August 22, 2013

A CRAZY FUN BIRTHDAY




Dear Kurt,

You sure know how to make a girl feel special and loved on her birthday. 

I woke up to birthday wishes and notes on every mirror in the house and a counter top full of gifts. 

Then you told me to be ready to leave the house around two for a surprise date. 

After a nice, lazy morning and a delicious lunch with my sister, I dropped the girls off at your moms. 

When I got home you had the truck packed and ready to go. 

We started driving, all the while I was trying to guess where we could be headed. 

We made a quick stop in rexburg to pick up sandwiches at Gater Jacks  
Then we drove. We drove to what seemed like the middle of nowhere, but at the last second I recognized where we were: monkey rock. 
 

Monkey rock is a place from our past. A waterfall and swimming hole that we use to come to when we were dating. 

We swam a bit, jumped from the waterfall, built a fire, explored, laid in the sun, and sat and talked. 

It was awesome. But the date wasn't over. 

We packed up our stuff and hit the road again. 

We drove and drove and drove. 

Finally we were so far from anything that I knew where we were going: the ice caves. 
 

When we got there, we parked, had a picnic in the back of the truck, and then got dressed in our warm clothes. 

We made our way down into the cave and soon enough we were in the dark slipping around on the ice.
 

It was so much fun I didn't even care my fingers were freezing cold. 

 
We made it to the end of the cave to the slide, which we went down over and over. 

We made our way back toward the entrance but before we got to the end you stopped and lit some candles and sang to me. 

On the long drive home we stopped to shoot at some birds, watched the sun go down, and watched a beautiful lightning storm roll across the sky and eventually over us. 

It was a perfect day. I felt so loved. 

Thank you. I love you. 

And happy birthday to me. 

Sincerely, Lori

August 10, 2013

WATERPARKS AND BASEBALLS



Dear Kurt,

We had a fabulous day with our little family.

 
 

We spent an easy morning, relaxing and cleaning up a bit.
Then we headed over to Rexburg rapids with your sisters.

 
 

We spent the whole afternoon splashing and playing and floating.
Then we got ready and headed to Rigby to play home run derby with some friends.
 
 

The kids played for a while and then ran around finding things to climb on and catching ladybugs.

 

Then the grown ups played. I've never been a good hitter but I tied for second place with one home run. You won, no surprise, with two home runs.


Then we headed to a beautiful part of Rigby, where Ben and Shacie live, for a BBQ, some easy conversation, and home made ice cream.

We didn't get home till after midnight.


It was a nice day. Good times, great friends, yummy food and a little sun on our cheeks.
 

I'd do this day over and over again
 

Sincerely, Lori


August 9, 2013

SHARP SHOOTER





Dear Kurt,
The other day you won a gun at the grand opening of a local gun shop.



Tonight we decided to go shooting with your new gun.



We grabbed some pizza, some bullets, your gun, and our girls and headed up to the hills.



The girls played in the dirt and picked wheat while your brother, you, and I shot at targets, cans and whatever other junk was left from previous shooters.


 
We found an old toy truck and decided to have a contest who could shoot through the side window first. We each took turns taking shots and after you both had two shots with no luck, I sent a bullet flying through the corner of the window with my second shot.



We had another contest to hit a bulls eye of a target. We each took ten consecutive shots and again, I was the only one to hit the bulls eye.


Woo-hoo. I don't meet to toot my own horn, but when I'm shooting against two good shots like you and your brother, TOOT! TOOT!!!
 

We need to do this more often. It was awesome.
 

I love you. And your new gun.
 

Sincerely, Lori

August 7, 2013

CITY PICNIC



Dear Brooklyn,
Apart from Christmas and your birthday this might be your favorite day each year.



Idaho falls city picnic, where the city honors its heroes and their families with good food, free admission to the zoo, and free rides at the park.

You would skip it all for the rides.





We ate a quick dinner and then spent the rest of our evening bouncing from ride to ride.

I love seeing your face as you go round and around the rides, like you were just handed the world.






It makes my heart soar to see you so happy.

I love you.
Sincerely, mom


REXBURG RAPIDS



Dear Molly,

It was a beautiful, hot, sunny day. A perfect day to spend at a water park.

And you were in heaven.

You ran around the shallow water, hardly letting me touch you except when you lost your footing and I had to yank you out of the water before you were off again.

You and I floated around and around the lazy river, talking with friends, chasing after Brooklyn, and tossing you into the water.

It was such a fun afternoon. I'm glad you love the water as much as your mom.

Sincerely, mom



August 4, 2013

BROOKLYN TURNS FOUR




Dear Brooklyn
Today you turned four.

Four!

It's insane.



I can honestly say that three was a rough age.

We tried and tested each other and there were days I wanted to ship you off to grandmas for a few days.





It was a bit rough but I am realizing more and more how those wheels in your head work and how I can be a better mom to you.

You have changed so much this last year. You are becoming a little girl and less of a toddler.



You are learning and growing.



I love seeing your eyes light up when you do something new for the first time.


I love all that you teach me.

Happy Birthday, Brooklyn.


I hope your day was wonderful and I hope your next year will be one of discovering, exploring, and giving.

I love you.

Sincerely, Mom



August 2, 2013

AN EVENING PICNIC



Dear Kurt,

It was a fantastic evening.


We took the girls down to my favorite part of the river with a giant bowl of pasta.


 
















We sat on a blanket and just dug in.


 
We ate. And snuggled. And walked along the rivers edge.



We wadded with our shoes on. And played. And jumped from rock to rock.


It was nice to just enjoy each other without anyone or anything to distract.
  

I love our little family.
 

Sincerely, Lori