Sunday, November 27, 2011

thanksgiving day bike ride 2011

i guess it was actually labor day last year when we got the bikes out and went for a ride around my parents neighborhood, but either way, we had fun re-creating our photos from that day last year.

i probably should have used the bathroom before we left because i almost peed my pants on at least 3 occasions. From chasing down rogue deer, my inability to kick my bike up like a bad ass 'bmx'er AND my inability to lift a bike up over my head, i came a little too close to having to run into the desert to 'water the cactus'.

here's what we got out of our photo shoot. jeremy's face in the last 4 pictures cracks me up, he was REALLY getting in to the shot. I literally had to pretend i was an actor for the 'over the head' bike pics, i had a job to do and i could not let the crew down by giggling and peeing. guess it helped because i even managed to get the bike over my head AND stand on one leg! ha!

'so i put my right foot on the pedal and my left foot, where? what?'
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when you see me start to fold in half like this while i'm laughing, chances are, i'm about to pee.
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all right, this works. just like last year!
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again with the bike trick, maybe if joshua wedges a rock under my wheel it will work...it didn't.
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say cheese...
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if you see me fold up into this position, there's no doubt about it, i'm about to pee.
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mid fold...consumed with laughter.
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heck ya, we did it! jenny gets a super star A for effort. our bikes were insanely heavy.
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my inner yogi and jeremy's inner metal dude take over.
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***and seester! what a difference a camera makes, huh? so much better than last year!***

Monday, August 29, 2011

8 years ago...

Jeremy,
Please refer to the previous post about our son but swap out the words 'buddy' & 'mom' for lover.
Love,
Christine

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Listen, after swimming all day and having not washed my hair for days before I was pretty impressed with my somewhat french twist-like hair do.

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That's Tan-tastic. Had to put this picture in for myself, last year I was 16 pounds heavier! Lookin' good little mama.

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5 years

Dear Espen,
You just turned 5 years old and I cannot believe what a fantastic, friendly, whip smart, funny, good mannered, cheerful and good-looking boy you are. I have nothing but love for you, the kind of love that you can't describe, the kind that makes your body ache because a million hugs or kisses can't show it. You are my one and only buddy and I am lucky to have you in my life and be your mom.
Love,
Mommy

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the kid is in kindergarten

Espen's first day of kindergarten was a few weeks ago and this year was so much different then last year when he started pre-k at his school and I'm not just talking about Espen's hair. It was still exciting and 'new' but Espen was like a whole new kid. Last year his teacher had to coax him to her side and he looked a bit terrified, this year it was like 'see ya, I got this under control, been there done that'.

He settled right in, with his buddies from last year and that was it.  He's been having a great time so far, he and I talk and talk and talk about what they did all day, who he sat with at lunch, how was p.e., art, what songs did he learn. It's amazing.

On Sunday night, for Espen's last night of Summer we went out for a little celebratory fro-yo!

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This guy was next in line to start school. Jeremy started at Phoenix Law this year and we couldn't be more happy and proud of him. xoxo lover.

Friday, May 27, 2011

half day fun day

Espen's school had early release last Friday so a bunch of his classmates decided to get together at the park next to the school.

Before we headed over there we took a minute to look through these incredible binders that his teacher put together for all of the students. Each book had writing samples and drawings and photos from throughout the year. It was such a nice gift and Espen was so proud of it!

There were 11 kids from Espen's class and a ton of other kids too at the park playing in the water feature...we spent 4 hours there and had so much fun. The kiddos played while us mom's got to chit chat and relax, it was a good afternoon.



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{ian dumping water on espen and yes, those are bags for picking up dog poop}

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{tired of getting his picture taken}

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Word on the street was that some guy was going to kick my ass for some reason, I'm really not sure why, something to do with a house I was buying or renting. All I wanted to do was pick up the phone and dial 911 but every phone I touched had something wrong with it. All of my friends were sitting outside while this guy threatened me. I watched him take 2 metal chairs, bend them around and with fishing line he strapped a girl into them while he and his friends used her like a jumping rope.

The guy finally pegged me in a bedroom and began to pummel me. Flipping me up in the air, tossing me to my back, kicking me and hurling me across the room. It wasn't until he was done that I finally got a phone to work but it was a struggle to punch in 911, the number were jumbled, the phone was slippery. I had Espen clutched in my arms while the maniac guy screamed at me in the living room but I could see the police out the window with a mass of civilians behind him to help me out. As the police officer got closer I could see that he wasn't an actual cop, his vest had some emblem on it with the words Public Defenders Killing Squad, or something like that. All of a sudden the civilians that I thought were there to help turned out to be with the maniac and the man on the killing squad turned around and opened fire on them all with some high powered automatic rifle type thing. BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM, loud but muffled. He burst through the door and I thought I was safe until he pointed the gun at me and Espen. I buried Espen's head into my chest and yelled at the guy, 'STOP, I CALLED YOU!! DON'T HURT US, NOT MY SON!!' He laughed so hard and told me that as part of the killing squad he gets to take out whom ever he wants after he takes down the 'bad guys' and said if I wanted him to save me and Espen I'd have to help him 'satisfy his urge to kill' and he pulled us outside where ALL of the people I love were hanging out enjoying the afternoon.

For some reason the man from the killing squad has a change of heart, so to speak. Instead of killing people he tells me he just wants to 'play' with them. I see him lock eyes on Allison. Allison, EB, Jeremy & Espen are the only people who I can really make out, but I 'know' everyone else I love is there too. He asks Allison to hold out her hand and between her thumb and pointer finger is a web...like a duck. There is something shiny on it, like a silver target and just like that, BAM, he shoots her in the webbed part of the hand and then BAM BAM with the same muffled sound he starts shooting at peoples feet, grazing peoples ears, watching and laughing as everyone hops around the yard, I couldn't bare the sight and sound so I buried my face in Espen's hair and just like that the BAM BAM BAM changes to a BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ and thankfully it was the sound of my alarm clock waking me up from this horrible dream.

Monday, May 16, 2011

1 year

I'm going to take a minute and pat myself on the back. I just pulled up my name on the MLS as Listing and Selling member and I was ecstatic to see the results. I quit working my office job on May 12th of last year to pursue a career in real estate. In one year I have 8 (10 if you count a closing on Friday and one next month) closings under my belt and almost $1.2 Million in sales, which for a rookie in this market is pretty good, don't you think. I'm having more fun than I ever thought I could have and I really am proud of myself.

There is also no way in hell I would be able to get to this point if it weren't for some people who I need to mention.

My parents. You both have had my back through good times and bad and to support me through this past year has been incredible. Thank you for all of the help you have given to me and the opportunity that you gave me and my family. I love you.

The Twins. Jenny & Christie, for real, if it weren't for these two ladies I would be sitting here typing, 'holy shit, a year has gone by and I have nothing to show for it.' The support you have given me, gave me every bit of confidence that I needed to make it. I am beyond grateful for everything you have done for me and the confidence you have in me. :-)

Jeremy & Espen. I feel like I have all the time in the world and not nearly enough time for you guys. Thank you for believing in me and giving me hugs when I'd cry about a stressful closing or cheering me along at a successful one. Obviously I love you both to pieces.

So that's it, my back hurts from all of this self-patting. Yeah me!!

listen up, peaches

I wasn't sure if Jeremy would be able to recover from Saturday night but somehow he did and although it was a bit later in the day than we had intended we actually made it out to Schnepf Farms for their annual peach festival.

Jeremy wasn't in the mood to drive and apparently I wasn't either because not only did I miss the exit for the 60 East I also took the 202 north instead of south out in the east valley, who does that! We got to the farm with about an hour and a half to play, which really, was plenty of time. The line in the bakery was out of control, grumpy people waiting in line, not even certain that they would get a fresh baked pie. We went to the front of the line, grabbed a frozen pie and were out of there in less than 5 minutes. Not only were we able to get a peach pie, we got some ice cream & candy for Espen, fresh squeezed lemonade and some peachy delish salsa and hot sauce too! We even had time to take a hayride to the peach orchard to pick our own peaches.

By the time we got home and had dinner our pie was perfectly thawed and ready for baking and holy crap, it was the best pie I've ever had.

Disclaimer: this post is loaded with photos of Espen. ha.

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{espen and his skunk}

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{my peach guy and our peach pie}

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{espen picking out his ice cream and baseball cap cup}

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{not sure how this happened, but we had the whole trailer to ourselves and it was awesome!}

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{probably should have had lemon or coconut flavored, every picture of espen from here on out is filled with blue teeth/tongue}

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{seriously, who do i think i am in this picture. antm, what?}

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{peach pickers}

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{me and my peach}

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{family of peach pickers}

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{our peach booty}

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{skunky now wearing the sticky baseball cap}

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{love that jeremy and the woman behind are sitting the same way with their thumb on their chin because really, who sits like that!}

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{about to get baked}

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{lovers}

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{kissers}

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{farmer espen, washing the peaches, notice all the un-ripened green ones, espen picked them, ha}

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{cooling off}

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{not cooling off fast enough}

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{while i anxiously waited for the pie to cool off, these dudes cuddled}

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{finally!!}

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{fly fly peach-uh pie...jeremy? that was for you}


And on a side note, this morning before Jeremy left for work he set up Espen's big brown bear at his desk and when Espen saw it he went insane. It was SO funny. He quickly went from cracking up to teacher mode, explaining to me that he needs to teach his bear how to play games on his dad's computer...

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{i can't get over espens casual stance}

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{taking this seriously}