Sugar Cookies!

I make Christmas cookies every year. It's one of my favorite traditions. I have so many wonderful memories of helping my Mom each Christmas baking cookies. I don't make as many as she does but I still have 3-5 different kinds. I decided to make sugar cookies this year since I haven't made them since Christmas 2009. They are not my favorite to make since it usually takes me almost all day to bake & decorate them. This year it did take all day since I have a 3 year old & 18 month old to look after also. I decided that Rya could help a little this year with decorating. I only let her put the sprinkles on though. She tried to put some frosting on but made a huge mess. She was perfectly happy with just doing the sprinkles though. I love it so much that everything I used to do with my Mom, I can now enjoy doing it with my daughter.



Perfect!



All the fixings.

She is such a big helper!



The finished cookie!



Christmas Tree!

We finally got our Christmas tree! We kept having to put it off because it kept raining. That was the first time since moving here that I hoped it would stop raining! Garyn was out running errands & found a place. He got a beautiful 6' Douglas Fir & tree stand for about $30! He brought it home & set it up but had more errands to run so he let myself & our babies decorate it. This was Rya's 1st time decorating a tree. She had a blast & was so very excited! Hayden was just too curious & got in the way & wouldn't leave things alone. He ended up having some time out time in his crib.

I love alot of lights on my tree & that's alway's the part I hate! It's even harder when you have a 3 year old constantly asking if it's time to put the bulbs on. Rya had so much fun! I did bring Hayden back out for some pictures & some time with us. I think we did a great job & I love our tree this year!

The pink ornaments were her favorite.

Getting some help from Mommy.





My happy little man!



Beautiful Christmas Tree!

A Favorite Christmas Tradition

We have many Christmas traditions in my family. Almost all of them I got from my Mom & Dad & carried them into my family. Garyn is so terrific about all the traditions. He loves them & always encourages to make sure we do each one every year. I have too many favorites to pick one but I know in my top 3 is that I go to Christmas boutiques every December. I remember going each winter with Mom & always having a blast. She even was in some & she'd let me come & help. I went to one yesterday in honor & memory of my Mom & because I can't go through Christmas without going. I did get a little teary eyed as I walked in thinking about how much fun Mom & I used to have. I wish I could have gone with my Stepmom or Grandma but being in different states sure makes that difficult. Maybe some year we'll be able to go together. I can not wait until Rya is old enough to go with me!

The one I went to was at Mesquite high school in Gilbert. It was pretty good sized & there were so many vendors. I had a blast walking around looking at everything. I even went back today & got a few more things. I was not used to how they do it there. When Mom & I would go, you bought each item from each vendor. I remember Mom had her cash box & a calculator. That's not how they did it here. Every item had a vendor # on it & you pay at the end. It was alot more convenient that way but that must be a nightmare for whoever has to sort all those vendor tickets.

I'm very happy with my treasures & am even happier that I was able to find one to go to this year. I always remember Mom & our boutique adventures everytime I'm at one of these & always find myself thinking 'Mom would buy that if she were here'. I treasure my memories of her & am so thankful that I can still do some things today that we used to do 10 years ago. I'm so excited to take Rya in 1-2 years & I hope she'll enjoy it as much I did when I was little & as much as I do now!

*In honor & memory of you, Mom! You're with me today & always!*

These snowflakes were made from the plastic rings that holds soda cans together.

They were really awesome!

Adorable "R" and "H" ornaments I found as I was walking in! There's fake snow inside!

I got an identical black flower the 1st day I went & Rya requested I get her a pink one. She loves it!

I have at least a dozen Egyptian perfume bottles in storage in WA. I started collecting them when I was in my teens. Garyn loves them too & always gets me a new one when we find them. I totally forgot about them until I saw a lady selling a bunch. Just wish I could have gotten more than 1 but I'm so happy I could get this one & that I am reminded of the ones I have. Can't wait to get them back!

I've wanted Mistletoe for the past 3 Christmases but could never find any. I found this at the boutique. It was hand picked in Prescott, AZ! So excited I finally found some!!

This is my little personalized welcome sign! It's so cute & was a great price & my 1st thing item with my family's names on it! I'm so excited about this!

I had a great time at the boutique & am so happy with my treasures. I got another small Christmas decoration but it was too hard to get a picture of it. I did pick up a few gifts as well so can't put pictures of those up. Already can't wait for next year!

Toddler Bed Sleeper!

Rya slept in her Tinkerbell toddler bed for the 1st time last night! We got it & set it up almost a week ago but she refuses to sleep in it. I've tried a few things that haven't worked. Garyn & I wanted to relax on the couch & watch Supernatural last night so I waited till Rya was asleep & moved her to her bed. To our surprise, she stayed in her bed. She must have been super comfy because she didn't move at all! I was hoping she'd stay in her bed all night but she woke me up at 3:30am & wanted to sleep on the couch. I'm just so incredibly proud of her that she slept in her bed at all! We're getting there!

Now if we can just get her potty trained!

My 1st Holiday Craft!

I want to start doing more crafts especially around the holidays. All my holiday decorations are in storage & I don't want to buy too many more. I found this online & it looked easy so I thought I'd try it. It only cost $4 for all the supplies & they were very easy to make. Each pumpkin took me about 15min. It would have been less if my hole punch worked better. At least I know I need a new one! I love these little pumpkins & what's great about them is I can collapse them down & store them easily until next year! Now I'm wondering what I can make for Christmas!

Rya's 3rd Birthday!

November 10th was Rya's 3rd birthday! I love that she's old enough to understand that's it's her birthday! We got donuts for breakfast which is our tradition on someone's birthday. We let her open a few gifts throughout the day. We had to keep them hidden since we knew she'd want to open all of them at once. Garyn took her to a special father/daughter lunch at his favorite sushi buffet. Rya's loves that place also since they have this coconut shrimp that she loves! The server ladies even surprised her with a small orange cake.

We went over to our good friend, Chuck's place that evening for a BBQ, cake & play time on the
playground. Rya had an absolute blast! We were even able to get Hayden to walk around. He had alot of fun & then discovered that there are rocks & sticks on the ground.

Rya had such a good birthday! After we let her open her 1st gift in the morning, she looked at us & said "I'm so happy!". Then that night she told us "I had good birthday". Those little words just totally melt my heart & make me cry. All I wanted was her to have a good birthday & she did!

*I love you, Rya Michele! You are my angel, beautiful daughter & my all! I can't believe you're 3 years old!*

Trick or Treat!

We knew early in October that we were going to take Rya & Hayden trick or treating for Halloween. We picked up their costumes about half way through the month. I wanted Rya to be Rapunzel & Hayden to be a lion but when we got their costumes, Party City didn't have Rapunzel so Rya picked out an Ariel costume. We thought Hayden would be too hot in the lion costume so Garyn picked out the skelton costume. After Rya tried on the Ariel costume at home, we decided we didn't like it. She & I went to Target the next day & she picked out an eskimo girl costume.

The church that we attend in town (Epiphany Lutheran Church) was doing Trunk or Tteat on October 30th. We got the kids dressed in their costumes & headed over there. Hayden refused to walk so we ended up trading off carrying him. Rya was so adorable running from car to car, holding her pink pumpkin out & whispering "trick or treat". Everyone couldn't stop saying how cute she & Hayden were. Rya was so great & is the best big sister. She'd grab a piece of candy for herself & then go back & get one for Hayden. We were able to go through the entire thing in about 15min. We all had a really good time & Rya was super excited about wearing her costume again the next night!

 

Halloween night! Getting the kids in their costumes was a little easier said than done. Especially Hayden but we managed. We headed out around 6:30pm & were going to Kim's (Garyn's mom) neighborhood. Once we got there, we wasted no time & started right away. We knew Hayden wouldn't walk & Rya might get tired so we brought the double stroller. We started out down the street from Kim's house. Rya was a little scared at first because of all the costumes & masks but she seemed okay once we sat in the stroller. I knew we'd have to skip some houses here & there because of the stroller. The ones that had cars parked in the driveway or too narrow walk ways. We also would wait until everyone at the door walked away so it'd be easier for us to get there.

What is wrong with kids today!? The 1st coupld houses we went to there were no kids at the door so Rya would get out of the stroller & we'd start walking up to the house. All of the sudden, 4-7 kids would be running past me, bumping into me, almost knocking down Rya, not even say excuse me or sorry, get some candy & run back almost knocking Rya over again! I just can't believe how rude kids are today. Rya is not even 3 years old & always says excuse me when she almost runs into someone. Poor little Hayden got ignored at the 1st couple houses we went to. I don't think the people realized he was dressed up & probably didn't think he could have candy even though he had his bucket. I then figured out exactly how we'd have to do this so Rya didn't get hurt & Hayden got his share.

From then on, we waited until there were no kids around before going up to a house. If there was a house with alot of them around, we'd skip it. Rya was such a good big sister. I told her one time after she got her piece of candy to get one for baby & she'd grab 1 piece & put it in Hayden's bucket. Every single time she did that the people would say how awesome that was & what a good big sister she was for taking care of her little brother. They'd usually even let her come back & get a 2nd piece for herself. We were able to make it to quite a few houses & Rya & Hayden had enough candy for a 1 year old & (almost) 3 year old. I did have to open a pack of M&M's (Hayden's favorite) for him because he was getting awfully fussy & we weren't done yet. He loves his M&M's!

Once we were back at Kim's house, Rya wanted to go inside & visit with Kruzer so we did that for awhile & I let them have 1 candy each. We went outside for awhile because Kim's neighbor turns their garage into a mini haunted house & Garyn wanted me to walk through it. It was very good! We spent some time outside just chatting & visiting with Kim, Greg & the neighbors. Hayden had a blast running around on the sidewalk. He was barefoot which is the only way he'll walk but he was having fun. He was the entertainment for the moment. Everyone was laughing at him & saying how adorable he was. Once the kids were good & tired we packed up & came home.

 When we got home around 9:30pm, the kids weren't up much longer before going to bed. I always like to end Halloween with a snack & a scary movie but it occured to me that I don't like scary movies so why do I keep watching them? Garyn & I popped some popcorn & got comfy on the couch with a blanket & watched some of the older Supernatural episodes. Very relaxing end to a fun Halloween evening!

Pumpkins for Halloween

Yesterday (10/25/11) we all went out to the pumpkin patch. It's a small one at Epiphany Lutheran Church which is the church we attend (when we can which sadly because of my odd hours, we haven't been able to go much lately). We like it because everything goes to the Preschool & we really like that church. Everyone there is very nice & friendly. We went to that pumpkin patch last year & really liked it so it was an easy decision to get our pumpkins there again this year.

It was a nice evening & I always like taking my time but there was a thunderstorm watch in effect & it was supposed to rain & Garyn was in alot of pain from his toe. We were going to have to hurry but I was so thankful that Garyn was willing to walk on his injured foot for 10min so we could get our pumpkins. We got there & Rya was so excited to pick out some pumpkins. We only have the Sit 'n Stand double stroller now & I didn't want to take it out since we'd be pretty quick so I just carried Hayden. I was hoping he'd walk since the patch is on grass but since he will not walk in shoes, he would not walk barefoot on the grass. He started crying as soon as his 1st toe touched the grass. Luckily the patch had several wagons so I put Hayden in one but he flipped out! He calmed down when Rya got in but he'd start crying again if the wagon wasn't moving. I was surprised Rya stayed in the wagon the entire time. She usually wants to walk.

We were able to find 2 good pumpkins for Garyn & I. Rya & I loved the tiny pumpkins so we got 1 of those for each of the kids. As Garyn was paying, I decided to take the time to get a few pictures of the kids next to some of the decorations. Rya is a hamm like always & loves having her picture taken. Hayden on the other hand, screamed as soon as I sat him down & didn't stop till I picked him up. A pumpkin patch worker offered to get a picture of the kids & I & I totally love that picture!

Even though we went quickly through the pumpkin patch, we had a good time & I got some great pictures! Our plan was to go home right away & carve them. For the 1st time, I bought the stencil kit & was excited to try it & have pumpkins with awesome designs. Once we got home, it took awhile to get everything set up. Then Hayden was being ultra cranky & Rya wouldn't get out of the way. We were able to get the tops cut off & the insides all scraped out but we stopped there. We decided it'd be easier to carve the pumpkins once the kids were asleep.

Hayden has been tough at night lately. He'll show signs that he's tired around 9pm but will be up till 10pm. He went down around 10pm & then I did my nightly clean up & got on the couch for my cuddle time with  Rya. I fell asleep with Rya on the couch & Garyn was waking me up at about 11:45pm so we could finish our pumpkins. I was so tired & just wanted to go to bed but was looking forward to some alone time with my husband of carving pumpkins. We picked our designs & totally didn't understand the directions. Now that they are done, I realize how easy it was but since it was our 1st time using the stencils we tried to follow the directions word for word. We decided to figure it out ourselves. Garyn picked a grim reaper (it has to do with him riding motocross) & I picked a witch with a 'Welcome'. I decided that was too hard so chose a simple witch instead. Garyn got his design traced on the pumpkin & started carving. When I finally finished tracing my design, I realized I didn't press hard enough & not much of the design was on the pumpkin. I turned it around & picked an easier ghost design. By the time I was done tracing that, Garyn was done with his pumpkin. The grim reaper looked great! I finished my  carving but my pumpkin was so thick that Garyn had to use a regular kitchen knife to get all the pieces out. Once it was all done, they both looked great! I was kind of disappointed we didn't get many pictures of us carving only because I bought special pumpkin carving scrapbook stickers but we were both so tired. We are pretty please with our pumpkins & had a good time. Something I always look forward to every year & always did even as a kid & am so happy I can now do this with my own family.

The new job!

I have now been at my new job for 9 days & I'm really enjoying it!  I was a little nervous about going back to work as a dealer only because I haven't dealt in 2 years. Once I dealt my 1st table, I realized that there was nothing to be nervous about & everything came back to me. I love dealing & am so happy that I finally got a dealing position!
I am still having some trouble with being back at work. My last job was just a cashier job with Target & I was only there for 3 months. I have been a stay at home mom for the past 18months & I think it's kind of hard to adjust to being at work so much instead of being at home. My first 2 days of work were just orientation classes. It was especially hard because it was 8 hours for 2 days of just sitting there. All I could think about was how much I missed my babies. Now that I'm actually dealing it's alot easier. I'm very happy to have a great job after so long & it makes me feel great that I'm finally contributing financially to our family! My shift is still incredibly hard (2am-10am) & it's very difficult to work those crazy hours & come home to two little kids. Garyn's doing an amazing job watching the kids so I can sleep for a few hours when I get home & a few hours before I have to leave for work. I want to switch to the swing shift ASAP & was told that there are 6 dealer positions open so once they fill those positions, I should be able to switch shifts!

Working at Vee Quiva has made me realize how much I miss working at All Star Lanes & Casino. Vee Quiva is not very big especially compared to Wild Horse Pass but it does have many slot machines & about 16 table games but no Craps or Roulette. I always really liked the fact that All Star was just a card room. The biggest thing I miss is the no smoking policy. When I got hired at Vee Quiva, I didn't think the smoke would bother me but it does...ALOT! Especially since alot of people aren't considerate when they smoke so it goes right into my eyes & makes them water. Plus when I get off work, I smell like smoke so badly that it almost makes me sick to my stomach. Finally, I really miss the variety of games All Star had. During a shift I'd deal Spanish 21, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Blackjack &Texas Shoot Out. Vee Quiva only has 14 table games & 12 of those are Blackjack. Usually by the time I get to work at 2am, they've already closed Pai Gow & Three Card Poker. Again, I love my job as a card dealer but I really liked the variety of games that All Star had. I was told that Vee Quiva will be bringing Spanish 21 in & they are thinking about bringing Texas Shoot Out in as well. I don't mind dealing Blackjack & I really love being a dealer but I get bored. :) All Star is where I took the dealer class & got my 1st dealing job & returned in 2007. I had my share of minor problems there but have alot more great memories from there. Now that I'm no longer there, I realize how much I miss it!

I realized over my 9 days of work so far that the pay at Vee Quiva is great! Gila River has 3 casinos, Wild Horse Pass, Lone Butte & Vee Quiva. I found out that out of the 3 casinos, Vee Quiva is their biggest money maker. I found that hard to believe because it's the smallest of the 3 but it's true. The main reason for that is it's location. It's in Laveen, AZ & it's the only casino in that area. I was hired as a dual rate dealer which means that most of the time I will deal but I can also be a pit supervisor. Out of my 9 days of work, I've dealt 8 of those days & floored 1 day. My average in tips so far for dealing is about $200 a night! I prefer dealing over flooring just because I think time goes by faster when I deal but when I floor I get $19 an hour! I will be dropped to 3 days a week but it's better than nothing. I would like to get full time but only if I can get on the swing shift so I'm hoping that in about 2 months I'll be able to move to the swing shift & then get full time. We are very grateful that I was able to get a job that I love & pays well. We've really struggled the past 2 months & just what I made in my tips alone in those 7 days was enough to get caught up on all of our bills & have a little bit left over! Now I'm just hoping that it won't be long before I'm moved to swing shift & can get full time. I think we'll be okay if I'm just working 3 days a week but I'd like the extra hours & tips of the other 2 days. We're both just so happy that I finally started & did so well this 1st week! I think that for the 1st time in about 2 months, I'd not over-the-top stressed out.

It was a very long process for me to get this position (I went through 5 interviews). I was finally hired on 7/7 & started on 8/31 (orientation) & 9/2 (dealing). Garyn & I are both incredibly happy & thankful that I finally got this job. It's really tough but we are adjusting as best we can. Garyn is not working at the moment so when I get home at 11am, he stays out in the family room with the kids while I go catch some sleep. Then around 9pm, I go lay down again in hopes of catching a few more hours of sleep while he stays with the kids & get the ready for bed. He's doing a great job at the stay at home Dad thing. He really wants to find a job again & is thinking about several options. He's applied to many jobs already & even had an interview but because of my schedule, he's very limited to the hours he can work. We will not put Rya & Hayden in day care so as of right now, Garyn's either looking for something that will work with my hours or just enjoy some time off until I can switch to the swing shift. As hard as the crazy hours are & as much as I miss being around my babies 24/7, I really love being back to work & a job that I love & could do for the next 10 years. We are both so incredibly thankful that the Lord blessed me with a great job!

Doctor's Appointments

Today both Rya & Hayden had doctor's appointments. Hayden was going in for his 15month follow up appointment & Rya was going in because I'm concerned that she's such a picky eater. Here is what  happened at the doctors plus my August update on my babies.

Hayden is doing great! He's 25lbs & 31" long. He's in the 47th percentile for his size. He did very well today, he didn't really fuss at all when the doctor checked out his ears, eyes, mouth & belly. She said he is very healthy & looks great. He is walking & climbing. He says a few words & knows what they are (Dada, Mama & Uh Oh). She said he is right on track with his mobile development. He still wakes up 1-3 times a night so she suggested that he only gets water at night to get him back to sleep & that I don't pick him up. He needs to stop waking up so it's fine to put him in the other room, close the door & let him cry for about 10min. I will definitely try that because I haven't had a good night sleep in about 17months! We definitely need to get him off his bottle 100%. He can use a sippy cup & needs to start using them all the time so as soon as I can, I'm going to go buy him a bunch of sippy cups & toss all his bottles. He's not very dependant on his binkie, he really only uses it to fall asleep. She said it's fine for sleeping but try to not let him use it much when he's awake. Hayden did get 2 shots. He wouldn't let go of my arm as I was laying him down. Poor little guy was screaming but as soon as I picked him up he stopped. Tough little guy!

I'm very happy that he's on track with his milestones especially since he has the extra fluid in his head. That is just something that will go away on it's own. Hayden is doing so well! He loves sitting in his booster seat. He wants to eat alone & prefers if no one helps him. He eats just about anything. It's so cute when he plays peak-a-boo! We love watching him walk around the house. It's so cute! The way he walks, we call him 'Dump Truck'. Not sure why but it just suits him. I do believe he has some seperation anxiety problems but I'm hoping that that will pass when I go back to work. He is such a joy & so sweet! He isn't much of a cuddle bug which makes me sad but he'll cuddle on occasion when he's tired. As he gets older, I am still seeing how much fun it is having a little boy. He is such a character! We get such a kick out of him! I'm so happy & thankful for our little man!

Rya was very good at the doctor today too. She is 30lbs. They didn't measure her height. I was kind of disappointed because she's so tall (she's the same height as our friend's 4 year old niece!) that I was really curious but oh well. She goes in again at 3 years old so I'm sure she'll get measured then. She didn't fuss at all when the doctor was checking her out. She said that she is very healthy. That's all I wanted. I just wanted to make sure that depsite Rya being a picky eater, that she was still healthy. I'm doing something right! The doctor made some suggestions for how I can sneak fruits/veggies into Rya's diet. She said cut up small pieces & hid it in the food she does like. We had Rya on a vitamin called Polyvisol. We added it to her juice every morning. We can now switch her to either a gummy vitamin or something like the Flintstones. I will pick something up next time I go to the store. She also said that I can make her smoothies. Sadly, I don't have a blender but I'm planning on buying one as soon as I can. When I worked at Bon Appetit, my smoothies were the best! I'm hoping she'll like them. I also asked about the Pediasure but the doctor said not to give her those. She said it's basically a milkshake that's more for kids that need to gain weight so to stay away from those. I'm just going to start sneaking fruits/veggies into the food she does like & I'll make smoothies once I can buy a blender & pick up some vitamins. I'm just so happy & relieved that despite her picky eating habits, she's incredibly healthy.
Rya continues to amaze me everyday with how smart she is & how incredibly beautiful she is! I've lost count of how many people have said I should get her into commercials or modeling. I would love to but it's so hard to find a real agency. I'm still looking into it & thinking about it. She is also incredibly smart! She knows 10 colors & 16 body parts. My favorite body part is the arm pit. If I ask her where her armpit is, she smiles & raises both her arms up above her head. She can drink from a regular cup but I don't let her do it often because usually she'll drink a little & dump out a little. She says so many sentences. My favorite is if she's in the family room & Garyn's in the bedroom, she'll say "I gotta go see what Daddy doing". She is just the most precious & beautiful little girl ever! I've actually cried while talking to her or watching her because she is just so cute. I can't believe that in about a month, I'll be planning her 3rd birthday. She told me she wanted a Rapunzel birthday party with a Rapunzel cake & even a few gifts she wants. I can't believe that she'll be 3 in November but I'm so looking forward to having another awesome party for her!

It was definitely a challange having 2 kids only 18months apart. We didn't want that but God had different plans & I'm so happy He did. I love both my angels beyond words! I'll look at them & I can't believe how much I love them! Rya & Hayden are so fun, sweet, loving & adorable! I always remember growing up that I knew I wanted kids someday. Now that I have them, I realize what a true blessing being a parent is. I'm also very thankful for such wonderful kids. So many people have complimented me on how well behaved & polite our kids are especially for their ages. We are truly blessed to have such a happy & loving marriage & a beautiful & amazing family. My kids are my world & always will be! They are our #1 priority & ALWAYS will be! We love them so very much & I can't believe how blessed we are!

How we met

Today is the day that Garyn & I celebrate when we met. Thinking about this day 5 years ago always brings a smile to my face. I think it's a great story & I realized I don't think many people know how we met. So I decided to write a blog about it & share the details for those who don't know.

I was in the Army & stationed at Fort Irwin in CA. Myself & my coworker, Jennifer were offered to go to Fort Lewis, WA for a month for scrub tech training. Fort Irwin had a tiny hospital so we only did minor surgeries so this was a great opportunity to learn more about different surgeries that we didn't do at Irwin. I was super excited to go because I did my Phase 2 training there so I was already familiar with the base & the barracks (as was Jennifer). Plus I could go home on the weekends & spend time with my little brother, Dad & stepmom. Fort Lewis had a beautiful hospital that I really enjoyed working at & everyone was so helpful & really took to teaching us everything they could during our month there.

Since I'd lived in WA for the past 12 years, I still had many friends in the Tacoma area. It was our 2nd weekend at Madigan & a good friend of mine, Megan was talking to me about going out that Friday night. Jennifer had friends on base so she had plans & I was excited to hang out with my BF in WA. She wanted to take me to this club in Shoreline that she & her sister go to alot. They knew all the security guys there so I thought it'd be a good place to go & have a good time.

I got off work at 3pm & met  Megan at her work to pick her up. We went to her place to get ready, picked up her sister & headed off to The Drift on Inn & Casino. It's a great club/bar & downstairs is a restaurant & card room. We had a blast drinking, dancing & just enjoying a wonderful girl's night out. The bar was closing & we were heading downstairs for a 2am breakfast & some gambling. Megan was talking to one of the bouncers named Jim. He was very friendly & protective & was in great shape. I ran to the bathroom & when I came out, Jim handed me his cell phone & said "Here, talk to my son". I still remember thinking 'Jim looks like he's about 35 years old. Why would I want to talk to his 10 year old son?'. I answered the phone & heard a deep voice say "What up, girl?".

Garyn & I talked for a few hours that night. He lived in OR so we decided that he'd come up the following weekend so we could meet in person. We kept talking through the week. The day of 8/18/06 I got off work, met Megan & we went shopping. I bought a gorgeous new shirt at White House Black Market & we went back to her place to get ready. Then off to pick up her sister & then to meet Garyn. We arrived at the club about 45min after we were supposed to be there but we're women so we have to be fashionably late. We met outside & went in to enjoy a fun evening. In between dancing & having a few drinks we chatted & got to know each other. A few months prior, he had gotten out of a long relationship & I hadn't been in one for awhile due to bootcamp, AIT & work. We didn't really think anything would happen after that night so we just enjoyed getting to know each other. It was really nice just to get out & hang out with friends & meet new people.

I was really impressed with Garyn because he was so polite all night. He paid for my drinks, paid for breakfast & comforted me when I got upset because I had to go back to CA & was going to miss Megan. We ended up meeting a few days later at an Applebee's near Fort Lewis. We wanted to talk some more without the noise & distractions of a club. We just sat at the bar & he drank water while I had 2 strawberry margarita's. I was again impressed with him when he offered to pay for my margaritas even though he only drank water. We made sure to exchange numbers & continued talking. Of course there's more to the story but this is just about how we met on 8/18/06. We will always remember the day we met & cherish it.

I can't believe it's been 5 years since that fun night in Shoreline! I wish we still lived in WA for many reasons but 1 is because I'd love to return to The Drift every 8/18. I will always remember something Garyn told me right before we got engaged. "They say you can spend your entire life looking for that one person who will bring a world of happiness to you. I've found mine in 22 years." I still feel very blessed to be married to such a loving, thoughtful, generous & handsome man. I have everything I've always wanted ~ love, a happy marriage & 2 beautiful babies. I never imagined that a fun night out of drinking & dancing with my friends would bring me everything I've wanted. :)