Remembering July 2009.

July was probably the busiest month of 2009. We did SO much!

First off, we drove to Colorado for 4th of July. We had to leave on the 1st though because it took two days to drive there. We saw a lot of this...


Our first stop (okay, technically, 2nd stop because we did have to sleep before we got there... LOL) was Albuquerque, New Mexico, to see Jeremy's mom and step-dad. We should have taken a photo the night we got there *instead* of the next morning. We all look exhausted! LOL.

Then, it was on to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, to see my parents. I LOVE this photo of the four of us in their bakery. My mom looks so great, and this is one of the only photos where I think I actually look like her. I mostly look like my dad...

The *main* reason we went was because it was our 10-year high school reunion. Very fun to see everyone. I loved meeting everyone's spouses/significant others. That was my favorite part. :-)

Then we went to the 4th of July parade, where I got to hang out with my two best friends from high school: Julia and Jennifer. It was just so nice to hang out with them again. :-D Jen brought us gymnastics shirts (Jen was our coach, and Julia and I were on the team together).

Afterward, Jen and I went for a walk downtown, and we ran into Jillian, *another* girl from our gymnastics team (she still coaches... at one of the best gyms in the nation)! It was SO exciting to see her! I hadn't seen her in probably 9 years! It was awesome! :-) I probably screamed... LOL.

Then, Julia and I went over to the gym to stare at this sign on the door... and cry. *sigh* It's very bittersweet to see our gym close after 13 years.

EVERY time I go visit Pagosa, I have to stop and see *my* girls, Raesha and Re'ahna. I met Raesha and Re'ahna on March 17, 1996. I remember the exact date because it was St. Patrick's Day, and we were at the Riverside Restaurant getting our green ice cream! LOL. I babysat for them, competed with them, coached them... and loved them (still do!) like they're my sisters. :-) Raesha (the oldest) just went off to college! Sheesh, she's old! ;-)

And Re'ahna... the perfect little sister. In gymnastics, they called her "Little Ahna," and me, they called, "Big 'Anna." It was really fun. :-) She's 15 now. She was just a *baby* when I first met them in 1996! Craziness.

I also got to hang out with my honorary older sister (my mom has pretty much adopted her... LOL), Summer. We always laugh SO much when we get together. We had so much fun cuddling her dog, looking at photos and telling stories.

When I got back from Colorado, I re-did my scrap room... again. LOL. This time, I realized that I NEEDED color... and a vintage flair! ;-) I LOVE how it turned out. I've changed it again (not the decor, but the arrangement) since then, since we bought the house. I'll have to take photos soon...

Then we went to see Harry Potter, opening weekend. I wore my SUPER-cool button I made myself. LOL. I got a lot of compliments. :-) I used to make TONS of these (all different sayings) and pass them out at all the HP book releases parties and movie openings, but my button machine broke... LOL.

Jeremy didn't want to wear a button, so we stapled a Ravenclaw patch to his shirt. He passed OUT on the floor when we got home. Too funny.

Jeremy worked away from home a lot, and Ruby *really* missed him! Every night, she would sit and stare at the door... just waiting for him to come home...

This was also the month that Ruby *really* got into reading Scrapbook Trends magazine. She *loves* that magazine! ;-) (Seriously, Paige, this is NOT staged! I was reading it on the floor, got up, and came back to find Ruby here!)

On July 30th, I had my birthday. I finally turned my favorite number: 28. It was VERY exciting for me. LOL. I found this shirt at J Crew, and I HAD to have it for the occasion. :-)

Also on my birthday, my friends and I went out to the Melting Pot... just the girls. It was SO fun! SO FUN! This was actually the first time I ever had my closest friends go out together. They had never met each other before this night, and we all got along like we had all been friends forever. It was amazing!

Jeremy turned 28 on July 30th as well, but he was in Florida (for work) on our birthday... otherwise, we'd have a photo of the two of us on that day. Ah well.

Wow, I had a great birthday month last year!!! (I love this re-cap thing! LOL.)