I am Loved

Ever since my kids could eat solid foods I made heart pancakes for breakfast for Valentines day. I would always put a note in there lunch with a special treat, and a little box of chocolates. This year it was on a Saturday, so no note in there lunches with a special treat. I did make them our annual heart pancake breakfast. My hearts did not turn out as great this year, but I was in a hurry because I had a Stake Young Women's Leadership meeting in the morning from 10 to 12.

We had some extra special kids with us on Valentines day morning. Who enjoyed our tradition. Jessica and Hunter are not in this picture, because they were just getting up.

I left that morning in such a hurry I did not have time to clean anything up and left my house a mess. I wished everyone a Happy Valentines day and left for my meeting, which was 30 minutes away. When I got home I was really wishing that my family would have cleaned up the huge mess I had made from that morning. This is what I encountered when I came home:

This beautiful note on the back door inviting me:

It immediately put a smile on my face. I walked into the house and it was immaculately clean and the table was set just like this. A peach rose from each on of my kids and white roses from Doug, with a special note/card from each of my children and a love letter from my husband.

With a dinner Menu of what they were going to serve that evening for dinner. I had to wait in the other room till they were finished and they called me into dinner and this is what the table looked like. I wish I would have taken one with all of the kids sitting down. Doug made it all. It was heavenly, and plenty left for the next day and it was just as good the second day. Thank you Doug, Jessica, Hunter, Spencer, & Taylor for making me feel so loved.

I love you!

Tennessee Football game

Doug's boss gave him his four season tickets to the Tennessee vs. Kentucky game this past weekend. We took the boys. The girls stayed at their friends houses.

(Thanks Lynn & Marianne)

On our way to the game, in our new Suburban, the boys playing video games.

In the hotel room snuggling up.

Spencer & Doug

Renee & Hunter

Me and my boys.

Doug & I at the game The boys at the game

Part of the halftime show. It was fantastic. They did the twelve days of Christmas for the University of Tennessee. It was very funny.

Here is there "T"

My boys enjoying the game. It rained most of the time, but we had ponchos and we kept warm the whole time.

Spencer really enjoyed himself.

Hunter will watch football 24/7 now days if I would let him.

On the way home, Hunter was tired and Spencer was watching a movie.

Beach Baby

Doug and I were went to Sandestin, Florida. He went for a work conference, I went for a vacation. We went from Sunday to Friday and it was heavenly to me. We did have some bumps along the way, but it ended up fantastic. When we showed up our room was OK for one person, but it was a small studio with a kitchen, but it had a broken toilet seat, no iron, and it smelled a little funny,come to find out the smell was from paint, but it did not smell like paint to me. It had a gorgeous view of the water though. We complained and they fixed the toilet seat, and brought us an iron. We were not really in the room at all, so we didn't complain anymore. Sunday night we relaxed and got ready for the next day. Doug went off at 7:30am to his conference and I headed to the gym to work out. Then I headed back to get cleaned up and then I headed for a day at the spa. I know these are some scary pictures, but hey I felt fantastic afterwards. I had a massage, salt glow body treatment (which was heavenly), and a facial. I forgot to ask for pictures till the end so I look a little worked over. Well, I lost a key to our room so we went to the front desk to receive a new one. We told the guy of all of our complaints and so he upgraded us immediately for no extra charge. Here is what our new room looked liked and it didn't smell. A living room, with a full kitchen, one bedroom, two bath room. It was so much better than our last room.

A few different views from our balcony.

We were able to hit the beach for a few hours, before having to go to dinner. It was very, very relaxing to me. Unfortunately Doug was there to work, but he did have each afternoon and evening with me.

We enjoyed every evening on the beach taking walks and just enjoying each other and what Heavenly Father has created.

I of course enjoyed shopping every day. The outlet stores were just a mile from our resort and I found some great finds. I got three new pairs of shoes, a new dress (three sizes smaller), two pairs of shorts, four new shirts, and a few other things. I also purchased beach chairs, towels, and an umbrella. It was cheaper to buy these things then rent them from the resort everyday.

Well hurricane Ike decided to make waves for us. The beach ended up being closed to swimming on Wed. afternoon and by Thursday afternoon this is what the beach looked liked. The resort staff started to collect the trash barrels, chairs, umbrellas off of the beach. The night before the water had made its way up to the stairs leading to the resort.

We took a walk on the beach that afternoon and I came across this bird with only one foot. The water up to the stairs to the resort. Yes I got wet taking this picture. In fact I was soaked from the waist down. Well since the beach was closed to swimming, we hit the pool. It was still humid and hot, but not unbearable. I could have stayed there all day, but Doug needed to do some work and I wanted to spend every minute I could with him. Double red flags were flying. Water is closed to the public and you could be arrested.

Every other day the yellow and purple flags were flying. Which meant there was dangerous marine life in the area, we did see a jelly fish washed up, but I did not have my camera with me.

All in all that was a very fun, relaxing, and enjoyable vacation I have had in a long time. The only other thing that would have made it perfect was if Doug did not have to work. I can't complain since everything was paid for except my food and trip to the spa. Thank you Doug for giving me a trip I will always remember and cherish. I love you!!! I did not want to come home. Of course while I am writing this I am in a cabin up in the Georgia mountains on another vacation. Yes, I am spoiled. The kids have their fall break this week. My mother came in to watch the kids for us last week while we were on vacation and now we are enjoying her company and relaxing up at a cabin where the weather is a nice cool 70. I will post more later. I almost forgot, we found this chocolate store who had the most amazing carmel turtle apples. I had to bring one home.

Random things

The other night I could not sleep and I went to the living room to find this sight. I just had to grab my camera and take a picture. We let them stay up and watch a movie and they all fell asleep, but they were all on the floor. Well Taylor is halfway off of the ottoman and both of the boys are on the love seat. These couches are very deep so they both fit easily. Hunter is just to tall. Jessica was at her friends house spending the night. We decided to stain our deck on Tuesday, since we were going to have nice DRY weather with no humidity for three days. We took advantage and this is the end result. Doug wanted brown, but I wanted more red so we compromised and it is perfect. It looks more brown in this picture, but it definitely has red in it. I made Doug Baked Alaska for Father's Day. Here is what it looked liked just before I baked it. It turned out really good, but for how long it takes to make, cake and ice cream is just as good. That is pretty much all it is with a meringue on top. We ran out of stain and had to wait until the next day to get some more, because we bought all the stain they had. It ended up taking 5 and 1/2 gallons of stain. I did not put the pictures in the right order, but I did not feel like redoing it and I don't know how to rearrange them after I have downloaded them. If you know how, please let me know.