Goodbye Old Friend

This is what my husband came home with on Tuesday...




It didn't exactly make my day.

Thankfully, above all else - he is okay. The next good thing is that it wasn't his fault. He was rear-ended by a truck on his way home from work.

He took it in yesterday, and the insurance totaled it. No shock there. It's 14 years old, and wasn't a very high end car to begin with. His parents bought it outright for him right after his mission, and in the 10 years (yes, 10 - he's had that car 6 months longer than he's known me) we've put a whopping $500 into it (minus gas and oil changes). It was a great little car - even if the color was rather unfortunate.

We're getting more than half of what they originally paid for it back from the insurance. We haven't figured out what we are going to do yet (we have a few options) but I will keep you posted when we make a decision. I do know one thing for sure though, we are not a one car family-so we'd better figure something out soon.

Eight

Eight years ago today I was here:

With this guy:

 For this:

We were both a little younger, and thinner.  In the years since that day we've been through a lot.  Some good, some not so good, some downright sucky.  But, we've always been together.

Sometimes he drives me crazy, but I couldn't imagine ever loving someone more.

He knows what I need to hear, even when I don't want to hear it.
He knows how to make me feel better when I feel like crying.
He knows how to make me smile, and even more important - he knows how to make me laugh.
He's goofy, and crazy, and aggravating, wonderful all rolled into one.

I know eternity would be a lonely place without him.

I love you Babe!

More Bits & Pieces

Not to jinx myself, but we are on day 3 of strictly underwear (during the day) with no accidents. Obviously we are still using diapers at night, and he still wears a pull-up when we go out, but for the last few days it has stayed dry. I am starting to see a small pinprick of light at the end of this tunnel!

He begged me to let him wear just underwear to church today. I compromised and let him wear them through sacrament meeting, then we went potty and put on a pull-up before he went to primary. He did great. I think sometime this week I may find the courage to let him venture out in just underwear. We'll see if I get brave enough.

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Baby Sister has a CT scan coming up this week. Not super looking forward to this one. I know in theory that there is really nothing to be concerned about with the actual procedure. I just really don't love the idea of having to have her sedated. I'm struggling with that one a little bit.

She also has her first meeting with her "teacher". I'm not sure what else to call her. It isn't really speech therapy that we will be doing, it is more just a program that provides an educator who will come in and help us learn how make the adjustments we need to give Sister her best "hearing" advantages.

This program also includes music classes, playgroups, and other events that allow the kids (all with varying degrees of hearing loss) a chance to interact and socialize. We have a music class this week, but due to the busyness of the week already I'm not sure if I'm going to make it or not. Even so, I'm very excited to be making some progress where her hearing is concerned.

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My husband informed me recently that he hasn't been feeling enough love on my blog. So I am remedying that situation now. He has been busy turning the closet under my stairs into a usable space. The pile of junk that used to occupy it has been organized/tossed and I now have a wonderful pantry with lots of extra storage. My favorite feature is the wall of kid-level hooks and the basket for shoes so that I no longer have to hang up jackets and pick up tossed around sneakers. I really need to take pictures. Thanks Babe! I love it.

He also helped me spring clean the Garage this weekend. It looks fabulous, if I do say so myself.

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Speaking of spring...(this is especially for my Utah readers). We've had a beautiful week here in the great Northwest. We've had at least 2 days that neared (if not reached) 60 degrees, and my boys have been out riding their bikes nearly every afternoon.

Just keep this in mind come June when you are bragging about how great your weather is - and it's raining here. We take it where we can get it.

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I recently started going to the chiropractor. It has taken a lot of courage for me to start going, but my back was hurting to the point that I needed something. My husband has been going multiple times a week for the last year and a half, and it has been working great for him, but anyone who know me very well knows my skittishness around any kind of thing that might be labeled "alternative medicine". I am strictly a doctors and drugs kind of girl.

I have to eat my words a little bit now though, and admit that it is actually working really well. I feel lots better, and I think the adjustments are making a difference. It helps that we have a pretty great chiropractor too.

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And just on a final note, lest Buggy feel left out...I am seeking opinions on 5-year-old boys. I know my son has a tendency to be a bit high strung (he comes about it honestly), but lately it seems like I'm raising a hormonal teenage girl rather than a little boy. He gets upset and starts crying over the silliest things lately. And somehow, he has learned how to pout.

I have have a very, very low tolerance for any form of drama -this is not boding well for him. So, now I just have to ask: Should I be worried, or is this normal/just a stage/hopefully going to pass very soon? Help me out - I'm kind of starting to be concerned here (and my unfeeling -his word, not mine - husband, is not).

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Well that is about all from me for now. Until next time...

Another Reason Why I Love My Husband

He's Handy.

**Okay, yes - the pictures kind of stink. I also don't have any "before" pictures, of what a huge disorganized mess this closet was. Just rest assured that this is a massively huge improvement over the standard issue single shelf wire rack thingy that was housed in this closet before.

Lucky Number 7

Our 7th anniversary passed while I was in Utah. We had been looking forward going on a date that night before I had to leave, and funny enough - when the actual day came, neither of us remembered until late in the afternoon. Therefore, it only stands to reason that (of course) I am late in blogging about it too. Oh, well - I was actually late last year too. Isn't it too bad, how my good intentions always go awry.

In honor of the occasion, I thought I'd pull out the wedding photo archives and share some. Enjoy!

Belated Birthdays (Part 2)

My husband's birthday was on the 21st of May. He believes that after the age of 10, birthdays are no big deal anymore. Even so, we got him a cake and a couple of presents and celebrated a little bit.

He is a wonderful husband, and a fantastic dad, and I love him even more now than when I married him (cliche, I know - but its true). I am very grateful that he works so hard for us so that I can be home with our kids. It means a lot to me.

Happy birthday Babe, you're the greatest!

One of the Many Reasons I Love Him

Tonight was one of those nights. You know the ones, I'm sure you've all had them too. I just needed some alone time that I could be productive (ie: fold laundry and finish my card projects uninterrupted).

Even though my husband had a long day at work too, and probably would have gladly spent the evening vegging on the couch, he offered-without me having to ask-to let the boys jump on him for an hour so that I could finish what I didn't get done earlier.

It wasn't much, but it made a big impression on me at the moment. Thanks Babe!

Eventful Weekend

My husband got a job promotion on Friday. It is long overdue, and not much changes - he just has the title to match the work that he has been doing for a year now. It also comes with a pretty nice pay raise, though of course, as is usual with all pay raises, it will go much more quickly than I would like it too. Even so, it is a huge blessing.
He also got a new calling at church. He is now the secretary in the elder's quorum. He was a teacher there before and really enjoyed that, but he is looking forward this new assignment.

Six Years and a Day

I'm a day late with this. I had good intentions to get this posted yesterday, but the day, as usual, got away from me. Yesterday was our anniversary. Six years. Sometimes it seems like it just happened and we are still newlyweds and sometimes it seems like we have always been this way.
My husband and I met while going to school at Utah State. I was a freshman and he had just returned from a church mission in Germany. We were both in the marching band (I know, terribly romantic), he played trombone, and I was on the Drumline. One of his friends was dating one of mine, and we both got dragged along to the same party one night and ended up sitting next to each other while playing games. He tried to be smooth and was totally hitting on me, it was pretty funny actually, but for some reason he had charmed me. The rest is history. Our first date was the next day, and we've pretty much been together ever since.
We got engaged three months later, and we were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 18th, 2002. (us, and like 85 other couples) We had our reception the next day, in my parents backyard. Today is actually the anniversary of our reception (so I guess I am not too late). After a very short honeymoon at a bed-and-breakfast, we moved back to Utah State to finish school.

The next six years have been defined with many more major life changes. While in school we moved twice, and both went to school year-round for 3 years. We had Buggy, and we both graduated when he was 10 months old. We went on our first family vacation to Disneyland too. We've moved another 3 times since then, one of them was a 1000 mile "big move". We've had another kid (Beefy) and we've lost a little girl too. My husband got his dream job and I got to adjust to being a stay at home mom. We've bought a house, two new cars and even a little bit of furniture. And we've got to have lots of adventures, and met lots of really great people along the way. (Hurray for that)
Neither of us are as thin or as young as we used to be, but that's okay. I guess the most I could ask for is an eternity's worth of more great years to come. I love you babe!

Fun with Daddy

So here is what I get for sending my (three) boys out do some yard work. I guess wheelbarrow races are much more fun than gardening. Silly Boys!

Happy (Late) Birthday

My husband's birthday was this last week. He turned 28 (but I can still call him old, as he is older than me). I actually wanted to make this post last Wednesday, on his actual birthday, but it turned into a really crazy day in a really, really crazy week. So, here I am, four days late, posting birthday wishes for him. He is an awesome husband, and I couldn't ask for a better Dad for my boys. And crazily enough he really enjoys reading my blog, even without me telling him to. Happy belated birthday Babe. I love you.