33 Years

Yesterday was Jared's Birthday and I wanted to wish him another happy birthday!  He is the best dad and husband I could ever have hoped for!  When I met Jared it was probably his smile that I loved the most.  Then I got to know him and I just found myself needing him.  I love his boyish and often times inappropriate humor, his quick wit, and his old man tendencies!  He is the perfect man for me and I love him more and more every year!  Happy Birthday Jared!!

Lake Powell 2016

Another fun trip to Lake Powell with the Zollinger family!  We all had a blast, only Andrea and Isaac were not able to be with us due to work.  Not sure what the highlight was for me... maybe it was surfing with Ryan or cliff jumping with both kids... or possibly watching Mac scatter bread in the water around himself while he waited with his spear for fish to come!  I really enjoyed the lake with the kids and Jared.  It was even fun with the little kids too.  Korie is only 18 months and we are buddies!  Grace was only 1 month old and I loved getting to cuddle her and love on her cute little face!  It was all so good... however, I should probably mention at the end of the trip Alex nearly was killed and Natalie ended up with 4 stitches!  Other than those little problems it was a pretty great trip!

The story is... we were bringing the house boat back into the slip and we had a ton of wind.  It didn't help that this was first time my dad had ever tried to drive this boat so it was not a good day to learn on.  As my dad was approaching the slip Alex, Jared, Jeremy, and Paul were going to jump to the dock and help guide the boat in.  Natalie, BreeAnn, and I had all the kids out on the ski boat.  We had been out swimming and boating but were now watching to see how things would shake out with the house boat.  As my dad got closer to the slip the boys jumped to the doc.  Alex didn't have far to jump, but he lost his footing and went head first into the lake.  He is lucky he put his arm up to catch himself because his head drilled his arm right at the edge of the dock!  He would probably have lost consciousness if he had not done that and might have drowned--he was not wearing a life jacket.  As Jared was trying to pull Alex out of the water the house boat was still being pushed forward and Alex was very nearly crushed by the boat.  A few feet to the side and he would have been killed for sure!  lucky for him everything worked out for the better and he escaped with a massive headache and some bruised ribs... although he is getting them X-Rayed today to see if they are broken!  We will see.

As for Natalie, she had her hand in the wrong place at the wrong time and pinned her first finger on the right hand between the ski boat's tower and the house boat's slide as we were bringing in ski boat tot park for the night.  she passed out when cleaning the finger and so we took her in to the doctor and came out with stitches.

I don't know if the Zollinger family can do Lake Powell without drama?!?  We still love it though!

The High Dive

My girl was the girl who couldn't be bribed to even just put her face in the water.  She has always had a very real fear of water.  This past week she has shocked me and made me so proud!  When this girl puts her mind to something, look out!!  If you listen close you can hear Ryan's good friend Lilly in the background cheering Ryan on!  Later that day Lilly also tackled the high dive for the first time!  Cutest little friends you've ever seen!

First Tooth!

Mac is just growing up so fast!  Right after graduation he goes and loses a tooth!  Just a few days ago I was at work when I got a text with a picture of Mac with a hole in his mouth!  I'm sad I wasn't there...but then again, I think that stuff is so gross I wont watch anyway!  Mac had been wiggling this tooth for about a week and not making a lot of progress with it.  As he was biting into an apple he made it really lose.  Dad came in and did what he does.  Grabbed the tooth and squeezed and out it came!  I still think it is strange that people help pull their kids teeth!  Congrats Mac...no you look like a cute boy with a hole in your mouth!

No more Pre-K

Mac on his first graduation and then Mac on his last graduation

Today Mac did such a good job at his preschool graduation!  I was thinking he probably wouldn't sing too much but he surprised me!  He was really getting in to it!  I couldn't be more proud of my boy!  He finished his third and FINAL year of preschool!  Now we are off to Kindergarten!  His teacher Mrs, Sherry was the best!  I am so grateful for good teachers who are patient and kind!  She did so much for my boy, I am just so grateful!

The kids sang a really silly song about "I'm a skunk in your trunk" Mac was so cute pointing to me that it was my trunk that the stinky skunk was in.

Mac and his friend Dexter.  The only other boy in the class!

It's Great To Be EIGHT

Another year has come and gone for this little girl!  I still have trouble believing that she is really eight years old.  Wasn't it yesterday we were holding her and changing diapers and making bottles!?!  Where did that little baby girl go and who is this amazing kid that we have now!  I just can't wrap my brain around it all!  Ryan even said to me that she didn't quite feel eight yet, but maybe after she gets baptized she would finally feel like she was eight!  Well, today she was baptized and I wonder if she feels eight now?  I couldn't be more proud of her!  She has been so excited to take that big step and be baptized and confirmed with the Holy Ghost!  Now Ryan is the newest member of our ward, and I am the mother of an EIGHT year old little girl!  It was so cute today when we got up to walk her into the font so that her dad could baptize her, she was skipping and pulling me forward.  She just couldn't wait to get into the water!  We almost had to dunk her twice, but we got it in one!  When she got out of the water she was so happy and so proud of herself!  She said that the water was so warm it was amazing!  After Jared gave a really great blessing and confirmed her.  The entire time I think I blacked out because before I knew it, it was all over and we had this amazing grown up little girl!

Ryan, you are everything sweet and good that exists in this world all rolled into one beautiful package!  I am so grateful that the Lord sent you to our family because I can't imagine a life without you in it!  You are the perfect little princess that I always hoped I would be lucky enough to have!  I love you little girl!  Never change!  Never get bigger... and from now on you agreed you wouldn't!  You will forever be 8 now--it was the deal you made remember!

Cheers to TEN Years!

I find it hard to believe that it has actually been ten years for Jared and I!  I guess what they say is true, time flies when you are having fun!  Not everything about our life is fun, but when you marry your best friend you can make everything fun!  I know I have done this in the past, but here are Ten things that I love most about my best friend and husband Jared... in honor of Ten years together!

1. His smile!  I was first attracted to him physically and although the entire body was calling to me it was and is his smile that I love the most!

2.  He really is as genuine as you feel that he is.  I know that most people think of Jared and they think of how friendly he is.  He is very genuine and very kind to everyone that he meets!  That's why he hugs our checker at Dans and has the personal number of the manager at the Chipotle that we frequent!  That's not even an exaggeration either both those things are true!!!

3.  He can match my whit and humor!  I think of myself as funny and witty, but Jared is ALWAYS making me laugh.  Everyday I find myself laughing at something new!  I think it important to always find the humor in life and Jared allows me to do that easily!

4.  Jared loves the Lord first.  Normally I would be jealous if Jared were not to put me first, but there is one exception to that!  Jared is and always has been spiritually strong.  His knowledge of the scriptures is impressive to me.  I think he still knows all the scripture mastery scriptures that I never could tackle!  When he testifies of simple truths you can't help but feel the spirit.

5.  He is a great father!  Two of the best things that Jared and I have call him Dad!  He plays with the kids, he is loving and silly.  Most importantly, he is good at disciplining the kids so that they don't turn out rotten! If it were up to me alone, our kids would end up terrible and rotten!  

6.  Jared is patient.  I lack this quality and so I admire that he has it!  Jared is able to wait and wait and wait!  Just watch the man shop!  He will walk around a store for hours just trying on all the fanny packs and backpacks.  He will test every zipper on every bag. Next he will try them all  on and walk the store.  Then he will narrow it down to his favorite two or three and walk around with them both on, adjusting the straps to the right fit.  He will then retest all the zippers and compare them side by side.  Then he will walk away and look at something else like knives for a bit before returning and repeating the process again with the bags.  Finally, after much time has passed he will set both bags down and leave empty handed to sleep on the decision.  Usually it takes up to a year to make the choice of a new fanny pack to add to a growing collection.

7.  If you read number 6 then you might guess what number 7 is.  Yes it has to do something with his love of something as stupid and old school as fanny packs!  Yes I love that Jared is an old soul!  He is so much older than his age!  He drives slow, he only wears wool socks, he loves fanny packs, he is injury prone, he knows the lyrics to every old song that you can think of, he eats odd things for breakfast...like a cold chicken breast...and he puts baby powder in his socks and shorts every morning!  ha ha ha that's probably private, but this is my post so I will write what I want!

8.He is a Killer back scratcher!  I love to cuddle up and watch a move with Jared because he will rub my back till the cows come home!  I don't think he likes to do it either, he does it because he knows I love it!

9.  Jared is a man of many talents!  Not only is he athletic...body permitting, but he sings song parities off the fly!  He has been known to fix our cars after only watching youtube videos.  He laid my new flooring for me!  Jared can learn almost anything quickly and excels at it too!  He can do anything he puts his mind to!  That's not to say that he is always in first place, but he is usually the one to impress!

10.  I love that Jared loves me!  If I know anything, it is that Jared loves me and my kids best... I better throw his mother into that list too!  He loves his mom and Nana, and Sister....and well, he is a family man!  I love that his heart is so big and he is able to make me feel like the Queen of my own castle!  He may be the King, but he and I both know that when I'm happy we are all happier!  I think that Jared is happy making me happy; and in return, I think I make him happy too!

Thanks for Ten years!  I am glad that we did it right the first time and went to the temple so that we can be together even after we are both put into the ground!