How I met Josh

It’s “show us your life” Friday over at Kelly’s Korner and this week’s topic is how you met your husband.

Josh and I grew up 45 minutes away from each other and it really blows my mind that we didn't meet earlier on considering how many times our paths crossed. I went to a small private Christian school that went from K-9^th grade and Josh went to our rival Christian school that was k-12^th grade the next town over (how nerdy does that sound?!). Josh and I laugh because we each played basketball in junior high so we must have watched each other play since the girls and boys teams traveled together and had to watch each others games. In the graduation ceremony from the school I went to each 9^th grader had to walk with a Kindergartener who was also graduating and I walked with Josh’s little brother, Richie, and Josh was in the audience. Anyways, I went on to Bainbridge High School and Josh stayed at his school, King’s West. We each went on to college… Josh went on to play baseball for George Fox University and I went on to play basketball Skagit Valley College and then at Emmaus Bible College in Iowa the next year. Josh ended up breaking his leg in two places and decided not to go to George Fox for the fall of ’06. A few weeks before I was to head back to Iowa for school my mom had a biopsy on a lump her head, had major surgery and we waited for results to see if the lump was cancerous. I decided not to go back to Iowa and to instead enroll in our local community college and then move back to Iowa in the winter. Well, God had other plans. About a week into school the women’s basketball coach asked me if I would come and play basketball with the school team and I agreed. Josh was on the boys team but unable to play because he was injured. Josh likes to say that he tried to talk to me a few times and that I blew him off but I’m pretty sure I would remember a gorgeous 6’8 guy trying to strike up a conversation with me!! A friend of mine from the girl’s basketball team who was friends with Josh and his roommate kept asking me what I thought of Josh and she finally talked me into going over to their house with her to hangout.... and the rest is history!!

Our first official date was to a Sonics game....

Man, do I miss having the NBA in Seattle!!

The first picture I have of Josh and I as a couple.

As you can see we are both total goof-balls!!

I'd say we are a good match...

Josh and I with Richie creeping in the background, haha!!

Josh and I on the beach in front of the house he grew up in

Josh and I on the ferry with the Seattle skyline in the background

Our 1st Mariner's game together

at Josh's little sister Mackenzie's softball game

how can you not love a man that gets you coffee?!

We love baseball

Josh's family said that they knew that Josh was pretty serious about me when he decided to bring me to their family cabin in Montana.

Cheering on my sister, Claire, at her state basketball game!

Josh and I with my friends Jill and Lindsey from Iowa.

My grandpa grew up in Boston and my family is

made up of some die hard Red Sox fans,

Josh's dad played for the Yankees in the early 80's...

It'll be interesting to see what team our kids cheer for.

Josh and I at Pike Place Market

Then Josh gave me this:

Then this happened:

...and then a year and a half later came this:

And now we are a happy little family of 3:

God has really blessed us and we are so thankful for the amazing life he's given to us.

Jayden's 4 Months Old!!

So... my brain is fried!! Yesterday Jay turned 4 months old so Josh and I took Jay's usual monthly pictures.

Poor baby, can you tell how out of it I am?! I took about 20 pictures of Jay with a backwards 4 on his onesie. Needless to say I am going to retake the 4 month picture today but I thought you guys might get a chuckle out of my absent mindedness. Have a good day!!

Tennessee

So things around here have been a little crazy... Jayden, my sister, my dad and I just got back from a trip to Tennessee. I was the Maid of Honor in my cousin Kristen's wedding so we all flew down to Nashville for the occasion. Unfortunately Josh couldn't come with us since he is currently going through the Fire Academy :( I had such a fun time catching up with Kristen and seeing where she lived and meeting all of the people in her life and most importantly I got to finally meet Ed. The wedding was gorgeous and Kristen couldn't have picked a better guy... we love you Ed!! The wedding was held in the beautiful and historic Spring Haven Mansion in Hendersonville, TN.

The gorgeous venue

The gorgeous bride

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Jones Hardin V

SUCH a beautiful couple!

Kristen and Uncle Paul

Jayden and I in downtown Nashville

Auntie Claire with Jayden downtown

Jay and I at the rehearsal dinner

Claire and I at the rehearsal dinner

at the rehearsal

Claire was my lifesaver this trip, she was so helpful with Jayden and if it wasn't for her I don't think I would have been able to go.

Ed, Kristen, me, Jay, dad and Claire at lunch.

gotta love the pre-wedding pedicures!

Jayden, me, Claire, Kristen and Kristen's friend Steph

@ the Starbucks in the hotel Kristen works at.

So much family came into town for Kristen's wedding, it was so good to catch up with everyone and let them meet Jay. I loved getting time to spend with Kristen and Ed. It's always hard to say goodbye but this trip wasn't as bad because they will be here in 3 weeks to go on their Alaskan Cruise and we'll get to spend some time with them then!!

Bellevue

Last week, before Jay and I headed off to Tennessee, we went shopping with Josh and his mom and brother in Bellevue. It was a nice treat to get away and do some shopping for our upcoming trip.

Jayden got some quality time with Uncle Richie and Grandma Patsy

We ate at Blue C Sushi, one of my favorite resteraunts

Jayden slept while we shopped!

(gotta love that)

Uncle Dick pushed the stroller...

and taught Jay how to be patient when mommy is shopping for makeup!

Here are Grandma Patsy and Uncle Richie making sure that Jayden follows

in Josh's Jordan-loving footsteps :)

It was a super fun and relaxing shopping trip, I don't have many of those these days! It was so nice to be able to get what I needed and to have family there to help with Jay... and splitting a piece of strawberry cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory with Josh on the way home didn't hurt either!! YUM :)

Grandma Patsy's Birthday

Josh's mom had her birthday on Saturday so we went

over to Josh's family's house to celebrate.

Here's the birthday girl with her grandson:

Jay loves his Grandma Patsy or as Josh's brother, Richie, calls her... Grandma Peadge

Patsy and Jay at dessert

Blowing out the candles!

Jay with Uncle Richie at the dinner table... hamming it up

The birthday girl with her kids and Jay:

(please take a double take at Josh's cheezy face... haha, i love it)

Have you heard of or smelt Thymes 'Fraiser Fir' line?

Oh my gosh, it is amazing... My mom, Patsy and I discovered it while shopping last summer and it totally reminded us of the smell of hiking in Montana. I love it.

We got Patsy some of the Fraiser Fir house cleaner and a Fraiser Fir candle for her birthday.

If you haven't smelt it, you have to find it and try it... it smells so good, I had a hard time parting with it!!

Josh and Jay were just hanging out on the couch downstairs at his family's house and I thought that they looked so precious:

I love those boys!

And I thought this picture was pretty funny....

How many grandma's does it take to spoil a baby?

my mom, Josh's mom and Josh's grandma :)

Happy (Belated) Easter!!

Happy (belated) Easter!!

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

I love Easter and one of my favorite things about Easter (besides Jesus dying on the cross and rising again so that we can have eternal life in him... ya know, nothing big ;) is getting Easter outfits. I might have gone a little overboard this year, but can you blame me?! Look how freakin' cute do Josh and Jay look in their matching outfits...

Josh is such a good sport, I ♥ that man.

We had a yummy Easter breakfast, we tried a new recipe... overnight baked french toast (yum!), went to church and then to my grandparents for an early dinner. We've been so busy lately that we ended up having to make a late night run on Friday to go get Easter basket supplies.

Claire and Jay, you've gotta love the 24hr Wal-Mart

Jay is such a thoughtful grandson... he got flowers for my mom! ;)

Auntie Claire loves to play dress up with Jay

Uncle Brenton and Jay on the hunt for Easter goodies

Josh and Claire showed Jay this Eeyore stuffed animal and he fell in love with it... Claire ended up buying it for him.

One thing that we put in Jay's basket that has been a huge hit is the Baby Einstein dvd:

Jay is so intrigued by Baby Einstein, no matter what's going on if I pop in the Baby Einstein dvd he'll be glued to the tv... it's so fascinating to him.

Easter was a long day for us and Jay was such a trouper but as soon as we got home he lost it. Here's a picture of Jay's newest sad "pouty-lip" face:

Hope you all had a great Easter!!

TGIF

Well, Jay and I are under the weather with sore throats and stuffy noses :( It's super windy and stormy outside and we're all cozy and comfy inside, it's the perfect weather for a lazy day. Praise the Lord for sweats! Poor Jay has been such a trouper being sick, he really was getting frustrated this morning and he thankfully conked out and had a good nap and got some rest for his sick little body. When Josh got home we gave Jay a bath and he just lit up, it was so nice to see him smile after having seeing him so out of it all day... Jay loves baths so much. Here are some pictures from bath time tonight:

You can thank Josh for the tasteful editing :)