My Summer in a nutshell

this summer was one of the most eventful summers I've ever had. sad, I know. here's a look into it...

THE WEDDING

So, I went to Pete and Jamie Metz's wedding in Tahoe (congratulations!) with Kristena. I'd never been to Tahoe before, everyone kept looking at me as if I was insane when I'd tell them that. It was so beautiful and the wedding was at an amazing location and Pete and Jamie are such a great couple. ... PS. this blog will be full of pictures

THE INVASION
A few weeks after the wedding, Jeremy flushed out a mole. Not the spy kind, the actual rodent kind that was destroying our backyard. For some reason this summer we've been invaded (for those of you who know about our squirrel problems in Seattle-this might not be a surprise to you). I feel like Noah. It's as if God is calling them to our house two by two. First the 4 cats that have adopted us. Then the Mole we named Herbie. We drowned him the day we met him. Then the ants (only not two by two-more like two million by two million) all over our carpets, our bed, our kitchen. We've been thru 4 cans of Raid and will probably all perish early from all the fumes we've inhaled. Then the opossums. Oh, the opossums. We've trapped 4 and had them "relocated". They like cat food and my laundry room and we even found a baby one curled up with the kittens. I think they're so ugly their cute. You decide.... Then the fawn in the backyard. Yes, a fawn ("Bambi"). It got trapped in the alley behind our house and decided to sleep in our backyard until Marley scared the little guy half to death. Ok, here are the picks to prove our invasion...they're a bit gross...

The Mole...
The Opossum...
SAN CLEMENTE

Every year our family goes to San Clemente. It's my favorite thing to do all year. We sit on the beach most of the time, BBQ, play boche ball, swim, Jeremy sits in the hot tub whenever there is a spare second. This year was a little different. We slept most of the time. We were crazy tired (I think this happens more when you get old). We also witnessed a crazy drunk driving accident, where the car ended up about 10 yards from us and upside down. It was right after we took this picture:Kristena and I on the beach...
Jeremy, Me, Kristena, and the waves...
Ava, Adiah, and Erica created this sexy mermaid body for Uncle Jeremy.



DISNEYLAND
Oh, Disneyland. The happiest place on earth...that is, until around 8pm when all children AND adults start to self-destruct. Literally, there is a HUGE difference in mood in the park at the beginning of the day and then at the end of the day. Hopefully the kids have fallen asleep in the strollers by the time you try to leave, if not they are most assuredly having a meltdown on the trolley. Here is a glimpse of our day in the blessed park of mirth and wonders and log rides....


This is me, pre-drench...


Rachel joined us...
California Adventures...
Ava will be on So You Think You Can Dance someday, and they'll show this photo that her favorite auntie took...

New Mexico
The Land of Enchantment (or entrapment - as some of the locals say). I flew in right after our SoCal trip and had a blast with the fam. (Jeremy had studio work and festivals to go to). Probably my favorite time was spent with my mom-staying up late and talking talking talking, oh and the time with Grandma doing crossword puzzles, with my dad at the baseball games, and riding with Matt on his motorcycle. I'll post some of those pics later when my mom decides to learn how to attach a picture to an email. Haha. Seriously a good time with the family.

Dad

Mom

Brother

The Girls

Well, that about wraps up my 7-blogs-in-1. I hope you enjoyed the exciting happenings of my summer, and I hope this pacifies you for at least another 2 months. Sorry you had to stare at weird "alien kitty" for so long. Peace.

Today

I woke up today looking forward to my day off. I had a massage, did a little shopping, got groceries, worked out. I also took Zoe to the vet. She peed on my bed (Yay) yesterday and I found crystals (UTI symptom). I think the vet made a mistake and gave me horse pills for my little sick cat. It took my 15 minutes to try to shove the horse pill down her throat, along with a syringe of water. In the end, I was super frustrated and winded. Zoe is not a cat to lay down and have me shove a pill down her throat. She's a fighter. This is I-booth Zoe ...Tonight in my second attempt accomplish this seeming impossible task by myself, I ended up crying, my arms were torn up, I dropped some choice words, and the pill is not being dissolved in a tummy-it's on my counter and kind of gummy. And I'm pretty sure Zoe is traumatized for life. She will never be the same. Sooooo.....tomorrow I will go back to the vet and ask him if he had in fact mistaken my 10 pound cat for a 4000 pound horse.

6 years

Ok, time to catch up on some blogging...So it's been 6 years since Jeremy and I said "I do" in the New Mexican heat and started our lives as husband and wife. It's been a crazy 6 years....together we've moved 6 times, lived in 4 cities, renovated a crooked house, killed 9 squirrels, adopted 1 dog, 4 cats (+ 8 kittens), captured 5 opossums, toured 32 states together, seen 36+ rock shows, been hooked on 9 televisions series, been on 8 budgets, and the list goes on. It's been a great road, with few potholes, a couple detours, but overall a totally blessed road. God knew we'd be good together. Jeremy is the most patient, gentle, wise, considerate person I know, he knows my love languages, keeps me laughing, loves animals, has a passion for God, is a talented musician, and is an amazing best friend. Thanks, lover, for 6 amazing years!

Thank you for taking our pictures, Em! We love them! You did an amazing job!

Auntie

I love being an auntie. I spent all day Monday at Nate and Erica's house and loved every second. Kids say and do the funniest things and it makes me want to be that innocent and honest. It makes me want to have kids for selfish reasons-to listen to their opinions and laugh later with someone about what they said or did.

Erica and I picked Ava up from school and she matter-of-fact-ly informed us that she did NOT like the snack (trail mix that Erica had never seen before) packed for her lunch today. She confirmed that she had told "grammy" that she did not want that snack, "but then grammy stuffed it in anyway. uuhh." It was all we could do to not laugh hysterically. Actually I think I did laugh hysterically.

Later I set up an obstacle course for the girls to have bike races. Ava won the first one by a mile. I explained that it would be nice to give Adi a chance to win too, so the next race Ava dramatically pedaled slower than a six month old and Adi won. All fine and good until the 3rd race. Ava was just rounding the corner for the win and Adi came out of nowhere with the most determined look on her face , pedaling as hard as her skinny little legs could and pretty much did the craziest cut-off I've ever seen. She sailed past the finish line with a huge gleeful smile and Ava melted down. It was a fun day.

Kittens

ok, so I love these 4 kittens, but as much as I would love to keep these precious creatures, I already have a zoo. they will be ready in a week and I know someone wants a kitten (or two) out there. they are super friendly, comfortable with dogs. there is a white one (above), white and orange, orange with white feet and chest (above), and all orange. just let me know.

2 in one day!!! World record!!

So...anyone want to go with a team to Africa or Philippines or Haiti or somewhere in August? I'm going. I have to go. God's calling me to go. There's no question.

Sound the trumpets!!!

Yes, this is my third blog in over 2 months!!! I'm sure everyone is on the edge of their seats, waiting for a glimpse of some epiphany I've had over the last month. "It better be good" you say, "after all this time..."

So, here goes, I'm saying "goodbye" to the Olympic gold medal for blogging twice a year (thank you, Nate, for pointing out my non-blog blog).

For some reason even after Jeremy leaves for tour and I should have TONS of time on my hands, I don't seem to have a spare minute. I try to fill every last bit of it with errands, walks with Marley, picking up all of Marley's toys, making sure the kittens are still alive and cared for, house chores, erase the dark, the Stirring, hand watering the massive amounts of grass, planting grass, vacuuming up all the cat hair, etc. Ugh. That list just exhausted me. haha.

When I go home the last thing I want to do turn on Jeremy's massive computer thing that sounds like a semi truck. He borrowed my perfect little laptop that fits perfectly on yes, my lap, and gave me this monstrous thing to use to blog and check emails. haha. A blog for me is this huge hurdle now that I have to jump-most of the time I just run around it. I applaud Dan, Emily, Anna, Amy, Nate, & Erica for being sincere blog heads. You guys are my inspiration, thank you for the comments, I'm glad you haven't lost hope in me!

Back to being busy....this seems to be a general theme in my life lately-or for years. First, the women's retreat when we talked about Mary and Martha (in case you had any doubt, I am a Martha-constantly trying to make people comfortable, feeling responsible for everything, comparing and asking God why others don't kill themselves to get things done) , then Dan's message on Sunday about family and not being too busy to be a part of each other's lives, and other conversations with Jeremy and multiple friends.
It's amazing how God knows what we need to hear when we need to hear it. For years Mary and Martha's story has come up at every retreat I attend. Without my permission. Before the women's retreat, I would have been happy to never ever hear the story again. I was mad at Jesus for not sticking up for Martha. It was always Mary, Mary, Mary. Until this retreat I felt like I had no choice but to be busy and get things done and work until I'm exhausted-like good 'ol Martha. I can't be silent-my mind is constantly making to-do checklists, I can't stop for a second or I feel guilty-I know SOMETHING needs to be accomplished! Luke 10:42... Mary has chosen what is better. Chosen being the key word. I have to choose. Do I sit at Jesus feet and listen? Or do I go through life never knowing what it is to rest, missing out on Jesus and family, feeling lonely lonely lonely, missing out on the beautiful things in life because I'm rushing by?

Anyway, just a little piece of what's been happening in my little life! Hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned, I'll be back next year!