The big three-oh

On Saturday we got all prettied up and headed out to help Isaiah wave good-bye to his twenties. The first of the crazy 4 (Jake, Isaiah, Sam and Martin) to turn 30, Isaiah celebrated in style (with planning help by Robyn no doubt!) with dinner, bowling, Wii and poker. What more could a guy ask for? Happy 30th birthday, Isaiah! You're officially a dirty, old man.

Birthday boy giving a birthday hug to his main squeeze, Robyn
What's so funny, boys?
Quit hiding back there, Martin

Such style! Such form!
This leftie had a few tricks up his sleeve
You can tell by that perfect form this gal's played league ball before! *wink*
Not much for form, Jakey goes for power and it usually pays off
That's right! Read em' and weep!
Whad'ya get Isaiah?

Either Lindsay and Katie need to get higher heels or I need to stand on my knees
What do you really think, Robyn?
Enjoying a night out

I get to brag...

Because it's my blog!
Not only did we win our softball game this evening, but we also had two in-field home runs: one by Shaun and the second by the best looking guy on the team, our very own left-center fielder JAKEY! I just love playing ball with our team and am proud of the way everyone sticks with it until the very end, even if we're behind and even if we're having problems getting that 3rd out. What we may lack in talent, we make up for in dedication and commitment and I love that.
Congrats Jake's Excavation! Another W in the book!!!

Daisies and wood

That's what we're celebrating with, or would (or is that wood?) be had we followed the traditional 5-year wedding anniversary rules. But who wants to be traditional anyhow?
Happy 5th anniversary to Jake and I!

The first day of the rest of our lives
The proud Mister and Misses
Thanks to our parents for showing us what true love and strong marriages really are

Nothing exciting...

Just pictures to share...

What's happening, I only have 1 chin? I guess Daddy & Mommy don't feed me enough
Smile for a self-portrait while sunning on the back deck
Sun bathing beauty
Isn't this dress adorable? Thanks for sending it, Adrianne! And double thanks that it's meant to be wrinkled - one less thing to iron!
My new favorite hat, which used to be Daddy's
Can you believe how long my hair is getting?

Take a guess!!

So many people like to share their guesses - boy vs girl, delivering early vs going 10 days past the due date, skinny bean pole vs chubby butterball (who wants a skinny baby anyhow?!), that I thought it might be fun to have a place to gather all of those guesses. Simply click on the ExpectNet! link to the right of the blog and enter your guess. Who knows? Maybe you'll call it right down to the ounces and inches?!

35 years of bliss

Yesterday Mom and Dad celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. 35 years? Wow! Makes Jake and I's 5 year-anniversary (on Friday) seem like a drop in the bucket. Congratulations Mom and Dad. We love you very much!

Poppie walking Mom down the isle. Just minutes after Nana finished sewing Mom into her dress...
Left-to-right: Nana, Poppie, (mother and father of the bride), Mom, Dad and some crazy lady that isn't my grandmother but is no longer a part of the family (is it obvious I can't remember who she is?)
Va va va voom, Dad! Watch how high you grab there, mister (nice sideburns by the way)!
The wedding party - you really should enlarge this picture (just click on it) and check out the awesome fashions of 1974. And if the venue looks a little familiar to you, it should because that's the same church Jake and I got married in just 30 years and 4 days later

King Of the Castle

Happy Father's Day to the dad's in our lives! This year we celebrated in style: winning our softball game! After all, nothing says "I love you!" more than competitive sports. I think the special day gave the dads on the team (Jake, Dan, Uncle Mike and Wade) some extra powers as they were smacking the ball all over the field. Power to the Dads!
After the game we headed over to Kathy and Dan's house for some phenomenal lasagna, prepared by Lindsay's fine hands, and out-of-this-world fresh strawberries, ice cream and cake. Mm!
Dad and Dan: thank you for being the kinds of dads and role-models this world doesn't have enough of. Your love and devotion for your families is inspiring to many.
A special Happy Father's Day wish to my Jakey. You're amazing the way you juggle being Dada to Ashley, love(r) and friend to me, owner and operator of Jake's Excavation, LLC and all-around great guy. Not to mention you do all of those things looking fiiiiiine! ;) Ashley and I love you all day, everyday.

Yep, you've got some big shoes to fill, Nana Happy Father's Day, Grandpa Stealing a bite of cake from Great-Great Grandma Jessie Thanks for the close-up Robyn & Isaiah A look back to Father's Day 2008.... ...and here we are, happy and in love, on Father's Day 2009

No way!

Saturday Ashley 'turned' 18 months old - no way! A year and a half with our little midget just doesn't seem possible. She's so active and constantly on the go that it's sort of hard to remember her when she was quiet, still and covered in chub rolls. Jake and I have learned so much about ourselves during this time. Things like what random things will entertain a crankster on a long car ride, how many bites of mac n' cheese Ashley can fit into her mouth at once and most importantly, what true happiness is. And beyond these lessons, she's also found a way to make Jake and I love her, and each other, more every day. I can never say it enough; family truly is The Greatest Thing.
And now what it means to be Ashley at age 18 months:
- Weight: somewhere around 27-28 pounds
- Activity level: EXTREME
- Teeth: too many to count (but last week I did notice, when she had a huge yaaaawn, that her upper 2-year molars, the ones in the waaaay back of her mouth, are all the way in. And they came in without anyone noticing....). Enjoys using any and all teeth to crunch crackers, chips and fingers
- Some of her vocabulary: Dada, Momma, Ashley, Riley, dog, ball, What's that?, this, please, jeeze, grass, brush, bus, belly button, milk, juice, cheese, bite, shoe
- Loves it when we ask "Where is your belly button, foot, nose, mouth, eye, light?" Really loves it when she gets to show you where your belly button is, even if it means pulling up your shirt...
- Would rather be on the softball field playing than sitting on the other side of the fence watching
- Has forgotten how to walk and currently runs/jogs all over the place
- Enjoys driving the car, honking the horn and pushing all the buttons/levers/nobs on the dashboard
- Climbing on anything, even if it's not intended to be
- Giving hugs and/or kisses on HER schedule
- Waving and saying hi/bye to anyone (or anything!) in such places as, but not limited to: people driving down the road, riding in the shopping cart, walking down the sidewalk, sitting in a restaurant, going to the store
- Making our lives, and the lives of our family and friends, happier and brighter

Shh! It's a....

SURPRISE! Friday evening Stu planned a surprise 50th birthday party for Jean and I'd say we did a fine job of shocking the socks off of her. What do you think?

SURRRRPRISE!
Ha ha! Gotcha, Jean!
Wait? Am I late with the horn?
Uncle Stu-ey and Aunt Jean
Peak-a-boo!
Smile Mommy!
Me chillin with the greatest parents ever!
Thanks for always being camera ready, Katie
Hi Daddy and Grandma!
Party people
Smile!
Coloring with Daddy
Serious coloring concentration
Hi Aunt Angie!
Party's winding down...
...time to clean up!
Happy birthday (on Sunday) Aunt Jean (AKA the squirrel killer)! We had fun at the party and by the looks of it, you did too. We love you!

Caught in a jam

Wednesday afternoon Ashley and I headed out to Mom and Dad's to make our yearly supply of strawberry jam - yum! Aside from dropping mashed berries on the carpet (whoops!) and forgetting to mix the pectin and sugar BEFORE I added the berries, the jam is complete. And with a dozen containers, we'd better not run out before it's time to make new jam next year!

Apron? Check! Now I need a berry before I can get to work....

Siggggh. Break time They're working me ragged! Come and take a seat with me, Nana Break time continues with a ride in the swing Weeeeee! Hitching a ride back to the house Who turned out the lights? Finally; we're making jam!