Happy Birthday to Husband!

I have to say birthdays are more fun when you are actually WITH your spouse, but as Craig is working today and my mind has been flooded all morning with the memories I have of him I thought I'd do a count down of 10 of the moments when I knew he was the real deal (I'd say fell in love, but it just sounds so cliche). 

The following is more for posterity then anything, feel free to skip as needed. 

10. For those who know us well, a couple of these will be old news but I think the first moment when I knew that Craig was different was actually the moment we broke up...what?! Yea, I know but it was. We were both super irritated with each other, we were both moving away in opposite directions, and without going into detail we'd had a lot of fun together but it wasn't working out. I called Craig and asked if we could talk and I remember he said, "uh oh, is this bad?" on the phone, but then volunteered to come pick me up which I thought was really sweet. The inevitable came out, he said yea he wasn't feeling it either but he was so nice and respectful and just plain cool, that even as I was telling him I thought we'd both do better with other people I have to say I was impressed! Then as we got to my apartment and I was about to leave he said something to the effect of, "So yea, we'll both see other people. Let's for sure stay friends and...you want to go grab some ice cream real quick before you go?" haha I was so shocked, I thought "this boy is crazy I just broke up with him, and he wants to buy me ice cream?!" but I have to say I was totally intrigued and even after I went in the house I remember thinking he really was such a quality guy. He wasn't petty and prideful like most guys are when you say it's not working out. He didn't get mad, he was just himself all the time, in every situation I'd ever seen him. I LOVE that about my man the most I think. 

9. Family. Craig is very family and community oriented, and I love it. The first time he took me to meet his family was when he asked me to be his girlfriend. We went on a four-wheeler ride, where he decided to spontaneously chase a bunch of deer lol and then hiked up to a cave that I guess he and his buddies had found Indian pottery and some other things in when he was young. We sat and talked and he told me about his family and about how he'd had sleepovers with the guys up there when he was young. He told me a lot of stories from his childhood. He showed me some really old broken pieces of pottery they'd found and left up there and we mostly just laughed and goofed off, but I remember feeling really impressed with how important his family's legacy was and how much he loved them. It was a fun place to watch the sunset and he kissed me for the second time up there, teasing me afterwards that he just didn't think that telling his family I was just his good friend Dorothy was going to cut it after that, and asking me if I could think of a better title. ;)

8. Craig will try just about anything. I love it! He totally thought I was crazy when I asked him to go sky diving with me, and it did take some persuading but once he made up his mind to go I think he was less nervous then I was. Craig will try any type of dancing just about, any sport, any game, he'll eat anything once, and he somehow does it all without worrying about looking silly, or not knowing how. I wish I was more like that, I get nervous often and easily, and there are a lot of things I think would be fun secretly but chicken out on.

7. Another funny moment I was remembering this morning was from our first kiss. Don't worry, I won't go into any details, but we'd been going out for a few months and it was this kind of serious, sappy moment and then he kisses me and suddenly bursts out with, "Oh my gosh, I thought you'd kiss like a homer!" It was so anticlimactic that I couldn't stop laughing and kind of sputtered, "what?!" He seemed so genuinely shocked, "well you were home schooled as a child, I was fully prepared for you to be a horrible kisser!" Totally. Killed. The moment. I just remember laughing so hard and asking him if they taught lessons in public school that I didn't know about. 

6. We had known each other for a long time but he was working pretty far away and we'd decided we would both date other people since long distance relationships always seem to get so sticky. I'd actually gone out with a different guy that night and he'd turned out to be a jerk in the worst way and I remember getting home that night really shaken and just upset. Craig called RIGHT as I got in the door and I hadn't really had time to pull myself together yet and must have given it away in my voice because he immediately asked what was wrong. Normally I would NOT have told anyone, much less someone I liked, but the story came out and he was pretty furious. I think the thing that impressed me most though, wasn't just that he was mad and concerned, it would have made most men angry. I was more impressed that he didn't yell or scream, he said everything he could think of to make me feel better he told me over and over again that he'd be happy to get in his car right then and there and drive 3 and a half hours to be with me, he wanted to call every guy and person he knew within several miles and have them come over and make sure I was fine etc. It was one of the many many times I have been grateful to be with a man who isn't a hot head or a fly-off-the-handle kind of guy, but a very kind, logical, sincere person. 

5. Summer concert dates. Nuff said. :)

4.  Every year Craig goes hunting. Not my thing, but very fun for him, especially if he gets to go with his Dad and brother. Some of my favorite dates however are because of hunting (I'll explain). Every year that he goes on a hunting trip with his family, he comes home and takes me on a special date to the symphony. It's kind of a you get to do what you like to do, and then I get to do what I like to do, arrangement and I LOVE it! The symphony wasn't his favorite thing at first (well it still isn't his FAVORITE thing) but after a few times he has started to really enjoy it and it is something I look forward to every year in anticipation.

3. Somewhere along our dating life I told him my favorite flowers by far were wild ones. He took me on the COOLEST hike after that in the mountains and collected a bouquet along the way for me with some BEAUTIFUL wild flowers! We saw more varieties then I've ever seen since on one hike. Apart from being frustrated that I hadn't brought a wild flower book with me to look them all up, it was definitely one of my favorite dates!

2. When I was about 16, I was browsing over my Mothers library of books and came across Gene R. Cook's book, "Raising Up a Family to the Lord". I was bored so I sat down and started looking through it and within a few days, I'd read the whole thing. I Love it. It goes along with so many things I wanted in my family then, and so many things I want in my family now. I told myself then and there that any guy who wanted to marry me would have to read that book. When I told Craig about it he said ok but I could tell he was skeptical. At the time he didn't know he liked reading (he now reads more then I do), and so the idea of reading a random book about parenting was probably super strange to him, but he said ok, and took the book home with him. It took him a year to finish but he would read chapters when he got a chance and then on our next date we'd talk about different things in it. I think it was awesome for us and holds some of my favorite memories because it opened up all kinds of goals that HE had for his future family and before we got married we had thoroughly discussed kids, discipline, all kinds of religious and church topics, money, budgeting and everything finance, and a whole lot of other things like personal goals and dreams that we had. We always joke that the reason we don't argue now is because we got it all out of our system before we were married, but honestly I am so grateful that we had so many discussions and am glad I married someone who wants to learn new things and is teachable. Really, being humble and teachable alone is what success in marriage is all about to me. And now I have a life time to learn to do it better! 

1. Number one is a toss up between the moment I knew I was in love with Craig and the moment I knew he was in love with me. I'll save his moment for another time.

 My moment was very simple. I hadn't seen him for about 6 months after we broke up the first time and moved our separate ways and a friend of mine, knowing I had dated a guy from Tooele asked if I would text him and see if he had someone's number, who was also from Tooele. I kind of hesitated cause we hadn't had any contact at all since we split but I went ahead and did it. He text back with the number and then said he was going to be in SLC in a few days and asked if he could stop by (I later found out that was a lie). I swear that he walked in my door a different person then the one I had known before, there was something so different about him, that I couldn't put my finger on. I remember we hadn't made plans and not knowing exactly when he was coming I was walking out the door to go get the oil changed on my car right as he was coming up. He volunteered to take me, so we dropped my car off and then he bought me an ice cream cone at a little shop across the street.  I remember just sitting there across the booth from him, sitting in a weird position with my feet up on the seat like I do when I'm really comfortable, goofing off like we'd never been apart and suddenly having this weird feeling come over me. I'm honestly not a twitter-pated kind of girl but I couldn't stop staring at him and I kept wondering what on earth was so different about him. I was so at ease with him, it was like I was hanging out with my best friend, seriously, not like hanging out with an ex. I mean it should have been so awkward, right?! Anyways, that did it for me, I was pretty crazy about him from then on out. And.....the rest is history...a long history, about how it took me another year and a half to ACTUALLY stop hyperventilating long enough to "take the plunge into matrimony", but a good history nonetheless. ;)

Happy Birthday, babe. I sure think you're great!

Texas

Well, the husband doesn't come home till late tonight, and the lil monkey is in bed so I guess I am out of excuses for not blogging the latest. We had a really fun trip. I keep telling people that AND I mean it, and yet I do have some  regrets about it. I've kind of been stewing over it all day. It was the first trip I've ever taken like that with my daughter and husband and although in a lot of ways it was AWESOME because of it, a little part of me missed going to see my oldest sister Amber, as the "little" sister. It was a REALLY fun vacation, but with busy summer schedules, and a very UN travel savy daughter, I wish I'd gotten a little more heart to heart with my sister, (I think we had a total of 0 minutes of alone time) and I REALLY did miss being the best aunt ever to my nieces and nephews. There are 6 of them, and I love every single one! And yet the only play time I think I had with them this trip was the last day when Grace FINALLY got a decent nap! Not only that but I felt like I was constantly trying to be the barrier between my overly emotional, I just want to go home daughter, and her cousins who just wanted to play! I suppose this is what growing up and having your own family is like? I kind of struggled with it. We pulled out of their driveway to fly home and I just kept thinking, "something is missing, something isn't right. I can't leave yet!" I guess grown up life is just a little...bitter-sweet?

Focusing on the positive now. I DID get to listen to the big boys explain all of their rocks and shells and treasures to me, I DID get to talk lizards with Sammy, I did get more play time with the all too grown up Brigham than I've ever had, and Alena and I DID have a couple tea parties, even if they were rather brief. I also got to hold and cuddle Ms. Sennia who is Grace's closest cousin in age. She is the SWEETEST, happiest, SUNNIEST baby! Seriously, pictures to come! They actually had a lot of fun playing together the last day we were there and Grace still asks about "Sennya?!" all the time! I also got to introduce Craig to some of my Mom's family, and some of my Dad's family, (LOVED the time I got to spend with both!!) although we missed TOO MANY OF THEM! Oh well, I guess we'll have to go back. ;)

Ok, now the picture dump. Are you ready for this?!?!

Our First stop was the Stechers place, so by way of introduction...

This is my wonderful brother-in-law Matt and my sister Amber. 

From back to front to back is Brigham, Sammy, Alena, Eli and Luke.

And lastly but never leastly, Ms. Sennia and of course Ms. Grace. SO funny to watch together!

The first Monday we were there was Memorial day. We celebrated with a BBQ and lots of swimming. It was really fun! Grace very slowly got used to the water, but I think her favorite part was the Blue Bell Ice Cream bar she devoured...

I really did try and narrow them down but they're just too great!

Now for the actual swimming part,

She is probably wishing that ball was another ice cream bar, I'm telling you they were THAT good!

And speaking of ice cream we got to tour one of the Blue Bell factories while we were there. For those of you who don't know, it's the best ice cream ever...

 We got to tour the factory and see some of it being made, as well as get a little history of the company's origin. The saddest part was that it's only in 22 states. Craig's last wish 20 minutes before we left was to have one last bowl of Blue Bell before we left. He's definitely hooked.

Brazos Park

One of the days everyone was busy, so Craig and I decided to take off and go explore one of the state parks in the area. I am SO glad we did! It was REALLY hot and SO humid, but we saw some awesome wild life in it's natural habitat. You know, like this guy...

They are so still that we didn't notice this alligator until we were right up on it. I think we both jumped when we saw him. Also I think my imagination got away with me cause in my head I thought he was like 4 feet away from us but looking at the pictures I am realizing it was more like this...

But still...haha We were walking out onto the peer when we saw him and Craig and I both realized at the same time that if this guy DID decide to come sunbath on the peer we would have been stuck there for a very long time, as there was only one way in and out and he was right by the path. I think we would have been ok though cause Craig said our escape plan was, "you grab Grace out of the stroller and I will quickly close it up and start whapping him on the head with it." haha Ok enough silliness, we saw some cool wildlife!

There was this tower that you could climb up and look over the river and marshlands. It was REALLY beautiful up there.

Can you tell we were a little sunburnt?

We saw SO many turtles.

Ok, so now for the most exciting part in my book. The lady at the visitors center told us that a Mommy gator and her babies had been spotted recently pretty close to one of the paths and I was holding my breath that we would be able to find them. Well....we got lucky! SOOOO coool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meet Mommy Gator...

And babies!!!!!!

There were about 12 or 13 of them and they were all just kind of going every which way. One of them started climbing up the bank towards us and I thought he was going to come say hello but he fell back into the water, which was probably good anyways, because we were there for so long that the Mom slowly went under the water and then popped up much closer to us. She definitely had her eye on us the whole time. 

Gulf Coast

     I have to say that I was expecting the gulf to be much yuckier than it was. It wasn't Florida by any means, but it still had cool sand and shells and the water, though brown, was still really fun.

I forgot going into the trip however, about Grace's texture issues. She does NOT like unknown textures. Grass was a battle until she was 8 or 9 months old, first time in snow was a disaster. The first time she got dirt on her, first time in mudd, as well as her first time eating peaches. She LOVED them, but every time she had to pick one up she'd start whining and declare it, "LIMY!!!" (slimy). She even has this weird water thing, when she spills a little water from her sippy cup and then accidentally steps in it, she freaks out! Anyways, long story short I should have seen the sand thing coming. Also it didn't help that by this time she had had 4 days straight of NO naps! 

This is what Ms. Gracie did for most of her time at the beach...

"Don't let it touch me, Mom!"

On a funny note, the coast had piles of seaweed that had washed up on the shore, and Grace didn't mind it at all! She actually sat by herself for a little while, and played in some water with a cup. As long as she was sitting on seaweed and not sand she was good. Silly girl!

Playing with cousin Sennia

Ms. Sennia at the Gulf. She is one tan kiddo!

Gracie with her shades. 

Hangin with Daddy

Aunt Amber was trying to show her that it wasn't so bad being away from Mom for a minute, but it was pretty short lived.

Ms. Alena showing off some seaweed she caught in her net. I failed to get pictures of the boys somehow. Sammy had several fish and a dead jelly fish in a bucket somewhere that I missed. Kind of a stressful short trip over all, but I am glad we were able to experience what we did. Next stop for us...the Home Depot to buy a sand box for the texturally challenged!

The Houston Zoo

We picked the WRONG day to go to the zoo. There were SO many school kids there and it was nap time for Grace so I failed to get very many pictures, but it is a very big, very fun zoo if you ever get the chance to go on a day when it isn't the end of the school year. Here are the couple of pictures that I did get. They had an area with a bunch of fountains for kids to play in which I think is SUCH a good idea for a zoo!! After the kids were worn out and hot and tired it was just the thing I thought. Grace didn't have a swim suit so I just took her shirt off and let her play. I think this took a close second with the carousal, for being her favorite part.

Grace seemed to really enjoy the petting zoo. Once again if she hadn't been hot and tired I think she would have LOVED it. Petting docile animals that don't jump is a pretty exciting thing for Ms. Gracie. She and Sennia seemed to have a lot of fun though, regardless.

I'm blaming these terrible pictures on Craig, since he took them from his phone. However, having any pictures at all is also his doing so I guess I can't complain!

This was Grace's favorite part at the zoo for sure! She went on her first carousel ride, and she LOVED it! Not that you could tell by her facial expression, lol she was totally quiet the whole time, but as soon as it stopped she started up with her signature, "gain, gain Mama, gain?" I had to say no this time, and she of course started bawling, very disappointed. :( What made it worse was that we walked by it a few times after that and every single time she would hear the music and immediately get excited thinking we were FINALLY going to do it again. 

And the only animal we got a picture of at the zoo is...the Meerkat! Which is actually totally fitting because we watched part of the "Meerkat Manor" with Sammy and Luke while we were there. It was surprisingly interesting after you get past the rather human attitudes they give the characters.

Family

The last weekend there we drove 4 hours to the Dallas area so that we could see some of my extended family, and so that Craig could meet everyone. I feel like we didn't get to see as many people as we would have liked, but we had a lot of fun nonetheless! The First stop was Waxahachie where my Grandma VanWart lives with my Aunt Patti. It was SO wonderful to see them both. My Grandma is such a beautiful gracious lady, and I think I can safely say after watching Aunt Patti and Grandma interact, that I know where my family gets there silliness and constant laughter, not to mention our sarcasm? lol My Aunt Deannie came to see us (in the middle of moving that weekend, we REALLLY appreciated the time sacrifice there!) and we had a lot of fun having lunch with all of them and hanging out. I wish we had planned more time though, I did not get my VanWart fill! Aunt Patti and Craig went and picked up lunch at a tiny hole in the wall BBQ place and came back with the biggest stuffed, baked potato I have ever seen. lol

Exhibit A. They were HUGE! And super yummy, my husband ate the WHOLE thing. Pretty impressive, even for him. ;)

I forgot to get a picture of Craig with everybody, but here are Grace and I are with my Aunt Patti left, Grandma Great in the middle and Aunt Deannie on the right. Grace was feeling a little shy, but she had a lot of fun playing with toys and watching everyone while we were there. We love you guys and miss you already!! After this we went to my cousin Mona's house (WITHOUT getting pictures, I've kicked myself like 5 times!) and we had a lot of fun getting to chat with them, but again we did NOT schedule enough time to see everybody. We got to exchange the meeting of husbands which was fun, and also see Mona's three kiddos, the youngest of which she was prego with the last time we met up. I think next time we go, Craig and Lance will have to get in some golf time, they seemed like they would really get along well. lol We love all you guys and miss you! I really wish we got to hang out more often! 

Next we went to see my Dad's family

Royce City was really fun! Craig got to see the house I spent my first years in, and got to meet my Aunt Cheryl and both of my grandparents on my Dad's side. My Dad has some wonderful parents. I am so grateful that Grace was able to meet both of them. 

Playing at Grandma Anderson's house. I played with these toys when I was little, and some of them I think my Dad might have even played with!

This was a music box that plays Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. It was one of my favorites I remember as a kid, and it turns out it was also one of hers. 

While we were there Craig got to do a little fishing in one of the tanks my grandparents have. He had quite a few bites and I think he said he reeled in 4. We only came down towards the end, I just really didn't think the Sue was going to be up for it, and I knew I wasn't going to be up for keeping track of her. We got to see the last one he caught though!

 He was pretty excited, can you tell? ;)

Another thing we did before we left was to go see my Papaw. He has Parkinson's Disease and a couple years ago it became necessary for him be taken care of at a Center instead of at home. The disease comes with a lot of complications and I have to say it was really tough to see him like that. I just kept thinking that it was like seeing a shadow of my Grandfather. He was such a great man, so full of life, always keeping his grandkids on their toes and laughing. Some days are better for him than others, but on the day we were there he didn't say a while lot, and what he could say was in a very low whisper. When my Aunt Cheryl walked up to him the first time, I must admit it took me a minute to even recognize him, he has lost so much weight, but when she leaned over and gave him a kiss he slowly looked up at her and then said, "who let you out?" If you know my Papaw that is SO character of something he would say. My aunt also mentioned to him that the last person to come to see him from our family was my sister Amber. She said, "Amber is the one with the 6 kids, who is married to Matt, remember?" He kind of moved his head alittle and said, "that Amber, she's going to be an old maid!" Confused, we kind of looked at each other and I think it was my Aunt Cheryl again that said, "no, remember she has 6 kids and is married to Matt?" He can't laugh or anything but he kind of looked up again and said, "It was a joke." It was nice to see that through it all he still has his sense of humor.

Before we left we had to get a few traditional pictures in front of my Grandma's fireplace. From Left to right Grandma, me obviously, and Aunt Cheryl.

I was thinking after this trip that I really have some stellar Grandparents. I am grateful to have two sets of grandparents who were never divorced and who have set such awesome examples for their posterity. My grandma Anderson (in this picture) is always fun to talk to and she is always so kind and gracious and positive. She is SO positive! Not to mention she has the best posture of anybody I know. :)

So this was our trip to Texas! I was going to blog about the flight coming home (it was quite the adventure) but it is now the next day from when I started this and my fingers are cramping up, so I'll save that one for another time...