Love Bird tag!

Okay, so this is my journal right. I plan on printing mine out as my journal. That is why I like the tag things. I think the everyday glimpes are so important. Then there are some stories that just need to be shared. This is a cute tag I found on Lacey Briscoes blog. I find it fun and insightful, so if you have time to do it, it would be fun, but ultimatly no pressure!

1. Where did you and your husband meet?

Sean and I were both going to the Institute 10th ward. We were both dating other people at the time. I made up these card that said liscence to kiss. I held my phone number up like a prison number for the photo. I thought Sean was really cute, so I gave him one of my cards before sacrament meeting and told him to call me. And yes, his girlfriend was sitting next to him at the time! :) Ya, she didn't like me too well after that! 2. The first thing you said to each other?

Probably "call me", but I do remeber talking with him outside of the bishops office. I told him that I was going to be an Engineer or realtor, and that I was going to marry a accountant or engineer. He told me that he had his pilots liscence. I informed him that there were 3 types of people I would never marry: 1- a police, 2- a fireman, and 3- a pilot! I don't like worrying. We can see how well this worked out for us.

3. When was our first date?
There was a girl ask guy Carribean dance at the Institute. My friends and I decided to dress like pirates. By this time I had to find him (he had moved out of the ward, and I didn't have any phone numbers.) *Good thing I am rescorceful!*

4. First kiss?
This is kind of funny, because I gave him the run around. I was a real brat, and I am so glad Sean was patient. I think the first time he wanted to kiss me, he had anonamous flowers sent to me thruout the day, and at the end of the day he presented them to me in person. I didn't get kissed, because I acted like I was really embarrased. (I just have to shake my head in dissapointment with myself.)

The first time I wanted him to kiss me was as he started to loose interest in me (surprize surprize), I called to see if he wanted to go out for dinner. He said "no, I am going to the temple tonight with my ward". So I said "how about lunch". He said "no, I have to work thru my lunch so I can go tonight." So I said "Oh, can I come with you!" He made arrangements for me to do babtisms while he did a session. Afterwards, we walked by the falls. I kept sticking my hand out waiting for him to grab it, but he wouldn't. I tried to lean into him and look dreamily up at him, but he still wouldn't. On the ride home I kept putting my hand by his and on his knee, and he still wouldn't hold it! No kiss that night!

But, our first kiss was at my grandparents house. We were "watching a show" and talking an just started kissing and didn't stop for about 3 hours!! Take about having a red face form wisker burn!

5. When were the first "I love yous" said?

I think they were said that night of the kiss.

6. Long or short engagement?

Lets just say that I got my ring about a week before the wedding. We got engaged in June, and planned to marry in August. We bought the first (and only) dress I tried on, rented an apartment, and when I took Sean to meet my dad he said "Why wait? If you know you are going to get married, just do it. Waiting can only get you in trouble." We thought that was great advice, and moved up the wedding to July 11. My grandparents (whose house the reception was held at) did not think that we could pull off a reception that soon. So 1 month later (August 15)we had the reception on the original wedding date. So we had 5 weeks on 1 pan, 1 towel, etc.

7. Where did you get engaged?

I don't really know. I guess I am pretty naive. That night we kissed and said I love you (I want to spend the rest of my life with you). The next night we looked at wedding rings. The following day, I took my mom out for ice cream and said "Mom, I think I'm gonna get married!" Then at a family function I was intoduced as "Seans fiance." Then I knew I was engaged.

8. Where were you married?

We were married in the Bountiful Utah Temple. I had attended the open house while I was in high school, from then on that was "my temple." Sean didn't mind where, as long as it was a temple. 9. Where did you go on your honeymoon?
The first night we stayed in jacuzzi suite in Brigham City. Then we had a week at my family's cabin in Island Park. But, I was too excited to "play house" that the second night we stayed in our apartment in Pocatello. But that next day we went to the cabin for the week.

10. Where was your first home?

We rented my moms basement apartment for about 9 months. Then we purchased 374 Filmore. It was a small but beautiful home in a great neighborhood with great people, a large fenced yard. a deck, a dog, and 9 months later, Nathan! I still have a spot in my heart there, because it was so peaceful and the home where or family began

Back to School!!!

So, you kn0w me, I am nothing but honest. This is the first year that I have been excited for school to start. Normally I spend the first day walking up and down the halls of the school peeking into their classes, and asking people in the halls if they need help (to justify me staying.)

We have had a great summer, and I feel really good about that. But, we got so lax on our schedule, that I am ready for some structure in the home. It is hard to be the bad guy and say "go to sleep" all the time when there is no formal activities to truly necessitate it. Plus the last few weeks there has been a lot more fighting, boredom, etc.

So, no condolances for me, only much congratulations! (Plus they do come home at noon!:)) We are looking forward to a truly awesome year!

Nate will be in 4th grade this year. He has an awesome teacher that he really loves. She is great and is always finding ways to challenge him. He truly has a love of learning, and to experience new things! This school has been great for him: lots of field trips, and hands on learning and experimenting.

Jaron is in 2nd grade this year. He only had a couple weeks at the school last year, and his teacher had a baby, so he didn't get much time with her last year. We have seen her around town quite a bit the summer, and she still was quite involved, so he knows her and loves her. It will be great to let him settle in. He makes friends so easy, and from what I can see he is the class clown--everyone needs one, right!

We are so proud of our kids. We are thankful to live in a nation where they are given a good education, by teachers who love them. We also take such comfort that they are safe as they are away from home! We love our kids, and are so happy for our little family!

How we teach our children

This weekend we went to Kemmerer to see my dad. He has a couple 4 wheelers and some land. Sean and Emily went for a ride and they saw a deer hiding in the horse shed.

Emily has been on a real bug kick. She loves to find them, hold them until they die and then pull off their legs or wings--sick, I know. So I have been teaching her that even flies and bug are heavenly fathers creatures, and we need to love and take care of them. When we don't, it makes him sad.

So when they see this deer hiding, Sean thought it would be fun to chase it. (That is another FHE lesson I guess. If you can understand her in the video, she is saying "Don't chase him", "heavenly father said not to."

I would like to say that a lesson has been learned here, but I know if Sean sees another opportunity to chase something on a 4 wheeler, he will do it in no time flat!

Don't make me pretty!

The Gordon women drama continues. People ask me "Why don't you put a barrette in her hair? Why don't you let her grow her hair out? Did you forget to brush her hair? Now you can see what I go thru each day in attempt to make her look pretty, I MEAN COOL.

Why men are happier people

I got this as an e-mail from Kim Hardy, but loved it!

NICKNAMES
If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah. If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla and Four-eyes.

EATING OUT
When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back. When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators. SO TRUE!

MONEY
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs. A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale. That is ME!!!

BATHROOMS
A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel . The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS
A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

SUCCESS
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

MARRIAGE
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't. A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

DRESSING UP
A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail. OKAY, so I AM the exception here. A man will dress up for weddings and funerals. (But I did think of Kim when I read this, You always look beautiful!)

NATURAL
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed. Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

OFFSPRING
Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house. (Luckily for me, I am blessed with a very involved husband!)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!

Is it morally wrong to lie to your kids?

As many of you know Sean and I have been blessed with a sweet baby girl. Our sweet baby girl is a BIT of a tomboy. She is starting preschool this year, and I would love for her to wear something a little more girlie! When I was in Park city shopping with friends, we went to gymboree. They had adorable skirts, blouses, and tights. Even though I knew I could not pull off too much cutsey stuff, I did find some shirts, leggings and barretts.

Anne had a great suggestion: "How about if we have Caleb give these to her. I bet she would wear them then. At least, she is more likely to." We were thrilled to try it! Here is how it went down.

Wish me luck that I can get her to wear the barretts a couple times!

And today, thanks to cold weather, SUCCESS!!! Doesn't she look cute (even without barretts!)

The importance of a reservation

I am sure that many of you already realize the importance of making reservations of where you and your family will sleep when on vacation. This is something that we Gordons haven't quite learned. From sleeping in a filthy cat ridden hotel (did I mention I am allergic to cats) to setting up camp at midnight, or paying $250 a night for a regular room in Salt Lake, you would think we would have learned. We chose to take the kids camping this weekend. We got in the car and started driving. As we were heading down the interstate towards the y to Idaho Falls or McCammon, we decided to head right (because last time we went left).
30 minutes into the trip we decided to head to Bear Lake. Then we needed to narrow where in Bear Lake? We called and invited my dad and Gail to join us for dinner. We decided that while we wouldn't NEED a reservation, we would use our high tech blackberry phones to do so.
Apparently the Utah Parks and Rec is only open M-Th (for those who do plan ahead!) "That's fine" I think "It's not like anybody would be camping--Utah and Idaho schools are back in session, and next weekend is Labor Day." All the campgrounds were full except for this one by RATTLESNAKE ROAD. The name was enough to keep me from sleeping there, but there were also lots of rocks, and no trees.
We decided to follow dad and Gail back to their house in Kemmerer. We used their firepit to roast hot dogs. Nate and grandpa T-bone slept outside. Apparently there were tons of stars out. My dad has been a scout leader for several years and knows the diffrent stars, so they had fun talking until midnight. I stayed insided (due to a sinus infection), and Sean stayed inside to help with Jaron and Emily so I could sleep (isn't he awesome!!).
Saturday we had fun playing at the park, riding 4 wheelers, soaking in the hot tub, and Nate earned money helping grandpa wax the boat. They even convinced me to go on the 4 wheelers. It reminded me of when Sean and I were first married. We would take his aunts jetskis to American Falls and ride them together. While I have calmed down a lot, I still did have fun racing him on them. We headed home Saturday night so we could be home for church. We are very tired, but we made it on time, and enjoyed the lessons.