"Chase this light with me...."

Tonight Nick and I are off to a Jimmy Eat World concert, and I must admit...I'm quite excited! Who is Jimmy Eat World you might ask? I would have asked this same question about 2 years ago, but Nick introduced me to this band he loves quite a lot...and I am now a lover as well. I never really even knew any of their songs except one REALLY annoying one..."It just takes some time...little girl you something something something...everything, everything will be just fine.." You know the one.
Well...the rest of their music is a LOT better. I promise. Though, we may be surrounded by a bunch of 15 year old Punk kids from what Nick tells me....

A Day of Addie/Addy!

I got to spend time with my two favorite Addie's today...Adelaide Lovik and Addison Elhardt! We met Dave, Amy and Addie at Peso's this a.m. for breakfast/brunch...totally a tradition we have started with the Lovik's it seems. We ONLY breakfast at Peso's.Later, I met up with Cabester, Ruthie, Jeff, Terry, Matty and Addy Mae at the Greenlake baseball field to watch Todd play some softball. Truth be told though, I really mostly just played with and stared at Addy! Sorry Todd, she's just TOO cute!
I just love these precious babes!

Beatiful Couple=Beautiful Wedding!

Last night we enjoyed the lovely wedding of Miss Laura McAndrew and Justin Sleasman! The setting was the Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Course, and was just breathtaking!They were both beaming the entire ceremony....such a wondeful, love-filled day!!

Posing with the incredible moutain backdrop...Wow...maybe the best cake ever! Laura's sister made the 2 different kinds of cake: a white cake with a pineapple filling, and a chocolate cake with peanut butter filling....AMAZING! This sugar loving girl was in heaven, and don't worry...I did sample both. Nicholas was really tearing it up on the dance floor last night...he's got some MOVES!!

Project (Almost) Complete

I've been working on, rather I should say "visualizing", my family picture wall for some time now. This week, I finally got some of the enlargements back, so Friday evening we worked on the wall.... there are just a few holes to add a couple of pictures that the frames need some work on....but for the most part, complete! It seriously makes me so happy!! Every morning now, the first thing we see when we come out of our bedroom is all of our cute family. I actually say "Hey family!" when I walk by!

Sidenote: the big empty frame in the middle is going to be a picture of us with our wedding party...because they are definitely family as well!

I love my husband...

For many reasons, but today there is one in particular that stands out.
I have a new cousin Teddy who was adopted into my Aunt and Uncle's wonderful family just this late winter from Ethiopia. He is the sweetest boy, and so very smart!
It is absolutely amazing to me how much English he already knows, having grown up in an orphanage. But he was known as a leader amongst his peers, and actually a lot of the children in his orphanage were adopted into the small Texas town of Franklin, where my relatives live.

When they all made the trip up for our wedding in May, meeting Teddy was one of the things Nicholas was most looking forward to. On Friday before the wedding, they all spent the day together, with Nick as the tour guide throughout Seattle- even taking them to an authentic Ethiopian restaurant!

They decided that trip to become pen-pals, to keep in touch, and to help Teddy as he works on his English. Nick had sent Teddy a letter a bit ago, and today he got his first letter back. It just warms my heart so much that I have such a tender hearted, loving husband and partner...who is a pen-pal with my new cousin. What a gift!

Kitty Nap

Others do it too!! Yesterday when I stopped by the mall after work, there was someone sound asleep in the front seat of their car! I was so happy so see that others are taking advantage of this great way to catch up on a little sleep (though, I only partake in naps in my car in the comfort of my work building parking lot).

Just got back from a fabulous 40 minute kitty nap in my car- and it was AMAZING! Just what I needed to continue on with my day...the car was warm from the sun, slight breeze with the windows down, and now I am rejuvinated for my afternoon!

Yay for naps!

I counted...

and so far this morning I have sneezed 12 times!! And I've only been up for 40 minutes!! Aaaah!! When, oh when, will these allergies subside?

-Sniffles

A Look Back....

At our special day, through the eyes of our amazing photographer Nan Brotherton! (I just couldn't resist posting a few more...) Love her! Getting ready with my girls....

Seeing each other for the first time...

Group hug... Somebody's excited!!...

Our fabulous wedding party...

Sweetest picture ever...

They say it's your birthday....

Sunday we celebrated sweet Kricklett's 28th birthday!! We met for brunch at this really yummy Crepe place in Ravenna! SO delish! Eventually, the extremely rude wait-staff warmed up to us too. It was so perfectly cute and Euro to celebrate our Krissy....LOVE YOU! My cutie crepe...the only serve it on Sundays, so I was sold that it had to be good. It was!

Welcome Baby Rylan!

Saturday morning we headed up to Samish Island to Auntie and Peter's beach place to meet the Richter's and new baby Rylan! He is so prescious....such an Uncle Kyle Mini-Me!
Me and the boys...can't believe how big they are getting!

Nick and the boys...building some forts on the beach!

Happy Birthday America!

The 4th of July has got to be one of my favorite days of the year! Even though this year wasn't quite as warm as we all would have loved, it turned out to be a fabulous day! Boating on the Kocher's luxury yacht, sipping, crazy dancing, watching the fireworks from Diggy's deck (most perfect location in all of Seattle if you ask me!)...it was a wonderful 4th!

YAY! The pictures are back! We are so happy with them! We feel so blessed to have had such a fun, talented, sweet and amazing photographer....Nan, you rock! There are literally close to 1,000 pictures, but these are two of my favs so far. I just LOVE looking back through them all...best day of my life!

Today.Is.Awesome

Do you know how sometimes you have days where everything is just FABULOUS? It doesn't happen all that often where multiple things get you super, super excited....but today was one of those days!! Here is what made it so great for me today:

1. Got some little chores done around the house before work. I know- sounds lame, but I it's just so nice to come home after work and have everything done!

2. The King County Dex was delivered today- Nicholas and Lovik and Juhl have a huge 2 page spread in the attorney section!! This is a pretty big deal for Nick and Dave, and I am just SO proud of them! Apparently this is the phone book referred to as "The Big Book" and all the big timers advertise in there....so this is a new venture for the boys! So exciting! Plus...Nicholas just looks so handsome and professional. I would totally call him if I ever needed a lawyer.

3. Nan emailed me today and said that our wedding pictures are done!!! She is coming by tomorrow to go over them....I am peeing my pants with excitement!

4. Maybe the best thing of the day...my co-worker Jaime's friend offered her two FREE TICKETS to see George Michael tonight, and since she didn't want them...I got them!! To quote a famous Jamie McQuary story: "For free?! Sa-weet! Sa-weet!"

Michelle and I raced downtown for an absolutely amazing concert! We figure he is probably about 44-45 years old now...and he definitely has still got it! He had the cutest, wide-stance dance shimmy! The concert was filled with 30-40 year old women so we actually kind of felt on the younger end of the scale. We knew it was going to be a great concert when he started the night off with the #1 song we wanted to hear: "Fast Love"! Michelle and I used to drive all around Walla Walla in the Trusty Justy singing it over and over! We just sang and danced our way through the entire night...so much fun and such a great concert!


Yep....he's still super sexy!! Love you George!

The sweet sound of summer...

Today really feels like a summer evening! I came home from work, admired my lovely rose bushes that I did some serious work on last night, went for a quick run in the sun (there is just NO going to the gym when it is this nice out!), and then went down to Greenlake to watch Nick and the boys play their softball game. I love all the action at Greenlake on these warm summer evenings...you can just tell how happy everyone is! It just puts a huge smile on my face. Sat at the game with Amy and Addie (she is walking now!), and cheered the boys on to a win! (if you were an avid fan of the Lovik and Juhl team you would know this is sometimes a rare occasion).

Tonight as I sit here to post on my blog, Nick is out with the lawn mower and weed wacker, and the sound brings me back to so many happy summer nights. There is just something about the sound of a lawn mower that just SCREAMS summer to me! (side note...we have a push lawn mower that is in fact eco-friendly, so the weed wacker is actually the one making this noise that I love).

Thank you for today.

Blue Tooth....check!

I am officially compliant with Washington state law now...I purchased my Blue Tooth yesterday. As of today, it is a law throughout the state and I am taking no chances at getting tickets. Especially because I am ALWAYS on the phone in my car...this is where I get my corresponding done as a commuter!
Sorry cops...not ticketing this gal!