that's what i like about you.....

this is a post that i wrote last January about my hub. a good reminder to always be thinking of what we love about our significant other.
brag about your spouse.
tell them how proud you are of them.
don't make them wonder where you stand.
please don't assume they know.
so, here you go babe, these are the things i adore about you......

1...he is loyal.
2...he always smells freshly showered.
3...with just a few sentences, he can have me laughing hysterically.
4...he is random.
5...he is one of the most ethical business men i know.
6...he looks really good in royal blue.
7...he has 2 sisters and one brother. he eats dinner with them almost every Sunday and Wednesday nights.
8...he is good to his mom.
9...his sibling closest in age is 9 years older than him.
10....he loves a clean truck. it hardly ever looks that way.
11...he can be awake, talking and 2 mins. later, he can be in a deep sleep.
12...when he bathes the boys, they always end up smelling better than when i do it. he uses A LOT of Baby Magic on their hair. i love that.
13...his football jersey number in high school was 77. which is now jacks favorite number. he wants to be 'just like dad'. :)
14...he actually owns a Letterman's jacket that hangs in our front hall closet. he has never, to my knowledge, worn it. (think i can sell it on eBay?)
15...i just learned TONIGHT, while we were talking with some other people, that he never graduated from college. very interesting piece of information that we never talked about. guess i just assumed. not like it matters, he has a great job, which he LOVES!
16...he's blind as a bat. won't wear glasses cuz the lenses would be too thick.
17...he is a very helpful husband. he cooks, he cleans, he's wonderful. :)
18...he doesn't hate to iron. i do. hmmm, just got to thinking, maybe he does hate it but realizes if he doesn't do it, he'd be wrinkled all the time.
19...he's a very good kisser.
20...if he knew how good he looks in a baseball hat, he'd wear one more.
21....i love it when he has a 'five o clock' shadow going on. that's HOT!
22...he's a good tipper.
23...he's a great dad....i'm proud to be raising my children with him.
24...he is wonderfully sentimental. not a quality all men have.
25...he is a man of faith. it is reflected in his life.
26...he has seen every episode of M.A.S.H and Seinfeld at least 20 times.
27...he thinks Battlestar Galactica is interesting. (i think it's stupid, but then again, this isn't about ME, is it??? trust me, it's stupid!)
28...i don't think he's read a whole book ALL the way thru since high school. OR EVER!! however, he does read the newspaper.
29...when he is on vacation, he's on vacation. he's good at relaxing.
30...he's great at grilling!
31....he's very affectionate.
32...he weighs the same today as he did in high school.(when he sets his mind to something, he does it.)
33...he talks on his phone about 8 hours a day. i'm not kidding.
34...he very good at balancing his work and home life.
35...he loves 'mindless' computer games.
36...he has a good reign on his tongue.
37...he loves Mike and Ike's, Skittles and Junior mints.
38...cold popcorn and spiders gross him out.
39...he's very particular about how his steak is cooked.
40...he LOVES his mom's chicken souffle and my chicken Parmesan.
41...he prefers his mom's homemade maple syrup instead of any store bought brand.
42...he really likes my parents.
43...he pays all his bills online.
44...he once shoveled a little old mans sidewalk in the middle of a snow storm. he didn't even know the man. our boys still talk about it today. it was an amazing act of kindness, one that i'm so glad our boys got to see.he is teaching them to give to to others by living it out in real life!
45...he loves talk radio.
45...he prefers 80's music to almost any other.
46...when he runs on the treadmill, he listens to sermons instead of music.
47..he's very knowledgeable in the world of politics.
48...he's a Republican!!
49...i love his heart and his humor.
50...he lets me sleep in every Saturday and makes the kids pancakes.
51...he has this thing he does with his mouth when he is really touched by something. one corner goes up. maybe it's something i would only notice but i love it when he does it. i love his sensitive spirit.
52...he has a good memory.
53...he can still make my heart skip a beat when he looks at me a certain way. the same way it did when we first started dating.
54.i know, without a shadow of a doubt, that when he said his wedding vows, he meant them. he shows that to me everyday. when we're old and gray, he'll still be there. i don't ever question that.
55...i love his heart for Jesus. he continues to search to know Him better.

lawn buddies......

this little buddy belongs to my BFF.

alex is his name and rye's lawn mower is his game.

every time he comes over, he asks about 'uncle wyans mowwo'.

he's a big talker, you see, since he loves to look at it but NEVER wants to ride.

well, 'my' boy has turned a corner.

last week, he was taking a poll.

"kaiden (his brother), did you ever wide (that's how he pronounces it. be still my heart) on it?"

"yes alex, i did"

"devin (other brother), did you ever wide on it?"

"yes alex, i did"

"jack (my boy), did you ever wide on it?"

"yes, alex i did"

"max, did you ever wide on it?"

"yes, alex i did"

"sam, did you ever wide?"

"yup".

"today i'll wide it too!"

YEA ALEX!!

while rye unloaded it off the trailer, alex was one step behind.

so, SO precious!

i loved watching rye with a youngen again.

i loved it that alex could NOT wipe that smile.

spoon me

um, excuse me but is anyone else in Love with these??

i am. i am.

the end.

birthday boy, birthday girl, birthday boy....

 this is my boy and his darling cousin, Taryn. since they practically share a birthday, it's always fun to share a party. bowling and Red Robin. how great of a party is that??

baby jack.

 bowling alley. aren't you glad i clarified that for you?

since we were celebrating birthdays anyway, we threw in an extra sundae and a little singing for our dear cousin, Isaiah although he celebrated his big day back in April. i love the way his daddy is sweetly looking up at him.

our max-11 years old.

this is one incredible kid.

we love you bud...so glad you're part of our family!!!

these are my people.



random rambling...

i love coffee table books. i love Pottery Barn. i love coffee table books that feature Pottery Barn.

why is it that they don't make a coffee table book featuring Tj maxx, Ross, Home Goods or Target??

cuz if they did, i'd buy those.

this is my babe. my babe has more testosterone than most third grade boys.
and probably more than both of my other boys combined.
not a bad thing.
just...well..he's oozing with it.
he's full of it.
and i love him for it.

my friend, Wendi took this picture. i'm not bragging but that was a really good cake.

(and if i hear one word about my double chin, i'll have to smack ya.)

since i'm nice i'm going to share the recipe with you.

trust me, you'll make it and you'll be glad you did.

super easy.

super yummy.

super fattening.

Gram's Best Brown Sugar Cake

what you'll need:

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1 pkg. (3.4 oz) Jell-o vanilla flavor instant pudding

4 eggs

2/3 c. sour cream

2/3 c. water

1/2 c.oil

1 c. packed brown sugar

1 c. pecans (i don't put them in but hey, you might like gross things so go for it!)

2 tsp. powdered sugar (now this i like so i use 4, not 2.)

make it already:

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Beat first 6 ingredients with mixer for 3 min. (or until blended). Add brown sugar and your nasty pecans now.

Pour into greased, 12-cup fluted pan (that's fancy talk for a Bundt pan)

Bake for 1 hour.

Cool cake for 15 min.

Loosen cake from side of the pan; invert  onto wire rack. Remove pan; cool cake completely.

Sprinkle with a Pile (or 4 tsp.) of xxx (powdered, not x-rated. duh.) sugar.

Special extra: Sprinkle pan with combined 2 Tbsp., sugar and 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon after spraying with cooking spray. than fill with batter and bake as directed. trust me...don't skip this step. you'll be sorry. then again,if you skip it, you won't know what you're missing out on so it really doensnt' matter if you do or don't.

geez, just add it already. cinnamon and sugar...there's no harm in that.

this is my stud of a brother, playing football with a million (um, or 8) chillin's at Whidbey. love this.

look at that form.

bai, you rock.

tim's brilliant idea to take his dog so no, i don't feel sorry for him.

bo lost his knife.

tim's idea of a 'search and rescue'.

fortunately, the knife was found.

inside, on the counter.

well, at least they learned teamwork.

pancakes and little hands. love that combo.

my bai.

awww.

what more is there to say?

on a mission.

Great action shot. zoom in on Eli's face. love.

a picture of loveliness.

what happens when it's 40 degrees and raining?
you play Monopoly. right? right.

have you ever seen such a beautiful red head?

nope, i didn't think so.