a week in the life {7.30.11.} saturday

I don't remember what time we awoke this morning, let alone what time I finally fell asleep (being so freezing cold ALL night long), but after a nature walk with a local native, a beautiful sunny day at the beach is all we needed! We really didn't keep time and spent the rest of the evening listening to music while the kiddos rode bikes and climbed trees doing the usual "camping things" (camp fire, smores, etc...).

a week in the life {7.29.11} friday

8:00 am good morning to day off (for both Chris & I) and the beginning to our long awaited camping trip with friends. 9:00 last day of dance camp for Paige and demonstration for parents at 10:30. Meanwhile in between trips to the grocery store and camping supplies store last minute necessities. 11:30 lunch for kiddos. Piper off to dance camp at noon with demonstration at 2:30. Chris and I straighten up house, make beds, wash linens, load car, etc... 5:00ish leave for camping trip to South Whidbey State Park; girls in our car, boys in the "Jed Clampett"! Quick stop at Subway in Burlington and then off to our destination, roughly arriving at 7:45 pm. Just enough time to put up the camp site, tent, and start a bonfire. 10:30ish bedtime.

a week in the life {7.28.11} thursday

4:00 am up and adam for conference in Seattle. ROAD TRIP 5:10 to 6:45 am, arrive a little early (thanks to good traffic, and GPS). 7:30 Conference at Seattle Renaissance Hotel starts with a great breakfast and lots of coffee! 8:00 to 12:00 pm-lecture. 12:00 to 1:00 pm Lunch-another great meal catered by the hotel. 1:00 Heart dissection...mmm right after lunch! 3:30 pm conference ends "a little early", but stuck in parking garage because of issue of validation with my parking ticket. 3:45ish finally get a hold of someone to let me out of the underground parking garage (pretty scary), only to have to find somewhere to park on Madison St. to run into the hotel to pay for parking (should have just drove off). 4:00 pm wait in line at the Renaissance for 20minutes, finally the concierges tell me to "forget about it" (again, should have just drove off). 4:30ish enter downtown Seattle traffic...the rest is self explanatory. 6:00 pm finally out of Everett traffic, only to run into CONSTRUCTION northbound to B'ham...great (again, should have just drove off)! 6:30ish arrive at home. Mexican takeout food thanks to hubbie. Pick up house. Start packing for camping trip. 9:00 Relax on the couch, resting my feet on my favorite rug...exhausted!!!

a week in the life {7.27.11} wednesday

I believe it was 8 something when us girls decided to wake up (no work today...yippee)! And to top that, a great friend said she would drive Paige to dance camp giving me some time to pick up the house and get ready myself. 11:00 am time to pick up Paige and her friend. Come home and start to fix lunch while Piper gets ready for dance camp. Drop her off at 12:00 and come home to friend and finished lunch while the younger girls have a play date. 1:30-2:45 pick up house, dishes, and sit down to check out new website Pinterest (awesome and very addictive, by the way). Go pick up Piper from camp. Time for 10 minute nap before dad gets home from work. Leftovers for dinner. Neighborhood girl comes over to play outside, Dad to Costco and me to cleaning all bathrooms. 9:00ish time for bed for big conference tomorrow!!

a week in the life {7.26.11} tuesday

Not many pictures today as you can see this is what time I got up...and 2nd picture is what time I got home from work (8:30pm). TIRED. Not much else to say!

a week in the life {7.25.11} monday

Well, here goes. Monday morning 5 am comes real fast after 2 fun birthday celebrations over the weekend (momma and Piper)! Regular bowl of Special K with red berries and milk, coffee filled to the brim (using only 1 Kerig pod twice) and a dash of creamer for flavor starts my day. Shower, toothbrush, blow dry, makeup and straightener (with lots of hair product) prior to leaving the house at 6:10 am. Work. Finish my work day a little early at 2:00 pm, making it so that I can pick up Piper from dance camp (Paige went this morning with the sitter) and run to Haggens for dinner. Only in B'ham can you make chili and cornbread for dinner during the summer(totally forgetting that we will also have it this weekend camping...good thing the Schweigert family LOVES it!). Await for daddy to get home. Dinner. Dishes. Daddy and girls run to camping store for supplies for the upcoming trip. Me to my bubble bath and book. 7:30 pm collapse in bed with two little girls that have been "keeping it warm" waiting for me. Somewhere in between 7:30 and 8:30 pm-fall asleep, only to be awaken by our window screen (falling 2 stories) and fan hanging by the cord kindly removed by Paige to "let the ladybugs out"???

30...i'm ready for ya!

Chuck E. Cheese

Today we spent at Chuck E. Cheese with some really special friends for Piper's 7th birthday! There was lots of games, pizza, singing on stage, cake and presents. And all because Piper was the birthday girl, she got to go into the ticket chamber for 30 seconds and try to obtain as many tickets she could grab, while a really strong air blaster was blowing.

30 Things Every Woman Should Have & Should Know by the Time She's 30

I thought I would share, that being so close to my own 30th birthday.

By 30 , you should have:

1. 
   
   
   One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you've come.



2. 
   
   
   A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.



3. 
   
   
   Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.



4. 
   
   
   A purse, suitcase and an umbrella you're not ashamed to be carrying.



5. 
   
   
   A youth you're content to move beyond.



6. 
   
   
   A past juicy enough that you're looking forward enough to retelling in your old age.



7. 
   
   
   The realization that you are actually going to have an old age-and some money set aside for funding it.



8. 
   
   
   An email address, a voice mailbox and a bank account-all of which no one has access to but you.



9. 
   
   
   A resume that is not even the slightest bit padded.



10. 
    
    
    One friend that always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.



11. 
    
    
    A set of screwdrivers, and cordless drill and a black lace bra.



12. 
    
    
    Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.



13. 
    
    
    The belief that you deserve it.



14. 
    
    
    A skin-care regimen, and exercise routine and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don't get better after 30.



15. 
    
    
    A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship and all those facets of life that do get better.

By 30, you should know:

1. 
   
   
   How to fall in love without losing yourself.



2. 
   
   
   How you feel about having kids.



3. 
   
   
   How to quit a job, breakup with a man and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.



4. 
   
   
   When to try harder and when to walk away.



5. 
   
   
   How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn't like to happen next.



6. 
   
   
   The names of: the secretary of state, your great-grandmother and the best tailor in town.



7. 
   
   
   How to live alone, even if you don't like to.



8. 
   
   
   How to take control of your own birthday.



9. 
   
   
   That you can't change the length of your calves, the width of your hips or the nature of your parents.



10. 
    
    
    That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it's over.



11. 
    
    
    What you would or wouldn't do for love or money.



12. 
    
    
    That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs or not flossing for very long.



13. 
    
    
    Who you can trust, who you cannot and why you shouldn't take it personally.



14. 
    
    
    Not to apologize for something that isn't your fault.



15. 
    
    
    Why they say life begins at 30!

~This 1997 Glamour article has become a popular chain letter, usually titled "Maya Angelo's Best Poem Ever". Glamour contributor Pamela Redmond Satran updated it in 2005.

The story of us; as told by pictures

Happy anniversary to the man of my dreams!! Cheers to many, many more years of happiness!

*click on picture to enlarge

Here we go again!

Ali Edward's "Week in the Life" starts July 25th-31st...and I hope you are in!! It's been a real fun way to cherish memories as "the way we were" the past couple of years (and even funner to look back upon)!!

Fishing off the deck

Daddy wouldn't take us fishing today, so we opted to practice our casting instead!

Finally it's

Happy 4th!