We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary yesterday, June 27. We went out to dinner in downtown Newport at the Smokehouse Cafe. Yummy bbq and tasty coleslaw. We wandered around Bannister's Wharf and looked at all the rich people boats. Then we went and looked at books at Barnes and Noble. We went home by 9:15 pm. I know, silly, but I guess it's true that 10 years together and you just want to be at home. At least I have our trip in July to look forward to.
Here's the fun scoop on us. The David & Sheila 101
1. We met in Logan, Utah in the summer of 1995 at USU band camp.
2. David says the first time he ever saw me was during the summer when I was in the band hall practicing my trombone. He said, "You were wearing really short shorts."
3. David loves drums. He loves music and drums and everything in between. He has a passion for music and drums.
4. I am a lover of music, too. I also love flowers, color and good chocolate!
5. When David asked me out for the first time, I skipped out of the music building like there were clouds under my feet.
6. Our first date was to the USU production of "The Unsinkable Molly Brown". Then we went to Village Inn for ice cream.
7. We both love cookies! He loves oatmeal raisin and for me, chocolate chip.
8. I have a specific bedtime routine. David thinks it's so funny to mess it up in some small way and wait for my reaction.
9. In our case, absence definately makes the heart grow fonder.
10. David is the most UN-selfish person I know.
11. I cry at everything, David denies it, but he cries during the "Hoosiers" movie, every time.
12. When we first started dating, I was a waitress at "Rothwell's" restraunt. David used to come in, sit in the back booth, order dessert and talk to me whenever I walked by.
13. We held hands for the first time in the back of the red suburban while Jeremy kep turning on the car lights to "check on us".
14. I think David has sexy arms.
15. David grew up on a farm, I grew up in a city.
16. Our first kiss was in the front seat of my car in front of his apartment, almost 4 months after we started dating.
17. David and I both love to read.
18. My favorite books are historical fiction and historical non-fiction. The Work and the Glory, Children of the Promise. Right now I'm reading "Mayflower, A Story of Courage, Community and War", by Nathaniel Philbrick
19. David's favorite books are suspence, sci-fi. Dune series, Harry Potter, Bourne novels, and Orson Scott Card.
20. June 27 is also the anniversary of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
21. David introduced me to James Bond movies. When we were dating, we always ended up hanging out and watching 007.
22.One time in college, we "made out" in my car while it got covered by a snow storm.
23. David loves jazz. I love classical.
24. When I had to take a group percussion class in college, I pretended not to know a drum rudiment so David (who I wasn't dating yet), would have to give me some "hands on" instruction!
25. David is starting to have gray hairs. I think it's very sexy.
26. No gray for me yet, but the wrinkles are appearing!
27. David could eat homemade bread with every meal. He could make anything, put it on top of bread and make a meal out of it.
28. I can make anything a meal by wrapping it in a tortilla.
29. We took a country swing dance class together at USU when were dating. After the class, we'd always go to A&W for a rootbeer float.
30. We are both left handed.
31. We might be related through our ancestors named Allred.
32. David had to choose between basketball and music. He chose music.
33. I had to choose between interior design or music. I chose interior design first and went to the Institute of Art in Denver, CO. Then I chose music and transferred to USU.
34. David and I were both music majors at USU, he was percussion performance, and I was music education.
35. We name our stuff. You know, bikes, cars. Our first car was Beatrice, then we had Pepe, (but I called him Sir Edward), then we got our Japanese station wagon named Red. Now we have the burban, Floyd the Unit Ward.
36. We also have a bunch of nicknames for our kids. Jacob: little mister, splash golden, bud, bopper #1. Abigail: Abby, Abs, Ablet, Abster, sweet pea, bopper #2. Jackson: Action, Jacksonian, J-man, bubba, bopper #3.
37. We became true Aggies together. You have to kiss each other on the big stone "A", on A-day, during Aggie week, at midnight.
38. When we were dating, David "broke up" with me once. He said it was getting too serious. The next day he called me about 9 times and after that, we were inseperable.
39. The first "our song" we had was "Body & Soul", a jazz standard, the Stan Kenton version.
40. I am the oldest and David is the second to youngest. I'm bossy, he's easygoing!
41. We've only spent 4 anniversarys together on the actual day. He's been gone for the rest.
42. My favorite memory of our courtship is how old fashioned he is. Holding doors, offering his arm, a real gentlemen.
43. David's favorite memory of our courtship is going on walks in the snow.
44. David wears a men's size 11 shoe, I wear a women's size 11.
45. The first real fight we had was in the first month of our marriage. It was ugly and it was all about shorts. If you're in this family, you know what I'm talking about, if not, don't ask.
46. We've only had 3 ugly fights in 10 years, that I can remember. #45 above in our first month. As first time parents, very stressful, in year 2, and major pregnancy hormones when I was pregnant with Jackson, in year 8.
47. When I was pregnant with Jacob, I had a little meltdown because David was teasing me. He kept taking my blanket off of me. I locked myself in the bathroom and a few minutes later, he pushed a yellow post-it note under the door. It said in two words, "I concede". I still have that note.
48. David has 1 sister and 5 brothers.
49. I have 3 full sisters, 7 step sisters, 1 step brother, 1 half brother and 1 half sister!
50. When I was on my mission in PA, David wrote to me EVERY week, for 18 months.
51. When I was in PA, David went on one date, a girls' choice.
52. David drums on my feet when I'm pregnant. It feels really good.
53. David was at boot camp on our first anniversary.
54. Before he proposed to me, David called my Dad in Arizona, to ask his permission to marry me. My dad cried and they've been good friends ever since.
55. David proposed to me on March 24, 1996 in the grove of trees behind the Mesa Arizona temple. He got down on one knee and openend the ring box. I wanted to say a bunch of beautiful clever things, but I was so speechless, I could only say YES!
56. When we were engaged, I got cold feet and almost called off the wedding twice. David was so patient with me!
57. When we were engaged, David lived with his brother Jeremy and I lived with my sister Amanda, right next door!
58. Almost every morning of our engagement, I would find a love note in my mailbox, on my car or in a coat pocket.
59. When I left on my mission, David took me to the airport to go home to AZ before the MTC. I cried so hard that the lady sitting next to me on the plane offered me a box of kleenex.
60. David picked out my engagement ring 3 months before I returned home from my mission.
61. My engagement ring has 1 beautiful diamond surrounded by 24 small diamonds on a gold band. It's breathtaking, I think!
62. Our matching wedding bands have a floral pattern on a wide gold band.
63. After we got engaged, we went back to my dad's house. David had arranged for my sister to get two roses for me. One red, for love. One white, for purity. Pure love.
64. We were married in the Logan temple, Logan, Utah.
65. Our wedding day was a beautiful day, shining sun, green trees, beautiful flowers. Perfect.
66. I borrowed the wedding gown I wore, from David's sweet sister, Janus.
67. Along with the borrowed wedding dress, the veil and headband were borrowed, too. The headband from my first mission companion, Holly Busco Sanders, and the veil from one of my best friends and college roommates, Annalisa.
68. David played on the drumset with the jazz combo at our reception.
69. At our reception, I danced with my Dad for the first time ever.
70. David danced with his new mother-in-law...to the longest song of the night! hee hee.
71. After our wedding reception, we went back to our apartment to find it FILLED with balloons...thanks to Janus, Grant and Nathan.
72. Our first apartment was a basement apartment near the Bank of America in Logan. It had so many spiders, I still shudder.
73. We got an antenna for our first TV and the only thing we could get was AFN. I didn' know what that was until we moved to Japan and had 4 years of only American Forces Network.
74 We spent two nights in our apartment after the wedding, before leaving for a 3 day honeymoon to Salt Lake City and the Anniversary Inn.
75. We ate a late night dinner at Village Inn on our wedding night, just the two of us. We later learned that some of our family had eaten there about 30 minutes after we left.
76. The day after our wedding, we went to church in our new building. We made it about 40 minutes before we were both falling asleep. We went home, took a long nap and then openend our wedding presents.
77. David says his favorite physical feature on me is my hair.
78. We have had many unique spiritual experiences together.
79. I had American flags as table centerpieces at our wedding...what was I thinking?
80. I met David's siblings, Janus and Jeremy before David was even home from his mission.
81. My favorite cologne on David is Eternity for Men.
82. David says his favorite perfume on me is Amarige.
83. We used to rent $1 movies at Hastings around the corner from our first apartment.
84. We have great conversations about the scriptures.
85. David will always choose wife and children over church, career, and drums.
86. David is an amazing father. He loves our kids, and even other kids. Kids at church and in the neighborhood just adore him.
87. We've been in the Navy for 9 years and he knows every note of Anchors Aweigh. After 9 years, I still get choked up everytime I hear it.
88. David always makes me feel beautiful.
89. We both want to end up back on the farm. Natural for him, a new world for me.
90. His favorite movies are James Bond, Harry Potter, most old war movies, anything superhero, and of course, John Wayne movies.
91. My favorite movies are Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, and natural distaster movies like, Twister, Volacano, The Day After Tomorrow.
92. A little known fact about David...he had a sever stutter as a kid. He could barely talk.
93. A little known fact about me...I was the high school mascot my junior year. Yep, the "Wiley the Wildcat" costume and everything.
94. His "dream" calling in the church: something in Primary, probably chorister.
95. My dream calling: librarian.
96. We never fight or disagree even, about money.
97. He's read every single Louis L'amour book ever written.
98. 10 years later and we still act like newlyweds most of the time.
99. There is a modern drummer magazine in every room in our house.
100. I have a whole room filled with scrapbooking supplies.
101. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE HE PICKED ME.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Quick and Easy Vanilla
I've had a few ask me about the recipes we use for our home made ice cream. Here goes, and good luck!
This recipe is for a 4 quart: (We usually do 6!)
3 cups Milk
1 3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 cups Half & Half
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
3 cups Whipping Cream
Scald milk until bubbles form around edge. Remove from heat. Add sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Stir in half and half, vanilla and whipping cream. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Proceed with freezing as directed by your ice cream maker.
Enjoy!!! Let me know how you guys like it!
This recipe is for a 4 quart: (We usually do 6!)
3 cups Milk
1 3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 cups Half & Half
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
3 cups Whipping Cream
Scald milk until bubbles form around edge. Remove from heat. Add sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Stir in half and half, vanilla and whipping cream. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Proceed with freezing as directed by your ice cream maker.
Enjoy!!! Let me know how you guys like it!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
12 more days to 10
Don't you just love yellow? I think this blog layout is very happy and juicy. It makes me want a smoothie.
I chose this one because it's an explosion of happy. In 12 days, on June 27th, David and I will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. I know, it's only 10, but to me, 10 is such a huge number and an amazing blessing and gift. I married my very best friend. I am on the highest clouds, maybe higher than the "cloud 9".
I am working on David and Sheila 101. Janus gave me the idea with her blog about 101 fun things about her. I thought it would be fun to do 101 things about us in celebration of our 10th anniversary. Stay tuned!
I chose this one because it's an explosion of happy. In 12 days, on June 27th, David and I will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. I know, it's only 10, but to me, 10 is such a huge number and an amazing blessing and gift. I married my very best friend. I am on the highest clouds, maybe higher than the "cloud 9".
I am working on David and Sheila 101. Janus gave me the idea with her blog about 101 fun things about her. I thought it would be fun to do 101 things about us in celebration of our 10th anniversary. Stay tuned!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
It's summer time again
When the weather gets hot, who doesn't love ice cream? David has mastered the art of home made ice cream. We got this lovely machine when we lived in Japan. It's been so fun! I don't have a clue about it, but David has become quite the expert. He's got a system and knows how it all works...and the result is Delicious!!! Our favorite is Vanilla, but we've tried chocolate, strawberry and cookies and cream. All yummy! We know it's summer when the ice cream maker starts churning!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Niagara Falls
The bride and groom, Frank and Melanie
Ten years ago, we were the bride and groom, and 20 pounds ago! For me anyway...David was looking rowr!!!
A view from the sky wheel!
By the side of the falls, the breeze from the water was blowing my hair like crazy.
Right by the main falls, Horseshoe Falls.
Just amazing! (David is becoming quite the photographer, he took most of these pictures)
At the lowest observation deck right by the falls...very wet!
Our beautiful little family at the White Oaks Hotel and Spa, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.
This evening, we returned from a wonderful family vacation to Niagara Falls, Cananda. It was amazing! David has a friend he met in Japan. He was in the band with him there. Frank is like a brother to David, so when Frank called to ask David to be a groomsman in his wedding, he was so honored. I laughed for a minute, though, when we realized that it would be the first time he was in a wedding, and he has 6 siblings! Oh well. David has been gone so much over the last 3 months, so we decided we would all go to Niagara Falls. Here's a quick rundown of our fun trip.
Thursday, May 29: Leave for Niagara Falls. Stopped in Palmyra, New York and visit the Sacred Grove and Hill Cumorah, two of my most favorite places on earth. Stayed the night in Palmrya.
Friday, May 30: AM: Drive to Niagara Falls, Canada side. 2 hours from Palmyra. About 20 miles away from Canada, we could see the water mist coming up from the falls! As soon as we crossed the Rainbow Bridge into Canada we could see the falls. WOW!!!! Amazing! What a beautiful natural wonder. We parked right away and got out and walked around and took pictures. We took a tour behind the falls...sounds like constant thunder, and boy is it WET! We got sprayed pretty good. We learned that enough water goes over the falls every MINUTE, to fill 1 MILLION bathtubs!!!!
PM: After 2 hours in the afternoon of the indoor waterpark attached to our hotel, David went off to a town called Niagara-on-the-Lake for the wedding rehearsal dinner. The kids and I ventured out in downtown Niagara Falls. We had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe, yum!
Saturday, May 31: 7:30 am, the groom picked up David at the hotel for some pre-wedding breakfast and activities. The kids and I played around at the hotel until it was time to get ready for the wedding.
12:00 noon: We ventured out to find the church in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It's a beautiful 1800's country church with a cemetary all around it. The minister was late and the waiting and the boredom, just about did the kids in. The wedding was gorgeous. The coolest thing, the groom, Frank, composed all the wedding processional music, it was beautiful!
1:45 pm: About 20 minutes into the wedding, the kids lost it, mostly Jackson, so we left the chapel before the screaming started! We walked around the church looking at the headstones in the cemetary. On our little adventure, Jackson lost his binky, Jacob had to potty behind a tree and Abby had to potty so bad but wouldn't squat, so she used the portable potty I had in the truck. GEEEESH.
2:00 pm: Wedding got over, David said goodbye and wen off to take 5 jillion pictures. The kids and I went back to the hotel for some sandwiches and rest before the reception.
4:30 pm: Back to Niagara-on-the-Lake for the wedding reception, which didn't really start until about 6:30!!! Meanwhile, I realized I was the ONLY person there with kids. Other than the flower girls...geez, what was I thinking? We kept raiding the cheese/fruit table, just to keep them quiet. This was a fancy deal, too. Waiters were walking around with empty trays to take your used plates and glasses!
6:30 pm: Everyone was escorted into the dining hall for dinner. I was assigned a table with another couple with a tiny baby...and me and the three kids. I also got a broken high chair, so everyone in the room waited and stared while I tried to get Jackson into that and then changed him to another one. There's this fancy dinner buffet, and my kids being served chicken strips and french fries! Jackson decides to chuck his toy truck onto the glassware covered table. Luckily nothing broken, but the sound it made, totally embarrassing!
7:30 pm: Toasts and stories about the bride and groom, totally put my kids over the edge, and we went into the lobby and play.
8:30 pm: I finally realized I don't have a pacifier for Jackson, and I'm not quite ready to do the weaning from that yet, especially in a hotel in the same room with everyone else. So, I told David the kids and I are going to find a store. We left and luckily found an open Wal-Mart...and a new binky! Killing time at Wal-Mart is sometimes not smart...too much..MOM CAN I BUY THIS? Ugh.
9:30 pm: Returned to the reception and called David on the cell phone begging him to say his goodbyes. The kids and I are starting the meltdown.
10:30 pm: David finally gets out to the truck to a screaming Jackson, two crying kids, and a totally drained and crying Mommy.
11:00 pm: Arrive at our hotel and everyone goes straight to bed.
Sunday, June 1: Everyone is feeling better and after breakfast we venture out to the waterpark again. Tons of water-slides, a wave pool, and tons more. It was so fun!
Later we had lunch at Planet Hollywood and then more waterpark. After some showers and naps, we went out and about in downtown Niagara. We played underground glow in the dark miniature golf, totally fun! We had dinner and rode the sky-wheel. Cool view of the falls. Finally bedtime and packing.
Today: 7 hours to home. Luggage and STUFF in the kitchen, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow, back to the regular schedule!
Ten years ago, we were the bride and groom, and 20 pounds ago! For me anyway...David was looking rowr!!!
A view from the sky wheel!
By the side of the falls, the breeze from the water was blowing my hair like crazy.
Right by the main falls, Horseshoe Falls.
Just amazing! (David is becoming quite the photographer, he took most of these pictures)
At the lowest observation deck right by the falls...very wet!
Our beautiful little family at the White Oaks Hotel and Spa, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.
This evening, we returned from a wonderful family vacation to Niagara Falls, Cananda. It was amazing! David has a friend he met in Japan. He was in the band with him there. Frank is like a brother to David, so when Frank called to ask David to be a groomsman in his wedding, he was so honored. I laughed for a minute, though, when we realized that it would be the first time he was in a wedding, and he has 6 siblings! Oh well. David has been gone so much over the last 3 months, so we decided we would all go to Niagara Falls. Here's a quick rundown of our fun trip.
Thursday, May 29: Leave for Niagara Falls. Stopped in Palmyra, New York and visit the Sacred Grove and Hill Cumorah, two of my most favorite places on earth. Stayed the night in Palmrya.
Friday, May 30: AM: Drive to Niagara Falls, Canada side. 2 hours from Palmyra. About 20 miles away from Canada, we could see the water mist coming up from the falls! As soon as we crossed the Rainbow Bridge into Canada we could see the falls. WOW!!!! Amazing! What a beautiful natural wonder. We parked right away and got out and walked around and took pictures. We took a tour behind the falls...sounds like constant thunder, and boy is it WET! We got sprayed pretty good. We learned that enough water goes over the falls every MINUTE, to fill 1 MILLION bathtubs!!!!
PM: After 2 hours in the afternoon of the indoor waterpark attached to our hotel, David went off to a town called Niagara-on-the-Lake for the wedding rehearsal dinner. The kids and I ventured out in downtown Niagara Falls. We had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe, yum!
Saturday, May 31: 7:30 am, the groom picked up David at the hotel for some pre-wedding breakfast and activities. The kids and I played around at the hotel until it was time to get ready for the wedding.
12:00 noon: We ventured out to find the church in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It's a beautiful 1800's country church with a cemetary all around it. The minister was late and the waiting and the boredom, just about did the kids in. The wedding was gorgeous. The coolest thing, the groom, Frank, composed all the wedding processional music, it was beautiful!
1:45 pm: About 20 minutes into the wedding, the kids lost it, mostly Jackson, so we left the chapel before the screaming started! We walked around the church looking at the headstones in the cemetary. On our little adventure, Jackson lost his binky, Jacob had to potty behind a tree and Abby had to potty so bad but wouldn't squat, so she used the portable potty I had in the truck. GEEEESH.
2:00 pm: Wedding got over, David said goodbye and wen off to take 5 jillion pictures. The kids and I went back to the hotel for some sandwiches and rest before the reception.
4:30 pm: Back to Niagara-on-the-Lake for the wedding reception, which didn't really start until about 6:30!!! Meanwhile, I realized I was the ONLY person there with kids. Other than the flower girls...geez, what was I thinking? We kept raiding the cheese/fruit table, just to keep them quiet. This was a fancy deal, too. Waiters were walking around with empty trays to take your used plates and glasses!
6:30 pm: Everyone was escorted into the dining hall for dinner. I was assigned a table with another couple with a tiny baby...and me and the three kids. I also got a broken high chair, so everyone in the room waited and stared while I tried to get Jackson into that and then changed him to another one. There's this fancy dinner buffet, and my kids being served chicken strips and french fries! Jackson decides to chuck his toy truck onto the glassware covered table. Luckily nothing broken, but the sound it made, totally embarrassing!
7:30 pm: Toasts and stories about the bride and groom, totally put my kids over the edge, and we went into the lobby and play.
8:30 pm: I finally realized I don't have a pacifier for Jackson, and I'm not quite ready to do the weaning from that yet, especially in a hotel in the same room with everyone else. So, I told David the kids and I are going to find a store. We left and luckily found an open Wal-Mart...and a new binky! Killing time at Wal-Mart is sometimes not smart...too much..MOM CAN I BUY THIS? Ugh.
9:30 pm: Returned to the reception and called David on the cell phone begging him to say his goodbyes. The kids and I are starting the meltdown.
10:30 pm: David finally gets out to the truck to a screaming Jackson, two crying kids, and a totally drained and crying Mommy.
11:00 pm: Arrive at our hotel and everyone goes straight to bed.
Sunday, June 1: Everyone is feeling better and after breakfast we venture out to the waterpark again. Tons of water-slides, a wave pool, and tons more. It was so fun!
Later we had lunch at Planet Hollywood and then more waterpark. After some showers and naps, we went out and about in downtown Niagara. We played underground glow in the dark miniature golf, totally fun! We had dinner and rode the sky-wheel. Cool view of the falls. Finally bedtime and packing.
Today: 7 hours to home. Luggage and STUFF in the kitchen, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow, back to the regular schedule!
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