Picture Day!

Gordon gave me a wonderful birthday gift... 6 weeks early! It is a professional digital camera with 2 different lenses, I absolutely love it!! Yesterday, Drake and I had "picture day" at the house and I was able to test out the new camera. I think the photos turned out great! Drake was so cooperative and adorable. We took over 100 pictures, but here are some of my favorites:

Easter Photos

Drake had a great time looking for Easter eggs around the house. The easter bunny also left him 2 puzzles and a giant crayon bank, he was thrilled and we were too!

Big Announcement!!

Gordon and I are expecting a baby! Yesterday we had our 1st trimester check-up and they performed an Ultrasound. We were able to see the baby and hear their heartbeat! The picture to the right is a profile shot of the baby so the head is on the right (you can see the eye socket), with the arms and hands directly to the left of the head. The baby was waving their hands vigorously back and forth during the ultrasound, it made us laugh.

We are so excited!!!

Hailey's 1st Birthday!!

Last weekend Gordon and I traveled to Nebraska to celebrate our niece Hailey's 1st birthday. We had a lot of fun visiting with Megan, Shawn and the girls. Hailey is growing up fast and is SO adorable, I took so many cute photos of her it was hard to narrow it down to only 8. Check out my sister-in-law's blog for more pictures!

Fiesta in Cancun!

Gordon and I just got back from a wonderful trip to Cancun, Mexico! We went to Jill & Chris's wedding and had a great time visting with friends and sharing in this momentous occasion.
Here are some photos of the fun:

Top Left: Gordon & Amy enjoying a beautiful day in the pool. Rudy, Rob & Gordon having a cocktail by the pool. The ladies (Laura, Jill, Amy, Susie & Val) relaxing on a Bali bed. Gordon & Amy looking tan at dinner. Gordon looking VERY handsome by the water. Gordon & Amy at the wedding. Jill & Chris having their cake. Jill & Chris said "I do". Chris, Jill, Val & Susie in their sombreros!

Kidsfest

Here are some fun photos that we took of Drake and his friend Will at Kidsfest in Des Moines. Kidsfest is an indoor carnival with booths, rides, and characters. Drake was able to see Batman, Spiderman, Clifford and Dora the Explorer!

What's your decorating style?

Check out this website, it will help you to determine your decorating style. A mix of some of the pictures are above. Try it out, it's fun!

My personal style is a mix of 3 specific styles:
40% Classic
40% Cottage Chic
20% Hollywood Couture

A Jackie Original

Yesterday, when I came home from work a package had arrived for me and... surprise! It was a beautiful hand-knit sweater dress from my mother-in-law! I tried it on immediately, then paired it with some boots and a belt, it fit perfectly!! I feel so special and loved to have such an amazing work of art, hand made by Gordon's Mum.

I wore it to work today, it was only 11:30 am and I already received 8 compliments. When I proudly told them it was hand-knit by my husband's mother, many mouths dropped and expressions of "wow" were heard.

Thank you so much Jackie for the gorgeous dress, I love it tremendously and I will treasure it forever. I love you!!

The Best Valentine's Day Ever!

Last weekend I was treated to the best Valentine's Day ever~ Gordon had so many romantic surprises that I don't even know where to begin! Starting on Friday, I received a beautiful bouquet of red & white Orchids (my favorite flower) while at work. Friday night during a nice intimate dinner at a local restaurant, Gordon explained that tomorrow night we would be staying somewhere overnight and advised me to pack a formal gown. You can imagine my excitement and curiosity! On Saturday, as we headed out for our Valentine's Day weekend and after Gordon pretended to drive towards Omaha and Kansas City to tease me, we drove into downtown Des Moines and stayed at the Suites of 800 Locust. When I opened the door to the room I proceeded to see rose petals scattered on the floor and bed, candles lit throughout the room, and a bottle of wine chilled waiting for us by the fireplace. I was so overwhelmed with joy and happiness that I started to cry happy tears~ Gordon expressed he had more surprises for me to come throughout the weekend, so I decided to share my gift to him.
Over the past few weeks I had been working on a gift from the heart~ I typed 365 notes of love that I folded and placed into a cylinder and created a personal label that read:

Daily Reminders of my Love
“To last throughout the coming year, here are my thoughts for you, 365 folded up inside to start the day anew. Just choose one to read each day, and know I Love You in every way!”

Gordon absolutely loved it and said no one has ever done something so special for him before... I told him I understood because all his surprises were new for me too.

After exchanging gifts and cards, we got ready for dinner and dressed in our formal wear. Dinner was at an exclusive social club at the top of the tallest building in Des Moines! We had a view of the whole city as we ate a fabulous meal and enjoyed each other's company. As if that wasn't enough, Gordon told me that on Sunday we were going to have a couples massage at the hotel to conclude the best Valentine's Day ever! It truly was a weekend to remember!!

Snow Day

"Don't eat the yellow snow!"