Father's Day weekend

Happy belated Father's Day to all the Daddies out there!  We hope you enjoyed the day and got some special family time in on Sunday!
Our weekend blew right by us in the blink of an eye!  Friday evening we headed to Mystic Lake for our anniversary (thanks G'ma Theisen for spending the night with Riley!) and enjoyed a huge dinner, gambling and just holding hands!  Although I didn't make it past 10:00 Derrick still got some late night gambling in without me-his unlucky charm this time around.  He always does pretty good after I am sleeping and he didn't disappoint this time around!  We slept in and lounged around before heading down for a few more slots and then we rushed home hoping to make it to the 2:00 wedding ceremony of our friends but with 169 down to one lane and time running hopelessly short we had to skip out and gladly took the time to spend with Riley who we desperately missed!  So instead we slowly got ready and made it to the reception at The Reserve in Plymouth.  We had never been there and the room was beautifully made up and packed full with guests.  After a delicious meal, plenty of beer (for D) a few drinks for the sober cab and dancing it my poor, tired, aching feet were begging for respite and we headed home just short of midnight.  It was really out of character for us : (  But we had a big Sunday planned so all is well that ends well.

(kuddos to the cute place-cards!)

(my beautiful, colorful 5 year flowers)

Riley partied at a wedding with my parents Saturday and it was reported that he was an excellent boy and had a blast with the bubbles and other wedding guests.  Leave it to him to be the entertainer!  Church was quick and we got some sad news that Pastor Heiden received a call from a congregation in Mankato so he has some decisions to be made.  I am unsure as to what Mt. Olive would do with Pastor Heiden right now. We don't have a 2nd Pastor as of now and I would personally be very disappointed to see him go.  But anyways, after church Riley and I did some last minute running around for G'pa Hutches gift (a beta fish!) which Riley held all the way home.  He continued to wave and say "hi" to 'Beta' the whole trip home (only about 5 minutes but felt at least 10 ; ) and he giggled joyously as he showed Daddy which one he picked out.  We have yet to name him unless my Dad has because Rileys' other fish are named his favorite names of all time...Howie and Bobby.  After a long afternoon at Ben and Katie's we called it a day and not 30 seconds into the trip home was Riley out like a light.  He didn't wake up during a diaper change or getting pj's on!  Poor kid was exhausted from fun and spending all weekend with the people he LOVES.

                                          (Rileys' matching fighter jet tattoo with G'Pa Hutch)

Special thanks to my Dad for being a softy whom I always hate to disappoint and for always making it to every game you could that we played.  Basketball, t-ball, softball, fastpitch, co-ed ball and volleyball.  Some of these games had to be downright painful to sit through and yet you were always happy to be there.  I love you so much and am so thankful for my childhood and every memory I have.  I love seeing Riley and you creating more memories while you do the same things for him that you did for me.

Also Bob-we love you and miss you everyday.  We are so thankful that you spent your first Father's Day in heaven with your Dad whom you have missed many Father's Days with.  Most importantly you spent it where you could look down upon us and smile as we looked up to heaven and wished you a Happy Day.  Thank you for all the memories.  This falls painfully short on the emotions we felt (especially D) on experiencing his Father's Day without you but I know you can see our hearts and feel the love and regret we have for not having you with us.

Derrick-You are a WONDERFUL Daddy and you never cease to amaze me.  When I stop and think about my boys getting ready together in the mornings I always smile.  Riley is the happiest boy with his Daddy and he is personally requesting some more boat time with you.  We are well taken care of with you and I hope you felt how truly grateful we are and how very much LOVED you are.

Riley loves the card he made for his Daddy!

"I Do"

It was 5 years ago today that we said "I do" to eachother and neither of us can believe how fast the time has flown.  I mean really, 5 years.  We look like babies in our wedding pictures and I am wondering how I can get that back!?  I remember that day like it was yesterday.  Getting up at 6:30 to pick up Becky and meet the girls at the salon.  The excitement buzzing as Sienna arrived with OJ and muffins.  Getting my very long hair done up beautifully and watching my girls getting gorgeous.  Loving having my make-up done and then regretting looking in the mirror as tears starting flowing.  Arriving at the church to find my dress in the bridal suite, hanging up and ready to finally be worn for more than 30 minute fittings.  Running around to perform powder touch-ups, bobby pin fixes, lipstick re-applications and finally walking down the steps to see my Groom for the first time.  Perfection.  Slow motion, heart pounding, tear inducing, in the moment PERFECTION.  My heart still flutters unevenly at the memory of walking down the stairs.  We laugh at how nervous with excitement we were and how surreal it all felt.  After what felt like hours of smiles and pictures that were capped off at the park we were finally counting down the minutes to the ceremony and I had tears in my eyes as I realized how my life was changing. 3.5 years earlier I had dreamed of this day and knew immediately that I would marry this man that was my perfect and truly better half.  Now we celebrate together with our Son, the other half our hearts who is giggling and squealing with delight over our wedding DVD.  He can't get over seeing us on the TV and I have to tape his reaction to it!  I am so glad we get to share that day with Riley.  He gets to see us googly-eyed in love and looking our best. (which I rarely ever look these days! ha)  He gets to see 1.5 years of preparation and waiting turn into what (up until his B-day) was the best day of our lives.  And in some ways still is-in a totally different realm.  I love your Daddy Riley and Daddy loves Mommy and together we LOVE you so much.  We did, we do and we always will for each other and especially for you!

Nothing about that night will be forgotten.  We have way too many pictures to ever let that happen but some special place in my mind remembers just about everything from the songs, the friends that made us "jump, jump", the family that stayed until the wee hours and the way Derrick looked at me. It has all been burned into my memory and especially my heart.

I love you Derrick.  Thanks for an incredible 5 years!

Priceless

What...nearly 2 weeks with no posts!  I/We have been having way too much fun and I thought I would list just a few (okay maybe more then a few) of my most priceless moments.

Our memorial day weekend started with goodbye's from my boys who headed up north while I headed to work for a 12.5 hour day!  Yes, I still have it in me and actually the day flew by and I got to come home and enjoy pizza with my sweet friend Jen in Blue Ray at her place.

Memorial Day Sunday was a fun day with friends at their annual BBQ.  Last time we went a tornado hit their neighborhood and I was 9 months pregnant so this time around was less hot, less scary and more enjoyable to watch my boy run around and enjoy new outdoor toys and new kids : )

Then came my Wednesday off that found me hosting my first Mom's Club event.  Riley and I biked up to Hans bakery in Anoka for some delicious goodies and time with friends.  4 moms ended up coming and showed up with a total of 8 kids so the bakery was quickly overtaken by squeals of joy and excitement as each child picked out a treat.  Riley's eyes got huge when I told him he could have anything and it was so much fun to snack and talk with the Mommy's while our kids chowed down.

Derrick, Riley and I took 2 long bike rides to downtown Anoka to enjoy the cute shops, river dam and the weather.

I did not carry a camera around for nearly 2 weeks which was liberating and enjoyable since my sister had it after one of our walks that the rain surprised us on.  Riley loves Tee Tee and gets so excited to see her.  We enjoyed a long walk through the misty rain around the river behind Anoka H.S.

I enjoyed and was thrilled by my 2nd camera class at National Camera and can't wait to start using some of the newfound skills and tricks I learned.

Derrick enjoyed a night out for a bachelor party and I enjoyed a night in after putting Riley down with 2 of my best friends growing up complete with pizza, popcorn (special popcorn butter and popcorn salt) and 2 great movies, Twilight and New Moon.  We had to prepare for our June 30th movie premiere of Eclipse and it was so much fun hanging out with these 2.  They haven't changed a bit since I last saw them and we laugh just as much as we used when we are together.

Friday bookclub was at a Spa which I had organized.  It was the best pedi/mani I have had in a LONG time and the owner even brought it home made egg rolls!  I will be going there for my regular spa dates from now on.

Our niece turned 1 and we attended her party which turned out to be (surprise) another rainy day and Riley got antsy/tired of staring at all of the treats sitting out so we had to take off and get the boy out before his head exploded of a sugar rush.

Riley is being featured at church in the bulletin for his want and need to pray before meals and I can't wait to share the story with you but for now will leave you with this picture of him deep in a prayer...priceless!

We bought Riley goldfish-2 to be exact.  He named them Howie and Bobby and he gets so excited to see them.  He talks about them all day long and squeals with joy upon entering his room where they live on his dresser.  So much fun for $0.27 a piece!  Howie is white/gold and Bobby is all gold.

Softball Sunday turned out one of the most amazing plays ever from our friend Jeff who ran all the way back for a fly ball, scaled the fence and caught it well over the fence robbing the hitter from what 99% of the time should have been a home run.

Finally we attended our one and only graduation party of the year and the food was excellent, the grad was glowing and the family was great to see.  Derrick's cousin handed down Riley a power wheel or automatic 4 wheel thingy and he has been enjoying it endlessly.  He is an excellent driver and such a good listener when we say 'all done.'

And one more update: Potty training.

Riley has gone poopy twice at G'ma's place during the day.  They have a nice little schedule carved out for the potty chair and luckily the boy is pretty regular with his doo doo's : )

At night we have gotten Riley to pee pee twice in his potty.  He sits on there for about 20 minutes most nights and when we see yellow we dance, clap and he gets a few M & M's.  He is not really telling me when he has to go to the bathroom so we are not pushing him.  Our obsession with pee and poop since he was born is comical (seriously 2 years of knowing how many times he has peed and when he last pooped is hilarious) and seeing it in his potty is ridiculously exciting.  Way to go Little Man!