Ready to road trip...

We are  leaving around 3:00 am tomorrow morning to road trip it to Sacramento.  We've told all the kids they can only take minimal amounts of clothing, and to each pack a small bag of fun stuff to help occupy them for the drive(s).  Of course, Emma and Trinity have given me the most slack - coordinating outfits, hair accessories, shoe options - puhleeze!  Strict orders... we will see if they can comply.  They have brainstormed (threatened) to stow their contraband clothing inside their "small bags" if they leave extra room.  Gotta love the outside-the-box thinking :) 

The title...

The title of this blog is one of RT's patented sayings "calm it down..." in his dreamy deep voice that I love so much...
Although it's usually not directed at the kids...
:)

Hey there.

I'm ready to blog again.  So much has happened the past year, so many happy things, that I'm ready to start documenting my(our) life to remember :)  Now that isn't to say that I have scrapbooked... sadly. But I have been keeping up on pictures and pocketing little mementos of this year to eventually fill up my(our) Project Life album.  I started out strong with weekly layouts, but petered out quickly - and have peacefully resigned myself to making monthly layouts.  You see, my little family of two has blossomed into a family of six :)  Emma and I have been blessed to find and love RT, Nick, Trinity and Ian.  Ready for pictures?  Here we go....

Christmas moustaches for everyone!

My first tattoo... damn it hurt!

Emma has a new Sis ;) - she's technically 11, but intellectually about 32 :)

We've played a lot of Guitar Hero.

We ride bikes and scooters around the neighborhood a lot!

Ian is has the best eye rolls around... he was hiding them under his cap this day :)

We've had a lot of food fights incidents - this was a pancake war.

Last December in Idaho.

Helping Ian make a Valentine's box for school - the kids love my craft room :)

San Juan Islands for RT's birthday in February.

Lots of trampoline fun, even at night:)

Emma gets a new little brudder :)

So cute.

Sounders soccer with my girl.

Mini golf for Ian's 7th birthday.

Fire pit and ribs in the backyard. Lots of s'mores the past 9 months.

We planted a garden... everything was consumed by the pumpkins and zucchini.

Jello pudding cones for Nick's birthday.

Indoor rock climbing. Tons of fun.

My beloved.

Trinity's 11th party.

Slip-n-slide fun in the backyard over the summer...

They have introduced dirt bikes and ATV's to Emma and me.

First family vacation to Seabrook, tons of fun.

The moment after we got engaged:)

Right before they went on the reverse bungee slingshot thingy!

Ian holding his dad's hat and glasses.

Fun at baseball and soccer games, and gymnastics meets.

Lots of rides on the Harley (this was Emma's first ever!)

Proud daddy of Trinity's end of year gymnastics banquet.

Working on the pond.

Emma sharing soccer moves with Ian.

Fun with a mini doughnut maker :)

Decorating for Trinity's party.

Stepsister fun.

Picking the kids up from a week-long camp (Burger King crowns, they were hungry :)

We are quite a technologically advanced family.

Jenga blocks used as dominoes.

RT playing cards with the kids.

Leavenworth last month - 100 degree day!

Almost 14. Sigh :(

He really rocks this hat.

We took the train to a Sounders game.

So our life is full. We have been busy, but a happy busy.  Em and I moved into RT's house over Christmas break and we were lucky that it's large enough to maintain individual bedrooms for all the kids and a craft room for me.  We have a lovely backyard where we spend a lot of time together.  We're getting married on October 27th, and delaying a honeymoon to coincide with RT's 40th birthday in late February - somewhere tropical :)  This Friday we are driving down to my mom's in Sacramento for a weekend by the pool and showing the fam around my hometown.  We will be detouring home through either Lake Tahoe or San Fran, haven't decided yet.  Later in September we're flying to Disneyland, RT's kids' first trip on a plane and first Disney taste... can't wait.  Oh, and if it's not obvious by now, I traded in my Passat for a Mazda CX9 - needed room for all of us in one vehicle :)  Love it, as we are preparing for our drive this weekend we just outfitted it with wireless headphones for the DVD system and we can even play the Wii in it!! Now that's cool!!  Hopefully that will pave the way for a smooth road trip :)

I'm happy.  Oh so happy.  Complete.  Loved beyond measure, compare or belief.  It's such a great life, and I'm so lucky to have found my RT.  More to come... :)