2010 Centennial District Awards Banquet

Every year our Scout district has an awards banquet. Last year we had sick kids so Matt went alone, but this year I wanted to be there...I knew a little secret!
Matt was awarded Scouter of the year for the service he had done in the district. I was so excited and Matt had no clue! (I wasn't a very good photographer, in the moment I forgot to go up and get a closer picture)
Matt and I were also awarded Scout Couple of the year and we were each one of the brightest stars in the district along with several of our friends. Matt wore his grandpa's uniform to the banquet...he looked so handsome!

I love you...

Seven years ago Matt and I shared our first Valentine's Day and it was a day I will never forget. Matt had a dozen roses delivered to me at work and then surprised me with a few other sweet gifts when I got home. Because of our work scheduled we were not able to see each other that day. Matt was working grave yard that night so I went and heart attacked his room and delivered my gift so it would be there when he got home in the morning. I surprised him by being at his apartment when he got home. I hid in his office until he had seen all of my gifts and had read my card. At the end of what I wrote I told him to look out his bedroom door... I was standing there. It was in that moment that I knew that I was in trouble if this relationship didn't last. When he looked at me that morning I felt like I was going to melt. I didn't tell him then, but I want to tell him right then that I loved him.

I can't even describe how much love is in our home. But I can write a few things that I love about my wonderful husband.

I love that he calls me "love".
I love that he knows when to let me be and when I need to be hugged and taken care of.
I love that he can always bring me back to reality when I am being completely irrational, but waits until I have had a chance to be irrational for a bit. ( I am sure it is because it just makes him laugh)
I love that because of him I am becoming a person that I never dreamed I could be.
I love that he does what it takes to provide for our family.
I love watching him play with our kids.
I love that he is sensitive at times and will shed a tear or two when something is really important to him.
I love his willingness to serve the lord.
I love that he loves those he serves with all of his heart.
I love that he can always make me laugh and does his best not to make me cry.

I love you Matt. Happy Valentine's Day. I can't wait for the next seven years with you.

Another Mothers Day Suprise

I have been eyeing temple pictures similar to this one for a couple of years. This company had a show at Costco a few weeks before mothers day I told Matt about them, but didn't really think that he would get it for me. I really didn't think that I would get them after the wonderful surprise in my flower beds I got the week before. But Matt surprised me once again with this beautiful picture of the Idaho Falls Temple where we were married. It really completed the wall grouping I had been working on. Thanks Matt, I love it!

Play-Doh

On Sunday the kids and I stayed home from church. Owen was sick all weekend and we didn't want Bailee to expose any one else. While Owen was napping Bailee and I made Play-Doh food with her Play-Doh kitchen.

Tacos with "Blue" meat, cheese and tomatoes

The Play-Doh Kitchen

T-bone Steak, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

On My Honor Award

At the Court of Honor Tami and I earned the On My Honor Award for our time and dedication to the scouting programs and our callings. It was exciting for us to earn the award together.

Bishop Clegg talking about the On My Honor Award

Matt awarding Tami her award

Tami giving Matt his Award

Matt and Tami wearing their On My Honor Award

McCall Get Away

In February, Matt was named the January MVP at work and was given a one night stay at the Whitetail Club (Shore Lodge) in McCall as well as a dinner package for the Narrows restaurant. After a few scheduling troubles, because of our crazy schedules, we finally got our night booked for Friday, October 10th. Matt took the whole day off so we could go up early and play.
My friend, Krista, watched the kids for us all day until my mom could come and watch them for the remainder of the night. Krista takes her kids to a home school co-op on Fridays so Bailee got to go with her friend Julianna to pre-school. She was so excited. We packed her backpack with the supplies she needed and bundled her in her coat (it was a cold morning) and then we sent her to her "first day" of pre-school . She is growing up too fast. After the kids were on their way, Matt and I headed up to McCall. On our way there we stopped in Cascade for lunch. Near Donnley we stopped at some hot springs. It was a great day for getting into hot springs. It was cold out side but it made getting in them that much nicer. We stayed there for and hour or so and then drove the rest of the way to McCall.

We weren't quite sure what to expect when we got there, so we were almost expecting them to charge us for something at any time. Lucky for us there were no added charges. When we got there we checked into our room and hung out until our 7 pm dinner reservation at the very nice restaurant there at Whitetail/Shore Lodge (they are in the process of changing the name back to it's original name "Shore Lodge") called the Narrows.
Our Room
The view from our patio. It was cold and windy that night so we didn't spend any time out there, but it was beautiful.
Just before 7 pm we got dressed for dinner. The restaurant was very nice and had a dress code. We felt a little like fish out of water there, or maybe like hicks in a big city. We were expecting that our dinner package was worth a certain dollar amount, but to our surprise it was good for any two appetizers, entree', and deserts. The only cost to us was gratuity. We were so surprised and ended up ordering the two most expensive entrees on the menu. One of the waiters had recommended the rib-eye, saying it was the best steak that he had had in all of the restaurant he had worked in. So that was what Matt ordered. I have never seen my husband enjoy the food he was eating as much as he did that night. Even now if you mention that rib-eye he smiles and says that he would go back and pay the $45 to eat it again, it was that good. Coming from Matt, it must have been good for him to be willing to pay that much. Eating there was so exciting for me, I love to cook and have always wanted to go to one of those fancy restaurants that have "fancy food". You know, almost to pretty to eat. I loved it when they brought out our appetizers and Matt's prawns were standing up on little dollops of mashed potatoes and my mushroom and puff pastry appetizer was decorated with asparagus spears and garnished all around the plate. It was so fun. At the end of the night they brought us the check, it totaled $127 and all we were responsible for was the gratuity. Which was about as much as we would ever spend at any normal restaurant for our whole meal!
We had such a great time while we were there. We left early Saturday morning so we could get back in time for our friends wedding, but it was nice to have a little get away just the two of us.

5 YEARS!!!!

Wow, it is hard to believe that it has been five years that we have been married. The time has flown by. I am so thankful that I found Matt and that I get to share eternity with him. He is such an amazing husband and father. I couldn't ask for more.
This year for our anniversary we celebrated a few days early because Matt was going to be on a backpacking trip with the scouts. Matt took me to the Mona Lisa Fondue Restaurant for dinner. I have been wanting to go there pretty much since we got married. The atmosphere in the restaurant was so romantic and it felt as if we were the only people in the restaurant. It was a Tuesday night so it wasn't to busy and so we didn't have anyone sitting near us. I think that the desert was our favorite part of the four course meal, but it was all good.

Backpaking in Rainbow Basin

All year we have been waiting for our backpacking trip to Rainbow Basin. Matt and I left Thursday morning and drove to the trail head at Trinity Lakes. We met our friends Jared and Lori at the trail. The four of us started off on our four mile journey to Big Rainbow Lake. The weather was perfect as we climbed the first mile to the ridge. The next 3 miles are an easy stroll through the woods. There are 8 lakes in a 2 mile stretch in the basin. Matt enjoyed finding a few geocaches along the way. We arrived at Big Rainbow Lake and set up camp near the lake. We grabbed a bite to eat then headed to Little Rainbow Lake to go fishing. We had fun catching the little brook trout.

Friday: We woke up pretty early and went to check out the view and wildflowers near our camp. Our friends woke up around 9:00, they were either wore out or enjoying some sleep away from their kids. We ate breakfast then head cross country to Hideaway Lake. It was really steep and we had to cross a LARGE rock slide. This is where I learned I am very, very afraid of crossing rocks. We eventually made it to beautiful Hideaway Lake. While at the lake we enjoyed catching fish and eating our backpacker's pizza. I even took a nap, who knew I could sleep so well on a log. There was still lots of snow around the lake so Matt and I took the chance to make snow angels in July. From there we went to Middle Rainbow Lake to take a short break and enjoy the scenery. We went back to camp to eat some food and enjoy some fishing before we retired for the night.

Saturday: We woke up early, ate breakfast and packed up camp. On our way out of the basin we stopped a Big Lookout Lake. The were some large trout that enjoyed taunting me and getting my hopes up of a big catch. I can say I am a true fisherman now because I had a big one on the line but he got away. From there we tackled the steep journey on our way back to the car. We had a great time getting to know our friends Jared and Lori and enjoyed Rainbow Basin for a second time.

Skiing at Tamarack

On Saturday we went skiing at Tamarack. It was great to get away for the day. My mom came and watched the kids. We got up to the hill around ten. We went and got Tami fitted for her skis then we headed for the Magic Carpet (that is a fancy way to say the kids hill). Tami went down a couple times and picked up what she had learned as a kid. We then went to the Discovery chair, that is the bunny hill. It wasn't much of a hill it was more like the bunny ski run. We went down there a couple times and Tami was getting pretty good. She is a quick learner. Around noon we went to the car to eat our sandwiches and take a break. Tami need to give her knee a rest so I went out by myself for a couple runs. Of course, I went straight to the top. I borrowed some skis from my friend and I needed to test them out. It was a blast. I went straight down as fast as I could. Those skis would turn and carve really easy. I went and woke Tami up and we went out again. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed spending time with each other. At the end of the day Tami took her skis in and I went for one last run. As I got done and skied toward the car I saw someone trying to jump start our car. Tami listened to the radio a little to long. Luckily security was able to get our car going. Despite Tami's childhood horror stories and skiing mishaps I think she actually enjoyed herself.