Wedding Day!

On April 7, 2011 Brian and I got married.  It was such an incredible day.  Just very close family and friends were present at Frank and Belinda's house for the wedding.  Everything was absolutely perfect!  Hannah and Rachel were the flower girls.  Connor was the ring bearer.  The kids walked Brian and I down the stairs and into the Formal Living Room where Bishop Reed married us.  After the ceremony Brian and I kissed and Rocky couldn't help but say, "Ewwww!!!"  It was so cute.  We felt so much love and support from all of the family.  I feel so lucky and blessed to be a part of the VanderSloot family.

I feel so incredibly blessed to have found Brian and have him enrich my life in so many ways.  I love this man!  I love so many things about him.  Here are some...

His mischievous look when he’s known he’s got you fooled

His passion

His guitar playing a singing to the kids at bedtime

His complete desire to educate, mentor, and teach the kids through spaghetti and marshmallow experiments to educational trips to the Grand Canyon, Craters of the Moon, etc, exotic fruit experimenting, etc

His passion for learning—especially history

Crazy driving

Sense of Adventure and Risk Taking

Daddy Daughter dates and fun outings with the Boys

His deep emotional connection and love and adoration for me

His amazing talent with computers and electronics

His selfless service to others—always wanting to ease someone else’s burden

His manliness

His absolute love for kids and family life

His testimony and love of the gospel

His ability to make me truly feel like a princess and so adored

His mind and how he thinks through everything and wants to do the right thing

His deepness

His support in all my quests for a better way J

His deep desire to make me happy

His heart

The depth of his heart

His strong muscular body

The sweetness and tenderness in his eyes

His teasing playful side

I love Brian with all of my heart.  I will forever.

Grandmas and Grandpas

Twice every year Great Grandma (my mom's mom) passes through town on her way to or from Billings, Montana.  We always get to celebrate her birthday.

These carrots were left-overs from last year's garden.  Who knew they were still in the ground?  We discovered these yummy treats and the kids had a great time picking all of them!

Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Byron have become grandparents for the kids.  They come almost every week to visit.  They play, they goof around, do arts and crafts and enjoy Simon.  We love them!

A Roadtrip of a Lifetime

   I had this idea that it would be so much fun for all of us to drive down to the Grand Canyon.  After all, the kids are getting a bit older and getting much better at driving long distances in the car.  I have such fond memories of getting to travel mostly by car around the country with my parents when I was a little girl.  I love driving and seeing new things.  So, Brian and I decided we would attempt the impossible.  Take seven children ages 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and 2 on a fifteen hour roadtrip to the Grand Canyon. 

   Frank and Belinda, Brian's parents, were so generous and kind to let us take their incredible, enormous RV on our journey.  And it was the first trip this RV had been on too!  Let's just say this thing really is a house on wheels!

   The first night we drove to Lehi, Utah.  Neither of us realized a blizzard was coming... Seriously it was one of the scariest times on the road I've ever been through!  Brian's first time driving this enormous vehicle with seven little kids clamoring in the back.  We could hardly see the road with all the snow plummeting down.  And the wind!  I felt lucky to be alive when we reached Lehi.  The hotel had lost power and so we were literally using our cell phones for light to see in our room.

    The next day we made it just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada.  Brian insisted that I at least try to drive the big beast.  I drove it almost the whole entire day.  I actually found driving was easier than dealing with the kids.   lol

   The following day we made it to the West Entrance of the Grand Canyon.  We drove through an Indian Reservation to get there and then park your cars and ride busses to three different points of interest.  The sites were incredible.  Standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon my heart literally stopped for a moment.  It is breathtaking and incredible.  It makes a person marvel in the amazing creation of the earth.

   My favorite site was The Skywalk.  It is a glass walkway that literally goes over the Grand Canyon.  They don't allow any cameras up there.  It is a reverent feeling to be standing over one of God's Creations and enjoying it with those you love.  There was an amazing rock formation of an eagle right in front of us.  It made us think of Lence...

    The next day we were able to walk across the Hoover Dam and take a tour of it and actually go down into the ground and see how it works.  There are so many amazing things to see and experience in this country. 

   We drove to Cedar City and went to church on Sunday.  We spent the last day resting, playing Wii, and recuperating from all of our travels.

   What a roadtrip!  What a memorable experience!  And Brian and I learned what it could really be like managing all seven kids, on vacation, and in "real life."  I think we did pretty awesome all things considered.  And it was an experience to remember for always...

Valentine's Day!

Every year for Valentines I do a treasure hunt for the kids.  They each get a few clues that they have to figure out in order to find the next clue.  At the end is a very special Valentine's Surprise!  :)