an IKEA trip, friends, family, and lots of food.

President's Day Weekend was this past weekend.  Which meant a beautiful 3-Day weekend for us!  We accomplished a lot and spent the entire day together.  What more could anyone ask for?

First off, the landlords brought by our brand spankin' new dishwasher and the cleaning lady finally showed (she was supposed to come 3 weeks ago when we first moved in!) to clean the disgusto shower doors.  The tenants before us definitely didn't know how to clean shower doors.  Now they sparkle and shine and are an easy clean-up with a squeegee.  Happy day!

Next on our To-Do list this weekend was to return some sheets we had originally bought at IKEA last month.  We found a better thread-count for the same price at the Homegoods store so we said bye bye to the IKEA ones and hello to a higher thread count.

The line for returns wasn't too bad, but just long enough for us to get bored enough to snap a picture or two...

Then it was off to the other parts of the store in search of a rug to cover our dark green carpet at our new place, grab some new hand towels and dish towels, and a new lampshade.

Fortunately, I have one of the few husbands that actually likes going to IKEA with their wife.  

On our very first date, we actually had an hour wait at Red Robin before we could be seated.  So we went around a random place in the mall and looked at random bedding, kitchen set-ups, clothing (mainly the ties-we both found out we have a fettish with ties) and everything in between.  Ever since then, we just like to browse and dream about the future and what we might like in what house we buy in the future... 

Though T did find a place to sit for awhile at IKEA.  It was a pretty busy Saturday for IKEA being the big 3-Day Weekend and getting around the crowds was a little tricky.

We ended up finding the perfect rug within our price range and everything else we went for (and maybe a few other things).  Of course, we bought cinnamon rolls.  You can't go to IKEA without buying a cinnamon roll.  Or two.  Or a whole package.

After IKEA we made deeeeelicious BBQ pineapple bacon pizza with fresh mozzarella.  We pretty much always use Jana's thin crust pizza dough recipe when we Tyler makes pizza dough.  It works every time.  

We also made a batch of freezer breakfast english muffins that we make every two weeks, made stuffed broccoli cheese chicken, and made a full pan of cafe rio pulled pork enchiladas with homemade pico de gallo and guacamole.  

Dang, we're awesome.

My grandpa also got checked into the hospital over the weekend for a kidney infection.  My Dad and I went up to the hospital together for a couple of hours on Sunday and spent time just talking with him.  It's always hard to see people you love in the hospital.  BUT, he was joking around with us and requesting his razor so he could shave the moment we walked in the door.  He even let me feed him some of his "too salty turkey" and "not enough flavor" mashed potatoes.  

Apparently hospital food is not very tasty (I agree).  Then I got to just sit on the bed and hold his hand and talk.  We talked about fishing and people that he knows and how the Sunday newspaper forgot to put in the crosswords.  It was a good feeling.  Sitting there, holding his hand while every once in a while he'd squeeze mine tight and stroke it with his thumb.  

He's a pretty amazing man and the best patient-all of the doctors and nurses said so themselves.  He doesn't complain and he entertains himself (any man who could sit out on a boat all day long fishing and not say a word can certainly entertain himself in a hospital bed-though it's not nearly as exciting as fishing).  

My parents are equally amazing for the time they put into taking care of their parents.  My mom is with both sets of grandparents every.  single.  day.  She sorts my grandma's pills and makes sure she can turn on the DVD player, goes shopping with the other grandma, makes weekly fudge for one grandpa, and tries to keep tabs on the other.  She cooks, cleans, and entertains.  Both of my parents fix whatever breaks, tears, stains, etc. and they stay optimistic.  Even when their own Valentines dinner plans (which my mother plans waaay in advance) have to get cancelled to take care of their parents, they stay positive.  I'm proud of what they do and I sure do love them and their example of perfect Christlike service.

 Tuesday night was JaeKaeNae night since Katie came down from Idaho!  Nae is preggers with their baby boy due at the end of June and Katie brought cute little Natalie to visit too.  

It's just a little crazy to think that less than 8 years ago we were all graduating from high school together.  Now Kae has an 14-month old and Nae and I are only months away from having our own kiddos!

Life is certainly treating us well and we're excited for the next phases of our lives.  

Heavenly Father has blessed us far beyond what we had ever hoped and dreamed.