{Valentines Day 2011... me thinks}

  

Seriously I'm not very good at keeping up with this love week fun. Life is so busy sometimes plus picture problems on my blog. First I ran out of picture space finally decided instead of erasing past posts I just bought extra picture space, then I went to post a couple of times and my pictures wouldn't come up? weird but its working today so here we go! 

I saved the my best for last in love week and that is my family

my husband and my four beautiful munchkins none of us perfect in any way but we rock imperfection with the goal of working on forever.

and thats pretty much what we are here for isn`t it!

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and since its Valentines Day I love this list and ME THINKS its always nice to have a reminder

20 Ways to Make a Good Marriage Great

by Richard W. Linford  

{source 320 sycamore}

1. Night and Morning Prayer … to say thanks, to ask for help in your marriage and family, to worship together.

2. A Weekly Planning Meeting … to discuss the calendar, talk over needs and problems, decide priorities and next steps.

3. A Daily Phone Call or Personal Conversation … to say “I love you,” to touch base, to discuss the day, to show you care.

4. A Weekly Date … to a favorite park, a concert, the library, the gym; or staying home for a candlelight dinner, a game, or a mutual hobby.

5. Patience Regardless … of missed meals, tardiness, forgotten favors, a thoughtless remark, impatience.

6. Daily Service … helping with house or yard work, mending a piece of clothing, taking a turn with the sick baby, fixing a favorite meal.

(Write it down. Do it!)

7. A Budget … to tie down income and expenses, help set financial goals, and give you control over your finances.

8. Listening … not only to what is said, but also to what is meant.

9. Regular Attendance … at church—and where possible—the temple.

10. Daily Scripture Reading … to learn the gospel, to receive inspiration for yourself and your marriage, to become more like Jesus.

11. Working Together … caring for a garden, painting a bedroom, washing the car, scrubbing floors, building a piece of furniture, writing a poem together, team teaching a class.

12. Forgiving Each Other … always learning from each other, trying a different way, being the first to make peace. 

13. Courtesies … like saying please and thank you, not interrupting or belittling, not doing all the talking, continuing the niceties of courtship.

14. Soft and Kind Words … of tenderness, compassion, empathy.

15. Learning Together by … reading to each other, discussing ideas, taking a class.

16. Respecting … opinions, ideas, privacy.

17. Supporting Your Spouse’s … church service and righteous goals.

18. Caring for Your Spouse’s Family by … enjoying their company, praying for them, serving them, overlooking differences.

19. Occasional Gifts … such as a note, a needed item—but mostly gifts of time and self.

20. Loving with All Your Heart. “Thou shalt love thy wife [thy husband] with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her [him] and none else.” (D&C 42:22.)

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I have a few boys in my house and its so fun to see how they are all different but so much the same one of the BEST toys we have ever bought the boys starting with K when he was probably 2 or 3 from the $ store was 10 dinosaurs they have been in the tub, in the snow, in bed, on towers, in food EVERYWHERE and they can play for hours with them...M is currently still very attached to them......

K2 got to go sledding for the first time last week too it was so fun a friend and 3 of her kids and my four and I went sledding just before dark it was so fun! The kids had a blast and K2 hated being in the wind but loved going down the hill with me so we only lasted four runs but it was fun.

Can't tell by his poor cold face but he did like it!

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So for Valentines day we did the annual sweethearts ball saturday night in town. D gets tickets through work so we go for the meal stay for a dance  and this year we left and went to party we a few of us it was fun..then today we had a candle light meal {the kids thought that was so fun} with some of every bodies favorites for dinner and chocolate dipped strawberries for dessert the kids loved it! Something different and fun then had FHE on the creation given completely by K who wanted to do it and drew pictures of each day of creation then had us look up scriptures to go along with it and then to put the pictures in order love that kid he loves to learn and study and he did awesome!  so it was a day. We aren't huge Valentines day celebrators its a nice day a nice reminder but ....yah.

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LOVE IS NEW BABIES

My sister in law Katelyn had her new baby boy

Rylan on sunday the 13th he is so so cute and I can't wait to see him.

You know its hard when your babies grow up and you see these little miracles all around it can be so hard when your heart really wants something.... I put the baby gate in the garage last Saturday and then sobbed and sobbed ....something so trivial as that brought on a whole lot of emotions they grow up WAY to fast!! 

and some feelings, hopes and dreams never go away.

but

faith, hope and living each day thankful and beyond grateful for what we have for where we live makes all the difference. Because when we dwell on the things we can't change life becomes a negative, unhappy place where none of us want to be. 

We have to do what we can with what we have.

and love what we've been given everything has a reason its finding the joy and will to make it work, despite what we feel is owed to us. Life doesn't work that way and once we figure that out we might all be better off. Life isn't easy, but it could be a lot easier all depends on us and how we react how we life and choose. 

Its a choice and we have plenty of those lucky us eh!

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ps 14 years ago today I got engaged  

{actually it was after midnight so its actually the 15th but followed our V day fun so there yah go!} D had dropped me off after a really fun dinner, gave me roses and a card and I thought man this was the day he was going to ask me for sure feeling like all the important other days had come and gone... Christmas had gone, new years had come and gone, my birthday had come and gone and now valentines day had come and gone 

{almost} 

He actually I found out later had to separate the wedding band from the engagement band so he went back to his truck and came back 5 minutes later knocking lightly on the door because by now it was probably a bit after midnight..... and asked if I would go for a ride with him for a minute ......then my heart started to pound and I was more than happy to go for a ride ..............we ended up at the temple grounds where he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him............... I was bawling, beyond happy that we FINALLY where here and well 14 years later here we are!!!!

Crazy how fast time goes by and I couldn't be more happier with my choice and that I said 

YES.

{I never went ring shopping with D so I never knew it was coming he did a great job and picked the perfect one.....}

That was by far my favorite Valentines day of my life thus far and probably always will be. Hope you all had a great day. 

Life is Good.
{as we make it}