Month in Review, Installment I

Well, as promised, I am finally here to post a recap of our most recent happenings.

We jump started the month with our first "family of four" vacation with a trip to California to visit the family. We hadn't been back in over a year and we were chompin' at the bit to go. As luck would have it, we had just obtained our minivan, so we were able to make the trip with much more room and comfort. So, in a mostly picture review,

WE

Celebrated 3, make that 4 birthdays!

After much trial, much error, and even more laughter, we enjoyed THIS Birthday Cake.

(I am well aware of the remarkable resemblance to the cake that the 3 fairies made for Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty:)

As we were just finishing opening presents on R.'s Dad's Birthday, we received the call that our newest niece had made her grand entrance into the world just in time to share the day with her Grandpa!

WE

Had a healthy dose of fun!

Fishing

Golfing, Shopping,

Hiking

Relaxing

and

Staying Up Too Late!

We also had the opportunity to celebrate Mother's Day with R.'s Mom this year. My sister-in-law and I thought it would be fun to throw a Tea Party for all the girls, (her daughters, her Mom, my daughter, and my Mother-in-law). We made invitations to invite our Moms' and the little girls painted frames to give to their Grandmas' with a picture commemorating the event. We all wore dress ups, and the little girls especially enjoyed the "chit-chat" as we practiced our most proper manners, using phrases like "My dear, would you be so kind as to..." and the like. It was really fun and I was reminded that I should do things like this more often. So to finish our California recap, here are some final pics of our

Mother's Day Tea

And as it seems to have taken me much longer than I though it would to cover this portion, I have to go, but I will be posting a second installment soon!

My Husband

Yes, it has been over a month since my last post! I am well aware and here to finally remedy the situation! I will post shortly in as condensed a version as possible as to our going ons here in the Crawford home this past month, but first, I wanted to directly address my sweet, wonderful, adoring husband with this one.

On May 13th, it was R.'s birthday. On May 14th, it was mine. Yes, I am less than 24 hours younger than my husband. When I think about this seemingly insignificant piece of trivia, I also always think of the early days of our courtship and the fact that I probably asked him TEN times when his birthday was (as we were just becoming friends) before I remembered, even though every time he told me he also added, "It is the day before yours, don't you remember that?" And then, I always think of how he used to tell me that we were just so madly in love in heaven, I couldn't wait any longer to get down here too once he left. Who's to say he's wrong?!

I am constantly amazed by him, in so many different ways, and have many moments where I find myself amazed at my own good fortune, not only that he loves me, but that he loves me like he does. When we were dating, one of my favorite songs was, I Can Love You Like That (the country version preferred). It was actually one of my favorites way before we were dating, possibly because I was 18 and hopelessly romantic, (as all 18 yearolds are), or it may have had something to do with the line in the song referring to "how you felt when Romeo kissed Juliet". Lets just say that my girlfriends and I had something for Mr. Leonardo DiCaprio.... whatever the case, when I started dating Ryan, I really thought I had stumbled upon Prince Charming. Charming may even be an understatement. He was confident, witty, handsome, sweet, sensitive, smart, and even had a Heritage Gold meal card! (I think that was the name, whatever it was, he had scholarships and was living the high life, and if I was special enough, I could join him!) (wink:)

Speaking of winks, he was really good at that too. The winks may not come as often these days, but when they do, they still make me feel all funny inside. He has always had the perfect embrace, held my hand in the just the right way, at the right times, and continues to be there when I need it most. These days, R. not longer has to worry about impressing me, as he has other bigger issues on his plate, like bringing home the bacon and providing for our future. Luckily though, he still finds time to "shoot me a memo" every now and then and remind me of why I married him, like the pearl earrings he gave me for Mother's Day this year. Even with all his responsibilities in life (which only seem to increase as the years go by), he still amazes me by his ability to come home and roll around on the floor with our kids and act like it is the best time he has had in years. He is an amazing father and I honestly don't think I could ask for more.

Although I may have once jokingly told him that I wanted "to be loved like that", he has somehow managed to be step up to the plate. I love him, and in honor of his 27th birthday, here are 27 things about him.

1. He can fix anything, and does fix everything!
2. He "gets" things, like APR and the economy.
3. He is witty.
4. He is intelligent.
5. He is ambitious.
6. He can sing.
7. He loves to fish.
8. He loves to sit and think, (perhaps that is why he loves to fish...)
9. He is an incredible teacher, i.e. teaching me to golf!
10. He is patient, especially with his children.
11. He has quiet strength and capacity.
12. He likes Salt and Vinegar potato chips.
13. He loves his family, his brothers and sisters are his best friends.
14. He thinks if I would let him go on Survivor, he could win, and I really think he could.
15. He is a San Francisco Giants fan.
16. He is missing 1/2 of his pinkie finger, thus teaching Alli to say "I love you" in sign language incorrectly, (she only uses her thumb and pointer finger).
17. He once wrote me from his mission sitting from a spot in Northern Spain and said it was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen. He said we would sit there together one day, and I believe him.
18. He loves his Mom, He loves his Dad.
19. He likes all of his socks to look the same so that he doesn't have to worry about matching up pairs, thus
20. He is always thinking of how to make things more efficient.
21. He likes to golf, and says he likes to golf with me, and even though he is much better, I think he really means it.
22. He has probably a hundred different great business ideas that could make millions, but the thing is, that at least half of them probably could!
23. When he starts reading a book, it is hard for him to get anything else done until he has finished it-thus it is good he is usually too busy to sit and start many new books.
24. His children adore him.
25. He is an eagle scout.
26. He shares all his toys with me.
27. I LOVE HIM!