The "Date"

Well, our "togetherness" night was kind of spoiled by my wonderful head cold that I received the night of our anniversary!!! I tried my best to "feel good"...and despite the yuckiness, we still had a wonderful view of the sunset and enjoyed the time we were together

The Hunky Hubby setting up for our picnic
So pretty!!

Yeah, you can tell by my eyes that I was feeling a little bit CRAPPY!!! I still had fun and still loved being with my man...thanks for planning it hon!!!!

I Remember When....

**The DaTiNg YeArS**

i remember when it was october 1996 and you walked up my driveway and i saw you for the very first time....i remember when we spent night after night after night playing racquetball together....i remember when you would pick me up in your old chevy truck....i remember when i "moved" from sitting in the passenger seat to the middle seat right next to you....i remember when you gave me an ASU sweater and hershey kisses the night before i left to go to idaho for thanksgiving....i remember you giving me a real "kiss" that same night....i remember when i'd listen to ThirtyThree by the smashing pumpkins over and over and over again....i remember when i'd be playing women's softball and i'd constantly look for you to see if you'd come to watch me play...i remember going to english class every morning and talking to gayla about you....i remember you and larry bringing me dinner one night at my work...i remember playing rugby in the irrigation at mesa high the night before you left on your mission....i remember when you left on your mission, you turned around right before walking into the "tunnel" and looked straight at me....i remember you calling me, telling me that it was okay that i had just sent you a dear john letter....i remember a month later, me writing another letter, begging for you to take me back....i remember the kiss we shared in fountain hills, overlooking the city, the night you came back from your mission....

My cute hubby and I will be celebrating 9 years of marriage this Thursday!!! If you count the time we were dating, and while he was gone on his mission...we've been together for close to 11 years!!!!

Some entries from my journal (parts of them), BACK IN THE DAY!!!!!

October 5, 1996....I went on a date today with Nathan Chapman. He is a total hottie!! (totally laughing at that now) Neither one of us are conversationalists, so it was kind of hard, but he's NICE!! (teehee)

October 14, 1996...Well, last thursday me, diane, larry and nate went and played racquetball. Then Saturday me, gayla, nate and aaron were supposed to go to the haunted house, but nate had gone w/my brother on a campout with the scouts and didn't get home until like 7pm. He called me and said he was too tired! I was pissed AND sad at the same time...and my mom made me go to the store with her and when I got back, dad told me to call Nate...he said "I took a shower and am feeling better, wanna go play racquetball?" (hmmm, our dating life consisted of only playing racquetball i think!!!)

October 27, 1996...Well, i've still been hanging out w/Nate. Friday night him and larry came to my work and brought me dinner. Last night me, him, diane and larry went and saw a movie and then ate. it was fun. I don't know whats going to hapen w/me and Nate. Larry says he totally likes me and stuff but he doesn't act like it! And he never calls me, I ALWAYS have to call him. me, him, gayla and larry are going to the fair on tuesday.

November 14, 1996...I still do stuff w/Nate all the time. It's cool. He's so cool and cute! I love doing stuff with him! We play racquetball alot and stuff!

December 20, 1996...I don't know when Nates going to send in his mission papers. I'm still dating him, we do stuff all the time and i always talk to him. He's so awesome. He is the nicest guy i've ever met! He is always a gentlemen, opens my doors and stuff. I love being with him, we're always together!

December 25, 1996...Nate came and brought me a Christmas present. He got me some raspberry lotion that I like and also got me a white teddy bear with a gold necklace and bracelet! I was totally shocked! He then came with me, dad and corey to the desert to shoot and take the dogs. When we got back, dad asked Nate to stay for dinner. After he went home, we were bored, so me, corey and clancey went to Nate's and played ping pong and basketball.

(skipping ahead a bit)

March 17, 1997....Nate hasn't sent his papers in yet. he just finished getting them all ready. So i'm sure he's gonna sent them in soon, if he hasn't already done it. A lot of people are saying we're gonna get married when he gets back. It would be great, but I don't know. it's a little early and I'm a little young to know. I guess we'll just see what happens!!!!

June 22, 1997...Life is hard, i'm just now realizing that Nate is leaving. I don't know what I'm going to do with my life when he's gone. It's gonna be so hard for me when he leaves, heck it's hard already and he hasn't even left. Everything is happening so fast and soon he'll be gone. I've been thinking and I want so much for Nathan to be my eternal companion. But I don't know, maybe it's just YOUNG love.

It's hard for me to think that we've been together for so long...married for NINE years!!! We have both grown and changed so much over time. We have had our ups and downs, and I'm sure we will continue to do so....but there is one thing that will NEVER change, the COMPLETE LOVE I have for this husband of mine. No one could make me more happy, no one could make me feel more special, no one could make me feel as wanted. I still feel giddy when he calls me on the phone or texts me, I still melt when he looks at me a certain way, and I still love it when he simply just HOLDS my hand. Happy Anniversary babe...I love you with all my heart!!!!

16 Weeks

Current Cravings:

Strawberries

pb&j sandwiches

steamed brocolli & zucchini w/butter and lots of SALT

chex mix

basically, anything salty!!!

My Sunshine

You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make me happy

When skies are gray

You'll never know dear

How much I love you

Please don't take

My sunshine...away

This is a favorite song of ours...I sing it quite often to him...especially when he's not happy, many times it helps to calm him down. Recently, this boy has been giving me a run for my money, and I have felt very frustrated with him. However, the past few days...I have had a different view of things, a different view of him....

This morning I have spent most my time laying on the floor, be it in the kitchen or the toy room, or the living room. I have been very light headed and on the verge of passing out. Luckily, I was able to get the girls to school (many kudos to my sweet daughters who had to get everything done by themselves this morning as I was laying on the kitchen floor)...on our return from the school I went straight for the floor again. My Walker...aka Linus (except that instead of just carrying around one bayntit (blanket) mine carries around 2!!!) decided he was going to lay by me, except that instead of laying BY me he landed, very hard, on my head! Believe me, it did not feel good and he was crying because I had yelled....WALKER!!!!

I didn't want him to feel bad, I know it was an accident....so I grabbed him up, blankets and all...and we layed there, and cuddled on the floor. He was still crying so I sang him "our song" and after the first go round, he had settled down. I started to sing it one more time and he commenced to sing it right along with me. I love it when he does this...it sounds so cute...and he often times will only sing it if its just me and him having some quite time together. We continued to sing and I showered him with as many kisses as he would let me....

Feeling Like a Woman

I have thought, many many many times that getting "all dolled" up wasn't worth the time or the effort.
But after weeks, and weeks, and weeks of couch laying and pajama wearing....
It was time for me to feel differently about myself!

Today's reasons to smile

Ups and Downs

It's funny how a complete stranger can change your life. How a complete stranger, can make me want to be a better person, can affect my outlook on life, and has made me feel like a new person. I have never met this person, but I can't believe how she has affected me in this last month. Many, if not ALL of you, have heard of Stephanie and Christian Nielson and their accident. I actually went to school with Christian but didn't know him personally. I started reading "nienie's" blog after I heard about the accident. After I starting reading her blog, I couldn't stop. I cried and I laughed and have read almost every single blog entry since she first started. Her life is amazing and inspiring....her relationship with her husband is romantic, playful, deep AND inspiring as well. She has lifted me up, without even knowing it...and I pray for her and her husband...that they will be together again soon.

Along with what has been going on with those 2 sweet people, this cute couple (my parents) lost one of their best friends last Thursday. They have been good friends for a very long time, Arvel, suffered a stroke and passed away. My heart goes out to my parents and for Kay who are grieving for their friend and husband.

Because of what's been going on, I have had much time to sit and reflect. Life is so precious, so short...it's so important for me, for all of us....to EMBRACE every single day of our life and fill it with joy and happiness....

We had a few great storms last week, with some cooler weather (unfortunately it's hot AGAIN!! darnit!)

Walker out playing in the rain and puddles!!!!

His goofy camera smile! hahaha, it's hilarious

As I've stated in previous posts, I have been DYING to go camping. So I told my cute hubby that we were definitely going over the holiday weekend! Since Nathan's dad has been out of town working in Washington for the last month, he was going to come home for the weekend and go up north to their place up by Payson. We wanted to spend some time with him and the rest of the family, so decided to take our tent and sleeping bags and set up camp at their place! They are selling their place up north, so it very well might be the last time we all could even go up.

We all had a great time and the weather was PERFECT. We got poured on in the tent Saturday for like 4 hours, but it didn't leak too bad! And all the kids stayed asleep so that was good! It was great to see Dale again and to be with everyone, we missed those who weren't able to go :(

MR. FIRE!!!
Walker got a kick out of riding on this!
Of course we had the "vroom vrooms" there too!!
Rebekkah sittin' by the campfire
There was roasted hot dogs (ewwww) and of course stuff for s'mores!
Me and my only
These two were a crack up...they are so cute!!! Little Tucker and Walker

(See Kamee, camping isn't so bad is it??? You know you want to go again!!!!)
And here's the growing munchkin!!! There is a baby in there somewhere!!!! I am technically out of the first trimester, but not yet feeling the supposed "benefits" of being out!!! Still feel yucky ALOT but we're getting thru it!!!! My clothes ARE fitting tighter...but the good news is, I haven't gained any weight yet! wahoo!!! (believe me, I was getting scared! too much crappy food going in my tummy)