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!