razzberries (7-6-10)

it was a beautiful day in lynden and ryan's dad's cousin (i think that's the relationship) owns a raspberry farm and so graciously let our gang come and pick.

she was a lovely lady and even showed up where the best picking was. 

we picked enough raspberries to eat the whole week~quite a treat for us jersians where they're $4.99 a pint!

 the happy picking crew

 elijah

 even beppe's getting in on the fun!

 maxamillion worth a million

brandon...seriously, can a kid look more like his (gorgeous) dad?!!

i can't get the rest of the pics to upload so i'll try to put them in another post...

semihamoo

semihanoo...the perfect place for family pictures!  we hired becky from simply enjoy photography (becky's photography blog).  she was AMAZING to work with.  her and her assistant, Wendi, were so laid back, made the kids feel comfortable and made it seem like it was no work at all to get 20+ people to behave! 

here are some of the pictures WE took behind the scenes while she was taking her professional pics...her pictures are up-coming~can hardly wait!

marriage

“Marriage is a vocation. It is a task to which you are called. If it is a task, it means you work at it. It is not something which happens. You hear the call, you answer, you accept the task, you enter into it willingly and eagerly, you commit yourself to its disciplines and responsibilities and limitations and privileges and joys. You concentrate on it, giving yourself to it day after day in a lifelong Yes.” --Elisabeth Elliot

As always, she gets right to the point~and right to the heart!

cultus lake water park 7-7-10

the kids have been talking about this since  2006...a waterpark with cousins.  last time it was birch bay water park~this time heading to canada...cultus lake water park.  somehow i don't think it really matters WHERE we go~it's just always a blast with cousins from lynden!!

 traci, kayt, lisa

 bai enjoying her ice cream~great for a hot day!

 oh yea, baby!

 bo going down the HUGE slide...wouldn't catch ME on that!!!

 kit-kat and her daddy

 mr. zachariah

 livie tanning...gotta get the back

 bailee and her daddy~i love this!

 kayt & traci.  there's ALWAYS been a special bond between these 2.  traci was there when she was born and the relationship/friendship has only gotten stronger with time!

surveying the situation.  just making sure that we have the BEST spot in the waterpark.  yep~right by the food stand and the bathrooms.  perfect.

thought for the weeks of july 18, 2010

Let us not hurry so in our pace of living that we lose sight of the art of living.

~Sir Francis Bacon

jake's new car

seriously, how can we have another driver?  i'm WAY too young for this!  i took jake today to pick up his 'new' 2001 toyota celica.  i remember this feeling~MY OWN CAR!  he's outside now doing 'just a quick vaccuum' even though it was IMMACULATE when we picked it up!   so jake!

 it really is a cool car.  hey, when i was 18 i fell for a cute guy with a celica.  i married him and 22 years later we have a cute son with a celica~go figure!!

crank windows?  kayt's happy that he joined her in the crank window world ;)

enjoy, jake!  we're so happy for you!

steven's EPIC softball game

tonight was steven's last game before the play-offs...and he invited ME!  wow!  he said i might want to bring my camera so i could make an EPIC post on my blog.  absolutely!~i never go anywhere without a camera!  and...THEY WON! (creamed them, actually)  great game!

 

 the most awesomest softball player...he's smiling because i didn't show up in my bathing suit!

matt, the unofficial mascot?

THE epic hit

 after THE epic catch...missed it in action but it was great, i'll tell you that!

thanks for letting this old lady watch you play...even though someone did try to pick me off with a foul ball!  i would have had no problem taking one for the team~unless it hit my camera!

liv's 8th grade graduation 6-24-10

 finally!  a few people have asked for liv's grad pics (here they are fleur, traci, mom & liv!).  it was such a privilege to have my dad & mom here...it's not every day that your papa & beppe visit from washington state!!

jake & mom (beppe)

 mady & liv

 liv & ash

 liv & pop-pop

 liv & her daddy...a little pep talk perhaps? ;)

 liv & grandma honey

 liv & 'bepps'

 liv & the parents

 beppe, liv & papa

oh, mother of pearl, this is an amazing picture of liv & mr. & mrs. densel!

 mel & liv

 jess & liv

 jessica, mike & liv

 ashley and livie

 mr. brennan & liv...i just can't find words to say about what she feels about him.  the kids LOVE him~he's so real!!

she got her diploma!  only 4 more years to go!

 we were busy thursday...they let me do their hair! 

(sure beats lucia's $80 up-do!!)

liv

 ashley-roo's doo

my absolute favorite usherette...ashley morgan williams