From The Strip to the Temple...

A few weeks we decided to take a trip to Vegas. Just the two of us. Shaun's best friend was getting married there...in Vegas!? Yep.Of course we had to go. It was a blast. We loved it! The trip up was super fun. We talked, laughed, and ate all sorts of tasty treats!. We walked up and down the strip, contemplated spending waaaaaaaaay too much money to see David Copperfield, and decided that a chicken burger, and some amazing fatty fries would make us just as happy.

I have to admit that being without the babes has it's benefits. Yes, it does.No bags, strollers, diaper changes, or fussy baby to mention a few from the pessimistic side of parenting. But boy is it rough. He is so so so worth it. He's just this sweetheart, that loves everything, and everyone.

On Friday, we were surrounded by beers, smoke, and a lot, I mean A LOT of half naked girls. Then Saturday, we went to a wedding breakfast at the Marriott. Ever eaten an omelet, toast, muffins, hash browns, AND cinnamon rolls for breakfast? I never have;) We had a few hours before the sealing so here were our choices: more of "The Strip," and ALL that, that entails or, The temple? Yeah, that's tough. We did a session in one of the most beautiful temples I've ever been in. Heaven. The sealing was amazing. It was a lot of back to back fun with my best friend.

 Well, we do have a basic camera, that leaves for average pictures but also the kind women who took this picture (above) was holding a beer, and cigarette while taking the picture. Talk about talent.

                                                                            Heaven.

Tender mercies.....

Last Saturday, we were in Sahuarita for a Bell/Tate post-Thanksgiving gathering. Really, just another excuse to eat. I look forward to it every year. The Tates are my Grandpa's wife's children and grandchildren. They are all hysterical just like Grandma Joann, and a lot of fun. After a lot of delicious mexican food, a lot more pie, and some super competitive volley ball games we headed home. When we were fifteen minutes shy of our house heading north on I-10 I failed to notice the left lane merging signs. Before I knew it, a semi was on my right, a truck pulling a trailer was in front of me hitting every construction sign. Boards and lights were flung in the air and seemed to be heading right for our windshield. Having failed to merge, I was stuck in between a semi and cement wall on the freeway. So, boards hit the windshield, and it shattered, I panicked and slammed on the brakes simultaneously the semi smashed into our right side and we instantaneously were smashed into the cement wall to our left. In hindsight, that is what should have happened had the Lord not have been so merciful.
His mercy really is infinite, just as His love.

Every board and light missed our car. Miracle # 1. I stopped on the freeway, and no one was behind me to hit me. Miracle # 2. The semi, missed hitting our car by what seemed like an inch. Miracle # 3. This family of three made it home without a scratch ten minutes later. Miracle #4.

A few days a week I open my journal at the end of the day and write how I have seen the Lord's hand in my life that day. Any nearly every time, the same thing happens, a few lines in I just start to cry because of how much He has done just for me that day. I feel overwhelmed with love, gratitude, and joy as I realize even more how He watches over and knows me personally. It amazes me that we have war on three fronts, there are catastrophes world wide that occur weekly. Thousands of Heavenly Father's children are starving in various third world countries. Yet, everyday as I kneel down, and talk to Him, He hears me.Me. He answers MY prayer. Just insignificant Brittney in Tucson. It amazes me. I love Him, and I love the gospel.

Perhaps this should be another blog but I will just sum up our super fun Bisbee trip. The three days before Thanksgiving we decided to go to Bisbee. An old mining town southeast of Tucson. So cute. It was SO FUN! We walked up and down that town, ate at little cafes, ice cream shops, and my favorite...the chocolAte shop. If you couldn't tell, accent on the "a." Heaven. 

My Cute and Funny Wife

My wife is one of the cutest and funniest people alive.  Period.  I can prove it.  Right now.  First of all, some background.  She sometimes does not remember how to spell certain words she likes to use in her vocabulary.  When this is the case she sounds words out and just spells them as she hears them in her head.  I think she did the Hooked on Phonics program because she’s so good at it.  Here are some real, unaltered words she has used recently:

Ann-tan-a

Lawn-jr-a

Dang, there are more but my phone doesn’t save texts back far enough.  I also sometimes get texts “from Ethan” that go like this:

“Dad!  Mom just took me for a ride in the stroller.  I know I’m a dare devil but she was pushing me way too fast and I started to get sick.  We finally made it home and I lost my breakfast on the carpet.  Jeez!  I‘m trying to be patient like you dad but she is difficult.  You saw how she left me last night.  I may as well have slept on the beach at noon day.  We’ll deal with her together and get through.  I love you!”

Ethan likened sleeping on the beach at noon day unto sleeping all night with his light on in his room.  His parents try real hard but sometimes things slip.

There you have it, my cute and funny wife.

Sittin, Wishin, and Waitin...

This week is a sad one. Shaun is on a business trip while I am left just sitting around here. Sitting is not something I'm good at so seeing as how my sweetheart is out of town I busied myself, spicing up the house. It is something Shaun has wanted me to do since we got married. So, being the sweet wife I am, I did it.....a year and a half later:) First, I started in the back yard. Planted winter rye, and filled up the flower bed with pansies and snap dragons. Then, painted the kitchen, and the rest of our living room. Took down the blinds, and up went some cheap, but nice curtains. I would put up pictures however I can't risk Shaun seeing what I did. He likes surprises. I like his face when he is surprised.

I am very grateful that I am not alone anymore when Shaun is gone on business. Sweet little Ethan is always around. He makes me laugh during bath time, 

during nakie time,

and when he makes these faces at me.

Honestly, he even makes me laugh when he stops drinking his bottle to fart. Even writing it, I start to laugh. Gross. He just makes us so happy. Well, my sweet Shaun gets home tomorrow night and we can't wait! I laugh more, sleep better, and fall more in love with him when he is around. Mostly, he is all I think about until he is with me again. I am grateful for that feeling, and I'm so grateful for him.

So, what did you do today??

The other night I came home and found that my husband had set up a blog for our family. Sweet, right? Not so much. There are only a few things in my life that I am diligent in, and this will not be one of them, but who knows? So, although I already know how this will end I am going to start!

Being a stay at home Mom there is one question that I am not fond of...." So, what did you do today?' I wait for my husband to ask me this everyday, and everyday I tell him the same thing, " Um, I don't know." It wasn't until recently that I learned that I am not the only one who feels this way. Hilary Weeks, that talented musician wrote a song about it. I got a kick out of it! So, for all of you most awesome house wives out there......enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hilary+weeks+to+do+list&aq=0&oq=hilary+weeks+to+