reminiscing

i don't feel well.

this morning while steven was at the gym / getting ready for work and the thunder was rolling and lightning striking, i looked through a bunch of pictures on my computer.

i love doing that and haven't in awhile. plus, i think lightning struck our internet because it was down for about 16 hours. {why do i think this? because lightning and thunder hit at the exact same time. and we know by the counting rule for every second that the thunder and lightning are apart, that's how many miles away it is.  well, when they are at the exact same time and it sounds like a million gun shots all at once and you can feel it in your chest, you know it is like right next to you.}

without further ado, i bring you some fond remember whens...

 remember when we had mother's day altogether and danny and denae announced they were having a baby? first great grandchild! and now great grandchild no. 3 comes any moment now {or forcibly via induction tomorrow morning--so excited kathy and rob!}

 remember when dana graduated 8th grade and i was being mom for 8 days with these little beauts. and now she's graduated high school! yikes.

remember carmel by the sea? 

same trip up the coast, but this is in monterey. there was a reason we took this picture. it was for someone, but i can't remember.

remember bucky. we miss him.

remember when erin made me get a facebook when i told her i didn't want a "webpage" {ha, now i have a blog--a real "webpage"} and she set it up for me and made this my profile picture?

erin remember when we used to have our dance parties? or when i danced for you every night after i got back from the gym when you were laying in bed after your knee surgery? 

remember when claire woke up with a crooked neck 4 hours before we were supposed to fly to new york so she wore a heating pad on her neck ALL day?

oh, that same trip is when i met lady liberty. let her ring this weekend, especially monday.

oh and remember when we met one of my favorite men, as a statue? good ol' abe. i was looking forward to that moment the whole trip.

remember when i would study on my floor? still do, well lesson plans now. laying on my stomach is my preferred way.

remember when dana was obsessed with that peace sign shirt?

oh, remember when you got those rain boots erin?

and who could forget when it snowed like 8 inches in vegas and i couldn't get home for christmas? okay, then the passes opened up again and we were clear the next day, except it took us double the time. plus and overnight. 

remember when i got my car?

erin, do you remember when you would "fall asleep" in EVERY picture that christmas break?
{ps, lauren--that is the anthro sweater i gave you, cute, eh?}



it used to just be em that fell asleep in pictures.

oh also erin, do you remember when you ran up on the curb and i made you sit down and take a picture next to it? haha.

remember when i took you girls to la in the van. gangsta. and you tried to find some celebrities at that milkshake place? fail.

remember when we started our new year's eve breakfast at mimi's cafe tradition? and i ate too much french toast. it's just so good.

oh hey em, remember when we were opposite twins?

here's a blast from the past: adam ondi ahman. i wish i had that outfit still, or at least the skirt. do you have it dana? i want it back.

danny and denae's wedding dinner, remember that? buca's!

i miss this.

oh, last but not least, remember the ambulance turned motor home that is like massive and was parked outside the mesa, az temple during danny and denae's wedding?






steven and i need to take more pictures together. i take a lot of mental ones.

croquet.

pronunciation guide: crow - kay
steven's pronunciation guide: crow - ket
{he is so funny, i know.}

a note on croquet:

yesterday, we played a little croquet. steven and i got it as a wedding gift.  i pretty much lost. well, i was losing and then i somehow got in first for like 5 minutes and then was back at the bottom. it was fun. then we all went to golden spoon. 

a side-note on golden spoon,

or informally known as g.s.: 

i fear that our trip last night 

will be one of the last times

this summer--no more gift cards

or freebies on our stamp cards,

so we can't go as often as i'd like

{which we know is once a week.

i'd even take every other week.}

a note on yoga:

every saturday morning, i do a little peak 8 training {here and here} and then my favorite yoga class. i should say, a yoga class with my favorite yoga teacher. 

a side-note on my yoga class:

[life is not good 

when i miss that 

yoga class. 

unless, of course, 

i miss it because i'm in 

california 

or arizona 

or getting married 

or something cool like that.]

a note on tennis:

i wish i were good. steven's brother, michael pictured above, is pretty darn good for his 14 year old self. but of course, he was trained by steven as a young lad. i've been watching wimbledon while at the gym. i'm still learning the whole game-set-match point thing {which, apparently points don't even matter. it's like 15-30-40, and i'm used to points counting and going 1-2-3-4...}but it is fun to watch. serena williams is a beast. and remember how steven gave me a lesson the other day? and remember how i have like 3 tennis skirts? well, they are running/workout skirts but tennis is a workout, so duel function. steven should be home from work in t minus 3 minutes, so i better put that tennis skirt on so we can hit the courts tonight!

one last side-note on...:

steven. 

we're pretty much 

in love.

like a lot.

and i'm thinking

this week i'm going to do some posts

about our love story

and our wedding day.

just for the record.

and because i may be bored

when he is at work and

i have straightened and

cleaned the condo

10 times over.

adieu.

and a happy sabbath to you.

{that rhymes. and that is why i teach first grade. or will be teaching since i taught second.}

boredom = long. read at your own risk.

sometimes i think you 4 {?} faithful paper moon readers forget that i got married 40 days ago.


did you forget?
well, let me remind you then.

i got married 40 days ago

to

steven.

and we're so in love. and i think we're cute together. like really cute. and, i also think, like mary poppins practically perfect in every way, that we, steven and heidi, as a couple, the hoppers, are practically perfect in every way.

we are. steven's perfect for me. sometimes we disagree but we are so good at finding a good solution for us {not compromising but finding a better solution}.

i like to make steven amazing dinners. and, sorry to toot my own horn, but i think they are like restaurant quality sometimes. always fresh ingredients! okay, except for the frozen chicken. but it's not in a can so that's all that matters. not a can fan.

tonight we are having mango salsa chicken and corn on the cob and a fab salad with peaches, raspberries, and apples in it. steven is excited. so am i. and within the next week: my recreation of stonefire's bbq chopped salad, bruschetta {steven loves it}, fajitas, and tacos/taco salad.

and sunday's father's day dinner with the hoppers was beautiful. parma chicken, whole wheat linguine with alfredo, rosemary and olive oil red potatoes and fresh green beans, and a homemade {crust and all} peach pie with whipped cream. {confession: the whipped cream came in a can from costco. that is one can of goodness i do indulge in. it is an indulgence.}

i'm pretty lonely today. steven works 9 - 7. and i work 0 - 0. that means not at all today. at least when school starts up and i am working 7.30 - 5 it won't be as bad, because i'll be so busy. or in a few years {repeat: a few years} when we have a little junior, i'll be busy with being a mom. but until then, i am just lonely.

but steven's dad and i ran a bunch of errands. this condo is pretty awesome. can we say new flat screen plasma on its way? yes, thank you ma and pa hopper. and for the bbq. i'm thinking we need to make some married friends and have a little party over here.

just in case you didn't know this, steven is like a pretty awesome tennis player. and after not playing for like 3 years {mission, school} he's finally back. he played with his younger brother last weekend and now he is teaching me lessons. remember when he tried to teach me when he was in california for new years? that was a trial run. steven taught tennis lessons for like 6 years, and he is mighty good at it. so, naturally, i'm going to be like really super awesome good. but, also, i was so frustrated yesterday. tennnis isn't a sport you can just pick up. he told me it'd take me like a year for me to feel "good" at it. great. that's not how i roll. patience is a virtue. and i had a lot of fun yesterday even though i was frustrated.  and good thing i have 3 workout skirts. they're my favorite.

other news in the hopper home:

we're still in love. like a lot.
i'm still making this blog better, but haven't worked on it.
the hoppers are still in town and we love it.
i have a headache and need to lie down.
it is like 90 + degrees and i think i am dying.

normally i pop out of bed, but i don't anymore because i see steven lying there and just want him to hold me in his arms all day. 

i need to buy my husband some bread at costco, and get a watermelon for dinner, and get the smaller barstools at target, and straighten the apartment, and check the mail {wedding pictures please be there!!!}

adieu.

tribute to dad {a day late}

a little tribute to paparupa.

[mom didn't get one this year.  but only because my wedding was in 6 days--things were a little crazy on both ends.  but just so you know how wonderful she is...2 weddings 5 weeks apart {plus a trip to az for a reception}, plus a side job, and now taking care of my grandparents. she hasn't had a break. she is pretty much amazing.]

homecoming.

surprise! 50th bday!

he pretends to play the piano. instead, he just earned the money so the rest of us could. thanks dad!

bear grills. our guide.

Add caption

mr. fix it / playhouse builder / room addition builder / let me just do everything because i am so handy.

little did you know, he's a rockstar.

how did he end up with 5 beautiful women?  he is so lucky!

especially this woman!  ow ow!

handsome.
{photo credits: mike cunningham at erin and mike's wedding}

sometimes he put his glasses on bucky.

and sometimes he would smile funny. 

crazy in love? yeah.

caught.

sometimes he would pretend to get sucked up in Air Force One's propeller.

this is what he looks like in the mornings when we are camping.

#1 supporter! {and my mom}.  he was there for my soccer games, cross country/track meets , drove 800ish miles for my marathon and graduation. he rocks.

our family is a tad bit odd. we blame dad.

remember when dana started to drive? oy vey!

most importantly--we have a celestial family. and he keeps it that way.

we love you dad!!! happy father's day!!!