Happy Birthday Micah Cordon!

Today is a special day. Today my best friend in the whole world turns 33! I am so grateful for Micah and for the man and husband that he is and continues to strive to become each day! And I am also excited that this year he will get to become a father too! I am really looking forward to entering parenthood by his side! I know he will be the best dad that our children could ever hope for!


His first birthday that we spent together we drove to NC to see some of his relatives, and later in the month I organized a family party for him (this is the day that I made my very 1st home made cake...sorry we don't have pictures of it, but here is the cake from NC).

On his second birthday that we were together we decided to go out to dinner together and I made him a chocolate cake with whipped topping in our Pampered Chef mixing bowl, however when we got home from dinner that evening we were both too stuffed to try some. We got ready for bed, and then around 11pm we strolled into the kitchen and decided to dig in!




My parents also cooked Micah a yummy birthday dinner that year that we got to go over and enjoy a few days into September! (This is a tradition that they try to do with each of their children and their significant others....a great one if I do say so myself, as we LOVE going over for dinner, and birthday dinners are always extra special!!)

(Kim Brown's Birthday Brownies)

Last year, on his 3rd birthday that we were together, we spent the whole day in Washington DC getting our Visas for our trip to India! Our memorable journey to India began for us one year ago today:) Afterwards we ate lunch at a nearby restaurant, compliments of our friend, Raman. Then we were able to go back to his Mom's house for a family party. We had a really nice time being together with a lot of family!

(With our passports and Visas to India)

(Party at the Grays, complete with ice-cream cake)

This year as his birthday is on Sunday we started celebrating it back on Wednesday! As I have mentioned in a previous post we LOVE to celebrate!! Micah got to take cookies to work on Wednesday, receive a special mid-day treat (from me) on Thursday, enjoy a GREAT trip to Busch Gardens on Friday with me, Mommers and Dooders (look for a post next week on that trip!) and then yesterday we went to see Batman the Dark Knight, and out to dinner at the Blue Ridge cafe in Ruckersville!!!

Celebrating Micah's 33rd Birthday at Busch Gardens Williamsburg!!

I am so grateful to have Micah by my side and to get to celebrate everything with him throughout eternity! He is such a wonderful person, and a great example to me! I learn so much by watching him and living with him each and every day! You are amazing Micah Cordon, thanks for choosing to spend an eternity of birthdays with me!! I love you with all of my heart!!

Best of Both Worlds!

It's not often, and I am sure it will be even less and less often as our family grows, that we are able to achieve the "best of both worlds" in one evening to satisfy both of our needs for excitement and adventure. But last night we did!!

We have had the movie, Transformers, from Netflix for about a week and a half, and just have not been able to squeeze in 2 hours to watch it ~ and every day or so Micah would bring it up and how we needed a whole evening to do it. (A whole evening is kind of hard to find sometimes, ya know?) We were supposed to watch it Saturday evening but our day was so filled that by the time we got home at 9pm I didn't think I could even stay awake through the previews, so we postponed it again.

But last night was THE NIGHT! Our plan was to watch the movie no matter how long it took. Well, during the day, I was looking for peach recipes, since we have so many now that are ripening quickly, and I found one for Peach Freezer Jam (on our friend Julee's food blog, given to her by Erin). It looked simple and easy! I was sold! I went to WalMart and Kroger yesterday at my lunch to pick up a few items we needed to make the jam, and then last night Micah and I (intermingled with watching Transformers and stoppping for breaks) also took on the adventure of making our very first homemade Peach Jam together!

When the process was complete, we were both so amazed at how easy it was to do! I am so grateful for these times that we have for having fun together and trying new things! And I know it will get even more exciting and eventful over the years as our family grows!! Families truly are forever, and this is a knowledge that I am so grateful for!!

Transformers, the movie (for those of you who are like me and really prefer chick flicks, this movie is really not bad. There is a semi-love story involved and it is not even between 2 transformers:))

Here we are with our very 1st batch of homemade peach freezer jam!!! ( If you are interested in the recipe you can find it on the blog on the right labeled "Julee's Food", once you get there just scroll down the other yummy recipes and you will find this one!!)

The Apple Orchard & The Lake

Saturday was a very full day of family, yummy food and memorable moments! We got up early and headed in to Mommers and Dooders (a.k.a. Kim and Keith) for a yummy breakfast of french toast, eggs, and sausage gravy! We had to get our energy in for the busy day ahead of us!!


Mom and Keith had the idea that we should all head up to Carter's Mountain first ~ so we did! It was probably one of the last weekends for us to pick peaches this season, and luckily it is also the beginning of apple picking season ~ so we got to do both!!


The weather was perfect (check out the amazing clouds in the background of these pictures) and the orchard was beautiful! I haven't been there since I was really young. I remember we used to go to Carter's Mountain on School field trips. And Micah had never been, so it was a new experience for him! Mommers and Dooders even treated us to a bag of peaches and a bag of apples, so that was really nice!! On the way out they also got us grape slushees - so yummy on a warm summer day! I think some of the funnest moments at Carter's Mountain were when we got to climb the ladders to get some of the peaches (I think everyone climbed up except Mom and Ellie)! It was fun to get to watch everyone else and get pictures of them, then it was FINALLY my turn:) I can't believe Micah and Dooders actually let me climb, being 20 weeks pregnant with their child/grandchild but I am glad they were able to put their fears aside and just hold the ladder (and me at moments too!).

After we picked peaches and apples until our hearts were content ( I am excited to try out some new recipes that I found on http://just1morebite.wordpress.com/ our friend Julee's new recipe blog this week, I think tonight I am going to start with peach jam (for the 1st time ever)!!

We hopped back in our vehicles and headed to our friend's house so that we could fish and play in the river! Even though it was getting a little warm by this point, it was still a really nice day to be down by the river! Micah enjoyed skipping rocks (he really is a pro!) and I had fun doing a little bit of fishing, even though the fish were not biting my line AT ALL - must have been my stance or my lack of patience for the sport, I don't know.

It was an all-around great day ~ Thanks Josh and Ellie for coming down this weekend and giving us an extra reason to get together and have some fun! Come again soon!! Here are some pictures from our eventful Saturday....................

Being Silly ~ Couldn't pass up a Kodak Moment!!

~Micah, my little monkey, climbing up the ladder to get us some peaches~

Yay! It was finally my turn! Seeing the world from a different perspective!!

~ Posing for a Picture Amidst the Apple Trees in the Orchard ~

Dooders and I Down By the River doing a little fishin'

~ This is the stance of a pro-rock skipper~

On your Marks....Get Set.... The Race is On~Josh, Dooders, Mommmers and Micah putting their rock skipping skills to the test ~ look at all the different techniques!
We hope that everyone is enjoying their summer as much as we are!

Coupon Shopping!!

This blog is for our posterity's sake to mark the day that I started coupon shopping in hopes of saving our family's hard earned money. It seems like a worthwhile activity especially since grocery prices have increased!!
I have been cutting coupons for about a month now ~ given to me by some of the people that I work with ~ and last night my mom took ME coupon shopping for the very first time. I mean, she used to drag me from store to store all the time when I was younger, but this was the first time that I actually went looking to save OUR money!!
It was definitely a new experience, and not nearly as boring as I had imagined. We went to Kroger, and I ended up getting $35.20 worth of groceries for only $18.24 (a total savings of $16.96)!! I scanned a copy of my receipt, but it is kind of hard to see without clicking on it for a larger version. I was very excited for my first time as a coupon shopper! My favorite deal was that we got Pert Plus Shampoo for only$1, regular price of $6.89 (being on sale AND having a coupon really pays off!!).
I just have to say that I will definitely be going again, and by the time our little baby arrives I will be able to save our grocery bill from skyrocketing!

Mom's Birthday Bash~~August 18th!

Dooders managed to organize and execute a wonderful "Surprise" birthday for Mom! Although it wasn't a total suprise, at least she didn't know that so many of her close friends would show up! And you know us, we LOVE to celebrate, so we had a GREAT time! Yummy Food, Awesome Company, Delicious Cake with Whipped Cream icing and definitely a great reason to "blog".
So many people came. Although it was a bit crowded inside it was definitely a good time had by all. That is definitely one of the benefits of being a part of such a large family ~there are so many birthdays to celebrate!
I am so thankful for a Heavenly Father who loves us and knows us well enough to surround us with so many people that love and support each other. It is such a strength to see and be a part of it. We are definitely blessed!
I am grateful that my mom was the reason for us to celebrate this week! Yay for birthdays and Yay for Moms!

Mom thinking about her Birthday Wish!

~ She LOVED reading her birthday cards this year, there were even one or two that got her a little teary eyed~
Of Course we can't have a Great night like this without a Memorable Family/Friends Picture!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

Today, August 18th, is my mom's birthday, so I thought it would be appropriate to dedicate a post to her! My mom has been one of my best friend's throughout my life. For the first part of my life it was just me and her ~ she was a single parent who worked full time. I am sure it had to be tough (even though I am sure I was always an angel:)) But she did a great job, I never wanted for anything. She took care of all of my needs and even some of my wants!


Mom has always been there for me ~ to listen to me and to love me no matter what. She has cleaned up my messes, taken me on vacations, and taken me to Kings Dominion almost every year of my life. We were even baptized on the same day! She has always been there to amuse me and to make me laugh, help me through school (and I am sure that was one of her greater challenges!), watch me search for and find my eternal companion (which I am sure wasn't always easy to do as there were many tears shed and "why me's?" along the way), and teach me about how to be a good mom!



I am so grateful to her for her constant love and care. She has always done such a great job of making sure that I am well taken care of. And even now, I will go meet her during lunch for a walk and she will bring me nectarines or buy me something from the grocery store that she thinks we might need:) But most importantly she is always there to support my, and Micah's, decisions whether or not she agrees that they are the best ones for us!



I am so thankful to get the opportunity to celebrate her birthday with her today! I love you Mom!



Now for some pictures that span through the years........

Just a few months after I was born

Us again on one of our many hikes up Hump Back Rock ~ Of course one of my baby dolls had to come along!!
Enjoying the Hobby Horses together at Kings Dominion!!
1990 ~ With Elder Brown, one of our favorite missionaries, not too long before we were baptized! Being Silly at Christmas Time ~ 1997
Having Fun with Emma and Luke ~ 2003
My Wedding Day~At the Washington D.C. Temple~ December 16, 2005

December 17, 2006 ~ The Day I graduated with my Bachelor's Degree from Old Dominion

University

April 8, 2008!~Here we are enjoying Breakfast at Shoney's in Waynesboro, VA on my 28th Birthday! (One of our many traditions)

Happy Happy Birthday Mom ~ Micah and I love you so much!!!

Home on a Saturday

I haven't had any weird cravings or aversions since I have been pregnant, but I certainly have been more excited about blogging, hence another day of 2 posts!!
Today was our first Saturday at home in several weekends, so once we got up we ate a yummy breakfast of chocolate chip banana pancakes, cooked by Micah, and then we wrote out our list of things to accomplish today! And that was a good thing; however, shortly after that I got in a bit of a funky mood, you know sort of melancholy (where you want to do something and you just don't know what and you feel just a bit sad). That put our list on hold for a while. Micah is such a great husband, he was there to talk to me and let me cry on his shoulder for a while. We finally decided on a plan ~ we decided to work outside a little since it was a gorgeous day and the weather was perfect...we weeded our garden and pruned our tomato plants AGAIN!
Then after we were all done, we came inside and had some leftovers for dinner and then we started our date night! That always makes things go better:) We had a coupon for a buy one get one free blizzard from DQ ( I got Snickers and Micah got Girl Scout Thin Mint) and then we went to Movie Gallery to get a FREE movie (tonight we will be watching The Bucket List) and now we are all ready for bed and are going to get cozy on the couch for a movie night ~ a perfect way to celebrate our 32 month anniversary (I told you we were big on "Special Days")!!
Here are a few pictures from our yard work adventures outside!!!!

Our Butterfly Bush before the "Pruning"

Micah with the Wonderful Lopping Shears that Made My Job SO MUCH easier today!!!

Our Butterfly Bush NOW (after The Lopping Shears and I got a hold of it! Trust me, it will grow back in no time!!)

If you look closely you can see the panty hose that we use to help prune and secure our tomato plants (it was an idea that we borrowed from my step-mom, that is what she uses on all of her tomato plants and seriously they work like a charm!!) Micah weeding our garden (He is behind our basil plant and 2 of the cherry tomato plants that sprouted about a month ago on their own!!) We are really enjoying our Garden!

Micah and the Monster Burger

We had Mommers and Dooders over for dinner last night ~ we had a really enjoyable evening! We had HUGE hamburgers on the George Forman Grill (which Mema gave to us about a year ago ~ and we use it all the time!), chips, and Dooders made his famous baked beans! They also brought pound cake for dessert. I had to post this picture because I thought it was a great shot of Micah! (I was a little bummed that the picture I took just after this one didn't show up on our camera ~ it was him attempting to take the first bite of the huge burger! A great moment to witness).
Luckily after dinner (and getting all the dishes loaded in the dishwasher:)) my parents stayed to go on a walk with us! The weather was nice, although a bit humid. It was a nice evening and a great double-date night!!!
We are going to be spending today baking bread, cleaning and washing clothes, and tidying up our flower bed/garden outside ~ and of course picking tomatoes....since we have about 1o plants now!! Hope everyone is going to enjoy the weather this weekend and get some much needed things accomplished....whether that be cleaning, baking, relaxing, or traveling and visiting!! Keep Smiling and please keep in touch. If you are reading this we would LOVE to hear from you. Leaving a comment is easy ~ simply click on comments and then go down and click the anonymous button in the bottom right, and when you are done commenting, click publish:)

My Handsome Husband & His Monster Burger!!

19 Weeks!!

Today we reached our 19 week mark! It is so hard to believe that we have been pregnant for that long already. Time sure does fly!
We also got to go to our next doctor's appointment today. It was a pretty normal visit ~ they weighed me (gotta love that part!), took my blood pressure, a sample and we got to hear our little one's heart beat again! (We would have recorded it again, but when we got there we realized that our batteries were dead in our MP3 player). The baby's heartbeat sounded great though. That is by far my favorite part, because at this point I am still not feeling movements on a regular basis, so it's extra nice to be able to get those real reminders that our little baby is doing well!!
We should get a call in a couple of days to have our ultra sound scheduled for sometime during the first week of September. The doctor was telling us a little about it, and it sounds like it will definitely be an amazing experience! We are really excited about it, and we are also excited to enjoy each milestone of this pregnancy together!!
Our Heavenly Father has blessed us tremendously and it is overwhelming to think about at times, but it is another strong reminder that He is aware of us individually and knows our desires and our needs, and fulfills them at the appropriate times in our lives.

Me at 19 Weeks ~ by the baby's crib!!

Another shot from the other side of the room!! Do you like the wall color~ we are hoping to keep it whether we have a boy or a girl!

On the Road Again!!

We have wrapped up another weekend of traveling and spending time with family! This weekend Micah and I took the opportunity to travel down to Greensboro, North Carolina to visit with his maternal grandparents (Granny and Poppy). It was a very nice trip and we are so glad that we finally took the opportunity to go! We haven't been in 3 years! The last time we were there (and the first time I went down) was 3 years ago exactly!

We were able to get a lot of visiting in, which was nice. We had a family lunch at the nursing home with his grandparents, his mom, all his brothers and sisters, and his aunts and uncles and his cousin Jess was also there. Lunch was good, but the best part was being able to be all together with so many members of our family that we don't get to be in contact with much on a regular basis!

Saturday evening, we all made it out to dinner together (with the exception of his grandparents). That was nice treat! We were so stuffed when we got back to our hotel that evening that we couldn't even go down to swim with everyone else, which was too bad, but hopefully we will have other opportunities in the future!

Also, after our big meal Saturday evening I was able to feel the baby moving quite a bit, which is always a nice treat! I am sure there was so much food in my tummy that the baby was competing for space, but either way the baby was definitely moving around!! I think that was one of the first times I have felt movement when I haven't been laying down really still, so that was a new experience!!

On Sunday we headed for church and back to say good-bye to everyone before we headed back to Ruckersville. Our trip home was pretty smooth, uneventful, and I was able to get a good nap in while Micah, being the dedicated husband and daddy-to-be, drove all the way! That was our weekend in a nutshell!

Us with Granny and Poppy at Brighton Gardens!!

Oh and as a side note we get to go to our next doctor's appointment this coming Thursday, August 14th! This should be a regular visit, but we will get to schedule our ultra sound this time ~ we think it is going to be some time in the 1st week of September, but we will be sure to keep everyone "posted" on that as we find out!! Can you believe we are already 18 and a half weeks along, we are going to take our 18 week picture soon and we will probably post that too!

Celebrating 3 Years Since.......

Today, August 8th, marks 3 years since Micah asked me to be his for eternity! What a wonderful and memorable day that was for both of us! I remember it was a Monday, and Micah had stayed in Charlottesville an extra day. So he came to my parents' house and picked me up and dropped me off to work that morning (I was working at the Paramount Theatre in Downtown Charlottesville at the time). I hesitated to have him take me to work, because I knew that our view of time was a little different. So I knew there was a good chance that I would be waiting around a little while for my lunch break and for my ride home at the end of the day but I didn't care too much, because my Prince Charming (for some reason) had decided to stay in town with me an extra day, so I was happy!

Well lunch time came and I knew we were going to eat at a park nearby. So my lunch hour came and I recieved a call that Micah was running a little behind schedule, so I waited as I also watched my lunch hour pass on by and no Micah, luckily I had a pretty flexible job. I recieved a call from him, that he was running a little late ~ if I recall correctly he was about an hour late to get me for lunch. But again, I was with Micah so it was okay:) We ate lunch, it was a pretty warm day at the park, but we had a blanket under the shade so it was nice! Then he took me back to work and I re-iterated to him that I got off at 5 o'clock:) And he assured me that he would be there. Well 5 o'clock came and went and no Micah. Finally about 5:30 I got a call from him saying he was "running late" but he hoped to be there shortly. I had my suspicions that he might be up to something, but didn't think too much of it. Of course the later he was the more I thought.

Finally when he picked me up I saw Chocolates in the back of his car. So I started to get a little excited that today might be the BIG DAY. So all the way home, I kept thinking "Oh maybe he is going to turn here" or "Maybe here", but no we went right back to my parents' house for dinner. My parents were nice enough to wait. They had a suprised look on their face, but I flashed my ring finger to them (when Micah wasn't looking) to let them know there was "No Ring Yet". So then I thought, well maybe at dinner. So we sat through dinner and still no mention of anything unusual. When we got up it was almost time to for us to head out for a church activity. If we had left then we would have been perfectly on time (something I rarely ever am) so I was excited at the possibility. So Micah and I went to brush our teeth and he kept looking at me with his cute little puppy dog eyes and saying "Are you sure we don't have any time to relax just for a few minutes, I just want to give you a back scratch and talk for a minute?" He knows I am a sucker for a back scratch - it doesn't matter what time of day it is - so I consented. We sat on the couch and he gave me a quick back scratch while I was flipping through a random sale paper (as I had given up all hope at this point of a proposal today). I said, "Well if you want to talk go ahead". So he starts telling me how he loves me and I agreed that I loved him to, and how he wanted to spend eternity with me. This wasn't new talk for us so I continued to agree with him until I noticed that he was fumbling a little and his voice started to shake as he whispered in my ear, "And for Eternity, I choose you." As I turned to look at him he was holding out a ring! All I remember after that (as I was shaking) was repeating "yes, yes, yes, yes!". It was such a happy moment in life.

I love moments like these that help us remember the real reasons that we are here. I am thankful that we have a loving Heavenly Father who knows each of us individually and knows what we need and when we need it. I needed to have Micah in my life, and I am so glad that my Heavenly Father knew that too! He is so amazing and I am so glad to be celebrating 3 years of "engagement" with him today! I love you honey, more than you even know! You are my best friend and I am so excited that we have shared so many wonderful memories together, and I am excited for all of the Memory Making Moments that We have Awaiting Us!!

August 8, 2005~Just Moments after the Proposal ~ As you can tell our looks of amazement and relief are still with us!!

After we told My Parents, We went outside for a few more photos!
Dooders and Us ~ He is excited to be Gaining Another Son!!!
Mom was thrilled for us and has been ever since, she is always there to help us out when we need it!

"Tag" game of "3's"

Micah here. You can thank Holly for begging me to complete this survey that someone has been calling a game. If it is a game for you, don't let me take away the fun.

3 joys

1. Being married to my sweet-heart, Holly Marie Gray.
2. Reading the scriptures first thing in the morning.
3. Anticipating becoming a dad.

3 fears

1. That I might sabotage my own succeed.
2. Diapers, diapers, and more diapers.
3. That I am missing out on all the fun.

3 Obsessions/Collections

I don't collect things, but I have several obsessions:
1. Minimizing my negative impact on my surroundings.
2. Hanging on to magazines because I haven't read them.
3. Brushing my teeth right after I eat.

3 goals

I have none at present. But I guess I'll take this guilt trip/opportunity to put my visions and unwritten plans into writing.
1. Compose and record my first song next month.
2. Retire by age 35. Quit my job and do what I really love.
3. Be the means of bringing some soul unto Christ.

3 Facts about Me

1. I love athleticism, martial arts, dance, and gymnastics.
2. I am patient.
3. Though it is regretful, I have a proud heart.

Since I don't believe in propogating "games" that I would rather pass up, I am going to break the rules and not tag anyone else.

Fun with 3s!!

I love these types of Games of Tag! I never was really good at the actual game of tag when I was younger and I haven't tried recently because, honestly, running just isn't my forte and running while pregnant sounds like NO FUN AT ALL, again just me and my opinion!!

Now for the game, I have been "tagged" by 2 people now, and so I guess it is my turn to post and tag!! Ready or not here we go!!!

(As a side note: Micah has also been tagged by one of our friends - not that he knows it yet - I am going to try to get him to play this game tonight, so if he is willing and able stay tuned for his answers later tonight or in the morning!!)





How To Play This Game of Tag:


Post these rules on your blog. List: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog!


3 joys

~ I am thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The truths and blessings that I know and have recieved by my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are innumerable! I love to read the Scriptures (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine & Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price) and I enjoy my own personal scripture study time as well as the time that Micah and I take to read the scriptures together each morning. I know that these books of scripture are true and I am so thankful to be blessed to have them as a part of my life and my family's life.

~ I am also thankful to have a Worthy Priesthood Holder as my Best Friend and Eternal Companion. I love Micah so much and am so thankful that we get to be an eternal family!! I have so much fun with him, and he always makes me smile! He is going to be the best dad in the world!! He is smart, funny, very ticklish, extremely caring and loves me with all of his heart. What more can a girl ask for?

~ Being Pregnant with our First Child - I am so excited to be a mom and to finally meet our first little baby in just about 4.5 months! Pregnancy has not been a piece of cake for me so far by any means, but I am amazed every day at this wonderful process that occurs to bring our Heavenly Father's children into this world. Heavenly Father is truly the Father of us all and that brings me great joy!!

3 fears

~MICE --- definitely #1, those little furry rodents scare me more than you can possibly imagine, and sometimes I truly think they know that and try to seek me out!!!

~ Driving During Deer Season....when is deer season exactly? All I know is that I was driving home the other day and in broad day light I saw 3 of them cross right out in front of me! We have only been in one deer related accident, but the thought of another one terrifies me!

~ CHANGE --- I hesitate to mention this one, as we are about to experience one of life's BIG changes in about 4 1/2 months!!! But mainly the ones that get me are the ones when you lose friends and loved ones, whether they pass away or move away ~ either one is extremely hard and difficult. Another big change that we will face by the end of this year is a change in our ward and stake boundaries. They are building a brand new church building (it is going to be a stake center) in Charlottesville and I know with that wonderful building means growth and change. Saying good bye to old friends, making new friends, adjustments. Such is life and life does and will move forward, and that is the beauty of it!!

3 Obsessions/Collections

1. Blogging & Blog Hopping - I love it when I find a new friend or an old friend who has decided to join the blogging band wagon!

2. Friends ~ The TV Show~ I used to watch that show faithfully each week and was crushed when the Series ended. Now I found out that it comes on from 5-6 each week night so I get to come home from work and if I plan it right I can watch the episode from 5:30-6!! Love it!

3. Can you believe I am out of obsessions....I have been thinking about it for about 5 minutes now and everything that comes to mind is either scrapbook related, blog related:) Sorry to leave you hanging:)

3 goals

~ To Strive to be a better wife, and be able to meet the needs that Micah has. I want to be sure to always do my best so that he can always feel of the love and appreciation that I have for him! Thanks for being my best friend honey, I LOVE YOU!

~ To Be Able to Keep our Scrapbooks up to date. I love to scrapbook and my goal has always been to do one family album a year and with the help of SHUTTERFLY I have still been able to do that! Scrapbooking is something that is really important to me and between and blogging those are my ways of journaling for our family! So hopefully in the coming months and years I will be able to follow through with this goal!

~ To ride in a Hot Air Balloon!! Seriously this has been on my top 3 list for a LONG TIME! And one day I hope I am able to meet that goal!

3 Facts about Me

~ My favorite food is Macaroni & Cheese - doesn't matter if it is home made or from a box. When I was little and I stayed with my Mema during the day while my mom worked, she would fix mac & cheese for me every day! She would always tell me that I better be careful or I would turn into a macaroni noodle one day! So far, I'm still good!

~ I LOVE my neices & nephews! I have always said that being an Aunt or Uncle is like being a grandparent only in your younger years!! You get to spoil the little angels and send them back home to mommy & daddy for the serious business and discipline:) I guess our days on the other side of this equation are coming soon though!!

~ I actually enjoy the Harry Potter Series! Micah and I started reading the first book over a year ago and have FINALLY made our way to the 4th one! It is hard to imagine, but I am actually enjoying them! And am always looking forward to what happens in the next chapter! Of course (I mentioned this in an earlier post) I do enjoy hearing Micah imitate the different voices ~ Harry, Ron, Hermoine, all the Professors and my favorite is probably Hagrid~ Now who's impressed that I actually remembered all of those names??

That about wraps up my post of 3s! It has been fun and a great opportunity to reflect on the simple pleasures in life and the basic truths that make me who I am! Now I suppose it is my turn to tag 3 people.......Here are my choices:

1. Dooders

2. Katrina

3. Ellie

HAVE FUN!!!

We LOVE to Celebrate!!!

We had another Action-Packed, Fun-Filled Saturday! We got to take another day trip up to NOVA. On this trip we had the opportunity to have lunch at Olive Garden with our friends Raman & Vidhu (they were the couple that invited us to their wedding in India ~ sorry no pics of them this time). After lunch they took us back to their house and we got to see their wedding album and reminisce about their wedding and our time in India ~ Oh the memories!!
Later that evening we were able to go over to Nathan and Sarah's house to Celebrate! This time we were celebrating Mary (aka Mummis) birthday (August 10), Micah's Birthday (August 31st) and Rachel who is about to embark on a new adventure to live in California ~ she is going to try to further her career in Voice Overs.
It was so nice to be all together as a family. It seems like forever since we were ALL able to make it to a gathering on the same day! We had a really nice time. Ruth and Matt made a yummy dinner for us to enjoy (Lasagna, Bread and Green Beans with no salt:)) and then I made the birthday cake ~ which Micah chose a few days earlier (chocolate cake from scratch with whipped cream topping which was a Gray Family Recipe~ and cherry filling in the middle). We were all well fed and grateful to have time to spend together.
Families are such an important part of our Heavenly Father's plan. I know that we are grateful for each of the members of our families and the relationships that we have with them, even though we don't get to spend nearly as much time together as we would like. The time is precious and the memories are great! We are looking forward to making more next weekend as we head down to North Carolina to visit Micah's Grandparents (Mummis' parents).

Here I am Attempting to get the top layer of cake out of the pan! (Thanks Mom for letting us borrow the cake pans and carrier!!)

Uncle Micah Looking Cute with Joseph on his Lap ~ we thought Joseph looked so grown up wearing this shirt! Mummis & Micah Opening Gifts Together!!
Enjoying Couch time with the Girls as Joseph continues to Read!!!
Family Photo ~ Families are Forever! Little Lydia had just been awakened, and the other children were given candy afterwards for changing back out of their pajamas.