A day spent in Provo

Last week my mom and dad reserved tickets to the Carl Bloch art exhibit, sooooo Becca, Ray and I tagged along (Olivia stayed home with Nathan).....It was amazing to say the least. To see those paintings in person.....a really big WOW! Becca and Ray on the other hand did not find it to be cool, their minds were fixed on lunch :).  I'm thinking a date night out with Nathan is a must to see those amazing paintings again.

After the art exhibit we went out to lunch where the girls chowed down some delicious mac and cheese. We then went over to the University Mall, where they had a very cool tree house play area for kids. I think we could have spent the whole day there honestly. We finally bribed the girls with the idea of getting doughnut to get them to leave that wonderful land of make believe tree houses and dinosaurs....It was pretty cool, I'm just saying.

Next in order was a box full of Krispy Kream's.....I really underestimated how many of those the girls could eat....two words HOLY COW! Nathan don't kill me when you read this...In fact maybe it's better I don't mention it :)

The girls had a pretty great day to say the least. I really enjoyed the day too despite the picture of me in the car looking a little bored:).  My mom sent me these pics from her phone, so forgive the quality ok?

I can't count how many time I have captured this face in pictures. It is classic Becca, and so funny I might add.

March.....

So I don't know about some of you but so far this month has been kinda blah...know what I mean? The flu, or cold, or whatever ever you want to call it came to visit at our house totally uninvited (so rude I know) but whatever. Then Becca came down with another bug which stayed with her for about a week (not normal for her) and is finally on it's way out we think....

Since the days have been a little blah around here, I have actually started a cleaning chart...I know boring stuff, but it has been awesome for me. I am notorious for having huge piles of laundry at all times in my laundry room....NOT anymore ;). Yep that's right! I decided 2 set aside 2 days out of the week where I clean and actually fold all laundry. And 2 days out of the week (not on laundry days) where I clean bathrooms. The other stuff on my list like mop floors once a week and dust have yet to really happen. But hey whatever.

Most days I am cleaning and making food all day long, and yet I sometimes feel like I have not accomplished any thing in that day because...... Kids and I are still in Pj's, the house is still a mess (even after all the cleaning), someone had a potty accident and now the carpet, or newly cleaned clothes are then covered in that potty accident. I realize that the house can not always be perfectly clean (or I would like to think I realize that). I know I have to let things go. Life with three kids is messy, and thats life. On the days that I take that little thought to heart, I find that I enjoy that day so much better because I...

A. Played with my kids (instead of worrying about all messes being made).
B. Am still in my Pj's, but realized how awesome it is that I get to have a stay at home mommy career, that has no dress code, so I can wear whatever I want =), and frankly I choose pj's!
C. Just relaxed more in general. Baked something yummy. Bundled up on the couch with my kids and watched a movie. Is anyone else totally excited for Tangled to come out???
D. Cleaned in moderation.

So basically when I do the things I just listed...that truly is my ideal day.

I am getting so excited for spring, and summer to arrive! I want to start planning our garden, and playing outside. Do a major spring cleaning, and throwing out crap in our house that we don't use. Take the girls swimming. I can't wait to see Olivia's chubby body in swim attire! Have more day light hours...I love when Nathan and I have tucked kids in bed for the night on summer evenings, because we can lay a blanket out on our grass and sit and talk, and it is still light out! I can't wait to barbecue, and roast marshmallows in our fire pit. And plant flowers! See my girls run around on our grass in shorts, and t-shirts! Watch thunder and lighting storms from our wonderful covered patio.

Here a few random pics from the last week.

That little bald head so so soft and fuzzy. oh my heavens she is so CUTE!

Rachel licking the bowl clean.

Third post of the day

Last night was so magical, with all of that beautiful snow falling down... I went out at about 11 p.m. last night in my pj's to take pictures of the wonderful event! I'm sure if my neighbors saw me they would have thought I was crazy (however I am confident they were all asleep). When we woke up today there was so much snow outside, that we were finally able to build our first snow women of the season. This sounds very familiar.... Oh thats right because it is! Last year we were building snow women in April with cadbury eggs and strawberries. Go figure. Anyway I also threw in a couple of pictures from Sunday. We were playing a riveting game of "Block the Power" better known as "Blokus". The girls made up their own version of the game. Every time they lay a piece down they say "I block yo power" Ok Rachel says that, Becca says " I blocked your power".

Me still in my pajamas...

Travis Richardson took these at Liz Lloyd's wedding reception. I just love Nathan! I love how much he loves our girls. 

 I'm not sure how you can resist our little Liv's cuteness! 

In honor of anniversary week :)

I thought I might share some of my favorites from our wedding/reception day. By the way I still have not ordered our wedding pictures......Yes I know I what your thinking. Trust me I share the same thought..The word idiot comes to mind:). Anyway here are some pics from the few I have. Maybe I will order them this week...You know being our anniversary and all.

 

Did I mention how much I LOVED my wedding cake?  It was so GOOD! It was still just as good on our one year mark, I think I mostly devoured the cake topper all by myself that day. It was an orange, lemon, poppy seed, sponge cake...with an orange butter cream frosting underneath the fondant. Just thinking about it gives me the chills :).

 

My Uncle dave took most of these....This picture is just priceless. It looks like someone told a really bad joke.

7 years......

Nathan and I will be celebrating our 7th year of marriage next week. It got me thinking about how Nathan and I arrived at being "Nathan and I".........

In January of 2003 I met Nathan. My friend Liz was friends with one of Nathans good friends Josh. One night we invited Josh to come over to my parents house, and told him to bring some friends. At the time I was kind of dating a guy who was in the group that Josh brought with him. I met Nathan for the first time that evening.......he was so nice. I remember he sat down and just started chatting with my dad for a while, and at one point and time that night I remember thinking to myself "hmmmm I think I would rather be dating Nathan" :).  And that thought came as fast as it went and I went about my merry way.

On several different occasions that year Nathan and I tried to get together. We played tennis a few times here and there (yes I won every time;) but nothing really came of it. Then I started dating another guy. He was from California. So by the time summer showed its face, and school was out,  he had to head home for a few months. I was suppose to fly-out and see him that summer, however I never could bring myself to go....

After summer ended I joined a sorority up at the U of U with some of my good friends. In October my sorority was having a barn dance and I had no idea who to take. My good friend Liz was out of state for some occasion, and she called me several times telling me that I needed to take Nathan Lord to the dance. I wasn't really sure about it, so I said "maybe". Eventually I asked Nathan to go with me, and he said yes. Nathan and I both just thought of each other as "friends" before that dance.....Then something changed that night out on the dance floor. From then on we were pretty much inseparable :). A few weeks after we started dating we were engaged.  And the rest is history! Well you know what I mean.
I do have have another little story to share regarding Nathan and I that is kind of personal to me...

A few weeks before....No I need to back up further. A little more then a year before I started dating Nathan, I was completely in love with someone who had just left on a mission......I know I know that sounds so cliché, but truly I was crazy about him.  I had dated this guy for a while, then we backed off (kind of) and became really good friends. Before he left on his mission we both confessed that our feelings had not changed for each other. And we left it at that. Now let me jump ahead...

A few weeks before I was to go on "the" date with Nathan, I was in my room praying. I was also beside myself in tears...Okay I was bawling if you must know:). I was asking heavenly father to help me. I wanted to know who it was I needed to marry. I wanted to know who was right for me. I was still completely in love with this guy who was on a mission, but I knew as I was praying that he was not the one....and that really really baffled me. I felt really hurt, and saddened by that answer.


Later on that same night I came back to my knees and I then asked Heavenly father to please help me overcome the feelings I had, so that I could start moving forward with my life.....

Nathan was the answer to my prayer that night. I was suppose to be with him, and we both knew it shortly after that dance.

Anyway If you read this then your a champ, but really I wrote it all down so that I would remember it.

Nathan thank you for a wonderful 7 years. You truly are my best friend and I love you dearly. The Lord knew that I needed you in my life.