Park City 2013 Getaway At The Hyatt Escala

Scott and I had the opportunity to get away for 5 days in August. Let me just say that although we do feel like it is a priority to get away together, we don't do it very often or for very long. Luckily, Scott's mom was willing to fly into town and hold Grandma Camp for the kids. Scott and I traveled to Park City, UT, which only takes 3 hours in the car. It was so much fun getting away. We hiked a lot. Rented Mountain Bikes, attended the Salt Lake temple, shopped, ate great food, sipped lots of Hot chocolate and went to a movie.

We rented our Mountain Bikes at Cole's Sport and they are my favorite bike rental shop. The prices are reasonable and they get you in and out quickly. We biked for two days. Riding the lift at Park City Resort is so much fun and the trails are fantastic. We were covered in mud from head to toe because it poured rain on us. It made the experience even better because we were freezing and laughing so hard and eating tons of dirt. We left our car at Cole Sport and rode our bikes back to the Hyatt Escala.

I strongly recommend staying at this Resort. The prices were great for this time of year and the suite was amazing. We had so much room. I took a few pictures so you can browse through them a little, but this place was updated and nice. It was very clean, easy to get to, great pool, wonderful hiking, and the bathroom was AWESOME. It is located right next to The Canyon's Resort.

I didn't do dishes or laundry or make a bed or pick up a mess for 5 blissful days. Scott and I are pretty tidy and it reminded me that most of our messes come from the kids.

Spending 5 days with Scott was so beyond wonderful. We were able to do all the things that we love and we took advantage of every second together. Vacationing with your best friend is such a blessing and we appreciated it even more because we don't get to do it very often.

The good news is that the kids missed us and the house was in great shape.
The bad news is that I'm already itching to get away with Scotty.

I.
Love.
Him.

10 Years Of Marriage: Thoughts on my Anniversary

Today Scott & I are celebrating our 10th Wedding Anniversary.

This is an amazing day.

I'm still not sure how so much time has passed so quickly.

Tonight Scott & I will be in the Idaho Falls Temple.

Dressed in white.

Again.

It is our favorite way to remember our special marriage covenants.

We even decided to write marriage vows for each other and 

I can't wait to read Scott mine.

Most of what I have to say about this wonderful day I will save and share with Scott.

Its mushy and lovey and private.

But I do want to share with you our two favorite talks on marriage.

Read these with your spouse.

Pray about them and ponder them over and over again.

Then put their teachings to work.

I promise you that they will touch your heart, strengthen your marriage 

help bring more fulfillment than you could ever imagine.

John & Mary, Beginning Life Together by Spencer W. Kimball

Of Souls, Symbols & Sacraments by Jeffery R. Holland

Please let me know how you like them and if you have any favorite talks of your own.

We would love to add them to our favorites list.

9 Years Of Wedded Bliss (Mostly)

Happy Anniversary to Us.
Do you ever cringe when people make their lives out to seem too picture perfect and you wonder what you are doing wrong? Well, I do. Because let's face it...joining two lives together can be hard. It takes work, love, service, sacrifice and dedication. But the end result really truly can be BLISS.

I would say that our marriage has gotten better every year. Things that we disagreed on before have become easy to agree on now. Our different backgrounds, education, discipline, money habits, likes and dislikes have evolved into not "what I like", but into "what WE like".  It is so much better being this far into a marriage. Communication continues to grow, intimacy deepens, respect for each other multiplies and the fact that we have made it THIS FAR...certainly sustains the fact that WE CAN MAKE IT ALL THE WAY. Because, let's be honest...in the beginning when you have that first big argument...Eternity seems like a really, really long time.

So Happy Anniversary Scott! I love you. I appreciate you in so many unique and diverse ways. You & I are great together and I am so, so grateful everyday that I "waited" for you and that "YOU" were the one.

Facts about Scott & I that you might not know.

• I am three years older than Scott.
• We formally met at church but Scott first saw me at Dallas Robert's when I was in hair-school. I was of course wrapping my leg around one of my friends. No big surprise to those who know me well.
• I became pregnant with Dylan in our first month of marriage.
• Scott and I lived at Y-view for our first two months of marriage. 
• Scott worked at Costco & I worked at e-Wedding bands.
• After Dylan was born I quit my job and our little family survived on $900.00 a month.
• We moved to Blackfoot, ID when Dylan was 5 months old. Scott's job didn't work out but we decided to stay anyway because we felt like it was where we were suppose to be.
• A month later Scott started helping build The Eastern Idaho Auto Auction and worked there for two years making it extremely successful. This is where I was forced into learning to do the accounting, taxes and payroll when their office manager was "let go". 
• Scott has started 6 businesses in our 9 years of marriage.
• Eastern Idaho Auto Auction (Employee but helped build it from the ground up)
• Anytime Fitness Logan, UT (Sold in 2006)
• Anytime Fitness Blackfoot, ID
• Anytime Fitness Nampa, ID (Hired to start this facility for a group of investor's)
• Anytime Fitness Shelley, ID
• Armor Pest Defense Denver, CO (Recent Investment)
• I currently keep the books for our Anytime Fitness Center's
• Scott and I live off 40% of our income. We are very careful about our spending. We save 50% and pay 10% in tithing. Making financial sacrifices now will hopefully assure our financial freedom in the future.
• Scott gives awesome massages and he spoils me in this department. I spoil him by making him awesome turkey sandwiches. I think I'm getting the better end of the deal.
• We have 11 Maple tree's in our yard, 4 weeping cherry tree's, 1 choke cherry tree, one sunburst, and 1 camper down elm. I love Tree's.
• Scott served his mission in Louisville, Kentucky and I served my mission in Seattle, Washington.
• Scott is from Centralia, WA and I am from Orem, UT.
• We have three sons and one daughter.
• We love road trips.
• Scott loves me being home with the kids full-time, but apart from that he doesn't believe in gender roles. He cleans toilets, vacuums, changes diapers, cooks and does anything around the house that is needed. I love this about him.
• I am a homebody and Scott is trying to break me of this. 
• Scott love's to be busy and work hard and I love to play.
• We love movies and our favorite thing is crawling into bed with a new movie to watch.
• We love living in Blackfoot and have grown to HATE traffic in other cities because Blackfoot is so quiet and you can drive anywhere in about 5 minutes.
• Scott likes to call me "snoobs" and I like to call him "buns". 
• If we could have 6 more kids...we would.
• We like to sleep in and don't get to very often.
• Scott dreams of going to the US Open in New York City.
• I dream of going anywhere as long as it is with Scott. 

That is enough for now!!! It has been a great 9 years, and here is to 9 more!

My Definition of "True" Love

"True" Love...as in,

WOW, this isn't at all what I thought it would be.

It is HARD.

It can HURT.

And it takes A LOT of WORK.

I remember sitting down with my Bishop a week or two before our wedding date. Scott and I were young (well he was), and in love, and pretty clueless about what we were getting ourselves into. The Bishop told us that he and his wife had never {did I mention that he said NEVER} exchanged a cross word in their 30 years of marriage. I sat there with my hopeful head spinning, floating off to this place called {dream land} that my Bishop should have told me DIDN'T REALLY EXIST!!! I thought to myself,

"Oh, how romantic, and lovely. That is what our marriage is going to be. We can do it. We love each other SO much. I mean...it is TRUE LOVE after all!"

Well for those of you that are married...

it should come as  NO SURPRISE

that about 4 weeks into our marriage

I completely tossed my idea of what a PERFECT MARRIAGE should be.

Perfect just can't exist when there are TWO IMPERFECT people involved.

So for me "TRUE" love is about trying for more of this:

TRUST
COMMITMENT
HUMILITY
SELFLESSNESS
KINDNESS
HAPPINESS
LOYALTY
HUMOR
LOVE
SERVICE
INTIMACY

And less of this:

Selfishness
Greed
Insincerity
Darkness
Dishonesty
Heartache
Tears
Stubbornness
Pride
Complacency
Meanness

 And so you see,

Our Marriage isn't Perfect

But our LOVE STORY is.

We laugh.

We forgive.

We try.

We keep trying.

We kiss.

We give.

We serve.

We continue on.

Day after day after day.

Because the TRUTH about love is that the more you give, the more you get.

And the TRUTH is...
9 years ago, when I met Scott at church, and he introduced himself to me as 'Steve' because he was flirting, and I followed him out into the hall and gave him a little pinch on his bottom and a wink because I was flirting, our "TRUE LOVE" ignited. And that FLAME is still BURNING.

And here is a little note I wrote to Scott, a few years back.

Love Letters by Erin Peterson


I don't tell you often enough of the huge space you occupy in my heart.

I miss writing you love letters.
I think I shall start.

I love you.

It's a different kind of love.

It started as one big giant explosion...

and simmered to one, constant glowing flame.

It is steady, warm and pure.

Our flame is ours.
It works for us.

My love for you will  never dim.
It can't.

You ignite my heart.
You quicken my breath.
You heat my soul.
You're my perfect match.

And we will continue blazing through life together.

You and me...on fire.

~~~~~~

Happy Valentine's Day Scott.
The whole family is sick.
This day isn't going to be very romantic.
But when I asked you to please empty the dishwasher this morning because I couldn't bring myself to do it, and I came back into the room and you were scrubbing the sink with everything in it's place.
That was SEXY.

I love you STUPID. (Is this a harsh pet name because I kind of like it?) Even though you forgot your socks on our wedding day and had to wear black ones. (As the photo's above will illustrate.) And I'm so glad that you love me. (Even though I snored SO SO SO loud last night {his words} because I am super sick.)

I am loving the journey, and I'm loving you always,

Snoobs.

Christmas In January: A Re-do

Let the Record books show that I love my husband. I care for him deeply, I rely on him, I appreciate him and value him so highly. I try to express my love for him but sometimes I think I fall short. 

I have told the blogosphere here, here, here, here, and here the things I love and appreciate and admire about my husband and I have also shared a love letter that Scott wrote me here. 

But sometimes I find it easier to sincerely tell all of you how much I love him and appreciate him that it is to tell him and make him believe that I mean it. 

Do you ever find it hard to truly show appreciation for your spouse?

I find it hard sometimes to convince Scott that I truly appreciate all that he does for our family. It is easy to say the words, "thank you", or "you are awesome", or "I really appreciate that", but I have found it really difficult to show him how much I value him. 

Scott is a rare bread. He is a doer. He will do whatever job there is that needs to be done; whatever service that will lighten my burdens is his primary focus. I am starting to realize just how much I have taken him for granted. I don't try to. I don't mean to. 

I am a loving and a giving person, but I have grown accustomed to him doing more than his share of the load, more than he should, and I have started to just expect it.

EXPECT IT.

What does this say about me? (too scared to really know the answer to this one.)

I have become selfish. I have prioritized myself, my children, my interests, my needs....MY. (evil word)

One of my resolutions for 2012 is to start prioritizing the needs of my husband. I don't think this is going to be easy for me. I really have become selfish.

My first item on the agenda was to RE-DO Christmas. You see, when Christmas morning came I didn't have one thing to give Scott. Not a Card, Not a gift...Nothing. I had been so preoccupied with my surgery that I had failed to plan anything for him. 

Now Scott & I are never very conventional about giving gifts to each other. And Scott rarely has anything wrapped under the tree for me either. In September when I so selfishly told Scott that there was a camera that I wanted for Christmas, he told me to get in the car and he drove me straightaway to get it. That is just how he works. He hates depriving me of ANYTHING. 

Insert my beautiful camera! My Christmas present from Scott in September.

Oh, how I love this totally ridiculously expensive camera. 

It is not practical and I don't NEED it...but I love it. A lot.

Spoiled, right?

I decided that I wanted to do something for Scott.

Now, Scott doesn't really care that much about stuff. And the truth is he would rather have me NOT spend money on him and send the money straight to our savings account. But the problem is that he NEVER buys himself anything and I still wanted to do something nice for him.

So Monday the kids and I started to prepare. We decorated with Christmas lights, cooked a nice formal dinner, wrapped gifts, made treats and sent Scott funny Christmas-y texts throughout the day.

When he got home from work we shouted Merry Christmas and started the celebrations.

We had such a great time and it was really fun to be able to celebrate Scott together as a family.

Excuse me for a minute...

***Scott you sexy man you, I Love you.

I love you.

I.

Love.

You.

Never, have I loved anyone or anything more than I love you.

You.

Rock.

Let's smooch. ;)***

So now I'm off to plan the next thing that I can DO for my husband. Maybe I'll shower, brush my teeth and get out of my sweats. Now wouldn't that be a treat.

And Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Remember THIS post? Now that was fun.

And I am determined to not start bleeding to death like I did last Valentine's Day.

Thoughts?

Mom Guilt

It is officially Day 10 of Scott taking care of EVERYTHING and me doing NOTHING. 


The mom guilt is killing me. 


Never have I wanted to do laundry, the dishes, or change diapers more.


I am recovering really well. Actually I think remarkably well. However, I am not suppose to really do anything. I can walk around and that is about it. Do you know how hard it is to keep myself from doing things. Especially picking up my sweet baby Wyatt when he is crying and looking right into my eyes. It takes all of my restraint.


Scott took off with the kids today and I haven't seen him in about 4 hours. He has been so wonderful. I always brag about how amazing he is...but he really is so amazing. He can do it ALL. And he has been so kind and wonderful through this whole ordeal. And for a guy to look lovingly at his wife while she is holding her own bag of urine...that says something folks!!!

This picture isn't the best quality, but it just perfectly illustrates Scott's role in this family. He is the Center. He makes sense out of all of our jumbled quirks and our family just works because of him. His focus is our family. It always has been and I know it always will be. He finds so much joy in being a Father and I love him so much.


I am amazed at how wonderful the hard times can be.  I've been forced to slow down and completely stop being a mom, or at least the majority of my mom roles. But my sweet hubs has taken over in every way and I love him. 


Do you hear that? I love you Scotty.

Credit Card Fraud = Horror...American Express Blue = Love.

Last month Dominic Cifarelli  and Morokath Redman used my credit card to rack up over $6000.00 dollars in Airline tickets. I'm sure you can imagine the anxiety and the panic that I felt when I opened up my credit card statement.

Oh.
My.
Word.

It amazes me that people are okay with being so dishonest.

It totally blows my mind.

Maybe they didn't have a good mom like I did who made them walk back into the grocery store at the age of six and return the stolen candy-bar. Or maybe they just need a Bishop that looks them in the eye's every year and asks them if they are honest in ALL their dealings.

I just don't get it.

Needless to say I felt violated.

So I called up American Express to try and resolve the issue and their customer service was EXCELLENT.

Not only did they treat me like I was the victim, they didn't blame me or try to ask me a million questions. They just thanked me for my ongoing membership and took care of it all for me.

Took.
Care.
Of.
It.

People, this really happened. Like, in real life.


They just took care of it for me.

What?

Amazing. And I promise that this is not an advertisement for American Express. But I will be a Member for Life.

AmEx = Love

Liars = Stoopid (with two o's)

PS. I found this crazy lady picture on the web, but I think it kind of looks like me if you don't look to close and if you blur your eyes a little and if the room is dim. ;)

Love Means...

Tonight I read an interesting article entitled Why I can't stop reading Mormon housewife blogs.

It was one of those articles that made me stop and think. The writer explains that she has a secret addiction to the Happy, Perfect lives that are portrayed by Mormon bloggers.

I have often NOT blogged on days when I don't feel well, I'm grumpy, or I don't feel like my life is Perfect and Happy.

It isn't that I want everyone to think that my LIFE is perfect. It is just that I'm not comfortable with everyone knowing just how NOT perfect I AM.

I thought I'd share just a little example of my stupidity. Here is a letter I wrote to Scott one time after I lost my temper with him. So in case you thought I might be perfect (hee hee ha ha) here is proof to the contrary.

~~~~~~~

Written June 23, 2010


Mr. P,

Last night we quarreled. It was one of those non-verbal quarrels. Tempers ragged...I was right, you were wrong...or so I thought.

I asked you for help washing Dylan's hair. I was busy washing Kate and Sawyer's hair. You ignored me. You were on the computer.

I was surprised. You never ignore me. You almost always do what I ask.
So I asked again. This time, a little more impatient.

"Please", I said, "wash Dylan's hair for me".
Again, nothing.

At the time I wasn't thinking that maybe you were tired. That you had played with me and the kids in the morning, worked all day, and then mowed the lawn, went on the walk with me that I begged you for, and then laid with me on the grass.

I wasn't thinking about all of that, you know. I wasn't thinking about how you ALWAYS do what I ask, so much so, that when you don't I get upset. You see, you are so reliable, I've just sort of gotten use to it.

So I got mad. And I told you so.

You came to the rescue, you washed Dylan's hair. But not because you wanted to. It was because I had a tantrum and fell apart.

Someone once said, "Love means never having to say you are sorry."

Oh, my love, I disagree.

I think love means being willing to say you are sorry. Filling the void of worry, woe, pride, silence, and distance...with words, like.

I love you.


It was my fault.


I was careless.


I was selfish.


I should have put your feelings first.


You are all that matters to me.


Please forgive me.


You see, I think love is saying you are sorry.

And I am...

Sorry.

Secret Service...

Do you ever get overly giddy when you do something nice for someone without them knowing...and you just fumble around, waiting in anticipation for them to see your Gift of Service?

Last night I headed over to Anytime Fitness (If you didn't know, Scott and I own two Anytime Fitness Centers, one in Blackfoot, ID and one in Shelley, ID). I told Scott that I was going to work out, but instead I packed up a load full of Garbage bags and got my weeding gloves and put on a coat and hat.

Anytime Fitness Blackfoot is located right next to a freeway exit, a grocery store, and the Super 8. Because of so much traffic, both on foot and in car, a LOT of trash accumulates.

Now that the snow has melted Scott has been complaining about what a mess it is and how junky the freeway exit makes our gym look. If you know Scott at all you know he is a man of action, but he really injured his ankle a few weeks ago playing basketball (ahh!) and hasn't been able to get around very well; thus, he can't really do the job himself right now.

So, last night I bagged about 20 bags of trash and leaves and filled about 3 business sized garbage bins worth of weeds and crap. It took me over two hours and today I can't even stand up straight my back hurts so badly (Who said weeding isn't exercise?).

The low point was when I was spotted by a few friends covered in dirt and garbage in the middle of the night. I was looking pretty mangy.

But inside I am so excited for when Scott notices. How fun is it to get to serve each other?

SO, GO AND DO SOMETHING NICE FOR SOMEONE!

That's Hot!

One more reason why I have the best husband in the whole world.

Me: "It's Saturday, what are you going to do today?"

Scott: Looks at me and winks with that...sexy..."you know what is always on my mind" kind of wink.

Me: I blush and say. "Nice". And then I ramble off my list. "I'm going to finish some laundry, scrub the kitchen floor, read my book, go to the gym, and clean the office."

Scott: "Well let's do it."

And twenty seconds later Mr. Perfect is on his hands and knees, scrubbing the kitchen floor. And, if you have never been on your hands and knees scrubbing the kitchen floor, right next to YOUR Mr. Perfect, well then, I highly recommend it...because as Paris Hilton would say..."That's Hot"!

What God Hath Joined Together

Yesterday afternoon I picked up Gordon B. Hinkley's book Standing for Something. I started reading the chapter on Marriage. I've been thinking about my husband ever since so I thought I would take the time today to share some feelings.

If you know Scott, you know that he is not the most sympathetic guy on the block. He is not overly tender, or mushy. He doesn't really know how to be sensitive...you get the idea. The first few years we were married was a real adjustment. If you know my parents you know that I was raised by the most tender, overly sensitive people on the planet and I was pampered, yes pampered my entire childhood and all of my adult life up until I married Scott. When I was sick as a child, or even an adult, my Mother would sit at my bedside and care for me. My Father was always soft spoken and there was never any conflict between the two of them that my brothers and I ever witnessed. Fast forward to Scott and I getting married. We dated very little and really barely knew each other. What we did know was that the lord confirmed to us both that we were well suited for each other and that our marriage would please him. We were in love and we were so excited to be Man & Wife.

One month following our Marriage I became pregnant and we were so excited. With pregnancy I also became sick and tired....and tired and sick. I realized very quickly that Scott was not going to coddle me, or pamper me. He didn't think much of the hardships of pregnancy and didn't want to hear any complaining. I was young and dumb and didn't know him well enough to understand why he wasn't bringing me breakfast in bed, rubbing my feet and checking in on me 20 times a day.

I think that it is fair to say that since our early beginnings I have come to know and understand my husband much better than I once did. I've come to understand why he does what he does, why he acts the way he acts, and why is not a disher of sympathy.

What I once thought of as a flaw in my husband, I now see as the single most important reason that we needed each other in marriage. Scott is strong where I am weak.

Scott is a special breed. I feel that there are truly not many like him in the universe of Our Father's children. He is wrought with endless endurance, an insane work ethic, and mighty abilities. He does not complain about labor. And he doesn't hide from it. He gets what needs to be done, done. He doesn't have to be asked, he doesn't need to be told. He is a self-starter and a non-stopper. He is one who's love is shown in his labor. Not in his compliments, or his affirmation. He shows me his love by his actions.

Friday night I mentioned to Scott that I thought a good project for us on Saturday would be for us to clean out the window wells. He didn't reply or say anything about it. But the very next morning while I was pulling myself out of bed, he entered the house and said, "they are all clean. It's done". This is how Scott works. He is constantly doing what needs to be done.

(Demonstrating his mad edging skills)

Scott told me very early in our marriage that he thought some of societies gender roles and definitions were stupid and that many of them gave couples a reason to ignore our true responsibilities. Being responsible to each other. And ever since our early beginning, Scott has fulfilled his duties as a husband & Father...and MORE! My close friends know that he lightens my burdens daily. Scott cleans toilets, scrubs floors, folds laundry, baths kids, cooks dinner, vacuums, dusts, grocery shops, and helps do every household chore. He doesn't do this once in a while. He does this every day. I never have to ask. He comes home from work and throws in a load of laundry, then he picks up the front room and starts on the dishes. He does whatever needs to be done. I will admit that I have severely taken advantage of him many times. I know that whatever I don't get done, he will do. Isn't that amazing? Aren't I lucky. The same goes for the care of our children. Scott can do the work of 30 men. He is the super Mom at our house. If I leave him with the kids for 30 minutes, I will come home to a house with bathed, sleeping children, and newly mopped kitchen floor, and a quiet peaceful feeling that everything is just how it should be. I don't know how he gets so much done in such a short amount of time. Again, I know I'm lucky. (Just as I typed this Scott just walked by me and put a load of a wet clothes in the dryer, told me to stop buying the cheap dryer sheets, and then pinched my boob and started picking up the clutter in family room. How can you not love him?)

(Little snooze yesterday afternoon)

Another think I love about Scott is his vision of his financial future. He taught me how to save money and how to live on less. He is very careful with his money. He truly believes that Money saved is Money earned. If you don't save it, you never earned it. He has taught me that being mindful of our spending offers financial freedoms that adds to our quality of life. Because of his discipline we have been able to also enjoy the benefits of being self-employed.

I so admire Scott for being willing to go without some of the toys or luxury's some of our friends might enjoy, so that we can be prepared for the future. Scott wants to have our house paid off in the next few years, and I believe that he will.

Scott is also one of the most generous people I know. He never hesitates to pay for meals, movies or golf when he is with family of friends. He sacrifices in his spending so he can share with others and I LOVE that about him.

He also is very generous with me. He never and I mean never buys himself anything, but he is always thinking of ways he can make me happy. Scott's presents don't come with bows on them around your birthday or Christmas. Scott's gives gifts at moments least expected.

Yesterday, he told me that he thought we should take his change jar and cash it in and buy me the potted plants that I have been wanting for the front of the house. I didn't ask for them, he just knew that it was something that I have wanted for a long time and for some reason thought it would be a great day.

(Scott's prized change jar)

So we took his change, cashed it in, and purchased beautiful, pots and plants to go in them. Thank you Scott!

(My brand new Planted Pots)

I could keep going on and on forever. He has given me six years of undying service. So what he may lack in sensitivity, he makes up for in a million other ways.

I feel truly blessed to have a partner that truly is a helpmeet in every sense of the word.

I love you Scott!!!

What makes your husband unique that you just love?

What makes your wife unique that you just love?

In what ways is your spouse the perfect one for you?

If you are spouseless, what qualities are important to you that you are looking for?

Sawyer Scott Peterson

Sawyer Scott Peterson

January 27, 2009

7 lbs 11 oz
21 inches long





Here is a silly video I made while sitting in my hospital bed a few minutes ago. I have too many drugs in me right now, so I'll write more later.

I love him!!!

What Tuesday will bring...

What Tuesday will bring...

~Cute naked infant
~Sweet smelling baby
~New little brother
~Tiny diapers
~Soft skin
~Tender cries
~Millions of Kisses
~Tearful husband
~Blessed Mother
~Wrinkly skin
~Feeding time
~Snuggles
~Gratitude
~Prayers
~Miracles
~10 Fingers and 10 Toes
~Love of a Mother
~Wonder and Awe
~Peace & Joy
~Clarity
~Sense of Purpose
~Eternal Family

I am so excited to finally meet you little one. Remember that special chat we had a few months ago in the temple? That was such a special night for me. I am so ready to start living up to the promises I made to you that night. I am so grateful that your Heavenly Father has trusted me to help prepare you for all the important roles you are to fill. You are coming to a family that loves you. You will have a Father to teach you, a mother to care for you, a brother to play with and a sister to cuddle you. I can't stop thinking about you. I will see you on Tuesday!
~

I'm thankful for my husband Scotty!

Is there anyone that doesn't love Thanksgiving Time? Is it not fabulous taking time out to think about all we have, all we should be thankful for, and all that we are not worthy of.

I was thinking tonight as my little family walked around the block that I truly have so much to be thankful for. But tonight, I want to specifically thank my husband Scott.

(I asked him to model the cowboy hat which he was totally against but did anyway.)

This weekends reasons of WHY I LOVE AND APPRECIATE YOU SCOTT!!

-All week long you pulled more than your share of the load. You are so good to your tired pregnant wife and you take good care of me.

-You came home every night from a long day of work and did laundry, entertained kids, dusted the house, organized the toys, and brought me yummy beverages.

-You didn't make fun of me at church today when I couldn't bend over in my chair to pick up the pen I dropped. Thanks for understanding that as Kate says, "Mommy's bubble is getting way big."

-You care so much about your calling in church and you prepare so carefully to teach with the spirit. I love that about you!

-You remembered that you were suppose to play the violin this morning with the YW. (I should have been the one reminding you!)

-Last night, you came home and put the movie we rented in right away...even though I know that you really wanted to watch the good game that was on. That was awesome!

-Before we went to bed last night you told me that you had an awesome surprise for me...and then you told me that I got to sleep in an extra hour. That WAS an awesome surprise.

-Last night after our date and fun walk around the Lake I asked if you wanted to go to the fabric store with me. You said sure...even though you knew that I would take forever because I am so indecisive.

-Today after my 2 hour Sunday nap I was complaining about not knowing what to do. I was uncomfortable and didn't feel good. You suggested that I take a hot bath. When I got out of the bath you had cleaned and mopped the kitchen, picked up all the toys, and cleaned out my office (no one understands what a big job my office is).

-You always share scriptures and spiritual experiences with me and I learn so much from your insights and testimony.

-You always hand me your extra cash and tell me that it is my tip. What wife doesn't love getting tips, small or large?

-I am almost done typing this and I just heard the vacuum turn on upstairs. You are AWESOME!

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I wanted to share with my blogging friends a Christmas present that Scott gave me a few years ago. I haven't read it for a while. This will show you what kind of a husband I have. I love you Scott and feel so blessed to be with you on this journey.

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(Written by Scott a few years ago...)

Life With Erin


Life, a phrase that is often used in everyday language to precede something positive or negative. My life stinks, life is wonderful, and life is so hard. I choose to use it in somewhat of a different context however, this if you will is my thesis statement. Life with Erin.

At first thought, the natural man wants to persuade me to write something funny, something the world would want us to perceive as conventional wisdom, such as Husband and wife don’t get along, they sometimes endure but really don’t get along. As I’ve gotten a little older I have realized that trifling with sacred things brings nothing but a temporary giggle, or perhaps an awkward silence. My life with Erin is worth more than a billion giggles combined, and is one of the most sacred things I hold, therefore I will not trifle.

I really don’t know where to start, in our two in a half years together we have lived in three apartments and two cities, tried to start two businesses, and have been presented with several others. I have never been a person who knew exactly what I wanted to be and what I wanted to do in terms of temporary things. But as I lay in bed with my fast growing family I realize I know exactly what I want to be and what I want to do. I want to be Erin’s Husband forever, I want to have a family, and I want to raise my family in line with the teachings of my Heavenly Father. Perhaps these things won’t bring the most esteem among men in this life, but I know there the things that will bring the most esteem in the next life. So while men struggle to reach the specifications of the perfect job, the perfect life, the perfect wife, I will place my efforts on perfecting my beautiful family. I will strive to be the best at whatever I do; I have always done this, but ultimately knowing that this effort is for a much greater cause. My life with Erin has given me a vision that is becoming clearer each day. Coming home to my little family is something so priceless I cannot even attempt to elaborate with silly verbiage. This priceless possession was made possible because of life with Erin.

A man once said I received the wife I needed not the wife I wanted, however innocently that statement was made, it has stuck with me and made me even more grateful for my own wife. For I not only received the wife I needed, but the wife I wanted. I wanted her for so many reasons, from her beauty to her charismatic personality. I needed her for things far deeper. I needed her because of what really defined her, her vision of life. These things combined made me realize I wanted a life with Erin.

Because of the shared vision that both of us have, we now enjoy the incomparable blessings of two beautiful children. We both cannot imagine life without these two people in our lives. I cannot imagine them being any different or looking any different, each of them so uniquely there own. Both of them beam their mothers looks, although I sometimes say I wish they had my chiseled Roman godlike features(just kidding), I would choose them to look like no one else except their mother. I am beyond grateful for my little handsome boy, and sweet cute Kate, these precious jewels are in my life because of my life with Erin.

I love the comments you are too young to have two kids, or you look to young to have any kids. Worldly wisdom would agree. I look at friends back home, who think they are free because they have no such responsibility. Erin and I would contradict that notion, and believe that we are free because of these additions. The truth shall make you free; children are a great truth in the plan of salvation. The scriptures teach that where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty; these two children bring a profound influence of the spirit in the home. Therefore we would contend that we are free because we are not captive to self involved attitudes that run wild in our world today. We are free because of the assurance that we both share that our family is exactly what the Lord wants us to be establishing. I am so grateful for a wife that gets this, for a wife that not only gets it, but chooses to act upon that knowledge that she has. What a wonderful treat to be able to share a life with Erin, Dylan, and Kate.

In life we often spend a lot of time on things that are good, things at least that we think are good, but have no bearing in the great scheme of things. My little wife is something that truly matters in this great scheme, what else could be more beneficial in spending time on. There’s a word that we as husbands are commanded to do to our wives, that is to cherish them. But I do not think we know what this means. Not only are we to love our wives, we are to treat them with affection and tenderness. We are to hold them dear to our hearts and keep them fondly in mind. They are to be a constant in our thought process. How knoweth a man the master whom is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart, how am I to know my wife if she is not occupying my thoughts. I pray I can do much better at this. I love the life I share with Erin to much to spend time on things which are fleeting, and have the appearance of but a vapor, which appeareth for a time, but then vanisheth away. I love my life with Erin.

I have only written a brief portion of my thoughts on my life with Erin, for truly I am not qualified to attempt any more on this sacred matter. I will just say, in the words of the ancient prophet Nephi, I live after a manner of happiness because of this heavenly woman who has blessed my life just by being in it. Thank you little lady, Life with you is something so great, the very word does not do justice, and for this I am grateful.

I love you.