Fall....really!

Where have the last couple months gone! I have been a terrible blogger....we have been just going full speed but that is how we love it! With birthdays, half marathons, two AMaZing concerts in Houston (Uncle Jerry is the greatest!), and our favorite holiday it's been a great few months...here are a few pics!

Em's Bday at Disneyland...LoVe the Matterhorn!














Love these girls! Me, Tanya, Shannon, Timi and Ann partying with Mickey before the Disneyland Half Marathon.















13.1 miles later!

Pit seats at the Dave Matthews Band show...such a great night!



Oh and the next night....Em gets to MEET the Jonas Bros....she'll tell you Joe has his hand on her back in this picture and then told her to enjoy the show! We were lucky and were able to bring Reagan and Timi with us for this amazing night!

















Here is Em again checking out Joe and Nick from the front row (again Uncle Jerry is the best)...it was a fantastic show!
























Disneyland and Halloween...could anything be better! We went to Mickey's Halloween Party and got to hang with the Peter Pan peeps!
















Tinkerbell was so fun to take these pics with!
















The park was decorated so great for Halloween!
























A Boxer, A Bee and a Peter Pan!
We had Elle and Grey over for trick or treating.

Birthday Eclipse

Today my baby turned 14! Yikes!
As much as I wish time would slow down, she is growing into such a great young lady and is so much fun to be with I am enjoying every minute with her so much!
I am super lucky to have the two best besties in the whole wide world! Emily has been blessed with one too, who (since her birthday) I'll say takes the cake! Grey and Emily met in Montessori school when they were two years old, in Ms. Erin's toddler room, and have been BFF's for the past 12 years. Kim and I met in 7th grade so going on knowing each otter for 27 years. Em always reminds me that her and Grey will have been friends longer!
These two have spent every birthday,holiday, school vacation and too many sleepovers to count in the past 12 years.
Last night Grey called and asked me if there was a way they could come over to the house to set up a surprise for Emily before we got home from work and school today. We got things all situated and Em was in for the bestest birthday surprise Ever!

When we got home their car was in our driveway and we found this on the door in the garage.






We went in to find Grey, her sister Elle and her mom. Em headed to her room and I heard a LOUD shriek!!!!

Alice, Jacob, Bella and Edward were there to wish Emily a happy birthday!




















On Jacob's arm were two note cards, that started Em on a scavenger hunt, that would take her to the kitchen, the family room, my room, the scrapbook room, the freezer, the washing machine, the book cases, her bathroom, the couch.....













.....and 14 stops later her closet where she found this awesome ASU hoodie! Did I mention this girly knows Em better than ANYONE!



Each of them had had personal notes written on them wishing Em a happy birthday!

Of course a hug for Team Jacob!

Making the surprise all that more, a surprise....the three girls had tracked Em down after school to wish her a happy birthday and give her a chocolate marshmallow sprinkles cupcake....masters of diversion! Em was thrilled to have seen them and had no clue she'd be seeing them again so soon!

Another FAB gift from Bill and Jon, Glee The Beginning! We are all big Gleeks, can't wait to read this fun book!

We made some grilled pizzas for dinner and finished up with a birthday s'more.

Heading to our FAV place Disneyland for some more birthday fun and celebrating this weekend !

I love you sweet pea! Happy happy birthday!

Today is where your book begins....

I love this song, it so reminds me of the closing dinner at last years Creative Escape. The end of a fantastic weekend that cemented some special friendships I know will be lifelong. Lately this song has been in my iPod, specifically in the playlist I've been listening to wayto much on the treadmill training for a half marathon.



Four of these special girls and I are competing in the Disneyland Half Marathon over Labor Day weekend in Anaheim. We are all competing for different reasons, and none of us were runners but decided to take on this challenge. We have each had unique and life changing circumstances to face in the last year since we were together that night last August. But like this song reminds us we've all chosen to live life with arms wide open. That something in the distance...it's the finish line...in the race at least! We will get there, because we are amazing!
I love your girls! Can't wait to see you all soon!
So lucky to have you in my life!

Just Wondering..

where does the time go....

Twelve years ago in August I dropped this girl off at Rainbow Montessori School for her first day of school!



She walked in ready for the challenge, didn't shed a tear, and didn't even look back at the car.

Well tomorrow this girl starts High School....




















The only one that may be crying is me! Half the time I feel like crying because I am so happy and proud to be the mom of such an amazing girl, but the other half the time i want to cry because it seems like the time between dropping her off at her first day of Montessori school and tomorrow has gone by way too fast.

I am so proud of all she has accomplished , how she has matured and grown into such an amazing young lady.

Just like that August 12 years ago I know she is ready and will reach all the goals she has set for herself. I know the next four years of high school will go way too fast, but I am excited to watch her achieve, learn and experience all that awaits her. I am lucky to be her mom.
I love you sweetpea!

4th of July at Lynx Lake

We spent the 4th up in Prescott at Lynx Lake. We love this little lake with it's beautiful little coves for finding shade and exploring.






We paddled a while and then had a yummy picnic of fried chicken that Bill made. YUM!



Then it was time for more paddling.





There were some weird duck birds that were diving under water to get fish. They were all hanging out in this tree. They reminded me of the buzzards in The Jungle Book.



No trip would be complete without at least one coonskin cap picture. Here is Bill rocking his kayak.








After a full day we headed home for the traditional fourth of July weenie roast and Bill's killer blueberry pie!!

Tea party with Gracie

We had a play date with our sweet niece and cousin Gracie this weekend. We invited her and her favorite doll Katie over for a tea party and a day of playing dolls and Polly Pockets.

First there were some strawberry cupcakes that needed frosting ....







and Sprinkles

Then it was time for tea...or apple juice.

The dolls waiting for their tea.

Rocky wasn't allowed to come to the tea party it was Girls ONLY. So he sent his sister Roxy :)

Then it was time for doing the dolls hair and playing!

Thanks for coming to spend the day with us Gracie, we had so much fun with you.

Summer Girls

My super fun girlfriend Ann and I have been wanting our daughters to meet so we made plans to spend the day together yesterday. It was a perfect day! We met for a late breakfast and then did some shopping and junking in downtown Glendale.

Found some great vintage Disney goodies at Bo's Funky Stuff and A Mad Hatter on Glendale Ave! It was so fun, the girls at so much alike and really hit it off so lucky to have these girls in our life!