knick-knacks and patty-wacks

We don't live on the way to anything. So when someone comes to visit, it is a big deal because we know they only came to see US. And that doesn't happen very often.

Wa-HOO! Bro and Abbey (Dax's brother and his wife) came to see us over the weekend and we just love hanging out with them.

With the chocolate Eclairs made at 11pm, the Saturday morning yard sales (one in a creepy basement, and one that actually had the nerve to write that they were selling "knick-knacks" on their sign), the park, and the drive-in movie, we had a good time. Mostly, we just like to hang out and catch up with them.

our visit to THE CITY

So far, I have kept my New Year's intention of visiting my parents once a month. It has been a worthwhile, fun, and doable goal. I do believe this was the most fun visit to date in 2008.

My kids LOVE to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Unfortunately, Grandpa was at scout camp so we just had Grandma all to ourselves the whole time. We had a great time running around the tables in the great room, dreaming up and drawing house plans, visiting Aunt Sharon, and just playing with Grandma.

We took a quick evening trip to see Bro and Abbey and they treated us to swimming at their FUN rec center. I wish Dax could have been there with us! Hunter loved steering the pirate ship and has since changed what he wants to be when he grows up from chef to pirate. He also asks twice a day when we are going back there. So so fun seeing Dax's Bro and his wife. We miss them dearly and will always cherish the time in Logan we had living just blocks away from each other.

We met 2 of my hometown girlfriends at The Gateway in Salt Lake City for some fun in the fountains. I LOVE THE CITY! So much to do. And so many people to do them with. It was great catching up a bit with my babes, between coaxing our boys to go get in the water, shoving snacks and drinks in our children, and trying to talk over the crowds and the water show music. I loved it! What a sight to see Preslie, Raegann, and Addison playing hand in hand and laying out on their beach towels. It took me back to when us mommies were doing the very same thing. After fun in the fountains, Old Navy was conveniently on the way to the car, so I stopped and made it out of the store with 8 shirts, 2 pants, 1 shorts, 2 leggings, and 1 cardigan for $50 bucks! Bargain shopping at its finest, my friends. I didn't fare quite so well at Target--sometimes paying full price is necessary--but I did get Preslie's swimsuit for 5 bucks.

So we bid farewell to the city. See you next month!

crazy loco camping

Why we thought camping with a crawler was a good idea-I don't know. But we did have fun and saw beautiful things sprinkled in between me fighting a baby to stay off the ground and out of the cow pies and Dax having to set up, cook, and clean up on his own because I was keeping the baby at bay.

We do love to camp and love the mountains. Our poor 25-year-old tent trailer is falling apart but beats tent camping for sure.

The scenery and wildlife on this trip almost made it worth it.

That and the s'mores were the best part of the trip. Oh, and when we got back to our campsite after a drive and there was a giant red cow licking our stove and the pans we used to cook breakfast. That was pretty exciting (disgusting). But even better was when Dax chased the cows out of our camp. Thinking back now, that made it worth it.

the kids' vacation/ our stay-cation

The kids had 7 days of fun, fishing, swimming, donuts, movies, naps, restaurants, playing, with a tea party, biscuit making, and fireworks in the mix. Preslie and Hunter had a blast with Dax's parents.

Dax and I had a fun week minus our 2 big kids although we missed them! It was weird to not have them around. Mostly it was super quiet. And clean. I always wondered why things get so messy so quick around here, and now I know. Dax and I bonded with each other and with the baby. I thought Mack would notice the kids gone right away, but I think he basked in all the extra attention and no mauling whatsoever. Dax and I lived it up by going out without having to get a babysitter, buying tons of treats and not having to share (which didn't turn out quite as good as I thought, because I just made myself sick), and we made a delicious enchilada meal which our kids HATE and we relished every delicious bite and the no complaining. We went on walks together, cleaned together, and talked about lucrative persuits. During the day when Dax worked I got a touch bored with just Mack-not that there wasn't anything to do, but just that my main entertainment was missing. When he went down for a nap, however, man that was FUN to do whatever I wanted! We sure missed our kiddos, though. I had butterflies in my stomach the day they came home. Thank you to Grandma and Grandpa for taking them! We all had a wonderful time!

Independence Day

Dax took Mack and I to work with him, and it was my kind of work. Driving around seeing gorgeous mountains, valleys, and beautiful wildflowers and not having to pay for any of the gas. We saw a fun antelope buck before we stopped for a quick picnic lunch. That evening, we enjoyed a barbeque with some friends in the ward, volleyball, and some fireworks in the street. Upon coming home, the city fireworks could be viewed perfectly from the porch right outside our front door.

I consider myself patriotic, but this 4th of July was less exciting for me than in past years. I have felt discouraged about the political issues going on and the big companies in our country motivated by money and power. But as I was conducting the hymns in our sacrament meeting on Sunday, I looked out over the congregation of people standing, singing our National Anthem, and I felt the spirit of what it truly is to be an American. It is people like these that are hard-working, honest people who love their families and truly do put their trust in God and are free to worship Him however they choose. These are the values our country was founded upon, and I have to believe that most of the people in our nation are doing the best they can. And I am so happy and proud and grateful to be apart of that.

I am 9 months old.

I am 9 months old today.

I weigh 20 pounds.

This month was exciting because I:

learned to crawl!

went swimming for the first time.

camped for the first time.

got my top 2 front teeth

learned to pick up cheerios and put them in my mouth

I am a super smart baby because I:

know my name

pull up to things

patty cake by myself

yell for food from my high chair

thrash my dad's work papers that he leaves in the floor

can do a high-pitched raspy whine that sounds like a dog whistle

I love to:

take baths

eat people food

pull my mom's hair with my teeth

put little things in my mouth

open and close doors and cabinets
hold someone's hands and walk

day one without the crazies

I can count on one hand how many times I've been without my kids overnight. The first time was our 4th anniversary (Preslie was 3) when we went to Anniversary Inn. Then there were 2 different girls weekend trips I took and left the kids home with Dax. Our trip to Spain last year was a biggie, and then now. But now doesn't really count because I still have Mack. Babies aren't the lowest maintenance children, you know. Dax has been on tons of hunting and work trips without us so it isn't so weird for him to be missing 2/3 of our children as it is for me. Day 1- I woke up to noises coming from Mack's crib and when I exited my bedroom, I fully expected Hunter to be sitting in his usual spot on the chair in the front room. He is the first one up in our house most of the time. The rest of the day was eventful, but quiet. I was amazed at how quick and easy meal times were. After Mack and I ate breakfast, I decided to go on a walk! I was again amazed at how quickly I got out the door, having only one pair of shoes to find and put on. I strolled Mack all around the town, dropping library books off, browsing the local furniture store, and stopping by 2 banks. Having the two big kids gone allowed me time to think (in quiet!) during the day. That kind of luxury doesn't occur too often for me. During one thinking session, I realized that I actually like being busy and working hard. I like having the kids around! It was good to know that. My days move so quickly and are so constantly stimulating, that it was nice to have some down time to appreciate the insanity that is my life right now. Dax and I went out to eat that evening and saw one of Dax's acquaintences who paid for our dinner! That eased some of the disappointment of Dax's chicken being undercooked. After a stop at the store for some essentials-which included ice cream and peanut butter M&Ms- and a couple movies, we had the rest of our evening covered. And bedtime was a breeze! I only had to ask myself to brush my teeth and go potty once before I went and did it.

my thoughts on *Keeping the Spark* in marriage

I love thinking about when Dax and I were first dating. I am sure those of you that are married would agree. You know, the feelings, the excitement, the kissing. I remember getting all ready for dates. For one particular date, I had carefully selected to wear a lime green top and black shorts. I looked so cute! As I continued getting ready, I peeked out my apartment window just as Dax pulled up to get me. He got out of his car, and to my utter shock, he was wearing a lime green polo and black pants! How embarrassing to match your date! I broke speed records in changing my outfit before he got to the door. What a fun and exciting time in our relationship that was. There was a special spark. And it has been that way ever since. RIGHT?

There’s an article in the 1986 Ensign entitled, “Everyday Marriage”. In it, the author states, “When we take our marriage vows, we commit ourselves to the whole package—the highs, the lows, and the ordinary. But caught up by the delight and wonder of falling in love, we tend to anticipate that our marriages will be high romance, week after starry-eyed week. It may come as a jolt when we finally realize that more of the texture of marriage is getting dinner on the table and paying utility bills than it is moonlight and roses.” Well put. I want to know how to keep that spark in our marriage, even amidst all our daily demands.

In my opinion, the quickest, easiest, and cheapest way to a sparky marriage is laughter. I read an awesome article in the September 2007 Ensign entitled, The Power of Laughter. It states, “On average, children laugh 400 times a day, while adults laugh about 15 times.” How sad! The scriptures say ‘Men are that they might have joy’ not, ‘Men are that they might be way serious and stressed out.’ President Hinckley said, “In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.” Dax is GREAT keeping laughter in our home. He is always messing with me and the kids. When we lived in Logan, I would get telemarketing calls every day and most of the time, they were for companies that wanted to fix the rock chips in my windshield. I am usually very nice to telemarketers but I was getting so tired of getting those calls. One day, the phone rang. I picked it up and said, “Hello.” And I heard (in a southern accent), “Hi ma’am. This is Darryl from Diamond Auto Glass. Do you have a rock chip in your windshield?" ARRGG! Me:“No, I do NOT have any rock chips in my windshield and you guys call me 3 times a week and I am getting sick of it so could you please take my number off your calling list?” Suddenly Darryl from Diamond Auto Glass started laughing in Dax’s voice. He totally got me!

Another thing that keeps us laughing is our funny journal. It is just a cheap little journal that I make an entry in every time something funny, cute, or amusing happens in our family. Most of the entries in it are about our kids, but Dax has a few gems in there, as well. Like when he said to me, “Don’t worry honey. No matter how fat I get, I’ll always love you.” Last night, he was at the computer and just as I walked into the room, he was typing in a search on YouTube. I watched as he typed ‘smash car with rock’ I was practically brought to my knees in laughter watching HIM laugh hysterically at videos of cars being smashed with rocks. Here is a guy who has not grown too old and serious!

Life is funny. There is so much out there to enjoy. We should enjoy things and laugh together often. My favorite quote from the article, The Power of Laughter is, “We tend to like people we have fun with”. True, true. If we want to like our spouse, we need to have fun with them.

And the perfect venue for having fun is dating. We have to date our spouse! It may seem like we have less and less time for each other. That is why it is so important to keep dating regularly. Whether it’s once a week or once a month, write it on the calendar and treat it like any other commitment you have because marriage is the MOST important commitment we have and our marriage is worth every effort we put into it. I asked a few of my friends for ideas on this topic and here is what I got:

Visit the temple together, read together, ask him on dates in crazy ways like we used to do for dances, turn off the phone and the TV, do new things together like batting cages, comedy clubs, roller skating, fishing, or anything the two of you have never done before, sit on the porch and talk, exercise together, do something your spouse is into (I have hunted with Dax and he has scrapbooked with me), do a project together or learn to do something new together, have a planning meeting once a month so that on your dates, you can gaze into each other's eyes rather than talk about each other’s schedule or dentist appointments coming up.

Our spouse should be number one on our calendar because we love them more than anything else we can spend our time on.

The Book of Mormon teaches about true love. I’m of course talking about charity, or the pure love of Christ. I have our engagement picture tucked in Moroni, chapter 7 right next to the verses about charity because I think Moroni 7:45 describes the perfect spouse:

“And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”

Don’t you want to be married to the person this verse describes? Don’t you want to be that person? When we practice charity for our spouse, we are patient, kind, we are happy for our spouse’s successes, we continue to learn from them and about them, we are concerned about their comfort and happiness, we forgive quickly and easily, and we think kind thoughts about them. That is what true love is. That is what charity is.

And the thing I like most about charity is found in verse 47: “But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever.” I think everyone enters their marriage hoping that their love will last forever. And we can have that lasting love if we do what verse 48 says and “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.”

Pretty much I am no marriage expert, but our Heavenly Father is. He and Jesus Christ are the biggest advocates of marriage there are. Jesus Christ has shown us the perfect example of how to love. Pray for inspiration. Heavenly Father will inspire us if we ask Him for help. Then when we get an idea, we should pause and act.

I am so grateful for the chance to be married! It is such a wonderful blessing and privilege to be on this fun, and wild life journey with someone I’m crazy about!