The Wedding Countdown Has Begun!

Two days until Stephanie & Dan's wedding, woo-hoo! Chelsea's parents Barry & Cindy got into town on Wednesday afternoon--Aunt Cathy & Uncle Sandy had us all over for dinner last night to visit, and tonight we're going back to have a family celebration dinner with both sets of parents.















Here's Chelsea, Steph, and cousin Megan

We went on a 5 mile walk this morning to kick-off this weekend's wedding celebration :) Steph, Dan, Aunt Cathy, Cindy, Barry, Chels, Megan, and I went on the walk from Madrona to Seward Park in Seattle. It's a beautiful walk along Lake Washington and today's weather was pretty nice. We've been preparing for this walk each Thursday morning when Aunt Cathy, Stephanie, Chels, and I do a 3 mile walk around Green Lake in Seattle. We get our exercise and a chance to catch up each week, very fun! We all had lunch at Aunt Cathy's, and then Steph & Dan opened their wedding gifts from Chelsea and I. (Candace's sister Ash is probably laughing right now because Chels and I open our Christmas gifts early each year because we cannot wait! Last year Ashley threatened to send the gift late so we couldn't open it before Christmas, ha ha).
















Dan opening a present Chels picked out for him

A knife and grilling tools, yay!

Aunt Cathy said getting married is like having Christmas every day, so true!

Here's kitten snoozing on "her" blanket

This is our new favorite kitchen gadget! It's a pineapple slicer which is very easy to use and does a great job! Who wants to cut-up a pineapple to old-fashioned way? I told Chelsea it works like an ice auger does for drilling the hole when ice fishing--she looks at me and says "nobody would know that except you!" Dad, it looks like you'll have to take Chels ice fishing so she can see what I mean! :)

Drinking the pineapple juice, who needs a glass?

Chels and I had our one year wedding anniversary last Sunday and these are the beautiful flowers she surprised me with at work on Saturday :) Can't believe it's been a year already! Woo-hoo!

Here's Chelsea's excited-face for having to dress up for dinner on Saturday night

We went out to dinner at Carmelita in Seattle, www.carmelita.net to find out more. It's a delicious vegetarian restaurant that we received a gift certificate to as a wedding gift from one of the veterinarians at Chelsea's work. Thanks Dr. Ann and family!

Also, go to www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/inside-man/bedding-odds-dressing-your-bedinside-man-124262?image_id=1680892 to check out this awesome bedding my sissy Bonnie designed for Target. It was featured in this blog and looks great! You rock, Bon! We love you :)

More Minnesota Fun!

Here are more pictures from our Minnesota trip in July. These are from the few days we spent in Northern MN with my Dad's side of the family. We arrived on Wednesday late afternoon and Dad & Peggy hosted a family BBQ at their home, so all the Aunts & Uncles & Cousins and Grandpa & Grandma came over. It was really fun to see everyone! Chelsea got to meet the rest of Dad's side of the family that she hadn't yet, and we all got to spend some time catching up. On Thursday, Dad, Bonnie, Mary, Ashley, Clarabelle, and Chels and I went to Itasca State Park to picnic and spend the day. Chelsea got to see the headwaters of the Mississippi River, and we did some biking and walking around the park sites. We had a great time! We definitely have to spend more time "Up North" next time we're in MN--Dad even wants to take Chelsea ice fishing :) That's something California girls don't get to do every day!

Clarabelle and Aunties Bonnie & Grace making popcorn, yum!

Bonnie, Dad, and Mary heading down the bike trails at Itasca

Candace & Chelsea at a lookout in Itasca & pretty view of the trees

View from across the lake at the headwaters of the river

Claire and Auntie Chelsea on the swings, wee!!!

Dad and the girls at Itasca on the boardwalk

Chelsea and I on a little bridge over the river & standing in the beginning of the mighty Mississippi!

Claire & Ash at the headwaters

Don't forget your sunscreen!

Clarabelle & Auntie discovering things on the trails

So cute!

Candace's sister Mandy and her oldest son Carson playing at Dad's house

Carson telling us a funny joke!

Candace chatting with Aunt Sally, Uncle Keith, and their boys Darrin and Chris.

Little Ashton is having fun with Daddy Matt & Auntie Ashley

Cousin time! Ashton and Clarabelle playing--where's Ashton's big brother Carson? Oh wait, there he is! The blur! Having too much fun to slow down :)

Clarabelle & Grandma Peggy

View on the way to Dad's house. Sure is pretty in Northern MN!

Claire and Auntie Candace--are we there yet?

On the way to Dad's house--looks like a storm is coming!

Good Friends and Good Times

A few weeks ago we went to dinner at our friend's Nick and Ann Marie's house to spend time with our friend Steve, visiting from the East Coast. Too bad Steve's fun wife Caralee was not on this trip, we missed you! Ann Marie is an excellent cook, so dinner was delicious as it is every time we have dinner with them :) It was so fun for us all to hang out again! Steve and Caralee moved to the East Coast shortly after their wedding in 2007 so we've been missing them at our get-togethers these past few years.

Aren't they cute?

We're trying to convince them to move back! :) Steve and Ann Marie were taking the Washington State bar exam, so we had a fun dinner to celebrate them finishing the test. We played a few heated rounds of Scene It, it was competetive and very funny! Thanks for hosting us, Nick & Ann Marie!

Chelsea, Candace, Ann Marie, Steve

Candace, Steve, and Ann Marie

Ann Marie, Steve, Nick, and Chelsea

This past weekend Chelsea and I went up north to Camano Island to our friend Marit's family's home. We had so much fun! We've talked about Camano Island previously on the blog because Aunt Cathy & Uncle Sandy also have a home there... It's always such a nice, relaxing experience. You're only about 1 hour's drive from Seattle, but it feels like you've really escaped the big city. We hung out, played games, walked along the beach, ate good food, and chatted and enjoyed ourselves. Thanks for hosting us, Marit!

View of the beach from the road

A statue of liberty street lamp, how funny!

Marit, Candace, and Truffle

A shark head buoy, hilarious!

Me & Chels

Our future cabin on the right (a girl can dream, right?)

Marit and Chelsea

The view from Marit's beach

Fun times with friends in Seattle this summer! :)

Flying Through The Air With The Greatest Of Ease...

Well, it wasn't the flying trapeze, but we had a trapeze lesson for Chelsea's sister Steph's pre-wedding Seattle women's get-together on Sunday, July 25th. The lesson was held at Versatile Arts, http://www.versatilearts.net/ check it out!

Here's the group that attended:

Here I am on the tissues. Harder than it looks!

Aunt Cathy on the tissues, more graceful than me!

Cousin Miranda makes it look easy.

Here's the bride, all smiles! :)

Here I am doing the star pose on the trapeze bar.

Miranda's a star!

Aunt Cathy

Steph doing a challenging pose

Cousin Claire makes it look easy!

Steph and Claire on the trapeze

Candace finds her shelf!

No hands!

Joanne on the trapeze bar

Aunt Cathy

Claire

Steph

Steph

Sarah on the tissue

Candace

Miranda

Steph

The instructor Beverly demonstrating the tissue

Climbing the rope

Steph climbing the rope

It was a two-hour private group lesson and the last half-hour was a show by the instructors. It was really fun! A good workout, I was sore for a week!

Afterward we all went out to The Essential Baking Company for some drinks and treats to celebrate and to toast the bride. Only two more weeks until Steph & Dan's wedding, yay! :)