Family Outing

Every week (well not EVERY SINGLE WEEK), we get together with the family to celebrate birthdays (hey, I am not going to complain, I love that I get a roast dinner on Sunday, and I DON'T HAVE TO COOK IT). But the tradition at these birthday dinners is that we get our picture taken (snap shot by Gram) with either Phil and I as a couple and sometimes as family, sitting around the table - every picture is the same. Phil complains about these pictures because he says that we don't change that much in a week. So when I decided it was time for an actual family picture, I had to find a way to talk Phil into it. Begging and batting my eyes will not work with him. In fact, now that the pictures are done, I am not quite sure what I have promised. I better figure it out. He came through on his end of the bargain. . .



So here are the photos.

Weeks' Family 2011

Attitude

Sweet Sisters

Who would believe that just an hour before, they were pulling each others' hair out?

Weeks' Family

Smile it up sweethearts!



Tickle & Tackle

The girls favorite picture of all

And they lived happily ever after. . .

February 26, 2011 begins the fairy tale love story of Colleen & Mike. We were so excited to be able to make the trip south and participate in this wonderful celebration. Of course, we are always excited to travel to Phoenix and enjoy the warm weather. But Mother Nature had something else in store for the weekend. The morning of the wedding, I was shopping for sweaters for my girls. Who knew it would be hard to find little girl sweaters in February?!? And who knew that my girls couldn't wear a short sleeve dress in Phoenix?!? But the faith and prayers of those involved kept the storm at bay - at least until after the limo left. Our drive back to Melissa and Jamell's we did have rain. The wedding was beautiful and such a wonderful occassion. Here are some photos:

Jade - beautiful flower girl

Ethan, man of the house, giving his mom away

The Ceremony

I would like to know what he whispered to her. . . look at how she adores him.

Man & Wife!!!

The Cake

At this point, what do you think is going through their minds? Will they do it? Are they going to be evil? Follow tradition? I think the kids were chanting "do it! do it!" Or maybe that was Phil.

(By the way. . . Love the Pom Poms!!!)

Looking innocent. So far, so good.

Well, everyone gets the cake stuffed in their face, right?

My Peeps!

Some of the Cousins!

(I am looking for a picture of when the kids took the limo ride, if anyone has it and can email it to me, that would be awesome!)

Savannah, dear sweet Savannah!

Sydney & GGMa

Savannah & GGMa

Sierra & GGMa

Boys will be Boys!

I don't remember who won,

but look at the determination on their faces.

Harry & Tom

We tried to get them to arm wrestle, but we didn't want to bring

up any hard feelings of one brother beating the other in years past.

(Again, I am looking for a picture of these two (and/or including Marilyn) from the Rehearsal dinner, if anyone has one to share)

Boys and Their Toys. . .

So Phil started another job. . . after carpet went downhill, Portland/Radio Towers looked promising but then busted, Atlanta/Door to Door was a joke, and eventually taking Unemployment, (can you say our taxes will be fun for 2009? Oh, and we'll get to it later, but I eventually switch companies, and then once at the new company, they switch names - Colleen probably had a vision of our taxes and knew it was time to quit doing it for us). I was starting to feel like the world was out to get us. We had spent so much time apart and had nothing to say for it except a now large pile of debt. Frustration was started to settle in. We couldn't complain, I still had my job. . . but Phil needed and wanted to be working. Along comes job #4 in less than a year. What is the new job you say? Well, Phil gets to play with robots at work? What guy wouldn't like that? Robotronics makes robots and products for Safety Education. . . you will get to see some of the costumes at Halloween time. Phil sells for them and he travels to different conferences and shows throughout the country. I know, another traveling job, but its not so bad. He is only gone 3 or 4 days at a time, and usually only twice a month. Also, he is usually home on the weekends which makes it even better for the family. We are grateful for the job and hope that it is the beginning of a whole new future for us.

On the Road Again. . .

Phil got another job and it took him to Atlanta, in April he packed up the truck and drove out. Here are pictures from his LONG (and he said BORING) Road Trip! Our family usually likes road trips, but I guess its a different story when you are on your own.

Just after a storm on the prairie of Nebraska

Of course, can't miss out on the original Cabela's

St. Louis, MOMissouri River

Nashville, TNFor those of you who have made this trek across the country. . . well I can't say I feel for ya, because I don't really know what it was like, but our condolences straight from Phil's heart. He said it was something to mark off his list and never do it again. (Though I don't think he would be against an RV road trip across the country - but when we start planning that trip, I will remind him what he is getting all of us into)
Phil's luck with work was still not going so well. Carpet was slow for a few reasons - his knee really set him back and then of course the economy. The work for Rob in Portland was a good job, but things weren't going that great for the company. We talked about sending him back to school, but Phil was never one to enjoy studying. He didn't feel like he could commit to it. So a friend mentioned to Phil that APX was a great summer job and he should try it out. (For those of you who don't live in Utah, APX is a security system company and the job was selling door to door). OK, so maybe it would have been great IF we didn't have kids, IF Karen didn't have a job, IF we didn't have a mortgage to pay, IF Phil liked selling door to door, oh, the IFs could go on forever. Fact of the matter is, Phil hated the work, and HATED being away from the family. We would talk nightly, but I could see as the days went on, that he was getting more and more depressed. This was harder than being away in Portland, because he didn't have the weekend trips back home. By the time he got home each night, the girls were already in bed, so he never got to talk to them. And last but not least, he missed his dog, Maggie.

After 7 LONG weeks, Phil headed back home (to save time and space, I won't repost the pictures, but if you'd like to take the road trip back with Phil, just scroll back up and you can get the jest of it). Selfishly, I wished that he had stayed for two more weeks. I had plane tickets for the girls and I to fly out there. I had never been to Atlanta (other than a 2 hour layover in the airport). I wanted to see where he was living and take the girls to do some fun things. Also, I had 3 weeks off of work and I was looking forward to it. I was disappointed when he called me one night and told me he was half way home. (Oh don't worry, the disappointment lasted only for a few seconds and then it kicked in that I would get to see my husband again. Did I mention that it had been 7 LONG weeks?!?!)