The Best Two Years!

Yesterday we celebrated our two year anniversary. It was so wonderful! Well, the evening was wonderful. I had to work all day and Brett had class so when I finally got home we were able to go out and have some fun. After last year when he tried to be super romantic and we ended up spending our anniversary in the ER (I had super severe stomach issues) we were ready to finally get to celebrate! 

Brett had bought me the most beautiful boquet of flowers... gerber daisies!!! my favorite... and had gottern rose petals that he had scattered all over out little apartment. It was so sweet and a great welcome home present. 

He then ran me out the door and re-created our first date. We went to dinner at the same place and we spent time at the place that has meant a lot to us over the years. The Capitol building was the palce he first kissed me after over a month of waiting. It was the palce he told me that he loved me. Some of our favorite engagement and wedding pcitures came from there. We had a balst re-creating some of those memories and actually being able to spend time together. We were able to take some new "family" pictures. Brett thinks this is totally pathetic since they look like enagement pcitures but I love being able to have new pictures of the two of us that are more then just snapshoots from my phone. 

I am so grateful for such a wonderful husband who works so hard to show me how mcuh he loves me and does evrythng he can to surprise me and make me happy. He loves to goof off and play silly games that never fail to make me laugh. He is always there to help me when I need help, encourage me when I am down, support me in my obligations, and remind me of my worth and abilities. He is so endlessly patient and kind and puts up with my many faults and shortcomings. I am so grateful for the Spirit that he brings to our home and the way he constnatly works to be better and to honor his Priesthood. He is my rock and I am so greatful for the man that he is and all that he adds to my life. I have been so blessed these last two year and I am so grateful to have my best friend always by my side. I would never have known how much my love for him could grow in two years. I am so happy to have so many wonderful memories and all that we have shared. Here is to many more years of happines and wonderful memories. 

We couldn't resist taking another picture with Brett's favoirte part of the Capitol.... the canon. He loves it. He always has crazy random and goofy ideas of things to do but they always turn out so great! Love it!

We forgot to take the picture from last year with us so by the time we got home it was dark but I insisted that we take it anyway. so glad we did! It could have been better... but oh well! SO fun to look at one picutre and be able to look back and remember so much. This was an awesome idea! Thanks Pinterest! Of course, then Bella had to be part of the picture taking fun but she would refuse to look at the camera. What resulted was an epic picutre fail... best family photo... NOT. haha oh well! we didn't have anyone else to try and get her attention and so this is what happens... We laughed and decided it was practice for toddlers! 

Military Family Appreciation Day

On Sunday was the Military Family Appreciation Day out at Gowen Field. I had never been before and it was a really cool event.

I really enjoyed the whole experience for a variety of reasons... but one of the best was that Brett was able to come to church with me even though it was Drill weekend!! Yay! Actually it was a farewell of a great friend who was leaving for his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Lithuania and I really wanted Brett to be able to come with me. On a normal Drill weekend that would be basically impossible. BUT... because it was Family Appreciation Day he was able to leave base and come with me. He did have to go back to help clean up and such but was able to spend the couple of hours with me and it was awesome!

After we went to my friends farewell we were able to make it back downtown to our own ward to have lunch with our ward members after church was over. It was nice to be able to get in a little bit of everything and even better to have my husband with me. 

After we ate lunch we headed back out to Gowen Field and I was able to experience all that was the family appreciation celebration. It was fun to spend time getting to know better the people that Brett serves with and the things that they get to do together. It was also a great experience to see the community really come together and show their gratitude for the men and women who volunteer to serve and protect our nation and our freedoms. 

We had a blast. There was food, music, vendors, military affiliates, there was a play area for the kiddos with bounce houses, cotton candy, ect. They had antique cars out on display along with a whole line of satellite systems, air planes, and a helicopter, a tank, ect. It was really fun to hear the different people talk about and show the capabilities and histories of the different things on display. We got to see and talk to several different people. However, the highlight of the day was being able to meet the man who was so influential for Brett in his decision to join the Air Force. THis man helped answer all his questions, took him to the recruiters office, and was actually able to be there the day that Brett officially joined the Air Force and actually swore him in. So, that was a really cool, really unique experience and I was happy we were able to be there and to meet him. He was so helpful and kind to Brett. Brett loved being able to spend time with me getting to know him better. 

Ah! So splendid! It was a great way to get to learn more about what Brett does while he is there, who he works with, and to see the community support for our men and women. It was also a great way to really wrap up our summer before I add working 20+ hours a week to our already very busy school semester!

Labor Day Adventure

For Labor Day we were able to go with Brett's mom down to Utah for the blessing of his sister's new little baby. On Friday we drove down and dropped off Brett's mom at his sister in Salt Lake and then headed down to Provo to see my brother and my cousin Annette's new little daughter Eleanor. We spent the night with my brother then headed back north for the blessing. We camped out in his room, talked, relived old memories, and laughed like crazy.

On our way north Brett was insistent that we stop and go the Salt Lake temple. So glad he did! I didn't feel very well but it was so beautiful and stunning and I am so happy we went despite how I was feeling.

Here are a few of the pictures from Tiffany's blessing! What a beautiful little baby girl!

Little Miss Haylie had her birthday this week. She was bummed that we wouldn't be there to celebrate her birthday but we hope she had a great day! Love you Haylie!

 Mikkel's family that was able to come to the blessing

Welcome to the world you precious girl! I wish I would have gotten more pictures of everyone but I was just not feeling up to it. Next time!!

Also... Just had to share this. I have one of the cutest nephews ever!! Totally brainwashed by his father- this is how they decorated front lawn this fall.. 

Haha love it! 

Last year he went in the back yard and made himself a full football field with a big  U in the middle! Too stinkin cute!! 

School Time again!

And- once again we have the start of a new school year. Brett couldn't be happier to be back in school and I cant be happier to have this semester over with!

No matter how excited I am for graduation in December this semester is shaping up to be one awesome semester for me, I am taking three law classes- which I am loving!- I am also taking a cinema class which I am really enjoying (who wouldn't enjoy an assignment to watch and research aka- watch all the YouTube blogs and the movie over and over- the Hobbit and getting to watch/learn about star wars in class!) It. Is. Awesome.

The other exciting thing about this semester is the opportunity that I have to intern for Senator Mike Crapo in his Boise office. I am really excited about the experience and about all that I can learn and all the ways that I can grow this semester professionally and not just educationally.

Brett is in for a rough semester but is excited to actually use the things that he has been learning over the past few years. After the summer and all of the work that he did with hardly any play or break he is very ready to be able to feel productive again and to be back in the air conditioning.

Also... He is stoked about fall not only to go back to school but because fall means COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!! One of his favorite things ever- especially anything Boise State Football. We are excited and trilled about all that we have going on this fall and all the changes and new adventures that is will bring to our family.

FOOTBALL!!!!

If it's fall- then that means it is FOOTBALL TIME and we couldn't be happier! Brett says he is one spoiled guy because he doesn't have to fight his wife for time to watch college football all day on Saturday (while doing chores/homework too off course...) his wife is the one who sits down and turns on the games in the first and then sits next to him as watches too.

Needless to say we LOVE college football! So excited for all the fun and excitement that fall brings to our house!!

We kicked off the fall season with the Boise State field day sports experience. We got to go down on the field and try our hands at the different sports and meet and mingle with the athletes from a variety of the different sports. It was so fun and we really enjoyed the interaction and the competition. We got to take around these little passport cards and when we completed the tasks for each of the sports we got the athletes of sign off and then we got a free t-shirt when we completed the whole thing. It was so fun! It was way hot and the turf was even hotter with all the black rubber pellets to attract the sun but we are so glad our friend dragged us out to participate!! 

Here are the t-shirts that we won!!

Game day here we come!!!  :)

Babies!!

August has been quite the month for babies in my family. I became an aunt (again) and gained two more cousins! Each of them is so special and I am so excited to get to know each of them as they grow and become who they were meant to be.

Our first born was Tiffany Marie Stockton. My precious new little niece. She was born on August 6th to my sister in law Kindra and her husband Mikkel! This little girl is such and angel! She brings everyone together and is so innocent and sweet. I am so glad that she is a part of our family and I am so excited to finally have a niece that I can say I have known her whole life. Can't wait for all that's in store for this little angel. 

More pictures to come of this sweet little miss from our trip down for her blessing over Labor Day weekend. 

The next little angel that joined our sweet family was Parker Brian Jensen. He was born on August 18th and mom and dad and all of the rest of us are so glad that he has finally joined us safe and sound and happy. We all love him- but his older sister has been able to truly capture his utter pureness and the simple joy that new infants bring to this world. 

Parker and his proud older brother Sawyer!

Corinne and her awesome photo skills :) I just love these moments that she has captured! She really does love that little PBJ! This little boy will be loved to death by his two sisters and his two bothers couldn't be happier to have another boy in the family. He will definitely be one loved little boy. So glad he is here! Here are a few more of the first time Brett and I met the awesome little man.

The next little gem to enjoin was little Eleanor. She was absolutely gorgeous! I am so glad that everything worked out and we were able to visit Annette and Phil and meet this sweet little girl while we were in Utah over Labor Day. She was born on August 30th and it was perfect timing! What a birthday present for her dad! She has SOO much hair and is so calm and adorable! I am so excited to get to know her over the years! 

I am so excited to have all these precious little souls join our family!! They are so beautiful and I am so excited for the opportunity to know each of them! 

Finally!! We went camping!!

This has been one of the most hectic summers I have ever had and definitely the busiest since we have been together. With Brett working his crazy hours - including nearly every Saturday - and me in school every day all summer we haven't had much of chance to do a whole lot of anything outdoors.

But.... our ward planned a outing and we were stoked! Brett was even to get that Saturday off work and off we went. 

I actually had to babysit but Brett was able to go up early and the spent the evening on the lake while I was at work. After I [finally] arrived we had a campfire, ate s'mores and had a classic summer evening camping and telling stories in the flickering firelight. 

The next morning we were up early and a few of us went out on the lake. We took our Bishop's boat and got to experience his amazing barefoot water skiing skills. Then he taught our friend Brad and a bit later Brett got to try his hand at it. After Brett had a turn the water was still glassy and beautiful and so our Bishop could not helping jumping back in the water. However, at this point he had no experienced boat driver to pull him. I have had instruction and lessons on driving a boat but had never had a ton of practice or had the opportunity to really pull anyone behind the boat-- let alone pull anyone going almost 40 mph barefoot!! But- he was so trusting and so calm that I knew it would be okay. Pulling someone on the boom out to the driver side of the boat is like driving a car on the freeway and having a blowout only- in is case you have to keep driving. You can't stop and because they are barefoot you have to stay in as strait a line as possible. Ha. Ha. Ha. 

It w so crazy but it was so fun and I must say- I think it actually went pretty well. Brett said he was worried about my actual ability but said afterward he was impressed and would be willing to buy me a boat after watching me drive! Plus-- major bonus I even got the bishop on one foot ( which was his goal for the summer ) and had such a blast!!

Brett Attempting to do one foot!

We spent the rest of the day on the lake with the ward and Brett was able to have several chances to wake board and even had a few quite spectacular wipe outs as did many of the others.

While we were there we watched as this smoke cloud from the huge fires crept over the mountain. This was what it looked like as we were leaving the ward activity. When we woke up in the morning we actually woke up in the morning we had ash on our tent and the car. It was crazy!

After all the time we spent with the ward we were then able to drive to the other side of the lake and got to spend the evening o the lake with one of our favorite families. The Dinger's! The kids we so excited to have us with them. We spent sometime on the lake, some time on the beach, and time just being together. They are so much fun and such a joy to be around. They are each so full of their own unique energy and enthusiasm or lifeline and have such unique personalities it is always so much fun to be and to experience being a part of their lives.

I don't know how we ended up without a picture of Maddie or mom.. but somehow they were the lucky ones who got out of my photo barrage... guess they better watch out next time... I'll be out with my camera for revenge. 

Overall, the weekend was such a blast! It was busy and long- and by the time we got home Saturday night we were exhausted!! but it was all so so worth it! I am so glad that although  we had a crazy and insanely busy summer with hardly any time to do the things that we love most about summer that we were able to at least do this one thing and enjoy this one marvelous part of summer. It was a happy happy weekend! A huge thank you to allow those who made it possible! We cannot express to you how wonderful it was and how much it meant to us! You guys are the best!