happy everything...

happy 30th birthday to me! happy 8th anniversary to mark and i! AND happy 30th to my sweet husband!! because all of these events happen within a 2 week period we decided that a vacation was in order. after some discussion about going to the beach to relax versus a big city to play and site see, we landed on san fransisco. it was a GREAT decision. we had a fabulous time just being together. here are a few highlights from the trip... (we were very touristy- not usually our style)

we went to a beautiful spot to view and take pics of the golden gate bridge...
we watched the sea lions at pier 39...

we rode the trolley...

we went to alcatraz...

we went on an incredible tour of napa valley...
we had drinks at the "top of the mark" and experienced an incredible view of the entire city...

we even had the chance to see an old friend, paul (the smartest person i know)... it was great to catch up with him and walk all around his quaint san fran neighborhood...
we also ate some amazing food and enjoyed just walking around the city. the hills of san fransisco reminded us how out of shape we really are, but they were good for working off the extra calories we were eating! :)

and i have thank my mom and dad (nana and gramps) for watching my kids while we were away. jack was sick and not in the best of moods, but nana spoiled him by holding and loving on him constantly. olivia had a ball at the farm with gramps, playing at the lake with the family, and hanging out with nana watching movies and swimming. thanks mom and dad!! :)

unmotivated...

yep, that's me! there has been so much happening and plenty that is "blog worthy" but i have no motivation to blog right now. don't really know why. maybe it is because it is so darn hot and my house is hot too. maybe it is because by the time the kids are napping or in bed a night i am so tired i just want to veg in front of the tv or read a book. maybe it is because i am soooo lazy right now that i don't want to go to the extra 2 second step of getting the pictures from my camera to computer- what's a blog post without a picture or two?? :) or maybe it is because i just don't feel inspired to write at the moment. i guess it is probably a little of all of the above, but i am making a promise that in the next week i will recap birthday celebrations, mark and i's trip to san fran, some of my personal thoughts/opinions (like how sad i am about jon & kate), and of course throw in a few posts about what o&j are up to these days. so come back soon for some 'bowlin juicy details'!

~steph :)

30 things...

so i usually don't even think about birthdays (well MY birthdays). i don't ever remember a time when i really cared that much about them, but this year is a big one for me- 30!! where did the years go? i feel like i am 26. i don't really know why 26, but for some reason that is how old i am inside my brain. i guess it seems old enough to be married, have kids, have had a career, but still young enough to feel like college was not so long ago, and that is how i feel. anyway, as my happy birthday to me i thought i would share 30 things i love (in no particular order, of course)...

1. sharpie markers
2. children
3. jesus
4. my big ol' family
5. hydrangeas
6. vacation
7. good conversation
8. reading blogs
9. teaching
10. jack's smile
11. olivia's personality
12. the beach
13. baylor
14. my computer
15. the smell of my parents house (is that creepy? i don't mean it to be, it is just comfort to me.)
16. a good book
17. a clean and organized house
18. getting my hair cut
19. my bible study friends
20. trying new restaurants
21. traveling ANYWHERE
22. my friends that know who i really am and what i am really all about
23. the number 23
24. damask
25. the iPhone
26. cooking a meal that everyone enjoys
27. the details
28. mark's thoughtfulness and generosity
29. pictures of people i love
30. this sweet life that i have lived for 30 years. the Lord has blessed me, tested me, and continues to pursue me and for all of that i am so grateful!!!

i am sure i left out some major LOVE, but those are the first 30 things that i thought of and are so grateful for this happy birthday to me day. :)