Love summer days!

We went for a nice walk in the park today!!

Just thought I'd share a couple pictures.

Julian loves his new toy, the Iphone 4 so we tried out a couple of new apps that we found! 

Ok, I'll admit it..I'm loving his new toy too!! ;) 

We have had so much extra time together for the past couple of weeks and it's been great!

It's all about to end though because even though I have the rest of the summer off, Julian will be going back to school starting Tuesday. On top of working his normal night shift...yep, so unfortunately there won't be much more quality time this summer! :( 

So we are going to just really enjoy this last weekend together before it gets crazy!

Julian is taking me for a little get-a-way for our 1st Anniversary (which is Saturday)!! 

Getting very excited!!

I'm SO happy to announce....

Friday evening a very best friend of mine, Michelle,
 became a BRIDE-TO-BE!!!!

I am just beyond happy for her. 

She was the Maid of Honor in our wedding and it just makes me so happy that I will be standing up on that very same platform with her on her day as well!!! :)

To me, Michelle is that friend who has always always been there! 

We grew up together and our entire childhood we were best buddies! We have so many memories..I would never be able to write about all of them...but here are a few...

Having slumber parties at each other houses, sharing our twin beds and giggling long into the night.

Being together when her family went through the horrible time of losing their home in a fire.

Countless birthday parties.

Being together the day when I was in a horrible accident...and Michelle always visiting me and wanting to stay with me and push me in my wheel chair, the entire summer.

Countless hours spent playing on the school playground after school! (Both of our Mom's worked in the school office, so we would play together until they got off of work)

In high school, being inseparable and being able to share anything and everything with each other.
Through college, always being the constant, never changing, faithful friend.

Michelle is a friend that I can honestly say I don't think that we have ever had a fight!!
Seriously, we just get each other. Most of the time, we don't even need to say anything.
She is the friend that I can make eye contact at across the room and I know exactly what she is thinking without ever discussing it.

Michelle and I had the awesome opportunity to teach in the same school together out here in California for this entire past school year!
How crazy is that?!

My best friend and I, 2000 miles away from home, get to teach in the same school!!

When I moved out here to CA after getting married, on one hand, I was SO excited to start my life and new family with Julian, but on the other hand....
It was one of the saddest times in my life.
That may sound weird and I don't really think that anyone can imagine the feeling unless you have lived it.
I was/am always always homesick.
I never realized how much of a "homebody" I was until I came to California. I said all that to say, that having Michelle here in California with me was, I truly believe, a gift from God.
That may sound totally cheesy, but it's honestly the truth!
God allowed me to have my childhood best friend here with me for this first year. It allowed me to ALWAYS have a little piece of home. There was always someone there that knew exactly how I was thinking, where I was coming from, and someone that knows ME as a person so well, my best friend!
What a blessing!!
I am so thankful for that!

About this last year, wow, I just can't explain how great it's been for our friendship!
It's so great, because now we are both adults, living our own lives but we have this solid friendship that goes back to when we were children.
We made SO many memories this past year.

We did all our class field trips together.
We had a blast coaching the high school girls Volleyball team together!

Everyday one of us would be in the other's classroom sharing a story...

So many hilarious moments in our teacher's meetings (we have them everyday) funny things are bound to happen...especially when you have our boss!!
I think just about everyday, Michelle would kick me really hard under the table during these meetings.
Many times, we couldn't make eye contact or else we would crack up!

We had many many shopping trips.
Nights at our house having dinner and relaxing!
So many conversations, about spiritual decisions, discipline issues with our kids, the right/wrong way to deal with a fellow peer, laughing our heads off about certain school situations.

My favorite part of the day at school, was just about every evening we would wait for each other and we would walk to our cars together and discuss that certain day or certain situations...
I didn't realize it then...but those are the times when I look back at them and think...
Wow, what a GREAT friend I have in her.
We totally, completely get each other!
I honestly don't think you get many friendships like that in a lifetime.

So, now you know (maybe too well :) ha! how I feel about Michelle and what a great friend she is....
Maybe you can see how EXCITED I am for her and her upcoming wedding!!!
I love her fiance', he truly is a great man, and I am so happy for the two of them!
Although, I am so sad that she will be leaving me here in California, I, once again, am soooo sooo thankful for this past year that we have had together!
I will always always always remember our memories and I know that Michelle and I truly have a....
LIFELONG friendship!
I can't wait to celebrate her wedding...but first....we have A LOT of planning to do!!!!
Bring it on, I LOVE weddings!!!

It's been awhile, I know! :)

I feel like I have so much to blog about and I have no idea where to start.
For the last two months life has been pretty hectic!
Starting with the end of school that was not only exciting but very very busy!
In the last three weeks of school we crammed in our
annual Spring Auction,
 our 1st-6th grade Spring Program,
a fun but stressful Field Trip,
THREE Graduations
a school wide Field Day
....and in between all of that...
the end of the year rush to get all assignments done, classrooms cleaned, grades graded!!!

From school, we jumped right into our exciting summer.
Starting with my bestie, Nicole, coming to visit us two days after school ended!

What a great great time we had!! Seriously, we took so many pictures, laughed constantly, talked and talked and talked and made memories that will last for such a long time!!

It was so fun showing her our life and our beautiful state of California!

The day before Nicole left my Mom arrived in CA and was followed a few days later by my Daddy! :)

I can't even tell you in words how great it was to have them here!

My parents are two of my best friends and spending this time with them was so great!

It was fun to have my Dad with us right before his birthday and Father's Day. It made it a little easier when I couldn't see him on those special days! :)

Since they left, Julian and I have been keeping busy with day to day things.
We have a few slow weeks coming up and then the mid/end of the summer will be filled with Craft camp at our church, a Bridal shower, and a couple special family members who will be visiting us near the end of the summer!! Along with getting ready for the school year!

I have been so bad at keeping up with the blogging world! I feel way behind! I need to catch up on all of my favorite blogs..and... hopefully it won't take another 2 months till my next post! 

so thankful she is mine...

It's Mother's Day! 

The day that we set aside to honor the person who brought us into this world.

The one who molded us into who and what we are today.

God allowed me to have an amazing Mom!

Sometimes I think of all the other situations I could have been born into. It makes me grateful beyond words because God gave me to the most wonderful parents in the world! 

It honestly humbles me.

I believe it must of been around the time when I was old enough to buy things for my Mom (on her birthday/mother's day) when I first had these thoughts. I clearly remember being in the store looking for the card to buy for my Mom and I would see these cards that would go on and on about how their Mom was now their best friend and they love being able to share everything...etc..etc...

I remember thinking....
Who in the world is ever best friend's with their MOM??!! 

As a teenager, especially, this really baffled me! :)

Mom's just aren't the normal teenager's best friend. lol Even in my younger college years I could just never relate to this kind of relationship.

I realize now that these cards are probably NEVER purchased by teenagers. lol 

You know, there is something about marriage that really changes you.

I'm not saying that people that don't get married until they are older aren't able to mature and become an true adult, but honestly when you get married EVERYTHING changes.

One of the biggest things is your relationship with your parents.

They are still your parents but they aren't responsible for you anymore. They aren't the ones that you "fall back on." Now you have your spouse. It's NOT all about you anymore, you have another person to think of.
It sort of "forces" you to become an adult!

After I got married, my relationship with my Mom really changed.

It started changing in the year before I actually got married but that probably had to do with the fact that I did a lot of growing up that year. 

My Mom had to do less and less "parenting" and started becoming my friend.

When I was a teenager if you would have came to me and told me that my Mom and I would have the relationship we have today. I would have probably laughed at you.

Now, I wouldn't trade the world for the close relationship we have.

She is my best friend.

Thank you Mom.....

* for everything you ever have and will teach me 

* for all the advice you give

* for showing by your example what a being a GREAT wife is

* for passing down your sarcastic personality! :) 

* for teaching me about being a true friend

*for encouraging me 

* for constantly making me laugh

* for your prayers

* for giving me the huge goal to try and be the kind of Mother you were to us

* for giving of yourself completely in everything that you do

* for being "hard" on us when we were younger because you wanted to make us the best we could be

* for teaching me to be a hard worker

* for listening to me talk and talk and talk on the phone :)

* for showing by example what it's like to have a true relationship with God

* for officially being....

my role model,

THE person I aspire to be most like! :)

I love you, Mom! 

This is our first Mother's Day apart.
I miss you so much and REALLY wish we could be together today!
Happy Mother's Day

Like Mother..Like Daughter...

It's Memory Thursday and since this is Mother's Day week, I thought it fitting to give a memory of my Mom! :)

People that know my Mom and I repeatedly tell us how similar we are. In facial expressions and mannerisms and the way we talk or tell stories. Well, since getting married and moving away I often find myself doing things just like my Mom or saying something to one of my kids at school that my Mom used to say to us.

It's kind of scary at times!

I think, oh NO!!! My MOTHER would have said that!!!! :)

But then I think....I can't think of anyone else I would rather be like than my Mom!!! :)

Love this picture..just a snapshot taken by a friend on my wedding day of Mom and I waiting in between poses. Yes we really do act alike! :)

Well, growing up it was a continual family joke that whenever we would all drive somewhere together my Mom would constantly be the "passenger seat driver." It wasn't just a little thing. It happened ALL the time!!

Dad would be driving and Mom (very dramatically) would warn him of the car ahead that stepped on the brakes...or of a green light that was turning yellow...or of a car that would change lanes quickly and cut Dad off! Usually her dramatic warning would consist of her hand FLYING across and slapping Dad's leg and usually we would hear....
"STEVE!!"
or
"THAT CAR!!!!"
or
"DAD"
or most of the time...
just a very loud....
"GASP!!!"
haha...every time it happened we would all laugh!!!
Dad usually made some joke about how he wondered how he had NEVER gotten in a car wreck when she wasn't with him because without her "warnings" he definitely should have already had many many near death experiences!! :)

Well friends, here I am with my own husband now....
and he will attest that one of the most irritating things I do is when I am the  "passenger seat driver!"
It's BAD! I find myself doing it all the time!
Usually using the EXACT same phrases that would come out of my Mom's mouth...and of course,
I also do the "hand flying over and slapping his leg" thing too! :)

What can I say..How can I stop myself?!?
After all, I WAS trained by the best! :)
Love you Mom! Thanks for rubbing off on me!
By the way, it's nice to be able to use my Mom as an excuse when I get a look from Julian.
I say "I'm sorry! I get that from my MOM!!"
He can't be mad after that...he would never say anything negative about his Mother in-law! ;)

Spring Break Road Trip!!

Today was "back to reality" day for me.

 I have spent the last week and a half enjoying one of THE best Spring Break's ever!!

A few weeks back my wonderful husband, all on his own, decided to take me on a road trip to see some very dear friends of mine that live in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I was shocked when he brought it up! We had been throwing some ideas back and forth of what we could do on our break (he had already requested this week off as one of his vacation weeks also). 

One night we were driving and out of the blue he says, "I want to take you to Salt Lake." 

I said..."WHAT?! Really!!!" 

I was SO excited! I have two really great friends there in SLC!!

One, is my good friend Tab who I grew up, she was one of my bridesmaid and teaches in a Christian school there in UT. The other is my sweet friend Courtney. I have known Courtney for a long time but it wasn't until last fall that Court and I became super close. One day we started chatting back and forth and we just never stopped. She is now one of my best friends!! I was so excited to see her since it would be the first time we would be together since our friendship has grown!!

Have I mentioned that I have the best husband on the planet?!?! :) 

I DO!!!!

So, we took off on Sunday evening and drove a few hours then stopped and finished the trip on Monday.

We arrived in beautiful Salt Lake on Monday afternoon and stayed until Thursday morning.

My friend Tab, had been in Michigan seeing her (now fiance) David and was supposed to return on Monday p.m. but due to plane issues she didn't come in till Tuesday afternoon. 

Here are some pictures of us on our "road trip". We had a lot of fun on the "road"!!

Monday night we had a great time being introduced to the SLC area!! 

We were also introduced to Courtney's "special someone", Matt! We spent the evening getting to know each other and "bonding" over Mexican food, a drive in the mountains, and bowling!! 

It was so fun to "double date"! 

Our guys got along very well and are actually a lot a like which just made the night so much better!! 

Tuesday, we spent the day shopping and doing girl things like a trip to the nail salon!! Julian just came along for the ride. It's times like these that I'm so happy I married a guy that grew up in a house full of girls!! :) He is very understanding (most of the time) when it comes to shopping etc...

Tab also returned on this day!! It was very nice to see her again!!!

Tuesday night, Courtney's parents had us over for dinner. It was a nice relaxing evening and we had a great time eating, laughing and playing games!!

Wednesday was such a beautiful day!!!! It was sunny with clear skies. Tab had to teach all day so Courtney took us through more of Salt Lake. We did a "drive by" of the Mormon Temple and the Capitol building.

Isn't this just a gorgeous place!?! Look at those mountains!!!

We took a walk in the park and just relaxed enjoying the time together.

Wednesday night we were able to see several old friends that all attend Courtney and Tab's church.

It was great to catch up and see people we haven't seen in a while!!

Not to be repetitive, BUT it was truly a GREAT trip! We had a such a wonderful time. 

Thanks to my two awesome friends who "put up with us" and showed us their amazing city!

We would love to come back again soon!!!! Thanks friends for making it a memorable Spring Break!!
Miss you girls already! :)

Thank you Jesus!!

GLORIOUS DAY!!!!

One day when heaven was filled with His praises,

  One day when sin was as black as could be,

Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin—

  Dwelt among men, my example is He!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;

  Buried, He carried my sins far away;

Rising, He justified freely forever:

One day He's coming—O glorious day!

One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain,

  One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;

Suffering anguish, despised and rejected;

  Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He.

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;

  Buried, He carried my sins far away;

Rising, He justified freely forever:

    One day He's coming—O glorious day!

One day they left Him alone in the garden,

  One day He rested, from suffering free;

Angels came down o'er His tomb to keep vigil;

  Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He.

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;

  Buried, He carried my sins far away;

Rising, He justified freely forever:

    One day He's coming—O glorious day!

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,

  One day the stone rolled away from the door;

Then He arose, over death He had conquered;

  Now is ascended, my Lord evermore.

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;

  Buried, He carried my sins far away;

Rising, He justified freely forever:

    One day He's coming—O glorious day!

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,

  One day the skies with His glory will shine;

Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;

  Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;

  Buried, He carried my sins far away;

Rising, He justified freely forever:

    One day He's coming—O glorious day!

Happy Easter! Let's not forget the REAL reason to celebrate!