Santa Cruz Grace Senior Trip

We just got back last Friday night from the GBC High-School Senior Trip w/ the Roughtons. We had the privilege of "chaperoning" for the trip and had a total blast. All of the kids were so awesome. We only knew a couple of the girls a little bit and were so grateful that ALL the kids were very accepting of our little family. We tent camped at New Brighton State Beach in Santa Cruz, CA. I must admit, I was a little nervous tent camping with Cole, as last time we tent camped, Cole did not enjoy it very much. Well, this time was totally cool! Cole did so great and really was a joy to watch run around and look for squirrels and birds. I think he conned each and every one of us to go on a squirrel walk with him at some point in time. On Tuesday, we all hopped in the bus and headed off to "The city" or San Francisco, and shopped around Union Square for a few hours and then headed off to a Giants/Blud Jays baseball game. It was actually Cole's first baseball game ever, sadly to say. I was hoping his first ball game would be a Dodger game, but I'll settle for another CA team. :) And on Thursday, we headed to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk where everyone enjoyed fun rides and amazing weather. It was actually hot there, which is apparently not normal for that area. I was also able to meet up with my cousin, Phillip, who lives in Santa Cruz and graduated from UC Santa Cruz on Sunday with a BA in Business. Congrats again Phil...I am SO proud of you!!! Here are some pictures of the trip. Thanks, Todd & Summer, for asking us to come with you guys, and thanks to all the Seniors for lovin' us!! We love you right back! :)

Most of the group waiting our ride in Union Square, San Francisco

Mike getting his daily wake-up call from Dilley and Eric...

The beautiful city as we are driving in on the Oakland Bay Bridge...

Todd, or "Uncle T" as Cole calls him...

Cool building in Union Square

Cole posing for the camera while waiting for the game to start...

Chillin...with our homeys at the stadium before the game...

Kaitlyn resting in the hot, hot sun before the game started...

Everyone enjoying the ball game...


Cole & Mike at the game...

Kiera & Shannon at the game...

The cool Coke bottle slide at the stadium...

A beautiful flower on 41st Avenue in Santa Cruz...

Mom & Cole in "The City" next to a cable car...

Blaine, Dilley, Matt & Eric waiting for a ball to catch...

Chet (the speaker) and his bro, Mike...

Brad Beers as awesome as ever!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my dad, G-Pop to Cole, to Mike, Daddy to Cole, and to Mike's Dad, Pop-Pop to Cole. I am so very thankful for each of you. Dad, you are an amazing father and grandpa and I'm so grateful that the Lord has given me another Father's Day with you. You have shown me patience, humility, and compassion all my life and I am a better person because of you. Thank you for being the person that you are...my papa!! :) Bob, I am so very thankful for you as well! The Lord has blessed me incredibly with a father-in-law such as yourself and I thank the Lord for you too! You are such a loving, generous, and fun Pop-Pop for Cole to have and to watch you and Cole's eyes light up when you see each other warms my heart immensely. I pray that we have many more Father's Days to celebrate with both of my dads in the future!!! And to Mike, my love. It has been such an amazing journey that the Lord has taken us on...especaially since you have become a father. To watch Cole run and jump in your arms and beg to play Spiderman and to be thrown high up into the air makes me so very happy. And to watch his face when he hears that door open when you come home from work and to see him run into your arms makes me realize how much Cole loves his daddy and what a great one you are!!! The Lord has truly blessed my life with wonderful men and for that I am forever thankful!!!

Here are some cute pictures from Father's Day...

In the morning, we took off with my mom & dad and Brice & Emilie to head down to Travel Town in Griffith Park. We had a blast looking at all the trains and watching Cole run up to all of them. Thanks Mom & Dad for giving us the idea...we had a blast!










After Travel Town, we all headed to Brian & Lindsay's house for a BBQ & Pool Party with the Koegle Family! Thanks guys for an excellent lunch/dinner and for the fun times!









I think Brice is almost as far along as Lindsay!!! :)


And last, but not least, Happy 26th Birthday to Katy...Katy turned 26 on June 19th and we celebrated her birthday with everyone at the Koegle's on Father's Day. Hope your day was awesome, Katy-Bug. We love you...Here's a cute pic of Katy, Ashlyn & Cole blowing out the candles on the cake.

Our New House...

Finally...so here are some pictures of our new home. We are renting for now, so bear with me on the white walls...we're not sure if we want to put forth the effort to paint if we are going to only be in here 1 year. But so far, we really like it. It's starting to feel like home, slowly but surely. I LOVE having a backyard with flowers and birds! And, as you can see, the place has lots of room for Cole to go crazy in! Enjoy...and come over to see the house in person when you can! We'd love to have you over...just call! :)

Our purty backyard! Yay for tiki torches and bbqs in the summertime! :)




Our master bedroom...


Our living room...

Coley's room...


So Mike finally has an office...


Here is our GIGANTIC kitchen and dining room/breakdance room...


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And here is our enclosed patio that Mike has fondly labed our W.T. room...


That's about it...it does have 2 bathrooms...but they are too small to even photograph. :) And also, one nice long hallway in which my husband runs at break-neck speed and slides on Pergo flooring all the way to the front door! :) Boys will ALWAYS be boys. :) We are enjoying our house and are so thankful that the Lord provided us this beautiful home, just in the nick of time. :)