My Family Vacation!

A month behind

Bad mommy. Bad bad mommy. My summer has been pretty crazy. In a good way though! Lots and lots of photo stuff and lots of friends and family. I am going to try to start where I left off and catch up. I have been pretty bad and taking pics of my own kids lately, need to remember to do that!
My mommy came just about a month ago. It was so nice having them around, the kids loved it. Of course, when I was hoping for the most perfect weather ever to try to persuade them more to move home, the weather was pretty much crap the whole time they were here. Raining, cold, if it wasn't cold it was super humid. I mean come on, Mother Nature was not working with me on that one.


Even though the weather could have been better, we pretended like it was all fine and dandy. We still got out and did some fun things. We went over to Fawn-Doe-Rosa, which was Ada's first time.


I had a wedding on that Saturday. My mom and Bruce went up to my Aunt's cabin that day and our little family unit went up Sunday (Father's Day). On our way up we hit up this little go-cart place we have stopped at quite a few times before.




My aunt's cabin is such a nice get away.



That Monday was my little big boy's 4th birthday! I have a 4 year old! I remember not too long after James was born trying to imagine having an older child. One that talked and walked and ate real food. It seemed so far off at the time. It was so unimaginable. That time is here now, I have this amazing child. He knows so much and he surprises me every day. I feel like the luckiest person in the world with these two beautiful, healthy children.
On his birthday, we did a little fishing in the morning off the dock.

Ate a little lunch, then the boys took James out on the boat to fish for a while. My mom, Ada, and I set up a little surprise party while they were out.

Ahhh, his little surprised face was so priceless. He knew it was his birthday, but he was so so surprised for the little party.





The cabin time came and went way too quickly. Soon it was the day we had to drive to the airport. This also happened to have been the most beautiful day out of the whole trip, of course.

Hopefully they will be back real soon, and hopefully there won't be a driving them to the airport!!! My fingers are crossed.

Say What!?

I am a crappy blogger and photographer to my family and friends. This past week was spent with lots of friends and family. Guess what gang? Pretty sure I took about 5 pictures the whole time. I am sitting here kicking myself...what the heck is my problem? The pictures I am posting were mostly taken by Auntie JJ and Grampy McP. So kuddos to you guys for capturing something from the last week! Good grief! I have had numerous family get-togethers, a wedding, a shower, and lots of other fabulous photo opportunities. FAIL! I get a big FAT FAIL!!! Aside from my failure, I will fill you in on what this last week was all about.

My dad and Vicki came into town and finally met Ada! We went to a little BBQ at Vicki's parent's house. And just to mention, on this particular day, I am pretty sure it was about 150 degrees with and humidity of 1000. I may be exaggerating just a tad. Needless to say, it was FREAKING HOT!

My pops and I. This blog post will probably be the most you will ever see of me since I was hardly ever behind the camera. I suck.

Oh, and Caleb and I finally got hitched :) We had a little ceremony and dinner on 8/9/10!

My lovely sis and I.

Erika and Ada at the dinner after the wedding ceremony.

A family pic :)

My new hubby!

My mom, Bruce, and I went out to the Mall of America and took James on some rides. He really liked them! We also went to Ikea after, but I don't want to talk about it. Right Bruce? :)

James and Sponge Bob!

The whole week was great, fun, special, full of love, and more, that words can't explain. I sit here all alone (with my kids of course). It feels very weird since I have been surrounded by people for so long. Everyone is DEEPLY missed already. What I am basically saying is: TO ALL OF YOU WHO I LOVE SO MUCH AND ALL LIVE OUT OF STATE: THE GREAT STATE OF MINNESOTA IS CALLING YOUR NAME. IT IS TIME TO CONSIDER MOVING. YOUR KIDS, GRAND KIDS, NIECE AND NEPHEW, SISTER AND NEWLY BROTHER MISS YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND WANT YOU MORE IN THEIR LIVES!!! No guilt trip here at all :)

Happy Birthday Erika!!! /AZ recap

I would have posted this yesterday, but my computer was being weird and wouldn't let me.

Happy Birthday Erika...err, um yesterday!! We love and miss you!

Thank you mama, Bruce, Erika and Dean for everything you did for us when we were down there! Thank you Thank you Thank you!

And now for the AZ vaca recap...

There was the plane, which included lots of stickers...

There was a Grampy and excitement from watching airplanes...

There was a boy, some dirt, and his wagon...

There were little friends...

There was scattered water bottles...

There was THIS...The special event that happened which I previously wrote about here and here. My mom and Bruce finally got married! I had to keep it on the down low for a bit, just until she told everyone! Congrats to The McPs!

Then there was some yummy food after the ceremony at Bobby Q's..

There was some sweaty kids at the zoo...and lots of fun the whole time and lots of this...

Chillin in AZ...or would it be Sweatin in AZ?

It actually hasn't been too hot here, for Arizona at least. It has been really nice just hanging out with my mom and Erika. The week has gone too fast, as I already have to go back to good 'ol Minnesota on Sunday. We are going to be doing something very special this afternoon, I can't say what as of right now, but will elaborate more once I am able too.
One thing I have realized since being down here is that I NEED a Cosco in my area. I love Cosco. That has been one of my favorite things to do since being down here. Not even buying stuff, just looking at all of the fun and different bulk sized things at really good prices. I need one.

I am too lazy right now to spiff up these pics, so these are pretty much just straight out of camera shots...photography police, please don't come take me away.

James should feel like a movie star by now, this is what the majority of my vacation has entailed. LOL! Golly we are goofs. My mom took this picture, so she had her camera out too. James was playing in the dirt and apparently we all felt the need to catch this in photos. :)

Gonna be in AZ gotta take some pics of a cactus, right?

Arizona flower

James on a walk we took

My mom and James next to, what else, a cactus!

vacation, birthday, picture overload

I am finally back to blogging! My mom just left this morning :( My sister and Dean are here until Wed, then all of the fun will be over! We had an awesome past week! We were up at my aunt Amy's beautiful cabin most of last week. We came home Friday, got ready for James' b-day party, and had a very nice little party with family on Sat. I could not have asked for a better time. The weather thankfully cooperated and it was beautiful the whole time my mom was here. I am going to add some pics and try not to put too many up. I downloaded pics from my camera, and my sister's camera and it was close to 700 pictures!! She is a little crazy when it comes to the camera too!

Here is Amy's beautiful cabin, I could easlily live there :)

Here is our little family...
James on a little walk through the woods in his new Maclaren Volo Stroller. It was a birthday present from his Grammy!!! THANKS GRAMMY!
My mama and Bruce
Grammy and James
James playing in the lake for the first time. He LOVED it. He kept wanting to run right in, he got very mad at me when I wouldn't let him!

My sister Erika and I.

James with his delicious first cupcake at his birthday party.

He definatly got the hang of it!

James and Caleb swinging at the park where his birthday party was! I am SO thankful it was absolutly beautiful out!

Uncle Dean and Auntie Erika!