happy father's day

Chris and I were on vacation again this year for Father's Day. Last year we were in Oregon for my sister's wedding. So this year I had Daulton record a father's day video message on my camera and played it for him that morning. They did talk that day on the phone, and Chris got a present when we returned.

1 year (for anyone who's counting)

Chris and I celebrated our one-year anniversary this past April. We had tickets to see Alicia Keys in concert, but it was cancelled the morning of. So we spent a few days hanging out in Erie and had a wonderful dinner at a local sushi restaurant. The week before (on our actual anniversary) we had dinner at another restaurant, complete with some local wine. That night we headed to the casino and made a little money on Blackjack. That might not be part of an official anniversary tradition, but it was fun!

clowning around

This is a catchup post, some random pics from the last few months...

the paintball party

Daulton chose Pentagon Paintball as the location for his birthday party this year. It's on the outskirts of Erie, just fifteen minutes or so from our place. He and three of his friends played with me, Chris, Chris's friend Daryl, and Michelle's roommate Koreen. Michelle seems to like thrills related to motorcycles and skydiving—I'm beginning to think she has the right idea! Most of us survived the whole day, but we all earned some bruises along the way.

Michelle got a great "paintball" cake and we grilled burgers and hot dogs in between dodging paintballs and running from bunker to bunker.

happy 13

So Daulton is now a teenager. He was with Michelle all day, so we just did presents and cake and then headed to our friends Mike and Jessi's place to watch fireworks. They live on the bay and have a great view. Daulton spent much of his time playing the video game Rock Band, but I think he saw some of the fireworks from the living room.

Saturday we spent the day at my parents' house. My sister Nicole and her boyfriend were in town, and some of her friends came by, along with a few neighbors, too. Daulton was, of course, one of the first and definitely the last in the pool. We finally made him put on a shirt because he had gotten so much sun. His freckles are out in full force.

relay on...

I participated in the Relay for Life again this year at my high school. The event, held all over the country every year, benefits the American Cancer Society and their fight to find a cure for cancer.

My best friend and I organized the entertainment as part of this year's committee. We had a great band, Mambo Jazz Band, singer Sean Benjamin, inflatable toys, crafts, temporary tattoos, track bingo, local team mascots, banner competitions, and more.

My stepmom made our team banner this year, it was wonderful! Daulton came with me for most of the Friday portion. He was a huge help with temporary tattoos, making signs, and more. He got six or seven temporary tattoos himself, and Chris got his own when he came after work that evening. They went home that night and my friend and I stuck out the night through the next morning.

Our team raised about $600 this year, and the nighttime luminary was beautiful. They line the track with white paper bags and light candles inside. Each bag has the name of a person either in honor of their survival or in memory of the fight they lost to cancer. The names are read at dark in a beautiful, reflective ceremony.

life on a beach

Well it's been WAY too long since my last post! I'm happy to say that Chris and I went on our honeymoon last month. I got an amazing massage just before we left, which I think was the perfect start to a vacation! We had no computers and no cell phones. Lots of time outside, LOTS of sunscreen! My photo captions would suggest that we also had a lots to drink, but it wasn't as bad as it seems. But hey, who can resist a rum punch while lazily browsing stores on the streets of a Caribbean island?

Here's a link to my photo album:

St Thomas