How will we respond?

"Adversity will be a constant or occasional companion for each of us throughout our lives [and our marriages]. We cannot avoid it. The only question is how we will react to it. Will our adversity to stumbling blocks or stepping-stones."

-- Dallin H. Oaks

{via}

Today at church we enjoyed another great Marriage & Family Relations Sunday school class...talking about responding to challenges in marriage. They are inevitable. But we absolutely have the choice of how we will respond... I can't express enough how grateful I am to have Adam as my forever companion. I get to walk through life with him, hand in hand, experiencing the good and the bad. We are trying, and will do, our best to make sure our trials are stepping stones and not stumbling blocks. And right by us is Christ, who has experienced it all. That knowledge is so comforting. And this verse in John is absolutely beautiful:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

John 16:33

They say the best things in life are worth fighting for right?

Whatever comes at us...we will fight, and we will win :)

Happy Birthday to my better half!

Wednesday was my better half's 25th birthday!!!

This handsome birthday boy is my best friend and my forever love.

{Birthday omelet for breakfast, candle lit and ready for a birthday wish!}

While Adam was at the gym & then at work, I baked 8 dozen snicker-doodles for my man's middle school wrestling team he coaches, they had a dual-meet later that day :) Brooks and I went to support our birthday boy, with the cookies and bday ballons in-tow. I love that my sweet husband chooses to work with young men and encourage them to work hard to reach their goals.

After the wrestling meet, we headed home to get ready for a birthday dinner in Salt Lake at a Japanese restaurant that Adam loves, called Kyoto.

We took plenty of pictures, but for some reason the images on the camera (from the dinner & old ones too) are incompatible! what??! *sigh* Let's hope we'll figure it out...there are some sweet pictures from his bday celebration dinner I want off that camera!

But for now, you can see pictures from his surprise bday party here :)

Brooks and I love our birthday boy SO much!

Here's a video of Brooks' present for his Daddy...definitely gave the birthday boy some proud-daddy-smiles!! :)

And here's my birthday wish for Adam in 25 words:

I

wish

you'll

always

have

that

gorgeous

smile

on

your

face

because

you

are

reaching

for,

and

living,

your

dreams...

HAPPY
BIRTHDAY

my

forever

love!

a very good nap

When this little man wakes up with smiles and walks around and around the railing of his crib, smiling away, as Mama takes oodles of pictures of him with her phone...you know he had a good nap, a very good nap indeed :)

Then it's play time with Mom!!!

Favorite part of the day...of course until Dad get's home to join us :)

Little notes & KissesX3

This little note tagged along in Adam's lunch yesterday...did anyone else do their homework?? ;)

And this little "note" came out of Adam's fortune cookie from our Chinese take-out last night...

I can't get enough of this little man...

double date + 1

Saturday we went on a double date with some good friends.

Jed & Lindsey are pretty much the best :)

We started off with a tasty dinner at Texas Roadhouse...we love us some Texas!

{their fresh rolls & cinnamon butter are TO.DIE.FOR...I may or may not have eaten a basket full}

{Brooks was getting a little antsy and wanted to get out of his high chair, but being that their floors are covered in peanut shells (awesome, i know) we needed to figure out something else...so sitting his cute little bum on the table with a bucket of peanuts did the trick! we're classy like that}

Next we went back to their beautiful home & made pizookies (deep dish, pizza cookies) and watched Brooks chase their cute little dog, Rocky, around the kitchen :)

A la mode is the only way to go :)

We ate the rich dessert while watching "We Are Marshall" (good movie!).

delicious food + great friends = good times

Thanks Jed & Linds for a fun night!

never assume...we should let them know :)

Today in our Marriage and Family Sunday School class we discussed nurturing love and friendship in our marriage :) But what we talked about, also applies to any relationship with those we love and care about.

Just like any plant, a loving devoted relationship (in this case, marriage) needs TLC, and lots of it...

daily watering (saying "I love you"),

picking weeds (forgiving),

providing sunlight (expressing sincere appreciation),

and tilling the soil (back rubs...okay maybe that's just me;)

All of that is vital to maintaining strong roots and strengthening bonds in a marriage. When each spouse is giving his or her all, the relationship will grow and flourish!! Yet there are about a million and one things that can distract us from keeping the flame alive, and burning bright in our marriages. We must remember that, "What is most important almost always involves the people around us [especially our other half]. Often we assume they must know how much we love them, but we should NEVER ASSUME, WE SHOULD LET THEM KNOW." Our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, shares those sweet words, in the video below.

And for homework this week (remember, I love this homework!) we're to put extra effort into doing something specific every day to show our love and appreciation to our sweet hearts...it's going to be a good week :)

Happy Sunday everyone!

Hope you're all soaking up the last few sweet drops of the weekend :)

ribs, MoNStEr TRucKs, and a couple churros

Last night we went out for an evening of [the best, most moist, flavorful] RIBS at Pat's Ribs in Salt Lake (if you're near by and you like ribs, GO. now.] And then we headed to Monster Jam to get our ears blown out (thank GOODNESS they provided ear plugs) and to see every man's dream as a little boy come true: MONSTER TRUCKS going off jumps and crushing cars. oh yes :)

{slow roasted at 160 degrees...perfection}

{Dave, Mandy, Luke, & Becca}

{Adam's isn't squirting mustard on his ribs, it's a special spicy bbq sauce...SO GOOD!}

{Brooks' got his hair did by his little cousin Kalia ;) Ready for the monster trucks with his mohawk! }

{Our walk to the E-center...}

M.O.N.S.T.E.R...T.R.U.C.K...M.A.N.I.A

{we were lucky enough to sit in box-seats! so fun!}

{Intermission...I searched for Dip-n-Dots with no luck :( But I did get a couple CHURROS...which all 3 of us enjoyed!

{such a sharing boy :) I love the one on the bottom right...look at his little tongue! heehee}

{Adam & little B watching the ginormous trucks roar!}

{Above & below is awesome Ashton (he was in TRUCK HEAVEN to say the least) and daddy Dave}

{Ash was pretty excited about his monster truck shirt!}

It was such a fun night!! Thanks to Luke & Bec who got the tickets and chose Pat's BBQ for dinner! :)