Happy 4th Birthday Zander!

Dear Zander,

A few days ago you turned 4 years old! I can't believe my little baby is really 4!!! Looking back upon your 3rd year brings much happiness and also much wonder as to how we all survived! You have more personality then any other 3 year old I have ever seen. I am quoting Niel, "The holy terror or the great joy!"

I love you to pieces and feel incredibly blessed to have you in my life. There have been many "I love you mom!" 's when my day has been so difficult and there you were with your happy smile and big hugs and kisses. I love how you can make people happy just by walking into the room. You speak exceptionally well for your age. This is a good thing for the most part because you can express your feelings for us all to understand. I also find it very interesting how you can play with kids your age, but also jump right in with others older then you. Maybe you just had to learn that since your brothers are so much bigger then you. They sure are tough on you at times, but you seem to hold your own. They better watch out though.... I see your little muscles and they are going to be big muscles soon enough. It won't be long before you are as tall and big as Conner.

I love you Zander! I love your little spirit!! I love the positiveness you have!! I love that you are my son!!! I look forward to many more years and many great happy memories with you.

Love,

Mom

Our first 5K in 2008

There are moments in a mother's life when she is so proud of her children. I had one of those moments with Conner. Since I met Niel, we have been running here and there. It is a great way to stay in shape! This year, Conner decided he wanted to give it a try. We all registered for the Utah Valley University 5K. Conner, Niel and I have been kind of training to get ready, but mostly this was a challenge to encourage us to get going so we could be in shape to run at least one a month this coming summer. For Conner, this was his first 5K ever. I was overjoyed he wanted to do with us. Conner was very nervous but very determined. He wanted to finish under 30 minutes, which would be an excellent time for someone running their first one.
The gun went off and off our feet carried us. Niel is a fast runner so he got a head of us pretty quickly. We hadn't even gotten into the race a mile and I was out of breath. Conner wanted to keep going though. So, I slowed down and he kept chugging along. Niel crossed the finish line coming in about 25 minutes. Conner crossed the finish line at about 29 minutes.... kicking my butt as I crossed at 33 minutes. I guess I am not as good as I once was...laugh!
I was so proud of him for setting his mind to something and completing it. He is a very determined young man. He was very tired and sore when the race was over. But I am very impressed with his strong will and hard work. Good job Conner! Way to go!!!!

Different Drug Problem

The following letter was posted on my managers cube at work. I enjoyed it and thought I would post it.

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, "why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?"
I replied, I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad's fields. I was drug to the homes of family, friends and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood, and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, or think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.
God bless the parents who drugged us.

Hero for the Day!

It was one of those days.... you know, when nothing is going right! It had been a crazy morning at home. I had gotten to work at 7:30 only to have five phone messages and several emails just awaiting a response. I knew right away it was going to be a long day. End of quarter always makes for a busy day.... filled with much stress and anxiety. For one reason or another, I was really feeling the stress of life and sitting at my desk, staring at my computer, I could feel my anxiety catching up to me.... and getting the best of me. I couldn't wait for lunch time! It was going to be great to take a break, leave the office, and enjoy the beautiful weather outside. Noon time came around and I practically ran outside. I jumped into my car and began to drive. I hadn't gotten very far at all when a guy started honking his horn and waving his arms. He was trying to get my attention. It was then I read his lips, "YOUR BACK TIRE IS FLAT!" Ugh!
I pulled over to the side of the road, and sure enough, the tire was extremely flat. It was very apparent it had been flat for a while, probably from the night before, and I had driven over 25 miles with a flat tire, causing the tire to be completely worn. I knew I wouldn't get far and I also knew I would have to go back to work because as my day would have it, I had left my cell phone at home.
I went back to work. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do. I am not the greatest tire changer, especially on an SUV. I knew a few basics, but I also knew I would need some help. I looked over my cube and saw Rick was sitting as his desk. Rick is my brother-in-law, Brooke's husband. I knew he would probably help me. Sure enough, when I asked for his help, he didn't even hesitate.
Once we got to my Trailblazer we began to search around for all the tire changing parts. As was my day was going I shouldn't have been surprise that I was missing the lug wrench. We also realized the spare tire was stuck underneath the car and would not come ajar. Rick had all ready cut his finger trying to get the jack out and was bleeding some. We were attracting some attention and found Devon, a girl I work with who had a similar car as mine. She was super nice and said we could use her lug wrench and her spare tire. WOW! So, Rick went right to work. Moving tires here and there, fixing things. After a long battle, he figured out how to get my spare unhooked from underneath... this of course was after we had all ready gotten Devon's tire off her car. So, he put that one back on her car and attempt to fix mine. He took off the hub cap and we found another issue. The lug wrench was too big to take off the tire lug nuts. We asked a few other people if they had a lug wrench we could borrow, but alas, none of them fit. By this time we had picked up another friendly helper, a Systems Engineer by the name of Dave. He barely knows me, yet he stopped to help. We decided to go buy the lug wrench at a dealership close by. Both guys had been working hard.... laying down on the dirty ground and had becomne VERY dirty. That didn't bother them, they were on a mission.... to fix my tire.
Of course when we got to the dealership, they didn't have the part, so we had to drive another 20 miles or so to the other dealership. Thankfully the second dealership had the part and we were headed back to the very flat tire. It was a piece of cake from there. The spare tire got put on, the flat one got taken off. It only took a little over 2 hours and I was back in business.
As I think back now, I wonder what would have happened had I been alone or not had Rick there with me. He had plenty of work to return to when we were all done, but not once did he ever complain. Not once did he want to give up!! And not once did he even get frustrated. Even though I am sure he would have loved to go home, take a shower and relax, he had to go back inside the building to finish up his work. He kept his cool and even better.... he kept me from losing it! I am so grateful for his help! What a hero!!

Craft Project

With the busy lives that Niel and I lead, there isn't much time for crafts these days. I remember in my younger days I spent too much time decorating the house. I found great enjoyment is my latest project. Not only was it fun but I bought everything on sale or clearance, which made the project even more fun. I found the wooden hanger piece on the clearance shelf at Ross. It was busted up some. I love sandpaper for these kinds of things. The frames were purchased at Roberts when they had their 40% off sale on unfinished woods products. I don't have tons of extra time, so this project took a while to finish. It was all worth it though. The end product turned out pretty good I think. Niel got the hardest part of all hanging the thing. He was so great to measure things out and make sure it was centered just perfect on the wall. He faced death as he scaled the banister. Check out the picture below.... what a brave man! My stomach was tied in knots as I watched him move back and forth handing him hammers, drills and nails. What a good man to please his ever so picky wife....laugh!
The craft itself looks good but what makes the entire wall hanging are the beautiful faces in those frames. I am reminded every day of the five little, sometimes crazy, burst of sunshine in our lives.

Happy Anniversary!

Dear Niel,

I remember our first date, our first kiss, our very first "I love you's." I remember how natural it felt to start out together, how comfortable we were despite all the crazy stuff that was happening around us. I loved getting to know you, enjoying you, and wondering where it would all lead.... and thinking about you all the time, knowing that I never, ever wanted to be without you! I guess that is the way life is. You're going along doing your everyday things, and out of the blue, life surprises you with something amazing... something you had no idea how much you wanted it to happen. Falling in love with you was something I hadn't expected, but being in love with you is something I couldn't stop... even if I tried.

I remember the day we got married. I never thought I could love you more than I did that day, but I was wrong. I keep discovering new reasons for loving you. You do so many things to make me happy, things you may not think I notice.... but I do. I can think of so many yesterdays made wonderful by your sharing, caring ways, and those memories make me look forward to our future.... for the longer we are together, the more our happiness grows.

We have been together for two years now. We've laughed and cried and seen each other through our best and worst and everything in between. Today, when I look at you, I feel even more in love with you then I ever have before. We have a life together, full of shared memories that keep us close. You are so much a part of me and a part of my happiness that it's impossible to imagine what life would have been like without you. You are my partner, my love, and my best friend.

We may be celebrating our anniversary today, but I feel my love for you every day of every year. When I think of you, my heart smiles. I feel our love in our small and simple pleasures and in the friendship and respect we share. I feel our love in the joy of knowing that we belong together. Some days I just look at you and I wish I had words beyond "I love you" ... words to show how much I cherish all the ways you've made my life so full. Yes, I know we are beyond the need for fancy words... but sometimes I am at a loss of words.
I wish I could tell you all the joy you make me feel, but that would take a lifelong love letter. You're my forever love, my forever friend... and I'm forever grateful you are mine. I love you babe!

Cowboy hat - $79.00
National Finals Rodeo Trip - $424.00
A Happy, Sexy Husband...... PRICELESS!!!