Three years ago...

...Zach and I got engaged! He totally surprised me, which was funny because I told him there was no way that he would be able to surprise me. That day I had been at work at the hosptial as an intern in the ER where I still work. After work, Zach called me and told me that he would be late getting off work because he had to fix a tire on a car out by the lake. He told me he would pick me up at my parents house when he was done because I was very hungry and I wanted to go together to get something to eat. I didn't mind that he was running late because I had just gotten out of the shower myself and needed some time to get ready. A short while later as I was getting ready, I realized that I needed something that I had left at his house so I called him and told him he didn't need to pick me up, because I was going to drive over to his house and i would just wait for him there untill he got done. He called me back almost immediatly and told me that the work truck had broken down and there wasn't anyone around and he asked if I could just come pick him up so we could hang out and get some food. I drove out to a park at the lake where he said he had been fixing the tire and when I got there he was in the service truck from work with the hood up, so I wasn't expecting anything. He was sitting in the truck when I pulled up but when he got out of the truck he was all dressed up in a shirt and tie- at this point is when I figured something was up. He walked over to me and told me some very beautiful things that I no longer remember because I was so excited and then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. After I said yes he asked if I would then have dinner with him. I hadn't even noticed when I pulled up that he had a picnic all set up for us with candels,wine, flowers, a tablecloth ect. I told Zach that I wished I was more dressed up because I was wearing athletic shorts and a tee shirt, and he was wearing a shirt and tie. Zach had thought of everything- he pulled my favorite dress out of the truck for me to wear as well as a change of shoes. I changed into the nice clothes and we had a romantic dinner together overlooking the lake, and then I said that I wanted to take a walk on the beach. We walked together on the beach for a while and I called my parents very excitedly- when we returned there was a limo waiting for us! I was so shocked that at first I thought it was for someone else and made some dumb remark along the lines of "wow i wonder who is in there...oh wait is it for us"! I was so surprised and excited. We rode around in the limo and visited our parents who already knew that Zach was going to propose because he had asked permission the day before and our grandparents who were very excited by our big news. When got out of the limo there were more roses and rose petals waiting for me- what a great night!

Two years ago....we were having the rehersal dinner for our wedding! It amazes me that it has been two year already- it really seems like I was just planning everything and suddenly we are getting ready to celebrate our two year wedding anniversary! And what an eventful two years it has been. We got married and Zach bought Midtown Custom Bending right around the same time (I think right before we got married but I cant remember) 6 months later bought our new home, and moved in a month later. Three months after that we were thrilled to find out we were expecting and in January we welcome our first son into our family! Tomorrow is Also Cooper's 4th Birthday! What a big boy he has become! Our family has grown and changed in the last few years- we are looking forward to what the next two years, and beyond, will bring.

Deer Baby, Sawyer Sleeps, and a Nice Weekend

We had a pretty great weekend at our house! The forecast called for a yucky, rainy weekend but the days turned out to be nice with thunderstorms at night! saturday we got a bit of planting done in the yard. everything is so green finally!! my peonies finally started to bloom, they are so pretty again this year, and the peonies we planted last year that didnt grow, grew this year which is awesome!!!! they didnt flower but perhaps next year- i was just excited that they grew! we also went on a nice walk on the path behind the house. zach has been seeing a tiny baby deer in the "green space" area and we wanted to see if we could see it again. we didnt, but the walk was nice- sawyer fell right asleep and cooper had a blast-of course he found a mud puddle to play in right away! i tell him that he is the dirtiest dog in the world!






























here are sawyer and i in the yard near the garden.
















this was the prettiest thing! on the bank of the big creek in our yard there are a TON on dasies growing this year- twice as many as last year. it is georgeous, but sadly it was hard to get a picture of how neat it really is!






























here sawyer and i are under the giant tree by the creek- it is the most awesome location for his future tree house- right next to a bend in the creek, and its so nice and shady under there.
















We had friends over Saturday night. Zach has mastered making amazing bbq chicken on the grill It was so good. Also Saturday night was the first night that we ever put Sawyer to bed in his crib in his own room- he has been sleeping right next to me in a little "van wyk baby bed" which is the bed that every van wyk in Zachs family has slept in since his dad and aunts and uncles were babies. It was awesome because he was just right there next to me and i could see him..but he wasnt in the bed with me. But Zach's cousin just had a baby so it is time to pass it on. He can't sleep in our room untill he goes to college :) He had a rough time last night and woke up a few times after i put him to bed. I had to let him snuggle his puppy toy and listen to George Strait to get him to fall asleep (a habit that daddy started..) he finally stayed asleep at about 10 and slept all night long, even through the thunderstorm which was awesome because it woke me up! Tonight he went to bed at 8 and has been doing great! He cuddled puppy and listend to George Strait again :) but he fell asleep and didnt cry! He loves puppy. Here is is on Saturday playing in his exersaucer AND of course giving puppy a big cuddle at the same time. He is such a snuggler!! I love it!
















Today we went to a cub's game with Chase's parents. The Iowa Donor Network was giving organ donors familys tickets so they brought us along. Saldly the cubs didnt win but it was really nice weather today! I totally got some sun-FINALLY! Here we are with Chase's family.
















Paul and Zach had matching hats, shirts (chase's organ donor be someones hero shirts that we all wore to the game) khaki cargo shorts and matching blue tounges :)

















I am hoping for nice weather this week! I really want to head to the pool this week and get a bit more color. I have a bit of a farmer tan after today!

the adventures of cooper d. dog...

well, crazy thing happened today. this morning zach let cooper outside to go potty and then went and got dressed for work- just like they do every morning. zach noticed a few weeks ago some of his work pants were starting to wear out so he had just put patches on them saturday night- so this morning he was "testing out" the strength of the patches ( that he put on himself!) and FORGOT to let cooper back inside and left for work. i of course had no idea and assumed cooper was still sleeping- as he usually dosent do much until at least noon- or later. around 12:30 i decided i would check the mail- which i do almost every day and cooper always goes with me to go potty again, so i open the door and say "come on lets check the mail and potty" like every day, but no dog shows up...so i check the mail alone and start feeling suspicious, where is coop?? i check his pillow by the slider door- no dog, i check his "doggy bedroom aka our wi closet- no cooper, i go down to the basement and check the couch and guestroom, no dog! then i got a little worried- i opened all the closets and doors wondering if he got stuck somewhere- the whole time im calling his name- suddenly i heard his little doggy cry so i call his name more but cant figure out where it is coming from because sawyer has began to protest being left alone by making loud chattering noises. now sawyer and i are on the hunt together upstairs, with him quiet i hear coopers cry again- i thought it was coming from the garage but when i opened the door he isnt there, just more crying. i open the front door and cooper comes flying crazily inside as if he has never been more happy in his life to be home- he picked up his bone and ran circles. i was in shock- trying to remember if i had let him out thinking there is no way he could have been outside since zach left at 7- but no, i hadnt let him out! and he hadnt been at the door when i got the mail- i think he must have been crying at the basement slider when i first heard him and then he ran to the front door when he saw me go back upstairs yelling his name- i cant believe he was alone outside for 5.5 hours and he didnt leave our yard!!! we have no fence whatsoever and acres of trees behind our house that he loves to explore but he knew better i guess. i have no idea what he must have done that whole time or if he went anywhere.. i didnt even know what to do when he came inside except give him a cookie and tell him good boy like i do every time he comes in.