SURPRISE!

This year I decided to do something different for Nate's birthday.  He's never had a surprise party, so I thought it'd be fun to try it this year.  It ended up being PERFECT! It stayed a surprise until he turned the corner of our backyard.  Thank you to everyone who helped out that day .  It couldn't have been more perfect. 

On our way to the party. He had no idea :)

SURPRISE!!!

Nate and his best buds, Jason and Aaron

G &G Senior with family and friends

Mum and Papa

Nate's family

Dani's family

Our friends

Ending the party with a good kite flying

Nate

I just want everyone out there to know how much I love this boy.  He is SUCH an amazing husband.  We had the oppurtunity to talk in church today and he absolutely amazed me.  His talk was so powerful and came straight from his heart.   He loves the gospel so much.  He just amazes me more and more everyday.  I don't know what I would do without him.  I love you sweetheart!!!

IcE iCe BaBy

 A few weekend ago, my dad invited Nate and I to go Ice Fishing up at Strawberry Lake.  Neither of us had ever been before and decided we'd go try it out! WE HAD A BLAST!!!

Diggin a hole in the Ice

Dad

 

Nater

Dad's "lunker" as he liked to say

Nate's proud catch

Dad yelling at the fish for getting away

Now we hunt?

So lately Nate has been talking about hunting,  getting a gun,  and putting in a tag (or something like that) with some friends.  This is all SO foreign to me.  But... he seems really excited about it and so I want to be excited too.  A few days before Valentines Day, Nate went to look at guns with his buddy Jason.  I asked Jason to make sure that he knew what gun Nate wanted the most but to also make sure that Nate didn't buy it.  Jason did an awesome job, told me what gun it was and where to get it.  So... Nate's Valentines present was this...

A Remington 740!!

He was so excited about it.  He works so hard for our little family and so I wanted to treat him to this.  Something I knew he would never buy for himself. 
So of course, we needed to go try it out before he went hunting with it.  We went to a shooting range WAY OUT WEST but had a blast! The old man there was trying so hard to be patient with us, but obviously we were new at this whole thing.  He cussed out Nate a few times. Gotta love old man talk :)

Target 200 yards out there.

I even took a shot... will probably never do it again though. haha

Not bad for our first time :)

We had a blast starting this new adventure together. I'm pretty sure I'll let just Nate and his boys take it from here though.

The gift that keeps on giving.

2 weeks ago, our sweet girl went under the knife. Yep, she finally got spayed!!! She can now play with all the dogs she wants and Nate and I won't have to be the paranoid parents that we have been.  Taking her into the vet was surprisingly very hard on me. My dog was getting spayed for heavens sake... not dying! I coulnd't help but get emotional after dropping her off and calling my husband every hour.  Six hours later, I finally got the call that I could go pick her up. It was so sad seeing her come out of anesthesia... but she did great.

She threw up ALOT... hence the bowl at the side of her.

 And she kept shaking and shivering, so Nate covered her with her blanket and gave her a pillow. Spoiled dog!

 Now she is back to her normal self and continues to be the happiest dog in the world. Love you Roxy!

Families are FOREVER

I am so grateful for my eternal family. I love them with all of my heart. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better family.

I love my brothers so much. Even though they are both younger than me, I look up to them SO MUCH. They both are such great examples to me. Some say they feel bad for me that I don't have any sisters... I'm not! I wouldn't change my family of only brothers for anything.

 I am truely blessed to have found my soul mate. I love my husband Nate more than I can express. We have only been married 1 year and a half, but we have been through SO much together. He is my rock. The person who always puts a smile on my face. My eternal companion. My BEST friend.  I love you Nate, you mean the world to me.

And last, but not least, my AMAZING parents. I honestly do not know what I would do without them. They raised me exactly like I want to raise my kids. They have been the picture perfect parents. Never fought, always loved eachother and always showed their love for their kids.  I have been so blessed. I love my family.

And a last little thanks to my awesome Uncle Dave for taking these family pictures. Thank you for taking time away from your family to do this for us :) You're the best.

He's home!!!

 

 

Elder Zach Dastrup has returned home after a 2 year mission in Fresno, California. He was greatly missed!!! Here Nate and I are waiting anxiously for Zach to come down the stairs... never been so excited!

It's SUPER dark and blurry... but we were obviously too excited to see him to pay any attention to the camera. He's home!!! Greatest hug of all time!

Zach filling out the last circle on his missionary count down

At his homecoming. He did an AMAZING job!

And of course... Roxy had to come and play too.