HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

A big shout out to my most favorite guy - happy birthday hon! This year is going to be so fantastic; I can feel it in my bones :) I am lucky to have you as my hubby and my friend, you're the best!!

Almost at an end

Well summer has almost come to end, it is hard to believe! I go back to work in about a week and time has just flown. Fall is my favorite season though, and so forgive me for jumping the gun so to speak with my fall background :) I really didn't think a whole month had practically passed since I posted and I want to be better a more frequent, we shall see what happens! Since our last posting, Justin has turned 17! That is sooo crazy and hard to imagine! He is going to be a senior this year, makes me feel old. Jordan has been out on his mission a year already too. My cousin Brian is here on break from school. He is in Australia working on his PhD, smarty pants! It was great to see him and get to catch up. Our plumeria plant got its first flower the other day and Jeff really wanted to give it to Hali'a, which I thought was pretty sweet. He really loves being an uncle. We also got to experience a water leak from one of the showers and it just so happened that the leak came into our room - lucky us. We have spent the last week and a half pulling up all of the flooring in our bedroom (carpet, old and rotten wood floors), tearing out wet drywall, and fixing the shower itself. I say we, but I mostly mean Jeff. He is pretty dang amazing and I am convinced he can fix just about anything. He is definitely my hero :) I would say his mother is stinking lucky too that she has him around, saves on the construction bills for sure! You are amazing my love, where on earth would I be without you? I am sorry you don't always get your due recognition or appreciation. You are the best!! xoxo

4th of July...a bit late!

You gotta love summer! (Although not technically my favorite season because I do not like to be sweaty :) I realized I was slacking and hadn't updated about the 4th! We had so much fun. First we started off at my mom and dad's ward pancake breakfast, followed by a BBQ at their house. Hali'a went swimming in a pool grandpa got her while the rest of the kids played on a homemade slip in slide in the front yard. Emma "tricked" me into going outside so her and Jeff could nail me with water balloons, I am sorry I don't have any pictures of that! Jeff let Hali'a try to drink soda out of a can (she didn't get any :) and I do believe she is the cutest thing ever (as are all of our nieces!) After we left my folks house, Lynette and I went to at least 3 different firework stands looking for sparklers. She was totally on a mission, it was awesome and luckily we found some. I think she is a closet pyro! We had a bunch of our married friends from church over for fireworks and were impressed with the punk kids in the neighborhood and their choices of illegal fireworks. Between the crazy neighbors, Knott's Berry Farm, and Disneyland all within view, we had an awesome show. Oh and our dogs didn't even really freak out. :)

Missouri!

I got back from Missouri last night and was really glad to see my hubby and be out of that awful weather, BUT really sad to leave Jeff, Amy and the girls! During our trip we got to see Jocelyn get blessed, go to Nauvoo, help the fam move from Kirsville to St. Louis, go to the zoo, shopping, fun meals, movies and lots of "body slams" from Kayla :) And although it probably wasn't the smoothest move, I enjoyed every second of being there. It is hard that Jeff and his family are so far away, but hopefully we can at least get Amy and the girls out here soon! :) Poor Jeff is going to be stuck in the hospital for a LONG time now! We wish him the best as he starts this new chapter in his life. Love you lots and lots guys, thanks for an awesome week! Hugs and kisses all around :)

On your mark, get set, go...!

Justin got to build a boat out of just cardboard and duct tape for his physics class and then they raced them in the pool. Jeff and I hung out with him and his two friends, helped tape, roll cardboard (thanks Jeff :), and went to watch them race. They got first place on day one for their period, went to the finals the next day, and got second. Very cool, and very fun to watch! All of the boys in my family took physics and got to do this. Me, well I hate math and am not very good at it either, enough said! It would have been fun to participate in this however. You're awesome Justin. Can't wait to bother you everyday for a week while we are in Missouri, haha!

P.S The name of their boat was the "Angry Apache," hence the red war paint.

The last few weeks...

So what have we been up to the last few weeks? Hmmm, Jeff had a root canal, Justin went to the third round of C.I.F. volleyball (he was stinking AMAZING I might add :), the doggies were their normal crazy selves, baby Hali'a had another surgery and we are so very grateful that she is doing so much better, and my mother-in-law and I made a receiving blanket for a friends baby shower (thanks Karen!). I have 3 1/2 weeks of school left and I hope I make it :) Me, Mom, Dad, and Justin are taking off to see Jeff and his family, to see Jocelyn get blessed, and to help them move to St. Louis. I am so excited to see the girls (and their parents too, of course!). I am so looking forward to summer even though I have hardly no break this year. We start summer school way early, and go back to school in August. I am not very stoked about it, but at least summer school is only four hours a day. Some fun things definitely on the horizon in the coming weeks and I am going to try and post a little more frequently this next month. Gotta love that big Duke :) He has totally brought unconditional love and lots of smiles to our house. He has been great therapy for me during some tough times these last few months.

3 years already!!!

I can hardly believe how fast time flies! I am so blessed to be married to such a wonderful guy :) I count my blessings everyday that we found each other and get to be husband and wife. He is truly the best thing that has ever happened to me. In a world and time when so many people think of marriage as an archaic tradition or something that somehow stifles individuality, I am grateful for my testimony of eternal families and celestial marriages. When two people are joined in unconditional love and unite themselves with the Lord, nothing else on earth compares to that. Jeff and I have known each other for over 15 years and I feel like he has always been there, I love that! I still get excited everyday to see him after we get home from work and I miss him like crazy if we spend any time apart. We really are two pieces of one whole. Happy anniversary to us, and here is to forever my sweetheart!! :)