Consider the lilies

Consider the Lilies of the field-how they grow, how they grow...

I always wondered what that phrase meant and someone special taught me. Our Heavenly Father will always take care of us {not a foreign topic to me}, but he explained it that everything has beauty, especially our lives. Everything is/has a process and we have to find the beauty in it, whether it be small or great.

 Someone special gave these lilies to me.

 Someone special took these pictures for me.

Someone special sure does love me.

And I sure love him!

27th Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVS!

June 18, 2012 

 Dave & Busters PARTY!

His morning started out with a simple breakfast made by yours truly. Evan went to work, where there were signs saying Happy Birthday {I sold him out and called the receptionist}! After he got home I surprised him and took him to D&B. We had a great time with cousins. Thanks for joining us Chris, Elizabeth, Sarah and Xavier! It was good to celebrate with a get together!! Evan had a good night. We came home and the dogs & I sang Happy Birthday and had root beer floats with Evs favorite-A&W root beer.

Crazy fun together!

The end of a great day!

We may not have it all together...

but TOGETHER we have it all!

{Photo credit: Jenfallanphotography.com}

We had a family get together on Father's Day! My Dad was at work, but we still had a party in his honor and to see my Mom since she just got back from a 2 month trip in Oregon. We ate good food. Played a game. Watched the kids run around, wrestle, fight over princess jewelry..it was a good day to celebrate.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD!

We missed spending time with you today, but just wanted you to know we appreciate all you do for us! We have a difference of opinion often, but we know that our love for each other is unconditional and the most important. You're always helping us out and bringing me breakfast at work. Thank you for being in our life. We love you! Thank you for all you do!

We also had cookie cake {made by Jen} and ice cream to celebrate, since we were together, Evan's birthday, which is tomorrow June 18, and Brittanie's birthday which was June 9.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

THE BIG 27!

THE BIG 26!

Father's Day

As we got up and started getting ready for church today, Evan was telling me what happened after I fell asleep during the movie last night. It dealt with a black widow, a rollie pollie bug, my slipper...and something about him being a hero and saving the day. I was listening, I promise, but with it being father's day, I couldn't help but think what a great daddy Evan will be someday...so I took the details of his story and added a..ONCE UPON A TIME...who knows, maybe someday when his kiddos ask him to tell them a story he can bust out the story about the black widow, a rollie pollie bug and my slipper..

I love you babe you're the best!

One Year

Its been a year since Grandma Ballantyne's spirit left this earth. I've missed her. Its been one heck of a year for Grandpa surviving without her too. He has had strong times and then some not so strong times. He used to come and exercise with me at my work and those times were strong moments for him. He went from walking with a walker, to a cane, to nothing. But then things came up..cataract surgery..etc and he stopped coming. Well he recently had a fall and broke his femur. Now when an 88 year old falls-they are more than likely going to get injured and have a hard time recovering from it. Well, Grandpa B is in a rehab facility attempting to recover from his fall, but its been a roller coaster. I was able to do Grandpas physical therapy with him on today and he did such a great job. He was alert, making jokes, and working hard to walk and get stronger. I loved getting to work with my Grandpa again. It was hard to see him flip from being alert to being mentally unstable, restless, and uneasy. He isn't eating much, so he gets fatigued easily after his therapy. Its sad to see him close to death. I know that when his time to go comes that it will be God's time for him to do more work in heaven and be with Grandma. I will be happy that he can reunite with Grandma. I love you Grandpa B.

Lost in a happiness flood

"When I was in grade school, they told me to write down what I wanted to be when I grew up. 

I wrote down happy. 

They told me I didn't understand the assignment, 

I told them they didn't understand life."

- Unknown

I love enjoying the simple things in life--like watching my Jade catch some sun rays and get a whiff of everything blowing her way. 


Happy Friday!

Movie & Mall Date

Hubby took me on a date-- for FREE with an AMC gift card he was given for graduation--He took me to see Snow White & the Huntsman, even though he really wanted to see Battleship. Such a sacrifice. I Love him!

I liked it. It was good. A little darker than Disney's version of course, but well done. Upside-- lots of action & cute story. Downside--teenage couple talking and making out the entire time. I finally told them to stop talking and to keep their saliva swapping more quiet.

Afterwards we walked around the mall mostly on a mission to get Cole and CJ {niece & nephew} each a pair of Tom's. They both turned the BIG 1 recently and have been walking all over now. We weren't sure what to get a one year old, so we figured why not let them walk with the cutest shoes ever.

We also managed to go to my two favorite places in the mall:

Wetzel's Pretzels {we got a FREE pretzel using my frequent visitor card} & the pet store {FREE to look at all the doggies being stuck in small spaces--lucky for me they were all ridiculously expensive or I might've come home with a new King Charles Cavalier Tri-Color --for Sage & Jade of course}

Wonderful inexpensive Saturday afternoon--Blessed to have him as my eternal companion.

Rent-a-kid

Quon and I rented-a-kid for the night. You know..to see if we could hack it in the parenting world {Plus Britt & Josh were celebrating her birthday and their anniversary since she worked on the actual day}...it was pretty cool. But this kid wasn't just any kid..it was COLEE BOY-the cutest, happiest,  littlest newly walking boy in my life right now.

We took him grocery shopping Friday night. He said "HIYEE" to everyone. And if they didn't smile or say Hi back he kept saying it to them until they acknowledged him. It was adorable! 

Saturday I took him for a walk with the doggies and then he took a 2 hour nap. After we fed him and bathed him, it was time for him to be picked up. I think the doggies miss him or they miss him dropping food on the carpet. 

This is Cole at 3:30 am

HAPPY AS CAN BE!! We love this little boy!

Unfriended

RANDOM POST: This whole "Social Networking" thing is so awesome, yet its so lame. Its easy to just dump people when you don't like what they have to say, when their complaining is annoying, they post too many off the wall posts...etc. I am pretty sure there should be a manual for social networking because some people are just WAY OFF on things appropriate to post. I think having a Facebook is a necessary evil. Its wonderful to catch up with people you know who live far away and you aren't super BFF's with, but I feel like it makes me quick to judge other people, which is why I feel like having a FB manual would be helpful. Or maybe I should just not be so quick to judge...anyways, the reason for me even posting about this was because I was unfriended by someone I know. Not because we really dont talk and she just wanted to look at my pictures, so she added me, but because she simply didn't agree with my resolution for her depressive attention seeking attitude {not a judgmental comment-its the truth!} and my testimony of Jesus Christ, His grace and mercy. I was like SERIOUSLY?!?! Its amazing how when you don't believe or agree with someone's opinion you can just check the box and press delete. Too bad in the world of Social Networking its not always a reality and you cant delete the person from your life or from seeing them at church {AWKWARD}. Aye teenagers sure have a mind of their own and surely are living in the world of cyberspace!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY COLE!

Paparazzi Picture

This picture looks like it could be on the cover of the Enquirer. haha.

"Kate Hudson spotted at Del Mar dog beach"

Cole M. Greco's first birthday party!

We had so much fun at the Circus party to celebrate Cole! There were games, water fun, a big jumper, and a fun photo booth. I can't believe he is already one. He is so much fun and such a sweet boy.

We love you Colee Boy!!

Let the party begin: CAKE!

{Diabetic coma after all this cake}

Sweet CJ

Fun in the jumper

Wedding Bells

I love attending weddings!! They are so beautiful and remind me often of the promises Evs and I made almost 3.5 years ago. Cynthia & Allen were sealed in the San Diego Temple yesterday, June 1, 2012. I am so grateful that Jenny & I could be there in the temple with her as she was sealed. Since her family aren't members they couldn't be inside the temple, I felt extremely grateful to be there and share her day with her. They were actually sealed for time and all eternity inthe same exact sealing room that Evs & I were sealed in, it was surreal to be in there again and feel even more love for my sweet hubby--I had a flashback of memories. She looked beautiful! Just stunning! They looked so happy and in love and I love love, seeing that in a couple.

"Mortal misunderstandings can make mischief in a marriage. In fact, each marriage starts with two built-in handicaps. It involves two imperfect people. Happiness can come to them only through their earnest effort. Just as harmony comes from an orchestra only when its members make a concerted effort, so harmony in marriage also requires a concerted effort. That effort will succeed if each partner will minimize personal demands and maximize actions of loving selflessness.”

--Russell M. Nelson

"Some choices have greater consequences than others. We make no greater voluntary choice in this life than the selection of a marriage partner. This decision can bring eternal happiness and joy. To find sublime fulfillment in marriage, both partners need to be fully committed to the marriage."

--James E. Faust

“Marriage is sanctified when it is cherished and honored in holiness. That union is not merely between husband and wife; it embraces a partnership with God (see Matt. 19:6).”

--Russell M. Nelson

“Husbands and wives who love each other will find that love and loyalty are reciprocated. This love will provide a nurturing atmosphere for the emotional growth of children. Family life should be a time of happiness and joy that children can look back on with fond memories and associations.”

--Ezra T. Benson

 Jenny is amazing! She became the impromptu photographer @ Cynthia's wedding..I wont say why because that would just be mean, but I will say she saved the day and captured some amazing moments. She was at the end of her rope by this time..Love you Jenny!

My amazing hubby 

Yes there was most certainly a Mariachi at her reception and it was awesome!

Evan was being a thrifty romantic {giving me a rose from the centerpiece}. I loved it and have it in a vase in my house.

We had a great day & night!!

XOXO

I love you my hubby. Thank you for everything!