A Little Photo Montage...

I like that word... montage. So here are some pictures from our fun anniversary-get-away to Estes Park this past weekend. You can click on the pictures to get a little caption... montage...montage... sorry. You will see The Stanley Hotel... l-o-t-s of pictures of us - taken by us... and just plain elk fun... Seriously...Estes Park is b-e-a-utiful Colorado Country...

The Newlywed Game...errr...6 Year Game...

Happy 6th anniversary to my hubby and me
(on the 24th)
Yippee!
We are heading to Estes Park..beautiful Colorado town!
But before we go, Amy scanned in some pictures for me...
to take us down memory lane of when our 6 years began!!

This was taken after my volleyball team b.e.a.t
the Colorado School of Mines...
it was also taken after Matt went out to dinner with my parents...
to ask their blessing on him asking me to be his wifey!
What a special night!
I am standing next to Matt's parents,
he's next to mine!

The next day...
I said Y-E-S as Matt asked me
to spend the rest of our lives together!

So I asked my Mr. Right to answer some questions
about me and for me...
just to see if he knows these little tidbits
of his wifey...
after about 10 years of being "together"
and 6 years of marriage...
he better know most of these!!

His answers are bold...mine are not...

Song- Hope Now (Addison Road)
yeah...but I am mostly into Kari Jobe right now

Food- Mashed potatoes
Got it!

Color- Pink
Um...yeah I think so...that's a hard one

Time of day- Bed Time this girls a narcoleptic
He married a narcoleptic...I married an insomniac!

Drink-Mojito (The mo ho the better)
What does THAT mean?!

Store- Yes seriously all of them
I have a bit of an addiction here

City-Kaanapali Maui where it all began
Woohoo!
Did I mention to you all that we applied to teach in Hawaii?
Might be moving! hehe

Candy-all?
ha-ha-very-funny

Flower- Tulip keep all roses and carnations away
no offense to all that love roses and carnations...
I just prefer to not love them...or baby's breath...yech!

Holiday- Summer break (its the longest one for teachers)
yeah...good point...but I would probably say my favorite is Christmas

Restaurant -Chili's
mmm...we go about once a week!


Can you tell how happy I am to be marrying this hunk?
We also look so young!

Yay for 6 years...and anniversaries!

First Sunburn of the Year...

Sunny days have entered Colorado!
Yep...the tank tops came out...
we headed to the lake
tried our hand at fishing
with Allikaye's princess fishin pole...
again...(yeah, no fish yet!)...
we played some volleyball...
laughed with amazing friends...
and we have pretty sunburned shoulders to prove it!

Here is Irene and moi...pre sunburn...

Allikaye attempting to blow the dandelions...

Here are the girlz...Sarah, Irene and me!
These two bring me happiness and friendship
that fills me with J-O-Y!

Here is Allikaye with Danny...AKA...Wojo...
He is Matt's good friend who was visting from Oregon...
Matt introduces him to people as his old "point guard from college"
I introduce him as "the best man in our wedding"...
hmmm...
It was fun to have him out here though!
Most of Matt and Wojo's time was spent deciding the best route
to garuntee themselves a spot on the next season of the Amazing Race...
so there was lots of videotaping and crazy ideas flying around...

In other, more serious, news...
Matt and I have decided to completely follow God's leading on this time on our lives. I am officially turning in my paperwork to take a year leave of absence from teaching next year.
This has been a desire that we have had since Allikaye was born -
and it looks like just now is that reality coming to be!

We are taking a leap of faith in this because...
Matt hasn't landed a for sure teaching job for next year yet
(he teaches High School).
Yikes! Because of a time sensitive thing with the paperwork for me taking leave, we have to make this decision before Matt gets his job. I would love to hold onto my job until we know for sure that Matt will get one...but it just isn't doable.
SO...here we are taking the leap!

We have been covered in prayer by friends and family...
we have been diligently seeking God's leading...
and we have a peace that me staying at home
to be a mom full-time for now is the way the Lord is calling us.

So if you feel so inclined...
Matt and I would greatly appreciate prayer for a job for him.
We know that God is good and faithful no matter what...
but a job sure would be nice in these wonderful financial times!

It is cool that as I type this I feel like I should be freaking out...
but I have peace...
and contentment...
that comes only from the Director of our lives!

Yay God!

These are a few power verses that I have been leaning on lately...

Psalms 91:2

"I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Deuteronomy 31:8
"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Philippians 4:6-7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Matthew 6:34
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own."

Psalm 32:8
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."

From the mouth of my babe...

Allikaye: Grandma come drink your coffee!

Grandma: It's too cold!
Allikaye: Then warm it up, then drink it!

While looking down out from our balcony...
whenever someone would pass down below:
"I"M TWO!"

After waking up at grandma's house...
looks out the window...
"It's okay, there aren't any lions or black bears!"

After doing some somersaults:
"Whew....I need to take a little rest!"

Grandma bought her a Disney music player,
but we took it back, because it didn't work....
she told the lady at the customer service desk,
that it was junk.

L-O-V-E!

Two and a Half Year Old

Allikaye is officially two and a half!
So I wanted to do a little bloggy post reminder
of some fun things I want to remember about my favorite girl!
(I put pictures in from our Mother's Day...
fishing fun)

"What are you finding for, mom?" (when I'm looking for something)

Calls T-Rex "sharp-tooth"
and says not to worry because he only gets dinosaurs,
not boys and girls.

Also thinks that if we are wearing shoes
Sharp-tooth can't get us.

Refers to anything that happened in the past as "yesterday"
and anything that may happen in the future as "tomorrow"there it is = "dare dit dis"

"what in the world?!""Are you sure, mama? Are you sure?"

Calls Tre, "my buddy boy"

Has been saying that not all bears and dinosaurs
are scary and mean...
the pink and purple ones are nice!
Retells the whole story she learns in Sunday school....
last week it was the story of Jesus stopping the storm.
She retold it as
"It was raining, Jesus went on the water,
and told the rain to stop.
The rain did what Jesus said."

"Jesus can do anything!"

When a song comes on the radio, or CD, she says,
"what's this song about?"

Wants to wear a tutu all the time...awake or asleep.
Loves her Disney Princess stories and songs...
She can sing
"Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?"...
and "what's that word again? Oh, Street!" - from Ariel
"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream." - Aurora, Sleeping beauty
"A whole new world" - Alladin...errr, Jasmine
Knows her princes..
and the princesses they are attached to...
Prince Eric, Charming, Phillip, and Alladin

Loves to do the sign for "I love you"
(she wouldn't take her eyes off her Disney Songs video for the picture!)I L-O-V-E this girl more than words can say!!
I could never be prouder of this two and a half year old angel!
Thank you, Lord, for Allikaye!

Daughter of the King

And now...
a quick post to give a shout out to
one of my new favorite little things...

crowns.

Yeah, nothing new, but I am loving them!

Here is my mother's day gift...
the material one
(we have fun plans for the actual day)...
and yes it is early...
but it came in the mail today...
and I could-not-wait!

I ordered it from this Etsy shop
Here it is...
my new necklace!
THIS...right here...is why I am LOVING crowns...
this verse...
Isn't that cool?!
And now that Allikaye is so enthralled with princesses...
I can teach her why we truly ARE princesses!
Yay God!
Here are some of my other crown favorites right now on Etsy...

Oh...I bought that last ring too...
happy mama's day to...me!

Happy May Day to ya!

I wanted to share these fun and cute Calendar Blocks I just recently finished.
The buyer of these beauties ordered them from my Etsy
for an end of the year teacher gift, for her son's pre-k teacher.
As a teacher myself...
I love this idea!


I have to admit I am not the biggest fan
of the typical teacher's gifts that come teacher's ways.
Let's see...
scented lotions...
apple themed goodies...
notepads/stationary...

Now, these gifts are sweet, don't get me wrong.
It is just a repeat of the same things a lot...ya get me?

AND next week is actually Teacher Appreciation Week!
Are you going to get the teacher in your life...
or maybe your child's teacher a gift?
I think you just maybe should!

The kind and generous mom that ordered these blocks
even knew her son's teacher loved animal prints, pinks, tiaras, and girly stuff!
How thoughtful!

Which by the way I am getting slightly obsessed
with crowns and tiaras lately!

These can be used at this teacher's school desk - or even at her home desk!
Brilliant!
Gift cards are always a big hit with teacher's too!
I think gift cards are a hit with anyone though, right?

Are you a teacher?
What gifts do you loathe or love??
(I feel nerdy just using the word 'loathe')
What gifts will you get your kids teachers?

Why did I just blog about teacher's gifts for awhile...
not sure...

It's May 1st...
new memory verse...
"So is my word that goes from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
Isaiah 55:11

Happy May, yo!