Happy 6th Anniversary Lee & Ruth!

Six years ago, we were married and sealed in the Provo, Utah Temple at about 11:00 am. Through our journey we've laughed, been scared out of our wits, been surprised--Haley was one of them!, cried--of course, and felt Heavenly Father's love for us as he blessed and blesses us and our family. One thing that Lee and I are both grateful for is that we each married our best friend! Thanks for a wonderful son Mom and Dad R; and Mom and Dad B, I am sure Lee thanks you too!

Lee, you are the best: best friend, best husband, best father!

In the past 6 years...
We've moved six times, (seven this coming Saturday!)
We've had five major events, well more, but for the sake of the pose, I'll just mention five: three guys in masks with guns, one ultrasound revealing two babies instead of one, and one smart cookie (Lee) finishing optometry school graduating Magna Cum Laude!
We've had four kids (last year when the girls were born we were married four years at that point, so it was fun to say that we had four kids in four years of marriage and their ages were four and under.)
We've had three different vehicles: a 1991 Plymouth Sundance, a 1998 Nissan Sentra, and presently a 1997 Mercury Villager GS.
We've had two flat tires (one was on the way to the airport at 5 am...talk about stressful. Thanks Don! You were a great hometeacher!)
We've had one digital camera that was purchased in 2002 and still works great!

In celebration of the big day and our last Sunday in North Carolina, I thought I would make a fattening, delicious dessert; though sadly, Lee isn't here to partake.

I made homemade caramel, and mixed it with pecans from Uncle Lee and Aunt Anna Lee and drizzled melted milk chocolate chocolate chips on top. YUM! I could only eat two. Hope you're jealous Lois!


Lee has a hard time surprising me. I am a fairly curious person and not that I try to find stuff out, little things happen that lead me to conclusions that Lee tries to keep secret. Despite Lee being gone, he has made it an awesome anniversary! I would say the best, but he isn't here, so I'll wait till next year to write that statement in my blog. On Friday I received a sweet card, along with some yummy Godiva dark chocolate mint pearls and some play money. With using technology while he's been gone--the cell phone and email and blogs, it was such a treat to get a card with a handwritten note in it from my best friend. (And I didn't mind the other things in the package either!)

Did he stop there? No! He got me the COOLEST present EVER! For years, yes six years, I've had my bridal pictures and wedding pictures in a box, or some sort of container. My friend Sara showed me her wedding album a few years back and I really liked it. I just never got around to buying a nice album like that. And never really had the funds to get the album and get extra prints of photos. Plus I found out last summer that the guy who took my bridal pictures no longer was doing that and my negatives were long gone to the dumpster. RATS! I still have my wedding negatives, but I would have liked to get some enlargements of some of my bridal pictures.

So, guessed what he got me? He secretly found my bridal pictures, our wedding photos, wedding announcement and newspaper clipping of our engagement. Then, he hired the best scrapbook lady on the PLANET: Ruth Whitemarsh. She made a GORGEOUS scrapbook of our wedding! WOW! I was SO surprised! I really thought Lee was building me a bike at first! Lee told me there are more pages to come and I am so excited to see them! Thanks Ruth! You have an amazing talent (should people send you orders Ruth?) Lee, this was such a sweet and thoughtful and very SURPRISING gift! THANK YOU!

Look how cute the packaging is!!! You are awesome Ruth W! I need to take pictures of the pages, but better yet, come and visit me in Missouri and see them yourself!


Clark was looking through the book with me and while looking at the group photos in the back of the Provo Temple, he asked me where he was. I told him he was in heaven. He doesn't seem to like that when we say that to him.


Yesterday afternoon after a primary activity on being missionaries, we went fishing. We've found a great place to fish just a couple of miles from Daniel, the Durant Nature Park. I've mentioned it earlier. Yesterday was really nice out and we had a fun time.




My dad is so nice to keep everyone fishing. He untangles lines, adds worms to the hooks and make sure everyone gets a chance at fishing.




So, I had been casting the line of the fishing pole and set the it down. Clark came over and was holding the pole not more than a minute or so and he got a bite! Yeah!






On Monday for FHE I did a lesson about Jonah and the whale. I think the kids liked it.



If I feed the girls a late lunch, Shanna tends to fall asleep. We tried to get a picture of Haley kissing Shanna, but no luck.


I also forgot to mention that the week before last I made some chair covers for Clark's classroom. Eighteen of them, actually. To describe them, they are shaped almost like a squared shaped S. So the top part of the cover covers the back of the chair, and then the lower opposite side is a pocket. I was going to take a picture of them but then I didn't. I wish I would have. I think they turned out pretty well. Also, since Sheldon is back in town, dad and Sheldon took the girls for me last week during Relief Society and also today and it was great!

To end my long post, I need to give out an award: The Best Grandpa in the Clayton Ward Award to Darrell Bartholomew. I went to my friend's house the other day with some other ladies and some of their kiddos, and some of them commented on how sweet my dad was to take the babies and help me out. I totally agree! My mom and dad have been great to take the girls on walks with them. It's also been nice being here because if the girls are napping I sometimes will leave and get errands done because my mom or dad are at home. We'll miss these perks!

Okay, I'm done. Sweet dreams!