My dad and his wife Sally invited us to go boating on Saturday. I’m not much of a boat person, nor am I one to do much of any kind of summer sun activity (for fear of awful sunburns that is… I can burn in a matter of minutes and remain lobster red for more than a week), but we thought it might be fun and- for once- we didn’t have any plans! So, along with my sister and her husband, the six of us launched out of Antioch and coasted around the delta, took a break to eat lunch, took turns skiing and tubing, and swam around to cool off.
The last time I had been on a ski boat was when I was probably about 10 or 12 years old. Family on the twice-removed side (I’m not even going to try for technicalities anymore) had a vacation home and a boat on the delta and often invited us out during the summer. That was when I first learned how to water ski, wearing kids’ training skis that were tied together and hanging on to a pole that extended out of the side of the boat. Eventually I graduated to being pulled behind the boat, but I would usually only last a few seconds before losing my balance and plunging face first. I have very fond memories of those good times!
I was hesitant this time around to even attempt to ski, but after watching Elaine get right up on her feet the very first time, I knew I had to at least try! So I strapped on a life vest and a pair of skis and jumped in. I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to keep the skis parallel, but I surprised myself- luck must have been on my side or the water must have been unusually calm that day- because I got up every time I tried! Granted, I ate it a few times when other boats’ wakes would make me lose my balance, but I managed to coast along behind the boat for a few good stretches. After a while we decided to try tubing, so Elaine and I hopped in the tube for two and hung on for life as my dad did figure eights down the canals. It was a blast.
Unfortunately, Eric was involved in a stupid (yet minor) car accident at work a few days earlier, and decided not to ski, since it could aggravate his neck or back. I would have loved to see him try, since he has never water skied before. Hopefully next time he’ll be able to participate.
In the end, I escaped with no sunburn (horray for spray sunscreen) but instead woke up incredibly sore the next day… oh well. We’re still looking forward to going again! And I've managed to figure out how to upload and edit (albeit elementary editing) on my iMac!! Enjoy a brief video of myself below...
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
So Close…
The buyer on our condo that we’ve been working with for the past week or so withdrew her offer today. Unfortunately, a secondary loan that she was relying upon for her down payment fell through and she was not able to secure another form of financing. So, needless to say, we are really bummed! We were so close to signing on that dotted line and handing over the keys…
On the brighter side, the restrictions on our property have been officially lifted, since the place has been on the market for over 90 days now. That means that we can sell it to anyone.
So right now we’re just trying to keep our hopes up, praying that something will eventually work out…
On the brighter side, the restrictions on our property have been officially lifted, since the place has been on the market for over 90 days now. That means that we can sell it to anyone.
So right now we’re just trying to keep our hopes up, praying that something will eventually work out…
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Eric’s Birthday
For Eric’s 29th birthday this year, I planned a simple party with his parents and a few good friends since we just got back from our trip to Texas a few days beforehand and I didn’t have much time to plan! Eric wanted to go do something fun, so I reserved some lanes at the bowling alley in Danville. We had about 12 people come out for a few games, which was fun. I am a horrible bowler with absolutely no form, but I enjoyed watching everyone else. We were all ecstatic when Britty bowled one point over Aunt Kit (who has played in a bowling league!) to steal the game in her extra turn on the tenth frame.
Afterwards, we had everyone over to our place for a BBQ. I had contemplated making reservations at a nearby restaurant, but since that would have been a little pricey for everyone on top of bowling, I opted to make dinner at home instead. Eric’s only request was that someone other than him does the actual bbq’ing so he could be free to mingle with guests. So I signed up for the job. I made hamburger patties and marinated some chicken breasts for the grill and luckily Patrick and Stephen volunteered to supervise my work! I also put together a pasta salad, made some fruit kabobs, and steamed some corn on the cob for everyone. In the end, everything turned out delicious!
Then Eric opened his gifts. He received a few gift cards, a movie, and a video game that he had wanted. He saved my gift for last, which required some planning on my part. His gift came in two parts. First, he has wanted a good set of golf clubs for quite some time, so I figured that I would do some research and invest in a decent set for him. I eventually found a set online and ordered it, picked it up one day after work, and stashed it at home where he (hopefully) would not stumble upon it. When I wrapped his gift, I made sure to prepare a separate gift bag to set out as the “display” gift (it was a box of Cheez-its). So, when he opened the bag to find the box of Cheez-its, he was quite confused… but then I fetched the huge box for him to open and he was quite surprised! Now on to the second part of his gift: I wrote a silly poem for Eric, informing him of my decision to officially change my last name. I tucked the poem into his card and his mom opted to read it aloud to everyone at the party! I was a little embarrassed, but everyone seemed to appreciate the gesture, especially Eric. He asked quite a few times if I was serious!
So, since many have already heard it anyway, here’s the dorky poem that I wrote to Eric (and for the record, I am no longer a feminist… haha):
I’m Giving In
Hello my dear honeypoop,
Just wanted to say happy twenty-nine!
Only one more year until the big 3-0,
Won’t that be divine? (haha)
Anyway, remember almost three years ago-
When we walked down the aisle and said “I do?”
We didn’t even have to think about it,
I guess we both just knew.
I worked really hard to make sure everything was perfect,
From the invitations, to the flowers, to the cake and knife.
But there was one thing that wasn’t exactly right-
When we were pronounced husband and wife.
Honoring tradition isn’t really my thing,
But I’ve decided to make an exception for you.
This should have happened a long time ago-
I know it’s a long time overdue!
Honestly, I’m really not a feminist,
Even though you might think so.
I’ve come to realize that Adams is just a name-
And it’s pretty boring as far as names go.
So, I’m finally giving in-
Because one day it may not be just you and me.
I love our little family that we have together,
Whatever God’s plan for the Stessel family may be!
Love your wife,
Hollie Jean Stessel
(and no, this doesn’t count as your gift)
Afterwards, we had everyone over to our place for a BBQ. I had contemplated making reservations at a nearby restaurant, but since that would have been a little pricey for everyone on top of bowling, I opted to make dinner at home instead. Eric’s only request was that someone other than him does the actual bbq’ing so he could be free to mingle with guests. So I signed up for the job. I made hamburger patties and marinated some chicken breasts for the grill and luckily Patrick and Stephen volunteered to supervise my work! I also put together a pasta salad, made some fruit kabobs, and steamed some corn on the cob for everyone. In the end, everything turned out delicious!
Then Eric opened his gifts. He received a few gift cards, a movie, and a video game that he had wanted. He saved my gift for last, which required some planning on my part. His gift came in two parts. First, he has wanted a good set of golf clubs for quite some time, so I figured that I would do some research and invest in a decent set for him. I eventually found a set online and ordered it, picked it up one day after work, and stashed it at home where he (hopefully) would not stumble upon it. When I wrapped his gift, I made sure to prepare a separate gift bag to set out as the “display” gift (it was a box of Cheez-its). So, when he opened the bag to find the box of Cheez-its, he was quite confused… but then I fetched the huge box for him to open and he was quite surprised! Now on to the second part of his gift: I wrote a silly poem for Eric, informing him of my decision to officially change my last name. I tucked the poem into his card and his mom opted to read it aloud to everyone at the party! I was a little embarrassed, but everyone seemed to appreciate the gesture, especially Eric. He asked quite a few times if I was serious!
So, since many have already heard it anyway, here’s the dorky poem that I wrote to Eric (and for the record, I am no longer a feminist… haha):
I’m Giving In
Hello my dear honeypoop,
Just wanted to say happy twenty-nine!
Only one more year until the big 3-0,
Won’t that be divine? (haha)
Anyway, remember almost three years ago-
When we walked down the aisle and said “I do?”
We didn’t even have to think about it,
I guess we both just knew.
I worked really hard to make sure everything was perfect,
From the invitations, to the flowers, to the cake and knife.
But there was one thing that wasn’t exactly right-
When we were pronounced husband and wife.
Honoring tradition isn’t really my thing,
But I’ve decided to make an exception for you.
This should have happened a long time ago-
I know it’s a long time overdue!
Honestly, I’m really not a feminist,
Even though you might think so.
I’ve come to realize that Adams is just a name-
And it’s pretty boring as far as names go.
So, I’m finally giving in-
Because one day it may not be just you and me.
I love our little family that we have together,
Whatever God’s plan for the Stessel family may be!
Love your wife,
Hollie Jean Stessel
(and no, this doesn’t count as your gift)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Everything’s Bigger in Texas
Since Eric’s cousin in Texas was getting married, we decided to make a week-long trip out of it and visit with family while we were there (we haven’t seen many of Eric’s family members since our wedding in 2006)! The early morning flight to San Antonio went smoothly and once we were shuttled to our hotel, we quickly checked into our room (they upgraded us to a king suite for free!) and got ready for the rehearsal dinner. One of Eric’s relatives drove us to the venue where it was being held, Clear Springs restaurant. It was a casual affair with about 50 people in attendance and the food was amazing. We visited with the bride, Rachel and met her soon-to-be husband, Matt. Then we dove into the fresh onion rings (which Eric and I are not necessarily fan of, but these were just awesome!) and chatted with everyone while we waited for our dinner to be served. Eric had fried shrimp and I had a grilled chicken dish with garlic mash.
On the day of the wedding, we met up with Eric’s dad for a mini tour of downtown San Antonio. We had been there before, but I had wanted to visit the riverwalk once again while we were there. It mounted to 107 degrees early in the afternoon and the humidity levels were just gross, but we had fun walking around. That evening, we freshened up from the day and headed to the church where the ceremony was to take place. It was a beautiful Methodist church with gorgeous stained glass windows and rich wood pews. We took a few pictures, but felt awful once we learned that photography wasn’t allowed in the church! So we tucked away our camera and enjoyed the simple, sweet ceremony. Rachel was a beautiful bride in a creamy satin, strapless dress and Matt and his groomsmen kept it simple with basketball shoes and clean cut tuxedos.
Afterward, we made our way back to the Hilton, where we were staying and where the reception was being held. We found our way to a table and watched as the bride and groom were introduced and danced their first dance together. Then we ate dinner (stuffed chicken, mashed potatoes, and veggies), danced, ate cake, and danced some more before we called it an evening and headed up to our room. We had a great time and thought that the wedding was simple, elegant, and fun.
On Sunday morning, we hitched a ride back to the Houston area with Eric’s dad and stepmom- but not before stopping for breakfast at the Cracker Barrel! I was first introduced to this fantastic country-style restaurant during our first trip to Texas together and ever since, I think about the stacks of pancakes and hearty helpings of fruit, eggs, and hashbrowns that I could eat all day. As usual, the food was delicious. I really wish that there were one in California for me to enjoy! After the long, boring car ride, we arrived in Houston just in time for dinner. Eric’s dad had arranged for a family dinner at a local Mexican restaurant to celebrate Eric’s upcoming birthday, so we had fun visiting with Eric’s sister, brothers, and their families. Then we headed up to Willis where we were staying with Eric’s oldest brother, Greg and his family.
We stayed in Willis for three days before we flew back home on Thursday. Greg and Vicki had just recently completed construction on their house on Lake Conroe, which was just beautiful. For the next few days, Eric spent a good amount of time with his nephews, Andrew and Jeremy while I spent some nice girl time with my sister-in-law Vicki. Andrew had recently had surgery, so the boys mainly played video games, watched movies, and spent a little time fishing. Vicki and I shopped around Olde Towne Spring and had lunch. We made sure to stop at Chick-fil-a for Eric one day and we also bought him a carton of Blue Bell ice cream (two of the top items that Eric craves from Texas). Most evenings, we would meet up with family and go out to dinner. The days of fun seemed to fly by and in the end, we were sad to leave, but anxious to get back home to our kids (who were being watched by Auntie and Grandma). We had a great time! Hopefully we will make it back to Texas more frequently then every few years!
On the day of the wedding, we met up with Eric’s dad for a mini tour of downtown San Antonio. We had been there before, but I had wanted to visit the riverwalk once again while we were there. It mounted to 107 degrees early in the afternoon and the humidity levels were just gross, but we had fun walking around. That evening, we freshened up from the day and headed to the church where the ceremony was to take place. It was a beautiful Methodist church with gorgeous stained glass windows and rich wood pews. We took a few pictures, but felt awful once we learned that photography wasn’t allowed in the church! So we tucked away our camera and enjoyed the simple, sweet ceremony. Rachel was a beautiful bride in a creamy satin, strapless dress and Matt and his groomsmen kept it simple with basketball shoes and clean cut tuxedos.
Afterward, we made our way back to the Hilton, where we were staying and where the reception was being held. We found our way to a table and watched as the bride and groom were introduced and danced their first dance together. Then we ate dinner (stuffed chicken, mashed potatoes, and veggies), danced, ate cake, and danced some more before we called it an evening and headed up to our room. We had a great time and thought that the wedding was simple, elegant, and fun.
On Sunday morning, we hitched a ride back to the Houston area with Eric’s dad and stepmom- but not before stopping for breakfast at the Cracker Barrel! I was first introduced to this fantastic country-style restaurant during our first trip to Texas together and ever since, I think about the stacks of pancakes and hearty helpings of fruit, eggs, and hashbrowns that I could eat all day. As usual, the food was delicious. I really wish that there were one in California for me to enjoy! After the long, boring car ride, we arrived in Houston just in time for dinner. Eric’s dad had arranged for a family dinner at a local Mexican restaurant to celebrate Eric’s upcoming birthday, so we had fun visiting with Eric’s sister, brothers, and their families. Then we headed up to Willis where we were staying with Eric’s oldest brother, Greg and his family.
We stayed in Willis for three days before we flew back home on Thursday. Greg and Vicki had just recently completed construction on their house on Lake Conroe, which was just beautiful. For the next few days, Eric spent a good amount of time with his nephews, Andrew and Jeremy while I spent some nice girl time with my sister-in-law Vicki. Andrew had recently had surgery, so the boys mainly played video games, watched movies, and spent a little time fishing. Vicki and I shopped around Olde Towne Spring and had lunch. We made sure to stop at Chick-fil-a for Eric one day and we also bought him a carton of Blue Bell ice cream (two of the top items that Eric craves from Texas). Most evenings, we would meet up with family and go out to dinner. The days of fun seemed to fly by and in the end, we were sad to leave, but anxious to get back home to our kids (who were being watched by Auntie and Grandma). We had a great time! Hopefully we will make it back to Texas more frequently then every few years!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
4th of July Parade
Every year, Danville hosts an annual 4th of July parade. For the past couple years, we have enjoyed sitting along the sidelines with Patrick’s family on the boulevard, watching all the people walk, dance, ride, and drive on by. This year, Elaine and Britty were taking part in the parade, so we made sure to get a spot on the sidewalk close enough to get some good pictures! It was warm outside, even though the parade started at 9:00am! So I ran across the street to the Long’s to buy an umbrella to sit under. Elaine, decorated in patriotic red, white, and blue, rode by on her bike with her in-laws while Britty and her friends, all posed as Disney princesses, advertised their character party business. We also saw the local boy scouts, dance teams, marching bands, church groups, and of course the local retired servicemen of our country.
After about four hours (no joke), the parade finally came to a close and we all headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Fleming’s house for a BBQ. We also celebrated Patrick’s birthday, which was on the first of the month. We were so tired after all of the festivities that Eric and I quickly crashed once we got home early that evening. We were planning on heading out to San Ramon to see the fireworks, but we opted to watch them on television instead.
After about four hours (no joke), the parade finally came to a close and we all headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Fleming’s house for a BBQ. We also celebrated Patrick’s birthday, which was on the first of the month. We were so tired after all of the festivities that Eric and I quickly crashed once we got home early that evening. We were planning on heading out to San Ramon to see the fireworks, but we opted to watch them on television instead.
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