real friends stick around for the yucky times, too.

Did you guys know that in high school i had a fish named owen?

me and owen went through a lot together. he listened to my phone conversations. watched me sneak out of my window. laid around with me when i got my wisdom teeth out. watched me pack for college. and was there all the times in between.

all my brothers friends made fun of owen because of his little fish bowl... and sometimes just large cup when the bowl was getting cleaned... and they told him i didnt like him. but i really did.

anyways, when owen died i was sad. (i know, whats going to happen when something actually bad happens to me, dont ask me, i can barely handle a fish dying...). and the boys still made fun of me, and i pretended i wasnt really sad.

i came across this card the other day, and i think it exemplifies mine and lindsays's relationship... linz knows me almost better than anyone else... and she's been as real of a friend as they come for a long time.

for the yucky times, too.

"I just wanted to say that im really sorry about owen. i know he was more than a fish to you. his home may not have been the fanciest, but he loved it because you loved him and thats all that matters."

happy marriage linz.
you've never looked happier.
and i liked the groomsmen's vests.

pretty girls in yellow shoes.
and pretty pretty bride.
and then i do this face (below)

What in the world do you think I am thinking right at this moment?
I am a crazy, scary person.


these two.
i like them.
and i like ness's squint face.

and this is shelly stress face.
i have grown very fond of shelly stress face over the years.
shel is one of the most hilarious people i know
but mainly when she is trying really hard not to be funny.
im going to go ahead and say its one of my favorite things ever.

hi linz.


that little girl on the right is caitlin.
she goes to portland state and i never get to see her
and i have missed her.

july is my favorite month

this is Van.
and this is not a pose;
this is an action shot.
and that is why I love this kid.
he chased my cousin Lucy around all day with this exact expression on his face,
it was hilarious.

Grandma jewel.
always in on the action.

water baseball.
fabulous.

look at that innocent face.
i did NOT want to get wet that day
(although it was 90 degrees)
so i stayed clear of the water.

then lacy girl came over to sit on my lap and then somehow changed her mind and poured her whole cup of water down my shirt and onto my lap while smiling.
she had that plan the whole time.
and she knew she's the only girl i couldnt get mad at for doing that.


Eaglewood fireworks with cute friends.
like izzy smoot:)
i just cant get enough of that baby girl.

hi zach.
i have red eyes.
and i wear that dress at least once a week.

thats my little bug.
she just got a new hair cut and color.
i like it.
we watched jer bear in 2 parades.
im such a nice sister.
actually i just really liked getting candy thrown at me,
actually only the taffy, not the jolly ranchers and sick hard strawberry candies.
are they trying to kill us??

pretty mary.
i love her new bangs.
zach and andrew are cute arent they....
we think so.

whoever decorated that cake must be really cool and patriotic...
and whoever is wearing black and white stripes is also super cool...
hooray for the 4th of july!



And then there are fireworks.
i love fireworks.
and bbq's
and summer nights
and family get togethers
and parades
and pace's dairy ann (my favorite restaurant)

i love it all.
and that is why july is my favorite month.

We love Newport with the helms

We always look forward to the newport trip.
because we love cali.. as you may already know..
even if it means trading off sleeping on the rock hard couch with kelsey and alex;)

and although the beach was cold (cold by my standards is 72 degrees), we had so much fun being with the fam and being in one of the best cities ever.

and buying rosie posie lip stain from Fred Segal.
my new favorite item.
maybe because its from fred segal, maybe not.


Ruby girl... she is getting so fun, she just looks at you and smiles with those big blues and rosy cheeks.
we loved sweet ruby.



and here is my romper.
which i love.
no matter what you say.
my brother-in-law thought it made me look like i was 12.
and it kind of does.
but... i still like it.


is that a cookie the size of a pizza with ice cream on top???
yes, yes it is.
and i am almost positive i could have eaten the whole entire thing by myself.
best. desert. ever.

i take that back.. already.
we ate at pinkberry later on this trip and I got pomegranate frozen yogurt.. and that might have been the better.
I cant decide...




There are few guys as great as rob.
im serious.
the other day we were over at the helms and they were apparently out of hot water, and pam was taking a bath, so rob was warming up water on the stove for his little wife so she could have a warm bath.
i love those two.


oh hi ruby's diner/ shake shack on the beach.
you are so yummy
and you have the best diet coke's ever
and although we paid almost 3 dollars for it, it was money well spent.
mainly because we got about 7 refills..



sweet ira and cute beck


zach and alex were telling beck stories in the car to keep him entertained.
after awhile of these stories we hear alex say, "what else? i just told you the whole lord of the rings trilogy beck!"

beck never wanted their stories to end, so he would ask "what else?" as each story came to an end.
even if they were as long and boring as the lord of the rings;) he wanted more.



i love that face.
ira was hilarious as usual.
zach was wrestling with the boys one night and beck fell off the bed while they were playing and ira gets his mad face on and says, "don't you do that to beckham, zachy!"
he takes care of his brother.

when we got home from our day in Santa Monica, ira was worn out.
he is the sweetest baby and i hope he stays cuddly and sweet forever.
he loves when you tickle is back and says "tittle my back," when he's tired.
That night he fell asleep to me holding him and tittling his back.
he's my baby.
well, he's not really, but i want him to be.




i love drew's new swim shorts.


the boys playing frisbee.

chronic tacos.
so good.

we were stuck back there too, too long.
as you can maybe tell.
dont ask me what we are doing.

zachy and his sweet mama.
pam got stuck hanging out with me and zach one day instead of going on a bike ride.
but we had fun sitting on the corner eating manhattan clam chowder and bread and the best maple bar donut EVER and watching an ambulance come check on this homeless guy sitting by us.
pam is one of the few people who thinks i am funny. i like it. and i think she is funny, too.

I like this picture.

My camera got dropped in the hot tub.
it was a sad day.
it has been revived, but we got a few good pics messed up in the process.
and alex told me the story of his camera when he dropped it in water...
"i blow dried it and it worked perfectly for about two weeks, and then it turned off and was done for good."
very encouraging, thanks alex
lets hope for the best.
i love my little camera, we've been friends and it has been a trooper for a long time now.
i have faith that it wont die on me now.



this is ira's mad face, right before he smacks you.
i hope he never grows out of this.

dels and z

ira and candice
im sad this pic got kind of ruined.. but i still love it.
and i love that ira loves wearing hats.


the fam. actually i dont know where ira is, or dave, but here is everyone else.
i love these people.
i love and appreciate them all for very different and some may think weird reasons, but i really do.
every last one of them.

The death grip and I want a hamburger.

the first time I went to Lake Powell was last year with the helms.
And I think its my favorite place ever.
well, at least one of my favorite places.

this year was just as fun, even if it was just for a weekend. its was so worth it.




"liz never learned about the Anastazi Indians, we really need to teach her about them," i love pam.
my ruby girl.

I know, I have the cutest nephews ever.
Beck was very brave on the tube, as you can see.

we call this "the Mesnick"
as in Jason Mesnick
as in a past bachelor on The Bachelor
he loved this move... so this is in honor of him and molly
(who people think I look like... I dont though....)

Ive been told I look like her and Amy Poeler.
The commonality: freaky eyes.
hmmmmmm.....

Ok, back to powell.
Zach helping Dave. This is quite a triumph in Zach's life I believe.
You may know their rivalry from an earlier post or from this: Click Here
But looks like zach takes the lead this time.


This pic is sweet. Great job Candice.
She is turning into quite the photographer;)

Jon informed me that in most of my pics my mouth is wide open like I am either really excited or I really want to eat something... Or as he put it, "I want a hamburger!"
So I didnt include any of those pics...
But maybe I do always want a hamburger...

And this is the death grip. I'm not messing around on tubes Jess.