More Changes

Once again I am reminded this week how much has changed in our lives since Jed left on his deployment. 

This week, the changes had to do with Aubrey and Connor.

"See" for yourselves:

Yep, glasses for both kids (this has NOT been a cheap year for medical, dental, and eye issues.)  Connor had been hounding me for over a month to make an eye appointment, complaining constantly about not being able to see.  Lo and behold, he was right, his eyesight is pretty bad.  Aubrey's is better but still needed glasses too.

Rigdon wanted in on the pictures too.

Hitting a Milestone

This week calls for a little bit of celebration for our family. 

We have hit an important milestone.

We have finally crossed the halfway point in Jed's Iraq deployment! 

WOOOOO   HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Only six more months to go, people!

I also wanted to share a quote that I recently found:War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.                      --John Stewart Mill--

Happy Birthday!

Today is this person's birthday.  Any guesses as to who it is?

Yep, it's little 'ole me!

This morning I was woken by my little two year old who climbed into my bed, kissed me with his tiny little lips, and in the sweetest little voice said "Happy birday." It was the best way my day could've started.  A few moments later, the rest of my kids bombarded me with hugs, kisses, and singing happy birthday.

When I checked my email, Jed had already sent me a message:

Hey best wife ever,

Today marks the day when the most important person in my life came to earth to brighten up the world. Happy birthday! I just wanted to write you a wonderful little message telling you some of the things that I love about you.

1. your love for me
2. Your patience with me
3. You make me want to be better through loving encouragement
4. Your laugh
5. The wonderful children that you have given us
6. your happiness
7. your support
8. your responsibility
9. your hard working attitude
10. the wonderful smile you have
11. your forgiveness
12. your loving touch
13. xxxx - this one's for my eyes only ;)
14. xxxx - this one too.  *giggle, giggle*   :)
15. how excited you get over some things i.e. Twilight, horses, zumba, etc
16. your desire to improve
17. I love your voice
18. your talents
19. your hard work
20. your testimony
21. the fact that I am better because I know you
22. the wonderful mother you are
23. your wisdom
24. your cheerfulness
25. the way you eat cereal
26. i love watching Jane Austin stuff with you
27. your spunkiness
28. and many many other things to include your picking and the little things that only I know about. You are awesome!

You are the most wonderful person that I know. I love you and wish that I could be with you on this wonderful little day. Once again, happy birthday and remember that I am thinking of you all day today.

Love, Jed

How lucky am I to have a man who loves and appreciates me so much! Thanks, sweetie.
 
Here are a few more pictures of me through the years:

Me with my brothers and sisters.  I'm the one with the funny look on my face.  I'm guessing I didn't like the photographer or something.

My first paying job: Delivering newspapers when I was eight years old.  As I got older, I would use my horse, Rosie, to get me around on my delivery route everyday after school.

Me and my friends would have yearly campouts, even when the weather wasn't very cooperative.

We played a lot of games, but the shaving cream ones were hilarious.

We washed our hair in the creek:
From left: me, Jenni, Linda, and Cara

My closest friends all through junior high and high school:

Senior year portrait.

High School Graduation:


I was off to college two weeks after I graduated.  I loved my college years, I had so many fun and crazy times with my roommates.  

Me, Krystal, Marci, and Jaycie.

I had a lot of guy friends that I loved hanging out with too.

Somehow, Ken and I, here, ended up in a marker fight.  Looks like he won.

In the end, it was Jed who won my heart and with whom I eventually married. (Yes, ladies and gentleman, my husband did have hair once upon a time.)

As far as life changing events go, nothing compares to giving birth to our children.

Life has never been the same since.


All in all, I've had a good life and am very grateful for every experience I've ever had.  It's made me who I am today and it will continue to shape my future as well.

Thanks for all of the birthday wishes, everyone!  You've all made me feel very loved.  :)


PS: I still love riding horses.

Me and my Thoroughbred, Buddy, on an autumn ride in the mountains.

Springtime Walk

What a beautiful Sunday we've had today.  This week it's been in the 40's and today it hit 50 degrees!  Woo hoo!  Partay!    It feels so warm and the snow is gone.  Now that's definitely a reason to celebrate!

So we decided to go on a our first family walk of the year.

The boys wanted to explore the empty canals and bridges that were on our way.  My only stipulation was they were not to get muddy.

Aubrey stayed with our dog.

So what happened here?

Ronin tried to climb out of the canal in a difficult spot, slid down and fell backwards right into the muddy puddles and rocks.  Poor kid, he had muddy slush all over his backside.


Smile everyone!  (Ronin still wasn't in the mood here.)

But as soon as I mentioned that maybe someone needed a big hug, Ronin couldn't make himself pout any longer. 

Ready For Spring

By show of hands, who is ready for SpRiNg?  Ah, good, I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Just when the melting snow was almost completely gone and we could actually see our nice brown lawn, another snowstorm hits us.  This is the cycle that has kept repeating itself over and over this last week or two. 

Rigdon decided he wasn't going to wait around for spring any longer and pulled out his summertime toys.   Perhaps I shouldn't be holding my breath either.

I'm glad someone is enjoying themselves in this weather.  I am soooo ready for spring!

I'm pretty sure even our dog is ready for warmer weather.

Visitors always makes this guy happy!

My other boys are looking forward to NOT having to shovel the sidewalk.

Bring on the warm weather!