Happy Birthday Month, My Steven!

It's still June, so this post isn't late:) 

I love my Steven. I started the month out trying to think of how I could do good things for him every day. The problem is, he does all of the service around the house. I mean, he was making US dinner when I got home from work, and he always does most of the chores. In fact, on Father's Day (also in this month), he said that he should probably start some laundry. I told him that I would do it b/c it was Father's Day, and he said something like, please, that's exactly why I want to do it. He's better at so many things. He sets priorities and always achieves them. That's one reason I fell in love with him. I was one of his priorities and knew that he would keep me as one, which he has. He keeps our home and family in order. I'd be lost without him. He's always a really hard worker at his job, at home, and whenever he volunteers. 

Back to his birthday celebration. 

On Steven's birthday eve, we surprised him with a home made cake and lots of fun candles. 

He's getting old! 

I had to go to the store for some more chicken for the dinner, so after picking up Malia in her school's car line, then just missing Dylan's school's Spring Sing (walking into an empty auditorium with Ivy strapped to me and Tyler in the car seat/stroller and the other 3 kids holding onto us), we did it again at the grocery store. (The trip was about as ridiculous as that sentence.) 

 We also changed Steven's cake order for his real birthday, not a surprise.

 So that night, my mom, Don, and JT came over for delicious honey lime enchiladas, salad, and rice.

 Then Steven rushed to open his presents, some of them. I had made a shadow box of our Savage Race. I included both of our medals, my wrist corsage, and some matted pictures of course. I asked Steven if it was he had envisioned. He laughed. He had only mentioned putting the finish picture up and somehow in my own mind, I instantly thought about a shadow box and months later I finally did it. So it was way more than he had requested right after the race!

 I had to go to a photoshoot (an awesome engagement one), so that was pretty much the end of his birthday eve. On his birthday, I made french toast then his friend took him to lunch. It's funny b/c I had planned on asking that friend to take him to lunch, but he did it all on his own (and didn't even know it was Steven's birthday until I texted him to thank him). Then Steven took Dylan to Tae Kwon Do and picked up Chineese food. We were sorta hoping that his Volleyball game would be cancelled for the rain, but it wasn't. So we all went to the game, 6 kids, 2 wives, and Ana and Gia were even there! I went right from work so didn't have my camera. There are pictures on Corrie's camera somewhere. Then Bailey came over and we went to Andre's for some Publix cake.

 I'm pretty sure that the owner of the Sideburns vintage tshirt etsy store felt like it was his birthday.

 All the boys were excited about that cake. Tyler liked the fishies.

Speaking of Steven, for Father's Day I made some gross chocolate chip pancakes. Yes the smoke alarm went off. The turkey bacon and OJ were good. Oh well. Steven opened his home made gifts and a bigskinny  wallet with some wallet pictures of the boys included. 

 Dylan wrote Steven a card that mentioned what he liked about his dad. Dylan likes "when you put on shows for us." They like to hang out and watch TV shows like Gator Boys and America's Got Talent.

 Then we went outside and Steven worked on the fire pit. For his birthday, his brother got him all of the stones for a fire pit! Andre mentioned the gift and I thought he was going to get SOME of the stones to get Steven started. Little did I know, he gave Steven ALL of them! Steven has been wanting a fire pit for years. That was the best birthday gift that Steven got. I got him an Ipod transmitter thingy with an Itunes gift card, my mom and Don got him a camping chair for Soccer games (Steven loved that) and the game of Sequence which we've played a couple of times. He got shorts and some Tervis cups with lids. One of them was a Rays hat to go along with his new Rays hat he opened early and one of them was a "World's Greatest Dad" cup which he waited to open until Father's Day. Oh yea, and Steven and Andre went to a Rays game and had great seats with Steven's work friends. They got to see the mascot and had a lot of fun.

 We like hanging out in the back yard with Daddy.

So anyway, I love my husband and like him a lot. He's amazing.

Ivy will be 1 soon, and our van keys prayer.

before I forget,
Isaac: "Dylan needs a marshmallow because he hurt his leg on the piano bench. can we both have a marshmallow AND a vitamin please?"
Me: "of course" 


Dylan: "Isaac, God likes bad guys too. And also they don't brush their teeth. They get dirt in there, bugs in there, and cavities; thousands of cavities. Let's go to the play room, come on!"

Any time there's a holiday, or heck, a weekend, I'm on family time and not on FFP time. I pretend I'm going to clean the house and try to go to bed at the same time as Steven, and even sit in the living room to watch movies or shows instead of sitting in front of the computer. I make to do lists, but those get put on hold. 

Today is Monday. So I'm back! 

It's the first time watching all 6 kids all day since school has been out. So I had big plans (which means I planned a photoshoot.) 

It went really really well. Corrie didn't bring clothes for Noah and Malia, but that's okay b/c they were cute in their clothes already. (My boys often go without some essential piece of clothing like shoes, undies, a shirt, etc. It's usually okay b/c with 6 kids, who would be dumb enough to actually venture out into the real world?) Well I did. And here's what I got. 

Ivy turns 1 this month, so here's her 1 yr portraits. (I usually just take 1 or 2.)

 Ivy loves books.

 She has a tiny bit of hair on the top of her head.
While she was with me, Tyler was taking his morning nap in his car seat and the kids were watching a new movie from Bonnie. They were parked right next to me with the side door open (and the air on) so we could see and hear one another. No complaining!

And the group shot of my 6 kids with the promise of tree climbing right after!! 

 My babies:)

 A real laugh out of Noah!! Ivy had just hit him with a book.

 My boys and their ridiculous hair. Whatever.

 So then we went to let them play on the trees there. Then I carried the babies back. I opened the doors to the van as we walked back. I noticed Tyler's door hadn't opened so when I was on that side of the car, I opened that one and put Ivy down on the carpet area by the seat so I could strap Tyler in. These details are important because after I took Ivy to the other side and strapped her in savely, I considered taking Tyler out to to his 10 month picture since he was smiley. But then I realized i shouldn't push it and I went to go drive away. But I had no keys!!

We searched that car for at least 20 min. I even re-traced my steps after a group prayer. When walking, I remembered that I had the keys right outside of Tyler's door so they had to be close. I re-checked under each baby's bum, lifted up their car seats, emptied my camera box a couple more times along with the diaper bag and my purse. The kids checked under the car and under their seats and we were baffled. I noticed myself starting to get testy right along with the tired and hungry babies who had finished her bottle and his snacks. The kids had water and were being (too) helpful, so I realized it was time to take a break. I used the hide-a-key and drove home to the hide-a-house-key. On the way home the kids wanted to watch a movie but I told them we all had to have prayers in our heads the whole way home.

We had ramen noodles and apples and home made popsicles outside while Ivy slept. Then I said another prayer and braced myself to dive right back into the keys search. I opened the door and heard the sweet jingle of my keys!! They had fallen onto the door well slide thingy! Maybe wiggly Ivy had pushed them onto it when I was holding her in with my legs while buckling Tyler in. Who knows. They had been closed in under the door and made it home safe and sound. I brought them in and we said another group thank you prayer.

Tyler was as happy as i was. Yay for answered prayers! 

Mr. & Mrs. Feger {Andre and Barbie's 2012 wedding}

June 9, 2012
Today was Andre and Barbie's 1 year wedding anniversary. They were married a decade after Steven and I were married. That's fun to think about. Anyway, it's about time to blog their wedding! I'll place this in the right place later. If I remember.
I love this picture. It has 4 Fegers in it, Darren, a blue sleve, the preacher, and the camera man. I love the looks on everyone's happy faces.

 I made the ring bearer pillow from my temple handkerchief. It worked as something old:)

 He was a little nervous, but at a perfect age because he also enjoyed the attention and was really careful with such an important responsibility. Plus he loves his aunt and uncle.

 I couldn't take pictures in the ceremony, so here's after the kissing of the bride.

 Tyler slept through the whole thing. I had him sit with my mom in case she had to walk out with him.

 We stayed for the pictures.

 Then my mom took the boys home to her house for the night.

 Steven did the looping slide show, I love that we got to use her bridal picture here, and I love the sign in book with their engagements! It came in JUST in time, whew!

 Barbie's Aunt Barb.

 They took some pictures around the beautiful Clearwater sites and there at the sailing club.

The wedding party all walked in fun different ways.

 Andre and Barbie had a whole dance choreographed!

 We took a break from dancing to go cool off and eat delicious dinner.

 The best man's speach was a hit!

 And so was Anna's. We decided she was more brave.

 I attempted some pictures. This one came out. That's about it though.

 The dancing continued with a life band, Jeff from Andre's work played while Muneca and Antonio and others danced.

 These two stayed near the photo booth to not loose their permanent place in line. And when in line, they took pictures with their own cameras of course.

 Jonathan crashed the party. He came after dinner and only drank water so I figured it would be okay. He's a fun dancer.

 Ok so everybody was a fun dancer that hot night!!

 The DJ even took a picture of our fun!

We walked across to our hotel and everybody changed and jumped in the pool. Until we were told it was too late for that.

It was beautiful, fun, and big - just as it should have been. 

I love Andre and love Barbie. I'm happy to be a part of the Feger family. I always knew Andre would find the perfect beautiful sweet girl for him. And I was always hoping he would find somebody that I would really like so that I could have another friend and he did it! I can call her to talk, she can come over w/o us planning something through our husbands, she's just as thoughtful as Andre is, it's a match made in heaven. They are their real selves with each other but they are both better b/c of the other too, does that make sense? I think we should always associate ourselves with people who we aspire to be more like because we will basically become the average of our closest friends. And they both have such good qualities and are both good people. They are forever thinking of others before themselves and are so accommodating yet have their own priorities in order and achieve every goal they set. 

So now it's a year later, their 1 year anniversary and they're pregnant with their first baby girl. I'm so happy for them still!