Crawling out from under my rock :)

Actually...I wish I had time to hide under a rock. We've honestly been super busy with life.

I really need to catch this blog up...whats the point in keeping a blog if you're not going to write in it...right?? No wonder I have a thousand journals that are only filled up on the first couple of pages, geez!

Anyways, we had the best time planning and participating in the activities leading up to Jessies wedding. I was at the beach three weekends in a row. The first weekend was for my families vaca. We really had a lot of fun! I must say the BEST part was parisailing with my grandma, she rocks, lol. Oh...and watching my dad on the banana boat, that was hilarious!! Ohhh AND I did a swing thing with my cousin and her husband...scared me to death!! You free fall for a few seconds before the swing actually catches you and then takes you back up to the other side...it was fun and I can now check that off my bucket list, lol.
The next weekend was Jessies bachelorette shower in Charelston. We had ALOT of fun hanging out with Jessie before her big day. Jess is very fortunate to have a very sweet best friend, Jessica Foy. Jessica planned the entire weekend for Jessie. We rented out a room at the double tree and walked downtown Charleston. Jessica made reservation at two different lounges and we ate and drank our little hearts merry. I guess I won't go further into detail there. Oh...I will say that we all wore buttons...some said "buy jessie a drink", "sing for jessie", "kiss jessie" and mine said "spank jessie". Jessies said "I am Jessie"....I won ;) It was lots of fun going out for one last single celebration with Jess...it was bitter sweet :( The next weekend was the wedding and we were once again back down at the beach. It was a BEAUTIFUL wedding, I was so happy for Jessie. Sev and I took Friday off of work and drove down on Thursday night. We staying in a little beach house that his parents rented for us and shared it with Sevs sis Angie and our nephew Eddie (whom I ADORE!!). Eddie carried the ring and I made the pillow for him to carry. I pretty much spent the weekend rushing around doing last minute things with Jessie...it was actually alot of fun and def. a great way to spend time together before her big day and her big move. Sev spent the weekend hanging out with Don and the boys...golfing, goofing around and keeping Don calm, cool and collected. Friday night was the rehersal dinner...it was wonderful!! The mullen family flew in from all over the country, they are ALWAYS a hoot to be around. We ate and enjoyed each others company until late in the evening, then the bridal party all went out for drinks. Jess and I went back to the beach house and relaxed...by this point I had lost my voice completely and she needed some beauty rest!! The boys took Don out for one last night out on the town. The next day came quickly...we rushed around getting everything ready for the big moment. We prayed for NO rain...as the wedding was planned to be on the beach. I did a few tourist things with Angie and Eddie and then we all met back up to get ready. The girls met at a beach house and took pictuers, toasted jessie with champagne and cried a little. The weather turned out to be PERFECT and Jessie could not have looked any more gorgeous. Sevs uncles played guitars while jess walked down and a close friend of Jessies sang a beatiful song before the "I do's" were exchanged. The reception was a blast and the best part had to have been the song Jessies family (her three uncles, dad and aunt) wrote and preformed for her and Don. The title of the song is "Mullen Prison". Please feel free to go to You Tube.com and search "Mullen Prison" it is HILARIOUS!! I will post pictures and a link to the videa soon. After the wedding we all went back to Sevs parents beach house and hung out with the entire Mullen crew. My parents joined in for the fun...and lets just say my mom can no longer say she things OUR family are nutts!! We had a blast just catching up and singing along with Sevs uncles, both of which are musicians. A little bit of background info. Sev's dad, Dave, has three brothers and one sister. His baby brother Andy lives in Alaska with his wife Lynx and is a local musician there, they also run a B&B. His middle brother lives in Colorado with his wife and is also a local musician. He also has a brother, Don, whom lives in WV with his wife and two children. He is a pilot. Then there is Diane and thats Daves sister. She lives in Cali with her husband and two daughters Amanda and Emily. If you can imagine Daves personality times 5..THATS the Mullen family :) I absolutely love them. Then Sue's brother Dan, from Montana was also in tow, he was Jessies photographer and is a retired pilot. We really enjoyed the wedding/family reunion.
We woke up Sunday to have breakfast with Jessie and Don before they departed for Texas. It was sooo sad and not the way I would have preferred to end our weekend. Jessie and Don reported that they enjoyed their honeymoon and are getting settled into their new home. We really miss them...its like the old saying goes "you don't know what you have til' its gone".


Soo that brings us up last weekend...the 4th of July.
Sevy and I drove to Rock Hill and stayed with some friends and their family on the lake in their beautiful million dollar lake house. It was so nice and relaxing. We played on the water all day friday...ate some great food and watched some awesome firework displays!! Saturday I went to a gun range with Sev, Danny and Kyle. Danny is part of SWAT and just recently recieved a new gun...not just any gun but an M4. This is the type of gun Sev carried in Iraq, so of course the boys had to take it out and shoot it. I got to tag along. Let me just say...no matter how many guns you have heard on the television...or out hunting...NOTHING sounds like an automatic M4. I was NOT prepared for the sound. We all had ear protection and now I understand WHY it is SO important to have that!! When we first got out on the range I was going over gun safety with Kyle (he has a glock). I had yet to put my ear protection on because we were far enough away from where Danny and Sev had gone to shoot the M4. I was paying close attention to Kyle when Danny unloaded his rifle. I have never in my life...honestly....jumped that high and thought my heart was going to come out of my chest so fast!!! After I promplty put my ear protection on, Kyle and I took off to the other side of the range to shoot his glock...I decided I would start out small. Let me just tell you...it is NOT as simple as just pulling a little trigger. That sucker is HARD to aim and keep steady!! It kicks!! However, I am very proud to say I hit my target on the first try :) I decided it was time for the big gun!! The boys taught me how to hold the gun properly and shoot from the laying position...I decided I was much more comfortable laying down and shooting the M4 at first. It was a crazy feeling and actually pretty emotional...I never really took the time to think about what it was like to be in a war torn country. I mean, I knew sev was at war. I new he was fighting. I knew guns were being shot and bombs were going off around him. However, I never thought of the sound and actual feeling that went along with the idea of being at war. Just the sound and smell of the gun was enough to have me on my knees praying that we as Americans NEVER have to face war in our homeland!!! It's so different on TV. I know anyone reading this is thinking, "well duh"...but it really was eye opening for me. When we got back from the range...after going through a couple hundred dollars worth of ammo (which also blows my mind!! we're talking about billions of dollars of ammo being shot in Iraq weekly!! I never knew bullets cost so much!!) luckily Danny got all of his for free and we paid nothing. We went back to the lake house and Sev sat around and starting talking "war" stories. I've never asked him much about Iraq. I had been briefed a million times by the Army FRG to "let your soldier speak about the war on his time". So we rarely talk about Iraq. I knew a few things...but not nearly as much as I learned after the gun range. He had his thumb drive that he carried with him in Iraq and he started sharing stories and pictures with us. I realized why he had never shared the pictures with me. I honestly don't know how he carries around the effects the war had to have had on him. All that I have seen are pictures and all that I have heard are stories. Just like I was saying earlier about never really knowing the sound of a gun...I can never really know what it was truely like to be there. I'm glad Sev opened up to Danny, Kyle and I. He was even able to laugh at a few of the videos....videos of actual bombs going off and near death experiences....not a haha laugh but a "I'm lucky to be alive isnt that crazy!!" laugh. Which is much better than stone silence. I'll never ask him to see those pictures again...but I'm glad he finally shared them with me. It might be small...but I feel like I have a better idea of what his life was like in Iraq. I remember thinking about how the gun had such a distinct smell when it was being fired...gun powder and hot lead smell. I can't imagine what that smell was like on top of death.

Okay!!! Enough of that :) Over all the weekend was great...we were able to catch up with friends and let loose!! We were able to really experience what 4th of July means and for that I am greatful.


Oh...Ali...How could I update my posts without the mention of little man. He is doing okay, he actually came down with kennel cough two weeks ago and is finally getting over that nasty little cold!! He has some news he wants to share with everyone...but I think I'll hold off and post about that a little later on ;) This post is already a bit lengthy.

Hope everyone had a Happy 4th of July...I can't believe its already the middle of Summer!!