Adams eventful birthday

I wanted to make Adams 27th birthday really special. Because he thought it was just another birthday. I'm grateful everyday that he was born so I could be with him. I know I'm selfish. I wanted to make sure this was a birthday he wouldn't forget maybe it will be maybe it won't but I don't think I'm what made it unforgettable...

So first off we ran a 1/2 marathon for his birthday.  Adam got 1st in his age group. Got a personal record and won a belt buckle. 2 goals he set to do. 

Garett won the whole darn race!!! And didn't even train all summer. 

Then he wanted a nice cream cake... Bam! Didn't even have to make it. This is a face he has made ever since he was little. It cracks me up. Thayne makes the same face. 

Then I had a gift surprise for him to try to help him get excited about his birthday all day. I set up 7 gifts (I didn't want to do 27) that he would start opening and 11:07 and open one up every hour on the 7th minute until all the gifts were open. I didn't get a picture of it though. Look it up on Pinterest you'll find it... Here is the reason I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted, exhibit a: boating. 

This isn't our first time boating and surely not our last but Adam does have a bad shoulder and although this picture is sweet he knew he shouldn't have done that last jump... But he did and ended up, 

In the ER with a dislocated shoulder. Not the first time dislocating it but first time it took two doctors to put it back in. He sent me this selfie by the way. The babies fell asleep on our way to the emergency room. So I sat in the car with them while I trusted my handsome man to the hospital staff in Ogden. Once the kids woke up we went in and took Adam one of his gifts. We tried to stick to the hour thing. You can imagine why I didn't get pictures. It was hectic! Oh and this crazy guy didn't want to be stuck at the hospital all day so all he had was Advil. He never sends me selfies so I thought for sure he was drugged up. Nope. He just manages pain like a champ. The last gift I gave him was this...

A giant picture of our family done for $30.00 I looked up on Pinterest about Engineering prints and had one printed out and then took it to hobby lobby and had them put a foam backing. It looks amazing. And for that price you can't beat it! I can't stop staring at it. Adam couldn't wait to get it up on the wall. 

Being married to Adam is the best thing I've ever done in my life. This man of mine is incredible. He works so hard in fact he went to work the next day of his birthday. He does everything without complaint. Even when I ask him to hand me something and I'm closer to it. He makes life so fun and enjoyable. He is close to God. He is an amazing father and husband. I don't know how I got so lucky to have him but I'm grateful to be the one he choose to spend his eternity with. I love you babe!! 

Oh and big PA school news, Adam finished his application we should start hearing about interview this fall :) 

4th anniversary!!!!

What a weekend! Adam and I celebrated our 4th anniversary. 

4 years together and 2 kids later, we still feel like newly weds. 

We spent our actually anniversary preparing for our weekend in Bountiful so we could have lots of fun.

Adam got off work early so we could celebrate something else very exciting...

My baby sister graduated high school!!

Here we all are together rejoicing in her accomplishment. Its funny how as all the kids become adults we seem to get as close as when we were kids. 

Age doesn't matter again. She plans to attend USU so she will be up in our neck of the woods. 

Speaking of woods... 

That is where we decided to spend our anniversary. 

We actually ran into a neighbor on our way out and she had to make sure that 

we were going camping for fun. 

I guess we are crazy. We usually do a hike to celebrate things. There is just something rewarding to us

about conquering a mountain or in this case getting to see some beautiful lakes.

Here we are at the beginning of the trail, all nice and pretty.

This is the Lake Blanche trail we did this hike last year as a day hike with Thayne. 

This year we thought we would try backpacking. Please check out my beautiful backpack...

I don't know why but i always love buying backpacks.

This trail isn't long mileage wise but holy smokes it is steep!

Here I am trying to use Adam to show how steep the trail is. Yes, its pretty much like this the whole way.

But its so worth it! Look at those mountains!

This is my favorite stopping point to take a picture because you can start to see your destination. If you look closely there is a waterfall behind us and it is actually the one we used to get our water from. 

Here is Lake Blanche we actually camped about 1/4 mile away from this point towards the 3rd lake.

Adam setting up camp. I picked the spot so I got to snap some shots.

Well... I may or may not have had some sweet fire pictures... 

We found out the hard way that fires are NOT allowed up there... EVER. 

So please ignore our fire pictures don't plan on having one up there.

Can I brag about my amazing husband for a minute? So I tend to get upset and can't think straight if

things don't go according to plan... my husband on the other hand doesn't freak out and quickly comes up 

with a solution. 

Somehow silverware did not make it into our backpacks.

Needless to say I was pretty upset complaining about how we had beef stew and no spoons.

Adam calmly found some wood and began carving spoons for us. 

I love him.

After I ate my food with my new cool wooden spoon I was very happy...

Making both of us very happy...

 

Here is Adam getting pics of our campsite... again ignore the fire. DON'T have fires up there. 

$250 fine... not worth it!

Ya I engulfed my food... never has freeze dried food tasted so good!

remember that waterfall? Here it is! Adam wanted me to get the water but I told him I was better 

at taking pictures.

Ah I just can't get over that view! Great way to start a morning!

Although we had loads of fun, we needed to get back to our kiddos! 

Thanks honey for a great anniversary!

And making me fall back in love with the outdoors. Everyday I grow closer and closer to you. I will never tire of your unfailing love for me. I don't know what I would do without you. Lets never find out ok? 

Our Christmas Traditions

First of all Merry Christmas!

For those of you I said I would send an ecard I started one... but it didn't turn out so hot.

Blogging is much better :) I figured it was pretty easy to see what we are up to via old posts.

 

This Christmas we were blessed to have both sides of the family together!

The only person we were missing was Garett but we got to skype him on Christmas day.

 

I thought I would share what a typical Christmas looks like in our neck of the woods.

 

It isn't Christmas without some gingerbread houses. Mum has actually bought a mold to make it that much easier.

I can remember her having a pattern that she made up and she had to cut up every little piece.

When its time for Christmas at my home I will also be buying a mold!

 

So glad that Mum and Dad Hassell could join in, we all had a lot of fun!

 

Adam building his axe yard. I forgot to get finish product pictures... got to busy with my own gingerbread house.

Christmas Eve...

Instead of reading Luke 2 (think about toddler attention span)

we acted it out with puppets my mum made when we were kids.

Thayne more interested in the camera than the puppet show.

She had an inn-keeper, Joseph, Mary, Mary with baby...

angel...

sheperds with sheep...

...oh ya and of course being pregnant i got nominated to be Mary...

...wise men...

 

everyone gets to participate! During our little program we sing songs. Someday (when Garett and Lauren

start having children) I hope to act out the nativity with the little cuties!

 

Usually after this we get to open one gift but this year we opted out. (I think we were afraid Thayne would open all the gifts!)

 

 

 

Christmas morn!

After eating a yummy breakfast, and skyping Elder Griffith we opened our stockings

and got everyone together to open gifts.

 

Thayne was the center of attention. He wanted to help everyone else open their gifts and this is the only one

of his that he actually opened!

Mama Hassell made us all aprons! The boys have matching ones! Now I will get lots of help right?

Thayne's favorite gift was tinsel. He didn't even care about anything else. He is such a easy going guy!

 

The best part about Christmas is a tradition my mum started.

She keeps a box wrapped in gift wrap empty with a hole on the top. The hole is just

big enough to slide pieces of paper through. The gift is marked To Jesus. Every year she encourages us

to think of something we can give to the Savior.

This year she made it like a new years resolution gift. She had us all write down gifts to the Savior

then next year she is going to give it back to us for us to do a self evaluation.

She had us put our "gifts" in seperate envelopes (don't worry she wont ever know what we put!)

 

I hope you had a great Christmas! We sure did!