Looking back.... July 31, 1999

Our wedding party!

This will make you laugh- my 5 bridemaids had 0 kids on our wedding day and today combine for a whopping 9 kids! Marcus' groomsman had 1 child on our wedding day (our flower girl) and today combine for only 2 children! Zee is the only addition on the boys side!

Here's to another 8 years and some babies for us and our groomsmen!

Celebrating Eight Years!

Tomorrow, Marcus and I have been married for eight wonderful years! Because we have bible study on Tuesday nights and I have to work out to make my 10 mile goal, we celebrated a night early.

He came home from work with these pretty flowers. We had fun cutting them down and arranging them.

WARNING: Do no smell them too close! It will leave brown powder on your nose. When you wipe the brown off, it smears to yellow all over. It wasn't pretty!








After cleaning off our faces, we went downtown to have dinner at Bess. It is a newer restaurant on 6th owned by Sandra Bullcok.

We shared the avacado dip with pita wedges and cinnamon bread pudding for dessert. For dinner, I had the lasagna and Marcus had the spinach salad with a fried egg on top and pork chops with sour apples and cherry compote. It was all very delicious!

As is our annual tradition, we took a picture with 8 fingers up showing the number of years we have been married. We have a picture like this for every year of our marriage framed in our bedroom. It is neat to celebrate successes like anniversaries. Marriage is hard work, but I would not trade my husband for the world.

Here is the picture last year when we celebrated our 7th anniversary. I was stuck in a hotel that night working an event, but Marcus was able to come up and visit me for dinner.

Here is to many more wonderful anniversry dinners and happy years together!

Bella's Dedication

This morning we attended the Parent Child dedication of Bella Richards. Her mom, Kristi, and I are cousins and I am so grateful that we live just a few miles apart.

Kristi and her husband Ben are blessed with the most amazing Christian influences in their life. Bella had 15 family members there in support of her! Marcus and I can only aspire to be the such spritual leaders in our family.

Here is Miss Isabella Reece Richards on her Mimi's lap!

And big sister Landry with her Dad!

August Desktop

Enjoy the latest digital scrapbook creation for your desktop!

My Spider is my Co-Pilot

For something like 3 weeks, I have had a spider that lives behind my passenger side mirror. Every morning, we take off to go to work...and Charlette, after a bit of bouncing around, goes and hides behind the mirror. At night, I come home, he's out again to rebuild the web. I can't tell if he's the dumbest spider, or the smartest. He has to put up with a morning shaking...but at least he has a nice home free from any visibility of birds, or bigger bugs....

What Im waiting for..is the first time a customer or rep gets in the car, and looks outside...and sees a spider flapping around on my mirror....

Happy Birthday Melissa

Our buddy Melissa invited over some friends on Saturday night to celebrate her birthday with cake and ice cream! Melissa and I were posing in front of the cute little cross stitich picture given to her when she was married 3 years ago.

Happy Birthday Melissa!



Melissa's husband John shows us his best smile. I promise, he does not always look so cheesy!

Little Miss Landry

Thursday night I went to a Stampin' Up party at my cousin Kristi's house. She has two beautiful daughters who have always been pretty shy around me. Last time I saw Landry I brought her Sonic ice, one of her favorites. This time I saw her, she let me hold her. Coincidence? I think not!

Day Trip to Killeen

After the pancake breakfast this morning, we drove to Killeen to go shopping! Marcus loves the clothes and cheap prices at Steve & Barry's. We don't have one in Austin. They are mainly located in small towns, like Abilene where we first found the great deals!

For $56, Marcus bought 6 shirts and a baseball cap!






On the way, we stopped in Salado for Anna to shop! This sign made me laugh!







Before heading home, we dined on an old college favorite- Rosa's Cafe! The pink building made me smile with glee! Combo nachos and chocolate sheet cake are a must!

Shout out to my Goddess girls and Oscar, we thought of you as we dined on the best $3.99 mexican food!

Pancake Breakfast

Our Sunday school class had their semi-annual pancake breakfast this morning. Rob slaved away at the pancake griddle the whole time. It takes a lot of pancakes to feed about 40 people!









My friend Kathy and I posed for the camera. We have been friends since Marcus and I joined out church almost 4 years ago. Kathy has two beautiful girls, Alexis and Kayla, that love Marcus!





Marcus' juggling has led to a lot of little fans, among them many of the children of our church friends. I was amazed Cecily and Emma stopped climbing on Marcus long enough to smile for the camera!

What it means to be Memec

On Thursday, the Austin-Houston Memec team got together for our year end review (fiscal year at Avnet ends June 30th).

We announced our performance for the year...which was good, and the promotion of our FAE, Ed Baca, to regional Technical Manager. We also gave him the "lifetime goldstar achievement" award for his incredible contribution. We'll keep him close enough to to keep harassing him....

Keith and I both got the blue shirt memo for the golf portion of the day.

Rock Relay Workouts Begin!

Okay, I'm officially in this. I am doing "The Rock" marathon relay. I bought new workout clothes and joined the gym this weekend.

Buying new workout clothes is just a pain.... how much do you really want to spend on workout clothes. I always want to look cute. But, this sweaty girl with her face bright red, hair pulled back and makeup removed can only look so cute. The clothes will only do so much. On top of that, I could not be more white. It is the middle of summer and I have the working girls tan, or lack thereof. Hopefully everyone at the gym can see that I have style through my cute shorts and fun colored t-shirts!

More humiliating the buying the clothes, is being interviewed by the young gym sales guy. He asked questions like, "What is your weight loss goal?" and "Have you ever been at your ideal weight?". Or, how about "do you plan to change your eating habits as well?". I have never wanted to go workout so bad. Let's get the interview over with. I am here to workout and not discuss it with you! I was a fat kid for goodness sake!

I'm glad that part is over with! Keep track of my progress on the ticker. I hope to increase my miles each month until the marathon relay doesn't seem so far. Marcus also plans to join us. He'll be running the Half Marathon while the girls and I relay it.

Anna

Happy First Birthday Zee!

Tonight was Mackenzie Page's first brithday party. Marcus snapped a photo of the birthdaygirl was her adoring Daddy. We love you Zee and we can't wait to see you walk anyday now!

I'm Running the Rock

My girlefriend Billye sent out a prayer request and call to action for her friends Reagan, Katie and their unborn child. After waiting and waiting and praying for their new baby, R & K recently found out their child will be born without hands and feet. Their faith and love and concern for their unborn child is moving. Read more about them on their blog- Reagan, Katie and Baby.

In the sea of doctors they have seen in the last few weeks, their experience at Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas stood out. Three things I did not know:
1. Scottish Rite is a FREE pediatric orthopedic hospital. Free to any child in Texas.
2. It can never be more than 4 stories tall so that it does not intimidate a child. They will build stories underground, but not more than 4 above ground.
3. It must always smell like popcorn!

To support Katie and her baby, I have agreed to join Billye and her friends on a marathon team to support Scottish Rite hospital. We will run "The Rock" together in Dallas on December 9. My part will be a little over 5 miles. A big feat for my big butt!

Please pray for Reagan, Katie and their baby! Pray for the other parents and children that know the world of pediatric orthopedics! Pray for our relay team that we may show our love and support of these families through our blood, sweat and tears!

- Anna

Digital Memo Board

Playing with my new digital scrapbooking software is sparking all kinds of new ideas.... invitations, cards, announcements, alphabet books, and this memo board. I made myself one and then made this one for my Mom. It is a fun way to showcase many of your favorite pictures on your computer's desktop.

If you want your own memo board, email me. I can whip one out in a couple of hours with your favorite colors and pictures.

Two New Things

Meet Isaiah James.... his Mom and Dad are friends of ours and we took them dinner tonight. He was super sweet and te-ninny! April was excited that at 5 weeks he weighs over 10 pounds. Isaiah has a super cool nursery with monkeys eating bananas on the walls!





I got new glasses on Friday! My weird right eye has been infected off and on for over a month now. I went to the eye doctor on Friday and I have some sort of allergy to contact lenses. We are not sure how long term it is, so I decided if I have to wear glasses, that I need some new cool ones!




The "arms" of the glasses have a cool pattern. Plus, the inside of these are a cool aqua color. And, they came with a super cool lime green and pink case. It is always the details that sell me.

New Kitchen Backsplash

My friend Jessica is a do-it-yourselfer! I am not talking simple little projects, but major ones! When I decided to install the "tin" backsplash, I knew she was the girl to call.

We decided Jessica was more precise of a measurer than I. So, Jessica measured the tiles with her collection of big and small rulers.



And, I would do the cutting with my handy-dandy Home Depot approved shears.








After just 6 hours of work from start to finish, we created a masterpiece! I love the "tin" backsplash and think it works even better than I had expected.

Note the precision in covering the switchplates with matching "tin". A big thanks to Christi for joining us this morning after her workout to do the outlets for us.


Here is the other side of the kitchen.

In case anyone was wondering, this was a totally easy project done by three girls. Marcus spent the day on the golf course. It was his own special kind of measuring, slicing and trying again :)

Happy 4th of July!

My Ring Bling Book

I took off work on Monday of this week to attend a scrapbook class at a new store in the Cedar Park area called Archivers. They have a great array of classes to choose from. My class was to make a Ring Bling Book. It only took 2.5 hours and woo-lah, I have a cute little book about Kyleigh and I.




This book template was super girly, just like Kyleigh. I am sure to sign up for a boy book for Cohen in the fall.

Just My Size

Dad, Jacque, Tiffany and Kyleigh came over for lunch today after church. Before we ran off to see Evan Almighty (really cute, be sure to stay for the credits), she discovered the fun of our hammock.

It was just the right size for her to lounge in. Here she strikes a pose. Check out her long legs- they are no joke just a few inches short of mine. She will be taller than me before 2nd grade at this rate!

Our Old School Slumber Party

Friday night I hosted our bible life group for an old school slumber party. Jenny pulled out her favroite nightgown- it was old school, too!







Along with some of our favroite high school movies, we had fun with Natalie and Terri's pedicure products from Mary Kay. Lauren and Melissa are soaking their toes with Heather looking on in the background.

Can you name the movie on the TV in this picture?





Natalie, Brandi and Terri also gave their feet a good soaking. I thank the Lord for our amazing bible life group and the women I am fortunate to spend my time with. They teach me so much about being a good christian, friend, wife and one day, mother.