Plaid on grass.

We've been meaning to see downtown Spartanburg for over a year now... and we finally made the trip! It wasn't anything too special but we enjoyed it just as much. :) Now a "couple" pictures to remember the outing...

an anniversary to out-do all those past.

4.11.13 was our happy little four year anniversary.

Four years?!?

With everything that has happened it four years it feels like decades more to me. I can only imagine the insanity the future will bring!!!! We have moved from Rexburg, ID to Tuscaloosa, AL to Boiling Springs, SC and now are shortly putting our house up for sale (wait, didn't we just move in?) for another move! Oh, boy! I got my nursing license, worked for a few years as a nurse, and got my Bachelor's degree. Dan got his Bachelor's degree, went to Medical School for a little test-drive, and now we are off to Optometry School! And our biggest accomplishment yet... we added another little one to our family. The most precious little Jude James Mulder on this earth.

Our relationship has, too, had its "moves." We have learned so much about ourselves, each other, relationships, loving, forgiveness, serving, and everything life likes to teach two naive little kids in love. We have made it through everything, becoming stronger and continually striving to love each other more and more every day and remember that our marriage relationship is the most important one we have, besides our relationship with God. 

Dan knew I'd been having a hard time with everything lately so he went above and beyond to brighten my spirits. And he did!

Started out with a beautiful bouquet of flowers to wake up to...

The day before he had told me I needed to be ready at 12:00 for a surprise. I racked my brain and thought maybe the dream of my soul's eternal duration was coming true and that he may be getting me a massage (like, a professional one). Then he told me Jude was coming... I love for my Jude to come everywhere with me but I knew that quickly made a massage out of the question. I thought we were going to go to the zoo or something! Dan had work the night before so he would be sleeping at this time. The morning of came and it was time to spill the surprise...

For the sake of truly capturing my excitement I will post these pictures... and to make you all feel a little bit better about yourselves...

Waiting for the okay to pull up the internet browser... the anticipation was pretty much explosive.

And the surprise is revealed!!

My dream came true. One hour full-body massage at Massage Envy. Jude didn't come after all. It was a very tricky decoy. My therapist recommended that I come again in two weeks and then monthly afterwards. Do you think my insurance will cover that?!

Nighttime came and we went out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. Shout outs to the people who made it happen: Mom and Dad Mulder for financing the whole outing and Meghan for "watching" Jude while he slept! Our rekindled love is forever indebted to you! (It had been too long since we'd gone out anywhere together.) We had some blurry picture issues all night, bear with us.

My sweet baby surprised me with a little BF note. :)

I felt like a creeper when he looked over at me and I nodded like we had just agreed to begin our top-secret mission. Self-induced awkward moment. 

I was reaching in my purse and literally just happened to find the nametags from our wedding luncheon!

I love my husband. Our relationship is not perfect, but it's perfect for us and we work at it every day.

I LOVE YOU DANNY!!! LET'S DO THIS!!! :)

just a really good day overall.

There seem to be a couple requirements for what I consider a good day...

I feel rested.

Jude eats &sleeps well.

Check to both of those! I indulged myself in a lovely little afternoon nap underneath my gingham lime green blanky with the light shining in on my through the window, with my baby Jude sleeping soundly next door (for his third-day-in-a-row THREE HOURS NAP... cue fireworks) and my baby Dan sleeping soundly on the other next door.

Bonuses:

I didn't over eat. And ate pretty healthy, too.

The house was clean.

I read my spiritual enlightenment, The Miracle of Forgiveness, in the afternoon (as opposed to 11:00 pm fighting tired eyes).

I feel peaceful &excited about the big decision we made &are moving forward with.

My brother got his accounting externship with a BIG FOUR company!

We saw the bunny (BUBBBBA!!!) outback this morning and excitedly watched his little white tail hop away into the woods.

Jude and I played outside for over an hour and enjoyed the slowly setting sun, the cool breeze, every dog in the neighborhood, marvelled at the cows for a good ten minutes from about 15 feet away, and went on a marvelous little walk through some woods nearby along a stream.

I have felt inspired and creative today, especially when we pulled out the GLITTER SIDEWALK CHALK!!!!!!!

I can honestly say I savored every moment with my little 21-pound companion today. I didn't once wish it was nap or bed time already. I didn't tense up my face &widen my eyes in frustration as he poured his entire lunch on the ground. I was actually not once short or impatient with anyone I came in contact with! WAHOO!!!! This is due to the healing power of the atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He heals all wounds. He brings peace to my heart. He turns weaknesses into strengths. He fills me with hope and joy.

What I learned: The quality of my day does not depend on what I accomplish as far as my To Do List goes, but when I let go of my worry and just savor these beautiful little moments in life.

a crafty husband + a little family walk.

I am yet to find one thing my husband can not do. Homemade (gluten free, egg free, milk free) bread? He puts mine to shame. Cleaning? Most thorough scrubber ever. Cooking? Makes up his own recipes like no big deal. Fishing? Fish whisperer. Any sport? Dominates. Plumbing? Advanced skills. Video editing? Yep. Piano? Whips a beautiful song out of his head without batting an eye. Medical school? Been there, done that.

Yeah, he's pretty nice to have around.

Anywho, he has been wanting some new shorts. But we don't have money to spend on new shorts. So we traveled to the nearby Goodwill and found an old pair of slacks (as retro and old manny as you'd imagine when you hear the word slacks)... came home, glanced at a couple tutorials online and before long... sewing he was.

I was gleaming in every moment when he would ask me a question about the bobbin or how to do this or that. My sewing skills are limited so I was trying to fully soaking in teaching him something because I know before long he will be teaching me. Oh, and let's not forget about when he tried to thread the bobbin himself and he literally disassembled half the sewing machine. Typical mechanical mind of a man. It was really funny as I tried to explain how easy it really was.

I call this "Floral Determination"

We forgot to take "Before" pictures, but here are the afters... He shortened and skinnied them.

Later that day we took a walk on a little trail outside Dan's school, Spartanburg Community College. We had fun... and saw a turtle. I am just now looking through these pictures and I think I could die happy! If I had nothing more than Jude's excitement about life it would make life worth living. Dan was so redneck this day. Cowboy hat, cut off jeans, and basketball shoes. Yeah, we have a "Bluegrass" station on Pandora.

I call this "Real Life Captured."

So much joy over... a stick. He is amazing.

"Ehh" (grunt)

"Ooohh..." (interest spiked)

"Mmm!" (Life's not so bad)

"EEEE!!!!" (I love everything!!!!!)

And now I'm ready to escape.