Lake Vacation '09

As a last hurrah to summer, we decided to take a few days off work and do a mini vacation at the lake. It is kind of becoming a tradition since we did the same thing last year, and I have to say there is no better or more cost-effective summer vacation than spending quality time at the lake! We left Monday night after work and were able to stay until Sunday morning... it was glorious.

Apparently we weren't the only ones on vacation...

Two of our favorite people in the whole world, Cassie and Steve Hare, spent most of the week with us, which was an absolute BLAST! Cassie and I played volleyball together in high school and college, and Steve and Jordan knew each other from college as well -- for whatever reason we seem to mesh so well with them as a couple. "Couple friends," as we like to call them, are hard to come by, but Cassie and Steve are definitely a match for us! :)

Here are some highlights from the week:

Day 1: Gone fishin'...

Day 2: "I'm on a boat!" We spent some serious time on the lake, and ended the day with pizza and beer out in the boat... this could quite possibly be my favorite thing EVER.

Day 3: Skiing! Growing up on the lake, my family is definitely a water sports family, primarily skiing. Jordan has been reluctant to try getting up after a slightly traumatic experience a few years ago (traumatic = being drug across the lake for an hour while trying to impress my family when we were still dating), but he finally tried again and GOT UP!! I was so proud of him. :)

Day 4: My cousin, Megan, came up for the day and joined us! We cruised down to Bottle Bay in the boat and had the BEST huckleberry margaritas ever.

Still Day 4: Last year Jordan and I cruised down to a beautiful part of the lake called the Green Monarchs, where we took some funny jumping pictures. So of course, we had to have round 2 this year! Only this time we had some competition...

You can probably imagine, we were screaming laughing the whole time during this photo session. :) Yes, we're dorks, but who cares when you're having fun, right?!

We decided to do a couple serious pics that turned out super cute too. First the Hares, then the Tampiens...

Overall, the week was so fun and relaxing. It was so great to wake up whenever we felt like it, eat whenever we wanted (and whatever we wanted), and really just have no agenda. We played a lot of games, sat in the hot tub, swam, ate, drank, laid in the sun, read, napped, the boys golfed while the girls shopped, fished, went skiing, and spent a great week with friends.

Coming home yesterday was really bittersweet. We felt like we were saying goodbye to summer since Jordan STARTED SCHOOL TODAY. Wow. It is his very last "first day of school," can you believe it?!

So long sweet summer...

Living with Boys

Most of you may not know this, but I am living with two boys right now. Okay, my bad, two "men." Jordan always corrects me when I refer to him as a "boy." :)

One of our best friends, Josh, who lived at our house while we were in London, has been living with us for the past month since he got back from working in Alaska. Honestly, it has been really great having him -- he's really tidy and helpful around the house. And not to mention we all have a blast together!

But I have noticed a few funny things having two guys around all the time...

First of all, Maggie loves Josh. Seriously LOVES him! I think I am still her favorite, but Josh is definitely giving me a run for my money!!

(Excuse the poor quality of all of these pictures -- I took them with my iPhone.)

How cute is this?! Totally cuddling...

Another lesson I recently learned the hard way: don't let the "men" go grocery shopping together without me. I came home to cereal, Gogurts (which, sorry, totally weird me out), beer, and enough eggs to feed a small country!

Lastly, our date nights have developed more of a masculine theme. :) Jordan (and Josh) took me to a Spokane Shock game last night, which was super fun! I'm not going to lie though, I have never seen more mullets and glasses of beer under one roof. Classic Spokane. :)

I really can't complain though. If anything, Josh is probably the one complaining -- I am not always the easiest person to live with. It's easy when you're married for a couple years to forget your little quirks and things you do a certain way, but when you throw another person in the mix they ALL come out!

Cupcake-aholic

My name is Whitney, and I'm a cupcake-aholic.

I'm not quite sure how this happened, but I have been totally into baking this summer -- mostly cupcakes, with the occasional loaf of banana bread or batch of brownies. I literally make up excuses to do it -- it's so-and-so's birthday? it's storming outside? it's Friday? Better make some cupcakes!!!

Reasons I'm addicted:

1. I have the cookbook for the best cupcakes EVER from the Hummingbird Bakery we found in Notting Hill. Jordan and I asked each other the "what would you take if our house was on fire and you could only save one thing besides Maggie" question, and I kid you not, this book made my top 2.

2. The way the cupcakes make our house smell like heaven when I pull them out of the oven.

3. Eating the batter, and the frosting. Duh.

4. Accessorizing the cupcakes with different colored frosting and fun sprinkles. So much fun, and SO CUTE!

Although mine never look nearly as cute and perfect as the cupcakes pictured in the book, they usually still taste good!

I'm currently looking for a twelve-step class to attend, so let me know if you know of any Cupcake-aholics meetings in Spokane. :)

P.S. I stumbled across a website called Picnik.com where I edited these pictures -- it's super fun and free!

H2O Mama

Every summer in Sandpoint, Idaho (where our lake cabin is), the Long Bridge Swim takes place, which is a 1.8 mile swim race. My mom has always had it on her bucket list to compete in the race, so she finally decided she was going to do it this year. She started training in the spring to get ready for it, and the race was on Saturday.

Did I mention it was a 1.8 mile swim?! Or that my mom has had one shoulder surgery recently, and is getting another one in September?!?

My mom is a STUD!!!

Look at all the people lining the bridge to watch! And look how long the bridge is... I guess that's why they call it the Long Bridge! :)

Before I go any further, I have to give credit to my cousin, Megan (check out her blog!), for all of these photos. I got really sick the morning of my mom's race -- I know, sign me up for the "Worst Daughter Ever" award -- so Megan used my camera and got some great shots of the race!

Here's my cute mom waiting in the water for the race to start.

And the race begins! I guess there were approximately 900 swimmers competing... talk about chaos in the water!

Look at her go! I seriously couldn't be more proud of her...

At the finish line... SHE DID IT!!! Way to go, mom! One more thing to check off your bucket list!

Megan and my mom have been training together because Megan is doing a triathlon in a couple of weeks. Jordan and I have snuck in the pool with them a few times too. :)

I did kind of redeem myself at the end... I had been throwing up all morning, and I was so upset that I didn't get to watch my mom race. So I pulled myself together, brought a puke bag, and had Jordan drop me off at the finish line -- I was determined to at least watch her finish! I don't know if it was because I was so upset with myself for being sick or just so proud of my mom, but I totally burst into tears the second I saw her.

In the picture below is Megan, Grandma Ha, my mom, me, and my aunt Penny. She had a lot of faithful fans watching her who weren't pictured here -- my dad, Jordan, Chris, my grandparents, and Julienne.

My mom was always at every single one of my volleyball games, softball games, track races, basketball games... you name it, she was there. I think her and my dad were always in a tie for my number one fan. :) It's funny feeling the roles reverse as I get older.

I am so proud of you, H2O Mama!!!