Our "Just cause I love you day..."

Which was observed on Saturday...

We helped the Porter's rearrange their furniture since that is my favorite thing on earth, next to my family, my husband and of course painting! :)

When we got home the kids walked into the kitchen to their surprise...

Nothing too fancy for obvious reasons, but it was special to us. Lucas kept asking what he did that was good so he could do it more to have surprises everyday. Hahaha.

The kids got to open the mail they had begging me to open...

Those 3D pop up cards are from Grandma and Grandpa Horn.  The kids wanted me to tape them on the wall so they" could always see the picture standing." Hehehe.

They picked out their treats and then we had a little lunch took naps and then went on a little treasure hunt because that is how I roll.

Scarlett ate 9 Hershey Kisses before we realized how messy they were! 

Nathan and I exchanged our conversation heart love letters to each other they were silly as usual and then I made a meal that Nathan picked out of my Cooking Light Magazine.  It was simple and the recipe is HERE. If you haven't cooked with Orzo before this is a good recipe to start with. Delicious!

I loved our fun little "Just cause I love you day." It also gave me a reason to make this...

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake.

Hope yours was as special as ours!

OMG

Did you forget my other blog?

Toddler Boredom Busters

Well shame on you!  There is a HUGE giveaway that ends today and I think you should enter!  Lots of stuff and gift cards!  Get on over there and enter!  Tell your friends too!

My Surprise to Her

This is Nathan, I know people don't like hearing from the husbands but I thought - who cares I am still writing this...

While Valerie was doing the dishes a package arrived...

I sent her a dozen of Sharri's Berries.  The entire family devoured them before we left for dinner! Haha.

Then I wanted to make this anniversary special because its the 5th and all so I took her to a restaurant that both of us have talked about but have actually never gone to called The Melting Pot.  We ordered like it was our last meal and enjoyed every dip - did I mention it was a fondue place?  It is.

In fact we were so busy the only picture she took was this one - 

That was dessert...is was on flam be!  Then she gave me this box.  I opened it and loved the gift she gave me.  It was really neat to see us as children and through our engagement and then dating and then to each year of marriage where she summed up the year in a Top 5 - highlights Letterman style.  It was great.  She was very surprised when I pulled out my present to her. (we never exchange presents on our anniversary but this year was special)  I picked a hotel downtown for us to spend the night in and day in and she teared up and said..."I wish we could go tonight, but I have activity days at 7 in the morning tomorrow!"  Classic Valerie.  So I told her that I knew that and said I was saving it for restaurant week in Denver so we could go out again and actually have a night out on the town!  So after that I took her to Flat Irons, to her favorite store - where we bought her a new dress just for the next date we have (in two weeks.) I think she loved this surprise.

I really feel lucky to have met Valerie when I did.  Even though I had to fight to get her, I am glad I won.  She is the most compassionate and loving person I know and such a great friend to others.  She is truly a service oriented person and really hates to be last, and I love that about her.  She is very competitive and strong-willed and lucky for me our children who may look like me are turning into her and I wouldn't have it any other way. This year in general has been a challenge for us in many ways and she has taken it very well and has never been upset about anything.  

We are a perfect team who can accomplish anything and I love her for that.

She is a great woman and wife and mother to our children and as she teaches them and watches them grow I can see the happiness in her eyes and that is why I married her, she isn't a settler, she is a doer, and she never ever settles for second best.

Happy Anniversary Valerie Dear.

My Surprise to Him

Our 5th Anniversary was Friday February 5th.  I wanted to suprise him so I asked my friend who is a real photographer to make up some story about how she needed test shots for a website she was launching and prefferably wanted people she didn't know.  Nathan (who is usually up for anything) was really excited.  We took a bunch of photos, and then he asked when we could see them.  She abruptly told him he couldn't that he had to pay for them and that her fee was an obscene amount...I think she said $400 a session.  He went into immediate shock and then asked about prints and said her basic package was $650, and that she didn't do CDs. The entire way home he was talking about how she would never make any money because she'd cost a small fortune just to print photos.  I tried to keep it in but I just laughed and said I know, maybe she will learn soon about the economy. It was so hard to keep this secret.

So while my friend was editing and working on our photos, I was working late at Chrystal's to get the scrapbook of our lives together, because that was the real present.  Baby pictures, funny stories and our courtship all in one book...then I printed pictures from anniversaries past and put them in the book.

This was very hard to do because Nathan is home and always around me! So I would send him to the store on an errand or make him take the kids for a walk - stuff like that.

Well, I get the book done, wait at Target for her to meet me there and hand them over (it was a very covert operation) and finally get it all together.  It looks awesome...here are the best of 30 shots...

There are a few more, but I just couldn't get over how much younger we look in these pictures than we did in our engagement pictures! And I love our engagement pictures!  I think it's because the fashion and hairstyles are much better this year than they were for us five years ago.

I just wanted to say that I am grateful that Nathan never lets me settle for an ordinary life.  We have been lucky enough to have many adventures and good times together without having to spend a lot of money.  I love that we don't have to go on a huge vacation or theme park to show ourselves how much we mean to each other. We say it and mean it everyday. He is my perfect mate and I can't imagine anyone better for me than Nathan.  He tries hard to always make me happy and there is never a day that goes by where I don't feel loved 110% by him.  Some days are hard, but that is life and even though I may feel upset or angry about something he is the one who is there to make sure I am not alone and that what ever needs to be conquered we can always do it together. He is such a great person and friend and I love him a lot!

Its been a fun and exciting 5 years and I know the next 5 will not only fly by but will be an adventure!

No one loves me more than this guy!  

Happy Anniversary Babe!

What the heck...

After nap today I asked the kids if they wanted to go swimming and Bridget shrugged her shoulders and said "What the heck." So then I pulled out the bathing suits, and tried them on the kids and Bridget's 2T was not modest for a public pool and Lucas's was mid thigh length. Scarlett's 12 month suit was so tight she screamed while I was taking it off! So we went to Target bout the kids new suits, Lucas a 5T, Bridget a 3T and Scarlett wore Bridget's 2T from last summer. They look great... 

Wait...okay that's better!

 Except when I was putting on Bridget's she asked where her dress went. On her old suit she had a skirt on it. Before I could answer Lucas said to Bridget "Bridget, you just have to deal with it, you are not a little girl anymore!" She took a big breath, sighed and said alright, I'll try to grow up." 

 So to the pool we headed...

As you can see, they got rid of the ghetto Butterfly slide! Now it's an Alligator Slide!

Scarlett was cautious, but happy to be playing with Lucas and Bridget and DADDY!

Both of the older kids took to the water like fish!

Neither of them needed or wanted to be near us, they were everywhere in the pool.

I bought them water balls and goggles and they thought it was so fun!

Scarlett liked swimming and splashing!

We were there for 2 hours, and then it was time to hit the locker rooms.

Some kids were pretty attached to their goggles...

I love the pool and the fact that the kids are not scared and want to stay all day.

On the way home Lucas told me that Anna needs to join him next time we go!

Most Exciting Day

Today Lucas, Nathan and Bridget went to do church clean up.  It was our turn since we are at the end of the alphabet, to Lucas's suprise Robert was there cleaning up the building with his family too!  That is what happens when your last names both end in W...it was meant to be! Bridget kept looking for Anna at the church and even though she couldn't find her she still helped clean up.

We came home and Nathan took all 3 kids out for a walk, they roamed the neighborhood and said hi to everyone in the ward that they could see.  When they got home from the walk it was already time to eat lunch and take a nap.  So they did that and then it was time to go to the shoe store.

Scarlett needed a pair since she is walking all over the place, and it is high time that she is in shoes at church!  So we did that and then went grocery shopping, the kids love to go grocery shopping! This time they went seperatley with Nathan to find 3 items and then switched so each person got a turn in the cart, and special time with Daddy.

On the way home we realized how beautiful it was outside (52 degrees and sunny) so we decided to take advantage of that and throw the groceries in the fridge and hit the local park. The kids loved it!  We were there for about 1 hour.

she loves the swings!

hair in the wind

fire pole!

whee!

looking for fires

all by myself!

hiding

When we got home I started to make dinner, tonight it is BBQ chicken when Lucas and Bridget saw it go into the oven they both shouted HORRAY!!! Lucas gave me and Nathan a hug and said thanks for the "Most Exciting Day" I laughed and he said "we never go on a walk and to the park and to the grocery store on the same day!  I even got to see Robert, and get to eat fatty legs for dinner! Thank You Thank You!"

Anytime Lucas, Anytime!

As I posted this we were able to Skype with the Horns, that just added to the excitement!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

(Turn and face the stranger)

Ch-ch-Changes

Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

(Turn and face the stranger)

Ch-ch-Changes

Pretty soon you're gonna get a little older

Time may change me

But I can't trace time

I said that time may change me

But I can't trace time 

Remember this song from Shrek 2?

I think this is an interesting lyric

"Don't tell them to grow up and out of it"

This song really in its entirety is interesting...we were actually watching Shrek 2 today after lunch group because I am exhausted! Whew!  17 diners in 2 days is a lot with Activtiy Days and then Lunch Group but nothing I can't handle! :)

Why the song?  Well it was playing during the movie and my kids were playing with this rocking horse Lucas got for Christmas 2 years ago and I remembered how much he loved it and now how much Bridget loves it and then they were playing so cute on it...

so of course I had to take pictures,,,

and all good things had to come to an end...

Classic right? Well in all seriousness just watching this (the cuteness) it made me realize how much things can change...here they are Jan 2 2008

I know so sweet huh?

All of this made me miss my babies.  I don't feel like I have one anymore because Scarlett is well...

she's all grow'd up!