10 years later...

So tomorrow I will load up the family (yes - all 7 of us) and head over to Missoula, MT. Why? Well, my 10 year high school reunion is this weekend. Seems kind of strange to me how fast (and sometime slow!) the last ten years have gone by. I thought it would be fun to remember some of the "major" life events that have happened in the last 10 years so here goes......

My beautiful daughter Madyson was born

I married the most wonderful man in the world! (PS - We will be celebrating our 8th anniversary next week)

I have moved 7 times!!!! YUCK!

I lost 40 pounds!!! - and have been battling with 10 of them ever since - lose, gain, lose, gain.......

My sweet little Elly was born.

I bought my dream car (My candy apple red Durango)

I bought my first house.

I sold my dream car :( and bought a mini-van - SAD day!!!

I got pregant with my "surprise" baby!

Baby Jordyn arrived!!!

I went through a VERY tramatic and life changing event with one of my children - An experience that has forever changed who I am.

Two of my stepchildren have moved in and now permanently live with us.

For the past 6 years I have been involved with in an incredible women's ministry and for 5 of the 6 years been in a position of leadership within this organization.

Wow - I guess it's not so hard to imagine the time flying by when I actually look at where I've been and what I've done. Though my life has definitely not taken the path that I planned it has been fulfilling and amazing in ways that I never dreamed of. I look forward to seeing the people that I went to high school with and where their lives have taken them. It will be fun to see who married who, who has kids and who is just the same as the day they graduated! I'll post some pictures next week.

Here's just a few fun pictures that I took. When my mom was here last weekend we got to have a fun girls night out. We went to dinner at PF Changs and then to The Melting Pot for dessert. I had so much fun with her!!! She loved the chocolate fondue (but probably not as much as me!!!).

The other pictures are from the massive water fight that the boys got into a couple days ago. The girls eventually got in on it, although they did take it much easier on them.

Also - a new Elly-ism for you! (Inspired by my friend's The Miller's

- We were driving yesterday and Elly was sounding out words. She has begun to read and wants to know how to spell everything. She noted that the words beer and beard were the same except for the D sound at the end of beard. After some serious contemplation she asked " Mom, do you grow a beard if you drink beer?" I told her no, but that there would be a lot of teenage boys drinking a lot of beer if that were true. Heehee!

7 days until the kids are out of school......... With 6 kids and me alone in the house for the summer I'm sure I will have all kinds of stories to share with you. That is if I survive it!!! Pray for my sanity!

-Amy