Montana Trip

On Thursday evening after Oakley's dance class we loaded up for the 5 1/2 hour drive to my brother Travis and wife Rebekah's house in the middle of Montana. We got there super late, but spent Friday and Saturday morning playing and visiting and touring the ranch. It was so much fun. The kids LOVED playing with their two little men cousins, Emmett and Casey. And I am thinking from the giant crocodile tears Emmett cried as we left Saturday that he had a good time too.

Dallin and Emmett - BEST BUDS!
Baby Casey! We LOVED that he was so super friendly and loved us as much as we loved him. He followed Oakley around EVERYWHERE. I seriously could have brought him home with me!

SLUMBER PARTY....I love Casey's smile!:) Oakley chose to sleep in the bed this night. Wonder why?
Saturday was Ryan and I's 12th Anniversary. It is CRAZY how fast the years come and go. About 4 hours into the 5 1/2 hour drive home we wondered WHAT WERE WE THINKING doing a family road trip for our anniversary?! We love taking time away even if it is a short break. So, in the spirit of anniversary I decided to list a few things that I have learned about Ryan over the years.....things that maybe I didn't know when I married him! (Scary!!)

1. I had NO IDEA that Ryan could win 1st place for worlds worst back and a close 2nd for worlds worst sinuses.

2. I didn't know what kind of a dad Ryan would be and.....I am not gonna lie to you....at 7 months pregnant with baby #1 I cried my eyes out when he announced to me that "he didn't like kids!" I learned that he LOVES his own kids....it is other peoples kids that drove him crazy, and actually they don't even bother him now.

3. I had NO IDEA that Ryan doesn't know how to communicate. (I am not being mean on this one....it is just the facts and you can ask ANYONE in his family -including Ry- and they would tell you this is true.) Alot of times I have to ask him, "Are you even listening to me?" Because there are times that I get nothing from him, not even a blink during the conversation.

4. I didn't know that Ryan was so committed to his farm/ranch and that he is actually VERY good at his occupation. I also didn't know that he is good at making "big" financial decisions. The first time Ryan wrote a HUGE check to buy cows THE DAY BEFORE HE WENT AND TALKED TO THE BANK it made me super nervous. Now, I just know we are going to be okay no matter what....he knows what he is doing.

5. I didn't know that it is NEVER a good idea to play any sort of "knowledge" game with Ryan because HE KNOWS EVERYTHING AND EVEN SOME SUPER WEIRD THINGS!!! He ALWAYS wins!

6. I also didn't know 12 years ago when I married Ryan that it was possible to love him more than I did that day. I had no idea that I would come to rely on him so very much. I had no idea that when the hard times came in our life that I would need him more than ever. He truly is my VERY BEST FRIEND. I can't imagine life without him and I always tease him that "he is lucky I still like him!" but, in all reality, I am definitely the lucky one!