THREE words made my day today...

(2002, San Diego...a time in my life when I noticeably overdid the highlights.)

I. MISS. YOU. (A text I received from Jess.)

We haven't seen each other very much this week....One day and 3 nights to be exact. It melted my heart. There is something about feeling needed by your spouse, which I interpret 'miss' to mean... It's different than saying "I love you." which I would have expected the text to say. And that (miss) was a sweet surprise.

We have been having THE best weather!!! I fear it is on it's way out, but have been loving every minute of it. I spent most of the day outside with the boys. They started their morning out by dancing like rock stars on our friend's trailer that is parked out front. It's a great little holding pen. Then Bodie asked to go to 'the dips', so I loaded the younger ones in the bike trailer while Bodie jumped on his bike and we were off. New and improved jumps everywhere. I took the trailer off my bike and decided to be brave. I had a lot of fun and only 'almost' ate it twice. phew. Not that I jumped anything *plz* I just went down the steep ramps and up the other side...and showed Bodie that he could do it too. After much persuasion, he consented. We started small, then he got pretty brave and said he wanted to go down one of the steeper parts... I was helping him get started and then sent him off with a slight push...*wipe out* He was pretty mad at me. Man, I felt bad -but got him up, brushed the powder-dirt off him and we did it again, this time with no casualties. Brock and Wyatt had a ton of fun getting dirty (it's super fine dirt...kinda hard not to...I was covered too), and Wyatt loved it when I picked him up and ran down the hills and back up. Bodie led the way home. It was a fun bike ride. We got home where the above mentioned text was waiting for me. It's the simple things in life.

I also had fun updating my ipod.... going back to the 90's - I suppose in honor of my H.S. reunion. Gosh- all the mixes I made...on CASSETTE TAPES! Very fun though.... here are a few:

-Stay, Lisa Loeb
-This Womans Work, Kate Bush
-Linger & Dreams, Cranberries
-Killing Me Softly, Fugees
-Closing Time, Semisonic
-Wake up Where you Are, Googoo Dolls
-Mr. Jones, Counting Crows
-Because The NIght, 10,000 maniacs
-Hand In My Pocket, Alanis Morissette
-Crash & Satellite, DMB
-3 AM & Real World, Matchbox 20
-One Headlight & Three Marlenas, The Wallflowers
-Found Out About You & Hey Jealousy, Gin Blossoms
-Crazy, Amazing, Cryin', Aerosmith
-Under the Bridge, Red Hot Chili Peppers
-When I Come ARound & Basket Case, Green Day
-I Try, Macy Gray

(okay, this was a lot...bring back any memories??)

Jess and I are off to Pheasant Country (aka, South Dakota)!

picture via www.city-data.com/picfilesv/picv7133.php

It will be so much fun to be back with the family of my youthful summers...where we always celebrated THIS holiday. It'll be nice to experience a new season there, and have Jess with me.

Happy Weekend, be back on Wednesday, but until then I've scheduled a little series of posts that I want to be able to read in my "book o' life"...

Young Love, Mature Love

I came upon this pretty sweet picture of Jess and me at the top of Half Dome in Yosemite
and it got me thinking about life B.C....Before Children. It kinda made my head hurt,
because I had to dig, and dig to the back recesses of my mind to remember those days...
and we had YEARS...nearly 4, before the kiddos came along (in full force I might add). Funny how that happens. But this picture helps me remember. Life was was exciting, fun, somewhat carefree yet still busy, and... not as FULL. (I almost put empty)... Sometimes I look at couples w/out children and think -'Oh, those were the days...' but then something quietly whispers a reminder of the wealth I have acquired over the years. Who knew a heart could be so BIG, so full, so devoted...That it could swell to such a capacity? A mother's love is fierce, and I'm grateful to feel it running through my very being. Children bring an 'abundance' to my life, and I know I need to enjoy each and every step along the way, and keep that 'young love' flourishing!

more of what I've been 'learning'...

I fell, and I fell HARD for Jess, but sometimes -in those *special* moments ;) I have to remember why. It's # 6. on the list in this article...
Love this picture of us in Yosemite. We had been married only 3 months! (Ahhhh, sweet, fresh, young LOVE!)

Sometimes I think to myself, "How would I treat/react to Jess if we were dating?" Usually it's different than how I want to react at the moment, but the outcome is ALWAYS positive. (Example)
It makes me sad to hear of marriages that aren't working out. Marriage is hard (I guess not for everyone), but that's why I think it is so important to remember why you fell in love! I want to be that couple that's been married 60+ years and is still holding hands walking down the street.
Keep the love alive, let it thrive! (It's the "greatest gift we can give our children") read this AWESOME article.

A week and 1/2 ago I went on a w h i r l w i n d trip to Vegas w/ Jess. (Basically to see him off on a race) I had the best time w/ him... and connected w/ a great gal. (I am happy to report the 'soul patch' is gone!)

This was a really, really, really, really happy day E I G H T years ago...

We were so young...and so in love...The last 8 years have flown by... It is hard to believe. It is really fun looking back at these photos and remembering this day and the feelings I had, and everyone that came to support us. It is fun to remember how giddy we were and head over heals for each other we were - and how much we've grown and matured together in these past years, (and multiplied).
It all puts a smile on my face.

For my blogging girls...

I LOVE snow!! :) We have been getting quite a bit, so when today was a "snow day" and the schools were canceled, we promptly got ourselves a babysitter so we could go PLAY!

On our way up to the resort...

Getting the 'skins' on our ski's

So I must admit, me and powder 20" deep, DON'T mix. I weeped and wailed and gnashed my teeth, and felt like a 5 year old who needed help from her daddy (who happened to be Jess in this case.) After our first run, I was ready to call it quits -but Jess wouldn't let me...so we started skinning up again - all the while me dreading going back down. But I'm glad he made me go again, because I'm only going to get better by shutting up and DOING it - and the 2nd time around was better - but honestly there was REALLY too much snow - but I'll stop complaining!

Here is the little video Jess put together of the day...

Does this ever happen to you?

wife: "So are you sure I can get a babysitter? You'll be done with your stuff?" (whatever that may be...in this case, getting loose ends tied up for his trip)...
husband: "Yep. Get us a babysitter, we'll go out."
LATER
wife: (calling husband on the phone) "Alright, I got a babysitter! (after several failed attempts) - She's coming at 7:00 - will you be ready to leave by 7:00?" (wanting to believe that this is in all actuality do-able.)
husband: "Yes. That should work - Let me just tell you what I have to get done between now and then...." (proceeds to tell wife what's on the To Do list.)
7:00 - babysitter arrives. Wife looking good. Husband M.I.A. Wife phones husband.
wife: "Hey, hon - what's going on?"
husband: "Uh, I'm on my way home, I should be there in about 20 min. or so." (ya right)
wife: "Riiiiiiiiiight. And you still need to shower."
Wife deciding not to be annoyed
wife: "Well, would you like to meet me somewhere?" (wanting to get out of the house asap and not caring if husband comes to dinner grubby)
Husband relieved wife is not annoyed.
husband: Sure! Where do you want to go?
couple decides on a location, wife leaves to meet husband, arrives first, of course, and sits to wait for a table, grabs a magazine.

Okay, enough of the dialogue! This was my night. But something happened that was TOTALLY unexpected. I glanced up and see my man at the door - looking at me, finishing up a phone conversation. We exchange smiles, he nods. I look back down at whatever I'm not really reading and before I know it he is by my side, lifts me up, sits down and sets me on his lap. We start talking, my arm around his neck, and all of a sudden I want to just start kissing on him! I really didn't care how packed the place was - but I reigned myself back in, got a cold glass of water, and he knew none the better. :) When we were seated I couldn't stop smiling at myself and at the sudden desire to love on my husband in public.- He thought I was laughing at him, and I would've told him my little secret, however we were dining with a friend, so I held off for the moment. Dinner was fun - good food, good conversation, great company. I was sad when I had to drive myself home...I actually thought of the possibility of leaving my car in the parking lot just so I could ride back home with my man, but that only lasted .05 seconds because it really wasn't a possibility with him leaving again in the morning and all. So as I started the drive home, I called him up to tell him my little secret, like a little giggly 5th grade girl. Gosh. sigh. I L-o, l-o, l-o, l-o-v-e falling in love all over again. (I know that last part was cheesy, but hey, if the shoe fits) So glad I decided not to be annoyed with him.

Fun times last night! A bunch of couples went to the Aspen Music Festival Last night - There were about 6 or so local AZ bands playing. It was a ton of fun to meet for dinner first and then go to the orpheum. We listened to one band, and then skipped a set to go get ice cream and came back in time to see the band I wanted to see Telescope. In the middle of the set, us girls left the hubbies behind to go up front and rock out in front of the band - I felt like such a groupie, but is was really fun. They announced it was their last song, but they hadn't played my favorite song yet! So after they finished we started yelling the song title and to play more and the lead singer was like - we have alot more songs that we'd love to play for you, but we're out of time. But we persisted and kept yelling. They ended up playing the song! Love it. I thought I was pretty cool for getting them to play another song. Anyways! Here's a pic. of the way cute venue downtown, a picture of Jess and me (doesn't he look SO happy!?) and a picture of the girls in Coldstone!