Twue Wuvv

It has been a year and four months since we were married in the Sacramento Temple. I'm not going to lie- marriage is hard. It requires a huge amount of respect and personal concern for another, it requires selflessness and unconditional love. Marriage is dirty dishes, stinky towels, broken appliances, dusty shelves, unpaid bills and primary lessons. Homework must be done and dinner must be made BUT... to be able to clean the dishes, wash the towels, fix the fridge, dust the shelves, pay the bills and finish the primary lessons in between homework and dinner ALL with Jeff as my eternal companion is worth more than I can put into words. Jeff and I are best friends. I know that he gets irritable when he is sleepy and grumpy when he's had a long day. He leaves cupboards open and the toilet seat up, but I LOVE HIM! He gives me bear hugs at 3am, he watches sappy chick flicks with me (because he loves me not because he wants to!), he makes me waffles on Saturday mornings and leaves the light off in the mornings so he doesn't wake me, he takes me to the temple and reads scriptures with me, he works hard for me and doesn't complain. He makes me a better person, far better than I ever imagined I could be. Marriage is about growing and learning together everyday. I've learned a lot about priorities. It's not about looking good or being the cutest couple, it's not about having the house spotless and the clothes all washed every day. But it is about letting the Savior into our marriage and keeping our covenants with each other. I'm rich in love and life. How blessed I am forever!
P.S.- I love Jeff

Wiikend Fun

This weekend we played with the Wii fit and I didn't know it at first, but Jeff was videotaping us. So as embarrassing as it is, it is darn hilarious as well. So for your viewing pleasure I posted the videos. Below is Steph playing the ski slopes game trying to weave in and out of flags while skiing down a hill. Listen to the sounds in the background and try and figure out how well she did... I was never good at hula hoops... and I am still not. Even on the Wii, I seem to make a dork of myself! But in the video I am trying the best I can so don't laugh too hard.

4th of July

We had a great 4th of July, it was a long day but it was sure fun! It began at 7am when we went to the temple and did baptisms for the dead. Jeff was able to be baptized for my grandpa Bart- my dad's dad. He passed away suddenly 5 years ago and it was great to finally do his work. These last couple weeks I have been feeling a strong impression to get his work done. His birthday is on July 5, so it was the perfect birthday present for him. My dad was able to stand in proxy for my grandpa's endowment later that day. What a wonderful day for my family. Families can be together forever.

From the temple we went to Haggin Park where they had a huge carnival with free concerts and bike shows. We went with Jeff's parents and we met my cousins and uncle there too. The kids had a lot of fun.


And then... we entered another dimension when we boarded the GRAVITRON! It is a roller coaster that makes you feel like there is no gravity. It was crazy and it made me want to throw up at first but after spinning so many times I got used to it! If you ever have a chance to go on the Gravitron, don't pass up the opportunity!! :)

The best part of the carnival was when my cousin Miranda kicked some trash and placed 1st in the semifinals for a Guitar Hero competition. And then she won second place for the whole competition. Thats right boys, move over we've got a new champ.

We checked out a free concert with "Hip Service." I have never heard of them before but they sang some classics like Love Shack and then mixed it up with Beyonce and Jay Z. I was excited since I don't get to shake my booty that often since YSA dances are out of the picture (I have been having withdrawals from dances ever since I got married!). It was nice to dance and attempt to sing my heart out- I don't think those around me appreciated it though...They also had a spectacular fireworks show that last 25 minutes with a grand finale! We are so grateful for the freedoms we have and the land of opportunity we live in. We are so blessed in so many ways.

Jeff's Accident

How ghetto does that look? That white piece is actually styrofoam!

Crunch!

Jeff called me this morning to tell me he had been rear ended on the freeway going 60MPH. No worries- there were no injuries involved, thank goodness! He watched our bumper fly off as the woman hit him. Even though everyone is doing okay, our car's back end isn't looking too great! We are just really lucky everything is covered by insurance and no one got hurt. This is the second accident in less than a year- someone also hit our car while it was parked! So let the adventure begin with trying to fix our car...

Garden Update...

Green Tomatoes!!

Tomato Plants

Our Zucchini Plants

Our garden is doing really well, we have lots of tomatoes popping up and our potatoes are even growing nicely! We can't wait to stop watching the veggies grow and actually eat something.

Elder Ballard Promotes Blogging to share the Gospel

"This is your world, the world of the future, with inventions undreamed of that will come in your lifetime as they have in mine. How will you use these marvelous inventions? More to the point, how will you use them to further the work of the Lord? The Internet allows everyone to be a publisher, to have their voice heard, and it is revolutionizing society. The emergence of New Media is facilitating a world-wide conversation on almost every subject including religion, and nearly everyone can participate. May I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet, particularly the New Media, to share the gospel and to explain in simple, clear terms the message of the Restoration. Most of you already know that if you have access to the Internet you can start a blog in minutes and begin sharing what you know to be true." -Elder M. Russell Ballard

A year and three months later and... we have our wedding pictures!!

Engagement Pictures taken in San Francisco

Overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and San Fran Bay

At the Reception- April 14, 2007

My reception bouquet

Cutting the cake...there was no smashing!

At the temple after our sealing- March 30, 2007

Together Forever

Hey Fam and Friends! I can't believe I haven't updated our blog in two months... we have been pretty busy. Jeff is busy with Summer school (Business Math and Biology crammed into six weeks... yuck!) and he is still waking up at the wee hours of the night to go to work at UPS. I am working at Brashers being the Payroll Administrator (doesn't that sound like I am a professional or something?). I take my Writing Profeciency Exam next month for school and then I will sign up for Fall classes at CSUS. Jeff and I helped out at Twilight Camp last week. It is a nightly camp for cub scout boys. From 5:30 to 8:30pm we got to teach the boys how to play Frisbee Golf! They had a lot of fun. It was quite the experience for me since I never had any brothers and I know zilch about Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts...tiger what?

Well the time has finally come where we got our wedding pictures back. I have to tell you that it is partly my fault that it took so dang long to get our pictures and it's partly our photographer's fault. But needless to say I am very happy and thought I should post some for you. Going back and looking at these pictures makes me realize how grateful I am to have found Jeff and how happy it made me that he took me to the temple. We laugh every day, mostly he is laughing at me and mostly I am laughing at myself, but we have so much fun together!