{Another} favorite day of the year...

Going to Pike Place Market and getting my peony bouquets.

Today was this day and my heart is happy.

Jamie and I headed down to the market today, had a delicious sandy for lunch and bought fresh flowers, fruit and veggies. I wish I could always buy fresh produce straight from the market, local is just always better!

And a home with fresh flowers is always better too...

Baby Shower!

Saturday afternoon we all enjoyed a gorgeous shower for cute mama-to-be, Delane, at Miss Rothie's lovely home. It was such fun watching D open all the too cute for words baby girl stuff and just catching up with everyone. Can't wait to meet sweet little Parker Lilly!

Seattle-ites: I don't get you.

Let me first preface this with the disclaimer that this is certainly not directed at ALL Seattle-ites. Only those of you who complain about this absolutely GORGEOUS weather we have been having.

I mean COME ON!! We live in this city of ours 12 months out of the year, with about 9 of them scattered, er, filled with rain showers. And now that we are finally getting our pay back for all those months and remembering all the amazing reasons why we live here, it seems everywhere I go people can't wait for the weather to cool off.

Seriously?! I mean, seriously?!

On the radio... "Don't worry folks, cooler temperatures coming up..."
In the elevator... "Whew....too hot out there for me!"
Co-workers... "We're just not used to this in the Northwest, this is too hot for here..."

Well, to all you apparent-warm-weather-haters, I say bite your tongue. We are truly blessed to live in this incredible part of the country (even when it is raining!) and we should enjoy EVERY SECOND of this weather.

So there. I'll get off my soap box now and go enjoy the patio.

Photo image courtesy of Google images, Armit Seth

Okay....WOW.

This afternoon we had our first backyard lunch party with Nick's family and broke in our new patio furniture. The weather this weekend has been perfection!

We then attended Roosevelt High School's production of "Cats" (Nicholas has a second cousin who is in the show). Can I just say WOW?! I mean, really really incredible production. If you didn't know better, you would have no idea you were at a high school event. These kids are so amazingly talented I was blown away. I have decided I'd like to go back to high school and go there. Preferably in time for next season's musical.

At intermission little girls were walking aroundpainting cat faces for free. So of course I had mine painted. Cute right? ha. Nevermind those forehead wrinkles. Hopefully those high school kids won't notice them next year when I show up for tryouts.

7 years ago...

My world divided into "before" and "after"...

"It was the dividing line between seeing the world in back and white, and in Technicolor. The lights came on, for the darkest possible reason...

It's ironic how often we forget how wonderful life really is...it is made up of moments, small pieces of glittering mica in a long stretch of gray cement. It would be wonderful if they came to us unsummoned, but particularly in lives as busy as the ones most of us lead now, that won't happen. We have to teach ourselves how to make room for them, to love them, and to live, really live.

I learned to live these years ago. Something really bad happened to me, something that changed my life in ways that, if I had a choice, it would never have been changed at all. And what I learned from it is what, today, sometimes seems to be the hardest lesson of all.

I learned to love the journey, not the destination.
I learned that this is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee you get.
I learned to look at all the good in the world and to try and give some of it back...because I believed in it completely and utterly."
-"A Short Guide to a Happy Life", Ann Quindlen

glee (gle) n.
1. extreme merriment {syn. hilarity}
2. malicious satisfaction {syn. gloat}

It will come as no surprise to those of you who know me well that I am now a HUGE fan of the new show Glee. Wow. Goose bumps and possible tears in the eyes when I first watched this. Thank goodness Becca had DVR'd this goodness for me. I am certain there will be much for merriment and satisfaction to come!

Weekend in Arizona!

My weekend with Becca and her sweet family was just fabulous!! It was just such a treat to have 3 full days with Little Miss Sunshine herself- Beeks is one amazing gal. And not to mention a pretty amazing mama! She has her fourth on the way, very obvious from the picture right?! Ha. She does a great re-cap of the weekend here.

SO excited....

because...

1. My cold is WAY better

2. I get to see this sweet family tomorrow!! And spend an entire weekend with my Beekies! This girl has been the greatest friend and my #1 fan for as long as I can remember...seriously, she just has a way of making you feel like the most special person in the world. I love you Beeks and can't wait to squeeze you tomorrow...I only wish our Kricky was coming too!!

Thank goodness...

For my little buddy these last couple of days. I've been home with a horrible cold, but he certainly makes the days less boring.

A shower for Court!

No I'm not speaking in third person-this weekend I attended a gorgeous shower for my sister- in-law Courtney up in Oak Harbor. The weather was just perfect, and despite me coming down with an awful cold, we had a wonderful afternoon and Court got some pretty fabulous "girly-girl" gifts.

A morning beach walk with all the girls...

Debbie, the host, completely outdid herself with all the gorgeous flowers...I was kind of obsessed. And the cake?! Hello cutie!

Chelan- Bachelorette Style!

Last weekend we celebrated our cute bride-to-be, Miss Cabester with a bachelorette weekend in Lake Chelan. Someone definitely set the weekend on perfect: the weather, the wine, the friends, the house, the laughter and the celebrating! it was all wonderfully lovely. Channeling the sorority days for this pic!

"The best day..."

The first time I heard this song by Taylor Swift, I had tears all the way in to work thinking about my sweet mom. This video quality isn't very good, but I just had to share for everyone out there who hasn't heard this song...since after all, it is Mother's Day.

Thank you mama for sharing with me so many best days...I love you!

Abeja Winery

For our last night in Walla Walla this weekend, and as a special anniversary treat, we stayed the night out at the Abeja Winery. It was a little piece of heaven! The winery is an old farm that they have completely remodeled into their working winery, and then converted the stalls, chicken house, bunk house, etc. in to adorable little cottages.

It was so peaceful out there...we made a yummy dinner, walked the grounds and of course...sipped on some more delicious WW wine. Me hanging out on our little back patio...and yes, I'm in my wedding dress. Hee...I always said I wanted to wear my dress on my anniversary and have a glass of champagne...done. Though the dress was admittedly a bit tighter, I was still able to get her on, yahoo!

One year ago...

A year ago from this past Sunday, I married my very best friend and the most wonderful husband I could have ever hoped for. We have experienced so much together this first year of marriage, and I can't wait for the adventures and experiences to come for us! I love you Nicholas...thank you for making me this happy, every day.

A Weekend {Home}

Do you think it's possible to still feel like you have two homes? Because I still do. I adore mine and Nicholas' sweet home...and it is obviously the location I'd say was my home if someone asked me. But, I also still feel like mom's house in Walla Walla is my home. I catch myself when I'm talking about a weekend there saying, "We're going home for the weekend".... funny how that works isn't it?

I just love a weekend in Walla Walla though, and probably because of all the familiar sights, sounds and smells it makes me feel like it's still my home. We enjoyed wine tasting (despite the less-than-perfect weather conditions), delicious home made meals, sleeping in, naps, and talks about future dreams. It was wonderful.

Unintentional twins wine tasting...what can I say? We've been together since we were 10 years old!

Klicker's asparagus is, in my mind, one of life's great pleasures...