Getaways....

A wonderful time to relax and getaway! Loren and I had a quick but lovely get away this past weekend to Orcas Island where we celebrated 6 years of being married. We went to this amazing B&B that my mom recommended and it was AMAZING, it's called The Inn on Orcas Island. We have never stayed at a B&B but we will for sure be doing that more often. What I love about it is you feel like you are in a very nice, comfortable house and they serve you breakfast that you would never make yourself, so you feel spoiled. One of my favorite things they did is they left fresh, homeade chocolate chip cookies on your bed daily and they were so yummy. Besides this amazing B&B the Island was BEAUTIFUL and so PEACEFUL. We got very little cell service which is what you need when you really want to getaway. We also went to the most amazing dinner at this other little INN on the other side of town that was probably one of the best meals I have ever had. With all the wonderful sights and amazing food the best part was just being able to spend time with Loren. I highly recommend a short getaway for any couple and especially when you have kids, it’s crucial for your marriage to spend a few days just the two of you. I’m so grateful that we have great family and friends who are so willing and happy to take Maxwell. Pictures will be posted a little later but I wanted to touch base since it’s been a while.

What a great time! Looking forward to 2017...

Some of our planning committee as we started getting ready...only a few hours before the gig starts!

This night was a long time in the planning and it paid off on Friday night, 9/7/07 at 7pm for our 10 year reunion, Class of 1997! It was a beautiful day and such an enjoyable night catching up with past classmates. The only down side was the sound in Union Station, the use of a microphone is next to imposable if you actually want people to hear you! But other than that everything went amazing. We actually had to push people out the door so we could get out of there on time. My parents helped out w/ registration and photography. I thought it was so funny that my dad told a friend "I only recognize like 5 people" I was laughing when I heard that, though he didn't graduate with the class he did know all of my friends. People say a 10 year reunion is the least fun, maybe I will agree at our 20 year after I have something to compare it to but my experience is it was a blast and everyone was very friendly and mingled all night long. A lot of people met up afterwards and hung out in t-town. I hope to stay connected with some of the people since I have missed them and have totally been curious as to what they have been doing for the past 10 years. I can say I got to see everyone I wanted to and only wish the night could have lasted a little longer. Good times had by all. The best compliment when you plan a party like this or any other is that people have fun and enjoy themselves, that totally happened and I could not be happier. People loved it and told us that, even guest of classmates told us that and the vendors that helped out said they had never seen and event like this run so smoothly…complement taken and appreciated. Finally I can stop dreaming about this and that’s not a joke… A few of us on the committee have been dreaming about the reunion. I will miss our monthly meetings or should I see seeing everyone that helped plan it, I won’t necessarily miss the meeting aspect. I feel like I made new connections with past classmates and I think we will be keeping in touch. Oh and Loren made a new friend too…my BFF, Angela and I brought our husbands and they were able to connect…so perfect. We will be meeting at PF Changs for dinner soon.
A great night of memories…it will always be remembered!

Loren and I before the guest where about to arrive! Getting excited...

Aaron, Kevin and I enjoying the party. They were part of the committee as well.
BFF, Angela and I...Thanks Nate for taking our pictures. Do you like our nametags with our senior pictures? Loved that...
Oh Steph and I...Love this girl. We were best friends all through Jr. High and High School...
Katie, Deirdre and I...great friends...D and I were Tennis buddies too.
Jeanna and went all through school together...Elementry and up...so fun cathing up with her. A lot of fun memeoris.

Erin and I enjoying a lot of laughs. We actually became great friend after high school. One of my dearest friends...lovin her!Cesily, Erin and I at the end of the evening.
Erin, me, Deirdre, Michelle and Jeanna
The girls...Sara, me and Steph we have so many funny memories and more to come as we have set up monthly get together so we don't miss out anymore. Next event for us...Old School night...we are going to go visit our old stomping grounds...Sumner, yep should be a fun tonight.

Goodnight...had a great time...see you in another 10 years...PEACE OUT!

Do I really need to put my white shoes away?

Happy Labor Day! Hope you all had a great weekend. I found myself looking forward to the weekend off, but then realized I might have to put my favorite pair of shoes away. Its probably a good thing because I need to stop wearing them for a while. Have you ever purchased something and you didn't realize what a great purchase and how much use you would get out of something? These are the perfect white flats and I have worn them all summer. They are also the only show that people have actually stopped me to ask me where I got them. I will have to post a picture later. I have always been against the whole not wearing white after Labor Day but because I want to wear them next year then its time to put them away and clean them up for next year. Goodbye perfect shoes...goodbye for now.

In other news...we have had a great weekend. My mom and brother Andrew were in town and Loren had today off. We went to the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle on Saturday. That is the best zoo! We had a great time and I am so happy that Max is at the age where he is enjoying those types of things. On Wednesday we went to the Seattle Aquarium with some girlfriends and that was a blast too. Max kept saying...fishies, fishies. He liked it. I'm writing this from my laptop so I can't post pictures yet, but those will come.

What is coming up next? A lot of my friends are having their second baby!!! Crazy! One of my friends just had her second on Friday and I have a handful of friends that are due over the next 10 weeks. Most of these ladies were pregnant when I was pregnant with Max so it’s crazy to see them having their second but its so fun to have new babies coming. Its also exciting to see some of them having their firsts...babies are so much fun...especially when I can enjoy them and have none of the responsibilities. It’s weird when you get to that age where that starts happening…most of my friends are married so now it’s the baby stage. You never feel like you age even when those big life changes start to happen. Friday is my 10 year reunion and I for sure don’t feel like it’s been 10 years since high school, but at the same time I feel like a totally different person then I was in high school. It will be a fun night out to catch up with old friends and make some news ones. We are celebrating at the Tacoma Union Station and have a great caterer who is doing some cool stuff with the food. I will be glad to have it behind me though because it’s been a big job planning it. Our committee is awesome and they have all done an amazing job at making things happen. Pictures to come after the event.

Summer is officially over and it still feels like it never happened. Now onto the fall which is a fun time to start routine and I’m excited because Max and I are starting a toddler class that will be once a week.

Till next time…

Boating day in Gig Harbor

Some wonderful friends of ours, Jason, Crystal & Aiden Wells invited us out on their boat for the day. We were looking forward to just relaxing and being able to hang out. We toured Gig Harbor, went under the new and improved Narrows Bridge, checked out Fox Island and just got to enjoy the beautiful Puget Sound. We finished the evening with a feast of crab we caught and bought and other yummy things. The guys watched a fight on TV while Crystal and just got to sit back and chat while the kids slept. Great time and friends! Love those kinds of days…

Crystal and I loading everything up for the day
Loren and Max

I was so happy he acutally fell asleep and took a nap
Relaxing on the water
Max helping dad drive the boat

I think he liked it...

CANCUN...how lovely.

I am finally getting around to posting some pictures from our vacation. For those of you who don't know I sell Southern Living at HOME! If you don't know about it check out my website to see some of the fabulous stuff I LOVE IT. Why do I love it...um I earned a FREE trip for my husband and me for 5 days. How can you not love that, oh yah and I love the products too. We had a great time, just the 2 of us, no Maxwell. We had some wonderful family and friends watch him while we enjoyed ourselves. It was wonderful to just relax and have some time together, just us. We stayed at a beautiful resort in Cancun called Moon Palace .

Hanging on the swings by the pool on our last day.

Last evening "Farewell Dinner" with my friend Stacey
Group shot of some of the gals on my team
Loren and I dressed up




Yah, can we say HUMID! Even the camera felt it. We had just arrived at the hotel and heading out for our Welcome dinner.
Wonderful, blue beaches. I love water like that.
Kerri, Loren and I at dinner
Miniture golfing is always fun.
Stacey and I ready for some lunch and time out of the sun.
Swings again...
Buh, Bye...Cancun...we will miss you.

Fire Departments are COOL

Loren volunteers at the Browns Point Fire Dept. We had a fun day in July and took Max down to check it out. We got to sit in the fire engine and on the rescue sea-doo and just check out the whole department. Max loves to be with his daddy and loves seeing the big trucks too. Max sitting in the drivers seat of the fire engine.

Loren and Max
Fun on the rescue sea-doo


The Ellingsons

Happy Husband...THANK YOU!

Do any other wives out there feel like when their husbands are happy we are happier? Loren loves his new job at Redfin. They totally take care of their employees and are already trying to make it work for Loren to work from home. He would probably go in a couple times but just the idea of it makes life so much easier. The commute to Seattle is not fun! God is good and it’s amazing how he works and continues to bless us in ways we could never imagine. We prayed for something and God totally worked. I’m really looking forward to what the future holds and excited to see what God has for us.

Does anyone have trouble with there kids hitting and/or screaming? We have been using the “Time Out Chair”. It seems to work, but it’s a little frustrating that Max doesn’t just stop hitting??? Any advice would be much appreciated. Discipline is hard and knowing what the best thing for him is difficult. I want to do the right thing but I don’t always know what that is. Would love to hear what some others of you have and are doing with your kids.

High school reunion! Wow I still can’t believe that is almost here. We really need people to RSVP! If you’re planning on coming please don’t procrastinate. I know a lot of people put it off and we really can’t afford for people to do that. Please encourage those that you know to do the same! Thanks!!! I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone. Fun Times will be had by all.

I will post some pictures later. I have never posted without pictures…trying to mix it up a bit.

Vacation and Potty Training

Loren and I just returned home from Cancun! I earned the trip from Southern Living at HOME! I have parties and I win trips, does it get much better? To the right is a picture of the beach and below was the farwell dinner on the last night. I love vacation and time with my husband. We did miss Maxwell but knew he was in good hands. More pictures later but I haven't posted in a long time.










In other news...I just bought Max a 3-in-1 Toiliet training seat! Similar to this one...and he is sitting on the toilet right now. Its like a new toy I guess? The funny things you learn as a parent. He hasn't gone potty in it but he sits on it and says "Pee Pee" so he does have some idea. We will see what happens. Wish us luck.



And Loren started his new job today! Fill you in later. He is liking it so far and is excited. More life updates later.

High School...so 10 years ago!! What??

Does time fly by or what? My 10 year high school reunion is coming up in September and I still feel like I graduated a couple years ago, but yes 10 years it is. Wow a lot has happened since then. I am very lucky to be a part of a wonderful planning committee who is doing such an amazing job as each person brings their talents to the table. This last weekend we got together…. 400 + invitations, BBQ, fun times reminiscing and catching up = Invitation stuffing party! All the invitations are sitting on my couch ready to be sealed up and sent out to all my fellow classmates. We are going to have great reunion and its going to be great to catch up and see what everyone has been up to for the past 10 years.

Some of the planning committe gals...

Sarah, Max and Brandon...yah Max is mine

Yah, Mel is a little taller than me...

Travis and Kevin
Natasha & Travis
Some of the kids...wish they could have folded a little quicker...
Sarah, Melanie and me...Loren and Brandon

Fun times ahead...

Max loves slides...and our neighbors.

Max on his way to the slides... Oh and he loves swings too. Do you know how hard it is to take the perfect picture while they are swinging...I was impressed with my abilities.
Its so fun to watch him play with new things.
Finally to the slide!! A couple weeks ago he didn't really know how to do it by himself, but with a little practice he totally has the hang of it and everytime we pass one he says "Slide, Slide" though its not quite that clear.
Max loved this car of our neighbors and kept wanting to get in. I think we might need to get one of these down the road. Fun times.
This was so funny watching Zoe and Nathan push/pull Max in the wagon. We have the best neighbors...they are a lot of fun.

Zoe and Max in the wagon. Max has started going over to the front door to see if they are home, it cracks me up. He loves his friends.

It seems like there is a lot going on right now. I'm shocked at how fast summer seems to already be flying by. Weeks and weekends seem already full and its barely begun. Oh I don't want it to fly by because I have been so looking forward to it. I'm working on my High School class reunion which is coming up and this past weekend I got together with fellow classmates to put the invitations together, I will post pictures soon. I'm sure a couple of you our really wanting to see them. I can't believe its been 10 years already, I still feel like a kid and I'm a mom, what happened. Life flys by and it just gets faster and faster. Loren and I go to Cancun in July and it will be just us. Can't wait to spend sometime with just the 2 of us, no email, no cell phones....oh and no diapers...!!! I love Max, but as any parent would understand time alone with your spouse and no distractions...PRICELESS. I value that time so much more now.

We are going to Portland, OR this weekend to visit my mom and celebrate her wedding. They are having the reception at their house and I'm really looking forward to it...dancing with Loren, wouldn't miss it. They got married a month or so ago so it's all about the celebration...my mom always throws a good party. I always look like 5 year old next to my mom, why is that...??? I will never know!!! Love her, can't wait to see her this weekend. We always have a great time. Okay, I keep typing, its time to go! See you later...