Favorite things Swap!

I was so excited to participate in Lichelle's favorite things swap, because who doesn't love getting things in the mail. Lichelle matched us up with other friends to send a package of our favorite things to. I especially liked this after receiving some pretty lame gifts from my husband. It was so nice to get a well thought out gift from another girl.
I received my package from Jill Kirk. She sent me a way cute yellow bag, A chocolate bar, Lotion and a fabulous paper wallet she made with stampin' up stamps. I am so glad that your favorite things are also things I love. Thanks, Jill, I look forward to using everything and the candy bar was gone pretty fast.

I sent a package to one of my very best friends Maggie. I sent:
BOHNAZA(aka The Bean Game). Playing games especially with my family is one of my all time favorite things to do. A lot of my favorite memories in life involve playing games. This game was introduced to us by the Grunigs during a trip to Bear Lake, it's been a favorite ever since.

Swedish Fish, because I love candy. I felt lame sending Swedish fish because so many people have already sent it but, it truly is my favorite candy, there isn't even a close second.

These cute Tags. I thought they would be great for scrapbooking or card making or tied to a gift(all things I love).

Thanks Lichelle for organizing everything. I had a lot of fun.

Happy Birthday Jared!

Okay, I told you I was going to save the mushy stuff for Jareds birthday. I just feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be married to Jared. I knew he was a talented amazing person back in High School, but since then I have found his talents included so much more than a great personality and singing voice. Some of my favorite things about Jared are:
- His relationships with those around him are the most important thing to him. He understands the importance of maintaining a relationship and does all he can to do so. There isn't anything he wouldn't do for family or a friend.
- He has an amazing memory he can read or hear some weird fact and will remember it forever. He needs to go on a game show or something. The funny thing is, most of it is useless facts. I love it when people want to know more about something and will call him to get the 411 on almost any topic. I've caught him a few times over the last couple weeks reading wikipedia in his spare time now that school is done.
-He loves to think of solutions to the worlds problems. He'll stay up at night thinking about transportation in Utah and what routes UTA should use. If he wasn't in education he should be a developer he has so many great ideas. It makes me laugh the things he is thinking of while I'm only thinking about how not to go insane.
- He such a good husband and dad. I can honestly say he has changed almost as many diapers as I have. When he is home he does all he can to take motherly burdens off me. He gives me tons of alone time and doesn't complain when I give him chores around the house. I couldn't do anything I do without the amazing support and help from him.
Well I am running out of time and will have to save the rest for Fathers Day or something. I love you Baby and Happy Birthday.

A Telling Tag

This tag comes from my cuter than cute friend Melanie.

A- Attached or single: Attached

B- Best Friends:Jared and my sisters.

C-Cake or Pie:Cake especially Rum.

D- Day of Choice: Friday or Saturday.

E- Essential Item: mascara, the last time I went on a pioneer trek I cheated and brought some. I look like a man without it.

F-Favorite Color:Changes but blue is the most constant.

G- Gummy Bears or Worms: Does it matter, they are both candy right? I'll eat anything gummy.

H- Hometown: Salt Lake, Utah. Rose Park.

I- Indulgence(s): Candy! and more Candy!

J- January or July: July, I love parades, picnics, fireworks and being with family. There seems to be alot of that in July.

K-Kids: Grayson, Lydia, and Kate.

L-Life is incomplete without: Jared and my family (my kids and my siblings).

M- Marriage Date: May 5th, 2001

N- Number of Siblings: 3 brothers, 2 sisters, and 2 brother-in-laws and 1 sister-in-law

O-Oranges or Apples:Oranges to eat plain, Apples to cook with.

P- Phobias or Fears: Me messing my kids up for life. It's probably to late.

Q- Quote(s): "My life is a dream come true." -I don't know.

R- Reason To Smile: Jared being done with school, being able to play all summer, Seeing Tami and Fam. soon, playing games with my family. Staying in touch with friends, Everything my kids do.

S-Season: Spring, but not this one.

T- Tag Six: Anyone.

U- Unknown Fact About Me: I'm a secret fan of The Hills.

V- Veggies or Fruit:Definitely veggies. I love them all and try to get all my servings everyday. I don't eat a lot of fruit. I'll save my sugar for more candy.

W- Worst Habit: slouching and giving people to much information.

X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds... this is a weird question.

Y- Your Favorite Food: King crab legs, steak and lots of veggies.

Z-Zodiac- Gemini.

Jared and I celebrated our 7th anniversary on Monday. I really can't believe it's only been 7 years. I only say this because we have know each other for so much longer. This fall I'll reach a mark where I've known Jared for more years than I didn't know him.
We had so much fun celebrating on Monday. We had a lovely picnic at the park with our kids for lunch. Then we got a sitter so we could enjoy the rest of the day together. We had a couples message. It was the first time for both of us and we thought it was pretty spectacular. After that we saw a movie (Iron Man, Jared's choice of course, but it was good) and went to dinner. Sorry no pictures, you'll just have to enjoy this one from our wedding announcements.
I'll spare you all the mushy stuff about what a great guy Jared is until next week on his birthday.

CONGRATULATIONS JARED!

Hooray, Yippee, Hallelujah Jared is done! We are all so proud of Jared. It was no easy task doing his Masters while teaching full time. We appreciate all your sacrifices to get your degree. You are amazing and we look forward to spending lost more time with you especially this summer. It will be so nice to finally be able to take advantage of the only benefits of being a teacher.
For those of you wondering what's next. Jared was going to be an administrator at West next year and while they were working out the details the district changed its policy. You now have to teach for five years before becoming an administrator. So, hopefully next year he can move on. As for now Jared will continue teaching TV tech, IB Film and TV West. I think it will be nice for him to have a year where he can just focus on being a teacher and not a student.

This last picture is from the High School Film Festival. At the end, all his students decided to give Jared a big hug, he's in the middle of the crowd. After being frustrated with some issues at the Festival, Jared said, " I don't care about the festival and wouldn't mind not doing it, but I know how much my students love it, I do it for them." I was glad you see his students recognize that everything he does is for them. I am just so glad Jared has the opportunity to do something he loves and finds fulfilling.

P.S. Congrats to Dan, Tyler, Heather, and anyone else graduating this year.

It's finally feeling like spring!

My favorite part of spring is enjoying my mom's amazing garden and flowers. We were thrilled when we pulled up Sunday to find everything in full bloom. Happy Spring Everyone!

Things that made me laugh.

I love how people share stories of there child crawling up to them and saying "I love you, mommy." I get a lot of these moments, almost every morning. The other day though, Lydia was was laying in bed with me trying to wake me up as usual. She started stroking my check and arm and then says, "Mom, when you die I will bless you." What? I don't know where this came from, but I do wish you could hear her Little voice. So I said, "Do you want me to die." She responded, "No, but when you do , I will bless you." Okay, thanks, I guess.

Last night Jared was playing with the kids and some how ended up hitting them with a pillow while they lied on the bed. They thought it was hilarious and couldn't stop laughing. Jared turns to me and says, "This is very therapeutic". I have to admit I wanted to grab a pillow and have a go. Did I mention Lydia is driving me crazy lately.

This picture of Jared digging out the truck in Schuster Creek. Why do men always have to go too far? I was wearing Birkenstocks and told him I wouldn't push or dig if we got stuck. The best part was Grayson inspecting everything and then saying, "I figured out the problem, we are stuck." He is so smart and we are so proud.

Lets Go Fly A Kite.

So, I thought I would be this great mom and take my kids to fly kites last week. My Dad has seriously like 20 kites. I grabbed three kites thinking I would easily be able to get all three in the air. Turns out they were a little harder to put together than I planned (having three kids crying the whole time doesn't help much). I was only able to put one together and it took me close to an hour.
I don't recommend flying kites with three small kids. Lets just say there was a whole lotta yelling and running. I tried to have Grayson throw the kite in the air while I held the string. That didn't work well cause he kept getting the tail tangled around his body. We switched after a while and had Grayson hold the string while I threw the kite in the air. After throwing it up I would have to run as fast as I could to where he was standing to grab the strings. Finally we got it up. The wind was really crazy though by this time and the kite kept doing nose dives. I think the other people at the park got a big kick out of the show we were giving. Hopefully we can give it another go with Dad or PaPa in a few weeks.

My return to USU

Last weekend we all headed up to USU for Jon's inauguration as Education Senator. After the program Jared had to go back home, but offered to take the kids so I could stay and hang out with Jon, Shelly and Chad. It was really weird to be back on campus and in a college atmosphere again. It was even weirder to be there without my kids. Later that night we went back to Jon's house for a party and I was feeling young and free until Jon started introducing me as his sister, who is like thirty. I couldn't believe he was telling people this. I am so not thirty and who cares. I will just pretend he was telling people this so that his friends wouldn't hit on me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JON AND CHAD!

Jon and Chad share the same birthday. I made Chad's cake for our little family celebration on Sunday. I wanted to do something special for him, so I made a BYU cake. Chad is really passionate about BYU football. Jared was bugged that I would make a BYU cake and asked me to make the A in CHAD an Aggie A. I thought that was rude and kind of against the whole point of the cake, so instead I put stars around the sides of the cake and hid little A's inside each star.
We love both of you and can't imagine our family without you.