There was a wedding...

Here are some pictures from the friends wedding I was in.. I like them so I am going to share them. :) My husband says I do not take enough pictures of myself or let people take pictures of me.. so here you go!

The Happy couple...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So there you go.. don't ever say that I didn't post pictures with me in them... ;P

So.. I am going back to school!! well kind of... as most of you know I homeschool my boys... and if you know us at all, or even just a little...  you know that our middle son Daniel is non-verbal so he communicates by sign language and the ipad. We've decided to plow ahead full steam with sign language for him as it is apparent that he will most likely not be able to communicate by speaking...

SO I am taking some intensive sign language courses and I am so excited! I have a very basic understanding of sign language (alphabet, numbers, colors, foods, simple phrases, ect).. but these classes will open me up to be able to teach my boys well and possibly give me job opportunities in the future ( interpretation, working with special ed. kids in future, teaching other parents, ect) .. SO excited to be learning new things that will open up new worlds for me and my boys!

Beautiful Family...

 

This is my older sister and her 17 year old  and 3 year old daughters. Can I just say first of all.... aren't they BEAUTIFUL? and second... it makes me sad they live so far away because I love them so much!!!!! It is so hard to miss watching my nieces grow up.

 

Feast your eyes on these beauties! I just still can't get over it!

 

 

life today

we ventured out to a local pumpkin patch....

 

 

they all did NOT want to look at the camera at the same time... oh boys

 

 

Elijah and a sweet young lady who has helped us with our boys for the past 7 years!

 



 

 

hmm I think he is the one who looks the most and acts the most like me.

 

 

 

They are such great friends...

 

 

 

 

Tuckered out!

 

 

 

and.... I got a tattoo...

 

well not a real one.. it's just henna.. it will be gone in 2-3 weeks. I've done it before and I really enjoyed it. It is actually not this dark.. it is dark when it goes on and then after it dries it peels off and it ends up being a nice brown color. It is fun to experiment with designs .. BUT it is nice that it is not permanent and does not hurt like a real tattoo.

7

Daniel turns 7 tomorrow... oh how the time flies.. I remember after he was born and the doctors saying how big he was ( 8 pounds 3 oz.).. we thought he was so tiny! (compared to Joshua's 9lbs 5oz) ..

Happy early birthday to my middle son, who has taught me more about life, love and acceptance then anyone I have ever known. I would not be the person i am today without him. He is my joy, my challenge, my sleepless nights, my sweet snuggles and high pitched laugher, my practical joker, my unending energy, the one who misses me most, he is my son... and oh how I love him.

 

 

before and after

 

 

12 + years ago I was hanging out with these sisters taking pictures before going to prom.

 

 

 

 

Yesterday at the wedding of one of those sisters we were reunited!

 

 This is 4 marriages and 9 kids later!

between the 4 of us ;) of course

 

My highschool days where fun, but I have to tell you that I love my life now! 

 



an adventure

I was going to put together this great video montage of a recent backpacking trip that matt and I took WITHOUT the kids.. but my movie maker was being silly... so just imagine looking at all these fabulous pictures with the song " I lived" by onerepublic ... you can listen to it here...

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k009TIxQc8

 

It was 14.5 miles total and about 2500 feet of elevation gain!!!! I think that if I hadn't taken up running I wouldn't have been able to do this!!! It was such a great experience and MUCH needed! There was a few times that I was just so awe inspired by all the beauty!

 

I thought these flowers looked like the lorax trees...

 

I love the vivid purple

 

 

 

 

 

beautiful wild flowers!

 

Yep.. that's me climbing up the ridge... totally freaked me out. BUT I DID IT!

 

see me sitting up there?

 

matt had no height fear

 

Mt. Rainier in the background ( we think... not to sure!)

 

this is as far as we got.. I was to scared to go across this glacier without some walking sticks or something.. if I slipped it was a LONG way down... In the background you can see some mountain ridges.. they are called the knive edge.. one day I want to do that.

silly :)

 

my favorite exploring companion!

 

I thought this little crop of trees was magical.. like a little world on top of the mountains

 

I loved this beautiful flower growing out of the rocks

 

wildflowers

 

I LOVE exploring!!!

 

my yellow shoes!

Roxy, a great traveling companion!

 

 

 

One day I hope to hike a lot of this trail that spans from Canada down to mexico