Alaska Cruise: Part Eight

So now we are going back to Alaska - there are still many photos to blog about our amazing trip.  And the best part is that we are talking about going again next year and that just makes me beyond excited :)

This particular day we were cruising around Tracy Arm which is fjord that seems very narrow when traveling through.  The boat goes very slowly and there are naturalists on board talking about the wildlife, plants, etc.  It is truly breathtaking.  And it makes the 5:30 wake up call worth every minute.

Can you see the baby seal on the iceberg below?!?

Just another beautiful day at sea :)

Our Old House

We have had renters in our Rohnert Park house for the last 3 years, so it has been awhile since we were able to go inside and check things out.  We had a renter switch in July and were able to fix lots of things and take C inside.

We drive by often, its just one mile from our house, but it was really nice to walk around.  We told C lots of stories about where our furniture was when we lived there and about what room Ryanne lived in when she lived there.

For having 4 college boys living there for 3 years the house looked pretty good and was able to clean up quickly.  We had to have painters repaint all the inside and take care of lots of smaller repairs and we needed to install a new heater.  Next opening between renters we have some more projects to complete - basically we have a 10 year plan of items to fix.  We feel like it will be best to spread everything out so that the house maintains its condition for many years.  

I have a ton of memories in this house.  It was where Damon and I started our relationship and the first place that we lived.  It is was I would come stay the night after my night classes at SSU and he would be sleeping in the dog bed in front of the wood burning stove.  It is was we planned our wedding, it was where I met Cyrus, where we celebrated our first Thanksgiving with guests using our wedding china, it was where my dad told me he was retiring from work, it was where our families came over for dinners, it was where I learned, and loved, so much about Damon.

I love that we can still share this piece of our history with our future, Cambrie.

Happy Nine Years of Marriage

On Wednesday, July 22nd Damon and I celebrated nine years of marriage with our best accomplishment yet, Cambrie.  It is our new tradition to go to Cattlemens with her to celebrate.  We talk about our wedding, she feels like a grown-up and we cheers to our lives.  Sometimes the days are hard, but they are always filled with love in all directions.  For that, I am extremely grateful.

C asked Damon to pose like this so she could take a picture of him - such an awesome husband, but an even better father.

Cheers to nine years!

We also brought along Rebecca, C's American Girl doll, and they wore their matching dresses.

It is also a tradition to pose with the statues :)

Figured that we need a picture with just the two of us...

And someone was sad not to get in the photo - so it because a family picture in the parking lot! 

I wasn't looking for a relationship when I met Damon...I was young and just got out of a two year relationship that was pretty serious (as college relationships go.)  But when I met him so much changed.  I was able to 100% be myself with him and he loved me for it.  He took care of me, and I loved taking care of him.  We have had a very equal relationship throughout our time together and it is something that I treasure.  Especially while parenting, and trying to maintain a sense of our own self as well.  He has stood by me as I embark on crazy ideas like taking up photography, taking up running, working at Workrite, not working at Workrite, the list goes on.  He is supportive as supportive can be.  He encourages me to travel to visit friends, to have late night girlfriend dinners, to schedule our calendars and fill it with adventures, to sleep more and to learn to say no.  He is a dreamer with me and we like to talk about our past memories and the ones that we will create in the future.  

If this is what nine years is like, I sign up for a million more.

James Starts Kindergarten

It has been an honor to watch James grow up.  He has helped Cambrie with her transitions into Building Blocks and is one of the best older brothers I have seen.  I teared up more that I would like to admit the weeks leading up to the start of Kindergarten.  It is such a big milestone for him and his family.  Thankfully I had the opportunity to watch him the Monday prior to his first day.  I wanted to do something special for him and Krystina.  So, the best thing is to pick up my camera and have a surprise photo session at his school.

Cambrie and I went shopping for supplies and were very excited about the adventure.  Thankfully James was too!

The two of them wanted lots of pictures together and then C did a great job letting me take some of James by himself.  

Our props were simple, yet cute.  (Note: James bright neon shirt.  That was one thing I didn't really think of when planning for our day!)

He looks like little boy James to me in some of these pictures...maybe because his hair isn't styled like it normally is or maybe because I am just super sentimental.  

His backpack is so big on his little self!  He was very excited to pick out the theme that he wanted since Building Blocks had lots of restrictions on themes and types of clothing/accessories.  So dinosaurs won for kindergarten!

Checking out his playground...

At this point we didn't know who James' teacher was so we were trying to look into the classrooms to check things out.  

More silly props that they picked out! (Note: C's shirt on this one, since James was wearing his Monster Trucks shirt she needed to wear hers too.)

The many many silly faces of James...

He chose where to pose himself on these (including his foot positioning) and was sure to tell me that he thought his mom would like this picture :)

Excited to officially be 5 and into the next school phase!

And, just a few of my girl to round out our session.

We were really successful on our 20 minute photo shoot and then I had quite the ambitious plan ahead of me to edit and print the pictures then deliver them to Krystina.  James picked out his two favorites to put in a frame which were black and white images.  One with the glasses and the other holding the sign in front of his classroom.  Krystina was surprised and excited to have these pictures since the first day of school was a little hectic (as it always is.)  

He is going to do great and C and I are excited to cheer him along throughout his journey!