Happy Anniversary!

Today is Anniversary #5! A lot has happened for us since then. We have moved 6 1/2 times, have spent more than 13 months apart and at two different times we lived in different states from each other, one kid and one on the way. I am so luck to say though, that for us marriage comes easy. I could sit here and list all the things that I love about Chad and our marriage but the #1 that comes to mind is that I love him more today then I did the day that we got married. Happy Anniversary!

Yes, I know that I am, at times, one of those "dork moms." Here is example #1. Justin had a pj Christmas party at story time today. I was going to let him go with out any shoes since his pajamas have footies but he really wanted to wear his boots....so this is what he left the house looking like.

THANK YOU TANYA!

Thanks Tanya so much for watching our little boy for us for so long. You will never know how much we appreciate it and how happy we are that he is so comfortable at your house. There is no one else we would have wanted him stay with you are such a good mom! Thank You also for being such a wonderful sister-in-law. I am so glad that we have been able to live so close. WE LOVE YOU!!! (sorry the pic is so old)

ALOHA!

Hawaii....Hawaii...The only way to describe our trip is through pictures.
(I won't mention this again but I did not know how much 2 people could miss one little boy so much and being pregnant doesn't help the emotions either!)

We arrived Tuesday night...The next day was one of the worst rain storms they had seen in almost 30 years. Flash flood warnings, no power for 48 hrs, chocolate milk ocean and our streets were flooded. Yep, that street is where our rental house was. No swimming yet.....

Amber was lucky to have a couple hours of power the morning of her wedding (enough to get a warm shower and get curlers in her hair). No one had electricity to bake her cake and the beach that she was suppose to get married on was washed out. Even still she was beautiful and the wedding was great. (I think Chad is chewing gum!)

More rain! so we decided to go for a walk (Sara, Riki, Chad and I) the more we walked the harder it rained the wetter we got but what do you do...We were in Hawaii!

Finally some SUN! So we took a drive and ended up on some one lane road passing through all these small villages. We met Randy (1st pic) in this green little hut selling "the best banana bread ever." He was funny and had mannerisms a little like Captain Jack Sparrow. We also stopped to help these honeymooners from Canada with a flat tire. It was just great to get out!

Chad having Scott and Grandpa Erickson hold him up so he could pick bananas off of the tree. I guess having his mom be a cheer coach for so long paid off...at least it was a good excuse to watch the cheerleaders! He also worked really hard at opening this rotten coconut he found on the beach.

This was the sunrise on top of the Volcano. We did briefly see a glimpse of orange once. The point of it was to watch the sunset then to bike down the volcano. After getting sick and having to have the van driver, Jimbo, pull over twice so I could throw up, I found out because I was pregnant that I could not bike down with the rest of the group. So I got to endure the van ride back down but had the company of my grandparents. Riki did wreck but I think they all enjoyed it.

The whole trip was great but the last few days really made up for it. We were able to put on our swimming suites and play in the ocean. We got to snorkel and I learned not to wear sunglasses in the water because those waves can take you down at any time and that Chad is afraid of Sharks. (Sorry to post a swim suite picture but it was Hawaii). Everyone pretty much left on Sunday but Chad and I didn't fly out until Monday night so we had the whole day together. We spent 3 hours at the aquarium, watched the wind sailors and surfers and went to a really nice dinner.

We were very excited to come home and see Justin. It made it even better when he was just as excited to see us! To top the whole trip off we came home to 10 inches of beautiful snow and got stuck in our drive way! ALOHA!

TRICKED YA!

I know, You thought that I was going to change it from Thanksgiving to Christmas...but NOPE not yet....first we have to get ready for Hawaii! I'll update when we get back....ALOHA!

Blog Tag

I got "Blog Tagged" a while ago and am just now getting around to posting. I am suppose to tell 6 things about my self...weird habbits...quirks..ect

1. I too (like Tanya) get scared easily. When Chad is gone I sleep with the lights on, try to stay up as late as possible so that I will fall asleep fast, and will not take a bath or shower at night. Even in every day my shower curtain has to be see through. I know it is ridiculous so I tried to think why I am that way. TRAUMATIZED!!!! I had friends (guys) when I was in H.S. that would come to my bedroom window at all hours of the night or one time I even woke up with one of them standing in my room...I know freaky. SO that means no scary movies or T.V. shows....EVER!!! Plus my husband occasionally thinks it is funny to hide then jump out at me...not to mention my sister (Riki) who grabbed my from behind and tossed me into a bedroom one time when I was getting out of the bath when I thought no one was home...hence the bath/shower thing!

2. When I have a bad day I put in Shainia Twains "UP" CD and dance and dance and dance until I feel better (only one person has witnessed this thank goodness!) or I put in my "swish mix" and sing.....

3. I got ripped off in the talent department. I'm pretty sure that I was meant to be able to sing. I do anyway but really am no good.

4. I have never watched a single Star Wars movie from start to finish.

5. I am a coupon clipper. I enjoy budgeting and finding good deals. I have gotten to the point where I only buy my "name brand" hair products, toothpaste, peanut butter, spaghetti sauce...ect...if it is under $1. Considering the fact that trips included Las Vegas, Hawaii, and home for Christmas all in 6 weeks. I am very happy that I can do that for my family.

6. I like to rotate...dinner plates, bowls, silverware, wash clothes, dish towels...ect...just cleaned ones on the bottom new on top that way they all get used equally.

I am sure I could have asked my sister and gotten some better ones :) but this is what I thought of and no I do not know 6 bloggers to "tag" Sorry!

Day of Thanks

It is always nice to sit and think for a while what you really are grateful for. Here is a few of ours......

Chad said he is thankful for

1. Me

2. Justin

3. A steady and secure job for his family

(I know man of many words and deep thoughts)

I am Thankful for....

1. My little growing family. My husband who is very patient and a big help around the house and my son who truly is the joy of both Chad and my life. Not only them but my extended family. Also that we have cell phones and I get to talk to them all often....usually going over my minutes every month.

2. That I have the opportunity and support to go back to school. I love to learn and see that I am a little smarter than I give my self credit for

3. That I get to decorate for Christmas tomorrow and start playing Christmas music. At 24 whenever I am home for Christmas morning I still get up at 5 and go empty out my stocking then try to get my sister to do the same(I don't even bother with Chad anymore!)...never works...so then I go back to bed for a while! Love Christmas!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

REWIND!

So, I am going to REWIND a few months back to this past summer...JULY! We had a great Scussel family vacation in Zions Nat'l Park, UT. Here are some of my favorite pictures....Sorry, the only picture of me was in my swimming suite and I wasn't willing to post that for you all to see! Hope on her "stinky" horse

All the cousins (except Collin and Beau) and Tanya at the pool...Noah 6, Seth 5, Maisie 5,

Hope 2 1/2, Justin 20 months, and Adalee 14 months.

Justin with his little shiner from running into Chads tailgate on his truck.

Trying to give cousin Adee loves
Great picture of the two of them playing in dirty water
Papa reading a bedtime story

Justin giving Papa a kiss

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN!

Justin turned 2 on Friday and we had a GREAT day! Tracy was watching the cousins in Phoenix and she brought them up for the weekend. They were great entertainment for Justin. He (and I) loved that he had someone to play with all day long. He still wakes up in the morning and says "Where's Hope"...very cute. That morning we went and fed the ducks...and they were very hungry! One even tried taking the bread out of Hopes hand and bit her...she was tough though no tears. We all went on a nice walk then played at the park. After naps we painted with water colors, opened gifts and had cupcakes. We finished opening gifts about 7:00 that night when he was interested again. I love my little Justin so much. He is very strong willed and kind and lovable all at the same time. I am still a little emotional over it all so I will stop there. Now, here's the pictures!

How Do You Not Laugh

OK I know this is a lot of new post at one time but our internet has been down and I am trying to play catch up. This is a picture of Justin sleeping on his puppy for a pillow. It was so darn cute I couldn't help but take a picture even running the risk of waking him up...thankfully he didn't. He has to have "puppy" "moose" and 2 blankies with him all the time. His new thing is having them wrapped up like babies (like moose is in the picture).

The other day he was doing something and I asked him not to. I told him to stop or he goes to timeout for not listening to mommy. I then started to count (trying to give him a chance) I said "One...Two..." and he yells "THREE" as Chad and I tried to hide our laughs I picked him up and put him in timeout. I few seconds later I checked on him to make sure he was still seating in the chair and I caught him climbing out. He turns around, looks at me and says "all done" like he chooses when he gets out. Needless to say as funny as it was he did go back in timeout for the remainder of his minute...I know what a hard mom...

Girls Weekend

As much as I wanted to go on this girls weekend and as excited as I was...I still cried the morning that I left. I don't know why it is so hard to leave your baby (who will be 2 in 7 days) even when he is staying with his Dad. I had a GREAT time and only called home once or twice a day....promise! What was even harder than dropping them off at the airport was knowing that they were all going home to Montana and I had a 6 hr drive back to Arizona. I will post more pictures when I get the other girls copies.

But for now here is a few things I learned about Las Vegas......

*** No matter how much I love my dressy cowboy boots wearing them for 9 hours is not such a great idea....I was not able to feel my feet

*** 5 girls in there 20's can still make it to bed by 10:00 in a city that truly never sleeps

***It is possible to get a $18 non-alcoholic drink....just ask I can tell you where

***You can get a sunburn in November especially if you get your coloring from Montana

***Waiters completely under estimate how much 5 girls can eat...chips and salsa anyone!

We all had an amazing time and are already planning our trip for 2009! I love them all and am grateful for the GREAT friends they have been the past 15 years! I wish we all lived closer but I know that it would only mean trouble for our husbands and our bank accounts:)!!!

****And Yes, Chad and Justin did just fine although I still do not know what they ate all weekend. Chads only response was...."Whatever was laying around the house"....to me that pretty much means Halloween Candy!

Halloween

Justin was the most adorable little fireman with the biggest sweet tooth. That morning I said Justin, it's Halloween...Happy Halloween. So, all day he would throw his hands in the air and yell "Happy!" We went to a trunk or treat and he got the hang of it pretty quick. He even got to go inside a real firetruck which I am sure was the best day in his little 2 year old life. If only you could see his reaction every time we hear sirens...and luckily for us we live pretty close to the fire station so we hear them often. Justin learns fast and now he points to the cupboard and says "treat" all the time ....what a great holiday. It was hard to get any picture of him looking at the camera that's not really his thing right now.