Back Yard

Our back yard was just as bad a the rest of the house when we purchased it. Solei LOVES being outside so we really wanted to make the backyard somewhere she could play. A few weeks ago we borrowed a tiller, bought some grass seed and fertilizer and went to work.

Here are the results! A patch of GRASS!!!


Here is Solei with Daddy (and his new specs).

Mommy joined in the fun and we got this great little picture of our family.

Here's Solei and Daddy closing up the vent so that she couldn't put anything down it...

And finally! Here is the smartest 18 month-old baby ever. While we are a little biased, she is amazing!

Temple!

Our freakishly smart baby came up to me the other day with a picture she'd found somewhere - it was a gift I'd received in Young Women a mazillion years ago, and along with a sweet caption, there was a grainy black and white image of Christ's face.

"Mamee? Dis Jesus."

I stared at Jared in shock- "Did YOU tell her who this was?"

"Nope." Do you know what this means? This means she listens to me!!! (oh, and also forthcoming is a video of her counting to 10. GENIUS.)

So today, I took her to the LDS bookstore to get a picture of Christ for her bedroom. She really responds to them, and I figure with all the negative images she's getting in the world, she needs as many positive ones as she can get.

Right as we walked in she smiled and pointed at a picture and said "Temple!" Wow. So I went up to a picture of Christ and asked her who it was. "Jesus!" An another - "Jesus!" She recognized every image of his sweet presence. I considered buying a poster of the temple, but I thought about it and I thought it might be nice for her to see a picture of the temple in her room with her in it, so we headed down the street and I snapped pictures while Solei ran around the temple grounds laughing and shouting "Temple!"... and also "Truck!" There's construction across the street and I had to keep her from running to them. In between the wrangling, I got some good pictures that I think are poster worthy. Tell me which one you would pick? (I'm leaning towards #5)

#1.

#2.

#3.


#4.

#5.

An Open Letter to My Husband

Like I could keep my 2 cents to myself:)

Here's an Open Letter to My husband:

Dear Husband,

Over the last few years I have come to realize that you are not as crusty as you pretend to be. Deep down you are a softie, doing whatever you can to help another person in need (especially me), and I don't tell you as often as I should how grateful I am that you love me, despite your better judgement. When we got married I knew that I was marrying someone that was exactly right for me. You are insane, brilliant, and the most service-driven person I've ever known. Most of all you never stop trying. You try to understand me, to understand Solei, to make me happy (not an easy feat, I'll grant you) and to always be better husband and father. You are everything that I need. You never, ever let me get bored and I'm always surprised at how strange our lives can get.

The last three years have been a the happiest, most secure years of my life. Things have never been more in flux - we're always moving, always changing jobs, always flying by the seat of our pants, but you always let me know how much you love me, and that constant is the one reason why I let you get away with most of your crazy ideas. I'm also amazed at how much you do as a husband and a father. I always hear women wishing their husbands would take a more active role, and I am so grateful that no matter what, I can always count you to be at my side and taking care of everything with me- especially all that outdoor stuff and the bug killing duties. And the taxes!!! (I have never been more happy that I decided to say "I do" when I hear you say "Honey, the taxes are done!")

You love Solei, you change diapers, you get up with her in the middle of the night, and you're always thinking of ways to make my life easier, and more fun. You accept my faults and my weaknesses, but you never let me dwell on them and help me turn them into strengths. You are always thinking of ways you can bring a smile to my face - be it a milkshake, yoga classes or 30-second hugs. And most of all: You love me for what I am. This is not nearly as lengthy and thorough as it could (and should) be, but don't worry, I'll probably think of lots more wonderful things to say right when your are trying to get to sleep tonight. I love you with all my heart. Thank you for all you do.

With Great Love, Wife

Open Letter

An Open Letter to My Wife:

Dear Wife,

Over the last few years I have come to realize that I am not very good a making you feel as special as you deserve. You do wonderful things for me and I want you to know how much I love you.

When we got married I knew that I was marrying someone that was exactly right for me. You are fun, energetic, social and loving. Most of all you are forgiving and patient. You are everything that I need. You put up with my crazy ideas, like driving to Alabama to buy a scooter or working on my home Root Beer project.

The last three years have been a roller coaster. We’ve gotten to know each other. We’ve moved four times. We’ve grown. We’ve traveled. We’ve had a child. I know motherhood was somewhere on your to-do list long after “rock star” and “retire” but I am so grateful that you were willing to take that plunge. You are a wonderful mother. We are both kind of lost sometimes as parents, but you are amazing. You’ve stood by my side and supported me through all that I’ve done.

You let me hold the remote. You clean up after us all. You cook wonderful dinners every night. You do our laundry. You love and care for Solei. You, well you know. And most of all: You love me for what I am.

This is not nearly as lengthy and thorough as it could (and should) be. I love you with all my heart. Thank you for all you do.


With Great Love,

Husband

Texamess

SOOOOOOO..... Still no posts by the wife. This whole blog thing was her idea. Let's all leave a comment about how much we wish she would blog instead of boring old me!!!



I've been very stingy about my vacation days over the last year. When you go from a job where you have 4 weeks a year to one where you get a mere 2 weeks a year, you kind of freak out. But it was about time that we took Solei out to meet my aunt and uncle and grandpa in Texas. (Two weeks minus two days...)

They don't get out to visit very often because they have their kids to visit and Jimbo's job at the prison gives him few vacation days (and they use them to plant their Pea Patch). Next time you are in Woodville ask Jimbo about getting locked in a cell...


We had a good a bad visit. It's kind of a long story but let's use these key words to create a mental image:

*10 acres just outside of Woodville, Tx
*Free Single Wide Mobile Home
*No Internet
*Mildewy Mattress
*The Plague

Okay the story really doesn't have the plague in it, but it might as well. After two days sleeping on the item listed before the Plague I felt like I had the Plague. The doctor said it wasn't the plague and gave me antibiotics to treat the sore throat that I got. Although I cannot specifically target the mattress as the source of my illness, Occam's Razor would teach us that it was. No amount of candle or air freshener or fans could stop the smell!

We spent twelve hours in our new van over night the first night. Solei only woke up screaming for an hour. The trip home was better. She loved her time with us in the car (and more so with the "Fishies" on Finding Nemo).

Here is the trailer (painted neon yellow-green to blend into the environment)



The weather and company were amazing. We had wonderful 70 degree, partly cloudy days. Aunt Wendy, Grandpa and Uncle Jimbo were amazing company and Wendy cooked some of the best food I've eaten.

This didn't end up being one of those relaxing vacations. I spent some considerable time underneath the trailer running wire and piping - next to the burrow of some animal that I never identified - thankfully. It was NOT more scared of me than I was of it.

Next time we are going to bring an RV.

Here are some pics:

Solei LOVED riding on Wendy's Golf Cart (Wendy and Jimbo live next door)

Solei had some dessert. The bowl became a hat:

The Stairs on Grandpa's Trailer were a seemingly endless source of entertainment:

The neighbors had goats which Solei had a blast "baaaa-ing" at. The neighbors also had this stone seahorse.

You can see some of the land in the background. We found a golf ball the other day and Solei and I had fun throwing it around the yard.



Here's a pic of Solei with Wendy, Jimbo and Grandpa. Solei had such a great time with all of them!!