Scavenger Hunt Birthday---for my hubby!

For Matt's birthday last week I decided to do a scavenger hunt.  I thought it would be fun and all of our children were gone working, or at play practice.  So on Saturday morning when we woke up I gave Matt our first clue for our Scavenger Hunt.  I would read the clues, but probably shouldn't because they are catered just to him! It told him to get dressed and that we were going out for the day.  He was pretty intrigued. Of course I told him to only have a piece of fruit before we left. 

So we dropped Kara off at play practice and then we headed for a beautiful drive to Ruth Diner's  Above is a picture of Matt waiting and you can see how deep the snow is. We both had the yummy food. I love the food there. So delicious.

 After that I gave him the next clue and we headed  to the movie he wanted to see. I continued to give him clues as I had planned out the whole day.  It was fun to do things that I know that he likes.

Our sixth and final clue was an outing to Chick Fil A for a candle light dinner.  Colton had gotten this for his dad's birthday.  He liked it, and of course I did too.  They even had a professional photography there to take our picture.  They had beautiful music playing, they gave us some roses, and we had our server in a tux.  It was a lot of fun.  All in all Saturday was a perfect day. 

On Sunday after church everyone was home to celebrate.  It was fun to be together.  I made what Matt requested and it all turned out well.

For his cake this year, I made a Chocolate Torte cake.  It is my sister in law, Suzanne's recipe.  Very yummy, and darn good cake!  I love my man and I love celebrating his birthday each year!!!!!

Wow, maybe next year we won't use all the candles.

I made this Birthday wreath after seeing my friend Adrianne's.  I went over to her house and we had a wreath party.  She is very creative!!!   And this wreath will be up for a few weeks as we celebrate Kara and Coby's birthday over the next couple of weeks!!!!!

More Valentine's

 Matt always spoils Kara and I with flowers.  I don't think I have ever asked for flowers, but for some reason he just does.

 Some of the other 12 days of love tokens I put in my children's mailbox.

 On this one, I cut out little circles and put them on some of the individual kisses. I found them on the idea door.

 A sweet basket Matt gave me the Saturday before Valentine's day!. 

The basket Matt gave me on Valentine's.  He always goes to the Chocolate Cottage in Sandy and this year the basket was a lot smaller. I told him I wasn't eating chocolate this year, well at least very sparingly.  He is very sweet.

For Valentine's we went out for a very early dinner and then went and watched the movie, "Safe Haven."  I had already read the book and liked it.   I need to check out the book again, as I don't remember some of the stuff being the same as the book.    I hope you all had a very Happy Valentine's day!!!

48 reasons I love you---Matthew Glenn

1. I love what a hard worker you are; you are always willing to go the 2nd mile.
2. I love how dedicated  you are and how easily you set your mind to something.
3.I love that you are faithful, dedicated member of the church.  I especially love how you love the Lord.

4. I love how you magnify your callings---it feels like you are always going to some meeting and yet, you never complain.
5.I love how easily you're willing to sacrifice something  you want for a family member.
6. I love how you love each member of our family.

7. I love how you work hard daily for our family and never complain.
8. I love how you believe in our family and know we all can accomplish great things. I love that we still go on weekly dates and that we have a nightly date each night, at least most of the time. :)
9. I love how well you listen when I share my feelings with you and I especially love our pillow talk time.
 
10. I love how you treat our daughter.  I love how kind you are to her and have set the bar high for her husband.
11. I love how supportive you are to me, in anything my heart desires.  You are one of the most complimentary people I have ever known. You notice the little things and always help me better appreciate things.
12. I love how generous you are with your time and energy.

13.  I love that you will go and see chick flicks with me and never complain---and even act like you like them.
14. I love how you are  constantly working on improving yourself.
15. I am so grateful that you wake up in a good mood everyday.  You truly are SUNSHINE to my SOUL!!!
16. I love that you are full of energy when you wake up and counter act my sleepy ways in the morning.

17. I love how you are willing to make me breakfast pretty much every morning, and that it tastes so yummy!
18. I love how  you will even will make Kara a lunch if we forget the night before.
19.  I love how you exercise to stay healthy and fit.
20. I love how loyal you are and will do whatever is needed.  I love that I never have to worry about you talking behind my back,  for I know you always have my back.
21. I love how you lead our family in scripture reading each morning.

22. I love that you honor your priesthood and that you lead our family in prayers morning and night.
23.  I love that you are are willing to drive carpool when we I am in a jam or I just don't feel like it.
24. I am so grateful that I always come home to a clean, tidy home when I have been gone for the evening.  I have NEVER come home to a messy house, unless you are gone.

25. I love how you spoil me. I always have to be careful what I say I like, because pretty soon I have it.
26. I love how generous you are with others, from a tip at restaurants, fast offering to pretty much everything.

27. I love your back rubs. I am the luckiest girl alive.
28. You also give amazing foot massages, even though I don't like to reciprocate as often.

29.  I love how you patiently paint the toe nails of Kara and I.
30. I love that you are always asking what you can do to help me, even when I don't write a honey to do list. And when I don't ask you, you will sometimes start doing things you think I need help with, like right now while I write, this you are vacuuming.
31. I love how willing you are to watch the TV shows I want to watch, even when I don't like what you like to watch.
32. You love keeping our yard  beautiful and enjoy working in the yard.

33.  I love how you like to find a good deal and are always helping me save money.
34.  I love how handsome you are.  I love looking into your eyes and feeling loved.
35.  I love how young you look; you make me feel younger.
36. I love that you have a full head of hair.

37. I love how well you take care of our cars.  I never have to worry about taking care of it.
38. I love how you treat me like a lady.  I feel pampered, and spoiled way too often.
39. You love to read books with me and then talk about them.
40. I love that you can fix pretty much anything and if you can't, you figure out how to.

41. I love how non judgmental you are.  You always look for the good in others, such an example for our family!
42. I love how you encourage me to do fun things with  my friends and actually encourage it because you know it makes me happy!

43. I love how easily you are able to say, I'm sorry. You are very forgiving and forget most anything I do wrong.  
44. I love how you don't care what others think about you. You know you are doing your best and that is all that matters.
45.I love that you love being a father and are always looking for ways to help your children.
46. I love how you work everyday to be better. That you realize you have short comings, but do better everyday with them.

47.  I love that you have loved me unconditional. It has been hard for me when I haven't   had my greatest cheer leader living---my parents, but you constantly are building me up and making me and everyone feel loved. You always listen to me when I get emotion and are willing to listen to me share my feelings about how I miss them. 
48. I love that you realize and do the things that matter most. Loving others and being kind.  You are my inspiration and I love and adore you!!!!!  Happy Birthday!!!!

Happy Birthday Matthew Glenn-------February 16th, 2013---- You are one of my greatest hero's and I am grateful I get to spend my life with you and all eternity too!!!! 

Love---Valentine's Day

Happy Valentines day!! I’m wishing you lots of love, not necessarily the cards and flowers kind of love, but the love that you feel because someone believes in you, somebody supports your dreams and cares about the things that you do. I hope you have the love that has seen you at your worst, but keeps on loving you; and that the love that sees your best and bursts with pride for you. I hope that someone cares about the little things, and notices when you’re not 100%, and is there with support instead of criticism, and really listens to your problems, giving empathy and hugs rather than advice and solutions. I hope that you are loved so that you feel the strength of someone beside you, and the courage that facing things together can give you. I hope that your smile is someone’s favorite view and that your laughter is their favorite sound too. I hope someone makes you sparkle, even on the days it’s especially hard to do, but that someone knows the way to your heart even when you’re obscuring the view. I hope that you are loved for who you are; that somebody can see beyond your appearance and achievements to appreciate the soul that resides within. I hope that you are loved for your kindness, compassion and understanding, for your courage, integrity and generosity, rather than the way you look, the job you do, or the car you drive; I hope people can see beyond your achievements to appreciate the personal qualities that helped you reach them. I hope that you have a love that gives you a reason to smile every single day, and makes something in your heart sing. I hope that you love enough to let that love in too.. Happy Valentines day ♥ With love & kisses, Hxx      ( something I found and Loved)
 

12 Days of LOVE--- Valentine's Day

For fun this year I decided to do a small token for each member of our family for the 12 days before Valentine's day.  Valentine's day is one of my favorite holidays because it focuses on LOVE.   I started the 12 days by "heart attacking"their door.

 Then each day I leave a small token in their buckets (mail box) I decorated.  Coby has a very full one that he will pick up tomorrow when he comes over!   Here are just a few of the things I have given them thus far.

Perfection

 

Congrats Kara!!!  Perfect report card, especially with 3 honors classes. Her World Civ class teacher  keeps asking her to go to the A.P. class because she has  122%.  Next year I think I will really encourage it!!!!  Coby also got a 4.00, but I  don't have his report card and I am POSITIVE he wouldn't want me to put it on here!

2 years and 115 days

 
  I climbed in the car last week and realized my daughter will graduate soon.  Actually, in  2 years and 115 days.  She is excited for all the possibilities it brings and I smile right along with her as she shares her dreams. But my heart, oh my heart, is just a little undone.





In my mother's mind, I don't know where to store this reality. The one where she graduates in 2 years and 115 days. Where do I keep this knowledge?

I love numbers.   And as I was thinking about how many days I have been a mother, I realized it was  9,125 days.  So, so, so long, but also so short in the eternal scheme of things. And to think that my last child will be 18 in 754 (Happy almost sweet 16) makes me realize that I need to make sure I use that time well.  Very well, enjoying and soaking in the goodness of being a mom.

Time ticks away so quickly sometimes. Often it's speed has passed me by without my knowing. It's just the way of things, I guess. But here, today, I am determined to Hold. To Look. And See. And fill my heart with all of it. All 2 years and 115 days worth.

Happy Things.....

I love  the month of February!!!!! Even though it is winter, I love that so many people I love have birthdays in February and Valentine's day is one of my favorite holidays.  I love putting up Valentine decorations.  I LOVE hearts, like, crazy love them. 

 I love going to lunch with friends.  Last week I met Julie at the temple and then we went to lunch. I love talking to Julie and even though I moved, I am so grateful we are able to get together so frequently.  In case anyone didn't know they remodeled the  Jordan temple and they did it QUICK!!!

Last weekend, Kara spent it at the Utah Theater Association.  She loved it.  She saw a few musicals, she went to many classes and had a wonderful time.  She went for three solid days and came back renewed. 

 Also, last weekend we had planned to go to Coby's girlfriend Colleen's mission farewell, but the weather was HORRIBLE.  Coby's car was broken and they had a lot of people who wanted to go to Las Vegas for it.  So Matt rented a car for Coby, that was 4 wheel drive and was an SUV.  The ride home was a little scary, my words not Coby's, but it took a lot longer.  There were accidents everywhere.  I was worried sick.   And over the weekend, Matt fixed Coby's car.  He was pretty happy that he was able to fix it for Coby.  He is a great dad!

 I have been worried about Coby. I feel grateful his girlfriend is serving a mission, but it is hard on Coby to be away from her for 18  months.  I hate seeing my kids suffer.   She leaves this Wednesday, February 6th, and she is going to Thailand.  She will be a phenomenal missionary!!!  I really adore this girl and I am crossing my fingers that things will work out, and I am praying really hard too.

 On Tuesday night Kara, Coby and I went to see the Phantom of the Opera.  My friend Mindy got our tickets for us and I gave them to my two children who would enjoy it as a Christmas present. 

 The weather was so bad, that I was worried about driving there. So Kara and I drove to Provo with Mindy and family. Luckily, Brent, is an excellent driver and their Suburban does really well on the roads. 

 Above is a picture of Coby, Kara and Tianna. After we left him at 10pm, he was going to the library to study.  He usually stays until midnight and then walks all the way home, in the freezing, dark weather.  It makes me sad, that he does this practically every night, but he is a very dedicated student and he says if he drives it takes him almost as long to find a parking space.

It took us forever to come home from Phantom, but it was AMAZING!!!  The freeway was an ice rink.  It took us so long I was seriously worried, I wouldn't get my 7 hours for my fitness challenge and I didn't, but I came home from work on Wednesday and took a nap for less than an hour, even though I didn't have time, crazy, what a contest will do.

Yesterday I went to lunch with one of my best friends, Diane.  She is lives in Layton and we usually see each other at least every 3 months.  It was great to catch up with her.  Love her.

Friday night,  Matt planned our date. We went and saw Warm Bodies.  There really isn't any words I can use to describe it.  Very strange.  But he liked it.

On Friday afternoon I had a great visit with my friend Ann.  Even though we live in the same neighborhood, I hadn't talked to her like, I like.   She also let me borrow her Downton Abbey Season 3.  I have almost finished watching it. Thank you Ann, you are always so generous!!!  I won't even comment on my thoughts on Seasons 3.

 We planned a family activity for today with everyone, but plans changed.  Spencer had to work, Kara was sick with a bad sore throat and felt miserable, so it was just  the rest of our family.  We went up to the ski resorts, that Coby or Colton  had never been too. It was so yummy.  Coby and I both had the fish tacos and they were delicious and I probably used most of my calories for today, but it was worth it.

 Yesterday Coby told us that he got offered a job.   He told us about the opportunity a few weeks ago, but we didn't  know for sure if he would get it or not.  Well, he found out yesterday that he did.  He is moving to  ISTANBUL, Turkey. 

It is a wonderful opportunity and he is getting paid very well.  The company he is working with is providing free housing and several of his friends are going to work there too.  I think it is a good opportunity for him.  I am excited for him.  He is such a hard worker.   CONGRATS  Coby!!!!!!   We love you, and we will miss you terribly!  He will leave right after he graduates from college this April.