Back from the States

We just got back from a trip back to the states! It was an awesome trip overall. Had some rough patches but overall great. Our trip started off in Portland, OR where we spent some limited time with my Dad. We went to the awesome town of Hood River and did some hiking up by Multonomah Falls. We got into Bend on my 28th birthday and had a great bday dinner at Outback! YUMMM! We spent some time in Bend before flying to Las Vegas with my mom and having a great little getaway ( while Riley stayed with Auntie Devin). Vegas has changed some since we went in 2002 but overall was still very hot and very expensive! My mom took us to see Cirque de Sole which was incedible! We had an adventure trying to come back from Vegas, our plane went up in the air only to be turned around and landed back in Vegas for a 5 hour delay and a changing of planes, I was soooo thankful to make it back to Bend in the end. Sarah and her boys came to stay with us after we got back from Vegas and we had a couple days of hanging out with them which was awesome. Then we spent the 4th of July at our friend's Ron and Michelle's. We had not been in Bend for the 4th since Jason joined the air force so that was a nice treat. We drove up to Portland on Monday night the 6th. We finally got to our hotel around 10 since we didn't leave Bend until my mom got off work and stopped in Salem for dinner. When we got to our hotel I checked my email to see an urgent email from Jason's sister. After not being able to get ahold of her we called Jason's parents and were given the shocking news that Jason's older brother Lester had died suddenly at the age of 36. Jason was devestated as you can imagine. It really makes you think when someone young suddenly dies. After a lot of back and forthing Jason decided to see Riley and I home and then see if he could get back for the funeral. Well the funeral arrangements came together a lot quicker then expected and the funeral will be this Monday July 13th. Jason will not be coming back for it, which was a very hard decision for him but in the end it is what is best for our family. So Monday we are pretty much back to normal with both of us work, work, working! Next trip??? Houston in September for the American Association of Medical Assistants Conference????? We shall see

Just got home from Spain

WOW it has been a long time since I posted! We came home late Thursday night from our first trip to Spain! We went to a tiny town on the Costa Del Sol called Torremolinos which is right next to Malaga. We had a nice, relaxed time. We want to go back and do the big places like Madrid and Barrcelona but I wanted this trip to be laid back and thats exactly what it was. It was nice and sunny and warm! Riley had never been to the beach so he thought it was great to take off his socks and have his toes in the sand. We have about three weeks until we go to Oregon and we are sooo excited! It is going to be a busy time but it will do the soul good to see family and friends.

Apparently it DOES snow in England

Well here we are on day two of massive snow! Yes it looks pretty but it really is a pain in the behind. Especially when British people don't know what to do with snow. They don't own snow plows and such but you have to admire their effort to get to work. None the less there were a ton of accidents yesterday mostly involving semi trucks aka Lorries. The base was on delay and then a lot of things were shut down. But not the Daily Grind! Thats right I am considered CRITICAL personal so yesterday I opened the coffee shop at 8am and also closed it at 7pm! It was a LONG day! Riley got to stay at home with Daddy and had some fun in the snow. Here are some pics

A new look for the new year!

Hello all
I wanted to post some pictures of my new fun haircut. I had been growing it out for quite awhile and was pretty sick of it. Plus when I wear my hair long its not like I ever actually do it so I thought why not cut it off! So far all my customers at the coffee shop really like and Jason likes it so thats good. Riley however told me and I quote "I don't like your hair, I only like my hair"hmmmm my son is one tuff customer. I will admit he does have lovely blond locks :) Other then the hair everything is going pretty much the same. We are saving up for our BIG trip to Oregon in June so we probably won't be doing much traveling over here in the coming months. But maybe some daytrips to some English sites. I would like to go to Windsor Castle which is the other OFFICIAL resisdence of the Queen.

Just in case you forgot what we looked like

Today I discovered the self timer on my camera so here we are!

Our first christmas in England

Well our first Christmas here in England was VERY quiet. It was the first year that Riley realized what was going on so that was SUPER fun. He loved the tree and unwrapping presents and was really into the thought of Santa so that was a good motivator to be a nicely behaved little boy. Anyways we just stayed at home and had a Christmas pot roast. Here's some pics

A year ago today

A year ago today my step dad Gary Cofer passed away after a long battle with prostate cancer. Not a day goes by that I don't think of him. As always you never appreciate something until it is gone. I am thankful that he is no longer suffering from extreme pain but I am sad that I don't get to see him and talk to him. I am also bitterly disappointed in his sons and how his affairs ended up being handled. Gary had such a long and painful battle with cancer but at the end it all seemed to go very quickly. I regret not speaking to him closer to his passing. He was a WONDERFUL step father and never treated me any differently then he treated his very own kids. It makes me sad to think that Riley will not know him. I am thankful that he was a part of our lives even for the short 7 years that it was. I know he is in a better place now but I still miss him.