Summer Lovin 2009

Ok so I'll try to keep this short and sweet however, we have done a lot this summer and it is going to be incredibly hard.  First to let everyone know Ryan and I went home to Arizona for the whole summer!!  We decided that since I just graduated and Ryan needed to study for the LSAT we would go home and enjoy our families the entire summer while our lives allowed us to.  We headed out to Arizona at the end of May, right after school ended.... and ready for the exciting part...WE DROVE HOME!  We decided to take the southern route and see some of the southern states we had never been to.  We went through Virginia, North Carolina, South Caroline, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico..ending up in ARIZONA!!  We took our time and stopped along the way to see Savannah, Georgia which was gorgeous, and New Orleans which was so much fun.  During our time in Savannah we spent our time downtown going inside all the little shops and visiting many of their small art galleries.  We came across an artist who's work I fell in love with and sadly to say we lost her card, but we will find her again :)  At the end of the day we found ourselves eating pizza and nachos (I know a weird combo but hey what do you expect from me :) ) at a little restaurant right on the river.  We loved our time in Savannah and really want to visit again, hopefully next time it wont be pouring down rain when we have no umbrella :)  New Orleans is quite the place.  We spent most our time at the French Quarter, which consisted of a huge street full of expensive antique shops, art boutiques, fancy clothing stores and my favorite a custom southern hat shop ;) you know the ones you wear to the Kentucky Derby ;) They were so fun, so pretty, but soooo expensive and the people who make them...man are they snooty.  The street parallel to this fancy street though is the rowdy, and crazy street with all the bars, sex shops and souvenir shops.  It was fun to see, but not a place I would want to be around for Marti Gras :)  The city was so much fun though.  Music is always playing and it has a great energy. Ok so enough about our road trip back home....

While we were in Arizona for the summer here are a few things we did:  Swam almost everyday; Sunbathed with Kenzie & Jordy; Sunbathed with Melly and all her roomies; helped my parents move into their new house; went to lots of movies with my Mom & Melly; went on shopping trips with my Mom, with my g-ma, and with Mel and my mom; went out to breakfast quite a few times with my mom; went to Lake Tahoe with the Hursts & Holmes, went to Salt Lake for the Park City Celebrity Golf Tournament, stayed with Tanner and Heidi Ainge in Utah, went to Idaho with my parents and Ry to visit my sister Hannah and her family, lots of going out to lunch, helped celebrate Kenzie's b-day; helped celebrate my niece Lexi's 1st b-day, hung out with some of our friends, and Ry did a lot of studying for the LSAT. It was an amazing summer full of family and that is exactly what we wanted.  Our 2 big events were Lake Tahoe with Ryan's family and Idaho with my family and they were perfect trips.  In Tahoe we went boating everyday, we were right on the lake, we spent our time on the pier swimming, in the house playing card games and riding bikes into town.  In Idaho we went tubing down the Boise River (one of my fav. memories) with my mom, dad, ry, han, lance, chase, blake and livie.  We spent most our time just being together, laughing, wrestling with the kids, going out to eat, going to the snow cone shack, driving around the neighborhoods and going downtown.  Both were amazing trips that we didn't want to end.

We didn't want this summer to end, but wether we liked it or not we had to get back to our lives in DC and move forward so we can one day be were our families are :)  It was so hard to leave but all we know is that we are trying to find ways already to make another summer like that happen again.  

HERE ARE LOTS OF PICTURES OF OUR SUMMER!!!  ENJOY!!

DC TO AZ DRIVE

New Mexico sunset

Texas Rainbow

Louisiana

Only in New Orleans and yes he is a real dog

New Orleans

Romeo's space in the car :)

Romeo resting @ the hotel

Eating in Savannah

Savannah, Georgia

LAKE TAHOE

Me Wakeboarding

The Pier

Us on our 4th year Anniversary :)

Hurst Family minus Kyle

Emerald Bay

Blue eyes!

IDAHO

Close Up 1: Chasers

Close up 2: Blakey

Close Up 3: Ry guy

Close Up 4: Me

Close Up 5: Livie Loo

Cutest Girl Ever!

Ry tubing in the river (60 degrees brrrrrr)

I love these girls!  We missed Melly though

My Chasers and me

Arent they the cutest!!  Livie loves Ry.

Han & I after the Boise River

Blakey

Chasers

Chasers & Blakey Climbing Trees

JUST SOME AZ PICS

Kenzie's Classic face :) We did it together

OH HAPPY DAY!!!

So I (McKenna) am finally done with college!!  I graduated from American University with a BA in Public Communication with a minor in Psychology on May 9!!  I can't believe that I'm done; it is se-real, exciting and scary all at the same time.  My Mom, Dad, Melynda, Hannah, Clint, Bjorg, Holly, Bruce, Dave and his daughter McKenzie were all able to come to DC and be there for my big day.  It was so much fun to have so many people from my family here in DC.  We all got to spend 4 days together in DC and then I got to spend about 3 more days with my Mom, Dad and Melly.  I couldn't believe that all of us (minus Garrett & Lance) were all together in DC.  We had so much fun being all together and did a lot of site seeing.  Some of the things we were able to do were: visited the Arlington Cemetery; went to the top of the Washington Monument; walked the National Mall and saw all the memorials; did a White House tour; toured the Capitol Building; Visited the Air & Space Museum, American Museum of Natural History, and the American History Museum; etc.  I was so sad to see all of them go this week; it feels a little empty not having 10 people with me all the time :)  Here are some pictures from our fabulous week in DC!  Warning....there are a plethora of pictures :) Hope you enjoy

All the gang minus (Garrett, Lance & Ry) @ the National Mall.  We love each other :)  This was the beginning of our DC adventure :)

GRADUATION

My sweet little niece Lexi

Melly & Bjorg

Hannah in front of the White House

Me, Dave & McKenzie at the American History Museum

Ry, Me, Mom & Dad @ my graduation

Ry, Me, Bruce & Holly @ graduation

Me in front of the School of Communication at AU

Me & Mom!!

Mel and Me

Again :)

My Dad with Lexi

The Siblings (minus Garrett)

I love this guy!!

Han & Me 

Bjorg, Me, Clint, and Lexi

Cutest pic ever!  I just love this little girl!

Me with my mom & dad!

Graduation day with everyone

Commencement Ceremony

Right before my graduation ceremony (pic time!)

Me & Dad in front @ WWII monument

Melly & me at the top of the Washington Monument

McKenzie & Me in the Washington Monument

The view from the top of the Washington Monument

hahahahaha!!!

Guess who's idea this was....she is above :)

Mel & Han!

Great Photography & A Giveaway

Ok everyone!  So one of my best friends, Ashley Madsen, is an incredible photographer so if you need any pictures taken: bridal, babies, family portraits, couple portraits, anything; she is your girl!  If you want to view her portfolio go to the following website: ashleymadsenphotography.com.  

Also, this is not related to the above  paragraph, but Ashley is doing a give away on her own private blog of a J.Crew gift card and a FREE PHOTOSHOOT!  So go to her blog and check it out :) ashmadsen.blogspot.com.

Well everyone I will update later :)  

There's No Place Like Home/Arizona

Ok so one of my New Years resolutions will be to update my blog more frequently.  You see...I just get so behind and then become overwhelmed with all the info I feel I need to put, so I never do it.  So my promise is that I will update more, but my posts will be short and sweet, which is probably what everyone would prefer in the first place :)  

Well Ry and I just got back from a 2 1/2 week trip to Arizona for Winter Break/Christmas and it was the best trip ever!  We just both love our families so much and getting to spend everyday with them without distractions was just amazing.  We saw both Ry's and my family everyday which was a treat, and my sister Hannah and her family were also in AZ when we were so that made everything perfect!  To make this post a little more easier I am going to do sections.

CHRISTMAS:

Christmas was amazing!  We spent the whole day and Christmas eve with both families.  We spent the night at Ry's parent's house and woke up to MacKenzie waking us up bright and early :)  and then we opened presents.  We got so many amazing gifts like a gps which we so needed in DC!! We also got lots of amazing clothes and shoes and I got a nintendo DS which I know sounds a little funny coming from a almost 23 year old, but I LOVE IT! ;)  We got so many needed and amazing things and just loved spending time with the Hursts!  We then ventured over to the Taylors were we had all my nieces and nephews there which is always a treat.  We started out the morning by having a humongous breakfast and then we exchanged gifts.  We both got some great clothes and I got so many pairs of shoes it was AWESOME :).  We then just all hung around talking and playing with the kids and eventually everyone collapsed from exhaustion from wrapping till the crack of dawn the night before :)   It really was an amazing Christmas.  Oh and not meaning to brag, but hey its my blog :)  Ry got me the most beautiful leather Coach purse and some amazing clothes from my new favorite designer Karen Millen, along with some killer boots and a gorgeous mirror from anthropology with the sweetest note ever. (I'll post pictures of my purse later and my clothes :) )  I know my hubby takes very good care of me and spoils me rotten :)  I got Ry some nice clothes from Ralph Lauren and a PS3 which I kinda think he loves because he has been playing it a ton since we have been home!

FUN TIMES:

I told you I would keep these short and sweet so I am trying :)  This trip really was one of the best.  Time flew by so so fast and we didn't want to leave when it was time.  We both just are so grateful for such amazing and unique families.  One of my favorite nights with my family was our birthdays celebration night where we celebrated hannah's, garrett's and my dad's birthdays.  We had pizza, cake and we played the best games ever.  We played 2 lies and one truth and with a family of all older kids it was hilarious.  We then played Left Right Center; which is a money game and we are a competitive family :)  It was so much fun!  I also loved my girls days with all my sisters and my mom; we just always have so much fun shopping :)  With the Hursts I would saw snowboarding with Holly, Jordy, Kinzi, and Kath was so so much fun!  Holly's birthday was also one of my favorite days in which I for the first time in my life went golfing and it was a blast!  We also had a great night of bowling with the Hurst family and I have to say Bruce and Kyle dominated!  We just love our families!

Below are some pictures of our trip.  Sorry there aren't more, I am so bad with taking pictures.  I just get involved in the moment that I forget to document it :)  Another great thing was seeing my nephew Chase get baptized.  He was so grown up and I'm so glad my whole family got to be there for that incredible time in his life.

Sorry one more thing.  I'm sorry to get so sentimental in this next paragraph, but hey it's my blog :)  This trip was wonderful like all our trips to Arizona, but this one was one of those trips that reminded me how amazing my family is.  I have always known that my family is wonderful and that I love them more than anything, but you know when you have those moments that you just feel an incredible amount of happiness and love, well this trip was one of those moments for me.  Each member of my family is truly unique and that is what I love so much about them.  They teach me so much and I look at each one of them and just can't believe how blessed I am to have them in my life.  It amazes me how different we all are, yet how similar we are at the same time.  I just am so grateful for them and love each one of them more than anything in the world.  And I feel incredibly blessed to have been placed in the family I did.  I am also so grateful for my amazing husband.  He truly is my best friend.  Ryan has enriched my life and has brought so much happiness and life into my world.  He loves me for me and is always there cheering me on, but he also pushes me to be a better person and the person I want to become each day.  I love our life together and am so grateful for a husband who makes me feel that I can do anything and be anything.  I love him with all of my heart and am so grateful to spend the rest of my life with such an incredible man and best friend.  And the Hurst family, I am so grateful for the amazing second family they are to me.  Each one of them is incredible and unique in their own way.  They have brought so much love and joy into mine and Ryan's life and I couldn't have asked for more in a second family.  They make me laugh and I am so grateful to them for letting me into their lives and treating me as a daughter and sister.  I love them all!