Our Perfect Day

Last weekend, Scott had Saturday off, which is also my only day off (other than the Sabbath, of course). We had a few long weeks with work in there so we decided to just spend all day doing fun things! So we did. It was so amazing to spend time with my husband and to be giddy and to laugh all day long! We began our day by sleeping in until...I think about 9:30. Then we just cuddled in bed and talked about what we wanted to do and what we love about each other (it was precious :). We then showered and got ready for our most perfect day. It was about 11:00 by the time we started making our breakfast favorite: crepes. Scott decided that it would be fun to make a HUGE crepe, so we did :) Here it is below. We had so much fun!

It took up the whole griddle!
So...funny story real quick, I ALWAYS burn myself! On everything, even when I know it's hot. This was no different. Was I dumb enough to touch my chin to the grill, you ask? Why, yes I was. :D

SO ready to eat it! With our homemade strawberry syrup and all :)

Next, we got to play our guitars. Scott has been teaching me, and I am getting good enough to be able to play songs! I can play three! We love playing the guitars together and making music. We are excited to jam to some Manheim Steamroller this Christmas with me on piano and him on...everything else (the Cajon, the egg shaker, the guitar, the mandolin, the ukulele, you name it)!

We then proceeded to prepare our first Sunbeam lesson as the Sunbeam teachers for the BYU Idaho 75th ward. We got to teach them the "I Can Be Reverent" lesson. I found some old jeans that I can no longer fit over my thighs (happening to me more and more, and it's getting frustrating!) and cut the pockets out of them so that we could make surprise pockets for the girls. We have two little Sunbeams and they are so stinkin' cute! We decided that we needed a trip to the Dollar Tree to grab a few things for our lesson.

Cutting out the pockets :) I was SO excited! We love our calling!


Then my husband, as more of a joke than a real suggestion, mentioned that we could walk there. I thought it was a great idea! So we donned our tennis shoes (though I could have picked better ones...but I had to wear the ones that matched!) and began our long walk (2.9 miles, I know, real long). However, on the way, I kept finding these great leaves! I was so excited, and decided that we needed to make leaves to decorate for Thanksgiving. So I began collecting them. I had so many we decided to stop halfway at Ron and Sandy's and drop them off so I didn't have to keep carrying them. So we took a shortcut that led over a few bridges over the canal. I got to introduce Scott to Pooh Sticks. If you don't know what that is, I am sorely disappointed in you! On Winnie the Pooh, there is a bridge called "Pooh Stick Bridge" that the characters throw a stick off of and then see who's stick comes out on the other side first. So we played. Scott's stick (more like reeds, there weren't alot of sticks) got all tangled up in mine, but mine definitely came out first!

The sun was stinkin' bright, as you can tell. I have the Lee "eyes or teeth" syndrome :)

In the wheat lookin' stuff by the canal
I HATE taking pictures into the sun! My eyes cannot handle it lol. So here I am, looking kinda...special.

Well, we stopped in at Sandy's and then continued to the Dollar Tree. It was a longer walk than I was expecting! My feet were killing me in those dang shoes! But we got all that we needed for our lesson and then Ron and Sandy rescued us with the van. We planned with them to go make a fire at Eagle Park and make foil dinners. We prepared them and got the kids all excited to go!

The expert ingredient cutter :)
The expert wrapper
The expert name writer

The expert...eater?
Oooh, they were SO good!
We would have had pictures of the fire, but between Scott and I, someone forgot the camera (but since I'm perfect, it had to be him, right? lol). But we had a great time. One of Scott's old roommates, Joe, came and told campfire stories to the kids. He is so fun and such a great story-teller! We also had a park ranger guy come and tell us about a moose that may be running around near where we were. AND GUESS WHAT? We actually saw it! It ran across the trail between us and the next site about 3 times! Cherylyn was a little scared, and I have to admit, so was I! I mean, it was a MOOSE! And it didn't help that Ron made scary noises on his way back from gathering wood. I seriously almost had wet pants! Until that moment, I never knew that was a real reaction to being scared. Now, I believe it!

Anyways, we had a fantastic day out as a couple together. We enjoyed just spending time with each other and with our niece and nephews. I love my husband more and more each day, and we grow closer and closer together. Marriage is truly ordained of God!

"Our Instant Five"

Just two short weeks after we were married, Scott and I had the opportunity to stay with the five kids that I nanny for 5 whole days! (I help get the two older girls off to school and then home school Rachel, 6, and Hannah, 4). It was such an amazing experience for us. We set off Monday right after Scott got off of work for Idaho Falls to begin our adventure. We had an amazing time! We got to do everything we would do if we were real parents! We got to get the kids ready for school, to take them to ballet and gymnastics, to help with homework and sign reading logs! It was great! We got to wake up with a crying baby boy one night and take care of him. It just reaffirmed our strong desire for children and the joy that can be gained only through an eternal family. I'll tell the stories and memories we made as we go through the pictures :) That's more interesting anyways :P

Each night we were there, I did story time with the girls before bed. They love books! And I love kids all over and around me. So it all worked out. It was great to read Amelia Bedelia with the girls and to watch as they understood each pun in the book. They are so smart!
Tuesday, as our morning snack, we had english muffins. The kids loved them! In fact, Hannah told her mom on the phone that night that we had "Cookies, with butter!" It was hilarious! This is Hannah who literally got caught being naughty!
Wednesday morning was...eventful. Now, lets preface this with some facts about Scott and poop. He hates changing poopy diapers. He isn't opposed to changing our kids' diapers. He isn't opposed to changing his nieces' or nephews' diapers. But other peoples' kids' diapers are an issue. So Wednesday morning, after the normal oatmeal with fruit, I smell Michael. He's poopy. So I proceed to pick him up and carry him to his room. Only when I actually start to take his PJ's off do I realize that he has poop up his back! So I begin changing the diaper. I have changed poopy diapers from age 3. They don't bother me. But for some reason, I couldn't handle it! I was gagging left and right. I was serisouly thinking that I must be pregnant (PS I'M NOT!) because I had never reacted like that before! So I call for Scott. And he came in and saw the situation and took control. He changed the diaper, bathed the kid, and then rinsed out the pajamas in the tub. I came in to help and he was already rinsing the soiled PJ's. I pointed out, somewhat sarcastically and in the tone of "Nanner, nanner boo boo" that he was touching someone else's kids' poop. He just said, "Now you know I love you" and continued to the end. This is him at his triumphant finish :)
Wednesday was Laurie's birthday. She was turning 10! So Rachel blew up the balloons...well, more like, she tried, but Scott had to finish. We told her that it looked like the balloon was blowing her up!
Mike enjoying a huge balloon that ended up being the first of about 50 to pop!
Rachel working on a puzzle that I had brought. These girls LOVE puzzles! They're great at them. We've done a 200 piece before, and they're only 6 and 3!
Our idea of decorating for the "party."
Hannah was missing for a while during mine and Rachel's decoration spree. I went to investigate and found her in her room, playing with her Ariel barbies and Care Bears. (I kid you not, she is obsessed with ariel. She must have 10 dolls)
This is probably the cutest face he's ever made. I was talking to him and looked over and he held it for about 30 seconds while I got the camera out. He's such a ham!
Laurie opening presents with Simon in her way.
Laurie and Seth (you can barely see 'im). Sandy brought her kids out and made a pretty healthy carrot cake. It was delicious!
Make a wish Laurie!
After doing school with Rachel for about half an hour and trying to fight Michael away from the bananas and apples, I decided that it was Scott's turn to play with our little man. I guess he'd rather play with our little girl...
Mike loves getting into things! We found he has a cycle of things he'll get into. First the fruit on the table. Then the drawers, then the pantry. And then all over again! Good thing he's so darn cute!
Rachel, surprised that I was catching her reading on camera :)
Hannah, posing with her 100 piece Disney Princess puzzle that she completed by herself, starting, of course, with Ariel.
My little man eating a graham cracker and turning to kiss me :D
Scott played SO MANY games of Skipbo with the kids! I'm sure we wore those cards out by the end of the week. The girls loved it!
Swingin' with the Hannah. She's Scott's little buddy.

He's just SO cute!

As you can plainly see, we enjoyed this week with the kids. Hannah and Rachel still ask to call Scott on a daily basis, almost a month later! The other day, I had to put Hannah in timeout (the first one since I've been working there, to her credit) and she threw a tantrum in her room. I went to get her out and asked if she would like to sit quietly and listen to scriptures before eating lunch and she said, "Sure, but you know this never would have happened if Scott were here!" In the mornings she asks for help with her prayers and they sound like this ever morning:
Shiloh: Dear Heavenly Father
Hannah: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for Scott...(looking up at me) Now what?!
I absolutely love these children. They are such a joy in my life, and I love working with them at school and play. Can't wait to have our own family!