Married for 7 Years!!! Wow!

Nate and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on Sunday 7-17!  I can't believe we have been unseperable for 9 years now!  It's amazing to think about how life was when we were first married!  The dynamics have changed so much!  New house...work....school...+ kids!  Thankfully my husband is great to me!  He has put up with me for this long...poor guy... I am a pain in the but!  We have a pretty strong marriage.  Don't get me wrong we have our ups and downs but overall we love eachother more than we did when we said I do.

We were planning a weekend away from the girls since I had to take my exam in Denver.  We had a great couple of days but couldn't wait to get home!  We haven't been away from the girls that long!  We wanted to do something fun for our anniversary, so we had a family day!  We packed up the girls and headed for the mountains!  We hiked up to Piedra Falls...easy hike and a beautiful reward!  God's country is truly breathtaking!  The girls had a blast playing and splashing in the water.

It was a great day.  We spent the day doing what we love to do...being parents to our sweet precious girls! 

Great Day with the one's I LOVE!

 Pure Sweetness!

Jump Madi!

 Otter Dog!

 Madi had a walking stick like Daddy...

 Hannah loved hitching a ride!

 Piedra Falls 7-17-2011

 Getting ready to play!

 Practicing

 Rocks!

 Silly Delilah...

 Look at my muddy fingers Mama!

 Daddy & Hannah... (she did not like the mist from the falls....)

 Woah!  Your tall Daddy!

 Mommy & Madi hiked up to the top too!

 Pretty Lilah!

 "Look there's my Mom!"

 Just a girl and her dog!

 Of course Daddy had to climb the cliff!...

 ...wait for it....wait for it....NOW!

 DUNK!  Delilah is pretty much a dork... she likes to "fish"

 Throwing MUD!

 Splish Splash!

 Taking treasures home!

 Hiking out!

 Madi hitched a ride!

 ...and Hannah was pretty bored!

 ...Not to mention HEAVY!

Ashli A. Stretton, CVT!!!

After graduating in May...the next step was to prepare for my VTNE.  The National Veterinary Technician Board Examination...I decided last minute to schedule my test for a week and a half before I would be taking it!  CRAZY!  I was planning to take it in Mid-August...so I would have time to casually study and prepare...  Well I though why not... So for a week and a half solid I was GLUED...literally to my books!  I was cramming Veterinary Medicine to the MAX!

I couldn't sleep the night of my exam (of course) so I woke up super early to study some more!  The time had come...It had taken me years to get to this point and I had finally made it!  I was soooo nervous and down right scared!...not to mention I felt so sick!

Once I sat down in my little cubicle to take my test... I felt a little uneasy... this place is filled with cameras and people watching me (to make sure you don't cheat)...kinda FREAKY!  I had to get mentally blocked... I said a prayer and away I went! 

About halfway through my exam I was preparing for a FAIL on this exam.  Nothing...NOTHING....that I studied was even on this exam!  It was crazy random information...that no human being should be forced to have in their brains! 

Two hours...and lots of prayers and conversations with God later... I hit the Submit Exam Button!  WHEW....  In tiny print was....passed.  Praise God!  I will never have to take this exam again!  I was ecstatic!  I ran out the door and fell into Nate's arms!  He was so very proud...which made me feel great!  Called everyone I could think of to let them know my GREAT NEWS!

Anyways...Thank You Everyone for all of your love and support throughout this LONG Journey!  I am so glad to be done!  I feel so accomplished!  AND now I can devote 100% of my home time to my FAMILY!  No more books for a while!  Yay!

Wanted to share this one!  Madi likes to go to work with me on weekends.... She is "examing" Libby our clinic dog!  Future DVM!

Hannah - 10 Months

Miss Hannah Jordyn is 10 months old!  I can not believe where the time has gone...or where my sweet baby has gone!  She has grown and changed so much!  She is walking quickly around the couch.  She did take a couple of steps by herself the other day...but still afraid to just GO! 

She can stand up now in the middle of the floor all by herself!  She is very proud of this accomplishment!  She will usually start clapping until she looses her balance and falls down.

She is starting to sign a little more which is helpful...and she is starting to growl to get her point accross.

Hannah is a bit of a dare devil too... she has started to climb up on top of things.  She got onto our couch unassisted and also onto Madi's toddler bed... YIKES!  Very scary!  I really can't take my eyes off of her now!

She is a great eater...she had decited that she does not like baby food anymore and will eat pretty much whatever she can.  She can eat more than her big sister!

 ...And she has sprouted another tooth!  We have 2 now and are working on our third!

Overall Hannah is still a very happy go lucky girl.  Nothing really bothers her!  She is sleeping through the night!  (Thank God!) 

If your happy and you know it...clap your hands!

Cutie!

 Hi Mom

 Dr. Pepper!

 I didn't do it!

I'm so DONE with this!