Happy Anniversary!

10 years ago today, Johnathan and I were married in the Manti temple for time and all eternity. I am so thankful that I found Johnathan. I feel like we really compliment each other with our strengths and weaknesses. When we got married, I thought I knew who Johnathan was, and I thought we had a lot of similar likes and dislikes. Now that we've been married 10 years I can admit that I am still learning and that we are not all that similar. Sometimes he still surprises me with what he doesn't like and I still expect him to just tell me what he's thinking, instead of me having to pry it out of him.

I think that's what love really is though. It grows from being "in love" to something deeper and longer lasting. I've learned that a good marriage takes work. Both spouses have to be patient and think of the other more than themselves, which is hard. You need to support each other too.

Even though I thought I had it all figured out 10 years ago, I am happy to admit I was wrong for the better. I didn't know just how lucky I was to find someone who loves me no matter what my many weaknesses are, and who never criticizes them. He never complains either! Thank you for being so patient with me, for being such a hard worker, for your strong desire to help others, and for being such a wonderful father!

Thanks for the last 10 years Johnathan! I look forward to many more years together!



Here's some wonderful quotes on Marriage:

Cherish your spouse as the greatest possession of your life and treat him or her accordingly. Make it your constant goal to add to the happiness and comfort of your companion. Never permit yourself to let down in your affection, or your respect, or your faith in one another.
-President Hinckley

What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility.
-George Levinger

The secret of a happy marriage is simple--just keep on being as polite to one another as you are to your friends.
-Robert Quillen

God didn't say that a woman was to be taken from a bone in the man's head that she should rule over him, nor from a bone in his foot that she should be trampled under his feet, but from the bone in his side, to be his companion, his equal, and his helpmeet in all their lives together.
-President George Albert Smith

Marriage is not an easy venture. It is largely a one-time-through, do-it-yourself project for the husband and wife. I repeatedly encounter the illusion today, especially among younger people, that perfect marriages happen simply if the right two people come together. This is untrue. Marriages don’t succeed automatically. Those who build happy, secure, successful marriages pay the price to do so. They work at it constantly.
-Dean L. Larsen

It's almost Christmas!!

We didn't decorate at all for Christmas before our cruise, so that was the first thing we did (after un-packing) when we got home. Now it feels like Christmas around here!

Our Cruise

This month Johnathan and I celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. We try to do something big every 5 years, and this year we decided to try a cruise. We really wanted to go to Hawaii, but the Caribbean was about half the cost, so we went with that one. (Hopefully Hawaii will happen in 5 more years) We had such a fun time!

My mom stayed at our house with the kids so they wouldn't miss school- THANK YOU MOM! She got to see how crazy her grandkids are in "real life"... Okay, actually just how crazy Jacob is. The other two are usually pretty good. When we got back, she even admitted she was TIRED by the end of the week. I felt a little justified for feeling tired every day. I should also thank Julieann and Jamie because they helped out a lot too!

Here's a run-down of our cruise on the Norwegian Pearl. We flew to Miami and set sail on Sunday. On Monday we anchored off the cruise line's private island in the Bahamas and we had a beach day and snorkeled, if you could call it that. The water was so murky you couldn't see anything, and I was trying to not hyperventilate- I have a fear of dark water and not being able to see what's in there with me...

Our HUGE cruise ship

Us in the Bahamas- Isn't the water BEAUTIFUL
I was so amazed at the color of the water

Tuesday was a day at sea. Wednesday we stopped in Jamaica. For our excursion we kayaked in the Caribbean over to Dunn's River Falls. Its basically a river waterfall that people hike up and play in along the way. We had a lot of fun until we met all the Jamaicans that try to sell you everything and are VERY overbearing about it.

The Falls we just hiked up

At the top

A Beautiful Caribbean sunset

Thursday, which was Johnathan's birthday, we stopped at Grand Cayman. We got to drive Jeep's and tour around the island. We saw a beautiful view of the ocean, the rum cake factory (woo hoo...), and Hell (an actual place on the island where you can send postcards from- Haha). After that we went to the beach where Johnathan convinced me to try snorkeling again. This time the water was crystal clear and I was able to do it! It was really fun to see all the fish. I was sure I wouldn't like it, but I actually do!

Johnathan's b-day present- driving a Jeep
Now he wants to buy one even more

Friday we stopped at Cozumel Mexico. Our excursion this day was riding 4-wheelers through the "jungle" and then going to the beach. I was most excited about this excursion, but was quite disappointed with it. We went really slow because we had to stay in a line and the road was super bumpy. We were supposed to see a Mayan ruin, but it wasn't what I thought it would be. We saw a cenote, which is a deep water hole the Mayans used for water. They would also sacrifice people in it. Then we saw a Mayan hurricane shelter, an underground cave. After that we went to the beach and snorkeled again. Johnathan followed a sting-ray around in the water and then found a conch shell in the ocean. We snuck that baby home!

I seriously LOVE the color of the water!

Now he can say he wrestled an alligator

Johnathan says I looked like a gangsta!

I learned I have super crazy Caribbean hair. I COULD NOT keep
it under control. I finally just gave up...

Saturday was another day at sea, and Sunday we returned to Miami. It was such a relaxing trip and we are glad we got to go. I'm glad I didn't stress at all about kids at home, like I normally do.
We decided we really like cruises and can hardly wait till our next one! If anyone is thinking about doing one, DO IT! I think you'll love it!