13 years ago today...

...we met for the first time and went on our first date. As you can see, Jay won an "instant family" and I feel really blessed because he's taken such good care of me ever since. :)

Flashback Friday

Look how uncomfy my baby is with the water - he didn't want to fall in! Now he jumps from the treehouse "deck" to the pool below.... we've come so far!

Dusk at Island Park

The moon setting early in the evening while we are camping in Idaho.

Flashback Friday

When Liz married my brother, David, she only had nephews and was inheriting four more nephews. She planned to dress them all alike in these darling vests and bowties for the wedding reception. I think it was stunning and I love the pictures of them all... they took one picture (that I don't have) of her down on the floor in her poofy dress with all the nephews sitting on and around her dress... I'll have to see if she has a copy of that one. It was my favorite!

Now that we are back from our vacation, I don't want to run out of projects to do or I'll have to clean the house or feed my family. I recently scored this 1974 VW Beetle convertable. My buddy Mark lifted the body off of the running gear with his forklift so I can fix that up before I start on the body. Notice the nice clean area on the other side of the fence only ten feet away. Yep, my neighbors really hate me.

Red canoe

Just before we left for Island Park on our vacation I tried to borrow a canoe. I had given up until at the last minute, our friends Mark and Cheryl let us use this. I had no idea so many people would enjoy it so much. We had some fun quiet times on this trip. Mostly in this canoe. Notice the two ton garbage hauler in the background. My very clean and organized neighbors REALLY must hate me.

I have a FIFTEEN year old. What??

Happy Birthday my almost-driver!

For Zach's birthday dinner, he REALLY wanted to try Lobster. Yikes, I know, but he's a good kid so we try to accommodate without spoiling... I'm not sure how that is working yet. We went to Red Lobster and Zach got to try much more than Lobster. Here he is trying crab legs.

This is him contemplating the Lobster - he actually said "It's not as good as I thought it would be!" Which is good news, right?

All-in-all, I think he had a fun birthday. We love Zach and he's a joy (when he wants to be - haha)

Finally another Flashback Friday

It sure is all I can do to keep eating, sleeping, exercising, and breathing... this blogging thing is so hard!

So after a long pause, here's another flashback friday! I'll try to be better... does anyone else get sick of hearing themselves say they'll "try"? I sure am sick of it! :)

My totally cute brother & sister... this was kind of a silly arrangement considering I was married with all four kids at the time... I guess they weren't, but it made me feel a little childish posing with them like the old days. I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Flashback Friday

I LOVE reading Liz's Flashback Friday posts. (Liz is my sister-in-law) I want in on some of that action! Here's my first Flashback post:

Left to Right: David, Elijah, Jacob AKA The Three Muskateers! They played with these for so long... I loved it!

Happy Birthday Emily!!

Most people don't know that before Emily was in incredible payroll manager, she was a diesel mechanic. Anyway, happy birthday to the most wonderful Mom of four great boys and wife of mine that any man could ever have! Look how sexy she is even in this old work uniform of hers.

Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.

Happy Birthday, Jay!!! Fifty-one never looked so good. I love you!

Someone please help me.

You know, I used to drive a cab in Los Angeles. I was a lifeguard. A bartender. Framed houses. Planted trees in Washington. Real macho stuff. What has my life become.

I owned fun sexy cars. A camaro. A Porsche. Convertables. I was somebody. Now look at me.

Here is my latest investment in adult testosterone. A 1996 Dodge Caravan. One thousand bucks. Lovely . Yes I actually drive it. Note the macho Bronco in the background that I actually drove recently. There is even some firewood sitting in the background, that believe it or not, I chopped with an axe myself.

Maybe if I get a massive stereo system for this van, I’ll reclaim some of my manlyness.