Summer Days!

Here's what we've been doing the last few weeks!

--Getting a LOT of rain! This is a picture of our backyard on a Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago after it had just started downpouring! We received over 8" in May, over 11" in June and have already received 4.5" this month! This is very strange for Texas, especially since we had been in a drought for so long!

--Celebrating Mom and Dad's 33rd Anniversary! We made them a delicious Mexican meal to celebrate the occasion, and now they are off celebrating on their Alaskan cruise! We are so thankful for the example of committed marriage that both our parents have given us!
--Singing a LOT, and all in solfege! On Friday, I finished my Kodaly Level II course up at the Univ. of North Texas. It was absolutely exhausting, but I am so excited about everything that I learned, and I can't wait to implement it all into my classroom this fall! Here's a pic of me with my classmates and our instructors.
--Test-driving lots of SUVS. David and I had so much fun test-driving on Saturday...even more fun that I thought I'd have!!

--Reading...a lot! Especially since Saturday at noon, when both David and Emily received their Harry Potter books in the mail. I haven't heard a lot out of them since they both opened their books, but at this point, they're both well over half done!
--Eating a delicious meal at Buca di Beppo's, courtsey of a gift card Uncle Jon gave us 2 years ago at Christmas! We didn't mean to be matching in our green shirts...but do you like Dave's beard? :)

Hope you are enjoying a relaxing and fun summer, too!

Goodbye, Katie!

We'll miss you more than you'll ever know!


Our sweet, beloved basset: Katja Jane
March 12, 1995 - July 14, 2007

Michelle's Wedding

I got back early yesterday morning from Ft. Wayne, where I had been since Wednesday for all of Michelle's wedding festivities! Michelle is my best friend from college, and her family is like my second family. I spent a lot of weekends at the Cooper's during college, and I was thrilled to spend this special time with them, also! Earlier in my visit, I helped Michelle with lots of errands and finishing up her to-do list. We also spent some good time together going out to eat, talking, and laughing. Here are a few pics of this exciting time!

We spent time packaging up lots of pink candy for the favors and tying ribbons on all the programs.

We went to Biaggi's for incredible desserts on Thursday night for Michelle's pseudo-bachelorette party.
Michelle & I stayed up (too) late on Thursday night watching "Music & Lyrics." We weren't sure if it was really that funny, or if we were just so tired that we thought everything was hysterically funny!
On Friday, we had a bridesmaid's luncheon with delicious food! Mrs. Cooper thought of everything--even a chocolate fondue fountain!! They also had a massage therapist that gave each of us a 30 min. massage as well as 2 nail techs, who gave us French manicures!

Michelle & her dad at the rehearsal:
Crista, Michelle's sister, and I dressing Michelle, who was a very beautiful bride!


This is one quick shot of Michelle and Jeremy!
Here's the two of us...it's hard to believe she's now Mrs. White!
After Michelle & Jeremy had left the reception, and the Coopers and I had loaded everything into the cars, we went back to their house, ate lots of delicious leftovers, and watched "Father of the Bride." It was a fun, relaxing way to end the day! Congratulations, Michelle & Jeremy!

EBI Family Day!

As soon as we got home from Colorado, we woke up early the next morning and headed to Decatur for the EarthBuilder's Family Day! It was a fun day at the shop (where they keep and repair all the equipment, supplies, etc.)! It was great to see a lot of the people that Dave and my dad talk about working with, along with their families. We had excellent brisket, ribs, and even some smoked wild pig (of which I did NOT partake!). Here are a few pics of our activities:

Daniel, the general superintendent, brought his horses for the day, so Dad took a ride!
Dave and Emily enjoying the festivities!
Emily, Mom, & I at the serving table:
Dad enjoying ribs....a treat he hasn't had in a LONG time!
Em & I modeling the EBI Family Day t-shirt--Dave drew the picture on the front! I didn't know I married such an artist! (For those not familiar with heavy construction, the picture is a Lorain crane lifting a bridge beam that says "Earth Builder's Family Day 2007.")

All of the machines were out in the yard for guests to run, so we took a ride up the manlift! It was high enough for all of us--the Bergstrom's are well-known for their fear of heights!!
This was my first time on a horse! I might be smiling, but I was quite nervous. Dave took the reigns and led it around in a small circle for me, and then I was off--whew! :)
There was also a game using the backhoe where you had to pick up a rubber ball sitting on top of a cone using the backhoe bucket, swing the boom over and drop the ball into a large can, and then return the bucket to the starting position. A lot of the operators competed to see who could do it the fastest! Dave was very fast (16 seconds), but not quite fast enough! However, he did awesome for someone who's only been running the equipment for such a short period of time!

It was a very fun day, and we hope it becomes an annual tradition!