Happy 7th Anniversary!

Today is Matthew and I's 7th Anniversary!

I seriously cannot believe it has already been 7 years, that just makes me sound old.

I will save you the mush but thought I would take a trek down memory lane and share some pictures from our years together!  

Our Engagement Photo

Wedding Day 2006

My First Mission trip to Honduras, Matthew went almost every year when he was younger.  He has always had a passion for missions.  This picture was the year of our first anniversary, we were actually there for it and 6 years later he is there again on our anniversary.  It has been a long time since he has got to go and I'm glad he got the chance to do it again!

My long hair, haven't seen that in a long time!

San Diego Early 2009

Florida Late 2009   Our Babymoom

Grand Cayman -  A stop on our cruise in 2009.  I was pregnant here but didn't find out until we got back.  Someday we will make it back there, so far that has been our favorite place we have been

Our Family of 3 in Tybee Island 2010 

Noah was about 5 months

Our family grew to 4 in 2011

The tired looks on our faces.  Challenging year!

Summer 2012

Family Pictures 2012

Disney April 2013

We don't have any pictures of just the 2 of us anymore.  It's always pictures of the boys.  We should work on that!

Happy Anniversary to us!

5 Love Languages

Sometimes relationships are easy, sometimes they aren't.
Knowing how you can appropriately show your significant other/ spouse love is very beneficial.

Years ago before I was married I read the book The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman.  It's been a long time but over the years I have thought a lot about the love languages it talks about and Matthew and I have  talked about them multiple times as well.

Here are some excerpts from The 5 Love Languages website that briefly explains each love language to help you understand the idea a little more if you haven't ever heard of them.

Words of Affirmation

Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important – hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten. Kind, encouraging, and positive words are truly life-giving.

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Acts of Service

Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter. Finding ways to serve speaks volumes to the recipient of these acts.

Receiving Gifts

Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous – so would the absence of everyday gestures. Gifts are visual representations of love and are treasured greatly.

Quality Time

In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there – with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby – makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful. Quality time also means sharing quality conversation and quality activities.

Physical Touch

This language isn’t all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face – they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive. Physical touch fosters a sense of security and belonging in any relationship.

If you haven't ever heard of this book I highly recommend any engaged/married couple read it.

Want to know what your primary love language is?  If so head on over to their website and you can take a free quiz that helps you pinpoint what your top love language is.  If will give you a score for each language and  your boyfriend/spouse can do it as well.  

I retook the test as well, and wasn't surprised that my love language has changed.  One of my top ones used to be physical touch and since adding kids to my life and my marriage, I knew that had changed.   I am touched all day.  I  am constantly being jumped on, and hung on to.  I'm touched a lot, haha so that isn't always something I want.  Being  mom is hard, and can be draining and I pretty much already knew before I took the quiz but it  confirmed that now I'm a Words of affirmation person.  Being a mom has turned me into someone that needs to know I'm doing good.  After hard days I just need to be built back up.  

So now I want to encourage you to head over, and take the quiz!  Then share if you want, what is your love language?

Have you taken the quiz or read the book before and had a change of your top language as well?  

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my handsome husband!

I truly take Matthew for granted every day and it's days like today that make me stop and realize how blessed the boys and I are to have him.

Matthew is a wonderful dad.  The boys love their mom for sure but adore their dad too.  Outside is their thing and fixing things is theirs.  They always love being a part of what he is working on.  The other day Carson just watched him mow through the window.  They love to wave goodbye to him every morning from the garage door.  Matthew is great at trying to invest in them.  He not only just plays with them but works with them and tries to teach them all the things they should be learning at their ages.  He is always working on instilling discipline.  ( much better at it than me, I'm much quicker to loose my cool)

He is the spiritual leader of this house, he is always there for me.  Prays for me and the boys, and prays with our boys.

He is smart, hard working and provides for us, which allows me to stay at home most days.
His patients love him.  He really gives them his focus, time and knowledge and is great at what he does.
We are so proud of him for that!

He isn't selfish and is always giving of his time to someone or something!
He's quick to help when I ask.

He can work me up like nobody else in the world, but he can also calm me down like nobody else can!

We are extra thankful for him today on his special day!


Happy 30th Birthday!

Why Work can Sometimes Be Great!

Last week the hubby and I headed to Las Vegas for a work conference.  Every year this conference is in April, when the weather is great, in a great location, amazing hotels, and never fails to disappoint in how we are taken care of.    I actually really look forward to going to these because it is work but yet fun and entertaining at the same time.  Matthew and I went to Las Vegas the first year we were married and while we aren't gamblers or drinkers we still enjoyed walking around and seeing the sites. 

This year was just as great as others.  I spent time in meetings but got to do some shopping, sightseeing, had a chance to run each morning, laid out, tried some new foods, and had some time for relaxation too so it all equaled out.  

Now I said before that I wasn't a gambler but I did put in $2 and got it up to $6.20.  Matthew said to keep playing until I won more and or until it went back down to $2 and since I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to gambling I placed a $4 bid on accident and lost it quickly. We did see some other lucky big winners though as we walked through casinos.    

We had to check out the Bellagio water show again.   I remembered loving it the last time we were there.  Pictures just can't show how awesome it is and how cool it is that they can make the water seem like it's dancing to the music and the height it goes is incredible.  

We also got to watch the show from our floor in the hotel. 

Sightseeing at the Wynn.  We went there to watch their night show over their water, it wasn't anything too exciting

This was a neat lit up tree/ flower tunnel at the Wynn.  The things these hotels do are just so over the top!

Every year for the conference on Saturday night  there is a huge event.  Last year they rented out Sea World and it was just us there.  This year they rented out Pure Night Club.  Night clubs aren't really our thing but it was fun to get dressed up, see what the big deal about the place is ( it was a really neat set up and decorated place), and get to have some delicious free food!  

We really didn't get any good pictures because this girl forgot her camera so this is it, the hotel selfie ( fancy I know)

Sunday was a completely free day, we slept in until the late hour of 7.   I got a run in and then we headed down to the pool and stayed there most of the day!  It was awesome having nothing to do and just to lay there and be lazy.  We then cleaned up and joined the tourists checking out the sites and tried to hit some of the free hotel shows like the Wynn and Treasure Island.  

We enjoyed dinner together at an  Italian restaurant in the middle of the indoor Forum Shops.  The ceiling in the shops in the background was made to look like a sunset because it mimics the outdoors.    It's sunny during the day, and stars come out at night!  

We had a great trip, but it was also great to get home to our kiddos.  Their faces when we pulled into the driveway was priceless!  Carson just stared at us like he couldn't believe we were home.  I wish I could have  heard what was going on in that brain of his.  Then Noah just kept saying things all night and the next morning like "  I missed you sooo much mommy", "mommy you're my best friend", mommy your are my sweet little girl", and  " I love you so much".  

There isn't anything like home!  

Have you ever been to Las Vegas?  What was your favorite hotel?  

Committed

Marriage and divorce have been on my mind lately, not because mine is in trouble but because marital problems and divorce are all around me.

I once had 2 parents, then when I was two they divorced and both remarried shortly after.

I then had 4....

I grew up the majority of my life this way.  It seemed normal!  My stepdad was like a dad to me because I lived with him and spent a lot of time with him.  I was also lucky that we lived close to or  in the same town as my biological dad who I have always remained close to as well.  I hit the jackpot, I was raised by two wonderful men who are both my "dads".  I wouldn't be who I am today without either one of them.  I also gained a stepmom, who was always such a good friend to me during the teenage years.   I always felt like I could tell her stuff and we had a great relationship as well.  Divorce then, seemed normal and I was perfectly fine living that way because it was all I really knew.

Then my world shattered in October of 2009.  My mom and my "stepdad" for understanding purposes (I have always called him dad), told us they were getting divorced. I'll skip all the details because that story could go on and on, it still is.  But I was raised in a christian home, I thought their marriage was fine.  I NEVER saw it coming.  I was 25 years old.  I didn't live at home anymore but I can tell you that didn't stop it from hurting every day.  It didn't stop the tears from flowing day after day.  It was by far the hardest thing I have ever had to go through.  And now 3 1/2 years later I still have days that it is hard, really hard.    They are both with other people, one married and one isn't but engaged.  Somedays it's so frustrating because I feel like I should be over it and I'm just not!   I still have so much emotion about the issue.

Now my dad and my stepmom are also getting divorced.  Now I have known about that since the end of last summer but they are just now selling their house and going their separate ways.  It didn't really become real until they sold their house a few weeks ago.  I loved that house and parted me always wanted it if they ever moved but now with the circumstances it would just be too weird.  It's hard to know I won't ever go there again and the reason behind it is divorce.  There are great memories there with that family!

Divorce sucks.  Period!  It's life changing not just for the people who decide to get divorced but it also affects kids much more than I ever would have thought had I not dealt with it on my own.

In my family there are a lot of divorces and in my husbands there aren't hardly any.  That is something I think about a lot and it scares me.

I'm committed to my marriage, my vows, my husband and my boys.  I can't imagine putting them through what I have been through the last few years.

I'm not saying marriage is easy, because I know it's not.  We have good days, we have bad days.  Matthew and I have had multiple times in our marriage where it just seems like we are roommates and I don't like it but it's so easy to get lazy and  be selfish and make life about what I want.  I want to go to bed. I want to watch TV instead of talking.  I don't want to be close to anyone because I have had kids hanging on me all day.  The list could go on but you get it.  Love is a verb.  It's an action.  For me it's not going to be a choice. No matter if I want to or not, each morning I believe I have to get up and make the choice to do it.  Somedays I will want to and somedays I won't.

 (Matthew if you are reading this stop now)

At the beginning of the year when everyone was doing resolutions I thought I would pick something each month and really work on it.  I did one for January but haven't really focused on anything since.  For April I decided I want to focus on flirting with my husband.   I'm a terrible flirt, always have been probably always will be, but I'm going to try at least I can only get better since there is no way I can get worse, haha.  So for all you married ladies out there, let's flirt with our hubby's!

Here are some ideas!

- Hold Hands
- Send texts throughout the day letting them know you love him, miss him, or can't wait to see him
-Talk with your eyes
-Leave a love note on the mirror
-Steal kisses, in the kitchen, hallway, at the table anywhere he doesn't expect it
-Let your spouse pick out your bra and underwear
-Remind him what you are wearing
-Whisper
-Do something with him he enjoys
-Play footsie
-Surprise him with something you wouldn't normally do
-Send racy texts
-Send a card for no reason
-Hide love notes in his stuff
-Flash your hubby
-Give him a card for no reason
-Hit his booty  (my hubby is really good at this one, now it's my turn!)
-Kiss in the car at stoplights

-Watch a movie and cuddle on the couch
- Praise your husband in front of people
- Do something that has to do with his love language
-Share an inside joke
-Wear his favorite clothes of yours ( I'm guessing this one means I can't stay in my yoga pants and t-shirt all day)