"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!

The curious mind of my child

It has been so much fun playing with Riley and watching his mind work.  While I was ironing Monday I was just observing him and how he figures out how to build towers and bridges and even "garages" for his cars.  He is definetly a boys boy and can't get enough of cars and trucks and it amazingly keeps him very concentrated and still for a long time which is great to see!

Blocks-the blocks that keep him fascinated and let his imagination flow freely.

You can build towers with them...

You can watch them fall

You can build bridges and streets with them

and then drive your cars on them

You can re-arrange your cars and give them all turns on the bridges

and then you can finally look up and realize mommy has been studying you and taking pictures for 30 minutes with a smile on your face!

Living the high life!

Our day was perfecto!  Church, naptime (ahhhh), shopping, splashing, grilling, eating on the patio and ice cream deserts.  Couldn't have had a better Sunday!.

Riley rounded the day out with some love from Deucer-his best and comfiest friend!