Happy Valentine's Day Shauna

Shauna,

I want to dedicate one entire blog post to you.  I love you very much and want to memorialize in writing some of what I have enjoyed about our life together for the last 10 years.  Here are a few things I love about you.  There are lots more, but I only have so much time.  Enjoy, I love you.    

1.  You are great calming force in my life.  I can remember those law school days when it seemed like I would never make it through.  You talked me through it and here we are.  We did it even when you decided to get your masters as well!  

2.  You are a very loving, teaching, and nurturing mom and our kids could not ask for better--even though they do sometimes.  

3.  You are beautiful and have a seriously in shape body.  There is a lot to be said for this considering we aren't the spring chickens we used to be, not to mention three kids. (This deserves two photos).   

4.  You love a good party, especially one where you and your husband are the only ones wearing costumes.  

5.  You get three kids ready for church by yourself most Sunday mornings and get them to church...almost on time.  

6.  You love me even though I am "cheap" I mean "frugal."  You: "Honey, I think its about time we buy a new camera."  Me:  "Just draw a picture, it will uh, ummm..."   

7.  You have a strong testimony of the gospel and care that your family and friends know this.  

8.  You care about others and help out wherever and whenever you can.  

9.  You love your parents and it shows.

10.  You cook up some mean vittles and aren't too disappointed when our kids look at it like it just fell out of a horse's rear end.

11.  You can pack a day so tight with things to do that Houdini would most like die trying to free himself.  Even the kids have a hard time keeping up.   

12.  You love Joaquin, Elena, Ruby and me with everything you have.  

Happy Valentine's Day Honey!  Hope it is a good one.  

  

Winter

Okay it has been a few months, but just in case anyone looks at this blog anymore, I thought I would put up a few notes about life these days.  We traveled a bunch during the holiday season going to see family in Arizona for Thanksgiving and going to California for Christmas.  

It had been almost eight years since I had been to Arizona and it was great to see everyone.  We had a great big Thanksgiving meal at a events center that was built by Jeff called Noahs.  We had football on one screen and the kids were able to play video games on the other screen.  

The drive down was pretty uneventful.  We stayed overnight in Las Vegas on the way down and on the way back.  We stayed with Shauna's aunt Gloria and uncle Cory who were very hospitable and our kids really had no desire to leave the Hotel Bailey.  

I also got a book from the Ellsworths that has provided many hours of interesting reading. I know most people would fall into a deep winter sleep at the thought of reading such a large tome, but I love it.  Thanks Ellsworths.  

In December, we went to California to spend Christmas with Shauna's parents who also treated us like royalty.  The kids hung out with their cousins constantly and had a fun time getting reacquainted   John and Shauna braved the winding road to Big Basin State Park so our kids could see the redwood trees and eat on the pier in Santa Cruz.  Beautiful and always fun to visit.  

Spring Fun

Eventful Spring

This Spring has been really busy.  We had a baby, Ruby Isabelle, in April. Number three is a serious jump up in child rearing.  All of our schedules are in chaos, but it is fun...most of the time.  I have included some pictures from our Spring.  Soccer with Joaquin; Joaquin moving on from preschool; trying beef bourguignon and garlic potatoes; trip up to Tahoe to run the DeCelle Memorial Relay; and hanging with family.  

Mom and Ruby.

Dad napping with Ruby.

The Sharks kicking it.

Last time in preschool. 

Feeding Ruby.

Beef Bourguignon.

Garlic potatoes.

ELena at Tahoe equestrian center. 

Joaquin's dream.

Knocking back a cold one. 

Samuel Langhorn Clemens

Steve and Paul finish leg 7, 10.5 miles.

Huh?

At the swing in Tahoe/Donner. 

Sand Castle

Playing in the stream.

Before the run Emerald Bay.

Support crew.

Ludwigs and Mayers.  

Thoughts

This is a post for all the parents that feel under appreciated or unappreciated.  Last night as I was getting ready to tell Joaquin his nightly story (this one was about a sailboat that found treasure; defeated pirates; acquired a three-legged cheetah mascot;  and was sucked up in a water spout and landed in Hawaii-intrigued yet?) he said, "This is the life."  I said, "Yep, a full belly and a safe house."  Then he said, "And great parents."  Man, that there will do you some good.  Although his parent sample size is limited and "great" might be an over statement, it sure does make one want to be a "great" parent.  

One other thing that I recently emailed the family about was Elena who was looking for some Ovaltine the other morning.  Shauna asked her if she would rather have the "church" cocoa.  Elena promptly responded, "No, that's poisonous."  She is only three and already able to frame her arguments so they are tough to counter.

At Alta sledding and skiing.  

Cheers.