Our Anniversary at Yellowstone..

Well Nate did it again....Surprised me with an Anniversary getaway to Yellowstone. It was SO much fun. He asked my boss for the time off and it was such a surprise. He arranged all of the babysitting for the kids and everything. It was such a nice break from work. It was funny though, now that I am working, I really struggled being away from the kids. Nate is a lot more involved with them with me being gone, and he really really missed them too. He has gotten so attached to Drew because they are always together on his days off. He really struggles when he is away from that little guy. Can you blame him???

We had so much fun just playing it low key. We ate at a different restaurant each meal so we could try them all out. This was our favorite. It was the best breakfast I have ever had. The service was amazing. I was just a little whole in the wall place, but those are always the best. They served the food on fun china and it was to die for. It was so fun to have so much time with Nate alone. That does not happen very often.

We were so amazed at all the snow. It was crazy. It was such a fun town to be in. There is so much snow, so people just drive around on their snowmobiles all day through the street. This was the most snow West Yellowstone has had for thirty years.

The first day we got our sleds, we went all around Island Park. We rode for forty miles. It was amazing. Nate let me drive the most seeing how I am kinda nervous about getting hurt because of my car accident a few months ago. It was funny because I was going really fast and went off some huge bumps and Nate got scared and wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me off the sled. I was laughing so hard. Just never thought I would have him telling me to be careful and slow down.

I was really excited to see the Wildlife.

It was so cool seeing the Grand Tetons!

Nate lookin great at Old Faithful.

The second day we had the sleds, we went on a days ride through the park. We totalled 140 miles that day. It was so indescribable. We saw all of the main things people go to see. The waterfalls, geysers, hot spots, wildlife, ect... I smiled the whole time on the snowmobile thinking, WOW a trip of a lifetime for many. Lucky me!!

We saw so many Bison. They were everywhere!!

I saw some of the prettiest sunsets of my life in Yellowstone.

What a great trip. I was scared I would be cold the whole time. But the sleds had seat warmers and hand warmers, so I was OK. One of my favorite parts of the trip was the drive down. I was so full of excitement and Nate and I had the BEST conversations. He was so cute the whole trip and just kept saying that it was all about me, and he wanted to do whatever I did. He was so worried if I was having fun and if I was cold. It was so nice to have all of his attention just focused on me. I'm very lucky to be married to such a great guy. Nate is very romantic and always puts alot of time into our Anniversary's. I'm happy my kids have that example so they can treat their spouses the same way someday. It really means so much to me. Its crazy to think we have been married eleven years.

Valentines Day

I LOVE Valentines Day. I love it because I LOVE to be with people I love and show them how much they mean to me. It is one of my favorite Holidays with my kids. I love playing cupid and going all out. I love decorating their doors with hearts with reasons why I love them on each cut out. We call it heart attacking. I love putting streamers on their doors for them to walk through when they wake up. I love telling them and Nate.."I love you" five hundred times in a day. It the best. I also love that my Anniversary is the next day. It just feels like Love is in the air. This year we went on our wonderful adventure to Yellowstone but I still what to do something the day of. So my brother Brady and Gena came with us to the Melting Pot. Seriously....HEAVEN. I loved it. We had SO SO much fun laughing. I always love being with them. We just have so much fun. And I loved being with Nate, hes my guy.
Nate looks so handsome in this picture. I'm a lucky Bride.

Look at this food....AHHH

Brady and Gena

Drew was so excited when he woke up. He quickly pulled off each streamer from his door and ran to the kitchen for food. But to his great surprise...there was balloons everywhere. He was so happy and kept saying OH WOW. The kids and I were laughing so hard.

I love how my kids think Valentines is like Christmas. They get so excited for this Holiday. Its a day of them writing I love you notes all day. They left them in my bathroom, my dressers and mirrors. I love making big huge yummy breakfasts. We had heart shaped waffles and the whole works. I am so lucky I have such a wonderful family. I count my blessings, I really do.

Sage and McKennas ballroom class

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Christmas piano recital

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Moving

Its official. We moved! After being in Taylorsville for ten years, it is time to move on. We will miss our white house. I don't know if I will ever love a house as much as that one. I will miss the fun swing sets and tramp in the back. I will miss my long porch and my beautiful plants and flowers. We put a lot of work into that house. We are hoping to rent it out. We will keep it as an investment and who knows, we could move back someday. I will miss my friends and our wonderful ward. We have such great memories. I loved being so close to the library, pool, and park. But we had felt for quite awhile that we needed to move for our kids. Sage really didn't have any friends and it was really starting to get hard on him.

Everything happened really quickly. We have been very blessed. My cousin Savannah knew we wanted to move. But houses are not selling in this market. She told me that I should come take her job up at Highland Pointe. At first I thought it sounded crazy. I have always stayed at home with my kids, so why would I go work if I didn't really need to? Well, my first reaction was "no way". But I couldn't stop thinking about it. So I called and talked to her boss. She said she would get back to me. I thought that was the end of it. Two weeks later she called and said the job was mine. No interview, resume or anything. I told her I needed the weekend to think about it. I fasted and prayed like crazy. One night I went to open my scriptures and it just happened to open to D&C 111. The whole section was relating to my situation. It talked about moving to a new city and not worrying about anything and how blessings were awaiting and you can get to the new city by way of being hired. Well that was a direct answer to me. So we started packing up and moved. Sadly, I got in a bad car accident with all of the kids. So my sweet sister flied out and my mom, sisters, and aunts, and in laws moved us. We have been so blessed. I couldn't believe I really did it. Packed up and moved to a new place. But it has been the best thing ever for our family. I remember laying in my house thinking, "I will be so scared not to do this because I would never know what could be out there waiting for me." And that is exactly it. I have grown so much and learned so much about faith. I have loved being here and my kids are in heaven. They have the best school and teachers and have more friends than they know what to do with. I am so grateful!!

Baby Drew loved sitting in these drawers.
Aspen with her cute new friends Mckenzie and Brinley

The kids have each been invited to so many birthday parites. Aspen was invited to this party before we even moved in.

I was amazed and how cute this party was. The mom Aline is so talented. Look at this table! Each flower has a little homemade treat in it. I was blown away!

McKenna and Aspen playing at the park.

Drew LOVES to swing.

Baby Drew

We all love our Baby Drew. He is SUCH a special part of our family. He has taught us all alot, and is here for a very special purpouse. He brings so much joy to our home.

I took the kids to Wheeler Farm to show Drew the animals. I loved watching him see all the animals like it was for the first time. He loves horses and cows. It is so cute to watch his little personality grow. You can tell by watching him play that he really likes to be clean an organized. Everyone laughs when I tell them this. But after being with him for twenty minutes, they all say how true it is. He loves to open cupboards and reorganize the canned food. He hates messes. He will go in the girls rooms and pick up cloths on the floor and put them in drawers. I tried to read him some books the other day. He would not let me read the next one until the first was put away. He is a very sweet and cuddlie baby. But he definetly has a spicy side. He gets really excited about things and loves his siblings.

Ten Year Anniversary

I can not believe Nate and I have been married for ten years. Its crazy to think about how fast it went by. We have created so many memories, and have four children. To think that ten years ago I was just nineteen, getting ready to start a whole new life. I have done a lot of reflecting back to that day so many years ago. We were married, went on a honeymoon and then started our new life. I remember so clearly having our babies and all those "first" new experiences. Our first new home, my first delivery, first new baby, first new car, first family vacation, first new ward. Experiencing all the changes in life. Trips to the hospital when I have been in labor or kids needing stitches. The good times and the hard times. All of it shaping who we are today and our love for each other. So profound and woven together by all of the trials, tears, laughter and happiness we have experienced together. Its amazing to look back and see where we have been. And to imagine that we still have so many more things to come. I look forward to the future with a husband who is always by my side, supporting me and loving me unconditionally. To think that it all started one night at a dance. I asked him to dance. I was only seventeen then. To know that one dance would lead to a life with someone so special, and someone who I would create so much with is pretty amazing and indescribable. I love our story, our lives, and our children. Specific just to us. Something only we know and share. This was a wonderful anniversary for me.

To think, it started ten years ago. Just us. Nate and I. And now we are a family of six.

Nate had to work on our actual anniversary. Even though we celebrated it the weekend before, I really wanted to make it special for him. I planned a really nice dinner. With candle light and everything. I explained to the kids that it was an extra special occasion. And that if they wanted to be invited to the dinner, they had to be on their best behavior. It was as if we were eating at a really nice restaurant. They were thrilled beyond measure that they were included in this wonderful date. As my plans were progressing in my head, I had a wonderful idea. I wanted to get in my wedding dress and surprise Nate. I was not expecting to fit into it. I did, so that of course mad me very happy. The girls were heaven. Seeing mom all dressed up. They ran and got in the flower girl dresses they had worn for my cousins wedding. When Nate got home, it was perfect. He walked through the door and saw me standing there in my dress. I was not expecting the emotions that suddenly ran through me. I got very emotional. He just stared at me. He said he was not expecting to come home to anything special. And was very caught of guard, in a good way. We ate our dinner in the candle light. It was so incredible. There was a silence as we ate for a bit. It was as if we were all taking in the magnitude of how amazing that exact day was ten years ago. All that it meant then and what has become of it. After dinner I told Nate to stay where he was. I turned on the song we danced to on our wedding night. Faith Hill and Tim McGraws "Its your love". The kids sat so quietly watching. They were memorized. It was so indescribable having us all there. It was so perfect to me. I remember so clearly the night we met, and the day we were married. There is a look in Nates eye that I often see. I saw it when I met him, married him, and still see it today. Its like I can see through him and know he is home to me. Such a great anniversary. We have been through so much together and it seems there is a magnetic force that pulls us to each other. I love him. I loved having the kids with us to celebrate such a special event.

Ten years baby, eternity to go.

Nate did a great job at planning our getaway. He had everything planned as a surprise. I was very impressed. He had everything arranged with his family to watch kids and carpools to be driven. Down to every last detail. Friday morning he told me to pack my bags and pack something warm. I have been wanting to go skiing SO badly. He took me to get skiing at Powder Mountain. Then we went straight to my favorite place. The Alaskan Inn. We got cleaned up and went to dinner at Maddox. We had never been there and he wanted to surprise me and take me somewhere new. It was SO much fun.

In the lobby of the Alaskan Inn.

I really liked this wooden picture because it says that these bird mate for life. So I am being Vanna White.