12.06.2009

ERIK AND JENNI'S VISIT

Erik and Jenni Jensen came to Salem during November to spend time with us and enjoy some great wine. We had a fantastic time and we only wish that they lived closer!

Erik and David taking a break from wine tasting to check their phones for the football scores.


Jenni's sister Megan joined us for the day and it was so much fun to catch up on her life.


We are so blessed to have such great friends!

THANKSGIVING

This year for Thanksgiving we had so much fun going to the coast with the Jaspers family. We had 4 days to eat, play games, run on the beach, sit in the hot tub and catch up with one another. 9 adults, 3 little boys...it was a really fantastic weekend! Afterwards we finished up by swinging through Eugene and spending the night with the Fox family. It is such a joy to live near both of our parents and see them so often!

Getting everything ready to go over to the coast--making chex mix and pies--I tried to do all I could before we got there.

My sister Alisa is due with her 2nd child in January, my brother Darin and my Mom...so wonderful to be together!

This house had an awesome great room...so perfect for our wild and crazy family!

Dillon showing Grandpa Phil his building skills.

My parents and I after we cooked a fantastic feast together

David and my Mom.

David and I enjoyed every moment of being away and relaxed.

Darin and Laura

Alisa, Rick and Elijah

On Friday we went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium ....it was such a blast to see the boys in awe of all the beautiful fish!

HALLOWEEN and DUCK FOOTBALL

What fun we had in October both watching the duck game and enjoying Halloween festivities with our friends Micah and Michelle. We are very blessed to have them in our lives and we are enjoying watching Micah finish up law school while Michelle works hard at the coffee shop with me.




10.13.2009

THE PUMPKIN PATCH

On Saturday I accompanied my brother and his family to the pumpkin patch. What a beautiful fall day it was! We enjoyed a hay ride, a corn maze and SO MANY LAUGHS! What an awesome blessing they are in my life!

Dillon and Luke loved the pumpkins.


Siblings...good times.

Luke looking for the perfect pumpkin.

The Jaspers Family--they are the best!

Auntie (yes, I am wearing Darin's clothes and yes, I have a fake tatoo on my leg) with the boys...what a great life!

10.11.2009

A MEMBER OF THE OREGON BAR



David has done it. He has successfully completed 12 years of schooling, 4 years of college, 3 years of law school and 3 months of preparing for the Bar Exam--and he has become an official member of the Oregon Bar Association.

There is nothing that can be said for the amount of pride, excitement, and awe that I have for my husband and this fantastic accomplishment he has achieved.

What fun it will be to see what his next adventure will look like!

9.06.2009

A NEW SCHOOL YEAR

The time has come for the year to begin and it is so much fun! I have been working frantically to get my room ready and then last Tuesday I was blessed with 23 little Second Graders to welcome with open arms. I love what I do. I love being at a Catholic School. I love that I am able to learn and grow and challenge myself as I challenge my students. What a year it will be!





8.18.2009

BEND & BIRTHDAY

David and I spent last weekend in Bend, Oregon with our friends Tyler and Melissa...David and Tyler have been partners in a golf tournament there for 5 years....this year it was especially great because they WON THE TOURNAMENT!!! Melissa and I enjoyed time shopping, seeing girly movies, and laying by the pool--what a nice weekend for everyone involved :)


For my 26th Birthday David and I went to Seattle and stayed at his Aunt's condo for a few days. Teri was out of town so we were in charge of her dog Tazo. The weekend was perfect we took the dog for long walks around the trails and waterfront paths in Kirkland. We had coffee and went to church with my darling friend Harmony, David surprised me with tickets to a dinner theater production in downtown, and I met up with my friend and old roommie Kim! It truly was a wonderful few days.


The roof top view from Harm's apartment complex!


The Theater at Teatro Zinnzani

Sitting at our table which was right next to the middle of the tent, where all of the action was, it was the PERFECT seat!

The audience is encouraged to go all out at this production, the more wild--the better!

In true Jaspers tradition my sweet husband bought me an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen for my birthday...yes it has a golf club on it...there weren't many choices I understand. (The flowers are from my coffee shop boss) Truly, I couldn't have asked for a better birthday weekend!

8.05.2009

THE OREGON COAST

A trip to the beach--what a fabulous way to celebrate the Bar Exam being finished!!!! We went to spend a weekend near Seaside, Oregon with family and friends to celebrate a HUGE chapter of our lives being completed and it was so relaxing to walk on the beach, eat great food, and share in good company!


David can hardly wait for us to get a dog--but his parent's dog does a nice job as a stand in for now.

The boardwalk from the house down to the beach...picture perfect!

David's parents, Kris and Walt, enjoying the back porch and the lovely view.

Even my parents were able to escape the heat wave and join us for some relaxation!

David and Erik playing Bocce Ball

Jenni and I enjoying adult beverages after a great day of shopping in Cannon Beach.

David with his Aunt Teri and his Nonnie...what a great looking family!

Teri cooking in the beautiful kitchen--she made the MOST AMAZING meals for us all--and she did so much to make this entire weekend possible and we are so thankful to her for all she did!

We have gotten this far and we truly can't wait to see what path is ahead for us!

7.18.2009

FROM APRIL TO JULY

Well, it is quite true that we have not caught up on our blog for a very long time...but here we are back in the swing of things! Enjoy the pictures and the events that have ensued over the past few months and rest assured that this blog is back in full swing!

April started off by us celebrating my brother David's birthday with family and friends here in Salem. His request of white cake with fresh strawberries and whip cream for the frosting was really a fun adventure to make!

These gals are friends from last year's new teacher program--we meet once a month to chat, exchange stories from the classroom and we are so blessed because we have formed an amazing friendship in the process.

On Easter we enjoyed a lovely day at my brother Darin's home with his wife Laura and their boys. We had a fabulous meal and a fun Easter Egg Hunt and spent special time with both my family and David's.

My nephew Dillon is going to be in first grade next year--so hard to believe!

Towards the end of April we celebrated David's 25th birthday. We spent time in Eugene...

and went to dinner with his parents....

and ended up at home in Salem, where he ate his individual cheesecake...what a fun birthday weekend!

I was also lucky enough to spend a weekend taking care of my nephews while my brother and sister-in-law went to Mexico. We really enjoyed the Children's Museum....

...and we even hit up the zoo afterwards! It is so amazing to be a part of their lives!

Tulip festival in Washington...after our big bust in Oregon we decided to try again in Washington...it was MUCH better!

Mt.Vernon was a really neat town to enjoy on a spring afternoon.

David's Aunt Teri and his Nonnie went with us--so special!

To start the graduation celebration...Willamette Law School put on a dinner for the graduates and their spouses...

it was an evening to relax at a beautiful vinyard....

and enjoy good friends and great wine!

We had David's family and some friends in town to celebrate this fantastic event so Teri and I made the food for the party that we had after the ceremony; we always have so much fun in the kitchen (yes this is David's artistic impression with the meatballs in the forefront of the photo).

Doctor of Jurisprudence...Mr. David Fox

David's mom and her sisters and parents, such a lovely family.

Teresa and I made it through as law school wives--and we are very open in the fact that we couldn't have done it without one another!!!

David's Papa toasting him with our friend Tim, the owner of a local wine bar, where we had a fantastic celebration after graduation.

The next adventure was my brother David's ordination...we enjoyed the time together to plan and get things ready for the many people who would come to town to celebrate this fantastic event.

Ordination at the Cathedral in Portland.

A first blessing from Father David--it doesn't get better than that!

The end of June brought our friend's wedding. Micah and Michelle were married at Tyee Winery in Corvallis and it was beautiful!

David and I spent last weekend at the wedding of our dear friends Tyler and Melissa and throughout the ups and downs of the weekend we were so glad to be a part of their special weekend in Lake Tahoe.

Erik and Jenni Jensen were our roommies for the weekend and it was SO FUN to spend time with them--it was just like college all over again.

Stacy (Maid of Honor), Melissa and I at the rehearsal dinner.

Melissa's Mom getting her dress laced up in the back...so beautiful!

Melissa and I waiting to get the show on the road.


Thanks for catching up on our lives! I am now back on the blog-wagon so these will be more frequent--I promise!

Bright Lights, Big City...Life in Las Vegas