I took a road trip to Forks Wa for the day! Being huge fans of Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight" series we thought it would be fun to go see what inspired her to use Forks as the setting for her series. We caught the 8:40am ferry from Edmond's to Kingston & officially began the 3 hr journey which took us through some really fun small towns/cities that we had never even heard of! Along the way we experienced sunshine, a rainbow, snow on the mountain peaks & heavy rain a typical spring pattern for Washington. Some of the "firsts" for us were crossing the Hood Canal bridge,driving along Lake Crescent as well as driving through the Olympic mountain range. We discovered that Forks really is VERY small & was/is known as a logging town and also at one time the town of Forks had a tour bus that would take you to all the famous places noted in the books like to Bella's house, the high school, the police station & the medical hospital to name a few. Sooo crazy because you could seriously walk to all those places yourself the town is so small. Anyway, the town has two shops completely dedicated to selling Twilight memorabilia & from my best guess are a great recent source of income for the community thanks to Stephanie Meyer. Believe it or not there were other families who had made the trip that day we even met someone on the ferry ride home who had spent the night in Forks & toured the coast of La Push. We stopped for lunch at a quaint cottage restaurant in Port Angeles before heading home & concluded that this was a super fun girls road trip!

Trying to sign the letter "F" oops it's backwards

Ferry ride to Kingston

Lake Crescent

Bella's house

Inside the store

resturant in Port Angeles that Bella ate at in the first book

shouldn't surprise us...Sam has a few brothers out there

2010-03-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

well the short story continues to grow longer and more puzzling after our bunny wabbit discoveries in the back yard yesterday afternoon. The picture below is another "kill" the question really is, who is the murderer? The picture I did not include(we decided it was too yucky) was the 2nd kill of a severed bunny wabbit chopped clean in half with all his innards weirdly intact(get out the medical dictionary) the only way he was recognizable was by his itty bitty back feet!! Madisen was doing her weekly dog scooping duties when she happened upon this horrible discovery. They were both laying very near each other in the grass....she searched the whole yard but has yet to find the top half of bunny wabbit #3!!

Does this mean the dog OR cat OR both had a field day with the head and torso of bunny #3 and perhaps bunny #2 died of trauma from having to watch and fear for his life? OR was this the work of a coyote lurking in the back woods trying to send us a message that neither the bunny wabbits nor our dear dog & precious cat are safe?? OR does this mean I will be visiting the veterinarian real soon because one of our precious "pets" will have their stomach pumped or need some million dollar fix due to wild bunny wabbit disease? Bottom line..we have a mystery on our hands and we feel such sadness for the little bunny wabbits, they are soooo cute!

Sam

2010-03-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

His name was Sam & his short story goes like this...as we thought the dog might have ran away because we left him in the front yard we discovered him chewing and playing and ruffing the CUTEST little baby bunny wabbit we ever did see!! We figured the cat bated the little bunny in & playfully shared him with the dog. The itty bitty bunny wabbit was squeaking like crazy( we have never heard a bunny noise before) however we were just a little bit too late! We bribed the dog away and he dropped him only in time for us to watch the itty bitty bunny wabbit breath his last breath! Seriously it brought tears to our eyes. We plan on conducting a formal service in the backyard as he lays to rest in a small cinnamon toast crunch box. We will be sure to bury him far away so the pets cannot dig him up to play again!

17 going on 21!

2010-03-05T06:20:00.000-08:00

It was time for a hair style change once again! I love how Mads keeps it real & understands that all the coloring JUST MIGHT make her hair fall out BUT she keeps on going! This is my favorite style on her by far. It is sophisticated & edgy all at the same time. The challenge for Mads hair dresser this time around was in bringing some of her natural color back in (due to major grow out) and blending the crap out of it! I definitely think it makes her look older, what do you think?

So Long Insecurity

2010-02-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

My February Read is a must have!!! If you are a women looking to grow in all areas of your life this 2010 I strongly suggest checking out this wonderful REALISTIC book on women and their insecurities! Call me crazy when I heard the title...I'm not insecure, this book isn't for me! Ha boy was I wrong! Travel to the link below and check it out for yourself!

So Long Insecurity

http://appraisalscoop.com/

2010-02-16T13:24:00.000-08:00

For all you fellow appraisers out there!!!!

http://appraisalscoop.com/

The Tebow Story will touch your heart

2010-02-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

If anyone followed the controversial commercial that aired during the Superbowl regarding pregnancy & "pro-life" you will love this interview with football quarterback Tim Tebow's parents...they tell their story of how God protected, blessed & had great plans for their baby boy all throughout her pregnancy and beyond! Be sure to grab a Kleenex box, you might need it! Just click "watch now" once your in the website...enjoy

Focus on the Family: Helping Families Thrive