Reasons To Love....

I'm trying to fall asleep....my mind is whirling. SO!  I decided to write down a few reasons I love Chad Rayne Juntunen - what better way to celebrate his birthday than to tell him how AMAZING he is!!  These aren't in numerical order - so I'll just list them.
~ He was SO SHY - you could get him to blush SOO EASILY! It was darling
~ He liked RAP! I am NOT a fan...but when I first met him, it was funny to see a skinny white-boy who can't dance, trying to rap!  Have I ever mentioned he was TONE DEAF as well!!?
~ Sometimes, I would OUT OF THE BLUE, look at him and say, "I would like to go back to school", "I wanna get another job", "I need to move to Iowa with Parker for Grad School", "let's try canning even though neither of us knows how" and my latest favorite: "I want to build a Butterfly Garden" - he would just look at me and say, "ok....what can I do?"- I was the LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE....
~ His FAMILY came FIRST!  And I'm not just talking about me and the kids....his mom, brothers, grandparents, aunts & uncles and cousins came FIRST!
~ He was an AMAZING COOK!  And he did it because he LOVED it...grilling was his specialty.
~ He put OTHERS NEEDS FIRST and would do ANYTHING for family / friends....how many of you know what I'm talkin' about!?
~ He giggled like a school girl. Seriously.
~ He was a jokester - ESPECIALLY with the "boys" at work!
~ He was WICKED SMART with finances/numbers/sales.
~ He ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS called me before coming home from work to ask me if I "needed anything" - even if he was upset with me because I hung up on him earlier in the day for calling and/or texting me too much throughout the day!!  hahahahaha
~ He kissed his kids goodnight - weather or not they were awake when he got home.
~ Whenever we went on a date OR I got the rare chance to go out with girlfriends - he would ALWAYS bring home a SUPER FUN CAR - and...hold on to your shorts, ladies - if it was a date with just him and I - HE LET ME DRIVE!!!  I didn't have to ask.
~ He planned our family vacations on places to EAT! 
~ His golfing skills were breathtaking.
~ That little shit could sell SNOW to an ESKIMO - and get other people to take out his garbage or go rescue his silly wife at Target because she locked her keys in the car....AGAIN!  And they would DO IT SMILING!!
~ At night, he had to be in contact with me while we fell asleep - more often than not, he held my hand.
~ He offered his elbow to little old ladies when he walked them to their car. No shit.
~ Farmers who bought trucks from him on a semi-to yearly basis would stop into the dealership "Just to chat" or to bring him treats their wives made....honestly, I can't MAKE THIS CRAP UP PEOPLE!
~ He LOVED hunting and fishing and wanted more than anything to pass that love onto his children....he was OVER THE MOON from the fact that Savannah LOVES TO FISH!!!
~ If you needed a favor - he'd be there - and wouldn't ask for anything in return.  Unless you were REALLY close to him - then he got as much work out of you at every chance he could, right Paul!?!  Hehehehehe.
~ He put up with my dumb-ass for 17 years. Enough said there, eh?

Okay...my mind is quieting down now....thank you for putting up with my mental breakdown...Merry Christmas Everyone!!!  HUG THOSE YOU LOVE AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN!!!

 

 

PUMPKINS!

I just LOVE fall!  Colors changing, a little cooler weather that has us bringing out our "snuggly clothes", and of course - the PUMPKINS!!  I didn't go as crazy as I have in the past, but I do LOVE the way the steps turned out!  Have a look....

We actually went to the farm to pick these!  It's a long way from the middle of a muddy field back to the truck!!

 WELCOME!!!

 See the warty one?  LOVE IT!

 I added a few sparkly ribbons....I love the ones that hold the corn stalk together!!

 I love this big green one!  Had to add some glitter and a sparkly bow though!  And how cute is the little white one?  Reminds me of one of the Pac Man ghosts!! 

Now....if only I had a BLOWTORCH for the "landscaping"....aka: WEED CITY!!  UGH!

Pretty Mama!

OCTOBER, 2013

My beautiful friend Amy asked me to take a couple of pics of her adorable belly!  And....her cute husband too!  It was such a beautiful day - we got to take them outside!

 

 This is their first baby....aren't they cute?!

 

 

 

 LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the painted toes!!

 

 And, NO - I did NOT have to enhance her eyes....they are just that blue!

 

 

 

Thanks so much Amy & Loren for letting me be a part of your joy!! 

I had the pleasure to take pics of an ADORABLE lil' lady named Autumn.....isn't she DARLING?!

Thanks for sharing your afternoon with me!  It was SOO FUN snuggling and smelling that "new baby" smell!!

Anniversary

SEPTEMBER 20th, 2013

So, today is my....or WOULD be my 16 year Anniversary.  I had to work, the kids went to school and life rolls on.  Today I decided to put more effort into our family blog.  I mean, after all - it's been WELL over a year since I posted anything on here....with instagram, facebook, texting - so many ways to keep in touch with each other - who uses a blog anymore?!  I decided that I do.  There are just some things that I want to share with those people in my life who I love, but I DON'T want to share them with the entire community of Facebook!!  I want my family and friends to know what's going on with us, but I don't NEED people feeling sorry for me, pretending to be happy for us, or just flat out in my business. SO!  To honor my husband - and to try and maintain some SANITY - I'm going to use this blog....MY FAMILY BLOG - to write down whatever the hell I wanna, however I'm feeling - and I'm going to CHERISH the memory of the ONE TRUE LOVE of my life.  In fact, I'm treating this space as my personal connection to Chad - I'm gonna tell him about our days, our ups and downs, our thoughts and feelings and we are going to REMEMBER - because, honestly folks....who could, or would want to, forget someone as amazing as Chad?!

SO!  TODAY!  16 years....haahahahha....well, who would have guessed, huh honey?  We burned FAST and BRIGHT and made 3 AMAZING children.  Had ups and too many downs to count - but there we were....connected. If you were here today, you probably would be working!  HAHAA! But you would have texted or called me a MILLION times - driving me CRAZY, I might add! - to "check in" and see how I was....in fact, you would have called me from work by about 8:30 to tell me that you KNEW what you were going to make for our special anniversary supper - and it would have been ELABORATE and AMAZING and you would have come home LATE-I would have been irritated, but you woulda started up the grill anyway, STILL wearing your dress clothes.  Then I would have put the kids to bed, the food would just be getting done, and we'd have a little picnic in the family room in front of the fire watching T-voed episodes of Lost Girl. (BTW - I still sit on the couch sometimes watching a show we used to watch together and talk to you like you are sitting next to me....however, I have NOT been able to watch the episodes of Lost Girl)

I MISS YOU and we LOVE YOU - FOREVER.

Here is the last picture taken of you and I.  It is quite possibly my MOST FAVORITE!  You sweet, sexy pirate!!

Love,
Me

*EASTER*

April 7th, 2012

IT'S EASTER!  I have an affinity for Easter for two reasons: 1.  I LOVE the Lord's message for this time of year....and, 2. There is a family history.  When I was young,  my mom was THE BEST at buying clothes for me and my sister for special occasions.  I will FOREVER and ALWAYS remember that I got to get a NEW outfit (which was usually a dress!! Uff-Da...if you know me now....) at Easter and Christmas!!

Here are my darling little troopers!! 

I LOVE THESE FACES!!

Goofballs!!

BOY that's an organized Easter Bunny!  He even had initials on the eggs!!

YUMMY....Chocolate covered Peeps!

And a sweet picture with Grandma and Grandpa!!

*HAPPY EASTER*

March, 2012

The boys are bowling junior league again this year thanks to my mom and Emmett!!  I can't thank them enough for first peaking their interest in this sport and on top of it, they take the kids every Saturday offering advice and support!!  GRANDPARENTS ROCK!! 

 We are SO LUCKY that STATE is happening RIGHT HERE this year at Sunset Lanes!!  Both boys are bowling Team and Doubles and Singles this weekend!!  OF COURSE I had to get up early on Saturday and Sunday to WATCH!!  Who needs sleep!?!?  As my friend Tracy says, "you can sleep when you are dead"!! 

 Here they are watching and waiting.....they are SO SUPPORTIVE of each other!  It's GREAT!

Here is THE TEAM!!  From left to right....Austin, Tucker, Parker and Aiden Lee!

 For Team Bowling, Parker buddied up with his long-time bowling friend, Austin!!  These two have been bowling together since Parker started. 

And just LOOK at that finish!!  So proud...sniff, sniff! 

I feel like a golf announcer....and he lines up for the throw (in a very hushed tone)..... 

!!TEAMWORK!!

Parker....those legs and feet are SO LONG!!  (hehehehehe)

Someone is VERY HAPPY with that last throw!!

For Doubles, Aiden teamed up with Tucker!!  Each of them have their own bowling ball! 

Savannah's BUGS Program

SPRING CHOIR CONCERT!

Savannah was in a program titled "BUGS" and she was SOO EXCITED because she got to dress up as whatever kind of bug she wanted to! 

 So, we pulled out the Halloween costume from last year and made a Monarch Butterfly costume! 

 

It wasn't the most creative, but she looked cute!!  GOOD JOB SWEET~PEA!!

Parker's Spring Band Concert

March, 2012

Parker is still playin' the trumpet and I have to tell you, their little 6th grade band has really improved from last year!! 

 Getting his stuff all set up and organized.  You diggin' those shoes??

 Parker and his buddy Tyler with their duet!!  They did a GREAT JOB!!

The 6th Grade Band.  I hope they all continue to play and grow as a group!!

Gymnastics....again!

March 5th, 2012

I'm aware that I tend to go a little over~board when taking pictures!  I think I have at least a dozen posts of Savannah at Gymnastics, but I can't seem to make myself leave this beautiful little girl out!  She's doing SUCH a great job and if you've ever been at our house, I'm sure you've seen her cartwheeling herself ALL over the place!

 And, I LOVE this leotard!!

 Working on that upper body and core strength!

 We ALWAYS end with the "TA~DAAA"!!

And what would life be without our bestie, Grace!!  These girls are SO STINKIN' CUTE!  I love looking at the pictures of them in their leotards when they first started gymnastics together at @18 months of age!!  Your golden hearts are PRICELESS, girls!!

Sometimes....

Sometimes we feel blessed....blessed to have a warm roof over our heads...

blessed to have food to fill our tummies...

blessed to have our health and our family around us...

blessed to live in a community where we feel safe and we can have fun...

blessed to have a church community that loves and cares about us no matter what...

 and BLESSED to have AMAZING FRIENDS to be silly with, giggle with, run around with and play with!!  Look at these pretty girls who gave themselves makeovers during a sleepover!  They are making a "moon rock"!!

And these two knuckle~heads!  They made ALIEN FLAGS and are ready to DEFEND! 

Life is good and it's nice to "sometimes" remember to be thankful for all we have!

Parker's Basketball Season 2012

Winter 2012

6th Grade Basketball!  Parker really enjoys this sport and his team is working very well together!  Contrary to other schools, this class does not have a travelling basketball team so they started playing together last year.  Even had a new coach this year....one of the other boys' mom's and I ALMOST had to be the coaches, but that's another story ~ whew!!

 Parker is pretty tall so he is usually stationed under the basket!

 Getting F.A.N.C.Y!! 

 He's quite the little scrapper too!  Holdin' onto that ball and swingin those elbows!!  I think he gets that fighting spirit from me!  Hahahahahaa!

 NICE SHOT!

 You know me....I can't resist a back-side, black and white shot!!

 Time for free-throws!  If you ask Parker what I always tell him he'll tell you: "there is no excuse in missing free-throws, they are FREE POINTS!!"

 My little man is not such a "LITTLE" man anymore!

The team and their coach.  It was a good season and the boys did well together.  I can't wait until next year to see them play again!! 

GOOD JOB, PARKER!  I am PROUD OF YOU!!