Staying in Salem

So we have made it official, Alexander and I are staying in Salem while Josh finishes the last 2.5 months of school in Portugal. After lots of talking and thinking things through we decided it would be best for our family financially and for planning for the future if I was to be here. We are praying that Josh has a job lined up before he leaves so that I can start looking for a house and have some places lined up to look at when he gets back. There are so many reasons why we made this decision, but these are the main ones. We are pretty happy with the decision. In the mean time, he is working in Wilsonville and I am preparing for the bridal shows and looking for a part time job. I feel very content and at peace with the way things are going right now and that makes me happy.

Berry Picking

This morning Meghan and I packed up the kids and headed to Olson Farms off HWY22 and picked blue berries and raspberries. The kids were great, they did an awesome job helping pick the blueberries and had a lot of fun playing in the dirt while Meghan and I picked raspberries. The fruit was so yummy and so much cheaper then buying it in the store. I think we might do this more often now that I know how easy, fun and cheap it is. It has also inspired me to add berries to my garden next year. Here are a few pictures from our adventures out today.

Don and Kysa's wedding

This last weekend I had the joy of helping one of my best friends at her wedding. We have known each other since we were in middle school and been through a lot through the years. It just warmed my heart to be there and do whatever I could to help her and her new husband have a wonderful wedding. (I admit I had a ton of fun too!!) One of the things they allowed me to do was photographer their wedding for them. I am not striving to be a photographer, but it was a lot of fun using what knowledge I do have to capture the day. I posted all of my favorite pictures on my business page on Facebook, but here are a couple of my favorites.

Anna Inspired Cupcakes

So my sweet friend Anna made a cute flag cupcake cake for her kids for the 4th. I had already bought the stuff to make 4th of July cupcakes but had not thought about arranging them into a flag and after seeing Anna's cake I just couldn't pass it up. So here it is...

Thanks Anna for the great idea. I had a lot of fun with this thanks to you!!!

Oregon/Washington

I can't believe we have been in the states for two weeks. We spent the first week just adjusting to the time difference and preparing for Alexander's 2nd birthday. Then the second week we spent trying to help the friends we are staying with around their house and starting to visit everyone. It went by so fast and now we are at my parents in Washington. It's so good to be home. With being so busy we really have not taken a lot of pictures, but I have gotten the really important stuff. I am really looking forward to the fourth of July tomorrow. All Alexander could talk about tonight was "firwors" as he try's to call them. We were planning on celebrating his birthday with my parents, but Mom and I shopped for almost two hours tonight for a present for him and couldn't decide on anything. Oh well, I guess that just means I get to shop more later!!! Here are a couple pictures I took today of Alexander enjoying his extended family.