Congratulations on 3 years!!!

*picture was taken on Christmas Eve 2008 at Mama Sant's house*

Three years ago today, Rachel and Stu got married, and I am so glad they did! You two are perfect for each other. And Stu you are a wonderful addition to our family! Congratulations on 3 years you two!

Happy Birthday Calvin!

Today is my younger brother Calvin's 25th birthday. Calvin is a wonderful person. He is funny and smart and thoughtful of others. He is the kind of person you can open up to and he will listen and offer wonderfully helpful advice. He is a deep philosophical thinker - which makes for some great late night conversations. He is an outdoors man, a rock climber, backpacker, skier, and into Kung Fu. He's the kind of person that you want as a friend. I am proud that he is my brother. I love you Calvin and I wish I was in Utah today to help you celebrate!

- HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM MARIE AND JOE!!!

{picture was taken on our Colorado river trip October 2007}

Honey Walnut Bread - Walnuts = Honey Bread

I made this honey walnut bread recipe, but since walnuts are super expensive and the budget is tight I improvised and omitted the walnuts. The result was honey bread...and it is delicious! You know when you have a slice of homemade bread, and its so good that you have one more slice, and then just one more, and before you know it you have eaten half the loaf in one sitting? Ya, it's that kind of bread. Homemade honey bread feels like the perfect way to kick off the fall:). Thank you to Mama Peck for giving me the Star Spangled Recipes Volume II cook book which is where I got the recipe.

Happy Birthday Dad!

If my dad were still with us he would be turning 59 today! It has been a little over three years since he died - it's weird to think it's been that long. I have missed him, some days more than others, but I have definitely missed him. I like to think of his friendly laugh, and I've been wondering what kind of cake he would have picked out today...probably chocolate with a bowl of maraschino cherries on the side:). It's too bad he had to go so soon. It seems like there is still so much time left, so much life left to live and he should be here with us. But we still have the memories, they are our forever. Today I want to honor his memory. I will think of him and smile and know he is my dad, and always will be. I love you dad - Happy birthday!

{From left to right: Simon, Calvin, Dallin, Alec, Abraam, Vanessa, Joe
Mom, Sadie, Dad, Heidi, Marie (not pictured Dax, Rachel, Stu)}

Summer days

We saw this horse on our bike ride at Hartwood Acres.

Yay for Joe!

Joe passed the boards!!! We got the letter in the mail today and are so happy about it. He has worked so hard and it is really paying off. GOOD JOB JOE!

Update...

So I feel like a million things have happened since I last posted. I will give you a mini update of the last month. Just a warning - this post will be long.

ANNIVERSARY:
On July 23rd Joe and I celebrated our 6th anniversary.

I woke up that morning to find a bouquet of balloons and a card (Joe had ordered the balloons the night before and picked them up at 6:30 am so they would be there when I woke up...how thoughtful is that!?!)

That night he surprised me with a single rose and some white potted mums and we enjoyed drinks and dessert at Lydia's (an Italian restaurant in the Strip District - BEST cheescake I have ever had!). After dessert we saw Transformers at the theater; it was quite romantic:)

UTAH TRIP:
On July 31st I flew to Utah for two weeks to visit family. Joe wasn't able to come and was greatly missed:(, but I had a great time playing and hanging out with family.

We started the trip off with an afternoon at the pool (Abe & Alec).

Me and Vanessa

It was a real treat to visit with my Grandma Maxine (my mom's mom). She is 88, and besides being weak she is in pretty good health. It's nice to talk with someone who has seen that many years; I hope I soaked up some of her wisdom just by being in her presence! I love you Grandma! (me, Grandma C, mom)

Much hanging out happened at Mama Sant's house....Calvin and Abe just chillaxin':)

One afternoon we had a girls lunch with all the girlies who could make it from the Sant family and the Peck family. It was so nice to be together and bask in our womaness...yay for women! (left to right: Madelyn (my mom), me, Dianne (Joe's mom), Mia, Rachel, Liz)

I spent an afternoon in South Weber visiting Jen and her cute family. (Jen, Dianne, Me)

It was great to see Eden, Jeremiah and Seth. They are all growing into such unique people.

Getting a tour of Jen's garden.

Seth was pretty happy about his chocolate from Grandama Peck.

We went camping in the Uintas for a few days. Besides the fact that it was FA-REEZING we had a wonderful time. It is such beautiful land - it feeds my soul to be in the mountains.

Making breakfast in the frosty morning. (Abe, Alec, Stu, Rachel, me)

Sadie getting her 'Camp' on.

-the weins came, well Sadie and Simon anyway, Heidi is way too ancient to go camping.

Simon posing, waiting for someone to throw his tennis ball. He seriously will sit like that for twenty minutes until someone throws his ball.

The men trying to make fire without matches.

it didn't work but they put in a good hour of effort.

The Grater family...cute parents to be! (Rachel, sweet potater Grater, Stu)

The trip was a mad success!

We celebrated Al's 60th birthday. Con grates Al on turning 60! In the words of Nacho Libre "You are the z-best!"

Mom and Al. Thanks mom and Al for throwing such nice parties at your house:).


We celebrated

my 30th birthday with another pool party:).

Thanks again to mom and everyone for a wonderful birthday! (Megan, Dallin, Abraam, Calvin, AJ, Rachel, Stu, Vanessa, Alec, Me....we missed you Joe!!!)

Saying goodbye super early at Cracker Barrell. Thanks families for a wonderful retreat to Utah. I love you all!

I was also able to visit with my good friend Mindy while I was in Utah but unfortunately I didn't get a picture - love you Mind!

BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH JOE:
As soon as I got home to Pittsburgh Joe and I celebrated my birthday. PART ONE: was the Sunday before my birthday.

We went shoe shopping (yay for shoes!)

And out to dinner at a cafe called Kiva Han.

PART TWO: on my birthday -

We had ice cream cake. Joe got me balloons and wrote me the sweetest birthday card that has ever been written in the history of sweet birthday cards:). Thanks love for a memorable b-day!

THE MOVE:
We moved the Saturday after I got home from Utah so I only had one week to pack our apartment. And it wasn't until the day before our scheduled move that we around to it. Good thing it only ended up taking us 2 1/2 hours to pack up everything. And it only took us 3 1/2 hours to move our stuff and unload it the next day. I think our move will go down in history as the fastest move that ever was. It pays to not have any stuff!

Packing up the bathroom.

Old living room...packing in progress.

Stopping to take apart the couch just long enough for a sweet pose!

Joe and Shawn unloading the moving truck.

the new living room.

Cleaning and filling the fridge.

Joe wanted to keep the kitchen arranged just like this - after much marital compromising we decided we would at least clear a larger walkway:).

It is so nice to have the move done and to be settling in - I love our new apartment. So that was the end of my summer in a quick overview, thanks for sticking through the whole post. I will post finished apartment pictures when I get around to taking them. Bye for now:).