Happy Memorial Day!

Thank you to all the service men and women out there who make it possible for me to have freedom.  For me have the freedom to host a BBQ for my family. To sit out in our backyard and watch Owen play. To have my grandparents visit. To simply enjoy life the way it's meant to be enjoyed! 

We are blessed and thankful and greatful!  I hope everyone has an amazing Memorial Day holiday!!!

Lovin’ relaxing weekends!

You know it’s been a good weekend when you were so caught up relaxing and enjoying yourself that you didn’t take a single picture!!! I still can’t believe that…but I know why. We were filled to the brim with relaxing and fun activities! We shopped, we swam, we ate, we drank. We ate and shopped some more! I wasn’t quite ready to be back to reality…but…I was missin’ little man! Some of the awesome finds on this trip besides delicious food at Shady Gator (Is that the right place Steff?  You always keep in line with the names of those places down there!) and the Bistro, included the following:

Hello There.

Hello there readers. 

I am sorry for the delay in my posting!  Apparently the fun of summer and busyness of life have stolen me away.  I do however, have lots to blog about and am cooking up some great ideas.  On my list to post are:

A trip to the Lake
Happiness and all kinds of thoughts on it
Some new summer recipes I'm trying out
More house before and after's
Our swing set assembling process (to begin this coming weekend...wish us luck!)
Owen, Owen and more Owen
And lots of pics!!

I hope you will hang tight and stick around!

Our Swing Set is HERE!

I repeat...OUR SWING SET IS HERE!   Okay okay...Owen's swingset! But I can't wait to go and pick it up :)  We've been daydreaming about how we can't wait to step out of our back door and be able to enjoy the fun of the park...without going to the park!  It won't be long now...

***In case your confused, check this out here to see the set and what I'm talking about***

Officially a Graduate!

I mentioned in my Thankful Thursday post that I graduated from Webster last Saturday.  I also mentioned how great it was to be surrounded by the best support system anyone could ask for on that very special day!  I've talked at length about this accomplishment and what it means to me.  For more on that you can go here.  Or check out Steff's blog b/c she also talked about it here.  Plus I love the pic of me and her!  

Now that the ceremony is over...I just have to say how awesome it felt to walk the walk.  To hear the words at the graduation spoken to me...the graduate.  The Class of 2010. A college Alumni.  There are no words to express the satisfaction I took in knowing that though I took the unconventional route, I got there all the same.  And I'm proud of myself.  I am also blessed beyond words for the love and unconditional support I recieved from those who love me and walked through the long journey behind me, in front of me and along side of me.  It was a key piece to me making it through everything.  So to all of you...you know who you are...thank you.  For everything.  This day wouldn't have happened without you!

Today...

The Linoski's will be leaving our house at 7:30am and hopping in the car.
We will be jamming to music, reminscing old times and wandering the 3 and a half hour drive to the Lake of the Ozarks.  
I'll purchase a Coach and spend time shopping with my best friend. 
We will eat Rizzo's for lunch...
If it doesn't rain we might mini-golf.
We will get to spend a night on the town, visit a few water bars and most importantly...return to Peckers!!!!
I'm also pretty sure today...it'll be a whirlwind of AWESOMENESS!
Lake of the Ozarks...here we come :)

Thankful Thursday...on Friday

InterACT movie night...we watched What Dreams May Come to add to our discussion of Revelations.

Graduation from Webster...I finally crossed the stage and got that degree. It felt great to celebrate my accomplishment!

Jer's grandparents making a 4 hour trip to see me walk the walk.
That I had a huge row full of family to cheer me on when my name was called!  Everyone who supported me or helped me along the way was there!  I am truly blessed.
Lunch following at Grafton Winery...amazing food and the perfect atmosphere!
That my graduation cite was the Muny in Forest Park.  How cool!

Celebrating my second Mother's Day with Owen which included the following awesome things:
    Taking a 2 hour nap
    Planting flowers and herbs in the yard
    Jer BBQing me bacon wrapped filets for dinner that night...
    Having the most awesome two boys a girl could ask for...to celebrate my special day with!
Spending the week looking forward to a fabulous weekend
Tuesday night with Mom...we had dinner, did some shopping and enjoyed some great mother daughter time!
Getting the chance to help a friend's daughter with a school project and that re-igniting my love for scrapbooking all over again!
Meeting Jer for lunch in Soulard on Thursday.

Going to the baseball game with Steff on Thursday AND that it didn't rain on us all day like they said it would!!  So they didn't win...there's always next time!

Planning a fabulous trip to the Lake this Saturday...and enjoying the process of packing, staying in a hotel and enjoying two days of relaxation with our best friends!! 

Thankful Thursday

Friday night as Linoskis
That spell check wants to change Linoski to Winooski...and that makes me laugh
Mexican food from our local small town place
Celebrating a fourth birthday party!  Hope you enjoy your toys JT :)
A Lowe's trip with Jer
My husband's enthusiam for house projects and how we could talk and plan for hours and be perfectly content doing that. House flipping has always been an intriguing idea for us!
Blowing bubbles with Owen in the backyard
Kicking a big blue ball with Owen in the backyard
Having a huge backyard
That my husband lovingly tends to our huge yard and takes pride in it
My fuscia scarf from NY&C
Finding out my dress is in for Jackie and Paul's wedding!
Flat irons and flat iron spray
Emails from Steff in Spanish
A week without any major, life changing phone calls and that I wasn't in this morning's six car pile-up on the highway
Planning my graduation - I finally get to walk the walk and be a college grad!  Woohoo!!!
Taking Owen to the park and playing hide and seek around the rock wall
Watching my lilac and peonas bloom
Cleaning house tonight and soaking in the calm that it always gives me
Anticipating a fabulous weekend

God is good.  All the time.

The Beauty that Surrounds You...

Courtesy of my Canon Rebel and the Butterfly House.