sweet talk...

The apple of the day is: call, email, text anything sweet. "Thinking of you" type things.

One day Zach sent me a text and said "you look really nice today. I don't think I ever said that out loud." to give you an example...and also let you know that I do get ready sometimes. :)

First date of the year!

Are you one of those couples who thinks about your beginnings and giggles? If it is a fun idea to do something you did when you were dating, then do it!

Some of mine and Zach's first dates were:

* playing a basketball game, making homemade pizza and smoothies.

* dinner at Wingers'

* a Recycle Percussion concert

* studying at the library

* making art...for our gen ed. art class

If it isn't a fun idea to repeat some of your first dates. Then recreate. Do something you wish you had done.

* most guys wish they could have gone swimming...

* most girls would have loved to go dancing...

* most everybody loves a good dinner...

Have to stay home...

have dinner, dance and then have a shower...

dance, shower, have dinner...

Oh, you figure out the order! :)

These would be some sweet conversation starters...

*why did you ask me out?

*why did you say yes?

*why did you keep asking me out?

*why did you keep saying yes?

*why did you ask me to marry you?

*why did you say yes?

taught by a child

We went camping this weekend. The kids went to sleep well in the tent and slept the whole night. Zach and I LOVED our time by the fire before we climbed into the tent. We kept the rain fly off and enjoyed looking at the stars before we fell asleep. Sweetness.

That night when we were roasting mallows with the kids Sarah noticed a boy walking past the camp. Zach and I had observed that he and his family were likely homeless. She called about to the boy, "boy, boy!" He didn't turn to look and then she told us as she picked up a marshmallow that "I wanted to give him a marshmallow.".

So, Zach took her over to their camp with the bag of marshmallows and watched as our sweet little girl gave this stunned boy a marshmallow. Seeing the look on his face, Zach then gave him two hands full of them to share with his family. They were shocked and so thankful. Zach overheard them talking as he and Sarah walked away and their daughter said "I feel like a little kid again".

We felt grateful, and yet like we've been ungrateful for what we have.

Sarah taught us something about acting on promptings we receive. Children are so fearless about that! They think something and say it or do it. They don't miss a beat! From a talk I listened to by Elder Scott a few weeks ago, "Let us act on the promptings of the Spirit with courage!".

Because I am still learning how the Spirit speaks to me, I am trying to just act when I think of something good to do and not look for reasons not to do it. As I do this I hope to develop a real relationship with the Spirit that I will always follow when He tells me to do something.

The Apple of the day: watch/listen for the promptings of the Spirit and act on them with the faith and confidence of a child.

just a lick?

Today take a break from everything you have going and run and get an ice cream cone! You can take the kids if you have to. :)

I know it isn't as healthy as eating an apple but who can say no to a little ice cream now and then! Have fun!

First thing

I heard somewhere that your day or evening is shaped largely by what happens in the first five minutes. Watch what you say and do in the morning and when your spouse first comes home. Do you pay attention to your spouse? Are you glad to see them?

The apple for the day is: Keep your comments positive, hug, kiss, smile and express gratitude!...and anything else you can think of! :)

The same is true in our interactions with our children! It makes a big difference in the day when we are sweet and happy with our kids in the morning....and when we aren't!

my fav!

One thing Zach and I associate Conference with is caramel popcorn! Today, make a treat you both enjoy. Make it together if you can!

Happy Easter!!

Relax would ya!

The apple for the day is: give your spouse a back or foot massage tonight or better yet for a date this weekend! Put on some relaxing music and enjoy!

If you'd like some further ideas on a massage or "spa date" check out this awesome blog!

In the blink of an eye

2009, suffice it to say, it was a busy year for our family.

We had a baby.

Our little girl took ADD medicine and spent a few days in the hospital "recovering" and we were scared out of our minds!

Zach had pneumonia and it wasn't just any pneumonia, it was bacterial and it could have been deadly...like the next day he could have died if we hadn't gone into the ER when we did.

I think about that experience probably not often enough. He was not sick or coughing before, he just suddenly came down with a fever. A fever of 104 +. In June he had a similar thing happen, he went to the ER and they sent him home, no tests, nothing. We were tempted to stay home this time. If we had, pneumonia would have gotten into his blood and there would have been no stopping it.

Everyday matters. If I always loved him and my kids like there was no tomorrow, we would be a lot happier. The house might not be as clean, but you know.

I guess I've just been thinking a lot about life and how really, you just never know. I am grateful (for lack of a better word) that Zach is still a part of my life. Gosh, I hate to think of losing him.

Here's a quote from a marque that came to mind. "Love is friendship set to music". It hit the spot for me. When Zach and I started dating it was just sweet and is still.