And just like that...Drayser Bug is One!

As of midnight tonight (so June 22nd officially) our baby will be ONE. Where has the year gone? I feel as if I was just being sent home time and time again from the hospital (you'd think you'd know if it was "true" labor the second go round--apparently not). People always say they are sad when the first year is done, because you will never be "that tiny" again, and I am a little. But, I am more excited for you than anything. Excited for all the new things you are learning everyday, excited to watch you and your brother play together, especially excited because you have started to "shake your groove thing" and that alone leaves me with a perma grin across my face and thinking "what on earth would I do without you?...how bored I would be."

Today we celebrated YOU with the McCue/Parker clan. How lucky you are that so many people love and adore you. And I am posting tonight, because 1. I know everyone is waiting for the pictures. and 2. tomorrow its gonna be just us 4!!!! Your brother's idea. He thinks you'd like to go to the sprinkler park and have a picnic for your birthday....what do you think?. :) I think we'll have a great time, because we always do!

Drays, we love you so much. In your first year of life you have brought us so much joy. And I know that it's only gonna get more exciting from here. And I can't wait (and neither can your brother...but he's never been very good at waiting).

_______________________________

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DRAYSON!

Here's to the Dads.

"To the world you are one person,

to one person you are the world!"

Chip.

How lucky the boys are to have you as their dad.

To love them, to teach them, to support them, to be proud of them.

Also, Happy Father's Day to my own amazing father, "Kev-O". Who always was (and still is) just what I needed you to be.

And to my father-in-law Larry, who raised up a fine and respectable man, who I am now lucky enough to call my husband.

Snapshot(s) of the Weekend

This past weekend we headed up to Spokane. On Friday night and Saturday morning we celebrated Travis' (jamie's hubby) graduation from EWU. Then on Saturday afternoon we went to Chip's cousin Becca's wedding, where we were able to see tons of family that we haven't seen in years. There were a zillion little ones for Caleb to play with and he was loving it.

You know what was really refreshing to watch though?...so many good fathers in one room. I've been thinking about this alot lately--I always rave about what a good Dad Chip is, but truly we happen to be surrounded by a lot of pretty amazing Dads of young kids. Everyone watching out for each others kiddos, wiping up spills, rubbing owies, getting drinks. Real Men who know how important being there for their kids is!!! And I'm just lucky enough to know so many of them!

...ok I'll get off my soap box now and let you enjoy the pictures! :)

The fam at Trav's graduation

Drays Bug & Daddy at Trav's BBQ (umm, yeah...they don't look alike at all!! ;)

"my guys"
there must be something interesting outside the hotel

Drays & cousin Parker...could their coloring be any different?!

being so good (mostly) sitting through graduation

playing with cousins at the wedding

Drays & Gma Jane

Drays LOVES auntie Kass

Caleb & the cousins doing the money dance with the beautiful bride BeccaDrays was so tired and wasn't sure about being held by a lot of people, but he sat forever with Chip's cousin Mike...everyone always says that Chip & Mike resemble each other (though I think he has Chip beat in the hair department--sorry hon :)...maybe Drays thought so too.

Drays preparing for some serious swimming in the pool...he was trying to get these on all by himself...

Good thing Daddy got in the pool...it was cold...BRRR

Caleb doing a little picture taking. Mommy's happy cause the car is packed and we are finally on our way back to Home Sweet Home (where Drayson will go back to being the champion sleeper that he has been since 10 weeks (not kidding)...I think at one point while he was yelling at us in the middle of the night from the pack n play I may have muttered "I'm totally never going on vacation again"

SMILE, brother!

the end!

Happy 7 years to my Husband

I LOVE YOU BECAUSE...

• we high-five on a regular basis
• you're easy going
• you stand up for me
• you let me go shopping whenever I want
• you'll do anything to make me happy
• you're the best Dad in the whole world (like you got up both times when Drayson was crying in his pack n play at the hotel last night)
• you're good lookin'
• you wore Drays in a paisley printed front pack all over the Wild Animal Kingdom (and you owned it)!
• you don't care what other people think of you
• you make a difference in people's lives
• you have high standards and unwavering moralsliterally hours before we had Caleb and our lives would be changed (for the better) forever!

I love that almost a decade ago when we were just kids ourselves and everyone thought we were crazy we dreamed a not-so-little dream of what our life could one day be. And now we are lucky enough to be living it--or a pretty darn good version of it!

Happy 7 years (on Monday). And here's to at least 50 more.

Yes, I am still alive...barely

No fair...this is what I feel like doing

I've thought about blogging. I'm just wiped. We started summer soccer last week. I need an administrative assistant. I know this will be rewarding, but just a lot of work. I got a new phone...it does like email and keeps my schedule and all the other things I never thought I would do, I thought that was just for important or really smart people. On a side note, my phone "scheduler" says that I don't have a free weekend until August. Awesome.

While I am babbling...I'd like to give the Best Parents in the Universe award to my very own mom and dad. They keep the kids on practice nights and feed us dinner twice a week. I feel like a Native American family that lives in a Longhouse, except for we go home for bedtime. Soon my sister, Trav & Parker will be calling their basement "home" while Trav does his internship. I think my Mom is actually kinda giddy over the idea of having the "whole gang" back together. I hope I can be this kind of mother and grandmother. The kind that never stops loving and supporting their children, even if they are grown with their own children. Thanks and I love you. ps. I am getting a little teary eyed, but that just may be from lack of sleep! :)

Here is a run down of the next couple of weeks:
Trav's graduation
Chip's cousin Becca's wedding in Spokane
5Aside soccer tourney
"friendly" soccer tourney
get ready for the cabin
spring football practice/camp for Chip
mine & Chip's 7 year anniversary
Drayson's first birthday!!!!!!!!!
Father's Day
(i actually hope to blog separately about those last three, but we will see)

Wish me luck friends...

Mini-Vacay to Seattle & Caleb's Preschool Graduation

Please prepare yourself....it's a lot of pictures.

Last week was full of fun. We took a trip to Seattle and also had Caleb's preschool graduation party (which really wasn't graduation for him, because he will do one more year of preschool since he is only 4). While we were in Seattle, we took in some high school state sport action (baseball played at Safeco Field and it was awesome), played tourist downtown and got to spend a whole day with one of our best friends, Lyssa. Besides Drayson refusing to sleep in his travel bed and crawling around the king size bed at the hotel at 3am and slapping everyone in the face while growling, I'd say it was a pretty good time!!

Caleb watched Bolt (lovin' that DVD player w/the wireless headsets people)

We took the monorail downtown

Caleb rode rides at Seattle Center

Power nap on the way to Safeco Field

This will be the only time we get into Safeco for $9 bucks!...we watched the Richland boys baseball team take State. and our seats were awesome!

My good lookin' guys

Just to prove that Lys was there (I think she was deleting the pics she didn't like of herself off my camera :)Definitely not my best pic--it was a long day...just feast your eyes of the cutie patootie instead!

Oh yeah, we stopped by the Sounders team store since we were down that way and picked up some gear.

Had to get a pick of this...since it was about the only view I had all day...good thing his buns are so cute (and yes, Chip's buns are cute too! ;)
Drayson mastered the "shoulder ride"
at preschool graduation

the class

caleb showing off his goods

boys playing splashout

daddy & C-dog

Drayson being Drayson