Dear Brooks,

You probably don't remember when this picture was taken...but it'll always be a sweet memory of mine.

It was the first family walk we took with you :) It was a beautiful sunday evening...you were such a good boy...so tiny in your [what seemed like extra large] car seat/stroller. As Daddy pushed you in the stroller, I had his strong arm...we walked around the corner, down Main Street, and up a hill into a lovely neighbor with gorgeous homes. We had fun looking at the houses and sharing what parts we loved most...what we want for our future dream home one day. But when we got back to our home, it was absolutely our dream home because YOU were in it :)

You were right around 2 weeks old...and it still boggles my mind to think that in just 2 weeks from today you'll be 1 year old!!

{another picture of you just a few weeks old...Home sweet home. Nothing better than being with you and Daddy}

Well sweet boy, lately you have been to cutest little guy when you wake up (in the morning or after naps). Ready to eat, and then play your little heart out :)

You're also SO close to walking! You actually took your first 3 1/2 baby steps on Saturday!!! :) And the night before we let you be our little naked jay bird and Daddy helped you walk as you held onto a wooden spoon...some day soon we'll let go of that spoon and you'll keep walking...we're so proud of you as you learn more & more every day :)

Later Friday night, Grandma & Grandpa Kjar took us out for a fun birthday dinner for me and Daddy. Burgers were on the brain, so we headed to 5 Guys Burgers and Fries...when you get old enough to have your own burger we'll be going there! It was soooooooooooooooo good. They have a fun message board...can you tell which note was ours? :)

After, we headed to Nielsen's Frozen Custard...Dad gave you a few little bites of his malted-oreo-almond frozen yogurt and you loved it! Guess you've got mommy's sweet tooth ;) We had a lot of fun with Grandma & Grandpa...they sure love you :)

Here are a couple cute pictures of you playing with Daddy's birthday balloons...you're just too adorable :)

And the other day I gave you a paint brush to play with and you started to "paint" the ground. :) So I immediately filled up a couple cups with water, dropped in some food coloring, and let you get your paint on!! It only lasted for about 30 seconds...haha...but I can tell you're going to like to draw and color...and I love to doodle! We're going to have some fun :)

Look at your first piece of artwork!! I'll be framing it, that's for sure :)

And last, but definitely not least, the picture below makes me smile just thinking about it!! This morning you weren't wanting your high chair, so I sat on the couch and you stood by me as I fed you your oatmeal and bananas :) I was trying to do the airplane to get the hearty breakfast into your mouth, and as you opened your mouth you took a BIG breath in and squinted your eyes shut...I quickly flew the "airplane" of oatmeal in your mouth, only to have it FLY back out as you sneezed!! AHHahaHAahAHhaAH! I was laughing, and you started to laugh with me! it was awesome :)

{you can see the bits of your oatmeal on the couch...heehee! Clean up on isle 5!}

I love you sweet boy and I'm excited for when you wake up from your nap cause you're coming visiting teaching with me (visit with some lady friends that go to church with us:) and then we'll be getting our exercise on! I found some sweet work out videos on hulu.com and we're going to try one out together...we'll see how it goes ;)

Love you forever and always,

Mom

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 :)