My Funny Valentine

{December 2008 Pasco, WA}

{October 2011 Salem, OR}

{Even more in love today than we were 3 years ago}

Since Valentine's Day is coming up, I decided I was going to share a few things about Dallin and I, because, hey! It's my blog and I can do things like this. And because hopefully one day, our kids will look back and they can read about their mom and dad and get all grossed out by their mushiness toward one another.

I stole the questions from this blog, which is a daily read for me. I love Mariel. She's awesome!

How did you meet?
Well, initially, we met in 2006, right after I graduated from high school. I was kind of (read: REALLY) immature and Dallin wasn't so much interested. I, however, was very interested. Nothing happened though and after a few more run-ins, we finally started talking on the phone (I was in Pasco, Dallin was in Rexburg) in March of 2008 and the rest is history!

{July 2008 Priest Lake, ID}

What did you do on your first date?
We went to Bento's Teryaki Grill in Richland with Allen Liebing, his date, Sandy and Blaine and Hillary, then went to Dairy Queen and then hot tubbing at Dallin's apartment complex. The next morning, I had to go to Selah for a church activity and I had to be there at like 7:00 am, and once Dallin found out about it, he asked if I wanted him to drive me there. I VERY eagerly obliged. Later, he told me that he was hoping to meet more girls at said activity... he was in the dog house for awhile after that. I have since forgiven him.

What's the best romantic getaway you have been on?
We haven't been on many, but I would have to say the best was Cameo Heights Mansion in Touchet, WA. Granted, that was where we went for our wedding night, but it is the most amazing Bed and Breakfast you will ever find. We really wish we would have just spent our whole honeymoon there. The food is to die for (the pastries... oh the pastries...) the rooms are gorgeous and the view is phenomenal. You should check it out... right now... click here and thank me later.

What would be the ultimate romantic getaway?
Puerto Rico! Well, actually, the British Virgin Islands. Dallin served his mission in Puerto Rico, but spent one portion on the BVI's. He would love to go back and I would just love to go, period.

{The view from Dallin's apartment when he was serving on Tortola, BVI}

What are your songs?
The first song we sang together was, "Quando, Quando, Quando" by Michael Buble. It's still my ringtone for Dallin when he calls me. The song we danced to at our wedding was "You & I" also by Michael Buble. Our current favorites right now are "Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum and "Up" by Justin Bieber. Yes, Justin Bieber. I know. We're lame.

Quando, Quando, Quando
You & I
Just a Kiss
Up

If you were to make a special dinner for him, what would you make?
Oh gosh, I dunno. He hasn't really expressed any favorites lately, he just likes whatever I make. Probably something like tri-tip and potatoes, salad, veggies... yeah. Something to that effect. He's a meat and potatoes kinda guy. And I'm a meat and potatoes kinda girl. We're compatible like that.

What was the coolest gift you ever bought for him?
I think that would have to be the gift I actually made for him, which was a mission scrapbook of sorts with pictures and letters from when he served his mission in Puerto Rico. He loved it and it was so fun to see the look on his face when he opened it.

What is your favorite gift that he bought for you?
The perfume I wear everyday. Noir Tease by Victoria's Secret. Absolute favorite around these parts!

Finish this sentence, "It makes me laugh when my husband..."
Imitates voices. He is a pro at imitating and it never ceases to make me laugh. He's starting to master Christopher Walken. Oh goodness. It's amazing.

{Just thought this was a funny picture of him :) May 2009 St. Augustine, FL}

What are some everyday ways you show love for each other?
Life has been kind of crazy lately with Dallin in school and being the Venture Scout leader in our ward and also with me being in the Primary presidency. I have realized that I have to make a conscious effort everyday to make sure he knows I love him. I wake up every morning and make Dallin breakfast and a lunch to take to school and then I drive him to school and pick him up everyday. We usually text each other during the day to see how the other is doing and we always end our conversations with, "I love you". They're simple things, but they make the difference!

{My 22nd Birthday, October 2009 Rexburg, ID}

What are some things you like to do together?
We're kind of boring... we love to watch movies together. Lame, right? But, we love it! We also love to go on drives (not as lame...) It is especially fun around here because it's so green and beautiful all the time. We haven't just gone on a drive in a while though, we need to do it more often. I have actually wanted to find more things for us to do together lately. I think we need a "couple hobby" :) One day we'll find one!

{Beautiful places in Oregon that we like to drive to!}

If you could give your husband anything, what would it be?
A snowmobile. Yeah, kind of a big ticket item, but he really loves sledding. Although, on second thought, if I got him the sled, he would probably be gone every weekend using it in the winter time, so let's nix that idea. Just kidding! But seriously...

What cologne do you love your husband to wear?
Very Sexy for Him by Victoria's Secret. He wore it while we were dating and he still wears it now and I love it. He does throw other scents into the mix every now and again, but that's my all time favorite.

Finish this sentence, "My husband is especially attractive when..."
He's working. I guess I am a farm girl at heart because I love the combination of diesel, sweat, and whatever product he's working with (alfalfa, wheat straw, rye grass, etc.) There's nothing I love more than to see my husband hard at work because I know I will never want for anything. He is an amazing provider and there has never been a moment where I have thought that we were not secure financially.

{If you talked to Dallin about this picture (or Bradley) they would most likely tell you it was, "the stupidest day of their lives". But, it also shows just how hard he works! August 2009 Junction City, OR}

I love my marriage because...
It's fun. Yes, there are hard moments, no denying that. But, when all is said and done, we have fun together. He is my best friend, my other half, and as Dr. Suess put it, we have, "fallen into mutual weirdness and call it love". We're weird and we know it, but we love each other all the more for it. I wouldn't change a thing about him!

{I know, I know, this is a gem. But it perfectly showcases us and our "mutual weirdness". September 2008 Rexburg, ID}

The Rain Came Down...

... And the floods definitely came up. You know those times when you are watching the news and you see the crazy floods in the mid west and down south and think, "wow, that is so much water" and "those poor people" and "I can't even imagine"? Well, I can imagine it now, because the floods have hit us! Salem has probably gotten 10 inches of rain since Wednesday (don't quote me on that) and we have felt the effects. On Thursday morning, I woke up and went into our kitchen to make breakfast when I stepped into a puddle on the kitchen floor. (We live in the basement level of our complex.) Our apartment building is rather unique, as it is in an octagon shape, so we have an atrium in the middle of all the apartments. When we went to sleep on Wednesday night, there was quite a bit of water in the atrium, almost to the sidewalk level. After I stepped in the water in the kitchen, I sprinted to the front door, swung it open and found that the water was now probably 1/4 to a 1/2 inch away from coming in our front door (probably 8-10 inches deep). I hurried to the back door then, to check on our porch and found that it was almost to the door as well (probably 3-4 inches deep). We quickly called maintenance and they told us they already had a sump pump going in the atrium and they would try to help us get the water out of our apartment as soon as they could. We then realized that our carpet was getting wet in places too, but just along our south facing wall. The puddle in our kitchen was also quickly turning into a small lake and we knew we had to do something, because our maintenance guys weren't going to be able to get to us quickly enough. We used all of our towels to soak up as much as we could and then we ran to Salem Public Works to get sandbags for everyone in our complex who needed them (along with half of Salem). As we were driving to get the sandbags, we crossed a bridge and the stream that normally flows rather peacefully underneath looked like it had turned into class 5 rapids. We later found out that not long after we had crossed, the stream breached and the road closed. Multiple streams breached in the area and, at one point, about 35 roads in Salem were closed. It was insane. Our carpet is now torn up, furniture is placed on one side of the apartment and overflow furniture is now crowding in Claire's room. We have an industrial sized fan blowing 24/7 as well as a dehumidifier and the house is basically in shambles. BUT, we're safe. We didn't get swept away in a parking lot and two of us killed (that happened in a nearby town, Turner, OR). We have minor damages done, that we don't even have to pay for (bless this stage of our lives, where we are renting!) and our apartment is still standing and liveable (albeit, messy!) We won't soon forget this winter and we are grateful for the help we've received (Marcus, you are the best brother, EVER!) and for a watchful Father in Heaven. We're definitely counting our blessings.

And now, some pictures. :)

Claire's crazy, messy room with all the extra furniture!

{Right outside our front door}
This picture was taken a few hours after the sump pump had been going, but, if you can imagine, that entire area where all the plants are was underwater and the sidewalk right in front of me was covered in about 3-4 inches of water.

The torn apart living room

Water in the kitchen. As you can see, the towels made NO difference whatsoever.

Our back porch

Before we moved all the furniture and had the carpet torn up. Those are my footprints {in water} The first few were a surprise to me {wet socks, boo!} and then I made the others so you could all get the full effect :)

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This is the road I always take to pick up/drop off Dallin for school.


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We passed by this on our way home from getting all the sandbags. We initially tried to turn down this road and then we saw this and turned around. Crazy!

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This is the source of the water from the above picture. This is a baseball complex. Pringle Creek flooded and made this field into a lake.


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Airport road, in Salem. We rarely go down this road but we pass by it all the time. We could not believe the amount of water in this area!


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Remember that peaceful stream turned class 5 rapids I was talking about earlier? Yup, this is it. We were right where those police officers were. I think the creek breached just moments after we crossed it.

Christmas 2011

Wow. I'm sorry about the lack of posting, but our break was so wonderful, I didn't even think about blogging! So, here is the short version of our Christmas vacation!

December 16-24 we were with my family in Pasco. Here are some pictures from our stay! We opened gifts with my family on Christmas Eve.

All Claire really wanted to do was touch that Candy Cane ornament and a little one shaped like a fire truck the entire time we were at my Mom and Dad's. Other than that, she left everything else alone!

Wasn't my Mom's tree beautiful??

One of Claire's gifts from us. Even though it is supposed to stay magnetized to the fridge, she prefers hauling it everywhere around the apartment.



His favorite cologne. Very Sexy for Him by Victoria's Secret




Can we say CHEESE? :)

All the kids were making shadow puppets on my mom's wall so I had to take a picture :)





"Cowboy Santa" This guy came trotting through my parents neighborhood passing out candy canes on Christmas Eve. The kids loved it!

December 25 to January 7 we spent with Dallin's family in Ellensburg.

Christmas morning!

Can't ya tell? She's super excited! :)

Christmas PJ's

Her new favorite toy. She walks around with it all the time.

I love how it looks like she's asking him a question about the train. :)

Colt and Claire. She loved him! He had fun being the bigger, stronger cousin. :)

Claire steals our Camelbak water bottles all the time, so we were very excited when Uncle Derek got her one of her very own. As soon as she opened it, she stuck it straight in her mouth. :)

She had just woken up from a nap...

Hillary made this amazing hat for Claire and she made an adorable one for me as well. We LOVE them!

Dallin's Grandma, Jane, sent us all gifts this year even though she is serving her mission in New Orleans right now. She is a super woman! Thank you, Jane! We loved everything.

This is the gift we gave Jeff. A canvas of a picture that Dallin took with his phone. Pretty amazing, huh?

Valerie's gorgeous tree! She and my mom had totally different styles of decorating for their trees, but I love them both every year.

This picture just speaks for itself. :)

On the 29th, we went to Suncadia Resprt in Cle Elum with Dallin's family and swam at their indoor water facility. I think we have a water baby on our hands. Look at the pictures. I'll let you make your own judgement.

It was a wonderful Christmas break and we feel so blessed for all we have been given. Thank you Mom and Dad and Jeff and Valerie for all the gifts, food, entertainment and love! We love and miss you already!