7 Wonderful Years!

June 28, 2002. What a wonderful day! It began with an 8:30 a.m. ceremony in the Salt Lake temple with all our family. An amazing luncheon at the Lion House. The day ending with an absolutely beautiful reception in my parents back yard. It was one of the greatest days of my life. Knowing that you will be with your best friend for eternity is really the best feeling!
And here He is! Truly the most amazing man I have ever known. I love him like words could never express! I find myself feeling sorry for other woman that they don't have my man. He treats me like gold and better. When I first saw him I thought he was way too good looking for me, but he makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world every day. I love you Brendan! I am so grateful for you and the wonderful example you are to our boys. I don't even know how tell you thanks for all that you do for me. Every day He asks me at least three times, "What can I do to help?" Amazing! I have never fallen asleep on the couch without waking up with a blanket on me. Our home is truly blessed by the Priesthood that you hold so honestly. I can't imagine anything better than spending eternity with you. I love you forever!
This was our engagement photo that went out in our announcements. The yard behind is my parents where our reception was held.
And here is what has become of those seven years! Aren't they the most beautiful children you have ever seen? These little blessings have changed our lives in so many ways. I never knew I would get so excited when I saw that they looked just like their daddy. The last seven years have gone by too quickly. What a blur some of it is. We have lived in six different places, three different states. We have cried a lot and laughed even more. We have really been blessed and we do know where these blessings come from. I am so grateful to my Father in Heaven for my life. I know He loves me and that He really wants what is best for me. Life hasn't gone exactly as planned, but trusting in the Lord and his plan for me has brought me such happiness!

Recent Jack Quotes

"I didn't sit on his head! I just put my bum where his head was."

"No I have the biggest head!" Fighing with a little boy over whose head is bigger.

"I hope he takes his dog home so we can be nice and comfortable."

"Mommy, will you PLEASE let the kitchen get really dirty so I can see what a cockroach looks like?"

"Mommy, did you know that in a remote corner of my imagination dinasaurs are still alive today?"

"It was blasting fun!"

"That's why I shouldn't have a wee wee!!!" After he accidently peed all over the floor.

Randomness

My giant teething baby. He now almost has 6 teeth, and we have both earned all of them. Isn't he huge next to little Landon. OH...I just want to eat him, and you better believe I always do!

We went to Grandma Anderson's for the Donut Party. I don't think I can even count how many donuts Jack ate. Swing, a hundred donuts, lets just say I really thought I would be cleaning up a mess on the way home. Thankfully I didn't have to!

Jack and Ben continue to be best friends. Jack really loves him and tells everyone how chubby he is. I can't believe how fun it is to watch the two interact. Ben now has more teeth on the the top than Jack does.

I had my birthday and Jack couldn't wait to give me my present. I made him help clean the whole house before we could do presents. He was dying.

I got some great roller blades. I can't wait to try them out. Jack keeps putting them on. They are so big on him now, but I can't help but think that someday soon he will be bigger than I am. It takes my breath away how fast they grow. Sometimes I just want to sit on them to keep them from growing. I know this isn't possible, but moms, don't you agree!

More St. George

On Sunday we went to the temple grounds. It was so beautiful. Jack was super tired from the whole week that our visit had to be short. You don't want your 4 year old yelling at the temple workers!

Ben liked it too, but found it a little too hot. Doesn't he look cute in his sunday shirt!

Jack on the temple steps. He really does seem to understand the Spirit that is there.

My three boys. I love seeing Brendan playing with his boys, and they love it too!

I just couldn't resist this picture. Not sure what it is, but ain't it cute! We had a blast, and can't wait to do it again.

ST. George

We were able to go on a little vacation. Just the four of us, and we had a blast! Ben did had a lot of fun swimming. He looked so cute in his skin tight swim shirt.

Jack couldn't get enough swimming. It was all he wanted to do. If we went somewhere else he would say, "I want to go back to St. George." He thought St. George was the hotel. So cute.

Uncle Dallen was down in St. George with the YSA. We met him for lunch one day. It was fun. Don't you love the red sand on Jack's sweaty head! Also, do you like his white trash shirt? He loves it. He calls it his Jersey shirt.

The boys had a blast staying in a hotel. Jacks favorite part was staying up late watching movies. One night Brendan and I both fell asleep and Jack stayed up watching Princess Bride. In the morning He couldn't stop telling me about the ROUS (rodants of unusual size).

We went to Snow Canyon and played in the Sand. It was really fun, but got way too hot quickly!

Kirsten's Shower

My sister Kirsten is going to have her first baby this month. As sisters we gave her a baby shower and it turned out great.

My mom, Kirsten and friend (sorry friend, I can't remember your name). Kirsten looks so good. She is one of those really cute pregnant girls.

Celeste and April did the decorations and it turned out really cute. These flower balloons were all over the yard. They were stuck in the ground and hanging from the trees.

Our amazing buffet.

Good thing we didn't have the shower a week later. Little Landon Matthew Chidester was born the next week. Two weeks early, and cute as can be. Congratulations Matt and Kirsten!!!

Beaver D%$#

The other day Jack was playing with a little boy outside who taught him his first cuss word. He must have heard it 7,000 times in the 45 minute period they were playing, because it was burned into Jack's vocabulary. From the moment he came inside he was singing "D%#$ dog, d#$@ dog". I calmly sat him down and explained to him that we do not say that word (I hate, hate, hate swearing, and was very proud of how calm I was) The next few days he tried really hard not to say it, but it always seemed to slip out a few times resulting in sassy spray (a mixture of vinegar and water that we spray in his mouth. He went through a phase where he was getting a lot of soap. We decided to try sassy spray so we weren't poisoning him). After a few days he came to me and said, "Mom, is beaver dam bad?" "No", I said, explaining to him that it's what beavers build in rivers. He was happy with this answer and the rest of the day he kept saying "beaver dam", over and over again. I decided to ignore this and the phase would be over in a few weeks. Then....... I heard him playing outside with some boys when the neighbor dog walked by and he yelled at it "BEAVER DAM DOG!!!!!". Needless to say, we quickly had another talk.