7 years, 5 moves, 4 states, 3 kids, 2 cars, 1 house, 0 dogs

Let's play catch up. As I look back on my life with Drew, I pause to consider all the changes we've had.

Seven years. Five moves. Four states. Three kids. Two cars. One house. Zero dogs.

We count ourselves lucky to have lived in so many great places. From the gorgeous U* mountains onto the breathtaking Pacific North West. (The picture isn't the best, but look for the space needle in the background)

Next, to a little piece of heaven called B*, Indiana. Go Hoosiers!






Now here we are in the Twin Cities. The Land of the Lakes. Where the Mississippi starts!

The most recent update on the Hoopes clan is as follows:

Major May happenings: As you know, Drew completed his MBA degree. A few weeks after graduation, we moved into our first house (HOORAY!!!!) in M*. We love being in a home. We found a great one for us. The space, the yard, the basement, the garage. I've had many moments when I've thought, "I'm in heaven." We love our neighborhood and my kids have made some great little friends. We love M*. I notice myself picking up the endearing accent when I converse with a local.

Juicy June tidbits: We enjoyed a nice break. No school. No work.
Travels included Utah and the gorgeous shoreline of Lake Superior, where we enjoyed seeing light houses and climbing around waterfalls. We also explored Minnehaha falls, which is a short tributary of the Mississippi River. While there, we took the kids for a ride in a surry with fringe on top. SO much FUN!









When we weren't traveling, we were home painting. We've painted nearly every wall on our main floor, as well as some stuff on the outside. We're also learning what NOT to do with our lawn. We'll get it right next year.

Drew started work in July and so far he is really enjoying his job. He will travel a little here and there. He also enjoys grilling on his super nifty grill he got for Father's day, and he helps me cook often, which is so nice.
He's a great help to me around the house and takes time to make special memories with the kids.

The mom (that's me) is doing great. I am a self proclaimed expert at changing the rules to Candy Land so that everyone under the age of five wins. If this stay-at-home mom thing doesn't work out, I could always be a back up singer to The Wiggles. My skills at washing dishes and hanging wet towels have now reached exceptional levels. Lastly, I've grown quite fond of the medium-dark circles under my eyes. Kind of a trophy of motherhood if you will. I could do something about them, but I'm not so sure I want to get rid of my "trophies." They've really grown on me... literally.