Summer Wrap Up!

Hello!!
Well I figured it is just about that time of year to FINALLY update this blog! We have been pretty busy between my best friends wedding, camping, a trip to South Dakota and just regular summer activities! It has been so much fun, but I'm never sad to see summer come to an end. Of all the season, summer is the one I like the least. Between the heat and the bugs, I could easily live some place where the temps never climb higher than 75 degrees...but then again, if I didn't have summer I probably wouldn't appreciate the other seasons the way I do! Either way...here is our summer!!
 At the end of June we had a family fun day in Gillette. We did a little shopping, went to the Gillette City Pool (very awesome!!!), took the kids out for some ice-cream and then went to the movies to see Cars 2 in the theater!! It was a BLAST!! I do believe that was one of the best days we've ever had!!
July is when things really started getting busy! My best friend got married so we headed to Sheridan to be apart of that! It was a beautiful wedding and we wish Andy and Christina  many years of wedded bliss! We came home on Sunday, just in time for Andy to work his 4 days and then left right away on Friday for a family camping trip!! We went up in the Big Horns with my parents (we had campsites right next to each other!!) and we had SO MUCH FUN!! Garrett went fishing with Andy and my Dad and caught his first fish! I don't have pictures of that, but my dad did get some on his camera, so when I get some copies, I will share them!! We had nice campfires, huge smores, delicious camp food and spent plenty of time relaxing! I was sad to see the trip come to an end, but Tuesday we had to pack up and head home anyways.
A few weeks later, on Andy's following 7-off, we headed on over and spent a few days in South Dakota with Andy's parents. We took the kids to Storybook Island, Chuck E. Cheese for lunch, and the Dinosaur Park. We had a wonderful time and the kids were very spoiled!! I don't think they minded though!! Then Andy's parents watched the kids for us so we could enjoy an evening out with some friends!! They are getting married in September, so we'll be heading back over there in about another month! Very excited for this as well!!
Overall we had a great summer!! Unfortunately when we got back from all our fun everyone came down sick....but we are hoping to be back up and running soon and are glad we got to enjoy the summer festivities to the fullest!! Please enjoy the pictures (there are a TON!!)!! Some of the pictures are kind of small, since there are so many, so I think if you click on them they will enlarge for you!! I will be 'seeing' you all again soon!! Until then, I hope everyone is enjoying the last days of summer!!

The Bride and I

Andy and I

Nothin' says SUMMER like BBQ's. baseball, and....a frog!

Happy Summer Everyone!!!
Just thought I'd post a blog about our summer so far! We're off to a great start, and I have a feeling it is only going to get better...and busier! Well, to get into the swing of things, we celebrated summer by having a cook-out, a delicious vanilla mousse cheesecake and lots of playing outdoors!! Garrett and Emily each have their own bat and balls for baseball....the light duty ones, of course....and so far Garrett is pretty darn good at that game! He gets all sorts of hits in, and he thinks it's so much fun!!! Him and Andy usually play baseball a little bit every day! We also got the kids' swimming pool all set up and ready to use and so far they LOVE it! They spend as much time it there as mommy will let them!!! We also celebrated Father's Day on the 19th of June...but thanks to the weather, our picnic didn't happen. But we still enjoyed a nice day as a family and had lunch with my parents. Other than that, not much else is new....except....we had a frog the other day!! Yep, that's right...a frog! Andy found it swimming around it a water puddle in our backyard! We put the little fella in our pool and the kids (and dogs!!) spend a good portion of the morning frog watching! He was pretty cool, but when we came back after lunch he was gone. Still, it was fun for the kids to watch him. He will forever be known as "Froggy" in our household!! Hope everyone else is enjoying their summer! Will have plenty more to post later. Until then, Happy Summer!!

Our 5th Anniversary!

Two souls with but a single thought,Two hearts that beat as one.
- Fredrich Halm



On June 3rd Andy and I celebrated our 5th anniversary!! I can't believe that we have already been married for 5 years!! They sure did fly by fast! Together we have come a long way since the beginning. So far, we have enjoyed our journey through life together.So here we are, 5 years later, with two beautiful children, a cozy home, and 2 rambunctious dogs! We love the way our life is unfolding and we have been so richly blessed in 5 short years. So, because the majority of my posts are about our kids, I thought that I'd re-cap a little about Andy and I! Andy is still working at the mine and he likes it there!! He is still a hunting addict, which I don't think will ever change! But, I'm fine with that! Andy works hard at work, hard at home and still manages to find the energy to help me with the kids, so he deserves some 'guy' time! I am still a stay at home mommy and wife, which I love and I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world!! I love spending the days with my kids, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, baking, and so on. For me, it's my dream come true and I have never been happier! So, for us, there isn't much new, but we are just still happy, healthy and content!! Well anywhoo, we didn't celebrate 'big' or anything for our anniversary.  Andy had to work, but he grilled out steaks when he got home and I made a delicious fruit pizza for dessert! For us, it was the perfect way to celebrate! So here's to the 5 years we've already enjoyed and to many more beautifully blissful years of marriage!!

Summer So Far!

For me it seems like it's been a while since I've updated this. But we've been keeping busy and I'm afraid now that summer is finally here, I will only fall further behind in my postings. I apologize for this, but will definitely try and keep up as best I can. If not...I'll see you in the fall!
Ok. So far this summer....

Well, to start with, Andy and my Dad have been working on finishing up the fence. It is up, and keeping the kids and dogs in, but there is a little 'fine tuning' that needed to be done. Andy is hopefully going to finish that up this afternoon! We've been busy with the everyday stuff so far. Mowing the 'yard', spraying for bugs, and LOTS of playing outside with the kids!! I never get much work done during the summer...and if it isn't a 'regular chore' for me, forget it! I enjoy being out with the kids though. They enjoy the outdoors so much and it's great for me too. I enjoy the sunshine, reading and drinking my coffee on the deck! Other than that though, I don't much care for summer. I always look forward to it coming to an end. I know, I know...that's backwards for me than it is for most people...!

So moving on...there isn't a whole lot of 'news' to post. Mostly just pictures...which I will have below. The busy part of our summer is yet to come. Sometime while the weather is nice, we'd like to finish painting our living room, dining room and hallway. I have my color picked out, all we have to do is do it! Also, my best friend is getting married. I've been working on her bridal shower, making sure I fit into my dress and just helping as much as I can, which isn't really much at all. She lives too far away for me to do much, but sometimes it's nice to just pick up the phone and chat!! At times like these especially, I wish she was living closer. Maybe someday....So anywhoo, the weekend after her wedding we are planning a camping trip up to the mountains with my parents. We are super excited for our camping trip and can't WAIT!

Well, that is about all I have to post. We've spent the majority of out days...and nights...outside!! We are enjoying this beautiful weather!! We haven't had too many SUPER hot days yet...which makes me think they're coming and they'll probably stay later this year, but for now, we're just enjoying the super nice weather! Please enjoy the pics of our summer so far!!

A little of this, a little of that!

Just some updated pics of the past month or so!! Our spring has started out busy and we keep going full speed ahead...and don't see any signs of slowing down for a while!! But we're enjoying every minute!!
 (And yes, Emily is wearing a pair of Garrett's undies....she puts them on all by herself!! What a big girl!! LOL!!)!

Rainy day fun!

The kids helping put up our fence!

Happy Birthday, Andy!!

~ A husband is someone a wife cherishes more all the time...he's the joy she holds deep in her heart." ~

On May 19 Andy turned 27!! We had a party for him on the 20, but Andy's parents weren't able to make that day, so Andy's mom came over on the 19th and we celebrated with his parents on his actual birthday, after the guys were off work. Andy's mom brought a pizza for dinner and a birthday pie for afterwards! It was super nice, and the kids and I enjoyed spending time with Grandma P. while Grandpa and Daddy were at work. I hope that Andy enjoyed his birthday celebrations to the fullest! He is the greatest husband anyone could ask for and he deserves to have the best birthday ever!

Home is where you hang your memories...

Well it  has been a while since I've posted last and I figured that today would be a good day to do it. While I'm keeping my mind busy waiting to hear how mom's surgery went, I will post a few updates!! First of all, on May 14 we celebrated our 1 year anniversary of being in our new home. I know it seems kind of dorky to celebrate, but still, we are thrilled to be here and are so thankful for all the ways we've been blessed in this year. We've been able to improve a little along the way also. We've had some rock delivered and made a nice, mud-free walk for ourselves from the house to the cars, we've done some major painting (and some more on the way!!), and the biggest achievement so far, is our fence. We were able to fence off the entire property and put up a gate, that way the dogs have free run whenever they want!! It has been SOOOOOOO nice!! I've made a picture collage of our first year and I hope you enjoy! We have some of our best memories in our old house. It was the house I moved into after Andy and I got married, we brought home two beautiful babies to that home, and we enjoyed life with our perfect little family there for a little over 4 years. But we are happy to move on and build new memories in this home. And, I must say, we've done a pretty good job of that already!! We are off to a good start here!! If this is what the first year is like, I can't wait to see year 50!! Please enjoy the picutres of year one!!