Drive with Daddy

My Dad and I have started carpooling again to work because it is so far and both of us could save some money on gas.

This morning was really cool.

Usually the rides are quite with some back ground music while the passenger sleeps.

(getting up at 5:30 every morning is very tiring...)

We were doing the usual thing when this came on the radio.

The conversation let to wars and my Dad and Uncle Steve.

My Dad enlisted in the reserves after he got home from his mission because he knew his number would be coming up soon for the draft anyways.

And also he met my Mom after his mission and didn't want to go over to Vietnam. :)

He was only in for a year and trained in Utah. 

He trained at Camp Williams and then University of Utah.

He said that there was a field and U of U where they would train that isn't there now.

He was released due to medical issues and didn't have to go to Vietnam.

My AWESOME Uncle Steve, he was drafted when he was 19 or 20. 

I think he just graduated High School when his number came up.

He was sent over to Vietnam and I bet he has some cool stories.

My Dad said that Steve's first group was killed with only himself and his friend surviving.

The third group was also caught in the line of fire and only three men survived, himself included.

If I understood the story right, Uncle Steve was shot and was sent to Washington DC to heal and never went back to Vietnam.

He has a bunch of medals and one of them is an honor medal. (can't remember the exact name at the time)

To me, my Dad and Uncle Steve are too young to be in any of the wars...

When I think of people being in the war, I think of people like my Grandpa Pingree and Grandpa Hoellein.

My Grandpa Pingree flew flighter planes and was waiting for his mission when the war ended.

So he never saw the "line of fire".

Grandpa Pingree has so many stories though and could literally talk your ear off.

My Grandpa Hoellein passed away when my Dad was young and I have only heard so many stories about him...

Actually, there are only two or three stories that I can remember about him.

My Grandma Hoellein passed away when I was about 10 but I bet if she were still here I would have a ton of stories about him.

My Dad told me this one:

Grandpa Hoellein was the highest ranking, non-commission, that he could be over in Northern Africa during WWII.

(Northern Africa? I know! Cool right?)

He had a driver of a Jeep that had a huge gun on it and was in charge of tanks!

It totally sounded like something from the movies when my Dad was telling me.

Something happened and he ended up dying.

Back then they had a hole in the boat that they put all the dead bodies in to keep them cold and preserve them so they could get the bodies back to the US.

One night, as the guys were making their rounds checking on the dead bodies, my Grandpa moved!!

Crazy right? He was dead...I bet it freaked them out!

He was taken to a hospital that is up north, right as you are going up that hill to go through Logan Canyon.

It's that really cool old building on the north side of the road.

At that time, my Grandma was training to be a nurse at that hospital and that's how they met.

My Grandma would also go with my Dad's Aunt to visit my Grandpa in the hospital.

And the rest is history for them. :)

It was such a fun drive to work and I can't wait until the drive home so I can ask my Dad more questions about my Grandpa being in the war.

Life...

A lot has happened since the last time I blogged.

I have been under limitless amounts of stress and am trying to deal with it.

There have been many tears and hugs throughout this past month.

And yet the hubby and I still seem to find the happiness in all the crap.

How does that work out...?

It still puzzles me but we are taking everything one day at a time and moving forward..hopefully.

My Mom bought me the cutest sign that I think of constantly.

It says,

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass,

it's about learning to dance in the rain."

It's the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning to remind me to dance.

She also said that while I am sitting at work and don't think I can handle it anymore to stand up and start dancing.

And if anyone asks what I'm doing tell them that I'm dancing in the rain.

Haha!

I love my Mom.

She can't fix my problems but she sure knows how to keep someone smiling at laughing to help ease

the stress.

Many people that we know have told us that "if it should happen to any couple, it should be you two"

"you two are two of the strongest people I know and can make it through this"

Dev asked me yesterday, "Why do people keep telling us this?"
Me: "I guess they can see things that we can't"

and it is true, people on the outside looking in can see things that we can't.

But I definitely don't feel this way.

Through everything that is going on, Dev and I still manage to find our laughs and giggles.

Last night as we were kneeling down to say our prayers,

we got the case of the giggles.

We could not be serious for 5 seconds without giggling.

It feels really good to laugh through everything.

Hubby and I have grown closer together through everything.

And it is amazing!

I love him more now than I have the past 4 years together.

and I know my love for him tomorrow will be more than today.

I'm glad we have stayed strong together through everything and there isn't anyone else that I would go through these trials with.

 

Valentines day

I decided I should finally share my Valentines day fun.

I actually don't like Valentines day...

At work all I heard was "I got this", "well I got this".

Or

"her flowers were so much bigger than mine"

Really? Is it really about what you get our how much you get?

some people really surprise me. 

if I didn't have to listen to that at work I probably would like it more.

But anyways....I do love my hunk. :)

about two weeks ago, I found a cute v-day book on pinterest. Who doesn't love that website!? 

It was "52 reasons I love you".
You make a book out of a deck of cards with reasons why you love your sweetheart. 

It wasn't until Sunday night that I realized Valentines was on Tuesday.

We had a birthday party on Monday night and there was no way I could have done everything at work.

I was planning on going home and going to the gym and then to bed. 

just a regular day...

on the way home it kept bugging me that I didn't make the book.

I love surprising Dev and it was something that I would have put time into so it would mean more.

He was already on his way home as I thought about this but I ran to my parents house as fast as I could.

I borrowed their pink ribbon and white and red construction paper.

I ran back to my house and started cutting and writing.

Dev was coming down the street and I had to finish my surprise!

I met him outside with the keys to my car and the debit card.

I had him run to the store to get the  ingredients for a delicious smore bar dessert.

When he came home this is what he saw

two weeks ago I wrote down my 52 reasons do instead I wrote them on hearts and hung them all the ceiling.

He was surprised and LOVED it!

He didn't want to take them down so they are still hanging in our room.

until tonight anyways...

Dusty also proposed to his girlfriend! 

She was so surprised!!! 

her ring takes 4-6 weeks to make because she has tiny fingers and wasn't expecting everything to happen for another two weeks.

Dusty could not wait anymore and bought a temp ring.

Natalie and I had so much fun setting everything up.

We had candles leading down to Dusty's bedroom and also flower peddles.

it was so fun to be apart of it!

And I am so excited for Kayla to be a part of the family! 

After all the fun, we went upstairs to eat a delicious dinner made by Natalie and Jon.

Mashed potatoes, heart shaped meat loaf, French bread...it was delish! 

Dev and I made this deliciousness that took a total of 20 minutes to make

We had so much fun with the family! 

I guess I do like Valentines day...

Just not so much at work :)

Friday

I know it's been awhile since I've blogged and I know I promised all sorts of pictures...we still have issues with our computer and work has gotten busier so I haven't had time to post at work.
Right now I am sitting by the fireplace in my parents basement blogging on my phone.
A lot had happened yet nothing had happened...
We are still looking  for a house and dealing with that...
still working the same jobs...
Things that are new...
We finally got gym passes and I have been a ton happier because of the gym. (hubby loves it too)
I am going to go back to school to be an esthetician.
I am so excited and can't wait to start! But we have to figure out work and all that stuff because I won't be able to work where I am with the way the school schedule is.

here's a question to throw out there...
How many people actually hate needless?
I had to take care of some things today which involved at least three needles.
I am absolutely terrified of needles.
the first was to numb me, the second to numb me more, and the third to do the job.
There was very little to no pain but I still wanted to cry when I saw the needle.
I don't care about pain as much as I do the  needles.
after everything was  done, I was so tense that I was shaking.
That's how bad my fear of needles is.

on the happy note....
Its done with and hopefully no more needles to deal with :)

And HAPPY FRIDAY!!!