Wednesday 23 March 2016

The Month of Love...


Near the end of January, we started potty training Grant. I have been wanting to potty train him since he was 18 months old but then we had Asher, and then Garth left to NZ, and then our crazy summer, and then buying a house and moving, and then christmas/birthday fun... the crazy never stopped! So once we were back home and had some time to just stay home and live by the toilet, we went for it. We decided to do cold turkey, we went out, bought him underwear and told him he was done with diapers. Besides it being very tedious work, it ended up going a lot better than I expected. The first 3 days included a lot of accidents, but by about a week he got the hang of it. It threw him off a little bit when we went to Calgary for a couple days but after that things got better. We bribed him with popsicles to not go in his underwear and he LOVES popsicles. We bought him pull ups for night time, but after awhile we noticed they were always dry in the morning so we stopped using them. I am so happy to be done with 2 boys in diapers!


Garth's Denver Broncos won the Superbowl!! 


Grant's friend Ruby turned 2, we went to the Movie Mill to play mini golf!









I got asked to speak at our Relief Society Valentine's Activity. I spoke for 20 minutes about "Hubby Love" or ways to love your husband. It was super fun and it got me in the valentines mood for the week!

Every year, our stake puts on a Stake President's Ball. It is a formal dance with lots of fancy food, desserts, decorations, and a photobooth. But the best part of all is they have the Lethbridge Big Band come and play for us and we dance our hearts out. I have always thought I was born at the wrong time because I love the 50's style and music. Needless to say it is our favorite date night of the year. 

Garth put together this cute little array of presents to ask me to the dance. He is the sweetest!





I remembered to wear flats this year so we ended up dancing for 2.5 hours straight. I don't think it is possible to have more fun than we had that night!


We had to sneakily get a pic of one of the band members during their break because he looks just like the Chancellor in V of Vendetta!


Valentine's Day was on Sunday this year so we went to church, had a yummy Valentine's themed dinner (breakfast for dinner) and then gave the boys their presents.




Grant also helped me make cookies.


I also had to take a picture with all 3 of my Valentines!




We have had some incredible weather this month so we have had lots of fun at the park surprisingly!





Garth took on some wood working projects for our new house. When we were at Pottery Barn we saw these side tables and I loved them (they were $500 each). Garth went home and made them for me!


He also built our Dining Table! It is absolutely beautiful!


Garth's Grandpa got really sick and we were told that he wasn't going to live much longer. We went down to Cardston to visit him and say goodbye.


Great-Grandpa Garth visiting with Garth and Asher Garth


This man is one of the most amazing men I have ever met. The first time I ever met him was at Garth and I's Lethbridge wedding reception. We were strangers who had never met, but I had never experienced the immediate love and acceptance that I felt from him with anyone else. That has always been an experience that I have remembered vividly. Since then, everytime I see him, he always remembers my name (he has over 50 grand children, and over 100 great grandchildren...) and he would always tell me he loves me when we said goodbye.


When I hugged and kissed him on the cheek for the very last time, I heard him tell me he loved me. That was the perfect goodbye that I needed.

Garth was very close to his Grandpa and has so many sweet stories and memories about him that he should be the one writing this post. I think I will get him to write his own feelings and thoughts about his Grandpa because they are just so sweet and reflective of what an amazing man he was all his life.


Garth and Jean have a relationship that I will always continue to strive for, an eternal one. They are so sweet together and it touched my heart when I saw her sitting beside him before the funeral, just as she had at the hospital, and throughout their whole marriage. It was such a testimony builder to me  of Eternal Families and the Sealing Power of the temple covenants and of the eternal nature of love. I know they will see each other again. I love them so much.


Garth was luckily enough to receive this belt from his Grandpa last year. It was such a special moment seeing him put it on before the funeral.



Garth is so lucky to be named after such an amazing man, and I am so happy we were able to pass his name onto Asher.


Asher's favorite hobby lately...


Snuggles with Grandpa




I thought it would be fun to go out for Pasta Tuesday one night because Grant is on a huge pasta kick. He slept THE WHOLE TIME and did not eat anything. Asher did eat a couple lemons, and that was pretty entertaining!



I have always thought that Garth was the most sensitive, romantic and loving man I have ever known. Every year just keeps getting better and better with this amazing husband of mine. One night he took this picture of me and posted it. I had no idea he had done so and when I saw it I was so surprised and so touched by his words. I wanted to put it on here so I would never forget it:

"As my very full day came to an end, I pulled up to my house and was greeted warmly by this gorgeous girl who had managed our home and two supercharged sons all day as I was at work. Only a few minutes later, practically in the midst of our conversation, she slowly fell into a dreamland. I can only assume a land without preparing lunches or dinners, without wiping bums and probably a place with a few minutes of peace and quiet and a guitar to be played. While working tonight I had a chance to reflect on everything this strong, motivated beauty did for our family in 2015, I have already seen that she won't miss a beat this year either. A wise man once said that in every relationship there is a reacher and settler... I'm one proud reacher. @unfailing_romance is #devoted #gratious#outtamyleague #successful and #diligent. I'm just#ridiculouslygrateful and #inLove."



February was the month we "actually" met and started dating, (he asked me to the Sweetheart's Dance), so we did a lot of reminiscing this month about how we met 5 years ago! I couldn't be more in love with this man but I know, somehow, tomorrow I will be.

-A.

Winter "One"derland!

Asher's Winter "One"derland themed party was so much fun! Lots of family and friends came to wish Asher a Happy Birthday and he loved every minute of it!

There was lots of food, a Hot Chocolate Bar, and an "Ice Fishing" game for the kids. 































Asher's favorite part about his cake was the little penguin. 




When it came down to eating it, he started off really particular and by the end he was shoving big cake chunks into his mouth haha.












This little guy brings so much joy into our lives and we felt so glad that we could throw a party just for him.


Happy Birthday Asher, we love you!

-A.