Boating

{17 Years}

July 16, 2015

6,205 Days Later,

and He still makes me smile!

17 years ago,

I thought I was in love with this 

Handsome, Generous, Funny, Charismatic, 

Loving, Thoughtful Man,

Today I think,

That? 

THAT was an inkling of Love.

This? 

THIS is Love.

THIS is what it's like to work hard in your marriage,

to love and forgive and forget

and laugh and love

and be silly and happy.

Really Happy. 

This Man makes me smile.

He puts arms around me when I need them.

He works hard for us.

He loves our babies.

He Loves, loves me-

and I know it,

because he always lets me know.

I knew he'd be good at the husband thing-

I just didn't know he'd be THIS Good!

This man I married is Gold.

He's one of the best people I know.

This morning we got up for an early run,

went to dinner at a new place,

and thought it was really, really wonderful.

and loaded the big ol' bean bag in the back of the truck,

and drove above the city, to watch the sun set,

and the stars come out.

This is Happiness. 

Trek

Pioneer Trek: a reenactment of when approx 70,000 mormon pioneers 

walked 1,300 miles with handcarts,

between 1847-1869.

We were asked to take 11 youth ages 13-17 on a pioneer trek this July.

Dressed as pioneers,

we pulled handcarts, walked and camped for 4 days,

with 600 other youth from our area.

Here is a glimpse of one of the best weeks of our life:

It rained, it sunned, 

we laughed, and danced, and told stories,

and worked hard, and sweat,

and learned and felt closer to our purpose in life.

And there was no one 

I would rather do this with,

then this Man. 

Swimming Lessons

Several mornings of summer break 

were spent in the pool at swim lessons:

Oldest finished Pre-Comp,

Middle finished level 5,

and Youngest can swim the width of the pool now! 

Garden Status:

Date Night

[Our Fancy Date Night Selves]

Game Night

Summer Evening outside playing Games.

Father's Day

This year for Father's Day,

We held a backyard Daddy Dash!

Our Daddy Dash consisted of THREE Events,

that had to be completed individually with each child.

So each Dad had to do the whole Dash, 

with one child, then start it again,

with the next child, and so on,

until they had completed it with each of their kids!

Our three events were:

1. Being pushed on a trolley, 

as the child navigated them through an obstacle course, 

while being pelted with water balloons,

2. Blind-folded Soccer. 

The dads were blind-folded

and the child had to lead them to the ball, and help them get 

the ball to the goal, while being mercilessly sprayed with water guns!

and

3. A knee/bum war on the trampoline,

while the sprinkler was drenching it!

The Dads were WONDERFUL Sports

and everyone was completely soaked!

It was so hilarious, my eyes were crying, 

and my stomach hurt from laughing so much!

Easily the Funnest 

and Funniest

thing we've EVER done for Father's Day!

And because we DO LOVE the Dad at our house,

we also treated him to breakfast on the patio,

and gifts from the kids-

a homemade sling shot, drawings, favorite football cards, 

coupons for time, and love letters.

It is a Pleasure to Celebrate what a Wonderful Father

this Man is! 

I knew when I married him, he was going to be a good dad,

I just didn't know he'd be THIS Good at it!

What an Amazing Blessing he is to us! 

{WE LOVE YOU Very, Very Much}

06.18.2015

Mountain Biking: "I Love to See the Temple" Edition

06.13.15

Season of Coaching Soccer: Complete!

We had a great team and a winning season! 

It was fun to coach with my twin sister,

even though we often showed up wearing the same thing-

the kids loved it!