10 Things I Love About You

My (very late and cheap) Father's Day Present

TO BRY:

1. You still laugh HYSTERICALLY at every bodily function joke in movies.

2. You're so infuriatingly responsible.

3. You dance with me in the kitchen while the hardly edible casserole is cookin'.

4. You giggle when you're nervous or excited.

5. Yes, your bum made the list, and it is divine.


6. You can't carry a tune to save your life, but you sing at the top of your voice because you know I hate to sing alone.

7. You can't hide your excitement when you walk through the door after an exhausting day and the kids run to smother their daddy.

8. You make us laugh so hard we should probably store a spare oxygen tank, just in case.

9. You write notes to us before you leave in the early morning so when we wake up we always know that we are loved all day long.

10. You automatically reach your hand towards mine (when it's not filled with a child or grocery bags) when we're close- a meaningless gesture to most, but to me it means "You belong to me, I'm here, and I won't let you go".

One day I'll be able to give you an awesome boat or that cool Bumble Bee car, but for now all I can give you is a humble and sincere Thank You.

TO DAD:

1. One of your best friends was a dog named Hayduke.

2. You have always been an amazing hubby and companion to mom.

3. Somehow you can pull together an amazing meal with the most random assortment of ingredients.

4. You still let me sit on your lap like I'm a 7 year old girl who just needs her daddy.

5. Making you laugh is pretty hard, but SO worth the effort.


7. You have the weirdest social skills, but somehow manage to gain the trust and love of everyone who meets you.

8. You never force your opinion on anyone, even though your knowledge on almost every subject greatly surpasses anyone I know.

9. You make gray hair look like Cary Grant instead of Santa Claus.

10. You sing to and cuddle with and kiss and play with your Grand kids- you'll never know how much that means to me.

I look forward to many more camping and fishing trips, hopeless but still fun Jazz games, farmers markets, and hikes up the canyon. I'm so lucky to be your daughter!

LOVE YOU DAD!

TO DAD TRUMP:

1. You're smile always had a hint of mischief, like a little boy who's about to throw a water balloon at your face.

2. Even when you were dying, you thought about all others before yourself.

3. You had never ending pride and integrity with every job.

4. You loved watching Lawrence Whelk, bubbles and all.

5. You were the best gossip!

6. Having a difficult life was never an excuse.

7. You were always completely honest (sometimes a little too honest).

8. You and your darling wife raised the best hubby and daddy!

9. You never ran out of hugs and kisses.

10. You'll NEVER grow up.

We miss you everyday, Dad. There have been times when we've felt your presence and we truly hope it wasn't just our imagination. It helps sweet Hyrum to know that when people (and animals, and balloons) die, not only do they live with Jesus, but his Grandpa is with them too.

You Know You're a Mama if...

You've replaced "the outfit" with "the yoga pants"

I've heard it said, "The problem with stretchy pants is you can gain twenty pounds and not notice"

Problem? I say miracle!

You've made friends with the ants- at least SOMEONE will clean up around here!

Your yard is littered with designer plastic toys.

Your sink is CONSTANTLY bursting with grimy dishes.
In the words of a dear friend, "We're like a family of locusts consuming everything in sight."
At least locusts don't leave behind dirty dishes.

Where's my miracle of the seagulls?

The novel has replaced the "single with no responsibilities or attachments" feeling.

You can't get "The Wheels on the Bus" out of your head.

You ate Kraft Mac n Cheese for lunch and enjoyed it.

You recognize that every mess is one baby step closer to independence.

Both liberating and heartbreaking at the same time.

You get to hear face squishingly adorable things like, "Mommy? When we fly in the airplane to Utah, can we get my purple balloon?"

(Yes, the loss of the purple balloon was a tragedy in our house)

You've honestly forgotten how to converse with adults.

Chocolate has become a survival technique.

You are touched (you cry like a baby) from movies, TV commercials, school programs, t-ball games, family trips, primary programs, and everyday regular moments because "beautiful" and "touching" have taken on a whole new meaning.

You drive a MINI VAN- nuff said.

You can't see your couch due to the piles of laundry.

Your fridge is cluttered with priceless treasures.

Your pantry is stuffed with high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and (gasp) partially hydrogenated oils.

Your beautiful children have encrusted bogies all over their faces and you ... wait a minute ... NOPE- don't care.

The only time you get "all dolled up" is for church.

You would go through months and even years of trying to get pregnant, just to endure nine months of semi-torture and excruciating labor and all night cry fests and engorgement and temper tantrums AGAIN.

Because yes, it's SO worth it.

So come on in, get comfortable (move the laundry out of the way first), and laugh with us.

The Cheese Stands Alone

The Hidden Beach

We promised Hyrum a trip to the beach during Bry's break. The poor kid was getting very frustrated when we kept stopping at old buildings and museums. We were constantly diverting his attention by challenging him to find "wild animals". He'd say, "Renember Daddy, when you see a wild animal, point and scweam."

We were elated and surprised when we accidentally came upon a darling little beach in Yorktown. Hyrum was satisfied, and we didn't have to drive another hour to Virginia Beach- win, win.

It was a terrific break. It's so amazing to have Bry home all day to play and help. Now it's back to the old school grindstone again. Bry is the Class President so he's a little extra busy, but I'm proud of him. He's a great leader. We are becoming more accustomed to the strenuous schedule.

I have grown so much in the short time that we've been here. Sometimes I feel like being away from dear home and family is like "life boot camp". I've tried to stop being a "victim" and start choosing happiness. I'm not saying that some days aren't difficult, but it's not worth complaining and grumbling. It's so easy to focus on the negatives, but I'm avoiding that as much as possible. Scripture study, fervent and constant prayer, exercise, music, books, creativity, and laughing have become my most important allies against despair and depression.

My outlook on motherhood has completely changed too. Being a mom was the only thing I ever wanted to do. I used to pretend like I had other aspirations, but deep inside I only wanted to be a mommy. That's why I was so stunned when it didn't come completely natural to me. I used to feel so trapped and claustrophobic. But recently I realized that I'm not stuck here, I could walk out at any time. For some reason the realization was so liberating. I'm staying at home because I think it's what's best for my family. I have no boss or paycheck or quarterly evaluation or any substantial way to measure how well I'm doing- maybe that's why motherhood is so difficult. It is a real sacrifice. I still have so many goals and dreams that either need to be put off or just stretched out over time- but who said sacrifice can't be fun too?

Sewing, Weaving, and Dyeing

We had a chance to do some super fun touristing during the Summer break and took way too many pictures! We visited Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. One of the Colonial time business signs in Williamsburg read' "Sewing, Weaving, and Dyeing".

Somehow that sums up traveling with kids perfectly.

My favorite author Shannon Hale wrote, "Memory ached in its stone arches, crept down its narrow alleys..." This is the feeling I get when we visit these cherished sites. It always makes my heart full to discover the struggle, sacrifice and resilience of our early settlers. Did you know that 6 out of 7 people died in the Jamestown settlement? They would have never survived if it wasn't for the Powhatan tribe. It was perfect to visit these treasured spots right before Memorial Day. I'm so grateful for the people that have sacrificed to make this country so blessed and free and awesome!

Landscaping Warriors

On the first weekend of our summer break we busted out a pretty cool new backyard. We decided to wait until the fall for grass- bummer (but apparently smarter).

Here's before: (We installed the stone wall thingy)

Yes! I count my blessings everyday 'cuz I married a construction worker!

AND... after:





So far I have loved pretending to have a green thumb.
One day I hope I won't have to pretend anymore- which means I will know what I'm doing! Thanks for all the hard work Bry!

Yes, We Think We Can Dance

In honor of our favorite show here's our first (posted) dance video.