Wish you were an Octopus??

Okay, so I am not turning out to be a dedicated blogger. I really have a busy schedule and think about doing it but then don't find the time to make it really good. So, enough excuses...
That makes me think of our recent trip to the aquarium. We go frequently but I love going now with my new camera. Plus it recently had a facelift so it is always fun to go see the new big tank. But I often feel like I wish I were an Octopus. I need that extra set of hands and legs. They would help out when you have so much to keep up with. Here are a few really great pics we got this last time we went...




And there are so many of the octopus but here is just one...We actually got to watch him move through the tunnel and it was so cool to watch it change colors.


Well, I promise to come back tomorrow. I have to run to get ice cream and watch my new addiction... Ace of Cakes. They are so cool.

The Wedding Trip

So as many of you already know- I am a night owl. Not in anyway do I ever pretend to be a perky morning person. I crack open the diet coke and wake up after I have at least consumed that one. I need gentle persuading to wake up nicely. Well, we left Thursday morning at what I thought was 6:50- which looks a lot to a sleepy person like 6:05... when you don't like morning confusing that 5 and the 0 in your favor is never a good idea. We showed up after being picked up by my very loving and perky friend Tricia... :o) to the airport at 5:40ish. Checking in, all is good and this bell goes off when we are trying to check in our luggage... "oh dear!" she says. "You are late & you will never make your flight,"" as she is looking at the security line that might as well stretch out to the street where I just watched Tricia drive off . "But go and I will let them know you are coming at the gate." Well I am of course NOT a morning person and turn into a stress queen looking at the line wondering WHY DIDN'T SHE JUST ESCORT US TO THE FRONT OF IT????? We get through the line RUN to the gate where the plane is still there the gate attendant looks at us and says "there they are" and promptly says "but you can't get on they are gone." I was too tired from running and Martha Peace was sitting on my shoulder telling me to hold my tongue so not to embarrass my dear husband and mortify my children. The plane was still there and taxing backwards 3 minutes after my husband went to the lady at the desk to see about another flight. We were a whopping 4 minutes late to the gate. Yes, I was upset. But we got on another flight 10 minutes later that took us to Phoenix and arrived in Denver at about 4ish.
All was soon forgotten when we drove into SONIC!!! My diet cherry limeade was calling me. I was now in heaven and the flood gates literally opened up on us. It rains in Seattle but nothing like the Midwest. It poured buckets. The raindrops were as big as my head- not that my head is big but in comparison to the mist in Seattle the drops were HUGE!!! Lightening clear down to the ground that the thunder announced with such a roar. It was not our day but the Sonic it was awesome!!! I miss Sonic- did I tell you that??

It was so good to be with all of our family. I love my little brother. He is 9 years younger than I and such a dear boy to me. I got to see all his rug rat friends, whom I also adored. It was wonderful. I was most grateful to be with my dad again. I miss them both. So the wedding??? Dress rehearsal was fun and emotional toasts were given. It was great... but the wedding day...

WOW!! It was so beautiful. It is a ranch located (and For Sale-3Million) in Breckenridge, CO. Elk Ranch... http://www.renttheranch.com/ Amazing views from every direction. It sits upon 50 acres of just awesome territory. You couldn't imagine a better setting. The weather even held out for the "I do's" and the reception.


Here is a beautiful picture of them at the alter area with the mountains in the back. My brother was so happy. Rachel is a beautiful bride inside and out!!!


Here is a picture of our side of the family with the bride and groom.
I am standing next to my dad and his wife Tonja. My family is right with me- other than my daughter who is standing on the other side next to Christy my sister.



I can't wait to start scrapping the 150 pictures of just the wedding day that we took. It was such a wonderful day that we will all cherish for a very long time.

Until next time... love ya!!!

Hello There

Well this is totally new to me... I can't even believe I set this up without any help from my hubby. I feel a little pat on the back coming on for me...
I hope to be a great blogger. Keeping those who come for creative inspiration coming back for more!! And for those who just want to know how we are doing way up here in the Northwest are strutting along... Well I hope to keep the pictures posted and the updates a plenty.

First, all 5 of us are looking forward to that 6:50 am flight on Thursday morning to Denver- yeah 6:50 what was I thinking?? That means up and out of here by 5:30 am don't want to say the up time I might run!! And even better we fly to Oakland (this is a 1 hour flight from here) to only have a 2 hr layover before we actually head to Denver. I am thinking my dear husband might not let me book the travel anymore. They will all be fine that early but their isn't enough diet coke in the airport system to keep this girl from turning a little cranky. Morning are not my thing... but if you are reading this you already know that...
Anyhoo.. I digress... darling baby brother is getting married to his beautiful Rachel. I am so excited. From the time I was 9 he was my baby doll. You know they make those ones that pee and poo for kids now days... well he really did. I loved him more than any doll. I can't believe I have 3 kids and he is getting married. It is amazing. My parents must feel really old!! Ha ha. Dad on his Harley... young gun. And my mom up here with me attending Red Hat meetings. I laugh at loud... only because I realized the other day I turn 35 this year. How did that happen??
Again, back to the subject (not all about me- as my dear friend Tricia would say) he is getting married on Saturday at a gorgeous ranch in Breckenridge CO. I can't wait to see the beauty around us and have some well needed R&R!!

And watch out we are getting crazy in our house... we are infected by the Dave Ramsey bug.. We got the Total Money Make Over book and have started changing our lives today. Live like no one else will so you can live like no one else... it goes something like that. But not keeping up with the Jones and paying off the debt so we can call in on Friday and scream "WE are DEBT FREE!!!" I know this would make my dad happy. But even better it is changing the legacy we can leave for our family. Sound interesting?? http://www.daveramsey.com/

Adoption updates... We attended our 3 day boot camp as we like to call it. It was a great retreat in Stanwood, WA at Warm Beach Christian Conference Center. There were 15 other couples there and 3 intense days of training on becoming an adoptive and foster care parent. It is so wonderful that Antioch has taken the time to really minister to not only us as families but provide such in depth training. The days were long starting at 8 am and ending at 9 each night. But really hearing the testimonies from other families that have walked before us and being with all Christian families that whole weekend. It is great to bond with them and know that we will have such a great support system through this whole journey.
We visited the Pediatric Interim Care Center-PICC Monday night with 3 other families from our PRIDE weekend. It is a place that CPS places drug effected babies for their withdrawals and time of healing. It was amazing to see the beautiful facility and learn the different effects that all these drugs in our world have on these babies. It was good to see the babies and the care they receive.
We have 3 weeks of Tue/Thurs night classes to attend before we can begin our Home Study. We rock and already got our homework done so these are all we need to do in order to complete the home study. Yahoo!!
Tuesday night we went to Understanding God's Will class. It is so amazing to have such a Christ Centered approach to all of this. Our speaker was a pastor from a church in Tukwilla who was very passionate about this. He has 5 adopted babies and working on #6. He and his wife cannot have children due to infertility so he knows the pain that some of these families we walk with are going through. It was great to see him be able to help heal that broken area. But we are all adopted by our Heavenly Father when invite his son into our hearts. His plan for our sinful ways was predestined by adoption (Eph 1:5) before we were ever created. And because we were made in His likeness he calls us to be Christlike in all that we do. He calls us to take care of the orphans(James 1:27)... adopting is doing his good will for other through us. How beautiful is that?? I am not only going to provide a loving home to a child who may never have had that without us- but also Glorifying God!! Yahoo!!

Well, as you can see I am a bit of a talker. So I am thinking this whole blogging thing may be a piece of cake for me. I hope to get on here often. It won't always be this long... I like to show off my artwork when I get the chance to play in my craftroom. I will be sure to keep you all posted!!!

Thanks for stopping by and letting me leave Inky Prints!!
Love, Inkyfingerz