Peach & Harry Sittin' in a Tree..

For Chris' birthday he got a new beach cruiser! The model is "heritage" so that's it's name, "harry" for short.
We love to ride our cruisers around, since we live so close to everything & the weather has been so great. We are hoping to live close to the beach when we move to OC & be able to use them all the time. Here are a few pics of our outing last night.
(sorry, our camera died so we used iPhone pics..they aren't as clear)

Happy Birthday Chris!

(I still need to get a basket for mine)

Congratulations Ammon!

Some of you may have heard me brag about my siblings, that's because I am one proud sister! They are just amazing. Very creative, fun, successful people. I just wanted to share some fun news about one of my older brothers, Ammon.

Here he is with some of his fellow stylists:
(center of the photo, with all black shirt & tie)

Today Ammon signed a contract with Matrix making him their new creative directors/spokesperson for their line "Vavoom"! WHAT A STUD!! So keep an eye out in your local salons & magazines for Vavoom ad's & see what a stud he is!
C O N G R A T S A M M S!

Also, he is going to HATE me for posting this link: here
(He works at the Matrix Global Academy in Manhattan, and had to do this video to promote it, isn't he so cute?)

Spike is 27!

Happy Birthday Chris!!

Today Chris begins the steep, slippery slope over the hill at a blossoming age of 27! (basically 30) I have to say, he is "aging" quite nicely! ;)

Last year I did a huge post of 26 things people loved about Chris, this year I am doing it all by myself! Here are a few of my favorites:

1. He is dead sexy

2. He is brilliant

3. He has an argument for everything (this is a love/hate)

4. He sticks his tongue out to the side when he dances

5. He allows me to watch whatever I want* when i get home at night

*Unless Lakers are playing

6. He puts extra blankets on me in the middle of the night while Im asleep

7. Everytime I make dinner he says "Good dinner, good job" 

8. He has a serious gift when it comes to learning, he just gets it

9. He spends an hour each day "catching up" on the news

10. His relationship with my dad & the rest of my family

11. He kicks my trash at Connect Four

12. He looks unbelievably amazing in his Gstar's..

13. He is seriously HILARIOUS

14. He is always honest, no matter what

15. I love his awesome relationship with his parents

16. If someone asks him for help, he does whatever he can & drops whatever he is doing

17. His loves are simple: sports, sleeping, food, & sports

18. He sings constantly, about what he is doing, reading watching, EVERYTHING. Or if some phrase or action reminds him of a song, he'll start singing that song.

19. He has some of the most rad friends I have

 ever met-which must say somethin' about him

20. He is a very hard worker

21. I love how confident he is & how secure he is with himself

22. He has the tiniest toosh I have ever seen

23. He can grow an awesome mountain man beard

24. He is always up to try something new, which makes life way more fun!

25. He is a vault of infinite knowledge, whenever i don't understand something he is sure to be able to explain it

26. He smiles when he lies. And when he doesn't!

27. He is an AMAZING catch, and I am just the lucky girl who caught him.

Happy Birthday!

xoxo

M.

Wake Up & Go!

The camera died, so Chris took a pic with his iPhone after the race
Bright & early this morning I ran a 5k in Carpenteria (a small beach community just south of Santa Barbara). The race had hills, trails, and it was raining! It was a cool, breezy & hazy morning-which was actually ideal. I haven't ran on any "trail" routes before, and the rocks were a bit tricky! But it was on a GORGEOUS trail on the bluffs right next to the ocean. Besides being beat by 4oyr old women (no offense to any 40+ it's just I feel I should be able to keep up!)the race was good. It has been almost a year since my last race, so it felt good to be back.
Next is a 10miler in Santa Barbara in April. Im looking forward to DYING in that race ;). Oh wait, Im training for a half marathon aren't I? Dang. Im toast.

Something is very, very wrong

According to the latest comparable figures from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, America accounted for 45% of the world's military spending—$1.2 trillion in 2007—more than the next 14 biggest countries combined.--SOURCE  

Perhaps it is time to spend less on war and more on domestic issues like poverty reduction, education and health care.

Alternatively, once this recession has passed, we could use this to greatly reduce deficit spending.

It seems to me there are much better ways to use this money.

Ryan & Amanda's Wedding

This past weekend, Chris' cousin Ryan got married. We are very happy for them, and adore his wife Amanda! We are so happy to have her apart of our big Spiker clan!
Here are a few photos from their wedding, which was gorgeous!
(you may recognize the dress, her dress didn't come out and last minute she borrowed Courtney's--she looked great in it & its so nice so much use could come out of such a gorgeous dress!)

Ryan & Amanda after the ring ceremony
(i made the flower in her hair for her)

Uncle Richard hangin' with his cute grandson Dylan

I want a baby!

Princess Claire

Miss Posh Mckenna & Scotty

Vanessa, Linda, Grandpa Jack, Steve aka Sunglasses Squad

Jake & Luke
Tell me you don't want to take this child home this instant? What a stud!

Amanda & I after the temple; note Uncle Richard in the background

Branching Out

MARI E. COUTURE is now being carried on SHABBY APPLE!

SHABBY APPLE is an AWESOME website for dresses(they have other accessories too!). They have been one of my favorites & I am happy (actually, Im thrilled!) to have a few of my styles carried in their accessory line. Click here to see!