Category Archives: family

Steppin’ Out ~ Fun Weekend!

3 Replies

Toward the end of last week I was all sorts of excited for the weekend. And not just because my last weekend sucked a big-fat-ace, but because we had some fun stuff planned! {and by we, I mean me}

Friday night, we headed over to Andy’s parent’s house for a big turkey dinner, complete with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. {No mac-n-cheese, but that’s ok, I’m not bitter} {Ok, actually I am…a little} Then, after dinner, because the rest of the weekend was going to be so busy, I went grocery shopping. I know! Grocery shopping, at 8 PM on a Friday and ALONE!? It was kind of mind blowing.

Saturday, I had plans to get up early and make an awesome tailgating dip because I was headed up to watch the OSU game with my sister. {Shout out to my awesome husband who insisted I go despite the fact that he re-injured his back and could hardly move all weekend} I figured my personal red-headed alarm clock would have me up by 7 AM. Guess again…I woke up just after 8! It felt great, but cue the HOLY-CRAP-I-HAVE-TO-LEAVE-IN-AN-HOUR panic. No dip was made. On the way out of town I grabbed a coffee. By the time I made it to the tailgate party, my coffee cup was empty and ready to be refilled with a margarita. The Beavs ended up losing, but I had a great time soaking in the last of the sun hanging out with my sister. It was much needed.

Sunday Rylee and I had a hot date with Costco and our friends Lindsey and Otto. And yes, I got “dressed” to go to Costco. It was the only place we went, but it felt good to get dressed. Our visit with Lindsey and Otto was nice, but cut short by two antsy toddlers who couldn’t understand WHY!? they couldn’t run and crawl around the Costco food court area like little banshees. Lindsey and I decided that next time, we’re leaving the kids at home and going out one night after work. The rest of the day was spent doing…well, not much of anything. Dishes. Laundry. Cooking dinner. Fun stuff, folks. It was glorious.

The entire weekend was absolutely glorious.

Ok, on to the Costco outfit…

This one is easy folks…head to toe: Target

Linking up with Mandy!

One-Zero

1 Reply

Ten.

Ten years, to be exact.

One decade.

More than a third of my life.

On this day, ten years ago, Andy and I decided to “make it official”.

And we’ve never looked back.

Who knew what started as nothing more than a family friend showing me around our local community college campus would grow  into the life we have built today.

I remember him back when I thought boys were gross…playing laser tag & eating pizza with him when my uncle would come into town. And, I’ll be honest, at 14 years old when he would come over to do Bio101 projects with my sister, I had a huge crush on him, but never imagined us married.

Words cannot begin to describe the love and admiration I have for this man and just how blessed I am to call him my husband, father of my child, best friend and partner in life.

3 years of dating. 1 year of engagement. 6 years of marriage.

These ten years have given us many blessings as well as many trials. Sometimes a roller coaster. But with one thing remaining constant. Him by my side.

And so, with that…

Here’s to ten  more decades.

Click Image to View Larger

A picture perfect weekend

Leave a reply

As Ry squeezed my shoulder, requesting “1 more minute” last night at bedtime, I settled back in and reflected on our weekend.

A slight smile came across my face and a relaxed, happy sigh escaped.

The weekend started out with Rylee and I heading into town to pick up my brother and hit up the Farmer’s Market, a park and the grocery store. Andy helped his dad with a shelving project in his garage. Later that night, we met Andy in town and headed over to my aunt’s house for a family dinner. Sunday, Andy mowed down the weeds the lawn. We spent some great time with family, laughing a lot and eating really good food {don’t worry, the recipe will be here later in the week!}. We picked a lot of blackberries. We played donkey balls ladder ball. On Monday, after everyone left, Andy, Rylee and I went for one last Summer ride in the Cruiser.

It was relaxed.

It really was picture perfect.

But, instead of rushing for the camera to capture that moment at “just the right time” I didn’t even break out the camera. I found myself leaving my phone in the house. I just enjoyed our last days of Summer. As a family. And it was perfect.

What about you? How was your holiday weekend?

*******


While you’re here…you should click on over to an awesome new blog called “Liberating Working Moms” and check out my guest post! It’s about that dreaded “mom guilt” so many moms feel when going to work…or should I say, my lack of guilt. It felt good to get it out in the open!

Go ahead…take it for a spin.

2 Replies

Welcome to my shiny new blog!! What do ya think so far??

Feel free to click around, check things out…kick the ole tires.

Here’s some things you will notice:

1. Our very own URL! We’ve dropped Little Miss Rylee and now we’re “Somewhere in the Middle”. Things have changed since that very first blog post and I’m happy with where we’ve ended up. Don’t worry, there will still be plenty of 3-year-old antics to share!

2. An obvious one is the look. Just keeping it fresh.

3. It’s a work in progress. There will be new (!) things (!) here and there as I get settled in.

Here’s some other things:

1. Andy went back to work on Monday. Summers are never long enough. We’re transitioning back into our school year routine.

2. We’re headed into product launch season at my work…always my favorite time of year, but also the craziest. So, just be prepared for that.

3. Rylee has decided as of the last week that instead of waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom that she’ll just sleep through all of that and wake us up once she’s already gone…in her bed. So…yea…

4. All those things combined? Yea, it means we’re all tired in our house.

So I guess that’s it for now…

We’ll return to our regularly scheduled blogging tomorrow!

Camping One-Liners/Notes on Camping/Alternative Post Titles

7 Replies
Oregon Girls Rock. {period}

Because who doesn’t love not one, but THREE{!} giant, swollen mosquito bites on their face!?
I can make a fire with twigs and moss. Can you?
Up with the sun…and my ass hole dog.
Nothing beats a quiet morning, the crackling of a campfire, the rush of a stream and a hot cup of coffee.

Ry thinks napping while camping is for the birds…suckers.
{AKA} This must be why people don’t take their kids camping until they’re {much} older.

Nothing like rushing water to help you sleep…and make you have to pee.
OFF! Spray: An undiscovered aphrodisiac. {Actually, I lied. It’s not. At ALL.}
Are you going to bury my poop so Dante doesn’t eat it?
I’m practically a pro at peeing outside. No really, you’d be impressed.
Rylee? Doesn’t so much have the hang of peeing outside—good thing we packed extra pants.
This year we scaled back and left the triple burner camp stove with BBQ box & griddle attachments at home. {Never again.}
Is camping without s’mores really camping?
Clearly, camping is ROUGH for a husky-wolf dog.
Who knew brushing your teeth outside could be SO! MUCH! FUN!
Baby wipes: not a very good alternative to a shower—but better than nothing.
He was not give the nickname Ranger Rice for nothing.
I am better at rolling sleeping bags than my husband. And for this I thank my father.
Nothing measures the effectiveness of your communication as a couple better than putting up a tent together.
I must be immune to Poison Ivy because after further inspection I’m pretty sure I’d been peeing on it all weekend.
Ice for the cooler: $4.75 Gas for the Suburban: $75.00 Seeing your 3 year old catch her first fish: PRICELESS

Unplugging is good for the soul.