{8}

Today my sweet and beautiful step daughter turns 8 years old. I became her step mommy when she was 5. I was terrified. What if she didn't like me? Will I be a good step mom? What am I suppose to do? I didn't know anything about being a mom and when I married Brad, I didn't just gain a husband, I gained a beautiful daughter. Even though she lives 1800 miles away, she makes me feel like I'm right next to her. Telling me about her day, introducing me to her newest animal (first, middle, and last name Tesch of coarse), reading stories on the phone to her brother and sister, tells me she loves me and tells me she's glad that I'm her step mommy.

My husband flies to Kansas every couple months to visit her and she comes here to visit us. Right now he's in Kansas celebrating her birthday with Laney's Mom's side of the family. I wish I could be there to celebrate with them, but I absolutely can't wait to see her big beautiful smile in just a few weeks.

To celebrate her turning 8, I'd like to share 8 things that I love about her.

1. She is so smart, one of the smartest in her class. She is also the tallest :)

2. She has such a personality and sense of humor. Her jokes are so funny.

3. She is so beautiful inside and out. She is a perfect mixture of her mom and dad. Its so funny to me that her and Brad make the exact same faces. I'm so in love with both of their little faces.

4. I love it when she blows me kisses over the phone, especially the doggy kisses that get my face all wet through the phone.

5. I love what a wonderful big sister she is. She chose Lily's name and she shares her middle name Anne with her. She reads stories to them and tells her how much she loves them.

6. I love her ideas. She is so creative.

7. I love her artwork. She has decorated 1/2 of our house with her master pieces.

8. I love how she taught me to be a step mommy.

Laney Bug....I can't begin to tell you how much you changed my world. How much I love being in your life and being your step mom. It is such an astonishing privilege to be a part of your life.

I didn't have the privilege of making her into the strong, smart young lady that she turned out to be today, but I hope that I can be. Annie and Brad did an amazing job of being parents to her and friends with each other. I am grateful to be included and to follow in the grace of watching her grow and seeing the path along the way with their daughter.

Happy Birthday Sweet girl. I love you all the way to everywhere and back.

Romance All Year Long

Valentine's Day is a reminder to your significant other how much you love them.....shouldn't you be doing that all year long? Brad and I try hard to do little things throughout the year to add spark to our marriage. Sometimes its an adorable text message, a little note, stopping by each others workplace, being considerate to each other, listening. Brad's work schedule makes it hard for us to have any quality time together. And every time we try to go on a date, we can never think of anything to do, we don't really have the money to spend on it, and we don't have a sitter lined up. So we end up staying home or just going out to dinner locally. Keeping romance in a relationship is very important. Especially since having our kids, its hard to find time to be romantic. So I gave my sweetie romance all year long.

I created a basket. This basket holds 12 envelopes. Each labeled with a month of the year. And each envelope contains a pre-planned, (mostly) pre-paid date just for us. All 12 dates are different. Several, actually nearly all of the dates are things we have never done before. The plan is to open the envelope together at the beginning of the month, look at the calendar and decide on a date. So right from the beginning of the month, we'll have a fun date on the calendar to look forward to. In each envelope I included date details, directions, parking information, menu, babysitter information....you get the idea.

Here are the 12 dates that I have planned for us: Since January has already passed, we'll have a when we feel like it envelope.

FEBRUARY Its a surprise...I have a very special date planned on the 25th, so this one is still a mystery to him.

MARCH Snowboarding at Mount Baker. I found a special price that includes an 1.5 lesson, equipment rental, and beginners lift ticket (the first 3 lifts) for $49. A lift ticket alone is typically $50, so this is an awesome deal.

APRIL Norpoint Gun Range in Arlington. We'll spend some fun time together shooting targets, hopefully have some hand on lessons from my sweetie, and lunch afterwards.

MAY Drive in Movie Date at the Blue Fox to see Fast & the Furious 6. We loooove these movies so I thought it would be fun to go to a drive in movie, just like our second date. It's local and the movie starts at around 7PM and is typically a double feature for $6.50 per person. Cheap date right?

JUNE Cooking Class demonstration style by the amazing owner and chef at Il Granio Italian Restaurant. Our friends Wil and Marcy will be joining us for a double date. So we'll all learn how to cook an amazing meal together and then eat it afterwards and visit with friends. Romantic :

JULY Lunch at the Space Needle. I have NEVER been to the Space Needle....and I have lived her for over 15 years. Its time to go! Dinner is so expensive, but after doing some research I learned that the lunch menu and dinner menu are pretty similar, but lunch is half the price. If you eat lunch at the space needle, parking is free, and going to the observation deck is free.

AUGUST A family date to Snoqualamie Falls. Together we'll take the kids for a hike and a picnic. Visiting the falls is free, picnic tables are free, and parking is free. I'll pack us a special picnic lunch before we leave.

SEPTEMBER Vegas Baby! Brad and I want to get away. So for 3 days and 2 nights we want to go somewhere affordable and hot where we can relax. Tickets from Bellingham to Vegas are really affordable, there are a lot of really nice hotels, spas, swimming pools, shopping, and tattoo parlors......you know we'd stop by one of these. This trip is not paid for yet, but I plan on saving money throughout the year so that we can go.

OCTOBER Guys need man dates and girls need girl time. So this month Brad can have fun doing something with his boys.....going golfing, concert, whatever. I want to go to the spa for a relaxing facial....I have coupons that I have been holding onto for a while giving me a facial for $50 that I am dying to use. Sounds like an awesome time with my mom :) or a pedicure.

NOVEMBER Shopping in November is pretty awesome....especially since Black Friday deals are really good.

DECEMBER So much to do in December that a date really isn't needed.....Christmas Village, pictures with Santa, baking cookies together as a family, tree farm, so many things to do this month, sooooo excited to celebrate this Christmas with Laney, Lily, and Jaxon. Family time. Watching each other as parents. Falling more in love with each other everyday.

Valentine's Day may be different this year. Having a lot less money to spend, less time to spend with each other, more babies to take care of.....but I'm so in love with this life of ours. And that's what its all about.