Pake Update:

I wanted to update those of you who have been asking how Pake is doing... he went home to be with his Lord and Savior last night.  We spent the evening with Beppe, who was surrounded by family all evening. 

Proof: They DO wear swim trunks!

PS:  Contrary to all of their ribs that are showing, not only do they wear swim trunks, they EAT all the TIME!  :-)

Inch by inch, page by page

I've slowly but surely been scrapbooking.  I am now through October 6, 2009.  Aaagh!  I need to get in my groove.  I love to do it, I just need to find the time!  I've really been working on fine tuning my style.  I'm getting there!  Here are some recent pages.

For those interested, Costco has a $30 off coupon starting July 15 for Photoshop Elements.  That is the program that I use both for photo editing and scrapping.

The Silves Splash Park is Open for Business

The past few days the boys have spent most of their waking hours outside, and most of that time in swim trunks, playing in the water.  They've got two pools, and a splash park, squirt guns, and a sprinkler.  If you need to cool off, stop on by!!!

 

Disclaimer:  They usually do wear swim trunks, but they just got their haircuts and wanted one more "dip" before coming in the house...  A skinny dip, that is!  :-)

Having a blast with our cousins

Wednesday was a serious cousin bonding day for the Silves/Scheib clans.  First, they all convened in Lynden for the morning while I worked, and then all 6 piled into the Denali, made a pitstop for Pizza at Little Caeser's, then headed for E-town.  The kids ate lunch, and then it was rest time.  When it was time to get up, they all threw on swimsuits (yours truly included) and we headed out back for a water fight.  It was supposed to be Ethan, Wayne and myself against Brenna, Alyssa and Weston, but it turned into all of them against me.  It was touch and go for awhile, but eventually they all saw the wrath of their mom/auntie!  Hah! 

There might be a little dust on the bottle....

But it's one of those things that gets sweeter with time!  Sorry for the old country tune, but it always reminds me of our dating years.  This one's for you Tyler!  :-)

9 years of time, that is.  Can you believe that 9 years ago, we were on a plane to Hawaii at this hour?  Crazyness.  We were 21 and 20 years old, such youngin's.  To celebrate, we got a babysitter and headed to Anthony's and had dinner on the patio.  The waitress could not believe that it was our 9th anniversary, and we had 3 kids.  Believe it, honey! 

It was quiet and relaxing, and I got my shopping list finalized.  After dinner we hit Home Depot, Target, Starbucks, Costco and Walmart.  Whew!

I've learned a lot of things in the past 9 years.  I've learned that the first year of marriage is fabulous, but I prefer the "non-newlywed" years.  I've learned that I will never look like I did when I was 20 years old, and I'm okay with that because I have three handsome young men because of it.  I've learned that Tyler and I are so alike in so many ways, in ways we didn't even know when we got married.  I've learned that it is a blessing and a privilege to have fallen in love with Tyler way back when.  That we have a history together that is special and something not many others can say about their spouse (he taught me what to do in a "tie" at a four way stop with another car!)  I've learned that I indeed have "married my dad" in so many ways.  That while I thought Tyler would be a good Dad to our future children, but I had absolutely no way of comprehending how fabulous he would be.  I also had no stinkin' clue that we'd have THREE boys, and that each would be so precious.  I've learned that I can be "right" all that I want, but it's not much fun to be "right" all by myself.  I've learned that I will never mow a lawn.  First my mom, and now Tyler - both love mowing so much I was and am never allowed to do it.  I've learned that I keep a house WAY cleaner than my bedroom when I was growing up.  I've learned that I still don't like to make my bed.  I know now that I love to garden and be outside in the yard, and that I'd rather be doing something than nothing.  I've learned that I love Tyler, and our life today more than I did 9 years ago, and more than I did one day ago. 

 

9 years ago, we were young and naive and ready to take the world by storm.  We rented a house, drove smaller cars, and our life was our own.  Today, we have built a home and a family, and have all that we ever could have dreamed of.  Happy 9th 'Versaries Tyler!

As I look into our future years of marriage, I think back to our wedding vows.  For better or worse.  Sickness and in health.  Till death do us part.  We are in the best of times, the healthy times, and I praise God for his blessings.  My grandpa's health is failing, and I have been touched over and over again by the faithfulness of my Beppe (grandma) in their wedding vows.  They are in the "sickness" times, and yet she stands beside him, tender and sweet, loving and compassionate, patient and strong.  To witness all of this has touched my heart beyond words.  We go to a lot of weddings, where a lot of promises are made.  I am grateful for their example and picture of what those vows look like when they are lived out, and I hope and pray to live a long life with Tyler, with God has our strength and our shield.  


Ecclesiastes 4:12
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

I can't believe my eyes!

My thermometer is reading:  97.6 degrees