5 Years!

Wow!  5 years ago I was sitting wide awake in my hotel room full of my bridesmaids watching the clock hoping one of them would finally wake up and sit with me.  5 years ago the kid I met when I was 15 and I decided to walk down the aisle and start a whole new chapter in our lives.  I'm sitting downstairs writing this as Rob is sleeping in.  I don't know why I'm so in shock that we've been married 5 years, I mean we've been together 13 years.  But a lot sure has happened in the last 5 years.  We bought a house, found out we were going to be parents, decided to move on with jobs, sold a house (not very well), lived in a hotel, lived with my mom, found a small rental, welcomed our little girl into our world, bought a new car, bought another house.  That is just to name a few things.  These two in the picture below didn't know they were about to buckle up for the long haul.  We both thought it would be fun to hang out for a while.  Little did we know 13 years later, 5 years of marriage, 2 houses, and a baby we would still be having the time of our lives.

4/30/99 - What we call our anniversary

Some people think I'm crazy to have been with the same person I've been with half my life.  I think I'm lucky.  I'm lucky that we share a lot of awesome memories together.  I'm lucky that he knows me better then I ever give him credit for.  I'm lucky to have the stability in my life that he brings and I'm lucky to truly be married to my best friend.  Rob and I have had a lot of fun over the years with way too many pictures to count.  But I hope you enjoy a few of the older ones and one of course of our awesome dance from 5 years ago!

Robby, Thank you for everything!  Thank you for always pushing me and then catching me if I fall.  Thank you for always being so laid back and calm when I'm not always that way.  Thank you for always encouraging me to be creative and for pushing me to dream a little bigger (I've never been good at the if we won the lottery game).   Thank you for always wanting to wear sweatpants and watching a movie.  Thank you for dealing with my reality TV addiction. Most importantly thank you for being an amazing Daddy!  I can't wait to see what the next 5 years brings us.  I'm sure it's going to be a lot of fun!!  Love you!

April 2000 - before Rob graduated high school

April 2001 - My junior prom

Our first dance!  Busting a move!

Girls in Kansas City!

I got home last night from a weekend in Kansas City!  7 of us went to celebrate Graham by having her bachlorette party.  Her sister did an amazing job at finding a great hotel and planning some fun events!  We stayed in a hotel in the Power and Light district and were able to walk pretty much everywhere we wanted to go.  4 of us drove down Friday afternoon and were met by 2 more that evening and 1 more on Saturday.  We shared one big suite together and had a blast dancing to music while getting ready.

Here are pictures of us getting ready to go out to sushi Friday night.

Amanda (sister of the bride) and myself ready go to!

Graham (bride) curling her hair and having her first cocktail which I guess was really bad

Steph doing a little last minute ironing

Saturday we started the morning with breakfast and a coffee run.  Then Julie arrived and it was off to the Plaza to go shopping.  Once we got there we realized it was really hot and we only made it to two stores.  Plus Amanda had planned for us to get pedicures together!

Future sister-in-laws hanging out after getting their toes done

The Moms with their bloody marys while being pampered

Well after we got our pedicures somehow they all decided it would be an awesome idea to get tattoos.  Yep you read that right.  Now you all know there was NO way I was going to get one as I am so scared of needles it took me until 20 years old to get my ears pierced.  So after finding a tattoo parlor, and researching it a little off we went to go get tattoos.  Graham and her sister have been planning to get one together for about 5 years so what better weekend to get it done together.  Shannon, Jan, and Julie also got some very cool ones.  Steph and I people watched from the window and followed some wedding goers down an alley to see what the wedding looked like.  The man who did the tattoos for the Rose girls gave me his card and then busted out laughing as he knows if he ever sees me again it will be in the same chair I was sitting in holding someones hand.

Graham about to get her tattoo...only picture I got as I held her hand the rest of the time

 After tattoos we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the night.  We planned on spending the evening in the Power and Light district with dinner, dancing and cocktails.  This Mama was super excited as I haven't got to go to a bar to dance and cut loose in a really long time.  I had a lot of fun.

Shannon and I before we went to dinner

Graham and I

Graham and her cup that I made for her to use

Graham, Steph, and I...we had a blast together as you'll tell from the rest of the pictures

A little bit of dancing while at dinner

Some singing into beer bottles

 After dinner it was off to the bar.  Some how I ended up in a country bar and if you know me I do not like country music.  But I will tell you that I had a really good time.  We may have join some guys who were having a bachelor party.  But we found out they were all from Carroll, IA (SMALL WORLD!) and we all had a blast together.  People watching was so funny, there was a mechanical bull so I'm sure you can only guess what all we saw going on.  Us girls danced and danced and stayed out really late!!

Taking a break from the dancing

Amanda making her way up into the VIP

SISTERS!!!

All in all we had a great time.  Shopping, eating, laughing, and dancing!  Did we all wake up Saturday morning in rough shape?  ABSOLUTELY!  Could Graham and I be heard a few times saying, "I'm too old for this!" You bet!  But I wouldn't have missed it for the world.  I got to spend the weekend with my two adopted families and met a new really great friend.  I'm getting more and more excited for this wedding, it's going to be a really good time!!

Off To The Zoo Again!

Off to the zoo again this weekend and this time we took our friends!!  Paige has been asking to go to the zoo almost everyday since the last time we went.  Every night when we say prayers we ask her what do you want to say thank you for.  Her first two things every night are the zoo and the choo choo train (which is also at the zoo, of course followed up with a random list of people).  Thursday night we were all eating supper Paige asked if we could go to the zoo.  So I called Graham and Pat to see if they wanted to join us.  Saturday morning we all met at the zoo.  The girls were so excited to be there.  We tried to go early to beat the heat, but the heat got us in the end.  Paige loved showing Laek all of the animals and tell her what we were going to see next.  I'm not sure how she remembered where everything was and what we were doing, but she did.  Laek was a little scared of the animals, I think they were just a little too big in real life for her.  Paige proceeded to tell her, "they behind fence" just to let her friend know she was going to be ok.  After the zoo we went home for showers and naps.  Then off to Newton to help with Graham and Pat's wedding invites.  The girls just played and played.  It's so nice having friends who have kids the same age.  Poor Sean is going to get left behind by those girls.  I told him last night you better hope Aunt Nik and Uncle Rob have a boy next time or you are in trouble.

Here are the girls looking at the monkeys

Daddys and their daughters looking at monkeys

Talking to the giraffes

Paigey being a mommy and talking to Sean to get him to smile

This is how I knew my daughter was going to be exactly like me.  She's trying to buckle Laek into her stroller, she's a little mommy.  I think my friends will tell you that is exactly how I am.

Looking at the giraffes with Uncle Pat

She did it!  She actually fed a goat!  We've been around petting zoos I can't tell you how many times and this time she actually did it!

milking a fake cow

Riding the train and she had to sit with Uncle Pat

Our tired little girl.  She stayed awake in the car until 2 mins from our house.  She fell asleep so hard in 2 mins we just put her to bed w/ no lunch.

two very cute little girls and their popsicles after dinner

Visiting Mom at work

Well Rob picked up Paige today early and came to visit me at work! We have an old soap box car in our office and Paige decided to have a seat in it. Then she fell in love with the Mack bulldog by our front door. She cracks me up. Have a good weekend!

Busy Busy

Well we've been our usual busy selves in the summer.  To be honest I haven't taken very many pictures.  Also our laptop broke so it's not as convenient for me to go sit in the basement in our office and blog.  Rob took this entire week off from work and boy am I jealous.  Except for the fact it's so hot outside that he hasn't been able to do all of the stuff he's wanted to do.  We didn't have any real plans for the 4th.  Our friends/neighbors came over Tuesday night and grilled out.  They brought Paige a bomb pop and she was in love!  Then on the 4th, we went to Newton and had lunch with my mom, then off to the farm as I like to call it even though there are no animals.  We were back in Ankeny right after dinner and it was nice to see everyone.  Enjoy our pictures, we hope everyone has been staying cool and out of this nasty weather.  Looks like some relief is on it's way, my fingers are crossed.  Love you guys!!

Paige's New Love

Fast post.  Paige was given a chalkboard for her birthday from Graham and Pat.  Rob finally got it hung on the wall last night.  We hung the buckets I got from IKEA and she is in love!  Keeps her busy and we all love it!!

Graham's Getting Married!!!

Well this weekend was a lot of fun.  As most of you know Graham and I have been best friends since my Sophomore year in high school.  So it was my honor to help host a shower for her with her sister Amanda and soon to be sister-in-law Shannon.  Graham just happens to be marrying my best guy friend Pat.  So basically my two adopted families are joining into one big family!  I had so much fun catching up with everyone and I'm so excited for Graham and Pat.  To say that it all got very real this weekend is an understatement.  It's not everyday that two very important people in your life get married.  Graham and Pat I love you both very much.  Graham, Amanda, and Shannon can't wait for all the upcoming weekends together!

Amanda (Graham's sister) and Graham before opening presents

Graham and I (we were pretty much matching and this is not the first time this has happened)

The bride with the hosts (Me, Amanda, Graham and Shannon) 

Is he not the cutest thing ever!  This is Sean Graham and Pat's son