We Can Do Anything With God & Kisses

Flashback to 2006. I'm a junior high kid that rides the bus. I'm blessed with a tight-knit group of friends, and we do all the things that 2000's era tween girls do--pass notes to each other in the hallways, share ear-buds while listening to Weezer and Avril Levine on our MP3players, chomp on Orbit gum while giggling over our latest crushes, play Vampire and Kick-the-can during night games, and hot tub followed by caramel popcorn and watching Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl while fawning over Orlando Bloom. But one of the pop-culture items I DID NOT  participate in as a tween was watching & discussing the Nickelodeon hit show "Avatar: The Last Airbender." I have vivid memories of my dear friends Noelle Crandall and Shanelle Winkel geeking out over Aang, Appa, Zuko, Jet, and the rest of the gang in the show. I watched a few snippets of episodes here and there while socializing with friends, and I even attended Noelle's party for the ...

Mikayla and I live in southern Utah County, which is about an hour-long commute by bus for me to work. I take the 805 bus to the Provo Central Station, and then I take the UVX to BYU. On my way home each day when I wait for the 805 bus at the Provo Central Station, I see a guy that is always waiting at a different bus stop. He'll wait with the people and then when that particular bus comes along, he moves to another bus stop full of waiting people. He always looks a little nervous. I figured he was just one of those strangers my parents told me not to talk with when I was a little child. I typically have my big headphones on so this man has never approached me. About two months ago my wireless headphones ran out of batteries, so I was an easy target for the bus stop creeper to approach. He awkwardly stood in my proximity and then nonchalantly moved his way in. He asked me where I was headed, what I did for work, and if I liked my job. I replied to his questions and asked him the...

Back in October I wrote a post about why marriage is an investment worth spending on. One aspect of that post shared the importance of going on one-on-one overnight outings with your spouse. Getting away can be difficult--there's limited income to consider, transportation needs, taking work off, and coordinating schedules with a trustworthy child caregiver; just to name a few obstacles. Much can (and should!) be said about each of these obstacles and strategies for successfully tackling them. For today, however, I will focus on the reality of creating a relationship-building, beautiful getaway with your spouse, while keeping to a budget. Here are five affordable getaways Kevin & I have experienced and paid for for 500$ or less. Since we live in Utah and much of this blog community lives here as well, the locations are local to us. 30$ is added to each "total cost estimate" to account for paying for fuel to drive to each location (it may be more or less depending on...

In classic movies and TV shows, there is a  classic and recurring scence where the husband returns home from work, opens the door, and proudly proclaims "Honey, I'm home!" The wife then comes running and gives the husband a big hug and kiss. I love this because it shows that the husband and wife have missed each other and are happy to reunited after a long day of work at the office and at home. My family's version of this daily ritual has become known as "hug time." Hug time in our family goes a little like this. I finish up my hour and twenty minute commute with my back pack in one hand, the remains of my lunch sack in the other, and I usually have to pee. I open the door that separtates the garage and our little mud room and I almost always I hear my wife shouting, "Charlie, Daddy's home!" My little boy then squeals with joys and rushes to give me a big hug. With Charlie attached to my legs, Mikayla comes over and puts her arms around me and...